The present invention relates to a shutter for windows.

It is known to use shutters with one or more leaves, which are associated with buildings on the outer side of windows in order to prevent, when they are closed, the passage of light through said windows.

In the case of prefabricated buildings, mobile homes or the like, the leaves of the shutters are usually formed by multilayer panels formed by two metal laminas, between which a layer of expanded plastic material is interposed.

Shutters of this type have poor solidity in the presence of particularly violent atmospheric events, such as hurricanes, tornadoes and the like.

In these atmospheric situations, the shutters, even if they are closed, can in fact be pierced by objects lifted by the wind and detached from their hinges, with the risk of striking violently the glass panes of the windows, breaking them.

In order to try to limit the damage, wood boards are often fixed to the outside of shutters before the tornado or hurricane arrives, with the goal of protecting more the shutters and windows. However, this solution almost always turns out to be useless or even dangerous, since the boards, by detaching from the building under the force of the wind, become themselves items capable of causing severe damage to the structures of buildings or to people.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problem described above, by providing a shutter for windows that is particularly suitable to be used in prefabricated buildings, mobile homes and the like, and is capable of resisting effectively in case of atmospheric events of considerable intensity and violence, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, avoiding the breakage of the glass panes of the corresponding window.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a shutter for windows that can be provided by means of a small number of components that are easy to provide and assemble.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shutter for windows which, despite considerable mechanical strength, in any case has a modest space occupation, so that it can be placed not too far from its window.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shutter for windows that can be obtained by means of commonly commercially available elements and materials and is furthermore competitive also from a merely economic standpoint.

This aim, as well as these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by the shutter for windows according to the invention, as defined in claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of a window with the shutter according to the invention associated therewith and shown in phantom lines;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Figure 1 , with parts shown in cutout view;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line III-III of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged-scale view of another detail of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a transverse view of a profiled element that provides a perimetric frame that belongs to a leaf of the shutter according to the invention.

With reference to the figures, the shutter for windows, according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises one or more movable leaves 2, which are arranged on the outer side of at least one corresponding window 4, which can be for example with sliding leaves, as shown in the figures. The leaves 2 of the shutter are conveniently associated with a fixed framework 3, which will be described better hereinafter.

In particular, the leaves 2 are conveniently hinged at respective mutually opposite lateral sides of the fixed framework 3.

As shown, each leaf 2 is provided by at least one panel 5, which is constituted for example by a pair of metal plates 5a and 5b, between which a layer of expanded plastic material 5c is interposed.

In particular, the panel 5 is mounted on a perimetric frame 6 that forms a closed shape and is provided by means of a plurality of profiled elements 7, of which two are uprights, on mutually opposite sides of the perimetric frame 6, and two are cross-members, respectively on the lower and upper sides of the perimetric frame, and are joined to each other at their respective ends.

As can be seen in the figures, each leaf 2 is hinged to the fixed framework 3 by means of hinges connected to the respective perimetric frame 6.

According to the invention, said profiled elements 7 have, on their side that is directed toward the window 4 when the leaves 2 are in the closed condition, at least one reinforcing portion 8, which faces a peripheral region of the corresponding panel 5 and is adapted to increase the mechanical strength of the corresponding leaf 2 to the stresses transmitted to the leaves 2 during very violent and intense atmospheric phenomena such as hurricanes, tornadoes or other similar phenomena.

Conveniently, the reinforcing portion 8 is provided internally with at least one stress absorption chamber 9, by way of which it can absorb violent impacts discharged onto the leaves 2.

More preferably, the reinforcing portion 8 is provided internally with at least two stress absorption chambers 9, which are arranged mutually side by side along a direction that is substantially parallel to the plane of arrangement of the panel 5 and are mutually separated by a partition 9a that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of arrangement of the panel 5.

In greater detail, each profiled" element 7 has a respective tubular portion 10, which faces the perimetric edge of the panel 5 and from which the corresponding reinforcing portion 8 protrudes toward the panel 5.

A retention wing 10b is conveniently provided on the profiled elements 7, opposite the reinforcing portion 8 with respect to the tubular portion 10, and protrudes from the tubular portion 10 toward the panel 5 so as to lock the panel 5 to the perimetric frame 6, in cooperation with the reinforcing portion 8.

The profiled elements 7 also have advantageously an abutment wing

12 on their side directed outwardly with respect to the window 4.

The abutment wings 12 of the profiled elements 7 that are directed toward the fixed framework 3 are intended to engage by abutment against said fixed framework 3, when the leaves 2 are moved to the closed condition.

Conveniently, inside each abutment wing 7 there is at least one impact absorption chamber 13, which gives the abutment wings 7 greater resistance to the stresses transmitted to the leaves 2 during particularly intense and violent atmospheric phenomena.

As shown, the fixed framework 3 that supports the leaves 2 is associated integrally with the fixed structure 1 1 of the window 4.

More particularly, the fixed framework 3 is formed by a plurality of hollow profiled elements 14, which are anchored stably to profiles 15, which provide the fixed structure 1 1 of the window 4 and are in turn anchored to the building and arranged around the opening of the building that accommodates the window 4.

Conveniently, as can be seen in Figure 5, the hollow profiled elements 14 of the fixed framework 3 define two distinct abutment regions for the perimetric frame 6 of the leaves 2, respectively an outer abutment region, designated by the reference numeral 14a, and an inner abutment region, designated by the reference numeral 14b.

In greater detail, as shown again in Figure 5, the hollow profiled elements 14 have a main portion 16, which has a quadrangular cross-section and from which a resting wing 17 protrudes toward the leaves 2 and defines the inner abutment region 14b, while the outer abutment region 14a is defined by a face of the main portion that is directed outwardly with respect to the window 4.

In the closed condition of the leaves 2, the abutment wing 12 of the profiled elements 7 rests against the outer abutment region 14a, while the reinforcing portion 8 of said profiled elements 7 rests, with its region that lies closest to the tubular portion 10, against the inner abutment region 14b defined by the resting wing 17.

It should be noted that the hollow profiled elements 14 can be structured so as to minimize the distance between the leaves 2 and the window 4, since the presence of the reinforcing portion 8 on the profiled elements 7 of the perimetric frame 6 of the leaves 2 ensures, even in stress situations that are extremely onerous for the leaves 2, such as during hurricanes, tornadoes and the like, that the leaves 2, even if they are damaged, will not collide with the glass panels 4a of the window 4 and break them.

Advantageously, L-shaped elements 18 for the assembly of said profiled elements are inserted at the ends of the tubular portion 10 of the profiled elements 7, while reinforcement L-shaped elements 19 for the perimetric frame are inserted at the ends of at least one of said stress absorption chambers 9 and allow to increase further the mechanical resistance of the leaves 2 to external stresses.

Conveniently, a protective reinforcement body 20 is provided at the lateral region of each one of the two leaves 2 that is intended to be directed toward the other leaf, when the leaves 2 are in the closed condition.

In particular, the protective reinforcement body 20 is associated with at least one of the two leaves 2 and is arranged on the outer side of the two leaves 2.

More particularly, when the leaves 2 are moved to the closed condition, the protective reinforcement body 20 is arranged so as to straddle the two leaves 2, ensuring protection and mechanical strength for the region of mutual adjacent arrangement of the two leaves 2.

As in the illustrated example, the protective reinforcement body 20 is associated with the corresponding leaf 2 at the side thereof that is intended to be directed toward the other leaf 2 when the leaves 2 are in the closed condition.

In greater detail, the protective reinforcement body 20 comprises conveniently an upright profiled element 21 , which protrudes outwardly from the corresponding leaf 2 and accommodates axially an internal tubular reinforcement element 22 made of galvanized steel.

The upright profiled element 21 can be, for example, shaped so as to have two lateral sides that are inclined toward each other as one proceeds outwardly with respect to the leaves 2, while the internal tubular reinforcement element 22 conveniently has a quadrangular cross-section.

Conveniently, the upright profiled element 21 has a length that extends beyond the transverse profiled elements 7 of the perimetric frame 6 of the leaves 2, so as to ensure perfect protection of the leaves 2 and avoid their penetration at the region of mutual adjacent arrangement, in case of violent impacts against them, being able to rest against the fixed framework 3.

Advantageously, the protective reinforcement body 20 further has an interlocking tab 23, by means of which it can be coupled to the upright profiled element 7 of the corresponding leaf 2 that is designed to be directed toward the other leaf when the leaves 2 are in the closed condition.

More particularly, said interlocking tab 23 defines an engagement seat 24 in which it is possible to insert by pressing the abutment wing 12 of the corresponding upright profiled element 7.

Conveniently, the opposite ends of the upright profiled element 21 of the protective reinforcement body 20 are closed by plugs 25, which have an end closure portion 25a and a compensation portion 25b that is extended at right angles from the end closure portion 25a and is intended to occupy the space between the upright profiled element 21 , the abutment wing 12 of the profiled elements 7 of the perimetric frame 6 of the leaves 2 and the hollow profiled elements 14 of the fixed framework 3.

It has been possible to verify experimentally that the shutter according to the invention is capable of achieving fully the intended aim and objects and in particular it has been found that the shutter according to the invention is capable of withstanding considerable mechanical stresses without the risk of breaking the glass panes of the corresponding window, even if extremely damaged.

An important advantage of the invention that must be pointed out is the fact that the shutter according to the invention does not require applied elements to be fixed to its leaves by means of screws or others in order to achieve its high mechanical strength, with an obvious constructive simplification.

Furthermore, the considerable mechanical strength given to the leaves of the shutter according to the invention by the reinforcing portion of the profiled elements that provide the perimetric frame of said leaves allows to arrange in total safety the shutter at a close distance from the window, with an evident advantage for the use of said shutter.

All the characteristics of the invention indicated above as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents.

The individual characteristics described with reference to general teachings or particular embodiments may all be present in other embodiments or may replace characteristics in these embodiments. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.

All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application no. VR2013A000016, from which this application claims priority, are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.