Field and Background

[001] The present invention relates to the field of roller shutters, more specifically to a field of locking curtain of a roller shutter, preventing the opening of the curtain by pushing it up from outside.

Summary of The Invention

[002] Roller shutters can be opened from the outside by elevating the slats. Regarding to roller shutters, this possibility is a security lack. The present invention provides a lock that can be used for locking the curtain of a roller shutter and prevents the ability to push the slats up and open the curtain.

[003] The present invention is a lock, for locking the curtain of a roller shutter, in a preferred embodiment the lock is comprised of two parts. The first part (a) is a "wall unit" with an upper contour in arched manner, to be installed on the wall or on the curtain rail facing the curtain, comprised of a springy clamping tongs. The tongs are normally closed with a gap. The top edge of the upper arm of the tongs is shaped with a convex head and its bottom is flat. The lower arm edge of the tongs is flat and tapered. The second part (b) is a "bar unit", to be installed on the bare end of a slat of the curtain, bordering the wall or the curtain rail, on which the wall unit is installed. The bar unit is comprised of (i) a bar-housing; and (ii) a lock tongue that its first end is pivotally joined to the bar-housing and its second end capable to leverage up against a spring. The spring is connected between the first end of the lock tongue and the housing. The second end of the lock tongue is projected out of the bar-housing in a direction to the wall or to the curtain rail, designed to be clamped by said tongs.

[004] While the two parts of the lock are installed in a roller shutter the curtain can be locked and released. In order to lock the curtain, the curtain is moving down and the bar unit arrives to the wall unit. The projected end of the lock tongue pushes and opens the tongs enabling the lock tongue to insert into the tongs and it is clamped by the tongs, at this point the curtain is programed to stop. Since the bottom of the upper arm is flat, pushing up the curtain will not open the tongs and the curtain is locked.

[005] In order to release the curtain, the curtain moves down for a while - until the lock tongue pushes the flat and tapered arm, opens the tongs and pass behind the wall unit. Then the curtain starts to move up, since the flat and tapered arm is rigid, the lock tongue is elevated and skids over the arched contour of the wall unit, leading the bar unit up and enables the curtain to continue moving up.

[006] In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is provided wherein the wall unit is comprised of two parts, the first part is designed to connect the unit to the wall and the second part is the tongs joined via an axis beside the first part. In this embodiment, the wall unit further includes a spring that holds the arms closed and stoppers that limit the closing of the arms in order to remain the needed gap.

[007] In yet another preferred embodiment the present invention is provided, wherein both arms of the tongs are made of a one unite, pivotally connected beside to the first part, of said wall unit, via an axis and a spring, wherein both arms as a one unit is capable to elevate and opened aside by the lock tongue for locking and releasing the curtain. [008] In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is provided wherein, the projected end of the lock tongue has a trapezoid shaped edge in order to easily push and open the arms and to easily skid over the wall unit in the release movement.

[009] In another aspect of the present invention it is provided wherein, the wall unit is made of a springy metal tin having the two arms and a tail for installing the unit on the wall.

[010] In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is provided wherein, the bar unit is installed on a rail that enables to pull the bar unit back in order to disable the lock.

[Oil] According to another aspect of the present invention, the lock, for locking the curtain of a roller shutter, is provided where it is comprised of: (a) a wall unit, with an upper contour in arched manner and perpendicular upper edge, to be installed on the wall or on the curtain rail facing the curtain, having a cavity, opened in opposite the curtain; and (b) a bar unit, to he installed on the bare end of a slat of the curtain, bordering the wall or the curtain rail on which the wall unit is installed, thus bar unit is comprised of (l) a bar-housing; and (a) a lock tongue that its first end is pivotally joined to said bar-housing capable to leverage up and pushed back against a spring - this spring is connected between the lock tongue and the housing - and the second end of the lock tongue is projected out of the bar-housing in direct on to the wall or to the curtain rail, wherein the lower end of this projected end of the lock tongue in inclined

[012] While the curtain is mo ving down and the bar unit arrives to die wall unit, the lock tongue is pushed back due to its inclined lower end and finally the spring returns the lock tongue back into the cavity and the curtain is locked. [013] In order to release the curtain, the curtain moves down for a while - until the lock tongue is pushed back, due to its inclined projected end, and pass behind the wall unit - then the curtain starts to move up, since the upper edge of the projected end is flat, the lock tongue is elevated and skids over the arched contour of the wal l unit leading the bar uni t up and enabl es the curtain to continue moving up.

[014] When using the lock that provided in the present invention, the shutter's motor should be programed to stop the curtain - when it unfolded and moving down - in a position that the bar unit meets the wall unit and the lock tongue is clamped by the tongs. When the curtain intend to be unfolded and move up, the shutter's motor should be programed to move down for a while - until the lock tongue exits the tongs - and then to move up to unfold the curtain.

Brief Description of The Drawings

[015] Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates the wall unit.

Figure 2 illustrates the bar unit.

Figures 3A to 3C illustrates the operation of the locking, step by step. Figures 3D to 3F illustrates the operation of the releasing, step by Detailed Description of The Preferred Embodiments

[016] The principles and operation of the lock for locking the curtain of a roller shutter, according to the present invention, may be better understood with reference to the drawing and the accompanying description.

[017] The present invention is a lock, for locking the curtain of a roller shutter, that is comprised of two parts. A wall unit with an upper contour in arched manner, and contains a springy clamping tongs, and a bar unit. The bar unit is comprised of a bar-housing and a lock tongue that its first end is pivotally joined to the bar-housing and its second end is capable to leverage up against a spring. The second end is projected out of the bar-housing in a direction to the wall or to the curtain rail. In the figures:

[018] Figure 1 illustrates the wall unit. The wall unit (10) comprised of two parts, a first part (11) that enables to install the unit, wherein in this embodiment there are two holes (10a) through these holes the unit can be screwed to the wall. The second part is the tongs (12) that is comprised of the upper arm (13) and the lower arm (14). Both arms are pivotally joined to the first part (11) via an axis with a spring (75), wherein the spring pushes to close the arms (13 & 14) and stoppers (not shown) are keeping the arms in an open gap. The edge of the upper arm is shaped with convex head while the bottom (13a) of this head is flat.

[019] Figure 2 illustrates the bar unit. The bar unit (20) is comprised of the housing (21) and a lock tongue (22) that is pivotally connected by axis (23) to one end of the housing (21) while the other end is a projecting edge (25) that its shape is trapezoid with inclined sides (25a). [020] The projected end of the lock tongue (22) capable to be elevated (22a) when pushing it up, while the spring (24) press to return it down.

[021] Figures 3A to 3C illustrates the operation of the locking, step by step. Figure 3A illustrates the curtain (30) position before locking, moving down (33). The wall unit (10) is installed on the curtain rail (32) and the bar unit (20) is installed on a stale (31) of the curtain, while the inclined side (25a) of the projected end (25) of the lock tongue is moving toward the wall unit (10).

[022] In figure 3B the curtain (30) continue to move down (33) with the bar unit (20), the inclined edge (25a) elevates the upper arm (13) of the tongs (12) by pushing its convex head (13a) and continue inside the tongs (12). At this point the curtain stops.

[023] Figure 3C illustrates the locked position. The curtain (30) stops moving while the lock tongue (22) is located inside the tongs (12). In this position, it is impossible to open the curtain by pushing it up since the lock tongue (22) could not move up due to the flat bottom (13a) of the upper arm (13) of the tongs (12).

[024] Figures 3D to 3F illustrates the operation of the releasing, step by step. In figure 3D the curtain moves down (33) and the inclined edge (25a) elevates the lower arm (14) of the tongs (12) and allows the curtain and the bar unit (20) to move down for a while until the bar unit (20) will pass the wall unit (10).

[025] In Figure 3E the bar unit (20) is behind the wall unit (10) and now the curtain (30) starts to move up (34).

[026] In Figure 3F the curtain (30) continue to move up (34). The lower arm (14) and the arched contour of the wall unit (10) enforce the lock tongue (22) and the projected end (25) to elevate up and to skid over the wall unit (10), since the housing (21) is shorter it pass the wall unit (10) and the curtain (30) continue to move up (34). The spring (24) pushes the lock tongue (22) back into the housing (21).