Abstract: An articulating cover member for covering an opening, such as a spa, includes a plurality of pivotally connected door panels wherein each of the door panels include at least one longitudinally-extending tubular member and at least one longitudinally-extending attachment member associated with a longitudinal edge portion of the at least one tubular member. The at least one longitudinally-extending attachment member is configured for cooperation with an attachment member extending along a longitudinal edge portion of the tubular member of an adjacent door panel for pivotally connecting the door panels. An insulating material may be located within the tubular members and a motor assembly may be provided for automatic actuation of the cover member.

Abstract: The present invention comprises two sheets of canvas fabric or curtains and means for rolling up vertical strips or bands connected to intermediate crosspieces that move along guides when the strips are taken up. The crosspieces have a hollow cross section with an upper ridge and a lower ridge with holes for the strips to pass through. The crosspieces have, on the outer lateral faces, at least one groove for the fastening, by means of a bead, of bands for joining to the adjacent curtain. The inner faces of the crosspiece have one or more rounded longitudinal projections for guiding the displacement strips. The crosspieces comprise shock-proof elastic element arranged on the upper and/or lower ridge.

Abstract: An industrial rollup door to selectively cover a doorway opening or to provide industrial guarding is presented. The rollup door comprises door leaf, comprised of lamellae, or panels a flexible strip as a lifting belt for selectively lifting and lowering the door, a continuous dampening profile running along the outer surface of each lamellae near an end, and a rotatable spiral disc to accept the lamellae as the door is lifted and to release the lamellae as the door is lowered.

Abstract: A window covering may include a roller attached to a mounting device, and a front member attached to the mounting device. Strips may extend from a roller attached to the mounting device. An upper portion of each strip may be attached to the roller and a lower portion of each strip may be connected to a bottom portion of the front member. Each strip passes through a respective column of ballast members. The ballast members are connected to the front member. The columns may each be comprised of ballast members that are not more than six inches below an immediately adjacent upper ballast member when the front member is in the extended position. The spacing of the ballast members and widths of the strips cooperate to prevent any of the strips from being pulled away from the ballast members to form a loop having a diameter greater than twelve inches.

Abstract: A roller blind is disclosed which provides horizontal slats for directional shading, enabling the application of a screen fabric which allows a greater portion of visible light to pass therethrough. The disclosed slatted roller blind is free from the usage of ladder cords and is simplistic in design. The disclosed slatted roller blind maintains a compact formation of a roller shade when retracted and has greater resistance to skewing along the longitudinal axis of the roller while being retracted. Furthermore, the disclosed slatted roller blind design is capable of being utilized as an outdoor or indoor blind.

Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in a roll-up shutter. More particularly, the invention provides an electrically-driven shutter which can be electrically deployed or retracted, and the slats may be electrically tilted for ventilation or vertically closed for maximum security, all by use of a single electric motor. The invention achieves the above objects by providing an electrically driven roll-up shutter, comprising a plurality of upper pivoted link elements each of which supports all lower components, the linkage pivots being arranged to allow roll-up on a shutter shaft or tube, the lowest of the link elements being attached to a slat tilt mechanism, the upper pivoted link elements when in tension with only the highest of the link elements in contact with the shutter shaft or tube form a substantially straight line.

Abstract: An electronic device assembly comprises a protecting panel an electronic device, which comprises a shell with a front cover and a back cover and a display panel received in the shell. A plurality of sliding grooves is opened in the shell and extends from the front cover to the back cover. The protective cover is slidably set in the sliding grooves so as to cover the display panel in a first state or expose the display panel in a second state.

Abstract: A rolling shutter and a slat for use in a rolling shutter are provided. The slat comprises an engaging track located at a first edge and a receptacle track located at a second edge. Illustratively, the engaging track has a hook-shaped profile and is disposed at an acute angle relative to an adjacent part of the body portion, is disposed at an angle of less than 180° relative to a vertical axis of the slat, or has a hook-shaped profile that curves for more than 180°, and the receptacle track comprises a lip and a guard defining a space adapted to receive therein an engaging track of an adjacent slat.

Abstract: Plural vertically aligned curtain sections form a first wall of a structure and are each coupled to a respective manual or powered rotary drive by means of a respective elongated, roll-up rod disposed in a lower hem, and extending the length, of the curtain section. The rotary drives are attached to horizontally spaced, vertical tracks for limiting the vertical drives, the roll-up rods and each curtain's lower hem to vertical motion in rolling up and unrolling the curtain sections. A water curtain maintained in a moist condition is disposed adjacent the inner surfaces of the curtain sections, with fans disposed on a second opposed wall of the structure for drawing air through the space occupied by the curtain sections for providing moist airflow through the structure's interior. Moist airflow and cooling are precisely controlled by controlling the gap between a pair of adjacent vertically spaced curtain sections.

Abstract: A fireproof, heat-insulating slat consists of a pair of slat members having the same structure and disposed in the opposite directions. An enclosed space is formed between the pair of slat members. A first upper shoulder and a first lower shoulder are formed on the top end of the slat from the left to the right, and a second lower shoulder and a second upper shoulder are formed on the bottom end of the slat from the left to the right. An upper hinge and a lower hinge part are formed on the first lower shoulder and the second lower shoulder, respectively, and the upper hinge part and the lower hinge part are bent toward the first upper shoulder and the second upper shoulder, respectively. The enclosed space is filled with a fireproof, heat-insulating material.

Abstract: A rail system is provided having two profile rails, between which a lamellar configuration having multiple lamellar elements is provided. The lamellar element is implemented for a roller blind device, which can be guided in a rail system like a folding blind, having a lamellar body and having at least two guide elements, which are situated on diametrically opposing sides of the lamellar body and extend in the transverse direction of the lamellar element, for holding and/or guiding in at least one guide groove of the rail system, at least one first guide element having at least one extension differing in the transverse direction in relation to at least one second guide element.

Abstract: The present invention is a device that provides protection for a window from exterior fires which might ignite combustibles by radiation through the glass and/or break the glass and allow direct flame impingement, and also operates as a non-solid shutter or shade allowing privacy and shade. The shutter consists of metal or other noncombustible screen, mesh or slats spaced or pierced so that they allow some light to penetrate for shade control but protect the window glass from heat radiation and flying debris created by an external firestorm. The shutter can be raised and lowered manually, or with mechanical assistance, as by means of a chain lift or other roll-up/down mechanism for shade and privacy control, but will drop (close) automatically when released by a fusible link of the appropriate temperature setting to provide the fire protection.

Abstract: A mechanical link is provided to lessen or eliminate air infiltration between a topmost lamella of a rollup door and the lintel of the doorway. The link is deployed in an unfolded configuration to support the topmost lamella against deflection caused by application of a force perpendicular to the plane of the door. The link components are folded into a storage position upon rolling up of the door upon a series of take-up discs.

Abstract: A high-speed industrial roller door includes a door leaf that is guided in lateral guides and a drive that acts on the door leaf to displace the latter from an open position into a closed position and vice versa. The door leaf is held in the open position so that adjacent areas of the door leaf are not in contact with one another, in a spiral section of the lateral guides located in the vicinity of the door lintel. The roller door also includes a weight compensation device. The drive has two extension arms that are coupled via joints to the lintel end of the door leaf, said arms being situated at a distance from one another across the door width and being synchronously pivoted about a pivoting axis in a central area of the spiral section. The distance between the coupling points of the extension arms on the door leaf and the pivoting axis of the extension arms can be varied.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting door assembly comprising a lifting door, in particular a fast-moving industrial door, having a door leaf which in the closed condition of the lifting door covers a door aperture, and a door lintel sealing device disposed in the area of a door lintel and mounted so as to produce a sealing effect between the door leaf and the door lintel in a sealing position when the lifting door is in the closed condition. The lifting door assembly is characterized in that the door leaf is guided laterally such that in the open position, it is wound free of contact in the area of a door lintel, and in that in the sealing position, the door lintel sealing device rests on a horizontal lateral edge surface of the door leaf adjacent the door lintel. The invention further relates to such a door lintel sealing device. The invention allows to improve a lifting door assembly such that particularly reliable sealing may be obtained with it in the area of the door lintel.

Abstract: A screen includes: a screen base body, wherein the screen base body includes a plurality of substrates, each of the substrates has a sheet part and a connecting part provided at least one of the surfaces of the sheet part, the connecting part of one of the substrates is detachably connected with the connecting part of the other substrate, and when the screen is used the screen base body is produced by connecting the connecting parts of the respective substrates such that the substrates can be combined.

Abstract: A window shade that consists of several louvers positioned one above the other. Each of the louvers is, in fact, composed of two identical halves that are connected to one another by means of a cylindrical rod that serves as an axis and a connector between the two halves of the louver. A window shade that is composed of louvers, each of which consists of two parts positioned at varying angles to each other, such that the angle between the two parts of the louver can be changed and the shade can be fully closed, fully opened or in a position that lets air, but not light, into the room.

Abstract: A ladder drum for adjusting and regulating the angular orientation and closure of horizontal slats of a venetian blind, of the type incorporating ladder cords or tape ladders, having a polygonal profiled structure comprising a series of planar sidewalls defining a substantially hollow interior. The number of sidewalls defining the polygonal structure is greater than four sidewalls, and less than or equal to twelve sidewalls, with each adjacent plane sidewall having an internal angular orientation in the range of 90° to 150°. To enhance the uniform closure of the slats of a horizontal blind, the polygonal ladder drum is more preferably in the form of an uneven hexagon that is formed from injection molded plastics. The opposing top and bottom sidewalls are greater in dimension than the mediate sidewalls, and have attachment means to insert various widths of ladder tape. The mediate sidewalls have at least two opposing access slots to insert and retain ladder cords in a counter balanced relation.

Abstract: A shutter for protecting an opening. The shutter comprising a plurality of horizontal curtain slats for covering the opening, wherein horizontal refers to a direction when viewing slats from a front surface, and wherein the curtain slats hang freely from a upper region of the opening; an upper transition slat movably affixed to a lower end of a first curtain slat; a lower transition slat movably affixed to an upper end of a second curtain slat; and a horizontal reinforcing member comprising at least an upper and a lower reinforcing slat, wherein the upper reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to a lower end of the first transition slat and the lower reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to an upper end of the second transition slat, and wherein the upper and lower reinforcing slats are rotatably joined.

Abstract: A weight compensation device for a lifting door, includes a spring element and a tensile element, which can be wound onto or unwound from a winding device in such a way that the spring element achieves its greatest pre-tension when the door leaf is in the closed position and is essentially tension-free when the door leaf is in the open position. The tensile element is narrower at the end facing the winding device than at the end facing the spring element and the winding device includes a guide device, which is used to wind the tensile element in such a way that the wound layers lie adjacent to one another without making contact. To achieve this, the guide faces around the perimeter of the guide device have a continuously increasing radius in the winding direction. This enables the provision of a weight compensation device that achieves the torques required for effective weight compensation by means of a simple construction.

Abstract: A rolling shutter and a slat for use in a rolling shutter are provided. The slat comprises an engaging track located at a first edge and a receptacle track located at a second edge. Illustratively, the engaging track has a hook-shaped profile and is disposed at an acute angle relative to an adjacent part of the body portion, is disposed at an angle of less than 180° relative to a vertical axis of the slat, or has a hook-shaped profile that curves for more than 180°, and the receptacle track comprises a lip and a guard defining a space adapted to receive therein an engaging track of an adjacent slat.

Abstract: A member (4) for a Venetian-blind action roller blind, comprises a bar (8, 8?, 8?) and a slat (9, 9?, 9?) which are connected together at a first hinge (7) in such a way as to be able to pivot, and which have respective outer hooks (5, 6; 5?, 6?; 5?, 6?), the outer hook (5, 5?, 5?) of the slat (9, 9?, 9?) being arranged to form, with the outer hook (6, 6?, 6?) of the bar (8, 8?, 8?) of an identical second member (4), a second hinge. The slat also carries two inner hooks (10, 11; 10?, 11?, 10?, 11?) curved in opposite respective directions of which the first (10, 10?, 10?) engages in a recess (15) in an inner hook (12, 12?, 12?) of the bar and the second (11, 11?, 11?) extends round an outer side of the inner hook (12, 12?, 12?) of the bar. The inner hooks (10, 11; 10?, 11?; 10?, 11?) of the slat (9, 9?, 9?) have arcuate, concentric surfaces whose common centre is an axis of pivot (27, 27?, 27?) of the first hinge (7).

Abstract: The present invention comprises two sheets of canvas fabric or curtains and means for rolling up vertical strips or bands connected to intermediate crosspieces that move along guides when the strips are taken up. The crosspieces have a hollow cross section with an upper ridge and a lower ridge with holes for the strips to pass through. The crosspieces have, on the outer lateral faces, at least one groove for the fastening, by means of a bead, of bands for joining to the adjacent curtain. The inner faces of the crosspiece have one or more rounded longitudinal projections for guiding the displacement strips. The crosspieces comprise shock-proof elastic element arranged on the upper and/or lower ridge.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shutter for a roller shutter assembly, the shutter comprising a series of shutter panels (10) and a plurality of connecting arms (20). The shutter panels (10) each have an upper edge (11) and a lower edge (12), a first face (13) and a second face (14), and the first faces (18) all face to a first side of the shutter and the second faces (14) all face to an opposite second side of the shutter. The connecting arms (20) each have a lower edge (21) and an upper edge (22), a lower one of two adjacent shutter panels in the series is pivotally connected to a higher one of the two adjacent shutter panels by at least two of the connecting arms (20). The lower edge (21) of each of the at least two connecting arms (20) is pivotally connected to an upper pivotal connection on the first face (13) of the lower of the two adjacent shutter panels, the upper pivotal connection being spaced below the upper edge of the lower shutter panel (10).

Abstract: An improvement in a rolling shutter assembly for covering an opening of a structure having an external protective surface, an underlying support structure and a subsurface disposed therebetween. The rolling shutter assembly includes a shutter housing, a shutter support member rotatably disposed within the shutter housing, a shutter coupled to the shutter support member, and a pair of side tracks. The improvement includes a plurality of dowels and corresponding openings through the external protective surface configured to receive the dowels. The dowels are disposed between the subsurface of the wall and the side tracks when the rolling shutter assembly is installed to minimize the portion of the external protective surface that is removed to accommodate the installation of the shutter assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to roller blind slats having a profile which is shaped by flat sheet metal in a rolling step. A single-pieced roller blind body is associated with the roller blind slats. The roller blind body is formed with a slot on the underside thereof and a hooked strip is provided on the top edge thereof. The slot part is approximately 20% on the total surface of the roller blind slats.

Abstract: A door system includes a flexible corrugated closure member guided between door open and closed positions in spaced apart opposed vertical and horizontal sets of guide tracks and further guided by transition guide wheels mounted on an enclosure frame for guiding the closure member between the sets of guide tracks. The transition guide wheels are supported for movement between working and non-working positions to facilitate storage or shipping the door system or an enclosure unit including the door system, as a substantially planar stack of wall, ceiling and floor members forming the enclosure.

Abstract: A retractable cover for architectural openings having collapsible vanes includes a support structure in the form of a sheet of material, monofilaments, tapes, ribbons, cords, or the like, supporting an upper edge of a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending vanes with the lower edges of the vanes in most embodiments of the invention being connected to operating elements adapted to raise the lower edges of each vane toward the upper edges to define openings or gaps between the vanes through which vision and light can pass in an open condition of the covering. Variations of the covering do not require movement of a lower edge of a vane relative to an upper edge but simply movement of some vanes relative to other vanes. The vanes can be made of materials having different flexibilities and where more rigid materials are used, creased fold lines can be established for desired operability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shutter for a roller shutter assembly, the shutter comprising a series of shutter panels (10) and a plurality of connecting arms (20). The shutter panels (10) each have an upper edge (11) and a lower edge (12), a first face (13) and a second face (14), and the first faces (18) all face to a first side of the shutter and the second faces (14) all face to an opposite second side of the shutter. The connecting arms (20) each have a lower edge (21) and an upper edge (22), a lower one of two adjacent shutter panels in the series is pivotally connected to a higher one of the two adjacent shutter panels by at least two of the connecting arms (20). The lower edge (21) of each of the at least two connecting arms (20) is pivotally connected to an upper pivotal connection on the first face (13) of the lower of the two adjacent shutter panels, the upper pivotal connection being spaced below the upper edge of the lower shutter panel (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in a roll-up shutter. More particularly, the invention provides an electrically-driven shutter which can be electrically deployed or retracted, and the slats may be electrically tilted for ventilation or vertically closed for maximum security, all by use of a single electric motor.

Abstract: A roll-out sheet of construction material has a plurality of slats, each with a shelf with a generally upward facing surface and a ledge with a generally downwardly facing surface. The plurality of slats are adjacent one another so that the ledge of one slat underlies the shelf of an adjacent slat. A pivoting assembly disposed on each of the plurality of slat allows the slats to articulate relative to one another within a defined range of vertical angles. The slats may have a longitudinal opening at least partially through, which is optionally filled with thermal and/or sound insulation, and/or load-bearing filler. The openings can also include a rib or support extending across the opening and bracing one side wall of the slat against the other. A securing tab can extend outward from one or more slats, shaped as a hoop, or having a through opening. When deployed, the roll-out sheet may be flat or have some angle or curvature.

Abstract: An elevator door system includes a motor rotating a vertical reel, and an elevator door. The door can be formed of a plurality of vertically aligned rigid panels or can be a sheet of material which is rigid or reinforced in the vertical direction or can have any other appropriate form making it suitable for being wound upon and unwound from the reel. The door is mounted to a flexible force transmission member provided along an entire width of the door and interconnected to the reel. Accordingly, the forces generated by the motor for opening and closing the door are substantially transmitted through the transmission member rather than being imparted onto the door itself. Hence, in use the strain on the door is greatly reduced and therefore the quantity of material used for the door and consequently its cost and mass can be reduced without deteriorating performance.

Abstract: A shutter slat assembly for a storm shutter, the slat assembly including an elongated horizontally extending shutter slat having longitudinally extending formed edges configured to slidably, interlockingly connect with the next adjacent slat for limited pivotal movement between adjacent connected slats sufficient for rolled-up storage of the storm shutter. Each slat has a central port formed therethrough for viewing and light transmission through the port. An elongated transparent panel preferably having a cross section similar to that of the slat includes enlarged edge portions configured and spaced for dependent slidable engagement between and within inwardly facing grooves formed inwardly adjacent to the edges. The transparent panel covers the port while allowing a person to obtain a view and permit light transmission therethrough.

Abstract: A method and a system for producing a window shade having a real natural material printed image coated thereon. A real natural material is scanned and the data of the image is stored in a computer which generates an image of the scanned real natural material. That image is duplicated a plurality of times by the use of the computer and the images are assembled in a predetermined arrangement to produce a composite image which is then enhanced using photo-enhancing software. The enhanced composite image is then printed by the use of a colored ink printing machine on material to form the window shade. Preferably, but not exclusively, the material is constituted by slats of a louvered blind or a fabric of a roller blind.

Abstract: A portable roll up window blind has an adjustable length and is removably mountable within the frame of a window. The blind has shell housing of an adjustable length and a telescopic winding core mounted between two end plates of the shell housing. One of the end plate is slidable and adjustable by a wedging means for pressing against the adjacent side wall of the window frame so that the two end plates cooperate with one another to secure the blind at a selected position in the window frame. The window blind panels are wound on the winding core in an overlapping manner. The winding core has one end engage with a round support pin located on the inner surface of the one end plate, and the other end engaged with a rotary shaft having a multi-sided cross sectional shape. The rotary shaft is rotatable by a pull chain for raising or lowering the window blind panels.

Abstract: A combination garage door and roll-up curtain system that allows a flexible curtain to be lowered when the garage door is in a raised position. The system preferably comprises an automated garage door assembly wherein the drive mechanism is mounted to a bracket mounted in turn to the inside wall above the garage opening upper margin. The system preferably further comprises an automated roll-up curtain assembly having a rotatable rod mounted above the garage opening upper margin between the bracket and the inside wall. The rotatable rod has a flexible curtain wound thereabout wherein the first end of the curtain is affixed to the rod and the second end of the curtain is secured along its lateral margins within tracks mounted adjacent the garage opening lateral margins. The second end of the curtain preferably has a weighted member attached thereto to urge the curtain toward the garage opening lower margin and to keep the curtain taut.

Abstract: An end retention system for a rolling shutter system is provided. The end retention system comprises a fastener that has a head and a shaft, a washer and a spacer. The aperture of the washer is greater than that of the shaft. The shaft is configured for insertion into a shutter slat. A guide track is provided with retention fins spaced apart a distance that is less than the outer diameter of the washer. The guide may include a channel partially bounded by the retention fins and having a width that is greater than the outer diameter of the washer. The washer is located in the channel, and is retained near the slat by the head of and the fastener. An end retention system may have a rigid spacer, or a compressible spacer that is a resilient member located between the head of the fastener and the washer.

Abstract: A combination garage door and roll-up curtain system that allows a flexible curtain to be lowered when the garage door is in a raised position. The system preferably comprises an automated garage door assembly wherein the drive mechanism is mounted to a bracket mounted in turn to the inside wall above the garage opening upper margin. The system preferably further comprises an automated roll-up curtain assembly having a rotatable rod mounted above the garage opening upper margin between the bracket and the inside wall. The rotatable rod has a flexible curtain wound thereabout wherein the first end of the curtain is affixed to the rod and the second end of the curtain is secured along its lateral margins within tracks mounted adjacent the garage opening lateral margins. The second end of the curtain preferably has a weighted member attached thereto to urge the curtain toward the garage opening lower margin and to keep the curtain taut.

Abstract: A mechanism for guiding roll up doors made from a foldable sheet. A longitudinally extending wall of the foldable sheet is secured to a fixed structure and two longitudinally extending lateral walls extend perpendicularly to form another two reversible folds resulting in two longitudinally extending inner walls at a spaced apart and parallel relationship with the two lateral walls. From one of these inner walls, a longitudinal wind bar extends at a predetermined cooperative angle. Upon the application of a wind load to the door slats, the load is transmitted to the foldable sheet guiding assembly from the slats directly and through the wind lock assembly through at least four contact points. The laterally articulated door slats include longitudinal hook portions or wind lock assemblies that slidably coact with the wind bar to keep the slat in place.

Abstract: Which has the following essential elements: A drive shaft (1) joined to the rolling drum (23) of a blind (21), joined by means of a first freewheel mechanism (2) with a drive cylinder (4) which has a freeing sector (5). A cogged wheel (17) which has protuberances (18) into which fit the relevant extensions (19) of the slats (20) of the blind (21), joined via a second freewheel mechanism (15) with a blocking sector (26). A brake cylinder (7) with teeth (27) housing a brake spring (9) whose ends form stops (10), with the blocking sector (25) acting on the stops (10) in the direction to increase the apparent diameter of the brake spring (9) and the freeing sector (5) in the direction to reduce its apparent diameter. Various ratchets (28) that can lock against the teeth (27) as a function of the relative position of a transmission crown (6) on which they are articulated with respect to the drive cylinder (4).

Abstract: A door system has an axis, a door attached at a first end to the axis for winding and unwinding upon the axis, and a tensioned member surrounding and partially engaging an outer layer of the door wound upon the axis. The tensioned member exerts a radial force to the outer layer of the door wound upon the axis, thereby ensuring that the door is consistently wound tightly upon the axis and permitting the fast unrolling of the door from the axis. Although the tensioned member exerts a radial force upon the door, it imparts no significant lateral forces to the door. Accordingly, the door can have a simple construction with material, cost and space savings.

Abstract: A roller shutter comprising a door leaf for rolling up, forming a multi-layered coil with multiple slats crosswise at a right angle with longitudinal axes toward the opening movement extending horizontally, the slats pivotably connected by an engaging assembly extending over the greater part of the slat length with respect to pivot axes extending parallel to their longitudinal axes, and the door leaf with engaging devices with at least one engaging device between two adjacent slats, a first engaging device arranged at its leading edge during the opening movement creating articulated connection with an adjacent slat, and a second engaging device arranged at its trailing edge during the opening movement to create an articulated connection with another adjacent slat, wherein at least one engaging device is provided with a separate engaging element capable of being fixed to the slat with positive locking, with force fit and/or with substance-to-substance bond.

Abstract: A rolling shutter and a slat for use in a rolling shutter are provided. The slat comprises an engaging track located at a first horizontal edge and a receptacle track located at a second horizontal edge. Illustratively, the engaging track has a hook shaped profile and is disposed at an acute angle, and the receptacle track comprises a lip and a guard defining a space adapted to receive therein an engaging track of an adjacent slat.

Abstract: End-of-travel device (10) for roller blind actuating systems, comprising a member (22) displaceable as far as an end-of-travel position (26), coupling means (20) in engagement with the displaceable member (22) and rotationally actuated by a motor, and lever means (40) for converting the displacement of the displaceable member (22) into activation of an end-of- travel switch (60). The lever means (40) comprise a movable member (50) pivotably hinged on a frame and engageable with pressure by the displaceable member (22) when its reaches the end-of-travel position (26). The member (50) can be engaged with an actuating member (58) of the switch (60) where an actuating member of the switch (60) is positioned radially with respect to the axis of displacement of the member (22).

Abstract: A roller shutter intended to be used in an opening in a building, such as a shop front opening, having a series of laths joined to one another such that they can pivot, a roller with respect to which the series of laths can be rolled up to expose the opening and can be rolled down to close the opening. The roller shutter also has guide rails that are located at the ends of the laths, in which guide rails the ends of the laths are accommodated such that they can move for guiding the laths over the opening. The end of each lath and the associated guide rails have anchors for anchoring the end of the lath against sideways movement out of said associated guide rails.

Abstract: A rolling shutter assembly is formed of a plurality of shutter slats which are designed to fit snuggly against each other when in a rolled up state so as to substantially reduce the diameter of the rolled up shutter assembly. This reduction of the diameter of the shutter assembly permits the use of a smaller housing for the shutter assembly. The smaller housing increases the aesthetic appeal of the assembly and decreases the material required for the assembly housing and thus the cost of the shutter assembly. The rolling shutter assembly includes a shutter support member, a shutter coupled to the support member and a plurality of tracks the guide the shutter while it is being raised or lowered. The shutter slats include a hinge connection along each edge portion of the slats.

Abstract: A rolling door or shutter (1) has a series of preferably planar panels (3, 3A) which are joined by pairs (6) of pivotally connected hinge members (7, 8). The shutter slides up and down with its side edges guided in tracks (2). When the shutter is closed, e.g. against a bottom sill, the hinge members of each pair (6) pivot about one another to jam between opposing walls (30, 31) of the guide tracks. The pivotal range of each hinge pair may be limited to prevent the hinge pair from straightening when the shutter is suspended. This ensures the hinge pairs always fold in the same way when the shutter is closed. The panels may be rolled steel, extruded aluminium, moulded (optionally transparent) polycarbonate plastic, or tempered glass sheets fitted with edge cappings.

Abstract: A rolling shutter and a slat for use in a rolling shutter are provided. The slat comprises an engaging track located at a first horizontal edge and a receptacle track located at a second horizontal edge. Illustratively, the engaging track has a hook-shaped profile and is disposed at an acute angle, and the receptacle track comprises a lip and a guard defining a space adapted to receive therein an engaging track of an adjacent slat.

Abstract: An improvement in a rolling shutter assembly for covering an opening of a structure defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and oppositely disposed side walls. The rolling shutter assembly includes a shutter housing, a shutter support member rotatably disposed within the shutter housing, a shutter coupled to the shutter support member, the shutter comprising a plurality of individual slats and a plurality of hinges interconnecting the slats, and a pair of side tracks. The shutter rolls between a rolled position wherein the shutter is rolled onto the shutter support member and an unrolled position wherein the shutter covers the opening and the ends of the slats are disposed within the channels of the corresponding side tracks. The improvement comprises a support frame having top, bottom and side rails mounted to the walls defining the opening with the side tracks each mounted to a corresponding one of the side rails of the support frame.

Abstract: An end retention system for a rolling shutter system is provided. The end retention system comprises a fastener that has a head and a shaft, and a washer that has an outer diameter and an aperture having an inner diameter. The inner diameter of the aperture of the washer is at least twice the diameter of the shaft of the fastener. The shaft is configured for insertion into a screw boss receptacle of a shutter slat. The end retention system may also comprise a guide track that has retention fins spaced apart a distance that is less than the outer diameter of the washer. The guide may include a channel that partially bounded by the retention fins. The channel may have a width that is greater than the outer diameter of the washer. The washer is located in the channel, and is retained near the slat by the head of the fastener.