Closure panel

Abstract

 A panel (1) for use as a flexible closure member comprises a plurality of elongate hollow slats (2) each laterally adjacent to another and a backing material comprising at least one flexible substrate (9) secured to a recur wall portion (6) of each slat so as to connect the slats to one another. One side wall portion (8) of each respective slat is profiled so as to provide an elongate protrusion laterally outwardly of the front (4) and rear wall (6) portions and the other side wall portion (10) is profiled so as to provide an elongate recess laterally inwardly of the front and rear wall portion whereby, when the panel is in a flat condition, respective protrusions and recesses provided by adjacent side wall portions (8), (10) of adjacent slats (2) are capable of interengagement, thereby providing stability and stiffness of the panel, but whereby the respective protrusions are capable of separation out of engagement with one another so as to allow flexure of the panel during travel around an arcuate track or storage around a roller.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a closure panel such as found for example in office furniture, in particular, as a sliding front panel or roller shutter panel of office cabinets but also kitchen cupboards and as found in heavier duty applications such as roller shutter doors of windows, doors and vehicle entrances.

[0002] According to known closure panel designs, the panel typically consists of a plurality of laterally adjacent slats, which are interconnected in a manner such as to allow relative movement between adjacent slats into and out of the plane of a panel in flat condition so that the panel may follow an arcuate track or be wound around a roller.

[0003] In a so-called slatted panel, this is achieved merely by providing a plurality of elongate solid, rectangular section, slats adjacent to one another, one pair of opposed faces providing respective front and rear walls and the other pair providing respective side walls. The front walls together define a front wall of the panel while the rear walls are secured together by a flexible substrate, which allows for flexure of the panel when guided around an arcuate track. However, such constructions tend to be too flexible to be commercially attractive.

[0004] In an alternative arrangement, a plurality of laterally adjacent slats are interconnected in a manner such as to enable relative rotation between adjacent slats. This is typically by means either of a pivot, hinge, a sliding joint arrangement, a resilient interconnection member or other joint arrangement between respective longitudinal sides of adjacent slats. A typical known arrangement of this type is shown in Figs. 1 and 1a. A panel 50 comprises a plurality of slats 52, each having a front wall 54, a rear wall 56 and respective side walls 58, 60, one side wall 58 being profiled so as to provide an elongate part-circular socket 59 and the other side wall having protruding therefrom a rigid strip 61 terminating in an elongate hollow rib 62. Rib 62 is slidable longitudinally into socket 59 and is then rotatable therein. Flexure of the panel is achievable solely by means of this relative rotation.

[0005] However, in yet another arrangement allowing such relative rotation, additional flexure is provided by a flexible strip extending between adjacent slats as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows a panel 70 comprising a plurality of hollow slats 72, 86, each having a front wall 74, a rear wall 76 and respective side walls, profiled as described below. The hollow slats are strengthened by a web 78 extending between the front and rear walls 74 and 76 respectively.

[0006] Each slat 72, 86 of an adjacent pair of slats is secured one to the other by a flexible strip 71 secured to and extending between adjacent side walls 84 of adjacent slats at a position rearward of each front wall 74 and forward of each rear wall 76. Side walls 84 are each curved so as to extend laterally inwardly from the front wall 74 to the rear wall 76 so that when the panel is in a flat condition as shown in Fig. 2, respective edges of the front walls 74 may abut one another to provide a continuous front surface of the panel, whereas, on flexure of the flexible strip 71, respective adjacent strips are capable of rotation relative to one another out of the plane defined by the abovementioned continuous front surface.

[0007] In addition, one slat of each adjacent pair thereof (interconnected by flexible strip 71) is provided with a side wall 80 opposite to side wall 84, which side wall 80 is profiled so as to provide an elongate part-circular socket 82, while the other slat 86 of each interconnected pair thereof is provided with a side wall 90, having protruding therefrom a rigid strip 92, terminating in an elongate hollow rib 88. As in the embodiment described with reference to Figs. 1 and 1a, rib 92 is slideable longitudinally into socket 82 of an adjacent slat of an adjacent pair thereof and is then rotatable in socket 82.

[0008] Flexure of the panel is therefore achievable by means of the relative rotation between adjacent pairs of slats 74, 86 and by flexure of the strips 71 between each slat of a respective pair thereof.

[0009] However, it can be seen that constructions such as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are complicated, so that extrusion of such constructions is relatively expensive and indeed, at least for the construction shown in Fig. 2 requires extrusion of at least two separate materials, one for the flexible strip 71 and the other for the remaining portions of the slats. Moreover, if a veneer is to be provided on the front face of such a slat so as to improve aesthetically the view provided by the front face, then extrusion of a third material will become necessary.

[0010] Moreover, with both of the above mentioned forms of panel, it is necessary either to provide a separate profile including a handle or means for attachment of a handle which again adds to the cost of production.

[0011] The present invention addresses the problem of providing a simple panel construction which is sufficiently stiff for commercial use whilst providing sufficient flexibility for efficient sliding around an arcuate track or storage around a roller, which panel can be produced inexpensively and which may allow the provision of a separate profile or means for attachment of a handle to be dispensed with.

[0012] Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a panel for use as a flexible closure member capable of travel around an arcuate track or storage around a roller, which panel comprises
   a plurality of elongate hollow slats each laterally adjacent to another, and
   a backing material comprising at least one flexible substrate secured to a face of each slat, the or each flexible substrate extending at least longitudinally of the panel and laterally of the slats from a region of a face of a first end slat at one longitudinal end of the panel to a region of a face of a second end slat at the other longitudinal end of the panel, so as to connect the slats to one another,
   each slat having an elongate front wall portion and an elongate rear wall portion opposite to and spaced apart from the front wall portion, which front and rear wall portions are interconnected by opposed, spaced apart, elongate side wall portions,
   respective front wall portions being capable of defining a front face of the panel and respective rear wall portions providing the respective faces to which the flexible substrate is secured,
   one side wall portion of each respective slat being profiled so as to provide an elongate protrusion laterally outwardly of the front and rear wall portions and the other side wall portion being profiled so as to provide an elongate recess laterally inwardly of the front and rear wall portion whereby, when the panel is in a flat condition, respective protrusions and recesses provided by adjacent side wall portions of adjacent slats are capable of interengagement, thereby providing stability and stiffness of the panel, but whereby the respective protrusions are capable of separation out of engagement with one another so as to allow flexure of the panel during travel around an arcuate track or storage around a roller.

[0013] The slats are preferably of extruded plastics material and are more preferably extruded from different respective plastics materials, one plastics material providing a body portion of the slat and the other a surface portion defining a front face of the front wall portion of each slat, so as to provide a visible "skin" surface of the panel. In this manner, a relatively inexpensive material can be employed for the body of the slat, while a more expensive but aesthetically more pleasing material may be used to provide a veneer on the front wall portion of each slat so that the view presented by the front of the panel may be particularly attractive and may, for example, be of an attractive colour or provide a metameric effect in which the panel changes colour with the point of viewing. As an alternative, the slats may be a one-piece extruded plastics material optionally including therein decorative material, for example, coloured, especially silver, flakes.

[0014] The protrusions provided by respective side wall portions of the slats may be defined by regions of respective side wall portions which are generally convex while the recesses may be defined by correspondingly profiled regions of respective side wall portions which are generally concave. Generally convex regions of respective side wall portions cooperate with generally concave regions of respective side wall portions of adjacent slats.

[0015] In an especially preferred embodiment of such a construction, each of the generally convex and generally concave regions of respective side wall portions of each slat is preferably defined by a respective generally central section of the side wall portion spaced from each of the front and rear wall portions of the slat and connected thereto by respective regions of the side wall portions defined by generally planar sections, at least the generally planar sections connecting the central section to the front wall portion each having an angular disposition relative to the front or rear wall portion such as to cooperate with a corresponding planar section of a side wall portion of an adjacent slat.

[0016] More preferably, each generally planar section of each side wall portion which connects the generally central section to the front wall portion has an angular disposition generally perpendicular to the front wall portion. Likewise, more preferably, each generally planar section of each side wall portion which connects the generally central section to the rear wall portion has an angular disposition generally perpendicular to the rear wall portion.

[0017] In another embodiment of such a construction, the region of one side wall portion of each slat which is generally convex and the region of the other side wall portion of each slat which is generally convex each extend substantially from the front to the rear wall portion.

[0018] In an alternative slat construction, each side wall portion may include a forward section providing one of a convex and a concave region and a rearward section providing the other of a convex and a concave region, respective adjacent side wall portions of adjacent slats being correspondingly profiled to allow interengagement of respective adjacent convex and concave regions with one another.

[0019] However, it is preferred to provide respective protrusions and correspondingly profiled recesses by respective side wall portions which have generally planar sections, a first section protruding (or receding) laterally from the front wall portion, a second section protruding (or receding) laterally from the rear wall portion and a third section extending between the above mentioned first and second sections, which third section is generally perpendicular to at least the front, and most preferably additionally, the rear wall portions.

[0020] In any of the above slat constructions, one of the slats may be profiled so as to be provided with a longitudinal recess in the front wall portion thereof, which recess is capable of serving as a handle. Alternatively, as a handle, an aperture may be provided in the front wall portion through which a user may insert his fingers.

[0021] In a panel embodying the invention, the backing material may be flexible substrate, preferable a one-piece flexible substrate, extending essentially over the entire panel. Such a flexible substrate is preferable a fabric, more preferably a non-woven fabric.

[0022] Alternatively, the backing material comprises a plurality of flexible substrates, such as a plurality of tapes of plastics material.

[0023] The flexible substrates may be attached to the slats by means of an adhesive or by welding, for example, by thermal or vibration, especially ultrasonic, welding.

[0024] A panel embodying the invention may be adapted to allow its travel along an arcuate path, especially when the panel is to provide a side wall opening shutter. For such shutters, the backing material is preferably a one-piece flexible substrate, especially a fabric.

[0025] Alternatively, a panel embodying the invention may be adapted for storage around a roller to provide a roller shutter assembly, for example of the balanced spring roller type disclosed in GB-A-2241727. For such shutters, the backing material may then be conveniently provided by a plurality of tapes of plastics material extending longitudinally of the panel. Alternatively, the backing material may be a textile material.

[0026] When using a panel construction embodying the invention, firstly a continuous front face of the panel may be obtained when the panel is in the flat condition and secondly, efficient interengagement can be achieved when the panel is in the flat condition, thus providing the panel with a particularly high stiffness when in a flat condition. Moreover, on flexure of the panel, the respective side wall portions may be easily separated from one another.

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 13 of the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1, 1a and 2 thereof illustrating a known construction as described above.

[0028] In the drawings,

Fig. 1 shows (on a reduced scale) a cross-section of a known panel construction in which adjacent slats are interconnected in a manner such as to enable relative rotation between adjacent slats, as described above;

Fig. 1a shows an elevational view of the panel of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 shows (on a reduced scale) a cross-section of a known panel construction alternative to that of Fig. 1 which again allows rotation between adjacent slats, again as described above;

Fig. 3 shows (on a reduced scale) a section of a panel embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 shows (on a reduced scale) a plurality of slats adjacent to one another and employed in the panel, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a part of a panel of the embodiment of Fig. 3 in an arcuate track;

Figs. 6 - 8 show a part of a panel of the embodiment of Fig. 3 in respective flat, bent and completely folded conditions respectively;

Figs. 9 and 10 show respective parts of alternative panels similar to that of the embodiment of Fig. 3, but having slats with side wall portions having respective different profiles.

Fig. 11 shows (on a reduced scale) a pair of panels embodying the invention in use as respective closure members providing cooperating side opening shutters.

Fig. 12 shows respective end sections of panels providing cooperating side opening shutters in which the slats are of the construction shown in Fig. 3 but in which respective end slats each have a recess in the front wall to serve as a handle.

Figs. 13a-c show respective front, sectional and rear views of a panel embodying the invention suitable for storage on a roller. Fig. 13b is a section on the line A-A in Fig. 13a.

[0029] Thus, Fig. 3 shows a section of a panel, generally indicated as 1, comprising a plurality of elongate slats 2 each having a front wall 4, a rear wall 6 and respective side walls 8, 10. The respective slats 2 are interconnected by a flexible substrate 9 secured to rear faces of the rear walls 6 of respective slats 2 so as to provide the panel 1.

[0030] The flexible substrate 9 is preferably of non-woven material, especially of bonded polypropylene fibers. It is preferably secured to the slats 2 by means of an adhesive, for example, a polyurethane. Alternatively, the flexible substrate 9 may be a sheet of plastics material, such as polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene or a polyethylene based material, which may be secured to the slats 2 by a hot melt technique such as by welding, especially sonic welding.

[0031] As can be seen from each of Figs. 3 - 8, each slat has a pair of opposed side walls 8, 10, side wall 8 providing an elongate protrusion defined by respective sections 12, 14, 16 and a side wall 10 providing an elongate recess defined by respective sections 18, 20 and 22. As can be seen particularly from Figs. 5 - 8, the protrusion provided by side wall 8 is defined by respective first and second planar sections 12 and 14 respectively protruding laterally outwardly from front and rear walls 4 and 6. These first and second sections 12 and 14 are interconnected by a third elongate planar section 16 generally perpendicular to front and rear walls 4 and 6.

[0032] Likewise, as can be seen clearly from each of Figs. 4-8, the recess provided by side wall 10 of each slat is defined by respective elongate first, second and third sections 18, 20, 22. First and second sections 18 and 20 extend laterally inwardly of the slat from respective front and rear walls 4 and 6. A third section 22 extends between the first and second sections 18 and 20 in a direction generally perpendicular to the front and rear walls 4 and 6 respectively.

[0033] As is demonstrated with particular reference to Fig. 4, which shows respective sets of adjacent slats but without the flexible substrate, this construction of panel allows easy release of the respective panels from one another, there being no locking of the respective panels one to the other when they are in tension; contrast the known panel construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0034] Moreover, this generally trapezoidal construction of slat provides a particularly high degree of stiffness to the panel when in the flat condition, there being a particularly efficient interengagement between the respective side walls 8 and 10 providing respective cooperative protrusions and recesses. This is to be seen especially clearly from Fig. 6. Thus, in the flat condition, the panel is particularly rigid and stable.

[0035] On the other hand, the flexible substrate and the absence of any locking in tension allows easy flexure during travel along an arcuate track 40 (see Fig. 5). Indeed, it is not only possible merely to flex the panel (Fig. 7) but also to fold it, for example, for storage, so that respective adjacent slats can lie one above the other (Fig. 8).

[0036] The abovementioned advantages of rigidity and stability etc may also be obtainable when the respective side walls of the slats are defined by respective generally convex side walls while the recesses are defined by corresponding profiled generally concave side walls.

[0037] A particularly neat and simple construction of slat of this type which is especially easy to manufacture by extrusion is shown in Fig. 9. The slat, generally indicated as 42, has respective front (44) and rear (45) walls interconnected by respective side walls, generally indicated as 46 and 48, one of which (46) has a convex region and the other of which (48) has a concave region defined respectively by convex and concave sections 50 and 52 spaced from each of the front and rear walls 44, 45 of the slat 42 and connected thereto by respective regions of the side walls defined by planar sections 54-57. Each planar section 54 - 57 extends perpendicular to each of the front (44) and rear (46) walls.

[0038] The abovementioned advantages are also achievable when each side wall includes a forward section providing one of a convex and a concave section and a rearward section providing the other of a convex and concave section. In cross section, such side walls may have a generally S-shaped, or inverted S-shaped, configuration. A part of a panel the slats of which have side walls so profiled is shown in Fig. 10. As can be seen, each side wall generally indicated as 30, 32 of the panel has a short planar section 23, 24, adjacent to and normal to each of the front and rear walls 26, 28 respectively and a generally S-shaped section therebetween. In one side wall of the slat, the S-shaped section includes a forward part, adjacent to the front wall 26, defining a convex lateral projection 34 and a rearward part adjacent to the rear wall 28 defining a concave lateral recess 36, while the other, opposed side wall has a forward part defining a concave lateral recess 38 and a rearward part defining a convex lateral projection 40. When the panel is in the flat condition as shown in Fig. 10, forward convex lateral projections 34 engage in corresponding forward concave lateral recesses 38, while rearward convex lateral projections 40 engage in rearward concave lateral recesses 36, thus providing a panel which, in the flat condition, is particularly rigid and stable.

[0039] Typically, in use, panels embodying the invention may be fitted between respective opposed upper and lower tracks of a cabinet so as to provide respective closure members as shown in Fig. 10. When the cabinet is in the open condition, the panel may be folded into respective storage chambers at respective sides of the cabinet after being pushed into respective side track portions 101.

[0040] As can be seen from Fig. 11, when the respective panels 102, 103 lie adjacent to one another so that the cabinet is in the fully closed position, it will be necessary for the user to be able to grip the panels to move them apart. With a hollow slot construction embodying the invention, it is possible merely to provide an aperture 104 within a front face of one of the slats on each panel so that the user may merely insert his fingers into the hollow space accessible through and thereby draw open the respective panels.

[0041] Thus, it becomes unnecessary to provide a separate profiled slat for this purpose or to provide means for attachment of a handle. This represents a considerable saving in expense.

[0042] However, alternatively, as shown in Fig. 12, a slat of a panel may have a front wall profiled so as to provide therein a recess. Thus, Fig. 12 shows respective end sections, generally indicated as 60 of panels providing cooperating side opening shutters in which an end slat 62 of each respective panel section 60 has a front wall 64 profiled so as to provide thereon a recess 66 which can be used as a handle.

[0043] As an alternative to the panels shown in Figs. 11 and 12 which are adapted to allow travel along an arcuate path and provide cooperating side shutters, a panel embodying the invention may be adapted for storage around a roller to provide a vertically opening shutter. Such an embodiment is shown in Figs. 13a-c. As can be see from Fig. 13a, which shows a front view of a panel, this presents a particularly smooth, continuous surface to the viewer. Any one (or more) of the slats thereof may be profiled, as slat 72, to provide a recess in its front wall, thus allowing the user to grip the panel; see especially Fig. 13b. As can be seen from Fig. 13c, which is a rear view of the panel, respective slats 70 are bound together by a plurality of tapes 74 extending longitudinally of the panel and laterally of the tapes. The tapes 74 are in spaced apart parallel relationship. As an alternative, a one-piece flexible substrate such as a fabric may be employed on the backing material.

Claims

1. A panel for use as a flexible closure member capable of travel around an arcuate track or storage around a roller, which panel comprises
   a plurality of elongate hollow slats each laterally adjacent to another, and
   a backing material comprising at least one flexible substrate secured to a face of each slat, the or each flexible substrate extending at least longitudinally of the panel and laterally of the slats from a region of a face of a first end slat at one longitudinal end of the panel to a region of a face of a second end slat at the other longitudinal end of the panel, so as to connect the slats to one another,
   each slat having an elongate front wall portion and an elongate rear wall portion opposite to and spaced apart from the front wall portion, which front and rear wall portions are interconnected by opposed, spaced apart, elongate side wall portions,
   respective front wall portions being capable of defining a front face of the panel and respective rear wall portions providing the respective faces to which the flexible substrate is secured,
   one side wall portion of each respective slat being profiled so as to provide an elongate protrusion laterally outwardly of the front and rear wall portions and the other side wall portion being profiled so as to provide an elongate recess laterally inwardly of the front and rear wall portion whereby, when the panel is in a flat condition, respective protrusions and recesses provided by adjacent side wall portions of adjacent slats are capable of interengagement, thereby providing stability and stiffness of the panel, but whereby the respective protrusions are capable of separation out of engagement with one another so as to allow flexure of the panel during travel around an arcuate track or storage around a roller.

2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion provided by each side wall portion of a respective slat is defined by a region of the side wall which is generally convex and the recess provided by each side wall portion of a respective slat is defined by a region of the side wall portion which is generally concave and is profiled to cooperate with a corresponding generally convex region of a side wall portion of an adjacent slat.

3. A panel according to claim 2, wherein each of the generally convex and generally concave regions of respective side wall portions of each slat is defined by a respective generally central section of the side wall portion spaced from each of the front and rear wall portions of the slat and connected thereto by respective regions of the side wall portions defined by generally planar sections, at least the generally planar sections connecting the central section to the front wall portion each having an angular disposition relative to the front or rear wall portion such as to cooperate with a corresponding planar section of a side wall portion of an adjacent slat.

4. A panel according to claim 2, wherein each generally planar section of each side wall portion which connects the generally central section to the front wall portion has an angular disposition generally perpendicular to the front wall portion.

5. A panel according to claim 4, wherein each generally planar section of each side wall portion which connects the generally central section to the rear wall portion has an angular disposition generally perpendicular to the rear wall portion.

6. A panel according to claim 2, wherein the region of one side wall portion of each slat which is generally convex and the region of the other side wall portion of each slat which is generally convex each extend substantially from the front to the rear wall portion.

7. A panel according to claim 2, wherein each side wall portion includes a forward section providing one of a convex and a concave region and a rearward section providing the other of a convex and a concave region, respective adjacent side wall portions of adjacent slats being correspondingly profiled to allow interengagement of respective adjacent convex and concave regions with one another.

8. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
   the respective side wall portions defining respective protrusions each have generally planar sections, a first section protruding laterally from a front wall portion, a second section protruding laterally from a rear wall portion and a third section extending between the first and second sections, which third section is generally perpendicular to the front wall portion;
   the receptive side wall portions defining respective recesses each have generally planar sections, a first section receding laterally from a front wall portion, a second section receding laterally from a rear wall portion and a third section extending between the first and second sections, which third section is generally perpendicular to the front wall portion; and
   which respective side wall portions defining the protrusions and recesses are correspondingly profiled for cooperation with one another.

9. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein the slats are of extruded plastics material.

10. A panel according to claim 9, wherein each slat has a body portion of a first extruded plastics material and a surface portion, defining a front end face of the front wall portion of a second extruded plastics material, so as to provide a visible surface of the panel.

11. A panel according to claim 9, wherein the slats are of a one-piece extruded plastics material optionally including therein decorative material.

12. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein one of the slats has a longitudinal aperture or recess in the front wall portion thereof, which aperture or recess is capable of serving as a handle.

13. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein the backing material is a flexible substrate extending essentially over the entire panel.

14. A panel according to claim 13, wherein the flexible substrate is a fabric.

15. A panel according to claim 14, wherein the fabric is a non-woven fabric.

16. A panel according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the backing material comprises a plurality of flexible substrates.

17. A panel according to claim 18, wherein each flexible substrate is a tape of plastics material.

18. A panel according to any preceding claim, which is adapted for use a side opening shutter.

19. A panel according to any one of claims 1 to 19, which is adapted for use as a roller shutter.

Drawing