Patent Publication Number: US-6341447-B1

Title: Half circle window shutter/blind

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a shutter for a half circle or arched window in general and in particular to a spring suspension of individual slats in the shutter. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Venetian blinds are used to prevent direct sunlight from entering a house or other building and are typically made of a number of parallel rectangular slats or blades, each of which are supported by one of the rungs of a ladder-shaped fabric segment installed at each end of the blades. Venetian blinds are therefore limited to an essentially rectangular configuration. Arched or semi-circular windows are popular in many types of architectural design creating a need for a covering to prevent the passage of direct sunlight through the window. 
     Shutters for half circle or arched windows present problems involving the size, shape, weight and ability to interlock of the slats which are not associated with the more common venetian blinds. The prior art involving inventions for covering circular or half-circular openings fall into two general categories. The first category utilizes blinds or slats which pivot from a common point. U.S. Pat. No. 492,671 discloses a cinder, dust and smoke excluder for car windows having beveled triangular plates which pivot like fan. U.S. Pat. No. 602,967 discloses collapsible blinds for circular or arched windows comprising two fan shaped collapsible blinds with slats pivotally connected near the center of the circle forming the arch. U.S. Pat. No. 1,060,187 discloses a wind shield for automobiles radiators having triangular blades with flaring sides which rotate from a common pivot point. U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,380 discloses two sets of blades which fan out from the ends of a U-shaped frame and meet at the top of the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,195 discloses a collapsible blind for semi-circular arched windows with tapered blades that fan out from a common axis of rotation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,4334, U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,436 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,112 disclose pleated or multi-cellular shade fabric which deploy fanlike from a common point. U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,889 discloses a blind with slats attached to a pivot bolt. U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,329 discloses a moveable shade for arched windows with triangular type blades with center ends attached pivotally at a bottom center of a window arc and outside ends rotated from the bottom outside edges of the arc to a top center of the arc. 
     The second category of prior art inventions for covering circular or half-circular openings involves linear pivoting. For decorative purposes, linear pivoting is most desirable because when the blades or slats are in a closed position the surface presented will be flat. By linear pivoting is meant that each blade or slat is connected to a support so that the blade or slat rotates about the axis of the two points of connection. The blades or slats must be rotatable connected to a semi-circular base and a semi-circular top support. U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,048 discloses a swivel shutter with slats pivotally mounted in a rectangular frame. U.S. Pat. No. 1,447,189 discloses linear pivoting of slats in a manner similar to the pitch adjustment of a propeller in an semi-circular frame. 
     The advent of lightweight materials such as foam polyvinyl chloride make the construction of lightweight shutters for arched windows possible. Likewise, composite materials such as bonded sawdust and resin provide lightweight construction materials. Additionally, both foam PVC and composite materials covered with a thin plastic skin provide materials which also allow a wide range of colors for matching to the installation site. Half-circle windows normally are installed above a rectangular window. Therefore, a further advantage of these lightweight materials and the ability to match colors is that the half circle shutter can be utilized in conjunction with either shutters or blinds on the rectangular window. The ability to match a half circle shutter with Venetian blinds as well as shutters provides for a wide range of adaptability of the arched shutter/blind. Finally, these lightweight materials allow a wide variety of pre-fabricated shutters for arched windows to be mass-produced thereby keeping costs down while maintaining a high quality appearance. 
     However, problems arise in constructing a semi-circular shutter out of such lightweight materials when linear pivoting of each slat is employed. Each slat must be anchored in a top support and a bottom support. Slats can be formed from composite materials with prongs at either end for mating with holes in the base and the top support. The first problem that arises is that, on larger shutters, the semi-circular top support can deform in handling so that the blades may become detached and fall out. For example, if the arched shutter is lifted by the top support it may deform slightly increasing the distance between the top support and bottom support to the point where the distance exceeds the length of the top prong of one or more slats. Another problem arises in keeping the tops of the blades uniformly aligned with the top support. Minor variations in the shape of the arch of the top support will be noticeable if the distance between the top of the slats and the top support varies. Moreover, such non-uniform distances will not only detract from the appearance but will also increase light leakage between the slats and the support. An additional problem that arises in mass manufacturing shutters for semi-circular windows is to increase the range of window sizes to which one shutter for a semi-circular window can be affixed. For example, the top support has a front decorative trim element that covers the space between the top support and the arch of the wall around the window to be shuttered. The wall arch is usually not geometrically perfect and can vary considerably from window to window. Thus the front decorative trim of the top support covers the intervening space. Additionally, the front decorative trim allows for a range of window sizes to be serviced by one shutter size. The larger the area of the front decorative trim the greater the range of window sizes that can be serviced by one arched shutter. A further problem in constructing arched blinds with linearly pivoting slats is to maintain a smooth surface appearance with the slats are closed while minimizing light leakage between the slats. If the slats are made to overlap they will not lie in the same plane when closed thereby distracting from the desired appearance. Finally, there exists a need for the slats to be capable of being individually turned and for each slats to remain in the position to which each individual slat has been turned. The prior art does not address these problems. Therefore, what is needed beyond the prior art is a semi-circular shutter that can be constructed of lightweight materials (1) so the slats will not fall out when the shutter is lifted or moved due to deformation of the outer frame, (2) so that light leakage between the slats and between the slats and the support will be minimized, (3) so that the shutter is adaptable to a range of arched window sizes, and (4) so that the individual slats can be turned and remain in position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention which meets the needs identified above is a shutter for half-circle window having a top, a base, and a plurality of slats capable of interlocking engagement and rotatably secured between the top and the base wherein the slats are further held in position by springs providing pressure against the slats. 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 depicts a right front perspective view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 2 depicts a right rear perspective view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 3 depicts a front view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 4 depicts a rear view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 5 depicts a detail view of the slats and base. 
     FIG. 6 provides a view of a single slat. 
     FIG. 7 provides a cross section view along line  7 — 7  of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of the apparatus with variation. 
     FIG. 10 shows a split baseboard alternative embodiment-line. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT. 
     FIG. 1 shows shutter  100  with base  10 , top  40  and a plurality of slats  30 . Base  10  has baseboard  16 , base front  20 , base rear  24 , base slat support  22 . Top  40  has outer ridge  46 , top front  42  and inner ridge  44 . Outer ridge  46  may be molded into top front  42  or may be fixedly attached to top front  42 . Inner ridge  44  may be molded into top front  42  or may be fixedly attached to top front  42 . Slats  30  have first edge  32  and second edge  34 . Baseboard  16  has baseboard top surface  14 . 
     FIG. 2 shows a rear perspective view of shutter  100 . Top  40  has top rear  48  and top support  50 . Base  10  has baseboard  16 , base rear  24 , and base slat support  22 . Slats  30  have first edge  32  and second edge  34 . Top rear  48  is fixedly attached to top support  50  by joints  60 . In the preferred embodiment, joints  60  are thin metal sheets folded at a right angle and nailed with two nails to top rear  48  and nailed with two nails to top support  50 . Alternatively, joints  60  may be affixed to top rear  48  and top support  50  by glue or adhesive. Further in the alternative, top rear  48  may be joined to top support  50  by glue or cement without joints  60 . Additionally, top rear  48  and top support  50  may be molded in one piece. 
     FIG. 3 shows a front view of shutter  100  with slats  30  in the closed position. FIG. 3 shows the desired flat surface appearance of shutter  100  when slats  30  are in the closed position. All slats  30  lie in the same plane. Light leakage at the tops of slats  30  is minimized by the uniform closure of the tops of slats  30  with top  40 . Light leakage between slats  30  is minimized by the interlocking engagement of slats  30  which will be detailed in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 . Light leakage at the bottom of slats  30  is minimized by base front  20  which, in addition to its decorative function, provides an overlap of the bottoms of slats  30  and covers the space between the bottom of slats  30  and base slat support  22  (not shown in FIG.  3 ). The functional importance of base front  20  in concealing springs which provide upward lift to slats  30  is shown in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a rear view of shutter  100  with slats  30  in the closed position. All slats  30  are of uniform size and shape and in the closed position, slats  30  present a flat surface in the same plane when closed and viewed from the rear. Top rear  48  is the area available for covering the gap between rear edge  54  of top  40  and the arched wall of the window to which shutter  100  is to be installed. 
     FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of slats  30  joined to base slat support  22 . Springs  36  are positioned between slats  30  and base slat support  22 . Springs  36  provide upward pressure on slats  30  so that slat top  39  (see FIG. 6) will touch top support  50  (see FIGS.  2  and  3 ). Springs  36  are hidden by base front  20  and base rear  24  (see FIGS. 1,  2 , 3  and  4 ). 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of slat  30 . Slat  30  has first edge  32  and slat first ridge  33 . Slat  30  also has slat second edge  34  and slat second ridge  37  (see FIG.  7 ). Slat  30  has slat top  39  and slat bottom  38 . 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of slat  30  along line  7 — 7  of FIG.  6 . Slat  30  has slat second edge  34  and slat first edge  32 . Slat first edge  32  has slat first ridge  33  and slat second edge  34  has slat second ridge  37 . The purpose of slat first ridge  33  and slat second ridge  37  is that when the slats are turned parallel to each other the edges will engages one another and minimize leakage of light between the slats. Slat first ridge  33  of slat  30  will engage slat second ridge  37  on the adjacent slat  30 . 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded view of shutter  100  as seen from the rear showing the assembly of shutter  100 . Slats  30  are affixed to top  40  and base slat support  22  by securement devices  52 . Securement device  52  is inserted through a hole in top support  50  and into slat top  39 . Securement device  52  is placed though hole in base slat support  22 , spring  36  is placed over securement device  52  and securement device  52  is affixed to slat bottom  38 . In the preferred embodiment, securement device  56  is a screw which is affixed to slat bottom  38  by being screwed into slat bottom  38  and which has a head which prevents the screw from passing completely through slat support  22 . Persons skilled in the art are aware of a variety of securement devices such as dowels, screws, nails, rods and bolts. Spring  36  keeps slat  30  in position up against top support  50  thereby minimizing light leakage between slat top  39  and top support  50 . In addition, spring  36  maintains slat  30  in position by friction between slat top  39  and top  40  so that when each slat  30  is turned individually, each slat  30  will remain in the position to which it was turned. The process is repeated for each slat  30 . When all slats  30  have been affixed to base slat support  22  and top support  50 , stiffener  18  is placed between base slat support  22  and baseboard  16  so that the ends of base slat support will go over the ends of stiffener  18  and base slat support  22  in glued to baseboard top surface  14  of baseboard  16 . Stiffener  18  prevents warping of baseboard  16 . Base front  20  is then glued to base slat support  22  and baseboard top surface  14 . Base rear  24  is then glued to base slat support  22  and baseboard top surface  14 . Base front  20  and base rear  24  conceal slat bottoms  38  and springs  36 . 
     FIG. 9 shows an alternative placement of springs  36  where springs  36  are placed beneath base slat support  22  so that downward pressure is exerted on securement device  56 . Springs  36  exert sufficient downward pressure to cause slats  30  to remain in any position to which they are manually turned due to friction between slat bottom  38  and base slat support  22 . 
     Further in the alternative, springs  36  may be placed to provide upward pressure on slats.  30 . In order to position springs  36  so that upward pressure on slats  30  is exerted, springs  36  are not placed between securement device  56  and base slat support but are placed in a manner to provide upward pressure on securement device  56 . Such manner of placement includes but is not limited to stapling of spring  56  to the bottom of base slat support  22  so that springs  36  are held in position and in compression to exert upward force against securement device  56  which in turn exerts upward pressure on slat  30 . Alternatively, a spring cover (not shown) may be affixed to base slat support  22  by screws, nails of adhesive so that springs  36  are held in position and in compression to exert upward force against securement device  56  which in turn exerts upward pressure on slat  30 . Therefore, when spring  36  is positioned beneath base slat support  22  so that upward pressure is exerted on slat  30 , spring  36  maintains slat  30  in position by friction between slat top  39  and top  40  so that when each slat  30  is turned individually, each slat  30  will remain in the position to which it was turned. 
     In an alternative embodiment, base  10  is comprised of a split baseboard (see FIG. 10 below) so that stiffener  18  and base slat support  22  fit between two baseboard sections. Construction with a split base board brings a portion of the bottom slat  30  on the right and left side of base slat support  22  between the two baseboard sections and below the level shown for baseboard  16  in FIG.  8 . Construction with a split baseboard allows an increase in the size of the surface area of top rear  48  and top front  42  (see FIG. 1) which increases the range of window arches to which one size of shutter  100  can be affixed. 
     FIG. 10 depicts the split baseboard alternative embodiments  110  showing a split baseboard configuration having left split baseboard  170  and right split baseboard  150 . Base slat support  220  and stiffener  180 , can be seen extending down into the space between left split baseboard  170  and right split baseboard  150 . 
     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.