Roller shutter with flyscreen

Abstract

A roller shutter with a mosquito net (1), comprising a box (2) delimiting an interior volume for the winding of the shutter curtain, said box (2) comprising longitudinal panels and first lateral sides (22) extended by first guides (21) for the curtain, a horizontal-looking panel of the box (2) oriented downwards having, on the one hand, between the first guides, a passage slot (23) for said curtain and on the other hand an inspection hatch (24), the mosquito net (1) comprising second sides (12) arranged at the end of a rotating shaft (10) for winding the mosquito net fabric (1) and second guides (11) for the lateral edges of the fabric. The mosquito net (1) is attached to one side of the box (2) adjacent to said slot, the cheeks (12) of the mosquito net (1) each having at least one stop (13) which extends, opposite said side of the attachment, outwards from the cheek (12) of the mosquito net (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to roller shutters designed for closing openings or bays in building walls. More specifically, it concerns the roller shutter housing, that is, the storage space for the shutter curtain, which constitutes the actual closing device, rolling into this space when the opening is open. For the purposes of this invention, it should be noted that insect screens can share the same space, that is, close the same openings, but with a distinctly different function, which generally leads to their use at different times.

[0002] Sharing space between the roller shutter and the mosquito net can complicate the installation of either, especially since both devices must be easily accessible, both for their shared use and for maintenance. This sharing requires careful management of the space occupied near the windows or French doors, at the point where they are stored in the open position—that is, at the location where the housing is installed.

[0003] To simplify installation, avoid the need for a separate mosquito net—either inside or outside the window—in addition to the roller shutter, and save space, combining a roller shutter and a mosquito net into a single unit is a common solution. Some systems integrate both functions, with the mosquito net positioned directly within the roller shutter housing and able to be rolled out independently. This allows you to choose to use only the mosquito net, only the roller shutter, or both simultaneously if needed.

[0004] However, integration leads to slightly more complex technical configurations for roller shutter boxes, which are more expensive to produce. Most importantly, it requires choosing the type of roller shutter to install from the outset, with or without an integrated mosquito net. Otherwise, the entire installation must be redesigned if the user decides to switch from a standard shutter to a mosquito-proof configuration, or if a renovation project includes mosquito nets for windows. The cost of such a change is significant, and if the mosquito net option wasn't chosen initially, users generally opt to install separate mosquito nets, trying to make the best of the available space around the windows.

[0005] Another known solution involves an extension mechanism for the roller shutter box to accommodate an additional shading and / or protection device, such as a blind, mosquito net, or similar item. However, this extension mechanism requires upper and side extensions to the box to house, for example, a mosquito net, which significantly alters the volume of the original box. The necessary work to level the installation, involving dismantling each box, modifying its volume, and reassembling it—often slightly offset due to the change in size—remains substantial.

[0006] To address these problems, the invention provides an intermediate solution between integrating and completely separating the two functions. The proposed solution helps resolve the space management issue and allows for modification of the installation, adding the mosquito-repellent function, without requiring any changes to the existing roller shutter boxes.

[0007] The idea is to attach a mosquito net to the roller shutter housing using an external mounting system that secures them together and ensures accessibility to both components for all practical purposes. Simply combining a roller shutter housing and a mosquito net is insufficient for real-world use.

[0008] For these purposes, the roller shutter with integrated mosquito net of the invention conventionally comprises a housing defining an interior volume for the winding of the shutter curtain. This housing includes longitudinal sections and first lateral sides extended by first guide rails for the curtain. This housing includes a horizontally oriented, downward-facing section having, on one side, between the first guide rails, a slot for the curtain and, on the other side, an access panel. The mosquito net also includes, in a known manner, second sides arranged at the end of a rotating shaft for winding the mosquito net fabric and second guide rails for the lateral edges of the fabric.

[0009] According to the invention, the mosquito net is attached to one side of the box adjacent to said slot, the sides of the mosquito net each having at least one stop which unfolds, opposite said side of the fixing, towards the outside of the side of the mosquito net.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to attach the mosquito net to the housing in a way that allows the functions of the installation to be changed without altering the initial assembly. The roller shutter housing is modified only very peripherally, to facilitate the attachment of the mosquito net to the housing. The housing features specifically designed to allow the adaptation of a mosquito net are minor and only superficially modify the design of said housings. They can therefore be present on all housings, regardless of their intended use.

[0011] The mosquito net is positioned on the back of the housing, on the side with the housing's tracks. Since the housings are generally installed near a vertical wall, close to the window or door frame, it is essential to ensure sufficient space between the wall and the housing for installing the mosquito net. However, simply providing space for attaching the mosquito net is not enough; this space must also be suitable for the mosquito net's intended use and, in particular, allow access for maintenance. The stops therefore guarantee a volume that facilitates maintenance and, if necessary, its removal.

[0012] More specifically, each stop can consist of a protrusion forming a rod parallel to the panel containing the access hatch, this rod extending beyond a portion of the perimeter of the distal side of the screen on the roller shutter housing. It can also be an arm wider than a simple rod. In practice, this rod is oriented approximately horizontally when the screen is attached to the housing. It creates a free space between the rest of the screen, a vertical wall of the building, and the back of the housing, which not only allows very easy access to the screen but also provides ample room for its manipulation, if necessary. All movements of the screen, for example during installation / removal, become easier.

[0013] Preferably, the mosquito net is attached to the housing using removable fasteners. It can be attached to the housing wall adjacent to the mosquito net, or to the sides of the housing. There are no technical constraints regarding the choice of attachment point; it depends primarily on the chosen fastening method and the ease of manufacturing the components involved.

[0014] In one scenario, the removable fastening system consists of at least one hook element extending from the mosquito net or the housing and suspended by gravity in at least one opening in the housing or the mosquito net, respectively. This fastening method allows the mosquito net to be easily attached and removed from below, using the tracks which then serve as a handle. The stops on the mosquito net's side panels provide sufficient space between the back of the housing and the vertical wall to allow for such operations to be controlled from below. In this configuration, the hook elements can be located on the sides of the mosquito net or on its tracks, and the openings in the sides of the housing or in a wall of the housing, or vice versa.

[0015] Alternatively, the removable fastening means consist, at a contact surface between the mosquito net and the side of the housing, of at least one clip element protruding from either the mosquito net or the housing and elastically inserting into at least one opening in the other. Again, the elastic clip elements may be attached to either the mosquito net or the housing.

[0016] The removable fastening elements of the mosquito net can, for example, be positioned on each track of the mosquito net, or on its side panel, or on a wall connected to them. The mosquito net can be attached to the side panel of the housing near the upper end of each track panel, which faces the side panel of the housing. Or it can be attached to a wall of the housing whose openings are positioned to allow for the correct relative positioning of the mosquito net within the housing.

[0017] Alternatively, the part of the removable fixing means relating to the mosquito net may be disposed at least partially on each side of said mosquito net, or in a wall extending beyond it.

[0018] Preferably, when the mosquito net is attached to the housing using removable fasteners, the second set of mosquito net tracks should rest against the first set of tracks on the housing. This support is particularly preferable when the removable fasteners operate by gravity alone.

[0019] One possibility is that the second side channels of the mosquito net and the first side channels of the housing can be a single piece. In this case, preferably, the second side channels of the mosquito net are a single piece with an upper section of the second side channels whose lower end is aligned with the horizontal face of the housing facing downwards, the one containing the access panel and the slot for the shutter curtain.

[0020] Advantageously, a removable protective cover can be attached to the stops, this cover extending from below over the upper part of the mosquito net, including the rotating roller shaft. It conceals the winding mechanism of the mosquito net from below and also protects it from dirt (cobwebs, etc.) which inevitably accumulates over time.

[0021] Preferably, this cover can consist of a folded sheet of metal comprising, on one side, two panels defining the protected area of ​​the upper part of the mosquito net, and on the other side, a lip extending outwards from this area, the ends of which are screwed to the stops. This simple, easy-to-clean structure is very easily attached at both ends to the two stops that extend outwards from the sides of the mosquito net, and are therefore well-suited for this purpose.

[0022] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which presents a preferred embodiment of the invention. This is given, however, only by way of illustration and not limitation.

[0023] Understanding this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached drawings, in which: [ Fig.1 ] represents a perspective view of a roller shutter box with a mosquito net according to the invention; [ Fig.2 ] shows a perspective view of one end of the mosquito net, including the part of the cheek containing the stop; ] Fig.3 ] represents a perspective view of the mosquito net attached to the sides of the box; Fig.4 ] shows an enlargement of one end of the previous view; [ Fig.5 ] shows an enlargement of the other end of the previous view; [ Fig.6 ] represents one end of the mosquito net alone; and [ Fig.7 ] shows a perspective view of the box cut along a vertical plane showing the interior towards the wall to which the mosquito net is attached and fixed, revealing removable fixing hooks protruding from said mosquito net; Fig.8 ] represents a perspective view of part of the box, showing the mosquito net in outline and more specifically the means of attachment; [ Fig.9 ] is a side view of the one-piece housing and double-sliding mosquito net configuration; and [ Fig.10 ] is a similar side view of the box configuration and the separate sliding mosquito net; [ Fig.11 ] shows a perspective view from below of the upper part of a mosquito net to be covered by a removable hood, which appears in the following figure; Fig.12 ] represents the same view as the previous one, with the protective cover; and [ Fig.13 ] shows, in perspective view, an enlargement of an axial end of the upper part of the mosquito net fitted with its hood.

[0024] With reference to the figure 1 The mosquito net 1 is in the foreground, attached to the back of the housing 2. The latter conventionally comprises longitudinal panels forming a prismatic volume closed at each end by cheeks 22, relative to which a rotating shaft for winding the roller shutter curtain is mounted inside the housing 2. figure 1 The upper panel 20 of the housing 2 shows, comprising a chamfered panel 20a connecting it to the vertical panel forming the back of the housing 2, and one of the two end plates 22 surmounting a guide rail 21 for the curtain. The lower panel of the housing 2 has a passage slot 23 for the roller shutter curtain, and an access panel 24 (see in figure 7 ).

[0025] The mosquito net 1 has a shaft 10 supporting the screen, which rotates about two end plates 12. These end plates are located—in an axial direction—approximately at the same level as the plates 22 of the housing 2. This means that the two pairs of plates 22 and 12 of the housing 2 and the mosquito net 1, respectively, are spaced about the same distance apart, and that the width of the roller shutter curtain and that of the mosquito net 1 are of the same order of magnitude. Given that the opening in front of which they move is the same, this characteristic seems logical. The plates 12 of the mosquito net 1 are mounted on tracks 11 that are parallel to, and preferably adjacent to, the tracks 21 of the housing 2. A cord 14 allows the mosquito net 1 to be lowered.

[0026] There figure 2 shows an enlarged detail of the left end of the mosquito net 1, with one of the sides 12 whose periphery portion which is located opposite the box 2 and its chamfered edge 20a is provided with a rod 13 constituting a stop, establishing a template shape to indicate the space necessary for the use, as provided for by the invention, of a mosquito net 1 attached to the box 2: the stop 13 - which is horizontal when the mosquito net 1 is mounted to the box 2 of the roller shutter - must be able to be inserted into the space separating the back of the box 2 and a vertical wall of the same orientation as the opening to be fitted with a roller shutter, to ensure that the mosquito net 1 is easily accessible without having to dismantle the box 2. The stop 13 can take other forms, such as for example an arm thicker than the simple rod.

[0027] THE figures 3 à 5 They show more specifically the assembly formed by the mosquito net 1 and the sides of the box 2, showing the relative levels of, on the one hand, the first side sides 22 at the end of said box 2 and, on the other hand, the second side sides 12 at the end or the tracks 11 of the mosquito net 1. The general configuration obtained appears in figure 3 This clearly shows the proximity, at each end, of the cheeks 12 and 22 resulting from the attachment of the mosquito net 1 to the housing 2. The following figures show enlarged details of this attachment seen from each end at different angles. It can thus be seen that the cheeks 12 of the mosquito net are no longer in contact, upwards, with the housing 2 due to the presence of a chamfered edge on the cheeks 22 of the housing 2, which is located in line with the chamfered edge 20a of the housing 2.

[0028] The fastening is achieved via hooks 15, 16 and a flexible tab 17 extending from the mosquito net 1. In the example configuration shown, these elements extend from the mosquito net 1 at the upper end of the track 1. They are designed to cooperate with corresponding openings or slots 25, 26 made in the wall of the housing 2 adjacent to the mosquito net 1, as shown in figures 7 et 8 The fastening results from a combination of hooking by means of the hooks 15, 16 and clipping, at the top of the opening 26, by the elastic tab 17, which also appears in figure 6 .

[0029] There figure 9 shows a possible configuration of the invention in which the second tracks of the mosquito net 1 and the first tracks of the housing 2 are a single piece, forming a wider track 211. In this case, the sides 12 of the mosquito net are extended downwards by an upper section of the second tracks 11', which is integral with the side 12. The lower end of this upper section 11' of the track is then aligned with the downward-facing horizontal face of the housing 2, which contains the slot for the curtain 23 and the access hatch 24 (see in figure 7 ).

[0030] THE figures 11 et 12The two images represent essentially the same picture, with the mosquito net 1 shown respectively without and with the protective cover 30 according to the invention. This cover 30 is removablely attached to the stops 13 and is designed to cover the upper part of the mosquito net 1, for users viewing it from below. It therefore conceals the rotating winding shaft 10 of the mosquito net fabric, as well as the end pieces 12 and, at least partially, the stops 13, which in this example are larger than a simple rod, since they include attachment means for the cover 30.

[0031] Thus, it can take the form of a folded sheet metal with two sides 31, 32 defining a parallelepiped volume covering the upper part of the mosquito net 1. For fastening purposes, the sheet metal is folded a second time to create a lip 33 projecting outwards. The axial ends of this lip are fixed by screwing to the stops 13, which, for example, include a screw shank 130 for this purpose.

[0032] The design modalities illustrated by the figures are of course not exhaustive of the invention, which on the contrary includes variants of form in particular likely to affect the stop 13, as we have seen, or the means of fixing in the form of hooks 15, 16 combined with a flexible tab 17 protruding from the mosquito net 1, the design of which is not limited to the lines appearing in the figures.

Claims

1. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1), comprising a casing (2) delimiting an interior volume for the winding of the shutter curtain, said casing (2) comprising longitudinal sections and first lateral sides (22) extended by first guides (21) for the curtain, a horizontal section of the casing (2) oriented downwards having on one side, between the first guides, a passage slot (23) for said curtain and on the other side an inspection hatch (24), the mosquito net (1) comprising second sides (12) arranged at the end of a rotating shaft (10) for winding the mosquito net fabric (1) and second guides (11) for the lateral edges of the fabric, characterized in thatthe mosquito net (1) is attached to one side of the box (2) adjacent to said slot, the cheeks (12) of the mosquito net (1) each having at least one stop (13) which extends, opposite said side of the attachment, outwards from the cheek (12) of the mosquito net (1).

2. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that Each stop (13) consists of an outgrowth forming a rod (13) parallel to the panel containing the inspection hatch, said rod (13) protruding from a portion of the periphery of the cheek (12) of the mosquito net (1) distal to the box (2) of the roller shutter.

3. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mosquito net (1) is fixed to the box (2) by removable fixing means.

4. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to claim 3, characterized in thatthe removable fixing means consist of at least one hook element (15), (16) protruding from the mosquito net (1) or the box (2) and hooked by gravity in at least one opening (25), (26) made respectively in the box (2) or in the mosquito net (1).

5. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the removable fixing means consist, at the level of a contact surface between the mosquito net (1) and the box (2), of at least one clipping element (17) protruding from one of the mosquito net (1) or the box (2) and fitting elastically into at least one orifice of the other.

6. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that in the position of fixing the mosquito net (1) on the box (2) by the removable fixing means, the second slides (11) of the mosquito net (1) rest against the first slides (21) of the box (2).

7. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second tracks (11) of the mosquito net (1) and the first tracks (21) of the box (2) are in one piece.

8. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second cheeks (12) of the mosquito net are in one piece with an upper section of second tracks (11') whose lower end is aligned with the horizontal-looking panel of the box (2) oriented downwards.

9. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a removable protective cover (30) is fixed to the stops (13), said cover (30) covering from below the upper part of the mosquito net (1) including the rotating winding shaft (10) of the fabric.

10. Roller shutter with mosquito net (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in thatthe hood (30) consists of a folded sheet metal having on one side two panels (31), (32) delimiting the protection volume of the upper part of the mosquito net (1), and on the other side a rim (33) protruding outwards from said volume whose ends are fixed by screwing to the stops (13).

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