Roller Shutter Slat Structure With Overlapping Steel Bar Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller shutters face issues with burglary protection, as they can be easily broken, cut, or pulled out of tracks, and provide inadequate visual security, especially in large openings or sensitive environments.
Innovation Solution
The slat design incorporates elongated chambers with overlapping steel bars, each slat having an upper and lower engaging hook arrangement, and chambers with grooves to securely hold bars, ensuring vertical and horizontal overlaps for enhanced rigidity and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If slats are made of plastic to keep the shutter cheap and light, then manufacturing cost and weight are reduced, but burglary protection and resistance to deterioration are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite slats made of plastic material combined with embedded reinforcement elements (steel bars or profiles). The plastic provides cost-effectiveness and light weight, while the embedded steel reinforcement provides burglary protection and resistance to deterioration, creating a composite structure that resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.
2Reliability
If slats are made of aluminum to improve sturdiness and resistance against deterioration, then burglary protection is enhanced, but weight increases and manufacturing cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite slats made of plastic material combined with embedded reinforcement elements (steel bars or profiles). The plastic provides cost-effectiveness and light weight, while the embedded steel reinforcement provides burglary protection and resistance to deterioration, creating a composite structure that resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.
3Ease of operation
If spaced-apart perforations are included in slats to allow light and air passage, then ventilation and light transmission are improved, but burglary protection is compromised as tools can be inserted through perforations
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforced slat structure with embedded steel bars or profiles creates a composite material solution where the rigid reinforcement elements prevent tool insertion through perforations while the plastic matrix maintains ventilation capabilities, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by providing reinforcement only at critical areas where burglary attempts are most likely to occur, such as around perforations and at the edges of slats, while maintaining open perforations for ventilation. This localized reinforcement approach allows ventilation to continue while preventing tool insertion at vulnerable points.
4Reliability
If solid steel bars are inserted into slats to provide extra protection against braking and pushing, then burglary protection is enhanced, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite slats made of plastic material combined with embedded reinforcement elements (steel bars or profiles). The plastic provides cost-effectiveness and light weight, while the embedded steel reinforcement provides burglary protection and resistance to deterioration, creating a composite structure that resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A slat (10) for use in a roller shutter (12) has an elongated body. The elongated body has an upper engaging arrangement (22) in an upper portion thereof, and, a lower engaging arrangement (26) in a lower portion thereof. The body is provided with at least one chamber (40) having at least one bar (58). The at least one bar (58) of a given slat has a vertical overlap (L3) with the at least one bar of the slat that is engaged with the given slat and upwardly therefrom. When the slat has a first bar (58) within an upper chamber (40) and a second bar (60) within a lower chamber (42), the first bar (58) overlaps with the second bar (60) in a lengthwise direction along an internal overlap (L2).