JP7730705B2 - Shutter Device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a shutter device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a shutter curtain with a slat curtain composed of a large number of connected, rectangular slats. This shutter curtain comprises a slat curtain with multiple connected slats, a main body piece portion fixed to the ends of the slats, and a guide rail that guides the slat curtain up and down. The main body piece portion has a metal plate portion and a resin portion that is molded integrally with and covers a portion of the metal plate portion. The resin portion has a retaining portion that protrudes from the end of the slat and has a bulging tip, and the retaining portion functions as a wind-resistant hook.

JP 2016-040437 A

Patent Document 1 discloses technology that uses wind-resistant hooks made of resin, but does not disclose technology that can withstand the large impact that occurs when a flying object collides with the shutter. There are concerns that the wind-resistant hooks made of resin described in Patent Document 1 may not be durable enough to withstand the impact of flying objects.

One of the objectives of this disclosure is to provide a shutter device in which the slats are less likely to come off the guide rails when struck by a flying object.

To solve the above problem, one aspect of the shutter device disclosed herein comprises a shutter curtain formed by connecting multiple slats extending laterally in the vertical direction, and a guide rail that supports the horizontal ends of the shutter curtain. The multiple slats include reinforcing slats that have an engagement member that protrudes from the end of the front slat body and engages with the guide rail. The engagement member has a metal frame member that has a first extension portion that extends outward from the end of the slat body and a second extension portion that extends from the first extension portion to the outdoors, and a resin cover that covers the frame member.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the shutter device according to the embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a horizontal section of a reinforcing slat of the shutter device of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an engagement portion of the reinforcing slat of FIG. 2 . 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an example of a skeletal member of the engagement portion of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a skeletal member having a plurality of second extension portions. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a frame member having a plurality of indoor extensions. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a skeletal member having a rib between a first extending portion and a second extending portion; FIG. 10 is a rear view showing a reinforcing slat of the shutter device of the first modified example. FIG. 10 is a rear view showing another example of a reinforcing slat. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a reinforcing slat of a shutter device according to a second modified example. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the reinforcing slat of FIG. 10 .

The inventors of this application have studied shutters and come to the following new realization: High-speed flying objects caused by strong winds such as those from typhoons can collide with shutters installed at building openings, shattering the glass in the sash on the interior side of the shutter. In this case, significant damage can occur, such as glass being scattered into the room or strong winds entering the room and blowing off the roof.

Such glass breakage occurs when the edge of a shutter slat comes off the guide rail due to the impact of a flying object (hereinafter referred to as "slat dislodgment"), causing the slat to collide with the glass along with the flying object. Therefore, glass breakage can be reduced by preventing slat dislodgment when a flying object strikes. Below, we will explain the technology for preventing slat dislodgment with reference to the following embodiments.

An example of an embodiment will be described below. Identical components will be assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. In each drawing, some components will be omitted, enlarged, or reduced as appropriate for ease of explanation. The drawings should be viewed in accordance with the orientation of the reference numerals. The structures and shapes referred to in this specification include not only structures and shapes that strictly match the contents referred to, but also structures and shapes that deviate by the amount of errors such as dimensional errors and manufacturing errors. In each drawing, some components that are not important for explaining the embodiment will be omitted.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the configuration of the present disclosure. The following embodiments are provided as examples to aid in understanding the contents of the present disclosure, and do not limit the configuration of the present disclosure.

[Embodiment]
Please refer to Figures 1 to 6. An embodiment of the present disclosure is a shutter device 10. The shutter device 10 is suitably installed to open and close an opening such as a window or an entrance in a building. In the embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the shutter device 10 is installed so as to cover the outdoor side of a rectangular window 98 installed in an opening 94 in a wall surface 92. In the embodiment, the shutter device 10 mainly comprises a shutter curtain 3 and a guide rail 4. Figure 1 shows a state in which the shutter curtain 3 is fully closed. As an example, as shown in Figure 2, the window 98 has a screen door 81 and a glass shoji screen 85.

For convenience, the opening and closing direction of the shutter curtain 3 will be referred to as the "vertical direction," the direction along the width of the shutter curtain 3 will be referred to as the "horizontal direction," and the direction perpendicular to the vertical and horizontal directions will be referred to as the "front-to-rear direction." In the front-to-rear direction, the side on which the shutter device 10 is placed relative to the window 98 will be referred to as the "outdoor side," and the opposite side will be referred to as the "indoor side." In this example, the horizontal and front-to-rear directions are horizontal directions, and the vertical direction is the direction along the top and bottom. These directional notations do not limit the orientation of the shutter device 10, and the shutter device 10 can be used in any orientation. The horizontal dimension will sometimes be referred to as the "width," the vertical dimension as the "length," and the front-to-rear dimension as the "front-to-rear width." In the horizontal direction, the direction from the edge of the shutter curtain 3 toward the center will be referred to as "inward" or "inside," and the opposite will be referred to as "outward" or "outside."

The shutter curtain 3 is composed of multiple slats 2 extending laterally and connected vertically. As shown in Figure 1, the multiple slats 2 include normal slats 22 and reinforcing slats 24 (shown hatched), which will be described later. Guide rails 4 support the horizontal ends of the shutter curtain 3. In this example, two guide rails 4 are provided, spaced apart laterally, to support both ends of the shutter curtain 3. The two guide rails 4 are fixed to the wall surface 92, sandwiching an opening 94 between them.

From the perspective of reducing damage caused by flying objects, it is desirable that the slats 2 do not come off the guide rail 4 when a flying object strikes the shutter curtain 3. Therefore, in this embodiment, the multiple slats 2 include reinforcing slats 24 having engagement members 6 that protrude from the end of the slat body 21 and engage with the guide rail 4. As shown in Figure 3, the engagement members 6 include a metal skeletal member 66 and a resin cover 68 that covers the skeletal member 66. The skeletal member 66 has a first extension portion 61 that extends outward from the end of the slat body 21, and a second extension portion 62 that extends from the first extension portion 61 to the outdoors. In Figure 3, the first extension portion 61 and second extension portion 62 are indicated by solid hatching.

Slats 2 that do not have engaging members 6 are referred to as slats 22. As shown in Figure 1, of the multiple slats 2 that make up the shutter curtain 3, some are reinforcing slats 24 and the rest are slats 22.

As an example, the skeletal member 66 can be formed integrally by pressing an iron-based metal plate such as cold-rolled steel plate (JIS SPC). The resin cover 68 can be formed by resin molding from a plastic material such as engineering plastic. Examples of such plastic materials include PBT, POM, and PA. The resin cover 68 can be molded into multiple pieces, and each piece can be attached to the skeletal member 66. As shown in Figure 3, the resin cover 68 includes a first cover portion 681 that mainly covers the first extension portion 61, and a second cover portion 682 that mainly covers the second extension portion 62 and the indoor extension portion 64.

As an example, the base end of the first extension portion 61 is fixed to the indoor side of the slat body 21 by welding or the like. As shown in Figure 3, the first extension portion 61 extends outward from the end of the slat body 21. In this example, the first extension portion 61 extends diagonally horizontally from the base end to partway toward the indoor side, and then extends horizontally from that point. The second extension portion 62 extends in the front-to-rear direction from the tip of the first extension portion 61 toward the outdoor side. The bending angle between the first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62 is set to 90°.

When a flying object strikes the center of a slat 2 in an indoor direction, the slat 2 is likely to vibrate, repeatedly displacing the center toward the interior and then, as a reaction, displacing the center toward the exterior. When the center of a slat 2 is displaced toward the exterior, there is a possibility that the slat may become dislodged. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, the framework member 66 of this embodiment further has an indoor extension 64 that extends indoors from the first extension 61. In Figure 3, the indoor extension 64 is indicated by dashed hatching.

As an example, as shown in Figure 3, the base end of the indoor extension portion 64 extends indoors in the front-to-rear direction from the tip of the first extension portion 61. The bending angle between the first extension portion 61 and the indoor extension portion 64 is set to 90°, and the second extension portion 62 and the indoor extension portion 64 extend in opposite directions.

As shown in Figure 3, the guide rail 4 of this embodiment has an outdoor main surface portion 42, a side main surface portion 41, an indoor main surface portion 43, a connection portion 44, a first extension portion 45, and a second extension portion 46. The outdoor main surface portion 42 extends horizontally and vertically on the outdoor side. The side main surface portion 41 bends indoors from the end of the outdoor main surface portion 42 and extends longitudinally and vertically. The indoor main surface portion 43 extends parallel to the outdoor main surface portion 42, away from the outdoor main surface portion 42 toward the indoor side.

The connecting portion 44 bends from the end of the indoor-side main surface portion 43 toward the outdoor side and extends in the front-to-back and vertical directions to connect to the outdoor-side main surface portion 42. The connecting portion 44 is positioned outside the engaging member 6 via a gap. The first extension portion 45 and the second extension portion 46 are positioned apart in the front-to-back direction to sandwich the first extension portion 61 via a gap, and extend in the front-to-back and vertical directions. The distance between the first extension portion 45 and the second extension portion 46 is smaller than the front-to-back width of the second extension portion 62. When the reinforcing slat 24 receives an impact, the first extension portion 45 limits the range of movement of the second extension portion 62, preventing the slat from coming off. When the reinforcing slat 24 receives an impact, the second extension portion 46 limits the range of movement of the indoor-side extension portion 64, preventing the slat from coming off.

In Figures 4 to 6, circle E shows the skeletal member 66 as viewed from arrow F. As shown in Figure 1, the skeletal member 66 may have a single second extension portion 62. In this embodiment, in order to make it more difficult to remove, the skeletal member 66 has multiple second extension portions 62. In the example of Figure 5, the skeletal member 66 has two second extension portions 62 that are arranged vertically and spaced apart from each other, sandwiching the indoor extension portion 64. The two second extension portions 62 and the indoor extension portion 64 are arranged in a staggered pattern in side view.

To make it more difficult for the frame member 66 to come off, the frame member 66 may have multiple indoor extensions 64. Figure 6 shows a frame member 66 having two indoor extensions 64 spaced apart vertically with a second extension 62 sandwiched between them.

When impacted by a flying object, the tip of the second extension portion 62 may vibrate and come off the guide rail 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the skeletal member 66 may have a third extension portion 63 extending inward from the second extension portion 62. The third extension portion 63 extends inward in the horizontal direction from the tip of the second extension portion 62. The bending angle between the second extension portion 62 and the third extension portion 63 is set to 90°. The extension amount of the third extension portion 63 can be set to be greater than the thickness of the third extension portion 63. In this case, the guide rail 4 may be provided with a third extension portion 47 that limits the range of movement of the third extension portion 63 when impacted by a flying object. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the third extension portion 47 extends outward in the horizontal direction from the tip of the first extension portion 45 and extends in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

When impacted by a flying object, the second extension portion 62 engages with the guide rail 4, restricting its position, and a force is applied to the first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62 in a direction that widens the bending angle. Widening the bending angle between the first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62 makes the slat more likely to come off. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, the framework member 66 may have reinforcing ribs 65 between the first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62. The shape and number of ribs 65 can be determined by calculation or simulation depending on the desired strength. The inclusion of ribs 65 allows the framework member 66 to be made thinner, which is advantageous for reducing the weight of the shutter curtain 3.

In the shutter curtain 3, some of the multiple slats 2 may be composed of reinforcing slats 24. When a flying object strikes the vertical center, the slats 2 may be prone to coming off the guide rails 4, so it is desirable to reinforce the center. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, when the shutter curtain 3 is closed, if the vertical dimension of the exposed portion of the shutter curtain 3 that is exposed to the outdoors is taken as 100%, at least one reinforcing slat 24 is positioned within a range of 30% to 70% from the vertical end of the exposed portion. In the example shown in Figure 1, three reinforcing slats 24 are positioned within this range of 30% to 70%.

The features of the shutter device 10 configured as described above will now be described. The shutter device 10 comprises a shutter curtain 3 formed by connecting multiple slats 2 extending laterally in the vertical direction, and a guide rail 4 that supports the horizontal ends of the shutter curtain 3. The multiple slats 2 include reinforcing slats 24 that have an engaging member 6 that protrudes from the end of the slat body 21 and engages with the guide rail 4. The engaging member 6 has a metal frame member 66 that has a first extension portion 61 extending outward from the end of the slat body 21 and a second extension portion 62 extending from the first extension portion 61 to the outdoors, and a resin cover 68 that covers the frame member 66.

With this configuration, the second extension portion 62 extending outdoors engages with the guide rail 4, reducing the risk of the slat coming off due to impact from flying objects. The metal frame member 66 makes it less likely to deform or break even when subjected to a strong impact. The resin cover 68 reduces friction between the engagement member 6 and the guide rail 4 when the shutter curtain 3 is raised or lowered, minimizing wear on the guide rail 4.

In this embodiment, the frame member 66 further has an indoor extension portion 64 that extends from the first extension portion 61 toward the indoor side. In this case, the slat 2 is less likely to come off the guardrail when an outward force is applied to the shutter device 10.

In this embodiment, the second extension portion 62 and the indoor extension portion 64 are arranged in a staggered pattern in side view and are integrally formed. In this case, the second extension portion 62 and the indoor extension portion 64 can be easily integrated, simplifying the structure.

The skeletal member 66 may have a third extension portion 63 extending inward from the second extension portion 62. In this case, the presence of the third extension portion 63 reduces the possibility of the tip of the second extension portion 62 coming off the guide rail 4 even if it vibrates.

A rib 65 may be provided between the first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62. In this case, the strength between the first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62 can be increased. This allows the first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62 to be made thinner while maintaining the same strength, which is advantageous for reducing the weight of the shutter curtain 3.

In this embodiment, when the shutter curtain 3 is closed, and the vertical dimension of the portion of the shutter curtain 3 exposed to the outdoors is taken as 100%, at least one reinforcing slat 24 is positioned among the multiple slats 2 within a range of 30% to 70% from the vertical end of the exposed portion. In this case, the slat 2 in the vertical center is less likely to come off the guardrail, allowing the entire shutter curtain 3 to be supported.

The following describes the modified examples. In the drawings and descriptions of the modified examples, the same components and parts as those in the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the focus will be on the configurations that differ from the embodiment.

[First Modification]
A shutter device 10 of a first modified example will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. This modified example differs from the embodiment in that it includes a connecting member 72, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, redundant explanations will be omitted and the explanation will focus on the connecting member 72.

When impacted by a flying object, the impact may cause the fixed portion between the engaging member 6 and the slat body 21 to separate, resulting in the engaging member 6 becoming detached from the slat body 21. While it is possible to increase the strength of the fixed portion, this would increase the number of manufacturing steps and be cost-effective. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, the reinforcing slat 24 of this modified example has a connecting member 72 for connecting the two engaging members 6 provided on both ends of the slat body 21. The connecting member 72 in the example of Figure 8 is a horizontally long, strip-shaped member. The connecting member 72 is composed of a single member.

The connecting member 72 may be formed integrally with the skeletal member 66 of one of the two engaging members 6. As shown in Figure 9, the connecting member 72 may be formed integrally with the skeletal members 66 of both of the two engaging members 6. Although Figures 8 and 9 show examples of engaging members without resin covers, the engaging members may also be fitted with resin covers.

The first modified example achieves the same effects and advantages as the embodiment. In addition, the first modified example makes it difficult for the fixed portion to come off because the two skeletal members 66 are linked together. This is advantageous in terms of the number of steps required to manufacture the fixed portion between the engaging member 6 and the slat body 21.

[Second Modification]
A shutter device 10 of a second modified example will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. This modified example differs from the embodiment in that it includes a guide 28 and the engaging member 6 (skeleton member 66) is movable laterally, but the rest of the configuration is the same. Therefore, redundant explanations will be omitted and the explanation will focus on the configuration of the differences.

The smaller the gap between the engaging member 6 and the guide rail 4 (first extension 45), the less likely the slat will come off when hit by a flying object. However, if this gap is too small, there will be more contact between them, increasing frictional resistance during lifting and lowering and causing increased wear on the components. Therefore, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the reinforcing slat 24 may have a guide 28 that supports the engaging member 6 so that it can slide laterally.

In disaster prevention mode, when there is a possibility of flying objects, the engagement members 6 can be slid inward to reduce the gap with the guide rail 4, thereby reducing the possibility of the slat coming off. In Figures 10 and 11, the state in which the engagement members 6 have slid inward in disaster prevention mode is shown by dashed lines. At this time, the engagement members 6 may be fixed to the slat body 21 with a fastener such as a bolt (not shown). Note that the engagement members 6 may also be configured to come into contact with the guide rail 4 in disaster prevention mode.

In normal mode, when the possibility of flying objects is low, the engagement member 6 can be slid outward to widen the gap with the guide rail 4. In Figures 10 and 11, the state in which the engagement member 6 has slid outward in normal mode is shown by solid lines.

The skeletal member 66 has a sliding portion 67 extending inward from the inward end of the first extending portion 61, and a bending portion 69 bending from the inward end of the sliding portion 67 toward the interior of the room. There are no limitations on the configuration of the guide 28, but in the example shown in Figures 10 and 11, the guide 28 includes a pair of rails 282 spaced apart in the vertical direction and extending laterally. The sliding portion 67 has a band shape extending laterally, and both vertical ends of the sliding portion 67 are slidably supported in grooves provided in the pair of rails 282. The bending portion 69 functions as a finger grip, and the skeletal member 66 can be slid by pushing or pulling the bending portion 69 laterally.

The two skeletal members 66 at both ends of the reinforcing slat 24 may be extended laterally so as to overlap each other. In this case, the strength of the reinforcing slat 24 can be increased. Figures 10 and 11 show examples of engaging members without plastic covers, but the engaging members may also be fitted with plastic covers.

The second variant provides the same functions and effects as the embodiment. In addition, the second variant allows the gap between the framework member 66 and the guide rail 4 to be changed between disaster prevention mode and normal mode.

[Other Modifications]
In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which some of the plurality of slats 2 are constituted by reinforcing slats 24, but the present invention is not limited to this. All of the plurality of slats may be constituted by reinforcing slats.

In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the resin cover 68 is molded into multiple pieces, and each piece is attached to the skeletal member 66, but this is not limited to this. The resin cover may be attached to the skeletal member by insert molding, or by painting using electrostatic powder coating or the like.

In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the resin cover 68 covers the entire first extension portion 61 and the second extension portion 62, but this is not limited to this. The resin cover may also cover only a portion of the first extension portion and the second extension portion.

Any combination of the above components is also valid as an aspect of the technical idea that abstracts the embodiments and variants. For example, any description of another embodiment may be combined with an embodiment, or any description of an embodiment and another variant may be combined with a variant.

The above describes the embodiments and modifications. When understanding the abstract technical concepts of the embodiments and modifications, the technical concepts should not be interpreted as being limited to the content of the embodiments and modifications. The above-described embodiments and modifications are merely illustrative examples, and many design changes are possible, such as changing, adding, or deleting components. In the embodiments, content that allows such design changes is emphasized by adding the notation "embodiment." However, design changes are also permitted even in content that does not have such notation. Hatching on cross sections in the drawings does not limit the material of the hatched objects.

2 Slat, 3 Shutter curtain, 4 Guide rail, 6 Engagement member, 21 Slat body, 24 Reinforcing slat, 28 Guide, 61 First extension portion, 62 Second extension portion, 63 Third extension portion, 64 Indoor extension portion, 65 Rib, 66 Frame member, 67 Slide portion, 68 Resin cover, 72 Connecting member, 10 Shutter device.

Claims (6)

A shutter curtain is provided which is formed by connecting a plurality of slats extending in the horizontal direction in the vertical direction, and a guide rail which supports the horizontal end portion of the shutter curtain.
The plurality of slats include reinforcing slats having engagement members that protrude from ends of the slat bodies and engage with the guide rails;
The engaging member includes a metal frame member having a first extension portion extending outward from an end of the slat body and a second extension portion extending from the first extension portion to the exterior side, and a resin cover covering the frame member;
The reinforcing slat has a guide that supports the engaging member so that the engaging member is slidable in the lateral direction,
The guide includes a pair of rails spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and extending in the transverse direction;
The skeletal member has a slide portion extending inward from the inward end of the first extension portion, and a finger hook portion bent toward the inside of the room from the inward end of the slide portion. The shutter device described in claim 1, wherein the frame member further has an indoor extension portion extending from the first extension portion toward the indoor side. The shutter device described in claim 2, wherein the second extension portion and the indoor extension portion are arranged in a staggered pattern in side view and are integrally formed. A shutter device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the skeletal member has a third extension portion extending inward from the second extension portion. A shutter device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a rib is provided between the first extension portion and the second extension portion. A shutter device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, when the shutter curtain is closed, the vertical dimension of the portion of the shutter curtain exposed to the outdoors is taken as 100%, and at least one of the reinforcing slats is positioned within a range of 30% to 70% from the vertical end of the exposed portion of the shutter curtain among the multiple slats.