Patent Publication Number: US-6219985-B1

Title: Louver and frame body assembly structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a louver and frame body assembly structure in which various kinds of natural solid pictures and patterns are formed on the beams, columns and slats to beautify the appearance of the louver and frame body. The pictures are coated with a transparent layer which endures the pictures. By means of pivot nails, the linking bar is pivotally connected with the lateral sides of the slats so that it is easy and convenient to assemble the components of the louver. 
     FIG. 1 shows a conventional louver and frame body structure including an upper beam  10 , a lower beam  11 , two lateral columns  12 , several slats  20 , several driven latch hooks  21 , several pivot pins  22 , a linking bar  30  and several driving latch hooks  31 . The upper beam  10  is an elongated slat-like member having a substantially L-shaped cross-section. The recessed section of the upper beam  10  is disposed with a semicircular receiving cavity  101 . The lower beam  11  is an elongated slat-like member having a substantially L-shaped cross-section. The two lateral columns  12  are also slat-shaped and are opposite to each other. The opposite inner sides thereof are formed with several pivot sockets  121  at equal intervals. The middle of each of the left and right sides of the slat  20  is formed with an insertion hole  201 . The driven latch hook  21  is U-shaped. The pivot pin  22  is a two-step cylindrical member. The linking bar  30  is an elongated bar. The driving latch hook  31  is U-shaped. 
     When assembled, as shown in FIG. 2, the small diameter steps of several pivot pins  22  are respectively fixedly fitted into the insertion holes  201  of left and right sides of the slats  20 . Then several driving latch hooks  31  are nailed on the linking bar  30  at equal intervals. Then several driven latch hooks  21  are latched with the driving latch hooks  31  on the linking bar  30  and nailed on the upper sides of the slats  20 . Then the upper beam  10 , lower beam  11  and two lateral columns  12  are assembled to form a rectangular frame body. At the same time, the pivot pins  22  fixed in the insertion holes  201  of the slats  20  are pivotally fitted into the pivot sockets  121  of the lateral columns  12 . Accordingly, by means of moving the linking bar  30 , the slats  20  are driven to pivotally rotate between the lateral columns  12  so as to adjust the light shading effect. 
     The conventional louver and frame body has some shortcomings as follows: 
     1. The upper and lower beams  10 ,  11 , lateral columns  12 , slats  20  and linking bar  30  are all made of wooden material or other materials with identical properties which are sprayed with paint with monotonous color. After a long period of being sunned, the paint tends to detach and the appearance will be deteriorated. Under such circumstance, re-painting is necessary. 
     2. The driving latch hooks  31  are nailed on the linking bar  30  and the driven latch books  21  are latched with the driving latch hooks  31  and then nailed on the upper sides of the slats  20 . In addition, the slats  20  must be pivotally connected with the lateral columns  12  via the independent pivot pins  22 . Such assembling procedure is quite troublesome. 
     3. The linking bar  30  is positioned at the center of the louver. This affects the entire appearance of the louver. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a louver and frame body assembly structure in which the outer peripheries of the frame body and slats are disposed with opaque layers and decorative articles wrapped by transparent layers. The opaque layers can be made of paper material, recovered paper material, wooden sheet, plastic material, unwoven fabric, woven fabric, etc. The decorative articles can be made of dried flowers, decorative papers, etc. Therefore, various kinds of solid pictures and patterns can be achieved to beautify and endure the appearance. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above louver and frame body assembly structure in which by means of the pivot nails, the slats are directly pivotally connected with the linking bar. The resilient pivot heads are integrally formed with the slat so that it is easy and convenient to assemble the components. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above louver and frame body assembly structure in which the linking bar is disposed on lateral side of the slats near the lateral column so that the entire appearance and picture of the louver will not be affected. 
    
    
     The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein: 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a conventional louver and frame body thereof; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective assembled view of the conventional louver and frame body thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the louver and frame body of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective assembled view of the louver and frame body of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 9 shows the operation of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Please refer to FIG.  3 . The louver and frame body assembly structure of the present invention includes an upper beam  40 , a lower beam  41 , two lateral columns  42 , two side columns  43 , several slats  50 , a linking bar  60  and several pivot nails  70 . The upper beam  40  includes a slat-like main body  401  the bottom of which is tapered and arched. The main body  401  is coated with an opaque layer  402  on which decorative article  403  is overlaid. The outermost face is further wrapped by a transparent plastic layer  404  by cold rolling or injection to enclose and fix the decorative article  403  therein (referring to FIG. 4 taken along line A—A of FIG.  3 ). The lower beam  41  includes a slat-like main body  411  the top of which is tapered and arched. The main body  411 ′ is coated with an opaque layer  412  on which decorative article  413  is overlaid. The outermost face is further wrapped by a transparent plastic layer  414  by cold rolling or injection to enclose and fix the decorative article  413  therein (referring to FIG. 4 taken along line A—A of FIG.  3 ). The two lateral columns  42  include rectangular bar-like main bodies  421  opposite to each other. The inner, front and rear sides of the lateral columns  42  are coated with an opaque layer  422  on which decorative article  423  is overlaid. The outermost face is further wrapped by a transparent plastic layer  424  by cold rolling or injection to enclose and fix the decorative article  423  on the three sides (referring to FIG. 5 taken along line B—B of FIG.  3 ). The upper and lower end sections of the left and right sides are formed with locking holes  425 . The inner side between the upper and lower end sections is formed with several pivot holes  426  at equal intervals. The side column  43  is slat-like and fitted with outer side of the lateral column  42 . The slat  50  includes an elongated opaque sheet  51 . Decorative articles  52  are placed on two faces of the sheet  51 . Then a transparent layer  53  is integrally overlaid on the opaque sheet  51  and the outer sides of the decorative articles  52  to form the slat with a flat arch cross-section (referring to FIG. 6 taken along line C—C of FIG.  3 ). At the same time, two sides of the slat are disposed with resilient pivot heads  54 . In addition, one corner of the slat  50  is formed with an L-shaped notch  55 . The linking bar  60  has several pivot lugs  61  parallelly inward extending from lateral side at equal intervals. Each pivot lug  61  is formed with a through hole  62 . In addition, the linking bar  60  has driving sections  63  perpendicularly laterally extending inward between the pivot lugs  61  at equal intervals. 
     The above opaque layers  402 ,  412 ,  422 ,  51  can be made of paper material, recovered paper material, wooden sheet, plastic material, unwoven fabric, woven fabric, etc. The decorative articles  403 ,  413 ,  423 ,  52  can be made of dried flowers, decorative papers, etc. 
     Please refer to FIG.  7 . When assembled, the pivot nail  70  is first passed through the through holes  62  of the linking bar  60  and fixedly nailed on the notch  55  of the slat  50 . At this time, the slat  50  can be rotated on the pivot lug  61  about the pivot nail  70 . Then the upper and lower beams  40 ,  41  are respectively placed between the upper and lower end sections of the two lateral columns  42 . Screws are passed through the locking holes  425  of the lateral columns  42  to fixedly lock the upper and lower beams  40 ,  41 . Then the resilient pivot heads  54  on left and right sides of the slat  50  are respectively contracted and intruded into the pivot holes  426  of the lateral columns  42  and pivotally connected therewith. Finally, the side columns  43  are downward fitted and engaged with the outer sides of the lateral columns  42  (referring to FIG. 8 taken along line D—D of FIG. 7) to complete the assembly. 
     In use, referring to FIG. 9, the driving section  63  of the linking bar  60  is shifted through a vertical arch path, whereby the linking bar  60  can drive the respective slats  50  to pivotally rotate between the two lateral columns  42  so as to adjust the light shading effect. 
     According to the above arrangement, the present invention has the following advantages: 
     1. By means of the pivot nails  70 , the slats  50  are directly pivotally connected with the linking bar. The resilient pivot heads  54  are integrally formed with the slat  50  so that it is easy and convenient to assemble the components. 
     2. The outer peripheries of the upper beam  40 , lower beam  41 , lateral columns  42  and slats  50  are disposed with opaque layers  402 ,  412 ,  422 ,  51  and decorative articles  403 ,  413 ,  423 ,  52  wrapped by transparent layers  404 ,  414 ,  424 ,  53 . The opaque layers  402 ,  412 ,  422 ,  51  can be made of paper material, recovered paper material, wooden sheet, plastic material, unwoven fabric, woven fabric, etc. The decorative articles  403 ,  413 ,  423 ,  52  can be made of dried flowers, decorative papers, etc. Therefore, various kinds of solid pictures and patterns can be achieved to beautify and endure the appearance. 
     3. The linking bar  60  is disposed on lateral side of the slats  50  near the lateral column  42  so that the entire appearance and picture of the louver will not be affected. 
     The above embodiment is only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiment can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.