Blind shutter

Abstract

To provide a blind shutter configured to prevent leakage of light when an opening is completely closed.SOLUTION: In a blind shutter including a plurality of slats 7 vertically arranged to close an opening and configured to incline from the vertical attitude, a clearance between vertically adjacent slats 7 with the opening closed is sealed when a sealing member 8 arranged at one of a lower end of an upper slat 7 and an upper end of a lower slat 7 is brought into contact or close to the other end. The sealing member 8 includes two fins 82, 83 extending in a width direction of the slats 7. When the opening is closed and at least one fin is brought into contact or close to the other end, a clearance between the vertically adjacent slats 7 is sealed in the width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a blind shutter. [Background technology]

[0002] Blind-type window shutters (so-called blind shutters) are known (Patent Documents 1 to 4). A blind shutter has multiple slats, which are raised by a lifting mechanism to open the opening and lowered to close the opening. When the opening is closed, the slats can be tilted by a tilt mechanism to control the amount of light and visibility.

[0003] In blind shutters, there is a demand to prevent light from leaking through the gap between the upper and lower slats when the opening is fully closed, so the gap is sealed by tightly adhering a sealant provided at the upper or lower end of one slat to the other slat.

[0004] However, when the opening is in a fully closed state, there is a risk that a gap will be generated, particularly in the central portion in the width direction, due to bending of the slats or insufficient pressing force, resulting in light leakage.

[0005] Furthermore, when the opening is fully closed and the slats flap due to wind or other factors, the sealing material may bend or deform, causing the metal slats to come into contact with each other, which could result in abnormal noise. [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 10-153063 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2002-1870768 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2007-77801 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2015-68020 DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to prevent light leakage as much as possible when the opening of a blind shutter is fully closed. Another object of the present invention is to reduce fluttering noise that may occur in a blind shutter when the opening is fully closed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The technical means adopted in the present invention are: In a blind shutter, a plurality of slats are in a vertical position to close an opening, and each slat is tiltable from the vertical position, The gap between adjacent upper and lower slats when the opening is closed is sealed by a sealant provided at either the lower end of the upper slat or the upper end of the lower slat abutting or coming close to the other end, The sealing material has two fins extending in the width direction of the slats, and when the opening is closed, at least one of the fins abuts or comes close to the end of the other fin, thereby sealing the gap between adjacent slats above and below in the width direction. Blind shutter. In one embodiment, the one end is the upper end of the lower slat, and at least one of two fins of the sealant at the upper end is adapted to contact the lower end of the upper slat.

[0008] In one embodiment, the sealing material comprises a base portion housed in a pocket formed at the one end, a base portion protruding from an opening of the pocket portion, and first and second fins extending from the base portion. In one embodiment, of the two fins, a first fin is capable of contacting a first portion of the other end, and a second fin is capable of contacting a second portion of the other end.

[0009] In one aspect, in a closed state of the opening, a second portion of the other end faces a portion of the one end, and the second fin is positioned between the second portion of the other end and the portion of the one end. In this embodiment, fluttering noise that can occur when the metal slats come into contact with each other when the opening is fully closed is reduced.

[0010] In one embodiment, the one end is the upper end of the lower slat, and at least one of the two fins of the sealant provided at the upper end is adapted to contact the lower end of the upper slat; The lower end portion includes a lower piece extending substantially horizontally in a vertical position and a protruding piece protruding upward from a base end portion of the lower piece, At least a part of a surface portion having a generally L-shape in a side view formed by an upper surface of the lower piece and a side surface of the protruding piece is the first portion, The tip of the lower piece is the second portion.

[0011] In one embodiment, the upper end portion includes an upper piece, a rising piece rising from a tip of the upper piece, and a pocket portion formed above the rising piece, In a state in which the opening is closed, the surface portion of the lower end portion is located below the pocket portion and faces the pocket portion, a tip of the lower piece faces the rising piece, and a lower surface of the lower piece faces an upper surface of the upper piece, The first fin and the second fin extend downward from the pocket portion, with the first fin abutting or adjacent to the first portion and the second fin abutting or adjacent to the second portion.

[0012] In one embodiment, the first fin is a curved piece that bulges toward the first portion of the other end. In one embodiment, the second fin has a tip portion that is capable of contacting the second portion of the other end. In one embodiment, of the two fins, the first fin is shorter than the second fin. Effect of the Invention

[0013] In the present invention, the sealing material has two fins extending widthwise on one of the slats, and when the opening is closed, at least one of the fins abuts or is close to the end of the other slat, thereby sealing the gap between adjacent slats above and below in the width direction and preventing as much light leakage as possible when the opening is fully closed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a front view and a side view of a blind shutter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the blind shutter according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2A] 1 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the brand shutter according to the present embodiment when the opening is fully open, showing the slats in a retracted state. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views of the blind shutter according to the present embodiment, with the left and right cross-sectional views being at different height positions. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the blind shutter according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional and side views of slats according to the present embodiment, showing two types of slats having different depth dimensions (thickness dimensions). [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of the slat according to the present embodiment as viewed from the left side in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a sealing material according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 8 is a front view of the sealing material according to the present embodiment as viewed from the right side in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a side view showing adjacent slats above and below. [Figure 9A] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a comparison between the slat structure according to this embodiment (right figure) and a conventional hat-shaped slat structure (left figure). [Figure 10] FIG. 13 illustrates the movement of the slats when a seal is achieved between adjacent slats above and below. [Figure 11] 1 shows the pre-tilt position of the sealing material according to the present embodiment and its position relative to the pocket, the arrows showing the direction in which the fins are pushed when the slat is in the vertical position; [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram showing a posture after tilting (inked portion) and a posture before tilting (two-dot chain line portion) in a sealing structure using a movable sealant according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a sealing structure between vertically adjacent slats according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] [A] Overall structure of blind shutter An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a front view and a side view of a blind shutter according to this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the blind shutter according to this embodiment, Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the blind shutter according to this embodiment (showing cross-sections at different height positions on the left and right), and Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the blind shutter. The blind shutter is a shutter device installed on the outdoor side of a window sash WS attached to a window opening. In Figs. 1 to 3, reference symbol W indicates a framework, and reference symbol W1 indicates a finishing wall.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, left and right vertical frames 1 are provided in a protruding manner from the structure W, positioned outside the widthwise ends of the window opening, and a drip edge 2 is provided below the window opening, spanning between the left and right vertical frames 1, and an opening surrounded by the left and right vertical frames 1 and the drip edge 2 is formed on the outdoor side of the window opening, and this opening is opened and closed by a shutter curtain 3. A case 4 is attached in a protruding manner from the structure W above the opening, and the shutter curtain 3 is stored in the case 4 when the opening is fully open (see Figure 2A).

[0017] In this embodiment, the vertical frame 1 is a guide rail assembly consisting of a guide rail base frame 5 fixed to the body W, and a guide rail 6 connected to the guide rail base frame 5. When opening and closing the opening, both ends of the shutter curtain 3 in the width direction are guided up and down along the left and right guide rails 6. A case support member 50 used to attach the case 4 to the vertical frame 1 is provided at an upper portion of the outer surface of the vertical frame 1 (guide rail base frame 5).

[0018] The shutter curtain 3 is composed of multiple slats 7 extending between the left and right guide rails 6, and the multiple slats 7 are capable of moving up and down and tilting. With the shutter curtain 3 lowered, the slats 7 can be changed from a vertical position to an inclined position to ensure lighting and ventilation, and the curtain functions as a so-called blind.

[0019] In this embodiment, sealants 8, 8' extending in the length direction of the slat 7 (opening width direction) are provided at the upper end of each slat 7 and at the upper and lower ends of the bottom slat 7', and when the opening is fully closed, the sealants 8 come into contact with the adjacent slats 7, and the sealant 8' at the lower end of the bottom slat 7' comes into contact with the drip edge 2, thereby preventing light leakage. In this specification, "sealant" is used as a general term for a member that has a certain elasticity and seals gaps between members (beads, airtight members, cushioning members, watertight members, etc.).

[0020] Link mechanisms (not shown) for raising, lowering and tilting the multiple slats 7 are located in the left and right guide rails 6, and the left and right link mechanisms are operated by a drive mechanism including an electric motor M and a gear box 10 located in the case 4, and the rotating shafts provided at the upper ends of the left and right link mechanisms are synchronized by a shaft 11 (see FIG. 4) located in the case 4. A shaft spring 11a is provided on one end side of the shaft 11. Located in the case 4 are a receiver unit 12 (attached to the body W) for receiving an opening / closing signal, and a control unit 13 for controlling the electric motor M based on the signal received by the receiver unit 12. The blind shutter itself is known, and Patent Documents 1 to 5 can be appropriately referred to for the operating mechanism (including the link mechanism and drive mechanism) and basic operation of the shutter (slats 7).

[0021] In this embodiment, the drive mechanism including the electric motor M and the gear box 10 and the control unit 13 (fixed to the gear box 10 in this embodiment) are provided at the upper end of the guide rail 6 and are not attached to the case 4. In this embodiment, the control unit 13 is covered on the outdoor side and the lower side by a cover 13A fixed to the guide rail base frame 5, and prevents water droplets from being splashed on the control unit 13 due to rainwater blowing in from below the case 4. An inner lintel (case lower surface) 40 is provided on the body side part below the case 4, and a back plate 41, which is the rear surface of the case 4, is provided on the body W. In this embodiment, the upper end of the back plate 41 is located slightly above the upper end of the vertical frame 1, and the lower end extends to the inner lintel 40. The inner lintel 40 and the receiver unit 12 are fixed to the back plate 41 and the body W by screws. Both ends of the inner lintel 40 in the longitudinal direction (opening width direction) are fixed to the guide rail base frames 5 of the left and right vertical frames 1.

[0022] The shutter curtain 3 is composed of multiple slats 7 extending between the left and right guide rails 6, and the opening is fully closed when the multiple slats 7 are in a vertical position to cover the opening, and when the opening is fully closed, the inclination of each slat 7 can be changed, making it possible to control the amount of light, visibility, and ventilation. Also, the opening can be opened by raising all the slats 7.

[0023] Both longitudinal ends of each slat 7 are connected to slat supports 9 located outside guide grooves 600 formed in the height direction on the inner projected surface 60 of the guide rail 6 and protruding from the inner projected surface 60. The slat supports 9 are connected to a link mechanism (not shown) constituting a lifting mechanism and a tilt mechanism in the internal space of the guide rail 6. The link mechanism is operated by a drive mechanism including a motor M and a gear box 10. For details of the link mechanism and the drive mechanism, refer to Patent Documents 1 to 5.

[0024] By operating the link mechanism (lifting mechanism), the slat supports 9 rise, causing the slats 7 supported by the slat supports 9 to rise, and the slat supports 9 fall, causing the slats 7 supported by the slat supports 9 to fall. When the opening is fully open, all the slats 7 rise to open the opening, and these slats 7 are stored in the case 4 in a substantially horizontal position, overlapping each other.

[0025] When the opening is fully closed, all the slats 7 are in a vertical position so that no gaps are created between the upper and lower slats 7, and the lowest slat 7 (bottom slat 7') is in contact with or close to the drip edge 2 (see Figure 2). In addition, the link mechanism (tilt mechanism) operates to tilt the slat supports 9, which in turn tilts the slats 7 supported by the slat supports 9, ensuring light and ventilation when the shutter curtain 3 is lowered.

[0026] [B] Configuration of blind shutter slats [B-1] Slat shape As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the slat 7 of the blind shutter in this embodiment comprises a vertical surface portion 70, an upper inclined portion 71 extending obliquely upward from the upper end of the vertical surface portion 70 toward the inside of the room, a lower inclined portion 72 extending obliquely downward from the lower end of the vertical surface portion 70 toward the inside of the room, an upper piece 73 extending horizontally from the upper end of the upper inclined portion 71 toward the inside of the room, a rising piece 74 rising vertically from the tip of the upper piece 73, a pocket portion 75 at the upper end of the rising piece opening downward and toward the outside of the room, a lower piece 76 extending horizontally from the lower end of the lower inclined portion 72 toward the inside of the room, and a protruding piece 77 protruding upward from the base end of the lower piece 76. A sealant 8 is attached to the pocket portion 75 formed at the upper end of the slat 7.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 9, the pocket portion 75 is composed of a first piece 750 that extends from the upper end (tip) of the rising piece 74 in an inclined manner upward and toward the outside of the room, a second piece 751 that extends from the upper end of the first piece 750 diagonally downward and toward the outside of the room at a substantially right angle to the first piece 750, a third piece 752 that extends from the lower end (base end) of the first piece 750 diagonally downward and toward the outside of the room at a substantially right angle to the first piece 750, and a fourth piece 753 and a fifth piece 754 that extend in an opposing manner from the tip of the second piece 751 and the tip of the third piece 752. An opening 755 that extends in the length direction (opening width direction) is formed between the fourth piece 753 and the fifth piece 754. The tip of the fourth piece 753 and the tip of the fifth piece 754 are formed in a curved shape, and this curved portion forms the edge of the opening 755. The upper portion of the rising piece 74 according to this embodiment is thicker than the other portions of the slat 7, and the thick upper portion of the rising piece 74 and the third piece 752 are integrated to form a thick portion at the base of the pocket portion 75, thereby ensuring the strength of the pocket portion 75. Note that the entire rising piece 74 may be made thick (see the right diagram in FIG. 5).

[0028] The pocket portion 75 has an internal space 756 that is generally rectangular in cross section and is surrounded by the inner surface of the first piece 750 (the bottom surface of the inner surface of the pocket portion 75), the inner surface of the second piece 751 (one side surface of the inner surface of the pocket portion 75), the inner surface of the third piece 752 (the other side surface of the inner surface of the pocket portion 75), the inner surface of the fourth piece 753 (one upper surface of the inner surface of the pocket portion 75), and the inner surface of the fifth piece 754 (the other upper surface of the inner surface of the pocket portion 75), and the internal space 756 communicates with the opening 755. Note that the expressions "bottom surface" and "upper surface" in the description of the pocket portion 75 are expressions for defining the configuration of the parts of the pocket portion 75, and are different from the attitude of the pocket portion 75 in the slat 7 of the installed blind shutter.

[0029] [B-2] Shape of sealing material As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the sealant 8 is an elongated member extending over the entire length of the slat 7, and is formed of a pedestal portion 80, a base portion 81 protruding from the pedestal portion 80, and a first fin 82 and a second fin 83 extending from the base portion 81. The sealant 8 is an elastic member formed of an elastic resin such as rubber polyvinyl chloride or synthetic rubber. In the sealant 8 according to this embodiment, the pedestal portion 80 is formed of a material harder than the base portion 81 and the first fin 82 and the second fin 83. The sealant 8 is attached to the upper end portion of the slat 7 with the pedestal portion 80 housed in the internal space of the pocket portion 75, the base portion 81 protruding from the opening 755 of the pocket portion 75, and the first fin 82 and the second fin 83 extending downward from the pocket portion 75.

[0030] The shape of the base 80 of the sealant 8 will be described. In general, the cross-sectional shape of the sealant's base and the cross-sectional shape of the internal space of the pocket are shaped to fit snugly into the internal space, with a clearance large enough to allow the sealant's base to be slid into the internal space in the length direction. For example, if the internal space of the pocket is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional shape, the sealant's base will have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape that conforms to the cross-sectional shape of the internal space of the pocket (the corners are curved to prevent snagging during sliding). It is not expected that the sealant's base will actively move within the internal space of the pocket.

[0031] In this embodiment, a movable clearance is formed between the sealing material 8 and the pocket portion 75 to allow tilting of the base portion 80 within the pocket portion 75, and the movable clearance includes a clearance C (including clearance C1) formed between the base portion 80 of the sealing material 8 and the internal space 756 of the pocket portion 75, and a clearance (clearance C2) formed between the base portion 81 of the sealing material 8 and the opening 755 of the pocket portion 75 (see Figures 7 and 11).

[0032] The cross-sectional shape of the internal space 756 of the pocket portion 75 in this embodiment is approximately rectangular, and the base portion 80 of the sealing material 8 in this embodiment has an approximately rectangular cross-sectional shape that follows the cross-sectional shape of the internal space 756 of the pocket portion 75, with a specified portion cut out. Specifically, as shown in Figures 7 and 11, the base portion 80 of the sealing material 8, in a cross-sectional view, has a first surface (top surface) 800 facing the inner surface (one of the upper surfaces) of the fourth piece 753 of the pocket portion 75, a second surface (top surface) 801 facing the inner surface (the other upper surface) of the fifth piece 754 of the pocket portion 75, a third surface (one of the side surfaces) 802 facing the inner surface (one of the side surfaces) of the second piece 751 of the pocket portion 75, a fourth surface (the other side surface) 803 facing the inner surface (the other side surface) of the third piece 752 of the pocket portion 75, a fifth surface (flat portion of the bottom surface) 804 facing the inner surface (bottom surface) of the first piece 750 of the pocket portion 75, and a sixth surface (inclined portion of the bottom surface) 805. It should be noted that the expressions "bottom surface" and "top surface" in the description of the base portion 80 of the sealant 8 are used to define the configuration of the parts of the sealant 8, and are different from the posture of the sealant 8 attached to the pocket portion 75 of the slat 7 of the installed blind shutter.

[0033] The first surface 800 and the second surface 801 of the base portion 80 extend on the same plane with the base portion 81 sandwiched therebetween. The third surface 802 of the base portion 80 extends at a substantially right angle to the first surface 800, and the fourth surface 803 extends at a substantially right angle to the second surface 801. The corner formed by the first surface 800 and the third surface 802 and the corner formed by the second surface 801 and the fourth surface 803 are both curved. The height dimension of the fourth surface 803 of the base portion 80 is lower than the height dimension of the third surface 802. The fifth surface 804 of the base portion 80 extends at a substantially right angle to the third surface 802, and the corner formed by the fifth surface 804 and the third surface 802 is curved. The sixth surface 805 extends so as to connect the fifth surface 804 and the fourth surface 803. The fifth surface 804 extends parallel to the first surface 800 and the second surface 801, while the sixth surface 805 is an inclined surface that extends at an angle relative to the first surface 800, the second surface 801, and the fifth surface 804. The corner formed by the first surface 800 and the third surface 802 forms a curved portion 806 that is larger than the corner formed by the second surface 801 and the fourth surface 803 and the corner formed by the fifth surface 804 and the third surface 802.

[0034] 11, in a state before tilting in which the base portion 80 of the sealing material 8 is housed in the internal space 756 of the pocket portion 75, a clearance C (mainly a clearance C1) that allows the base portion 80 to tilt within the pocket portion 75 is formed between the base portion 80 and the inner surface of the pocket portion 75. More specifically, in the internal space of the pocket portion 75, a clearance C1 is formed between a corner formed by the inner surface (bottom surface) of the first piece 750 of the pocket portion 75 and the inner surface (other side surface) of the third piece 752, and a sixth surface (slant portion of the bottom surface) 805 of the base portion 80. Diagonally positioned from this corner, a curved portion 806 of the base portion 80 is in contact with a curved portion (forming the edge portion of the opening 755) at the tip of the fourth piece 753 of the pocket portion 75. Additionally, a fourth surface 803 of the base portion 80 contacts the inner surface of the third piece 752 of the pocket portion 75, and a second surface 801 of the base portion 80 contacts the fifth piece 754 of the pocket portion 75. When the sealing material 8 tilts, the contact portion between the curved portion 806 of the base portion 80 and the curved portion at the tip of the fourth piece 753 of the pocket portion 75 can serve as a tilting fulcrum.

[0035] The base 81 of the sealing material 8 is formed to protrude upward from the upper surface of the pedestal portion 80, and the upper surface of the pedestal portion 80 is divided into a first surface 800 and a second surface 801 with the base 81 in between. The base 81 has a first surface 810 continuing from the first surface 800 of the pedestal portion 80, and a second surface 811 continuing from the second surface 801 of the pedestal portion 80. A portion of the base 81 of the sealing material 8 is located within the opening 755 of the pocket portion 75, and a clearance is formed between the first surface 810 of the base 81 and the tip of the fourth piece 753 of the pocket portion 75, which is one edge of the opening 755 of the pocket portion 75, and a clearance C2 is formed between the second surface 811 of the base 81 and the tip of the fifth piece 754 of the pocket portion 75, which is the other edge of the opening 755 of the pocket portion 75. A clearance C2 between the base 81 of the sealant 8 and the edge of the opening 755 of the pocket 75 is a clearance that allows the base 81 to tilt when the seat 80 in the pocket 75 tilts. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, when the sealant 8 tilts, the second surface 811 of the base 81 comes into contact with the tip of the fifth piece 754 of the pocket 75, which is the other edge of the opening 755 of the pocket 75, and the clearance C2 is closed.

[0036] The first fin 82 extends along the first surface 810 of the base 81, and is a curved piece that bulges outward toward the outside of the room and is concave toward the inside of the room. When the sealing material 8 forms a sealed structure, the curved first fin 82 bulges outward toward the L-shaped surface in side view formed by the upper surface 760 of the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7 and the side surface 770 of the protruding piece 77 (see Figs. 12 and 13).

[0037] The second fin 83 extends along the second surface 811 of the base 81, and is a curved piece that bulges toward the indoor side and is concave toward the outdoor side. When the slats 7 are in a horizontal position (for example, in FIG. 10, it is assumed that each slat 7 is in a horizontal position), the sealing material 8 is located at the indoor side, and the second fin 83 does not protrude from the upper end of the pocket portion 75, so that when the slats 7 are in a horizontal position, the second fin 83 is hidden from the indoor side. The length of the second fin 83 (extension from the base 81) is longer than the length of the first fin 82 (extension from the base 81), the base end side portion 830 faces the first fin 82 at a distance, and the tip side portion 831 extends beyond the first fin 82. When the sealing material 8 forms a sealed structure, the curved tip portion 831 of the second fin 83 is concave toward the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7 and bulges toward the side surface 740 of the rising piece 74 of the lower slat 7, and the tip of the tip portion 831 extends below the lower piece 76 (see Figures 12 and 13).

[0038] [B-3] Sealing structure between adjacent slats above and below When multiple slats 7 are in a vertical position to close the opening, and in adjacent slats 7 above and below in the opening closed state, as shown in Figure 9, the vertical surface portion 70 of the upper slat 7A and the vertical surface portion 70 of the lower slat 7B are flush, the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7A and the upper piece 73 of the lower slat 7B extend parallel to each other and face each other, and a first gap S1 extending in the indoor / outdoor direction is formed between the lower surface 761 of the lower piece 76 located above and the upper surface 730 of the upper piece 73 located below, and the L-shaped surface portion in side view consisting of the upper surface 760 of the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7A and the side surface 770 of the protrusion 77 faces the opening 755 of the pocket portion 75 of the lower slat 7B, and a second gap S2 is formed therebetween. A tip 762 of the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7A faces a side surface 740 of the rising piece 74 of the lower slat 7B, and a third gap S3 is formed therebetween. An upper portion of the side surface 740 of the rising piece 74 faces the second gap S2, and a lower portion faces the first gap S1, and the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 communicate with each other via the third gap S3. In this embodiment, the width of the first gap S1 is about twice the width of the third gap S3 (it may be narrower), forming a narrow space, and this narrow space, in combination with the side surface 740 of the rising piece 74 located on the back side of the first gap S1, suppresses the entry of light when the opening is in a fully closed state. In addition, the width of the diagonally upper side of the second gap S2 (the gap between the tip of the protrusion 77 of the upper slat 7A and the fourth piece 753 of the pocket portion 75 of the lower slat 7B) is approximately the same as the width of the first gap S1 (it may be narrower).

[0039] Located between the upper and lower vertical surfaces 70 on the outdoor side of adjacent slats 7, a recessed space 30 having a generally isosceles triangular shape in side view (see the dotted triangle in the right diagram in Figure 9A) is formed by the lower inclined portion 72 of the upper slat 7A and the upper inclined portion 71 of the lower slat 7B, and a first gap S1 is formed at the back of the recessed space 30. A sealant 8 extending in the width direction of the slat 7 is provided in the pocket portion 75, and the sealant 8 seals the second gap S2 and / or the third gap S3 when the multiple slats 7 are in the vertical position (fully closed position). In the slat structure of this embodiment, when the opening is fully closed, the vertical surface portion 70 of the upper slat 7A and the vertical surface portion of the lower slat 7B are flush, and on the outdoor side of the adjacent slats 7A and 7B, a concave space 30 having a roughly isosceles triangular shape in side view is formed between the upper and lower vertical surface portions 70 by the lower inclined portion 72 of the upper slat 7A and the upper inclined portion 71 of the lower slat 7B, and a first gap S1 is formed at the back of the concave space 30 by the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7A and the upper piece 73 of the lower slat 7B facing each other in parallel, so that when the opening is fully closed, a neat and balanced appearance of a shutter curtain is obtained, and the first gap S1 located at the back of the concave space 30 is not noticeable, and because it is a narrow space, a configuration is obtained in which light is less likely to enter. In the slat structure according to this embodiment, a horizontally extending upper piece 73 is formed on the upper end of the upper inclined portion 71 of the slat 7, and a rising piece 74 extends vertically from the upper piece 73. In the slat structure, for example, a shape in which a rising piece extends from the upper end of the upper inclined portion without providing an upper piece can be adopted (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 13), but by making the rising piece 74 extend upward via the horizontal upper piece 73 as in the slat 7 according to this embodiment, the vertical surface portion 70 can be extended upward to increase the height dimension of the vertical surface portion 70, and the proportion of the flat surface (vertical surface portion 70) when the shutter curtain 3 is viewed from the outside in the fully closed state of the opening can be increased, enhancing the flat feeling and improving the design.In addition, since the lower inclined portion 72 of the upper slat 7A is located symmetrically above the upper inclined portion 71 of the lower slat 7B when the opening is fully closed, the concave space 30 can be reduced while maintaining the symmetry when the shutter curtain 3 is viewed from the outside when the opening is fully closed, and the flat feeling can be enhanced. Also, an upper piece 73 extending horizontally is formed at the upper end of the upper inclined portion 71 of the slat 7, and a rising piece 74 extends vertically from the upper piece 73, which makes it possible to form a first gap S1 between the upper piece 73 of the lower slat 7B and the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7A. As is clear from a comparison of the left diagram (conventional hat-shaped slat 7") and the right diagram (slat 7 according to this embodiment) in Fig. 9A, for slats 7, 7" of the same height, in the conventional hat-shaped slat 7", when the opening is fully closed, a trapezoidal space is formed on the outdoor side of the connecting portion between the upper and lower slats 7" and the overall appearance is curved and uneven, whereas in the slat 7 according to this embodiment, when the opening is fully closed, a compact triangular space is formed on the outdoor side of the connecting portion between the upper and lower slats 7A, 7B in side view and the overall appearance is flat. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 9A, the slat depth (projected dimension) of the slat 7 according to this embodiment can be made shallower than that of the conventional hat-shaped slat 7", which can improve the lighting rate when used as a blind. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the slats 7 are stored, they are stored in a horizontal position with the vertical surface portions 70, upper inclined portions 71, and lower inclined portions 72 of the multiple slats 7 facing each other in parallel, stacked one on top of the other, so that the height dimension when stored is not particularly large and the slats can be stored compactly.

[0040] The sealing material 8 according to this embodiment includes two fins, a first fin 82 and a second fin 83, which extend in the length direction of the slat 7, and in the opening closed state, at least one of the first fin 82 and the second fin 83 contacts different parts of the lower end portion of the upper slat 7A, thereby sealing the gap between the upper and lower adjacent slats 7A and 7B across the width direction. More specifically, the first fin 82 can contact a first part of the lower end portion of the upper slat 7A (a part of the L-shaped surface in a side view consisting of the upper surface 760 of the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7A and the side surface 770 of the protruding piece 77), and the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 can contact a second part of the lower end portion of the upper slat 7A (the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 of the upper slat 7A). When the opening is in the fully closed position, gaps may occur, particularly in the central part of the width direction, due to bending of the slats 7 or insufficient pressing force, resulting in light leakage. However, in this embodiment, by employing two fins (first fin 82, second fin 83) that can contact different parts, light leakage is prevented as much as possible.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 10, when the vertically adjacent slats 7A, 7B rotate from an inclined position to a vertical position, the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 at the lower end of the upper slat 7A abuts against the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 of the sealing material 8 at the upper end of the lower slat 7B, and pushes the second fin 83 of the sealing material 8 toward the rising piece 74 at the upper end of the lower slat 7B. The tip of the first fin 82 may be in sliding contact with the upper surface 760 of the lower piece 76, but since the tip portion of the first fin 82 is curved in the moving direction, the contact occurs with reduced resistance. Also, the side surface 770 of the protruding piece 77 may abut against the side surface of the first fin 82 of the sealing material 8 at the upper end of the lower slat 7B.

[0042] When the lower end portion (lower piece 76) of the upper slat 7A pushes the tip portion 831 of the second fin 83 closer to the rising piece 74, the sealing material 8 tilts, with the base portion 80 and the base 81 tilting through clearances (including clearances C, C1, and C2), using the contact point between the curved portion 806 of the base portion 80 and the curved portion at the tip of the fourth piece 753 as a fulcrum.

[0043] When the sealing material 8 is in a position before tilting (before the slat 7 assumes a vertical position), the fifth surface (flat portion of the bottom surface) 804 of the base portion 80 stored in the internal space of the pocket portion 75 is approximately parallel to the inner surface (bottom surface) of the first piece 750 of the pocket portion 75, and a clearance C1 is formed between the first corner formed by the inner surface (bottom surface) of the first piece 750 of the pocket portion 75 and the inner surface (other side) of the third piece 752 and the sixth surface (inclined portion of the bottom surface) 805 of the base portion 80, and this clearance C1 functions primarily as a movable clearance.

[0044] Before the slat 7 assumes a vertical position, the sealant 8 assumes a position in which the fourth surface (the other side surface) 803 of the base 80 contacts the inner surface of the third piece 752 of the pocket 75, the second surface 801 of the base 80 contacts the fifth piece 754 of the pocket 75, and the curved portion 806 of the base 80 contacts the curved portion on the tip side of the fourth piece 753 of the pocket 75, as shown by the two-dot chain lines in the left and center diagrams of FIG. 10, FIG. 11, and FIG. 12. The curved portion 806 of the base 80 and the curved portion on the tip side of the fourth piece 753 contact each other, thereby reducing friction when the sealant 8 tilts with this contact portion as a fulcrum. A clearance C2 is formed between the second surface 811 of the base 81 of the sealant 8 and the tip (curved portion) of the fifth piece 754 of the pocket 75. In this embodiment, the clearance C1, the clearance C2, and the tilting fulcrum (the contact portion between the curved portion 806 of the base portion 80 and the curved portion on the tip side of the fourth piece 753) work together to enable good tilting of the sealing material 8.

[0045] In the posture of the sealant 8 before the slat 7 assumes a vertical posture and in its position relative to the pocket portion 75, the second fin 83 is pushed toward the inside of the room (towards the rising piece 74), and the sealant 8 tilts, with the contact point between the curved portion 806 of the base portion 80 and the curved portion at the tip side of the fourth piece 753 as a fulcrum, in the direction in which the sixth surface (sloping portion of the bottom surface) 805 of the base portion 80 abuts the bottom surface of 756 of the internal space of the pocket portion 75, and in the direction in which the second surface 811 of the base 81 of the sealant 8 abuts the tip (curved portion) of the fifth piece 754 of the pocket portion 75 (see Figures 11 and 12).

[0046] 12 and 13, when the vertically adjacent slats 7A, 7B are in a vertical position, the tip of the first fin 82 of the sealing material 8 abuts or is close to the upper surface 760 of the lower piece 76 to close the second gap S2, and the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 is located in the third gap S3 and abuts the tip 762 of the lower piece 76, preventing direct contact between the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 and the side surface 740 of the rising piece 74 and reducing contact noise. The tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 is curved in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the tip 762 of the lower piece 76, so that the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 and the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 are in close contact with each other. In the embodiment shown in Figures 12 and 13, the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 is tightly fitted around the lower end side of the tip 762 of the lower piece 76, and the tip of the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 extends slightly downward below the underside 761 of the lower piece 76.

[0047] In order to prevent light leakage from the gap between the vertically adjacent slats 7A and 7B, it is desirable that the sealant 8 provided at the upper end of the lower slat 7B be in close contact with the lower end of the upper slat 7A over the length of the slat 7. In relation to this, the softer the first fin 82 and the second fin 83 are, the better the followability when the slats come into contact, but the fins may be deformed due to curling or the like, which may cause light leakage. On the other hand, if the hardness of the fins is increased to prevent curling, the followability when the slats come into contact may be impaired, which may cause light leakage. In this embodiment, a movable sealant 8 is adopted, so that the desired hardness of the first fin 82 and the second fin 83 is maintained while the followability when the slats come into contact is secured, and a close contact state between the sealant 8 and the lower end of the slat 7 is obtained.

[0048] When the shutter curtain 3 is in the fully closed position, the shutter curtain 3 may bend forward and backward (indoor and outdoor directions) or the slats 7 constituting the shutter curtain 3 may be displaced up and down due to surface pressure. When the slats 7 are displaced forward and backward in the state shown in FIG. 13, the tip of the first fin 82 moves while sliding against the upper surface 760 of the lower piece 76 in the forward and backward directions to maintain the contact state, or the curved portion of the first fin 82 abuts against the side surface 770 of the protruding piece 77 to seal the second gap S2, and the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 is positioned in the third gap S3 to seal the third gap S3, thereby reducing light leakage. Even if the upper and lower slats 7 are displaced such that the lower piece 76 of one slat 7 approaches the rising piece 74 of the other slat 7, the tip side portion 831 of the second fin 83 positioned in the third gap S3 restricts direct contact between the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 and the side surface 740 of the rising piece 74, thereby reducing the generation of abnormal noise. When the upper and lower slats 7 are displaced up and down, the height of the first gap S1 may increase, but since the tip portion 831 of the second fin 83 contacts the underside of the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 in a wraparound manner, the contact state between the tip portion 831 of the second fin 83 and the tip 762 of the lower piece 76 is maintained, and light leakage is reduced by sealing the third gap S3.

[0049] [Appendix 1] This specification discloses the following technical ideas. The sealing material that seals a gap that may occur in the opening when the opening / closing body closes the opening is a long material that extends in the opening width direction or the opening height direction, A pocket portion extending in the opening width direction or the opening height direction is formed in the opening / closing body or the member forming the opening, the sealing material includes a base portion housed in the pocket portion and a fin extending outward from an opening of the pocket portion, and when the opening is closed, the fin comes into contact with the abutted portion to seal a gap between the abutted portion and the fin, a movable clearance is formed between the base portion and an inner surface of the pocket portion, the movable clearance allowing tilting of the base portion within the pocket portion; When the fin of the sealing material abuts against the abutment portion, the sealing material is tiltable as a whole. A sealed structure with a movable seal. That is, the movable sealing member according to the present invention is capable of tilting (rotating) as a whole between a first position before the sealed structure is formed and a second position in which the sealed structure is formed. In one embodiment, the internal space of the pocket portion is a space having a substantially rectangular cross section, The base portion has a rectangular cross-sectional shape with at least one corner cut out corresponding to the internal space of the pocket portion, The mobility clearance includes a clearance formed in a portion including at least one corner of the internal space of the pocket portion. In one embodiment, the at least one corner is a bottom corner of the interior space of the pocket. In one embodiment, the inner surface of the pocket portion includes a bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces rising from the bottom surface in an opposing manner, and a top surface extending from the pair of side surfaces in parallel to the bottom surface, the top surface being formed of two parts sandwiching the opening, and the internal space of the pocket portion is a space surrounded by the bottom surface, the side surfaces, and the top surface and having a substantially rectangular shape in cross section, the pedestal portion comprises an upper surface formed of two portions sandwiching the base, a pair of side surfaces, and a bottom surface, the upper surface being a flat surface extending parallel to the upper surface of the pocket portion, the pair of side surfaces extending approximately perpendicular to the upper surface, one side surface having a height dimension slightly smaller than the side surfaces of the pocket portion and the other side surface having a height dimension smaller than that of the one side surface, the bottom surface comprising a flat portion extending approximately perpendicular to the one side surface, and an inclined portion extending from the flat portion toward the other side surface, In the internal space of the pocket, a corner formed by the bottom surface and the other side surface serves as the corner. In one embodiment, the portion where the one side surface and the upper surface of the base intersect is a curved surface, The curved surface of the base portion is capable of contacting a curved edge portion of an opening of the pocket portion, The sealing material is tiltable about a contact point between the curved surface of the base portion and the curved edge of the opening of the pocket portion. In one embodiment, the sealing material is tiltable in a direction in which the inclined portion approaches a bottom surface of the pocket portion when the fin of the sealing material abuts against the abutted portion. In one embodiment, the sealing material includes a base portion housed in the pocket portion, a base portion protruding from an opening of the pocket portion, and the fin extending from the base portion, the clearance for movement formed between the base portion and the inner surface of the pocket portion is a first clearance, A second clearance that allows tilting of the base is formed between the base and an edge of the opening of the pocket. In one embodiment, the second clearance comprises a first portion between one side surface of the base and one edge of the opening, and a second portion between the other side surface of the base and the other edge of the opening; When the other side of the base portion abuts against the other side of the internal space, the other side of the base portion and the other edge of the opening are spaced apart, and the second portion is maintained. In one embodiment, the sealant seals the gap between adjacent slats in a blind shutter when the opening is closed, The pocket portion is formed at one end of the lower end of the upper slat and the upper end of the lower slat, The abutted portion is the other end of the lower end of the upper slat and the other end of the upper end of the lower slat, The sealant provided in the pocket abuts against the other end, thereby sealing the gap between the slats.

[0050] [Appendix 2] This specification discloses the following technical ideas. The slats of the blind shutter are a vertical surface portion, an upper end portion, and a lower end portion; The upper end portion includes an upper inclined portion extending from the upper end of the vertical surface portion toward the interior side of the room in an inclined manner, and an upper piece extending horizontally from the upper end of the upper inclined portion toward the interior side of the room, The lower end portion includes a lower inclined portion extending downward and toward the inside of the room from the lower end of the vertical surface portion, and a lower piece extending horizontally toward the inside of the room from the lower end of the lower inclined portion, When the slats are in a vertical position to close the opening, the adjacent slats in the upper and lower portions of the opening-closing state The vertical surface of the upper slat is flush with the vertical surface of the lower slat. The lower piece of the upper slat and the upper piece of the lower slat face each other in parallel, and a gap is formed between the lower surface of the lower piece and the upper surface of the upper piece, extending in the indoor / outdoor direction. A concave space having a shape of an isosceles triangle in a side view is formed between the upper and lower vertical surfaces of the adjacent slats on the outdoor side, and the gap is formed at the back of the concave space. This is the slat structure of a blind shutter. In one embodiment, the upper end portion includes a rising piece that rises vertically from the tip of the upper piece, and a pocket portion that opens downward and toward the outside of the room at the upper end of the rising piece, The lower end portion includes a protruding piece protruding upward from a base end portion of the lower piece, It consists of: The gap extending in the indoor / outdoor direction is defined as a first gap, The upper surface of the lower piece of the upper slat and the side surface of the protruding piece face the pocket portion of the lower slat, and a second gap is formed therebetween. The tip of the lower piece faces the side of the rising piece of the lower slat, forming a third gap therebetween, the upper portion of the side of the rising piece faces the second gap and the lower portion faces the first gap, and the first gap and the second gap are connected via the third gap. In one embodiment, the pocket portion is provided with a sealant extending in the width direction of the slat, the sealant sealing the second gap and / or the third gap. In one embodiment, the sealing material includes a seat portion housed in a pocket portion formed at the one end portion, a base portion protruding from an opening of the pocket portion, and a first fin and a second fin extending from the base portion, the first fin is capable of contacting at least a part of a surface portion that is formed by an upper surface of the lower piece and a side surface of the protruding piece and has a generally L-shape in a side view, and is capable of sealing the second gap; The second fin is located between the tip of the lower piece and the side surface of the rising piece of the lower slat and is capable of contacting the tip of the lower piece and sealing the third gap. In one embodiment, a movable clearance that allows tilting of the base and the base is formed between the base and the inner surface of the pocket and between the base and the opening of the pocket, When the tip of the lower piece abuts against the second fin of the sealing material, the sealing material is able to tilt as a whole. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 3. Shutter curtain (opening and closing body) 30 Concave space 7 Slats 7A Upper slat 7B Lower slat 70 Vertical section 71 Upper slope 72 Lower slope 73 Top piece 74 Rising piece 740 Side of rising piece (one end part) 75 Pocket section 750 1st piece (bottom of inner surface) 751 2nd piece (one side of the inner surface) 752 Third piece (other side of the inner surface) 753 4th piece (top surface of one of the inner surfaces) 754 5th piece (other upper surface of inner surface) 755 Aperture 756 Interior Space 76 Lower piece (abutted part) 760 Upper surface of the lower piece (first part of the other end) 761 Lower surface of the lower piece 762 Tip of lower piece (second part of other end) 77 Projection piece (abutted part) 770 Side of protrusion (first part of other end) 8 Sealing material 80 Pedestal 800 1st surface (one of the upper surfaces) 801 2nd surface (other upper surface) 802 Third side (one side) 803 4th side (other side) 804 5th surface (flat part of bottom surface) 805 6th surface (slope of bottom surface) 806 Curved section (curved surface) 81 Base 810 1st side (one side) 811 Second side (other side) 82 1st Fin 83 2nd Fin 831 Tip part of second fin C Clearance (clearance for movement) C1 Clearance (movable clearance, first clearance) C2 clearance (movement clearance, second part of second clearance) S1 First gap S2 Second gap S3 Third gap

Claims

1. In a blind shutter, a plurality of slats are in a vertical position to close an opening, and each slat is tiltable from the vertical position, The gap between adjacent upper and lower slats when the opening is closed is sealed by a sealant provided at either the lower end of the upper slat or the upper end of the lower slat abutting or coming close to the other end, The sealing material has a first fin and a second fin extending in the longitudinal direction of the slat, and when the opening is in a closed state, the first fin is capable of contacting a first portion of the other end, and the second fin is capable of contacting a second portion of the other end, and at least one of the first fin and the second fin abuts or comes close to the other end, thereby sealing the gap between adjacent slats above and below in the longitudinal direction. Blind shutter.

2. The sealing material includes a base portion accommodated in a pocket portion formed at the one end portion, a base portion protruding from an opening of the pocket portion, and the first fin and the second fin extending from the base portion. The blind shutter according to claim 1.

3. In a state in which the opening is closed, a second portion of the other end portion faces a portion of the one end portion, and the second fin is positioned between the second portion of the other end portion and the portion of the one end portion. The blind shutter according to claim 1.

4. The one end is an upper end of a lower slat, and at least one of two fins of the sealing material provided at the upper end is adapted to contact a lower end of the upper slat. A blind shutter according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The one end is an upper end of a lower slat, and at least one of two fins of the sealing material provided at the upper end is adapted to contact a lower end of the upper slat; The lower end portion includes a lower piece extending substantially horizontally in a vertical position and a protruding piece protruding upward from a base end portion of the lower piece, At least a part of a surface portion having a generally L-shape in a side view formed by an upper surface of the lower piece and a side surface of the protruding piece is the first portion, The tip of the lower piece is the second part. A blind shutter according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The upper end portion includes an upper piece, a rising piece rising from a tip of the upper piece, and a pocket portion formed above the rising piece, In a state in which the opening is closed, the surface portion of the lower end portion is located below the pocket portion and faces the pocket portion, a tip of the lower piece faces the rising piece, and a lower surface of the lower piece faces an upper surface of the upper piece, The first fin and the second fin extend downward from the pocket portion, the first fin abuts or is adjacent to the first portion, and the second fin abuts or is adjacent to the second portion. The blind shutter according to claim 5.

7. The first fin is a curved piece that bulges toward the first portion of the other end. A blind shutter according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A tip end portion of the second fin is capable of contacting the second portion of the other end portion, and the tip end portion is curved concavely toward the second portion. A blind shutter according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The blind shutter according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, of the two fins, the first fin is shorter than the second fin.

Images