Patent Publication Number: US-2007113494-A1

Title: Storm shutter system

Description:
This application relates to a storm shutter system for protecting windows from hurricane conditions, storm conditions, and/or the like. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a storm shutter system includes both opaque metal corrugated panels and clear plastic corrugated panels which together make up the system. The system is specially designed so as to ensure that the metal corrugated panels are installed exterior the clear plastic corrugated panels when the two are located adjacent one another in the system (i.e., the clear plastic panels are located between the building and the metal panels), thereby improving the strength and/or durability of the storm shutter system.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The number of hurricanes impacting the United States has increased in recent years, as has the damage caused by the same. Buildings such as homes, apartment buildings, office building, and the like often suffer significant damage during hurricanes or other types of strong storms. A common cause of damage is the breaking of windows in a building.  
      Storm shutter systems are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,615,555 (&#39;555 Patent) and 6,868,642 (&#39;642 Patent) to Madden (both of these patents are incorporated herein by reference) disclose storm shutter systems including both clear panels and metal panels, which are attached to one another to make up the storm shutter system. However, these storm shutter systems are undesirable in certain respects.  
      Unfortunately, the storm shutter system of the Madden &#39;555 and &#39;642 Patents position the clear plastic corrugated storm shutter panels exterior of the metal corrugated storm shutter panels. This is undesirable for at least the following reason.  
      During a hurricane or other strong storm, strong winds cause significant damage. Such winds cause significant loads to be applied to building windows, including both suction loads and positive loads. Suction loads are loads which exert a force tending to pull a shutter or shutter system outwardly from the building and thus off of the building, whereas positive loads exert a force pushing a shutter or shutter system toward the building. In many hurricane or strong storm situations, the suction loads are stronger than the positive loads, thereby applying the most force to the most outwardly positioned shutters of the shutter system. Suction loads tend to pull windows off of a building, whereas positive loads tend to push windows into a building.  
      Plastic panels tend to be weaker than metal panels. Thus, when the weaker plastic panels are located exterior of the metal panels as in the Madden &#39;642 and &#39;555 Patents, these weaker plastic panels are exposed to the brunt of the loads, including suction loads, caused by the high winds. This can result in pre-mature failure of the storm shutter system of the Madden &#39;642 and &#39;555 Patents, which of course is undesirable.  
      In view of the above, it will be appreciated that there exists a need in the art to correct the problems associated with the storm shutter system of the Madden &#39;642 and &#39;555 Patents.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, a storm shutter system is provided which may include both clear plastic corrugated storm shutter panels and opaque metal corrugated storm shutter panels. The panels may be connected to each other in making up a storm shutter system covering a window or the like of a building, so as to protect the building against high winds and/or flying debris in hurricanes or other strong storms.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, the system is specially designed so as to ensure that the metal corrugated panels are installed exterior (or over) the clear plastic corrugated panels when the two are located adjacent one another in the system. In other words, the storm shutter system is designed so that the clear plastic panels are located between the building and the metal panels, thereby improving the strength and/or durability of the storm shutter system. This permits the stronger metal panels to be exposed to the brunt of the loads, including suction loads trying to pull shutters off of a building, caused by the high winds, thereby resulting in a stronger and more durable storm shutter system.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, the opaque metal and clear plastic corrugated storm shutters include plateau portions, valley portions, and angled portions connected between the plateau and valley portions. The angled portions may be angled from about 20-90 degrees (more preferably from about 20 to 70 degrees, and most preferably from about 30 to 60 degrees) relative to the plateau and/or valley portions of the corrugated storm shutters.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, protrusions such as ribs or the like are provided on an upper surface of the corrugated metal storm shutters. These protrusions extending upwardly from the upper surface of the corrugated metal storm shutters are for ensuring that the metal corrugated panels are installed exterior (or over) the clear plastic corrugated panels when the two are located adjacent one another in the system (i.e., ensuring that the clear plastic panels are located between the building and the metal panels when they are adjacent one another). Such an arrangement is ensured because if the panels are incorrectly positioned in a manner such that a clear plastic panel is located over or exterior an adjacent metal panel, part of the clear plastic panel will come to rest on the protrusion(s) and thus will not properly nest in a valley of the metal panel thereby creating a wobbly arrangement thereby alerting an installer of an improper installation; the installer can then correct this and correctly install the panels so that the metal panels are located over adjacent plastic panels.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, the plastic and metal storm shutters are connected to each other and/or the building by fasteners (e.g., screws, nails, or the like) which extend through apertures defined in the respective storm shutters. In certain example embodiments, the apertures in the shutters extend through the valley portions of the respective shutters, so that the fasteners also extend through the valley portions of the shutters. In certain example embodiments, at least some of the fastener-receiving apertures in the metal shutters extend through parts of the protrusions (e.g., ribs) in the valley portion(s); this is advantageous in that it provides improved strength of the system since the apertures extend through ribbed portions of the panel in certain example instances.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, there is provided a storm shutter system comprising: at least one corrugated metal storm shutter panel; at least one corrugated polymer inclusive storm shutter panel which is at least partially transparent; each of the corrugated metal storm shutter panel and the corrugated polymer inclusive storm shutter panel having plateau portions and valley portions, with intermediate portions connecting the plateau and valley portions; at least one metal storm shutter panel overlapping at least one polymer inclusive storm shutter panel, so that the at least one polymer inclusive storm shutter panel is at least partially between the at least one metal storm shutter panel and a building to which the panels are attached; and wherein at least one valley portion of the corrugated metal storm shutter panel, but not of the polymer inclusive storm shutter panel, includes at least one protrusion on one or more of the valley portions.  
      In other example embodiments of this invention, there is provided a storm shutter system comprising: at least one corrugated metal storm shutter panel; at least one corrugated polymer inclusive storm shutter panel which is at least partially transparent; each of the corrugated metal storm shutter panel and the corrugated polymer inclusive storm shutter panel having plateau portions and valley portions, with intermediate portions connecting the plateau and valley portions; at least one metal storm shutter panel overlapping at least one polymer inclusive storm shutter panel, so that the at least one polymer inclusive storm shutter panel is at least partially between the at least one metal storm shutter panel and a building to which the panels are attached; and protrusions are formed on the metal storm shutter panel(s), but not on the polymer inclusive storm shutter panel(s), so that during installation the polymer inclusive panel(s) is/are not positioned over the metal panel(s). 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating storm shutters to be attached to a building over a window.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating storm shutters attached to a building over a window to protect the same during a hurricane or other storm.  
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of an opaque metal corrugated storm shutter panel according to an example embodiment of this invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a substantially transparent clear plastic corrugated storm shutter panel according to an example embodiment of this invention.  
       FIG. 5 ( a ) is a cross sectional view of an improper installation where a protrusion (e.g., rib) on the metal panel alerts an installer when a clear plastic panel is incorrectly positioned over the metal panel, so that the installer can correct the problem and position the clear plastic panel under the metal panel before making a connection.  
       FIG. 5 ( b ) is a cross sectional view of a proper nesting installation according to an example embodiment of this invention where the metal panel is positioned over or exterior of the clear plastic panel so that the protrusion (e.g., rib) on the metal panel is exposed to the exterior atmosphere.  
       FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of a proper nesting installation according to another example embodiment of this invention where a first metal panel is positioned over or exterior of a second metal panel so that the protrusion (e.g., rib) on the first or exterior metal panel is exposed to the exterior atmosphere. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.  
       FIGS. 1-6  illustrate an example storm shutters system for protecting building windows from the elements (e.g., wind, rain, flying debris, etc.) during hurricanes or other strong storms.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating storm shutters to be attached to a building over a window, while  FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the storm shutters of  FIG. 1  attached to a building over the window to protect the same during a hurricane or other storm. Generally speaking, the storm shutter system includes at least corrugated metal storm shutters  10  that partially overlap each other and are attached to the building via fasteners (e.g., screws, nails, or the like)  30 .  
      The corrugated metal storm shutter panels  10  may be made of sheet metal such as aluminum, steel, tin or the like in example embodiments of this invention. There is some small amount of flexibility in the metal panels  10  in certain example embodiments; however, generally speaking, the panels  10 ,  12  are rigid enough to be used as storm shutter panels and withstand storm conditions and shipping/handling. The substantially transparent clear plastic or polymer inclusive corrugated panels  12  may be made of polycarbonate or other suitable polymer inclusive material in certain example embodiments of this invention. The panels may be of any suitable thickness in different embodiments of this invention (e.g., metal panels may be about 0.100 inches thick in certain example instances). The panels  10 ,  12  may be of any suitable width in different embodiments of this invention; e.g., in certain example embodiments the panels  10  and/or  12  may have a width of about one foot (twelve inches). It is noted that the plastic panels  12  may be color tinted in certain example embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the clear plastic panels  12  have a visible transmission of at least about 50%, although it could be higher or lower than this in certain instances.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, a storm shutter system is provided which may include both clear plastic corrugated storm shutter panels  12  and opaque metal corrugated storm shutter panels  10 , which may partially overlap each other in an installed state over a window or the like. The panels may be connected to each other in making up a storm shutter system covering a window or the like of a building, so as to protect the building against high winds and/or flying debris in hurricanes or other strong storms. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a plurality of panels may be used to cover a particular window of a building. For example, if nine panels (e.g., each one about twelve inches in width in certain example embodiments) are needed to cover a given window, they all may be metal panels  10  in certain example instances; or alternatively a mixture of clear plastic panels  12  and metal panels  10  may be used to cover the window. As an example, if nine panels making up a storm shutter system are needed to cover a window, looking at the window from the exterior of the building, the left-most four panels may be corrugated metal storm shutter panels  10  and the right-most four panels may be corrugated metal storm shutter panels  10 , and the center panel may be a clear plastic corrugated short shutter panel  12 . This would permit one inside the building to see out of the window by way of the clear center panel  12 , with the peripheral metal panels being provided for added strength.  
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of an opaque metal corrugated storm shutter panel  10  according to an example embodiment of this invention, whereas  FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a substantially transparent clear plastic corrugated storm shutter panel  12  according to an example embodiment of this invention. As explained above, these panels may be attached to a building and each other in covering a window or the like as explained herein. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the storm shutter system is specially designed so as to ensure that the metal corrugated panels  10  are installed exterior (or over) the clear plastic corrugated panels  12  (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 5 ( b )) when the metal and clear plastic panels  10 ,  12  are located adjacent one another in the storm shutter system. In other words, the storm shutter system is designed so that the clear plastic panels  12  are located between the building and the metal panels  10 , thereby improving the strength and/or durability of the storm shutter system. This permits the stronger metal panels  10  to be exposed to the brunt of the loads, including suction loads trying to pull shutters off of a building, caused by the high winds, thereby resulting in a stronger and more durable storm shutter system.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , for example, in certain example embodiments of this invention, the opaque metal corrugated storm shutter panels  10  and the clear plastic corrugated storm shutter panels  12  include plateau portions  35 , valley portions  45 , and intermediate portions (which in certain example embodiments may be angled portions)  55  often connected between the plateau and valley portions. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the plateau portions  35  of the panels may be substantially flat, and the valley portions  45  of the panels may be substantially flat. However, in other example embodiments, the plateau and/or valley portions need not be substantially flat (e.g., one or more of them may be peaked, jagged, curved, or the like). In certain example embodiments, the angled portions  55  may be angled from about 20-90 degrees (more preferably from about 20 to 70 degrees, and most preferably from about 30 to 60 degrees) relative to the plateau  35  and/or valley  45  portions of the corrugated storm shutter panels.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, protrusions  65  such as ribs, dimples, or the like are provided on an upper surface of the corrugated metal storm shutters  10 . In certain example embodiments of this invention, the protrusions  65  are provided on the outer surfaces of the valley portions  45  of the metal panels, but instead may be provided at other locations in other instances such as on the plateau portions, or the like. These protrusions  65 , which extend upwardly/outwardly from the immediately adjacent upper surface of the corrugated metal storm shutter panel, are for ensuring that the metal corrugated panels  10  are installed exterior (or over) the clear plastic corrugated panels  12  when the metal and plastic panels are located adjacent one another in the system (i.e., ensuring that the clear plastic panels  12  are located between the building and the metal panels  10  when they are adjacent one another). Such an arrangement is ensured because if the panels  10 ,  12  are incorrectly positioned in a manner such that a clear plastic panel  12  is located over or exterior an adjacent metal panel  10  as shown in  FIG. 5 ( a ), part of the clear plastic panel  12  will come to rest on the protrusion(s)  65  and thus will not properly nest in a valley of the metal panel  10  thereby creating a wobbly arrangement and thus alerting an installer of an improper installation; then, the installer can then correct this and correctly install the panels so that the metal panels  10  are located over adjacent plastic panels  12  before a final connection is made. In certain example embodiments, there are no protrusions  65  on the polymer inclusive storm shutter panels  12 . As shown in  FIG. 5 ( b ), an air gap is defined between a bottom surface of a protrusion  65  of the metal storm shutter panel(s)  10  and an underlying polymer inclusive storm shutter panel  12  when the protrusion  65  overlaps the polymer inclusive storm shutter panel  12 .  
      In  FIGS. 3, 5  and  6 , the protrusions  65  are provided in every other valley portion of the metal panel(s). However, in other example embodiments, the protrusions  65  may be provided in all valley portions  45  of the metal panel(s)  10 . The figures also show the protrusions  65  (e.g., ribs, or the like) in the valley portions of the metal panels. However, in other embodiments of this invention, the protrusions  65  may be provided in other locations such as on the intermediate portion(s)  55  and/or plateau portion(s)  35  of the metal panels  10 . While in the illustrated embodiments, the protrusions  65  are provided only on the metal panels  10  and not the polymer inclusive panels l 2 , it is possible in other example embodiments to provide protrusions on the polymer inclusive panels  12  as well.  
      In certain example embodiments of this invention, the plastic and metal storm shutters are connected to each other and/or the building by fasteners  30  such as screws, nails, or the like (e.g., see  FIGS. 1-4 ) which extend through apertures defined in the respective storm shutter panels. In certain example embodiments, the apertures in the shutter panels  10 ,  12  may extend through the valley portions  45  of the respective shutter panels, so that the fasteners  30  also extend through the valley portions  45  of the corrugated shutter panels. In certain example embodiments, at least some of the fastener-receiving apertures in the metal shutters  10  extend through parts of the protrusions  65  in the valley portion(s)  45 ; this is advantageous in that it provides improved strength of the system since the apertures extend through ribbed portions of the panel in certain example instances.  
      As mentioned above,  FIG. 5 ( b ) illustrates a proper installation where the metal panel  10  is located over or exterior the plastic panel  12 , so that the protrusion(s)  65  of the metal panel  10  does not contact the plastic panel  12  and is exposed to the exterior atmosphere or air. Thus,  FIG. 5 ( b ) illustrates a situation where plastic and metal panels are located adjacent each other. However, as mentioned above, metal panels  10  may also be located adjacent each other in the storm shutter system as shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a situation where immediately adjacent storm shutter panels  10   a  and  10   b  which partially overlap each other are both metal panels.  
      While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.