Patent Publication Number: US-7222456-B1

Title: Impact resistant hurricane shutter assembly

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of Ser. No. 10/429,346, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,294, issued May 3, 2005 under the title, “Storm Resistant Fixed Shutter Assembly”, by the inventor hereof, where the contents thereof are incorporated herein in its entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is directed to the field of storm resistant shutters of the type to provide impact resistance to windows that may be subject to flying debris resulting from severe storms and hurricanes. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a shutter assembly having the appearance of a conventional external shutter or awning, but offering security and protection to a homeowner, for example, against flying objects that may be generated through high winds of the kind associated with hurricanes. Southern states, especially Florida, are particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. Historically, during the hurricane season, i.e. June to October, these southern states may be subjected to from six to twelve named hurricanes, and damage from the hurricanes can run into millions of dollars. Traditional construction practices do not provide the security and protection to homeowners that can lower the costs associated with storm damage. 
   Conventional awnings, or shutters, typically have a perimeter framework with a plurality of horizontal louvers or slats. The louvers include openings between individual louver slats to allow air and sunlight to enter the structure to which the awning is attached, and to permit persons within the structure to see out. The frame can be attached at the top by a hinge to the top, or side, of a window or other opening. The protective awning or shutter is presized in length and width to cover the entire window or other opening. In the case of an awning, the awning can be rotated about the hinge, with the lower portion of the awning moving in an arc relative to the hinge, and away from the lower portion of the window. The awning can thus be positioned at some desired angle relative to the window. The lower portion of the awning can be held away from the window by one or a pair of support arms. The arms can be removable and/or include a release mechanism to permit the lower portion of the awning to be moved toward the window to a closed position substantially parallel to the window to provide security or storm protection. 
   However, because the awning or shutter louvers have openings between the louver slats to allow air and sunlight to enter the structure, the protection provided is limited by the strength of the individual horizontal louver slats. Individual louver slats having an opening between adjacent slats cannot provide sufficient protection against large magnitude storms such as hurricanes. 
   Subsequent to hurricane Andrew hitting South Florida in August of 1992, several Florida counties have begun to require minimum building code standards for storm shutters. For example, in the Miami Fla. area, Dade County standards require the shutter to withstand certain tests including a large missile impact test consisting of a length of 2″×4″ wood weighing about 9 pounds shot from an air cannon at approximately 50 ft/sec. directly into the shutter, 
   For additional information regarding the Florida building code, reference is made to Section 1626 for ‘High Velocity Hurricane Zones Impact Tests for Windborne Debris’. Details of specific sub-sections thereof include the following:
         1626.2.3 The large missile shall be comprised of a piece of timber having nominal dimensions of 2×4 in. weighing 9 lb.   1626.2.4 The large missile shall impact the surface of each test specimen at a speed of 50 ft/sec.   1626.2.5 The test includes two impacts, one at the center of the specimen and another at a corner thereof.   1626.2.6.1 For successful passage of the test in the case of a shutter assembly, deformation of the shutter assembly may not result in contact with the protected window, door, etc.       

   In any case, conventional Bahama awnings, or shutters, having openings between adjacent slats fail to pass these tests. Recognizing the need to provide protection, especially to meet this severe impact test, the prior art has developed a number of systems to address the challenge, where the prior art is reflected in the following U.S. patents: 
   a.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,351, to Torres, teaches a conventional frame for a jalousie type window that is made secure against passage therethrough by individuals by the insertion of bars through the openings in the side frame members normally utilized by the jalousie support brackets which are then pivoted on the bars. The ends of the bars, where they project through the side frames members of the jalousie frame, are rigidly connected, such as by welding to a respective one of a pair of bars parallel to the outer side of the side frame members. The bar ends extend beyond the second bars for embedment in a masonry surrounding a window opening adapted to receive the frame. The brackets and jalousie slats are controlled in a conventional manner. 
   b.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,509, to Storey et al., discloses a high security grating, for inside use that which resembles a conventional wooden window shutter. The shutter uses crossbars which extend across a door or window into a shutter frame. A tie rod extends through bores in the crossbar ends to tie the crossbars together and hold them in place. A metal frame covers the tie rods and shutter blades cover the crossbars. The shutter blades can be pivoted using an operator rod. The shutters are mounted inside a building using heavy duty hinges and deadbolts which allow them to be alternatively closed over a door or window or folded away to the side. 
   c.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,353, to McLaughlin, relates to an elegant plantation security shutter assembly for a window in a wall of a building that consists of a casing with components for reinforcing the casing. Structures are for mounting the casing onto the wall behind the window. A pair of shutters are provided, with elements for reinforcing each shutter. Means is provided for securing each shutter within the casing, so as to stop a thief from an unauthorized entry through the window into the building, by preventing the thief from breaking the shutters and the casing. 
   d.) U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,188, to Poma et al., is directed to an awning that permits light and air to enter the structure to which the awning is attached, that can be utilized to protect against major storms, and that can pass strict building code standards testing. The awning includes a perimeter framework that is adapted to receive a removable rigid support plate. In an second embodiment, the invention, thereof provides a shutter that is inexpensive, easy and quick to manufacture, that can provide protection against major storms, and that can pass strict building code standards testing. The shutter includes modular louver sections that have an integral rigid backing plate. 
   While the foregoing prior art recognize the need for security and protection to structures, especially single family dwellings, in the high risk areas of southern United States, the proposed solutions set forth complex and costly systems. In contrast, the present invention offers a secure and safe missile impact resistant shutter assembly that is compatible with traditional house construction styles. The manner by which the present invention achieves the goals hereof will become clearer in the description which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is directed to an effective, missile impact resistant shutter assembly designed and constructed to meet or exceed building standards in areas prone to high winds and hurricanes, where serious damage can result from flying debris. The shutter assembly comprises a peripheral frame, not unlike in appearance to standard external wood shutters, having a pair of hollow, channel-like side members, and comparably shaped top and bottom members, where said members are fabricated of a light-weight metal, such as aluminum. Extending between and into the respective side members are plural, spaced apart, fixed, angled slats The respective corners of the top and bottom members are preferably provided with internal support members for slidably receiving a pair of metal rods, one each extending vertically within a side member, where in proximity to the ends of the slats apertures are provided to further receive said metal rods. By this arrangement, the respective slats are securely anchored within the shutter assembly. Further, the structure is effective in providing impact resistance to a protected window or door, where the resistance is confirmed by a missile impact test involving impacting the assembly by a 2×4 piece of timber, weighing 9 lb., at a speed of 50 ft/sec. against two locations of the shutter assembly. 
   Accordingly, a feature of this invention is the provision of a secure and protective shutter assembly that in appearance resembles a conventional exterior wooden shutter, thereby allowing for construction upgrades to traditional single family dwellings. 
   Another feature hereof is a preferred shutter construction designed to meet and exceed severe building codes in areas where high winds and hurricanes are yearly threats to such areas. 
   Still a further feature of the invention is a shutter assembly that includes plural, angled slats, preferably fabricated of aluminum, securely anchored within the metal peripheral frame thereof. 
   These and other features of this invention will become more apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view, partially in perspective and in section, with parts removed, to reveal certain details of the missile impact resistant shutter assembly according to this invention. While the horizontal slats of the assembly are shown discontinuous, to illustrate details and shape of the construction, in reality the slats are continuous as more fully explained in the detailed description below. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged, partial front view of the inside face of a side frame member showing plural milled, angled slots, with each slot for sliding engagement with a corresponding slat. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged, partial perspective view of the inside face of the side frame member of  FIG. 2 , also showing a plurality of hollow blade slats. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of a preferred locking mechanism for a Bahama-style shutter assembly according to the invention, showing the locking mechanism to secure the shutter assembly in anticipation of a heavy storm or hurricane, where parts have been removed to reveal internal details. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view, similar to  FIG. 4 , showing the preferred locking mechanism for a Colonial-style shutter assembly of the invention, where parts have been removed to reveal internal details. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   This invention teaches a missile impact resistant, shutter assembly that meets or exceeds severe building codes in hurricane prone areas, such as the southeastern and Gulf coast states of the United States. Specifically, the assembly hereof meets the new Florida building code (2001) for a missile impact test, a test that came into existence after the departure of Hurricane Andrew in South Florida in 1992, where efforts are afoot to extend the test to other coastal areas subject to hurricanes and high wind storms. The test, in part, is set forth in Section 1626 under the heading, “High Velocity Hurricane Zones Impact Tests for Windborne Debris”, where the contents thereof are incorporated herein by reference. Certain of some sub-sections under Section 1626 are as follows:
         1626.2.3 The large missile shall be comprised of a piece of timber having nominal dimensions of 2×4 in. weighing 9 LB;   1626.2.4 The large missile shall impact the surface of each test specimen at a speed of 50 ft/sec. (such as from a cannon spaced from the test specimen);   1626.2.5 The test includes two impacts, one at the center of the specimen and another at a corner thereof; and,   1626.2.6.1 For successful passage of the test in the case of a shutter assembly, deformation of the shutter assembly may not result in contact with the protected window, door, etc.       

   The manner by which the shutter assembly of this invention meets or exceeds stringent building codes for the protection of external openings of a structure, such as doors and windows, under the strict requirements of the Florida Building Code, will become apparent in the following description and drawings, where like reference numerals in the drawings represent like components or features throughout the several views. 
   Turning now to the several Figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a preferred shutter assembly  10  according to the invention, where the illustrated shutter assembly, fabricated of a light-weight metal, such as aluminum, is designed to simulate a Colonial-type shutter, as known in the art, to be compatible with conventional construction styles. The shutter assembly  10  comprises a peripheral frame  12  consisting of a pair of channel side members  14 , generally rectangular in cross-section, top and bottom channel members  16 ,  18  respectively, where the respective members are welded or otherwise secured together, such as a miter joint, i.e. 45°, in the generally rigid rectangular shape as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the inside faces  20  of the side members  14  are provided with a plurality of angled slots  22 , where a preferred manner of preparing the slots is by a precise laser machining technique. Insertable through said slots  22  are a like plurality of slats  24  or blades, where the slats  24  are preferably hollow blades having a typical size of ⅜″×2″×0.062″. The slats  24  are of a length to extend between and into said channel side members  14 , where the respective ends  26  abut the inside walls  28  of said channel side members  14 . In proximity to the slat ends  26 , the angled slats include aligned oval shaped apertures  30  for slidably receiving an anchoring support rod  32 , where a typical rod is aluminum of about ⅜″. By this arrangement, the structure is highly resistant to penetration by flying debris as defined by the State of Florida building codes for hurricane prone areas, and provides excellent protection to an underlying window or door. 
   Optionally, for added strength, the respective corners of the peripheral frame  12  may be provided with a corner support  34 , such as extruded aluminum, where typical dimensions may be 1 ¾″×4″×⅛″, or other stable member, such as L-shaped or U-shaped. Note in  FIG. 1  that the corner support  34 , consisting a pair of side walls  36 , an inner wall  38  and an outer wall  40 , with the anchoring support rod  32  extending between a pair of said corner supports  34 . The respective corner supports  34  are fixed within the peripheral frame by fasteners  42 , such as rivets, extending through the outer wall thereof through a respective outer wall  40  and outer side wall  36 . 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate preferred locking mechanisms, such as for a Bahama-type shutter assembly ( FIG. 4 ), which is vertically hinged, and a Colonial-type shutter assembly ( FIG. 5 ), which is horizontally pivotal. In anticipation of a heavy storm or hurricane, it is important that the shutter assembly  10  be closed over the structure&#39;s external opening to be protected, and then secured until it is safe to reopen. This locking mechanism  50  works in combination with the corner supports  34 . Specifically, the side walls  36  thereof are provided a pair of aligned openings  52  for slidably receiving a locking rod  54  having a knob  56  mounted thereon and slidable along a slot  58  in the face  60  of the channel member  18 . 
   Turning specifically to  FIG. 4 , the vertically hinged shutter assembly is hinged  62  to the structure “S”, and includes a pair of telescopic, pivotal arms  64 , as known in the art. The respective arms  64  terminate at their free ends by fixed housings  66  having complementary aligned openings  68  for sliding engagement with the locking rod  54 . With the shutter assembly against the structure, the locking rod  54  is moved laterally from an inner-most position to an outer-most position, the fully locked position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     FIG. 5 , a Colonial-type shutter assembly, shows three exemplary locking mechanisms  50 . Depending on the size of the shutter assembly  10 , one or a plurality of the locking mechanisms  50  be used, one for the top and bottom, and a midpoint locking mechanism. In each case, as with the locking mechanism in  FIG. 4 , the locking mechanism works in combination with a pair of internal support members  34 . Finally, as known in the art, the channel side members  14  may include hinges  70  secured by fasteners, not shown, to the wall of the structure “S”. While the respective locking mechanisms are shown in the locked and secured position, merely sliding the knob  56  and locking rod  54  will free the shutter assembly  10  to allow opening same after the danger has passed. 
   It is recognized that changes, variations and modifications may be made to the shutter assembly, particularly by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, no limitation is intended to be imposed thereon except as set forth in the accompanying claims.