Rolling Shutter Slats Nested Design Compact Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rolling shutters require a large housing for storage due to the substantial diameter occupied by the slats when rolled up, which increases material usage and costs while compromising aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
A rolling shutter assembly comprising a plurality of shutter slats designed to fit snugly against each other, utilizing a knuckle joint system where each slat has cylindrical sockets and connecting members, allowing for compact stacking and reducing the overall diameter when stored.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rolling shutters with hinged slats are used, then protection against extreme weather and theft is provided, but the housing size becomes substantially greater and extends a substantial distance from the building
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter slats are designed to nest within each other when retracted, with each slat containing a portion of the adjacent slats. This nesting arrangement allows the slats to stack compactly in a telescoping manner, significantly reducing the retracted height and housing volume compared to conventional hinged slat arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter is divided into multiple individual slats that can operate independently yet connect through interlocking mechanisms. Each slat is a separate component with standardized dimensions and connection features, allowing modular assembly and compact storage while maintaining structural integrity for weather protection.
2Reliability
If conventional hinged slat arrangements are used, then the shutter provides weather protection, but the slats occupy a substantially large diameter when rolled up
Solution Approach 1:
The slats are designed with nested geometry where inner slats fit within outer slats during retraction. This nesting configuration reduces the rolled-up diameter by eliminating the need for slats to lie side-by-side in a conventional hinged arrangement, creating a compact cylindrical storage form.
Solution Approach 2:
The slats are designed with curved or rounded edges and cylindrical connection elements that facilitate smooth nesting and rolling. The curved geometry allows slats to conform to each other during compression, reducing gaps and improving the compactness of the rolled-up configuration while maintaining structural strength.
3Volume of stationary object
If a large housing is used to accommodate rolled up shutters, then storage capacity is sufficient, but material usage and costs increase while aesthetic appeal is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The nested slat configuration dramatically reduces the volume required for housing the retracted shutter. By nesting slats within each other rather than storing them in a conventional unfolded or side-by-side arrangement, the housing dimensions are minimized, reducing material requirements for construction and lowering overall system cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the spatial parameters of slat arrangement from a conventional extended configuration to a compressed nested configuration. This parameter change in slat positioning and orientation during retraction reduces the housing volume by a substantial factor, directly reducing material usage and construction costs.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
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.