Abstract:
Lateral elements for use in a roller shutter useful for screening an opening, the roller shutter includes a plurality of lateral elements which together form shutter wherein the plurality of lateral elements are able to pivot with respect to one another without disengaging to allow the shutter to bend around a corner to expose the opening.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/171,672, filed on Apr. 22, 2009, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    (1) Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention concerns a roller door or roller shutter for screening an opening such as an opening in an automobile or truck. The shutter includes a plurality of lateral elements which together form shutter when located in a track across a covered opening. The plurality of lateral elements are able to pivot with respect to one another without disengaging to allow the shutter to bend around a corner to expose the opening. 
         [0004]    (2) Background of the Invention 
         [0005]    Roller doors/shutters are used in many applications to cover openings. In particular, roller shutters are useful in covering non-planar openings. Vehicles such as automobiles can typically include non-planar openings. However, roller shutters are not typically considered as suitable for covering such openings because they include may pieces that can be prone to being damaged especially in an automobile environment where components are subjected to harsh environmental conditions and unwanted vibrations. There is a need, therefore, for a roller shutters that are useful to cover planar and non-planar openings in the cabin of an automobile. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    One aspect of the invention is a lateral element useful in a roller shutter, the lateral element having a length that is greater than its width and further comprising a front face, back, a first edge and a second edge, the back including one or more strengthening ribs and a locking rib extending beyond the first edge of the lateral element. 
         [0007]    Another aspect of this invention is a roller shutter for screening an opening, the rolled shutter including a plurality of lateral sliding elements, each sliding element having a length that is greater than its width and each lateral sliding element associated with at least one other sliding element wherein each sliding element further comprises: at least one lateral strengthening rib; and a locking rib that extends to cover a portion of an adjacent lateral sliding element. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side cut-away view of a lateral element embodiment of a roller shutter of this invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a roller shutter including lateral elements that are pivoted as they travel around a corner; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side cut-away view of an end of the roller shutter including the end element and several lateral elements; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is front view of a roller shutter including a plurality of lateral elements; 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    The present invention relates to a roller shutter  10  for use in for screening any opening but preferably for screening an opening in an automobile or truck. Embodiments of a roller shutter of this invention and or elements of roller shutters of this invention are shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a cross-section view of a single lateral element  12  used in roller shutter  10 . Lateral element  12  will have a length that is greater than its width and preferably a length that is five or more times its width. Lateral element  12  further includes a face  22 , a back  28 , a first edge  23  and a second edge  25 . The lateral element back  28  may include one or more strengthening ribs  26  and may include a locking rib  30  that extending beyond an edge  23  or  25  of lateral element  12 . 
         [0013]    Face  22  will be visible to the observer when roller shutter  10  covers an opening. Face  22  may be decorated such as by painting or printing, it may be undecorated, or it may include a decorative layer  24  such as a metal sheet, wood veneer, or decorated plastic film. In one embodiment, decorative layer  24  is an aluminum sheet material having a thickness of from 0.25 mm to about 1 mm thick and preferably about 0.5 mm thick that is undecorated or decorated. 
         [0014]    Each lateral element  12  optionally includes one or more strengthening ribs  26  associated with back surface  28 . Strengthening ribs  26  may run along part or the entire lateral back surface  28  of lateral element  12 . Strengthening ribs  26  will have a depth X of from about 0.75 mm to about 3 mm and a width Y of from about 0.75 mm to about 2.0 mm. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , lateral element  12  includes two strengthening ribs  26  and  26 ′. 
         [0015]    Each lateral element  12  also includes a locking rib  30 . Locking rib  30  extends from first or second end  23  or  25  of lateral element  12  towards an adjacent lateral element such that locking rib  30  covers, preferably without touching, a portion of a recess  29  formed in back surface  28  of adjacent lateral element  12 . In  FIG. 1 , locking rib includes a first surface  41  and a second surface  45 . When two lateral elements  12  are placed adjacent to one another as shown in  FIG. 3 , there is preferable a small gap  31  between second surface  45  of locking rib  38  and the back  20  of lateral element  12 . 
         [0016]    One purpose of locking rib  30  is to prevent lateral element deflection when force is applied to the face of the assembled shutter. Locking rib  30  may have a lateral length that is shorter than or that is equal to the lateral length of lateral element  12 . Alternatively, lateral element  12  can include a plurality of spaced locking ribs located along a portion of or the entire length of lateral element  12 . Gap  31 , when present, will have a width of from about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm and preferably about 0.25 mm. 
         [0017]    A backing sheet  32  is optionally applied to the rear of the assembled roller shutter  10  as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 . Backing sheet  32  is applied to the surface  34  of strengthening ribs  26 . Backing sheet  32  will typically include a flexible sheet material  36  and an adhesive layer  38  with the adhesive layer providing the bond between the backing sheet and the roller shutter strengthening ribs. The flexible sheet material  36  can be any flexible sheet material that is resilient and that is resistant to failure due to bending or creasing. Example so useful flexible sheet materials include, but are not limited to, fabrics, woven glass cloth, and polymer films. The adhesive layer  38  may be any adhesive that is capable of essentially irreversibly securing the flexible sheet material  36  to the strengthening ribs  26 . A preferred adhesive material is a heat activated adhesive such as a hot melt urethane based adhesive. One purpose of backing sheet  32  is to hold the individual lateral elements together especially when roller shutter  10  is opened and closed so strengthening ribs  26  do not bind. In addition, by holding lateral elements  12  together, the pivot gap  43  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) formed between adjacent lateral element faces  22  when the roller shutter bends around a corner is minimized and the opening behind the roller shutter is hidden from observation by the backing sheet  32  as well. 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows an end section  40  of a roller shutter  10  embodiment of this invention including several lateral elements  12  and end piece  14 . End piece  14  includes a stop  15  that acts in conjunction with barriers in the opening covered by roller shutter to prevent roller shutter from being opened or closed too far. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a section of roller shutter  10  as it would appear turning a corner formed by groove  33  as it is opened or closed. The roller shutter  10  includes a plurality of adjacent lateral elements  12 . Moreover, the rear portion of side walls  42  of lateral elements  12  include an inward taper  44 . The combination of inward taper  44  and backing sheet  32  inhibit separation of the lateral elements  12  during the opening a closing process thereby hiding the opening from view. In addition the gap  43  formed by pivoting lateral elements should be no greater than about 2 mm and ideally about 1.4 mm or less. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a roller shutter  10  embodiment of this invention. The roller shutter includes end piece  14  at one end, a handle  50  at the other end, a plurality of lateral elements  12  located between end piece  14  and handle  50 . Lateral elements  12  includes feet  46  and  50  that are placed in a top grove and bottom groove  33  respectfully such that feet  46  are not visible to the viewer. The top and bottom grooves retain feet  46  and  50  and in turn secure the roller shutter  10  in place between the opposing grooves were feet  46  and  50  slide in the groves when the user pushes or pulls on handle  50  to cause roller shutter to expose and cover an opening. 
         [0021]    The number of sliding lateral elements  12  in the roller shutter is preferably between 5 and 25. Lateral element  12  and well as the handle  50  and end piece  14  are preferably made from a light weight plastic material and may be molded in one piece, for example by extrusion or cast molding. The plastic material may comprise glass fibers or another suitable fiber for reinforcing the plastic material. One example of a suitable material is PA6GF30, which is a commercial plastic comprising Polyamide 6 reinforced with the addition of 30% glass fiber and graphite.