Abstract:
A shutter rolling mechanism comprises at least two rolling means adapted to roll a shutter around them the rolling means are disposed with their rolling axes parallel and coinciding with each other within an installation space. A driving means is attached to at least one of the rolling means, and a shutter is attached at one end to one of the two rolling means and is disposed so as to roll over one of the rolling means and then over the other rolling means when in stowing action, and to be rolled from the rolling means when in deploying action. The driving means is adapted to drive the rolling means to wind the shutter over the rolling means in one rotational direction and to deploy the shutter in a second rotational direction.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Israeli Patent Application No. 238005, filed on Mar. 29, 2015 and entitled SHUTTER ROLLING SYSTEM AND METHOD, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Known mechanisms for deploying and stowing rollable shutters or curtains typically comprise a rolling cylinder adapted to have the rollable shutter been rolled and wrapped around the cylinder when in stowed position and unrolled when in deployed position. In order to roll out the shutter, the cylinder may be turned in the unwind direction, manually or electrically, to unwind and deploy the shutter off the cylinder, typically using guiding tracks, over an opening such as a window or entrance opening. Since such shutter has a non-negligible thickness, when the shutter is rolled over the rolling cylinder, the overall radius of the rolled shutter grows as the number of turns of shutter on the roller grows. This effect imposes a substantial drawback—a shutter with a given thickness and a given required length of the shutter when in deployed position dictates the overall radius of the rolled shutter when in stowed position. In cases where structural limitations impose limits on the overall radius of the rolled shutter, such as when the stowed shutter needs to be installed between two internal faces of a wall having defined thickness, the maximum length of the deployed shutter may be limited to a length shorter than needed to a given opening. 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  shows a typical installation of shutter rolling mechanism  100  as known in the art, installed within a cavity between two side faces  101 A and  101 B of a wall  101 . The required maximum length of shutter  120  is dictated by the height H open  of the respective opening  106  that is to be covered by shutter  120 . Shutter  120  may be rolled to its stowed position over roller  110  having a radius of R roller . The maximum length of shutter  120  that may be rolled over roller  110  is dictated by the thickness T shutter   _   thick  of shutter  120  and the available free space in section  102  for the rolled shutter, e.g., the free space W mech  between the inner sides of the two side faces  101 A and  101 B of wall  101 , which sets the maximum rollable radius R rollmax . In many cases, when the thickness of the shutter and the length of the fully opened shutter dictate a required R rollmax  that exceeds the available free space W mech  between two faces  101 A and  101 B of a wall  101 , a bulge needs to be formed in order to enable rolling the full length of the shutter in stowed position. This is a drawback both with respect to structural complexity and to aesthetic aspects. 
         [0004]    There is need to enable installing a shutter rolling system that will allow lengthy shutters to be fully stowed even where the installation space limits at least one dimension of the available space for the rolled shutter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A shutter rolling mechanism is disclosed comprising at least two rolling means adapted to roll a shutter around them, said rolling means are disposed with their rolling axes parallel and coinciding each other within an installation space, a driving means attached to at least one of said rolling means, and a shutter attached at one end to one of said two rolling means and disposed so as to roll over one of said rolling means and then over the other rolling means when in stowing action and to be rolled from said rolling means when in deploying action. According to some embodiments, the shutter rolling mechanism further comprises driving means to drive said rolling means so as to wind said shutter over said rolling means in one rotational direction and to deploy said shutter in a second rotational direction. 
         [0006]    According to yet additional embodiments, the overall length of a single winding of the shutter over said rolling means equals to the actual perimeter of a single rolling means plus two times the distance between the axes of said rolling means. 
         [0007]    According to yet additional embodiments, the axes of said rolling mechanism are disposed in a common vertical plane. 
         [0008]    According to yet additional embodiments, the axes of said rolling mechanism are disposed in a common horizontal plane. 
         [0009]    According to yet additional embodiments, the axes of said rolling mechanism are disposed in an installation space having at least one vertical section and one horizontal section. 
         [0010]    According to yet additional embodiments, said rolling means is one from a list comprising cylindrical rollers and set of rollers disposed along a semi-circle. 
         [0011]    A method for stowing a shutter is disclosed, the method comprising providing shutter rolling mechanism comprising at least two rolling means adapted to roll a shutter around them, said rolling means being disposed with their rolling axes parallel and coinciding with each other within an installation space, a driving means attached to at least one of said rolling means, and a shutter attached at one end to one of said two rolling means and disposed so as to roll over one of said rolling means and then over the other rolling means. The method further comprises driving said shutter rolling mechanism to the stow direction so as to roll said shutter over said rollers and stopping said driving when said shutter is fully stowed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  schematically presents a shutter rolling mechanism as known in the art; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic illustration of a shutter rolling mechanism according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 2B and 2C  are schematic illustrations of additional shutter rolling mechanisms according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2D  is a schematic illustration of an additional shutter rolling mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2E  schematically presents an additional rolling mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are flow diagrams presenting operation of a shutter rolling mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    It will be appreciated that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention. 
         [0021]    The following discussions of installation spaces for housing shutter rolling mechanisms consider, if not specifically indicated otherwise, the two Cartesian dimensions which are perpendicular to the rolling axis of the discussed rolling mechanism and to each other as a first and a second installation mechanisms. Such first dimension is, for example, a dimension parallel to the W mech  dimension and such second dimension is a dimension parallel to dimension H mech1  ( FIG. 2A ). Typically the space for installation of shutter rolling mechanism is limited in one dimension, e.g., the width dimension (width of the wall within which the mechanism is to be installed). However, in many cases, the shutter rolling installation space may be less limited in another dimension, for example in its height dimension. Some embodiments of the present invention take advantage of such installation spaces having one dimension longer than another dimension by providing shutter rolling mechanism that enable stowing the shutter/curtain in a stowing space having one dimension longer than another dimension, as differs from known stowing mechanism, such as mechanism  100  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    Reference is made now to  FIG. 2A  which is a schematic illustration of shutter rolling mechanism  200  according to some embodiments of the present invention. Shutter rolling mechanism  200  may be adapted to be installed within an existing installation space  202  formable in wall  101 , between two outer faces  101 A and  101 B of that wall. The distance W mech  between wall faces  101 A and  101 B parallel to the horizontal dimension of installation space  202  is typically dictated by the structure of the respective wall. Yet, typically the distance H mech1 , extending parallel to the vertical dimension of installation space  202 , available for installation space between lower beam  101 C of installation space  202  and upper beam  101 D of installation space  202  is more flexible and may typically be set to be longer than W mech , without negatively affecting the aesthetic aspect and without imposing undesired structural constraints on wall  101 . 
         [0023]    Advantage is taken of this effect according to some embodiments of the present invention. Shutter rolling mechanism  200  may be adapted to roll and stow shutter  220  over a rolling mechanism having one dimension longer than another dimension. Accordingly, according to one embodiment of the present invention, shutter rolling mechanism  200  may comprise two rollers  210 A and  210 B arranged parallel to each other with their rolling axes parallel to each other in installation space  202  and adapted to roll shutter  220  over roller  210 A and then over roller  210 B and so forth. Accordingly, the length of a single winding of rolled shutter  220  over rollers  210 A and  210 B is longer by 2×Hmech2, where H mech2  is the distance between the axes of rollers  210 A and  210 B, compared to known shutter rolling mechanisms using a single roller of the same radius Rroller within wall having the same internal installation space width W mech . Accordingly, the rollable length of shutter  220  may grow longer as the available installation height H mech1  is larger. Rollers  210 A and  210 B may mechanically be engaged so as to roll together at the same direction and same rotational speed, for example by driving sprockets  211 A,  211 B and driving chain  230 . Rolling of rollers  210 A,  210 B may be powered by an electrical motor (not shown), manual mechanism (not shown) or any other rolling powering means as known in the art. Shutter rolling mechanism  200  may further comprise sensors to indicate fully opened and fully rolled positions of shutter  220  (not shown), rotation encoder to indicate actual deployed/stowed length of the shutter (not shown), guiding tracks to guide shutter  220  as it is deployed or stowed (not shown), controller to enable automatic deploy/stow operations (not shown), remote control transceiver to enable remote control of shutter rolling mechanism  200  (not shown), and the like, as is known in the art. 
         [0024]    Similarly, additional configurations of shutter rolling mechanisms that require stowing space having vertical dimension longer than its horizontal dimension, are presented in  FIGS. 2B and 2C  which are schematic illustrations of shutter rolling mechanisms  300  and  400  according to some embodiments of the present invention.  FIG. 2B  presents shutter rolling mechanism  300  comprising two sets of mini rollers  350 A and  350 B, each forming a rolling trajectory shaped as a semi-circle, the imaginary center of the first and the second semi-circles are located at a distance from each other similarly to distance H mech2  of  FIG. 2A , thus forming a rolling mechanism that may stow a shutter as long as shutter  220  of  FIG. 2A . Rolling mechanism  300  may further comprise driving chains  360  that may be used for conveying drive from one end of mechanism  300  (e.g., mini rollers  350 A) to the other end (e.g., mini rollers  350 B) and may further provide mechanical support to shutter  220  when in stowed position.  FIG. 2C  presents yet another configuration for extended shutter rolling mechanism  400 . Rolling mechanism  400  may comprise two sets of mini rollers  450 A and  450 B each forming a rolling trajectory shaped as a semi-circle, the imaginary center of the first and the second semi-circles are located at a distance from each other similarly to distance H mech2  of  FIG. 2A , thus forming a rolling mechanism that may stow a shutter as long as shutter  220  of  FIG. 2A . Rolling mechanism  400  may further comprise tensioning mini rollers  460  located substantially in similar distance between the imaginary centers of the semi-circles and in locations that allow fluent movement of shutter  220  over the mini rollers while keeping shutter  220  sufficiently tensioned. As may be clearly seen in  FIG. 2C , in some embodiments using this configuration the stowed shutter may be even longer than that of the configuration of  FIG. 2B  having the same H mech2 . 
         [0025]    Some constructions may dictate installation spaces for the stowed shutter having their longer dimension extending in different direction than the vertical dimension as presented  FIGS. 2A to 2C . Reference is made to  FIG. 2D  which is a schematic illustration of shutter rolling mechanism  500  according to some embodiments of the present invention adapted to stow and deploy shutter  220 , which takes advantage of installation space  510  having its horizontal dimension longer than its vertical dimension. Rolling mechanism  500  may comprise two rollers  550 A and  550 B installed spaced apart horizontally parallel to each other similarly to rollers  210 A and  210 B but located in a common horizontal plane. Rolling mechanism  500  may further comprise driving chain  560 , similarly to driving chain  230  of  FIG. 2A . It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the configurations of  FIGS. 2B and 2C  may be adapted for installation in an installation space such as installation space  510  having its longer dimension horizontal, with minor modifications. 
         [0026]    In some cases, the installation space available for installing shutter rolling mechanism may have a shape that is more complicated than a rectangle with one longer dimension and one shorter dimension, as in  FIGS. 2A-2D . For example, an available installation space for shutter rolling mechanism may comprise two or more sub-spaces forming a non-single-linear space. Reference is made to  FIG. 2E  which schematically presents rolling mechanism  600  according to some embodiments of the present invention, installed in non-single-linear installation space  610  comprising vertical sub-space and  612  and horizontal sub-space  614 . In order to take advantage of installation space  610 , rollers  650 A,  650 B and  650 C and mini roller  660  may be located as seen in  FIG. 2E , to form rolling path that takes advantage of the specific form of installation space  610 . It would apparent to those skilled in the art that other forms of installation spaces may be used according to some embodiments of the present invention in order to provide rolling mechanism that supports long shutters. 
         [0027]    Reference is made now to  FIGS. 3A and 3B  which are flow diagrams presenting operation of a shutter rolling mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.  FIG. 3A  is a flow diagram presenting stowing of a shutter according to some embodiments of the present invention. A shutter rolling mechanism built and operative according to embodiments of the present invention is provided [block  3002 ]. The rolling mechanism is driven in the stowing direction [block  3004 ] and is stopped when the shutter is fully stowed [block  3006 ]. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3B  is a flow diagram presenting deploying of a shutter according to some embodiments of the present invention. A shutter rolling mechanism built and operative according to embodiments of the present invention is provided [block  3012 ]. The rolling mechanism is driven in the deploying direction [block  3014 ] and is stopped when the shutter is fully deployed [block  3016 ]. 
         [0029]    While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.