Base slat retention and motor triggering for rolling protective shutters

摘要

The present invention is directed to a rolling protective shutter having an improved stopping mechanism that prevents the shutter from completely rolling up onto the shutter support member, and that is hidden within the shutter housing or the side tracks. The stopping mechanism may include a limit switch operatively connected to a drive motor to detect a disposition of the base slat of the shutter curtain proximate the shutter housing. The limit switch may actuate to turn off the drive motor at an appropriate position to retain the base slat within the side tracks and to prevent damage to the shutter housing due to engagement by the base slat.

主权项

1. A rolling shutter assembly for covering an opening of a structure, comprising:
a shutter housing mounted at the top of the opening and having a throw member opening; a shutter support member mounted within the shutter housing; a shutter curtain connected to the shutter support member at a top edge of the shutter curtain, the shutter curtain having a base slat connected to a bottom edge of the shutter curtain, wherein the shutter curtain is rolled up onto the shutter support member when the shutter support member rotates in a first direction and is unrolled from the shutter support member when the shutter support member rotates in a second direction; a pair of side tracks mounted on opposite sides of the opening and receiving corresponding ends of the shutter curtain when the shutter curtain is unrolled; a drive motor coupled to the shutter support member to rotate the shutter support member in both the first direction and the second direction; a limit switch operatively connected to the drive motor and disposed within the shutter housing, the limit switch having a normal position allowing the drive motor to be actuated to rotate in the first direction and an actuated position preventing the drive motor from being actuated to rotate in the first direction; and a throw member disposed within the shutter housing, the throw member comprising:
a throw member bolt having a first bolt end disposed proximate the throw member opening of the shutter housing and a second bolt end disposed proximate the limit switch,a throw member bracket slidably receiving the second bolt end, anda biasing member operatively coupled to the throw member bolt and biasing the throw member bolt toward the throw member opening; and a plunger operatively connected to one of the base slat and the throw member and operatively engaging the other of the base slat and the throw member when at least a portion of the base slat is disposed within the shutter housing to cause the throw member bolt to move against the biasing force of the biasing member to a position to turn off the drive motor when the base slat is raised to a predetermined position within the shutter housing, wherein the biasing member provides a force moving the base slat downward in the side tracks when the shutter curtain is unrolled from the predetermined position of the base slat within the shutter housing.