Abstract:
A louver assembly for semi-circular, non-perfect or imperfect arch frame assemblies with louvers rotably mounted therein. A tensioning mechanism keeps the louvers taut between an arched frame member and a smaller anchorage frame member. An actuating mechanism is used to rotate the louvers upon the application of a predetermined force to a chain that coacts with teethed sprockets coupled with hooked clip members that removably hold the louvers. In this manner, the louvers are rotated between two extreme positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a louvered arch mechanism, and more particularly, to a louvered arch window that includes a mechanism for opening and closing blinds that are radially disposed with a common central point. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many designs for louvered arch mechanisms have been designed in the past. These mechanisms are used in arches that are typically positioned above doors and windows. None of them, however, has the blinds taut at one end while the other end (distal end) is actuated (rotated) in tandem with a common link. The blinds or louvers or slats are remotely rotated by a user. The actuating mechanism has the advantage of being substantially flush with the arched member. 
     Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 1,447,189 issued to Simon on Mar. 6, 1923. Simon&#39;s patented invention includes a frame assembly ( 1 ) with horizontal piece ( 2 ) and semi-circular or arcuated pieces ( 3  and  4 ), slats ( 5 ) with wire framework ( 10 ), block ( 11 ) and arcuated (actuating) member ( 19 ) with the consequently structural exposure. The ends ( 12  and  13 ) of framework ( 10 ) are mounted to lower arcuated piece ( 4 ). However, it differs from the present invention because the distal end of the blinds is actuated with a common link connected to a gear assembly mounted to the center of the distal end. In Simon&#39;s, the slats ( 5 ) are pivotally mounted to a fixed concentric member (arcuated piece  3 ) and the distal ends of the blinds are actuated with arcuated members ( 19 ) connected to one of the external edges of the distal ends of slats ( 5 ), not in the central axis of the pivot point. There is no mechanism for aligning the slats or louvers as in the invention claimed herein. 
     Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a louvered arch mechanism where the louvers are remotely actuated and rotated between two extreme positions. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a system is volumetrically efficient and thus capable of being mounted with minimum requirements. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system that imparts the rotational movement to the clips centrally mounted to the distal ends of the louvers at the center allowing the mechanism to be hidden. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness. 
     Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 represents an isometric view of one of the preferred embodiments for the louvered arch mechanism, object of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows the louvered arch mechanism shown in FIG. 1, seen from the other side. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a broken, detailed and partial view of one of the louvers used in the embodiment shown in previous figures for louvered arch mechanism. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the sprocket assembly used for the embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 through 4. 
     FIG. 6 represents an isometric view of another preferred embodiment for the louvered arch mechanism object of this application. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a broken detail view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 for louvered arch mechanism with non-perfect or imperfect arch. 
     FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the sprocket assembly used for the embodiment represented in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 10 represent an isometric view of the washer member used in the present invention to avoid the frictional forces of the actuating mechanism assembly and the chain against the shoulder. 
     FIG. 11 represent a schematic view of the embodiment represented in FIGS. 6 and 7 for mechanisms with non-perfect or imperfect arch. 
     FIG. 12 shows an enlarged detail view of the sprocket assembly for the embodiment represented in FIGS. 6 and 7 for louvered arch mechanisms with non-perfect or imperfect arch. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral  10 , it can be observed that it basically includes arched frame assembly  20 , blinds or louver members  30 , actuating mechanism assembly  40  and tensioning assembly  50 . 
     Frame assembly  20  includes arched frame member  22  and straight frame member  26 . Member  22  extends from one end of member  26  and joins the other end of member  26 . Arched anchorage member  28  is centrally mounted on member  26 , as seen in FIG. 2, extending at a parallel and spaced apart relationship with respect to member  22  and also in a substantially concentric relationship thereto. Arched back member  22 ′ serves as support for decoration arched cover member  22 ″. Member  22 ′ is perpendicularly mounted to member  22 ″. Member  22 ′ includes a number of recessed through openings  23 . 
     Blinds or louver members  30  include distal end  32  with through opening  33  at a predetermined distance from end  32  and proximal end  34  with through opening  35  at a predetermined distance from end  34 , as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Blinds or louver members  30  have a substantially truncated triangular shape and preferably are made out of a rigid material. 
     In the preferred embodiment, tensioning assembly  50  includes several anchoring members  54  mounted to member  28 . Flexible member  52  is preferably a chain, hooked at end  55  to opening  35  through hook  53 . Anchoring member  54  engages flexible member  52  between ends  55  and  55 ′ urging it away from member  22 ′ and keeping it tense. 
     In the preferred embodiment, actuating mechanism assembly  40  includes sprocket assembly  40 ′, pin members  48 , chain  60 , cable  61 , hook members  64  and actuating lever  62 , as seen in FIGS. 3,  4  and  5 . Sprocket assembly  40 ′ has upper and lower ends and includes sprocket member  42  with built-in washer  41  rigidly mounted to the lower end of sprocket assembly  40 ′, as best seen in FIG.  5 . Built-in washer  41  rests on washer member  45  and the latter rests on counterbore shoulder  25  permitting sprocket assembly  40 ′ to slidably rotate. Built-in washer  41  and washer member  45  coact with a relatively small friction coefficient. Washer member  45  includes perpendicularly and peripherally mounted tongue  45 ′ that is positioned inside channel  24 . Sprocket member  42  includes central through opening  43  with internal sawtooth formation  44  formed adjacent to internal wall  47  and extending approximately to half the height of sprocket member  42 . Pin member  48  includes headed end  49 , which includes circular surface  49 ′. The underside of headed end  49  includes sawtooth skirt  51  that extends perpendicularly from surface  49 ′. End  48 ′ of pin member  48  is rigidly mounted to louver clip member  46 . Clip member  46  has legs  38  and  38 ′ extending parallel to each other. Leg  38  includes internal hook member  46 ′. End  48 ′ has cooperative dimensions to be received within opening  43  and internal sawtooth formation  44  mesh with internal sawtooth skirt  51  so that rotating sprocket member  42  transmits the movement to sawtooth skirt  51 . 
     Chain  60  is of the ball chain type, preferably. Chain  60  is housed within channel  24  on the outer surface of arched back member  22 ′, as best seen in FIG.  2 . Chain  60  is preferably actuated by a user through actuating lever  62  and cable  61 , as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. Chain  60  slides inside channel  24  and meshes with sprocket  42  at a point where channel  24  passes tangentially next to recessed through opening  23 . Tongue  45 ′ provides a hard surface to links  66  causing it to press against sprocket member  42 . Moving chain  60  causes sprocket  42  to rotate and thus louver members  30  rotate. 
     Recessed through openings  23  includes counterbore shoulder  25 . In the preferred embodiment, washer member  45  rests on counterbore shoulder  25  avoiding the frictional forces of sprocket assembly  40 ′ and chain  60  against counterbore shoulder  25 . Ball links  66  of chain  60  cooperatively coact with sprocket member  42  to convert the translational movement into rotational movement. Sprocket assembly  40 ′ transmits the rotational movement to pin member  48  and clip  46  causing blind or louver member  30  to rotate. 
     By maintaining blinds or louver members  30  taut at ends  34 , ends  32  are moved in tandem with chain  60 . Different types of chain can be used provided that they co-act with sprocket  42 . Mechanism  40  is actuated by a user, preferably through the use of actuating lever  62  located at the center of lower frame member  26 , as seen in FIG.  1 . Control lever  62  is connected to chain  60  through hook member  64  and cable  61 . The system is volumetrically efficient and thus capable of being mounted with minimum space requirements. 
     Another embodiment for the present invention  100  is represented in FIGS. 6;  7 ;  8 ;  9 ;  11  and  12 , for a louvered arch mechanism. This embodiment can be used for perfect of imperfect arches. By imperfect or non-perfect arch is meant an arch with a center that falls beyond the straight frame member. Louvered arch mechanism  100  includes arched frame assembly  120 , blinds or louver members  130 , actuating mechanism assembly  140  and tensioning assembly  150 . Imperfect blind assemblies  120  are aesthetically desired when there is no sufficient ceiling height or it is merely desired by a user. The problem with these designs is that louver holding pin member  148  is kept at an angle with respect to arched back frame member  122 ′. 
     Arched frame assembly  120  includes arched frame member  122  and straight frame member  126 . Member  122  extends from one end of member  126  and joins the other end of member  126 . Arched anchorage member  128  is centrally mounted on member  126  extending at a parallel and spaced apart relationship with respect to arched frame member  122 . Arched frame member  122  includes arched back frame member  122 ′, arched cover frame member  122 ″, channel  124  on the outer surface of arched back frame member  122 ′, and recessed through openings  123  through which louver holding pin member  148  passes, as shown in FIG.  9 . Clip member  146  is mounted to end  132  of louver member  130 . Pin member  148  is rigidly mounted to clip member  146  and the former has cooperative dimensions to pass recessed through opening  123  to engage with sprocket member  142 . 
     Actuating mechanism assembly  140 , includes sprocket assembly  140 ′, louver holding pin member  148 , chain  160 , cable  161 , hook members  164  and actuating lever  162 , as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Sprocket assembly  140 ′ can be used for the embodiment represented in FIGS. 6;  7 ;  8 ;  9 ;  11  and  12 , involving non-perfect (or imperfect) arch frames (where the radius of curvature is different at different points of the arch). The difficulty with these arch frames is that, for most blinds or louver members  130 , counterbore shoulder  125  is not in a perpendicular disposition with respect to the longitudinal axle of pin member  148 , as best seen in FIGS. 11 and 12. Blinds or louver members  130  include distal end  132  and proximal end  134 . Sprocket assembly  140 ′ has upper and lower ends and includes sprocket member  142  with built-in washer  144  rigidly mounted to the lower end of sprocket assembly  140 ′, headed end  149  rigidly mounted to louver holding pin member  148  and clip member  146 . Headed end  149  has a substantially hemispherical shape with flat upper end  149 ′. Headed end  149  includes radial pin members  141  cooperatively disposed around headed end  149  next to upper end  149 ′. Sprocket member  142  includes through opening  143  with socket  147  and internal radially-grooves  143 ′ cooperatively disposed to receive pin members  141  therein. Socket  147  has cooperative dimensions to receive headed end  149 . 
     As shown in FIG. 9, actuating mechanism assembly  140  and louver members  130  move between two extreme positions as shown in phantom with  130 ′ and  130 ″. Extreme positions  141 ′ and  141 ″, respectively, for pin members  141  that move along internal grooves  143 ′. 
     Blinds or louver members  130  have different dimensions being the longest ones the ones on the sides and the shorter ones the ones in the center, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 11. 
     Chain  160  is housed within channel  124  tangent to opening  123 . Built-in washer  144  rests on washer member  145 . Washer member  145  rests in counterbore shoulder  125  avoiding the frictional forces of sprocket assembly  140 ′ and chain  160  against counterbore shoulder  125 . Ball links  166  of chain  160  coacts with sprocket member  142  causing the latter to rotate. Sprocket member  142  transmits the rotational movement to pin member  148  and clip member  146  causing louver members  130  to rotate. 
     Washer member  145 , like washer member  45 , includes perpendicularly mounted tongue  145 ′, arms  345  and  345 ′ and central through opening  445 , as seen in FIG.  10 . Washer member  145  rests on counterbore shoulder  125  and arms  345  and  345 ′ are positioned inside channel  124  adjacent to recessed through opening  123 . Arms  345  and  345 ′ prevent the rotation of washer member  145  with the movement of actuating mechanism assembly  140  and chain  160 . Tongue  245  is positioned adjacent to the farthest wall of channel  124  providing a hard surface against which ball links  166  coact with sprocket assembly  140 ′, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 9 (and FIGS. 3 and 4 for washer member  45 ). 
     The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.