Abstract:
A roll type storm shutter including a plurality of elongated horizontally extending preferably corrugated shutter slats held together in an edge-to-edge arrangement. Each of the storm slats has complimentary first and second edges configured to slidably and interlockingly engage with a next adjacent slat for limited pivotal movement therebetween to facilitate rolled vertical deployment and retraction of the storm shutter. A central portion between the edges of each slat preferably has lengthwise extending corrugations for greater impact resistance to better withstand the impact of airborne flying objects produced during storms and hurricanes. Elongated solid panels may be provided each having enlarged parallel edge portions configured and spaced apart for dependent lengthwise slidable engagement between either inwardly or outwardly positioned grooves formed proximate to the edges of each of the slats. Each of said panels is coextensive with and preferably contacting inwardly or outwardly facing corrugation peaks, respectively, to further enhance the impact resistance of the storm shutter.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to roll-up/down (or “roll-type”) shutters for storm, hurricane and security protection, and more particularly to corrugated shutter slats for storm shutters. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Roll-up/down storm shutters are well known and afford a great deal of window and interior protection from storms, hurricanes and from breaking and entering into a home or building through otherwise unprotected windows and doors. These roll-type shutters are formed of a plurality of interlocking horizontally extending slats which have limited pivotal motion therebetween and are typically arcuately configured in cross section to facilitate the roll-up storage of the storm shutters when not in use. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,943 to Lai teaches a modular rolling shutter comprised of vertically alternating rows of buckles and slats. Each slat is linked with the lower and upper buckles, allowing limited movement of the slats and buckles so that the modular shutter may be rolled and unrolled along tracks. The slats may be made of a transparent material allowing visibility without sacrificing weather resistance or security. U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,847 also to Lai discloses a building block for a rolling shutter made of plastic sheets. 
     A rolling door construction which is easily assembled and which includes a plurality of light-transmitting panels is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,287 to Stolpe. Snarli teaches a rollable or foldable shutter device for protecting, closing off or partitioning of areas, such as window areas in U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,305. The shutter is provided with panels made from a transparent material, such as polycarbonate, and hinges which are mounted so that it can be folded or rolled up. The hinges and the panels may be made in one piece. When the device is used, at least a part of the transparency remains. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,635 to Solomon discloses a rolling protective gate for store fronts or the like which is formed of a series of horizontally-extending transparent slats interconnected and articulated by a series of horizontally-extending metal rods. The transparent slats and metal rods are elongated, and each extends the full width of the building front access opening in which the rolling gate is mounted. 
     In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2007/0175117, Brown teaches a storm shutter look out portal for storm shutters comprised of an assembly with an interior frame and an exterior frame enclosing at least one transparent panel in between, and also including a cover associated with the interior frame that is moveable from a closed position to an open position where the cover, the interior frame and the exterior frame, are all fabricated from materials that are resistant to the impacts anticipated during a hurricane or tropical storm. 
     Expired U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,193 to Morrison et al. discloses a rolling shutter characterized by an array of edge-adjacent, parallel shutter slats and full shutter width, clear shutter segments or links articulately interconnecting respective pairs of adjacent shutter slats. When spaced apart, the slats form therebetween a gap which exposes the clear link which permits passage of light over substantially the full extent of the gap. The clear links also provide a double hinge-like joint between adjacent slats. 
     Goldhaber teaches a protective enclosure for building openings such as windows and doorways wherein the protective enclosure comprises a peripheral frame member that circumscribes the openings and pivotally mounts a transparent shielding unit in U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,357. 
     A shutter with profiled strips made of transparent plastic is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,173 to Theuerkauff. U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,335 to Yu teaches a shutter with a plurality of slat units which have transparent portions through which an object behind the same can be viewed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,033 to Leivenzon et al. discloses a corrugated roller door and frame combination. Wells teaches a roll-up door assembly including a corrugated flexible sheet closure member in U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,525. A roller shutter door is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,714 to Barber. 
     Biggers discloses shutter systems for windows and doors which have pronounced corrugations when deployed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,895, U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,231 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,121,316. Roll-up door systems are taught by Finch et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,172,744 and 5,284,199. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,777 to Chretien discloses a device for at least partially closing a vertical opening in a building. A rolling shutter system is taught by Miller In U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,322. 
     Recent building code restrictions have dramatically increased impact strength requirements for doors and windows and devices intended to afford protection from storm and hurricane damage due to wind-driven flying objects. Current hurricane protection must now be stringently tested and qualified for production and code acceptance under test conditions not imagined two decades ago. As a result, not only have the overall impact strength requirements been increased, but the uniqueness of the testing requirements are forcing development of specialized hurricane protection structure to, at least in part, meet specific code testing requirements. The present invention provides both preferably corrugated, as well as flattened and doubled roll-up type storm shutter slats which greatly increase the ability of these storm shutters in meeting these new hurricane testing codes by affording a substantially greater resistance to flying object impact when that flying object strikes directly against the center of one of the slats rather than impacting against a stronger knuckle hinge area between shutter slats. 
     The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a roll-up type storm shutter including a plurality of elongated horizontally extending preferably corrugated shutter slats held together in an edge-to-edge vertical arrangement. Each of the storm slats has first and second edges configured to slidably and interlockingly engage with a next adjacent slat for limited pivotal movement therebetween to facilitate rolled vertical deployment and retraction of the storm shutter. A central portion between the edges of each slat preferably has lengthwise extending corrugations for greater impact resistance to better withstand the impact of airborne flying objects produced during storms and hurricanes. An elongated solid panel may be added to each slat, each panel having enlarged parallel edge portions configured and spaced apart for dependent lengthwise slidable engagement between inwardly facing grooves formed proximate to the edges of each of the slats. Each of the panels is coextensive with and preferably contacting outwardly facing corrugation peaks to further enhance the impact resistance of the storm shutter. Moreover, each panel may be formed being sun and heat reflective for reducing heat buildup within the building. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a corrugated shutter slat for storm shutters which substantially increases flying object impact resistance. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide a corrugated shutter slat for storm shutters which includes an easily assemblable two-part structure including a separate panel which slidably engages into mating groove structure of the corrugated slat for still further resistance to storm and hurricane airborne objects&#39; impact damage, and, when the panels are heat and sun reflective, will reduce heat buildup in the building. 
     The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative and not limiting in scope. In various embodiments one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following descriptions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a roll-type storm shutter  10  showing adjacent window structure in phantom. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a storm shutter  20  showing adjacent such storm shutters in phantom interengaged to form a section of storm shutter. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged end elevation view of a portion of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an end elevation view of an entire storm shutter absent support structure for clarity. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged end elevation view of one storm shutter slat of the previous figures. 
         FIG. 6  is an alternate embodiment of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  showing the alternate embodiment of the shutter slat of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the shutter slat shown being assembled with a separate protective panel. 
         FIG. 9  is an end elevation view of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is an end elevation view of the protective panel of  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an end elevation view of the shutter slat of  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the shutter slat shown being assembled with another embodiment of a separate protective panel. 
         FIG. 13  is an end elevation view of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is an end elevation view of the protective slat of  FIGS. 12 and 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is an end elevation view of the shutter slat of  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the shutter slat shown in  FIG. 12  being assembled to a separate third embodiment of a protective panel. 
         FIG. 17  is an end elevation view of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is an end elevation view of protective outer panel of  FIGS. 16 and 17 . 
         FIG. 19  is an exploded end elevation view of an uncorrugated shutter slat in combination with the panel of  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
    
     Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in reference figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered to be illustrative rather than limiting. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and firstly to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , one embodiment of the invention is there shown generally at numeral  18  in  FIG. 1  in conjunction with the outside of a window frame  12 , the entire installation shown at numeral  10 . One of the shutter slats  20  is shown in  FIG. 2  from the outside in conjunction with additional adjacent shutter slats  20  shown in phantom. Referring particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the storm shutter  18  is vertically movable in the direction of arrow A within spaced parallel upright shutter rails or guides  14  attached to the window frame  12 . An upper horizontal housing  16  provides an enclosure for all of the shutter slats  32  which are storable therewithin by being rolled together in the direction of arrow C by a well-known drive mechanism (not shown). By this generally well-known roll-up arrangement, all or a portion of the storm shutter  18  may be rolled into and held within the housing  16  or deployed as desired. 
     Each shutter slat  20  is preferably formed of extruded aluminum material having a uniform cross-section and vertically spaced edges  24  and  26 . Edge  26  defines a channel while edge  24  defines a hook structure which slidably, matably engage and connect together as shown best in  FIG. 3  with the next adjacent edge  26 , and so on, to form the storm shutter  18 . The inner surface configuration of the shutter slat  20  is preferably broadly arcuately convex at R to facilitate the rolled up compact storage configuration of the storm shutter  18  when not in use. Immediately adjacent to the edges  24  and  26  of each shutter slat  20  are opposing generally inwardly facing grooves  28  and  30 , the purpose of which will be described herebelow. 
     The important aspect of the present invention resides in providing greater resistance to impacts imposed upon the storm shutter  18 , and each of the individual shutter slats  20 , by airborne objects during heavy storms and hurricanes. These flying objects, moving in the direction of arrow B against the outside of the storm shutter  18 , may impact against the outer surfaces of the shutter slats  20  with great force at velocities exceeding 100 mph. Moreover, building test codes have been developed to simulate impacts of maximum or even greater or exaggerated severity to replicate hurricane force wind conditions. For example, as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , one aspect of building test code compliance may very well include firing a missile directly at the center or central portion of the storm slat  20 , typically the most vulnerable point of a roll-type hurricane shutter, at well over 100 mph. Where such slats are flat or very slightly arcuately shaped without corrugations or without double paneling or other reinforcement, such a hurricane slat may not be able to pass or survive such a direct impact test. 
     However, the embodiment  20  of a corrugated hurricane slat substantially increases the ability of the storm shutter  18  to survive a direct flying object impact in the direction of arrow B. These storm slats  20  include a plurality of generally evenly spaced corrugations or waves  22  formed having peaks and valleys (as shown) which greatly increase the resistivity of the storm shutter  18  to airborne flying object impact and potential bending-to-fracture impact forces. Moreover, the overall contour of these corrugations  22  is also preferably very gently arcuate, e.g., outwardly concaved at radius R in  FIG. 3 , to facilitate the necessary roll-up nesting feature at  32  depicted in  FIG. 4  within the housing  16  as previously described. 
     Note that the longitudinal facing channels  28  and  30  which are typically utilized for attachment of end fittings by threaded fasteners or for the end-to-end attachment of storm slats for excessively wide installations, the necessary slats or openings  34  and  36  formed during the extrusion process, are outwardly facing and are exposed to wind or flying debris in the direction of arrow B against the outer surface of each of the storm slats  20 . However, in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , an alternate embodiment  20   a  of the storm slat is there shown wherein the cavities  28   a  and  30   a  face inwardly away from the direction of approaching wind and flying objects in the direction of arrow B and may avoid any issues of noise or whistling of wind into these cavities  28   a  and  30   a , as well as avoiding debris gathering into these cavities through the gaps  34   a  and  36   a  leading to malfunction during deployment or retraction. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 to 11 , another alternate embodiment of the invention is there shown generally at numeral  40  and includes a corrugated storm slat  42  which, as best seen in  FIG. 11 , includes a series of more closely spaced zigzag or wavy shaped corrugations  46  intended to stiffen and strengthen this storm slat  42  against impact damage due to flying objects produced during storms and hurricanes as previously described. The interlocking edge hinges  48  and  50  are as previously described to facilitate assembly and roll-up/roll-down of the entire storm shutter  40  itself. 
     The longitudinally extending cavities  52  and  54 , however, are sized and positioned to receive the enlarged or beaded edges  62  and  66  of a separate protective panel  44 . This panel  44  is extruded of a wide range of extrudable metal, plastic or vinyl material having a solid arcuate central panel  60  which, in combination with the corrugations  46  of the storm slat  42 , achieves an increased level of protection against flying object impact damage and penetration into the interior of the building therethrough. The enlarged edges  62  and  66  are offset at 64 and 68 so as to slidable engage lengthwise into the elongated cavities  52  and  54  as best seen in  FIG. 8  in the direction of arrow D. When the storm slat  42  and protective panel  44  are coextensively engaged one to another into the configuration best seen in  FIG. 9 , the central arcuate portion  60  is configured to make slight contact with, or be in very close proximity to, the outwardly extending peaks of the corrugations  46  so that both of these components  42  and  44  structures act in unison to resist impact damage during storms. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12 to 15 , still another alternate embodiment of the invention is there shown generally at numeral  70  and includes a corrugated storm slat  72  which, as best seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , includes a series of more closely spaced zigzag or wave shaped corrugations  76  for added strength and impact resistance due to impact by airborne objects produced during severe storms and hurricanes. The interlocking edge hinges  78  and  80  are structured and function as previously described to facilitate assembly and the opening and closing hinged functioning of each adjacent connected shutter slat  72  of the storm shutter assembly  70 . The longitudinally extending cavities  82  and  84  are positioned for access from the inner surface of the shutter slat  72  and are sized and spaced to slidably receive the enlarged or beaded edges  92  and  96  of an outer protective panel  74 . The enlarged edges  92  and  96  are offset at  94  and  98  so as to facilitate slidable engagement lengthwise of the enlarged edges  92  and  96  into the elongated cavities  82  and  84  in the direction of arrow E in  FIG. 12 . This panel  74  may be extruded of metal such as aluminum, plastic, such as polycarbonate or impact absorbing rubber or vinyl to cushion and absorb impact energy from flying objects striking the outer concaved central portion  90  of the panel  74 . By positioning the panel  74  and the central portion  90  thereof in very close proximity against the outwardly oriented peaks of the corrugations  76 , a greater level of protection against flying object impact damage and energy absorption is provided. The concaved central portion  90  is extended at  97  and  99  to add additional strength and continuity to the outer concave surface of the shutter assembly  70  during deployment and retraction as best seen in  FIG. 13 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 16 to 18 , still another alternate embodiment of the invention is there shown generally at numeral  70 ′ and includes the corrugated storm slat  72  seen in  FIG. 14 . The interlocking edge hinges  78  and  80  are structured and function as previously described. The longitudinally extending cavities  82  and  84  are positioned for access from the outer surface of the shutter slat  72  and are sized and spaced to receive the enlarged or beaded edges  92  and  96  of an outer protective panel  74 ′. This panel  74 ′ is extruded and may be formed of metal such as aluminum, plastic, such as polycarbonate, and may also be formed of impact absorbing rubber or vinyl to cushion and absorb impact energy from flying objects striking the outer corrugated central portion  76  of the shutter slat  72 . By positioning the panel  74 ′ and the central portion  90  thereof in close proximity to or against the inner peaks of the corrugations  76 , a maximum level of protection against flying object impact damage and energy absorption is provided. The enlarged edges  92  and  96  facilitate slidable engagement lengthwise of the enlarged or beaded edges  92  and  96  into the elongated cavities  82  and  84  as best seen in  FIG. 16  in the direction of arrow F. The concaved central portion  90  is extended further at  97 ′ and  99 ′ to add even more strength and continuity to the outer concave surface of the shutter assembly  70 . Note that the preferred embodiment of this panel  74 ′ may be extruded of, or include an outer coating or film of, heat and sun-reflective material which will substantially reduce heat transfer into the interior of the building as the extruded aluminum heat transference nature of the shutter slats  72  would have an opposite effect. 
     Referring lastly to  FIG. 19 , with the addition of the outer panel  74 ′ as previously described with respect to  FIG. 18 , in combination with an uncorrugated storm slat  100 , satisfactory impact strength to airborne flying objects during storms and hurricanes may be achieved. The storm slat  100  includes the interlocking end edge hinges  78  and  80  as previously described, along with inwardly facing longitudinally extending cavities  82  and  84  which receive the enlarged or beaded edges  92  and  96  of the panel  74 ′. However, in this embodiment  100 , the central portion  102  thereof is uncorrugated having a generally arcuate shape with the concaved surface thereof facing outwardly and toward the panel  74 ′ when installed as shown in phantom. Being positioned on the outer outside surface of the storm slat  100 , the preferred material to be utilized in forming the panel  74 ′ is that of a heat and light absorbing material such as a special polycarbonate material rather than being formed as an aluminum extrusion which would complicate and exaggerate the heat and sun transfer energy into the building. Alternately, a light and heat reflective coating may be applied to the concaved outer surface of the panel  74 ′ to achieve a similar result in reflecting heat and light energy away from the interior of the building. 
     While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permeations and additions and subcombinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereinafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permeations, additions and subcombinations that are within their true spirit and scope.