Covering device

Abstract

A covering device comprises a 1st cover which has a plurality of 1st slats interconnected in an articulated manner and a 2nd cover which has a plurality of 2nd slats interconnected in an articulated manner. The covers can each be adjusted between a rest position and a covering position, said covers facing each other with slat end faces when in the covering position. At least one of the 1st slats comprises a 1st engagement part on its end face facing the 2nd slats and at least one of the 2nd slats comprises a 2nd engagement part on its end face facing the 1st slats, said 1st engagement part being able to be brought to engage with the 2nd engagement part such that the first cover is connected to the 2nd cover.

Claims

1. A covering device (10), comprising: a first cover (11) having first and second lateral edges and comprising a plurality of first slats (13) which are hingedly connected to one another along longitudinal edges thereof, each of the first slats (13) having a first end face (13a); a second cover (12) having first and second lateral edges and comprising a plurality of second slats (14) which are hingedly connected to one another along longitudinal edges thereof, each of the second slats (14) having a second end face (14a); a first engagement part (15) provided on the first end face (13a) of a plurality of the first slats (13); and a second engagement part (16) provided on the second end face (14a) of a plurality of the second slats (14), wherein the covers (11,12) can be moved between a retracted, rest position and a deployed, covering position, and wherein one of the lateral edges of the first cover engages an adjacent one of the lateral edges of the second cover in the deployed, covering position, characterized in that, when the covers (11,12) are moved into their deployed, covering position, adjacent first slats (13) of the first cover (11) and adjacent second slats (14) of the second cover 12) pivot about an axis (X,Y) which is defined by their hinged connections, which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective slats (13, 14), and the first engagement parts (15) connect with the second engagement parts (16) by this pivoting as the first cover (11) engages the second cover (12).

2. The covering device as in claim 1, wherein the 1st engagement parts (15) and the 2nd engagement parts (16) seal a gap (17) between the 1st cover (11) and the 2nd cover (12) when in the deployed, covering position.

3. The covering device as in claim 1, wherein the 1st engagement part (15) is in positive engagement with the 2nd engagement part (16) when in the deployed, covering position.

4. The covering device as in claim 1, wherein the 1st engagement part (15) of one of the plurality of 1st slats (13) is engaged with the 1st engagement part (15) of an adjacent one of the plurality of 1st slats (13) when in the deployed, covering position.

5. The covering device as in claim 1, wherein the 2nd engagement part (16) of one of the plurality of 2nd slats (14) is engaged with the 2nd engagement part (16) of an adjacent one of the plurality of 2nd slats (14) when in the deployed, covering position.

6. The covering device as in claim 1, wherein the 1st engagement part (15) of one of the plurality of 1st slats (13) engages two 2nd engagement parts (16) of at least one of the plurality of 2nd slats (14) when in the deployed, covering position.

7. The covering device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second slats define a central, longitudinal axis, at least one of said first and second slats being connected with at least one of the other of the first and second slats whose axis aligns or intersects therewith.

8. The covering device as in claim 1, wherein the 1st cover (11) and the 2nd cover (12) are arranged relative to each other at an angle between 30? and 180? when in the deployed covering position.

9. The covering device as in claim 1, wherein the 1st cover (11) and the 2nd cover (12) are arranged relative to each other at an angle between 60? and 120? when in the deployed covering position.

10. The covering device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second slats define a central, longitudinal axis, at least one of said first and second slats being connected with at least one of the other of the first and second slats whose axis do not align or intersect therewith.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1. A detail of a 1st and a 2nd cover in the 1st phase of engagement of the 1st and 2nd engagement parts,

(3) FIG. 2. a 2nd phase of the engagement of the 1st and 2nd engagement parts,

(4) FIG. 3. a 3rd phase of the engagement of the 1st and 2nd engagement parts,

(5) FIG. 4. a 4th phase of the engagement of the 1st and 2nd engagement parts, and

(6) FIG. 5. a 5th phase of the engagement of the 1st and 2nd engagement parts.

(7) FIG. 6. as FIG. 1, with additional partial section to depict the hinged connection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a detail of the covering device 10 according to the invention, which has a 1st cover 11 in form of a 1st roller shutter and a 2nd cover 12 in form of a 2nd roller shutter. The 1st cover 11 has a plurality of parallel 1st slats 13, which are conventionally connected in an articulated manner. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the 1st slats 13 are hingedly connected to one another along their adjacent longitudinal edges by a hinge (22), which is formed by an upwardly extending flange with a downwardly opening hook 13b on the upper edge of the slat 13 and a bent hook 13c on the lower edge of the adjacent slat 13. Thus the slats 13 can pivot relative to each other about an axis X, which is defined by the hinge 22 and which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slats 13. Each slat 13 comprises a 1st engagement part 15 at its lateral end face 13a facing the 2nd cover 12. The 1st engagement part 15 is inserted into the associated hollow profile of the 1st slat 13, and comprises a recess 18 in its lower end region and a laterally protruding engagement ridge 20.

(9) The 2nd cover 12 also has a plurality 2nd slats 14 arranged parallel to each other, which are connected in an articulated manner as described and can pivot relative to each other about an axis Y, which is defined by the hinge 23, which is formed by an upwardly extending flange with a downwardly opening hook 14b on the upper edge of the slat 14 and a bent hook 14c on the lower edge of the adjacent slat 14, as shown in FIG. 6. A 2nd engagement part 16 each is mounted to the respective end face 14a of the 2nd slat 14, for instance by being inserted into the related 2nd slat 14 formed as a hollow profile. The 2nd engagement part 16 also comprises an engagement ridge 21 and a tab 19 at its top that can be brought into engagement with the recess 18 of the 1st engagement part 15.

(10) Both the 1st cover 11 and the 2nd cover 12 can be adjusted from a rest position, for example a position rolled up on a shaft that is not shown, to a covering position in which the respective 1st or 2nd slats each form a usually vertical covering wall. While lowering the 1st cover 11 from the rest position to the covering position, the adjacent 1st slats 13 pivot relative to each other about an axis X, in that each 1st slat 13 in the depicted embodiment moves from a mostly horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation as indicated by arrow A. At the same time, the adjacent 2nd slats 14 pivot similarly relative to each other about an axis Y while lowering the 2nd cover 12 from the rest position and the covering position as indicated by arrow B in FIG. 1.

(11) FIGS. 1 to 5 show the covering device 10 in various phases of being lowered from the rest position to the covering position, wherein the 1st cover 11 moves from top to bottom as indicated by arrow A and the 2nd cover 12 moves from top to bottom as indicated by arrow B.

(12) FIG. 1 shows three 1st slats 13 and three 2nd slats 14, wherein a 1st slat 13 and a 2nd slat 14 form a slat pair each as they interact, so that a lower 1st slat pair P1, a middle 2nd slat pair P2, and a top 3rd slat pair P3 are depicted in FIG. 1. For the lower 1st slat pair P1, and the middle 2nd slat pair P2, the slats 13, 14 are already oriented vertically. The relating 1st and 2nd engagement parts 15, 16 are already engaged with each other and mutually support slats 13, 14. As shown in FIG. 1, the gap 17 formed between the two covers 11 and 12 in the vertical direction of the slats 13 and 14 is completely sealed by the engaged engagement parts 15, 16. The two slats 13 and 14 of the top 3rd slat pair P3 are still in the horizontal orientation and are pivoted into a vertical orientation during the further downward movement of the covering device 10, as indicated by the arrows A and B in FIG. 2.

(13) The following is a detailed description of the movement performed by the two slats 13 and 14 of the top 3rd slat pair P3, which engage with each other via their engagement parts 15 and 16 as they are stood upright into the vertical position.

(14) In the initial position depicted in FIG. 1, a tab 19 freely protrudes upwards from the 2nd engagement part 16 of the middle 2nd slat pair P2. Since both slats 13 of the top slat pair P3 are still in their horizontal orientation, the two engagement parts 15 and 16 are also not yet engaged. When the two covers 11 and 12 are moved downwards in a synchronized manner pursuant to FIG. 1, both slats 13 and 14 of the top 3rd slat pair P3 pivot into a vertical orientation as indicated by arrows A and B. In a 1st phase of this uprighting motion, as shown in FIG. 2, the recess 18 of the 1st engagement part 15 partially engages with the tab 19 of the 2nd engagement part 16 of the 2nd middle slat pair P2. This situation is depicted in FIG. 2.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a further, subsequent phase of the operation, wherein the two slats 13 and 14 of the top 3rd slat pair P3 are each in a partially upright position at an angle of approximately 45?. The two engagement parts 15 and 16 move towards each other and tab 19 engages even further into recess 18. The top of FIG. 3 already shows the next, 4th slat pair P4, which is subsequently engaged in the same manner.

(16) In FIG. 4, the two slats 13 and 14 have almost reached their vertical orientation. At this point, the two engagement ridges 20 and 21 engage with each other. As the covering device 10 continues to move downward, the two engagement ridges 20 and 21 engage completely, so that the gap 17 between the two slats 13 and 14 of the 3rd slat pair P3 is now completely sealed, as depicted in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 again shows the state in FIG. 1 with cover 10 having shifted downwards by one slat pair and slats 13 and 14 of the following 4th slat pair P4 now lining up to engage with each other.