Patent Publication Number: US-6209263-B1

Title: Hurricane shutter system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to shutters and more particularly pertains to a new hurricane shutter system for installing hurricane shutters fast and easy without the use of a ladder. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of shutters is known in the prior art. More specifically, shutters heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,716; U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,921; U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,271; U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,238; U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,536; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 361,843. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new hurricane shutter system. The inventive device includes an upper mounting sleeve designed to be screwed to a building. A mounting bracket designed for coupling to the upper mounting sleeve. A cover panel assembly insertable into the mounting sleeve and bolted to the mounting bracket whereby the cover panel assembly is coupled to the building to cover a window of the building. 
     In these respects, the hurricane shutter system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of installing hurricane shutters fast and easy without the use of a ladder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shutters now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new hurricane shutter system construction wherein the same can be utilized for installing hurricane shutters fast and easy without the use of a ladder. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new hurricane shutter system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the shutters mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new hurricane shutter system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art shutters, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an upper mounting sleeve designed to be screwed to a building. A mounting bracket designed for coupling to the upper mounting sleeve. A cover panel assembly insertable into the mounting sleeve and bolted to the mounting bracket whereby the cover panel assembly is coupled to the building to cover a window of the building. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new hurricane shutter system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the shutters mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new hurricane shutter system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art shutters, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new hurricane shutter system that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new hurricane shutter system that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new hurricane shutter system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such hurricane shutter system economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new hurricane shutter system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new hurricane shutter system for installing hurricane shutters fast and easy without the use of a ladder. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new hurricane shutter system which includes an upper mounting sleeve designed to be screwed to a building. A mounting bracket designed for coupling to the upper mounting sleeve. A cover panel assembly insertable into the mounting sleeve and bolted to the mounting bracket whereby the cover panel assembly is coupled to the building to cover a window of the building. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new hurricane shutter system that can be installed without the use of a ladder. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new hurricane shutter system that can be installed quickly and easily in hard to reach locations. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a new hurricane shutter system according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a end view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the sleeve of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the bottom bracket of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new hurricane shutter system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the hurricane shutter system  10  generally includes an upper mounting sleeve  12  designed to be screwed to a building  2 . A mounting bracket  14  is designed to be screwed to the building in spaced relationship to the upper mounting sleeve  12 . A cover panel assembly  16  is insertable into the mounting sleeve  12  and bolted to the mounting bracket  14  whereby the cover panel assembly  16  is attached to the building  2  to cover a window  4  of the building  2 . 
     The cover panel assembly  16  including a plurality of cover panels  18 , each cover panel  18  is couplable to an adjacently positioned cover panel  18  for forming the cover panel assembly  16 . The plurality of cover panels  18  including a central cover panel  20  and a pair of outer panels  22 . The cover panel assembly  16  includes a handle  24  for facilitating manipulation of the cover panel assembly  26  when inserting the cover assembly  26  into the mounting sleeve  12  and bolting the cover panel assembly  16  to the mounting bracket  14 . There is a brace  28  bolted to the cover panel assembly  16  for maximizing stiffness of the cover panel assembly  16 . 
     The mounting bracket  14  includes a plurality of building mounting holes  32 . The cover panel assembly  16  including a plurality of bracket mounting holes  30  for mounting the cover panel assembly to the mounting bracket  14 . A plurality of bolts  34  extend from the mounting bracket  14  for insertion through the aligned panel mounting holes  30 . A plurality of fasteners  36  are provided, each fastener  36  being for coupling to a respective one of the bolts  34  for coupling the cover panels  18  to the mounting bracket  14 . The bolts  34  are fixed relative to the bracket  14  to facilitate fastening of the fasteners to the bolts. 
     The central cover panel  20  includes a pair of coplanar outer portions  38  and a planar central portion  40  with the central portion  40  being coplanar with the outer portions  38 . The central cover panel  20  includes a pair of coplanar medial portions  42  that are located in a plane parallel to a plane in which the central portion  20  and the outer portions  22  lie. Each of the medial portions  42  is positioned between the central portion  20  and a respective one of the outer portions  22 . A plurality of cross-portions  44  integrally connect the central  20 , medial  42 , and outer portions  22 . The central cover panel  20  also includes a number of cutouts  17  positioned to align with the bolts  34  for facilitating positioning of the central cover panel  20  against the outer panels  22 . 
     A central tab  46  extends outwardly from a top edge  48  of the central portion  20 . The central tab  46  is angled such that a top edge  48  of the central tab  46  extends towards the plane in which the medial portions lie  42 . A pair of medial tabs  50 , each medial tab  50  extending outwardly from a top edge  48  of a respective one of the medial portions  42 , each of the medial tabs  50  is angled such that a top edge  48  of each medial tab  50  extends towards the plane in which the central portion  20  lies. 
     In use, the hurricane shutter system is easily installed using multiple panels comprising the cover panel assembly. The user first installs and tightens the end panels to the mounting sleeve and the mounting bracket. Then the user installs the central panel, slides the brace into position and tightens the brace to the central panel with two wing nut fasteners. This system eliminates the use of a ladder when installing hurricane shutters and allows a user to quickly fasten shutters to the exterior of the building. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.