Abstract:
The invention encompasses a storm shutter system. The system utilizes a track above an opening, a shutter that is held by the track that covers the opening, a retainer that in conjunction with the track acts to hold the shutter in place, a means for retaining the shutter once the shutter has been installed. The shutter system can be deployed from the inside and is therefore very useful in protecting windows above the ground floor. The storm shutter system is useable with various types of windows including stacked windows and horizontal sliding windows.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to improved storm shutters that cover and protect windows and other openings even in hurricane-strength winds. This invention not only allows installation from the exterior of a house, the invention also allows installation from the interior of a building. By installing from the interior, the storm shutters of the invention can protect windows and openings above the ground floor with a minimum of risk to the installer. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In Broward County, Florida, the County Board of Rules and Appeals recently implemented a change in the code governing shuttering of all windows above the ground floor on all structures, except single family detached homes. The Code prohibits the use of storm panels above first story windows due to safety to life issues. Specifically, the concern is for individuals climbing ladders to install storm panels during pre-hurricane strength winds and rain. Existing alternatives to storm panels include accordion shutters, roll-up shutters, or impact glass windows. 
     An alternative to attachable shutter is roll up shutters. Roll-up shutters cost eight times as much as storm panels. Additionally, existing homes may require the area around the windows to be redesigned to accommodate the accordion or roll-up shutters. 
     Impact-resistant glass (also known as impact glass) is made by reinforcing glass with layers of transparent polymer. The polymer reinforces the glass and prevents shattering even if the glass becomes broken. Impact glass windows cost about eight times as much as storm panel systems. Furthermore, the polymeric layer of impact glass is soft and subject to scratching. Scratches in the polymer are visible and can weaken the impact glass. Scratch resistant impact glass turns yellow when exposed to ultra-violet rays. Impact glass comprising two-layers of glass sandwiching the polymer increases the cost beyond other impact glass. 
     Existing storm shutters must be installed from the outside. Existing storm shutters cannot be installed from the inside because the bolts that attach the shutter to the house are only reachable from the outside. So, once the window is covered the user can no longer reach around to insert the bolts. 
     These existing storm shutter systems typically use two tracks to hold shutters. The top track, also known as the h-track, in shaped like a lowercase “h” having the long edge mounted horizontally against the wall above the opening. The bottom track typically has an L-shaped cross-section and has its vertical portion mounted horizontally to the wall beneath the opening. This L-track has horizontal pegs protruding perpendicularly to the vertical leg. A shutter is inserted into the h-track and then bolted to the peg. The shutter must be attached from the outside to fasten the shutters via the bolts. These systems do not utilize panel hangers that hook onto the tracks. 
     The following U.S. Patents are examples of shutters that cannot be deployed from within the inside of the structure being protected: Caplan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,716; Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,452; Seaquist, U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,261; Covington, U.S. Pat. No. 3745,704; Covington, U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,639; Golen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,221; Sanford U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,190; Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,849; Hoffman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,615; Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,244; and Dietz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,646. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,149 issued to Tryba for a “Fixture for Protection of Windows.” The fixture is a plywood panel that can be seated from inside into a window frame where a screen is typically fitted. This device is limited to use with windows having extruded casings. In addition, the window frame itself is not protected by the shutter. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,704 issued to Covington for a “Storm Shutter Installation.” In one embodiment, the invention can be installed inside a building. However, in this embodiment the shutter is placed inside of the glass. The shutter does not protect the glass but only mitigates the damage caused should the glass break. 
     The design of windows can worsen the problem of attaching shutters from the inside. Most windows are one of two types of design: single hung or horizontal sliding. A single hung window involves two panes of glass stacked vertically. A single hung window is opened by raising the bottom pane. Once open, a single pane window allows access across the entire width of the window. The second type of design is the horizontal sliding window. A horizontal sliding window has two panes stacked horizontally (side by side). To open a horizontal sliding window, the first pane is slid sideways to overlap the second pane. Once open, a horizontal sliding window only allows access to half the width of the window—the other half is blocked by the stacked panes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a storm panel system that can be installed from the inside containing a track, at least one panel braced on the track, and a means for blocking the panel from lifting from said panel. 
     The system includes a shutter that covers an opening of a structure. The shutter can comprise a single panel or a plurality of panels that interconnect. 
     The storm panel systems of the present invention includes a track along the top of the opening, a shutter that covers the opening, a retainer that braces the shutter so it is retained by the track and a means to prevent the panel from lifting from the track. The retainer can be any suitable device that braces the panel. Examples include but are not limited to a track and bolts threaded through the panel into the structure. 
     In one embodiment, the top of each panel includes one or more panel hangers that attach to a J-track. The J-track and the inverted h-track are rigidly attached to the structure, above and below respectively of the opening. The hook and J-track allow the panels to be easily hooked and slid along the J-track. 
     The storm panels are shaped to add strength. A preferred shaped is an isosceles trapezoid corrugation. The panels can be made of impact resistant material such an steel, aluminum, polycarbonate, and LEXAN®. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, an inverted h-track is located to the exterior of an opening. The inverted h-track is rigidly attached to the building structure. The inverted h-track is horizontal to the opening and in close proximity and below the bottom of the opening that is desired to be covered. Above the window in close proximity thereto is a J-track. The J-track is also parallel to the opening and rigidly attached to the structure. 
     The openings to be covered typically include either a single hung window or a sliding window arrangement with one end window pane fixed in place. 
     Installation for a horizontal sliding window poses challenges that are not present in a single-hung window. In a horizontal sliding window, when the window is open, half the width of the window in blocked by the overlapping window panes. This blocking prevents the installer from being able to reach around to the exterior of panels that cover the overlapping panel. 
     This invention provides a shutter system and method of use that uses two tracks to hold panels without reaching around to the front of the panels for horizontal sliding windows. To install the panels, first, the horizontal sliding window is opened. Then, while the installer stands inside the structure at close proximity to the window opening. A corrugated panel is moved through the window opening to the exterior of the structure. The bottom of the corrugated panel is first placed in the inverted h-track and the top is tilted outward, away from the structure. The corrugated panel has a plurality of panel hangers on its top. A panel hanger is an upside down J-shaped member that engages and hangs from the J-track. Said panel hanger acts like a hook on the J-track. The J-track acts like a rail such that the hook slides on the rail. The arrangement can be reversed such that the panel hanger is the rail and the track is the hook. 
     To engage the J-track, the panel is lifted slightly to allow the j-shaped member&#39;s lip to pass over the J-track lip. To make the lifting possible, the panel must extend higher above the top of the panel. The distance from the top of the shutter to the bottom of the lip of J-shaped member must be greater than the height of the J-track lip and shorter than the lip of the h-track. Once the bottom of the corrugated panel is inserted into the inverted h-track and raised a sufficient distance above the base of the h-track, the panel is brought closer to the top J-track so that the panel hanger can come over the outside lip of the J-track and hook onto said J-track. In raising the panel, the depth of the h-track is designed not to release the panel bottom even when the panel is lifted to engage the panel hangers and J-track. At that point, the panel hangers are aligned on the J-track, the bottom of the corrugated panel is within the inside portion of the h-track, and the panel hanger rests on the outward portion of the J-track. A gap remains between the top of the panel and the bottom of the J-track. This gap is used to lift the panel and to remove the hanger from the track during removal. The corrugated panel is then moved in a sliding manner away from the open window portion towards the fixed window portion. A new panel is then placed into position as just described. Thereafter, the corrugated panel is moved over to engage and slightly overlap the first or prior corrugated panel. Once the first corrugated panel overlaps the second corrugated panel, continuing plurality of corrugated panel can be added and locked into position until the opening is completely covered. To prevent the panels from sliding off the end of the J-track, the J-track contains self tapping metal screws that will not allow the panel hangers to slide past. To prevent unintended removal of the panels caused by lifting, a block is attached to the bottom of the J-track at the end furthermost from the open side of the window. The block prevents the panels from lifting. The block runs only a partial length of the J-track. By running only a partial amount of the J-track, panels can be installed in the area not having a block. Furthermore, after the panels are stitched together with stitch bolts, the existence of a top bar at one end will retain shutters located along the entire length of the J-track. The last panel installed in this manner for each particular opening has a handle on the inside of the panel, so that said panel can be held by the person inside. 
     An alternative installation may be described for a single hung window. In this case, it is not necessary to use an inverted h-track along the entire base of the window. Because the installer is not blocked by the overlapping windows, the installer can reach around and fasten the panels at their bottom to the house by driving a bolt through the panel into the house. However, a partial h-track is necessary to hold the final panel because the final panel cannot be bolted from the inside. In addition, while the partial h-track must be in place during installation of the panels, when the panels are removed, the h-track can be removed. By minimizing the presence of the h-track, the negative aesthetic impact to the appearance of the house are minimized. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a horizontal sliding window having storm panels fully enclosing said window. 
     FIG. 2 in a right side view of window having storm panels installed. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of a partially enclosed, single hung window having the remainder of the storm panels shown in phantom. 
     FIG. 4 is a right side view of a window showing a storm panel in its tilted position and the same storm panel is shown in its installed position in phantom. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the left end of an installed panel system showing one complete panel engaged with a portion of a second panel. 
     FIG. 6 is a rear view of the final panel. 
     FIG. 7 is a right side view of a storm panel. 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of a second embodiment utilizing a beam. 
     FIG. 9 is a left side view of the embodiment shown in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of a third embodiment of an embodiment including two h-tracks. 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is a rear view of the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 depicting the view of a deployed shutter system through a stacked window having both of its panes lowered. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention encompasses shutter system  1 . Shutter system  1  is a removable system that protects opening  2  in structure  3 . Shutter system  1  can be installed in existing structure  3 . Typically, shutter system  1  is deployed to protect opening  2  during a storm such as a hurricane. 
     FIGS. 1-7 depict a first embodiment of the shutter system. In this embodiment, the shutter system  1  includes J-track  120 . J-track  120  is an extruded track having a j-shaped cross section. J-track comprises three rectangular sheets; flange  121 , abutment  122 , and lip  123 . Flange  121  connects at its bottom edge to the rear edge of abutment  122 . The front edge of abutment  122  attaches to the bottom edge of lip  123 . J-track  120  is fastened to structure  3  above opening  2 . J-track  120  is mounted horizontally. J-track  120  is attached to the house by a plurality of fasteners  124 . Typically, fasteners  124  are self-tapping screws or lagscrews that are inserted through flange  121  into the house. 
     In this embodiment, retainer  10  is h-track  130 . h-track  130  has a cross-section similar to an inverted, lower-case “h”. h-track  130  comprise three rectangular sheets: flange  131 , horizontal sheet  132 , and vertical sheet  133 . Flange  131  is joined to the back edge of horizontal sheet  132 ; preferably, horizontal sheet  132  joins flange  131  two thirds from the top of long vertical sheet  131 . The front edge of horizontal edge  132  joins with the bottom edge of short vertical sheet  133 . h-track attaches horizontally below the window. J-track  120  and h-track are parallel to each other. Fasteners  124  are drilled through flange  131  into structure  3  to attach h-track  130  to structure  3 . 
     Shutter  40  comprises a plurality of panels  140 . Panels  140  are not as tall as the distance between abutment  122  and horizontal sheet  132  but taller than the distance between abutment  12  and horizontal sheet  132  less the height of lip  123 . 
     Gap  70  is defined as the space between top  147  of shutter  40  when braced by retainer  10  (in this embodiment h-track  130 ) and abutment  122 . Gap  70  is taller than lip  123 . For this reason, shutter  40  can be lifted off or placed on h-track  130  and J-track  120 . Block  150  can be inserted in gap  70  to prevent shutter  40  from being lifted off J-track  120 . Block  150  is no taller than gap  70  but no shorter than the height of the gap minus the height of lip  123 . 
     Panel  140  comprises corrugated steel sheet  141  having a plurality of panel hangers  142 . Corrugated steel sheet  141  has an isosceles trapezoidal cross section. Panel hangers  142  are J-shaped and comprise long vertical member  143  attached at the top to horizontal member  144  that is attached at its rear edge to short vertical member  145 . Short vertical member  145  is smaller than lip  123 . Panel hanger  142  attaches to the outside top of corrugated steel sheet  141  by a nut and bolt  146  driven through long vertical member  143  and steel sheet  141 . Pop rivet  147  is also punched through vertical member  143  and steel sheet  141  to reinforce the attachment and to prevent pivoting around nut and bolt  146 . 
     FIG. 5 shows a top view of one complete panel  140   a  and a portion of a second panel  140   b.  Referring to panel  140   a,  sheet  141   a  preferably comprises five flat portions  181 ,  182 ,  183 ,  184 , and  185 . Three of said flat portions  181 ,  183 , and  185  are mounted on the rear of panel  140   a  proximate structure  3 . Flat portions  182  and  184  are mounted on the front of the panel and are spaced from structure  3 . Panel hangers  142  of each panel  140  are mounted on each front flat portion  182  and  184 . This configuration allows the two adjacent panels  140   a  and  140   b  to overlap and interlock. By attaching panel hangers  142  to the exterior of flat panels  182  and  184 , panel hangers  142  do not interfere with the overlapping of one panel  140   a  on the adjacent panel  140   b  when panels  140   a  and  140   b  are overlapped. Further placement of the panel hangers  142  in the flat panel  182  and  184  positions allow placement of the panel close to the structure than an arrangement of panel holders  142  in the flat panel  181 ,  183 , and  185 . 
     Shutter  40  is deployed to protect structure  3  during a storm. To install shutter  40 , the bottom of panel  140  is inserted in h-track  130  between short vertical sheet  133  and flange  131 . Panel  141  is lifted enough to lift short vertical member  145  over lip  123  but no so much as to lift panel  140  above short vertical sheet  133 . 
     Typically, more than one panel is used to cover a typical opening. By using more, narrower panels, the weight of each panel remains manageable. A plurality of panels  140  are added until the opening is covered. To add an additional panel  140   b  to an already installed panel  140   a,  additional panel  140   b  is inserted into j-track  130  and h-track  140  as before, but added panel  140   b  is added so as to overlap installed panel  140   a.  When overlapping, the corrugated shape of panels  140  complement each other. Preferably, each panel  140   a  and  140   b  have keyholes  151  and  152 , respectively. Keyholes  151 , and  152  are located so that keyholes  151  and  152  overlap when panels  140   a  and  140   b  are overlapped. Stitch bolt  153  can be inserted through keyholes  151  and  152  from the inside of structure  3 . Stitch bolt  153  fastens adjacent panels  140   a  and  140   b.    
     Panel  140  can be installed while standing in the house. Corrugated steel sheet  141  is held on its right and left sides or by handle  161  and is fed through the window. Handle  161  is attached to the inside of sheet  140 . 
     The type of retainer that can be used is affected by the type of window that is to be protected. Horizontal sliding windows typically involve a window having two panes of glass that are horizontally adjacent to each other. When closed, the two panes slightly overlap each other in the middle of the window. To open the window, one of the panes is slid horizontally to overlap the other leaving the an opening where the first window was slid. 
     Shutter  40  can be installed in a horizontal sliding window according to the following method. Panels  140  are engaged with J-track  120  and h-track  130  and slid toward the closed side of the horizontal sliding window. Additional panels are added and slid toward the closed window. To prevent panels  140  from being slid too far where they might  15  fall off J-track  120 , screws  125  and  126  are attached to each end of the outer face of lip  123 . Long vertical member  143  abuts screw  125  as long vertical member  143  is sliding along J-shaped track  120 . 
     To prevent unintended lifting of panel  140 , block  150  is added in gap  70  under J-track  120 . Block  150  is located at the end of J-track nearest the closed window. Block  150  is almost as thick as gap  70 . Block  150  prevents J-track  120  and support member from disengaging each other by preventing corrugated steel sheet  141  from lifting. Each panel has a left keyhole  151  and right keyhole  152 . Keyhole  151  and  152  are located at the same height and distance from their respective edges so that when panels  141  overlapped the right keyhole of the first panel  141  overlaps the left keyhole of the second panel. Removable bolt  153  is inserted through overlapping keyholes  151  and  152 . 
     In the case of a horizontal sliding window, the final panel must be installed differently than the other panels because access to the exterior of final panel  140   c  becomes limited. Final panel  140   c  is the same as panel  140  but includes handle  161 . Handle  161  is located on the back (interior) side of corrugated steel sheet  141 . Handle  161  allows panel  140   c  to be held without gripping the edges. Stitch bolt  153  is inserted from the interior of final panel  140   c.    
     In the case of single hung windows (also known as vertically sliding windows), the second preferred embodiment can be used. In the second preferred embodiment, h-track  130  is as wide as final panel  140   c  and is located underneath the window with its edge in line with the side edge of the window. A plurality of panels  140  are hung on J-track  120 . The bottom of panels  140  are fastened to the house under the window by a retainer that comprise a plurality of bolts  171  that are screwed through panels  140  into structure  3 . Final panel  140   c  is inserted into h-track  130  and J-track  120 . Final panel  140   c  is retained by h-track  130  and not by bolt  171  because the exterior of final panel  160  cannot be accessed from the inside of structure  3  once final panel  140   c  is in place. 
     Another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 8-9. In this embodiment, beam  60  is attached above opening  2 . In this embodiment, the bottom of beam  60  acts as abutment  122 . Shutter  40  has hangers  142  that allow shutter  40  to hang from beam  60 . For this embodiment, the short vertical member of hanger  142  acts as lip  123 . Retainer  10  can be any suitable means that, in conjunction with beam  60  and block  150 , hold shutter  40  on structure  3 . Bolts  171  are threaded through shutter  40  and fastened with wingnuts. Block  150  is inserted between abutment  122  and top  147  of shutter  40 . Block  150  is removed to allow deployment and removal of shutter  40 . 
     Another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 10-12. In this embodiment, a first and second h-track hold shutter  140  on structure  3 . First h-track  130   a  is located above opening  2  and extends downward over opening  2 . Second h-track  130   b  is below opening  2 . First and second h-track are parallel to each other. The horizontal sheet of first-track  130   a  acts as abutment  122 . The short vertical sheet of first h-track  130   a  acts as lip  123 . As shown in FIG. 12, long vertical sheet  131  of first h-track  130   a,  contains opening  154 . Block  150  can be inserted between top  147  and abutment  122 . Block  150  prevents shutter  40  from lifting off h-tracks  130   a  and  130   b.