Shutter having improved frame composition, and method for manufacture

Abstract

A window shutter incorporates a lightweight composite frame that is particularly resistant to temperature and humidity changes. Members forming the frame are laminations of plastic shell members on one or more face surfaces of an elongate wood-based core. This invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a shutter frame stock, and the finished product. The method is to first prepare a body, and a shell member; the body is elongated, and is made of a wood based material. The shell member is made of plastic and glue is used to affix the shell member onto the face surface of the body, in order to form basic frame stock; the basic frame stock is then further processed to form the profile desired, and to generate the required frame stock.

1 . A method for making frame stock for shutter panels, including the steps of: 
 a) preparing an elongate body comprising a material of wood origin and having a face surface;    b) preparing an elongated shell member made of a plastic material, the shell member having an overall thickness of not less than 2 mm from a base surface, the base surface being shaped to fit against the face surface;    b) affixing the base surface of the shell member onto the face surface of the body to form a workpiece; and    c) shaping the workpiece to a desired contour to form the frame stock.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the affixing is by gluing.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material is selected from the group consisting of ABS, PVC, PC, PE, PP, and PS.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, PVC, PC, PE, PP, and PS.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plastic material further comprises a foaming agent.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plastic material further comprises a filler material.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the filler material comprises diatomaceous earth (DE).  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plastic material is a first plastic material forming an interior portion of the face shell members, the face shell members further comprising a protective cladding formed of a second plastic material, the protective cladding at least partially surrounding the first plastic material.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second plastic material comprises the material selected from the group of  claim 4 .  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plastic material is a first plastic material forming an interior portion of the face shell members, the face shell members further comprising a protective cladding formed of a second plastic material, the protective cladding at least partially surrounding the first plastic material.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second plastic material comprises the material selected from the group of  claim 4 .  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plastic material further comprises a filler material.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the filler material comprises diatomaceous earth (DE).  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plastic material is a first plastic material forming an interior portion of the face shell members, the face shell members further comprising a protective cladding formed of a second plastic material, the protective cladding at least partially surrounding the first plastic material.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second plastic material comprises the material selected from the group of  claim 4 .  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plastic material is a first plastic material forming an interior portion of the face shell members, the face shell members further comprising a protective cladding formed of a second plastic material, the protective cladding at least partially surrounding the first plastic material.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second plastic material comprises the material selected from the group of  claim 4 .  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each shell member is not greater than 6 mm.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body has first and second face surfaces, the step of preparing of the elongated shell member comprises preparing two shell members, and the step of affixing is of respective base surfaces of the shell members to the first and second face surfaces of the body.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body is made of wood.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body is made of LVL.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body is made of plywood.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body is made of OBS.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shell members, prior to shaping, are rectangular in cross section.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shaping comprises machining at least one of the shell members subsequent to the affixing.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shaping comprises molding at least one of the shell members with a non-rectangular cross-section.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the molding comprises extruding.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body also has opposing side faces joining the face surfaces, the method further comprising the steps of preparing two side shell members of a plastic material, each side shell having a base surface, and gluing to affix the base surfaces of the two side shell members onto the two side faces of the body.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the further step of spreading a protective coating on the workpiece subsequent to at least a portion of the shaping step.  
   
   
       30 . A method for making a shutter panel assembly comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a supply of elongate frame stock members;    b) forming a pair of the frame stock member as stiles;    c) forming a pair of the frame stock member as respective top and bottom rails, wherein at least one of the stiles and rails is made from a frame stock member manufactured according to the method of  claim 1;     d) providing a set of louvers;    e) positioning the stiles in parallel spaced relation engaging opposite ends of the louvers; and    f) rigidly joining the rails, respectively, to opposite ends to the stiles to form the shutter panel assembly.    
   
   
       31 . A method for making a shutter assembly includes the steps of: 
 a) providing a mounting frame;    b) providing a plurality of hinges;    c) making one or more shutter panel assemblies according to  claim 29;  and    d) pivotally connecting the one or more shutter panel assemblies to the mounting frame using the hinges to form the shutter assembly.    
   
   
       32 . A frame stock member comprising: an elongate body comprising a wood material and a plurality of shell members affixed and covering respective faces of the elongate body, the shell members each being formed of a plastic material and having an overall thickness of not less than 2 mm.  
   
   
       33 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the shell members are affixed with glue.  
   
   
       34 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the plastic material is ABS.  
   
   
       35 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the plastic material comprises ABS.  
   
   
       36 . The frame stock member of  claim 35 , wherein the plastic material further comprises diatomaceous earth (DE).  
   
   
       37 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , further comprising an outer coating including a sealer and/or a paint.  
   
   
       38 . The frame stock member of  claim 29 , wherein the outer coating comprises a UV inhibitor.  
   
   
       39 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the body is rectangular in cross-section, the faces including front and back elongated surfaces, and two side surfaces, each side surface joining the front and back elongated surfaces of the body, and each of the side surfaces also having a shell member affixed thereon.  
   
   
       40 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the body is made of wood.  
   
   
       41 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the body is made of LVL.  
   
   
       42 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the body is made of plywood.  
   
   
       43 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , wherein the body is made of OBS.  
   
   
       44 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , having a generally L-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       45 . The frame stock member of  claim 32 , having a generally L-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       46 . A shutter panel assembly comprising: 
 a) a pair of stiles formed from the frame stock of  claim 31     b) a set of louvers, opposite ends of the louvers engaging respective ones of the stiles; and    f) a pair of upper and lower rails rigidly joined to opposite ends to the stiles.    
   
   
       47 . A shutter assembly comprising: 
 a) a mounting frame; and    b) one or more shutter panel assemblies according to  claim 46 , each of the shutter panel assemblies being pivotally supported by the mounting frame.    
   
   
       48 . A frame stock member comprising: an elongate body comprising a wood material and having opposing face surfaces, and a plurality of shell members affixed and covering respective faces of the elongate body, the shell members each having an overall thickness of not less than 2 mm and comprising a first thermoplastic containing a quantity of diatomaceous earth (DE) having not more than 2% moisture content by weight, wherein: 
 a) the first thermoplastic also contains a foaming agent and the quantity of DE is between 1% and 40%; or    b) the first thermoplastic is substantially solid and the quantity of DE is between 1% and 70%.    
   
   
       49 . The frame stock member of  claim 48 , wherein at least one of the shell members further comprises a co-extruded protective cladding of a second thermoplastic, the protective cladding at least partially surrounding the first thermoplastic, the first thermoplastic containing a thermoplastic component of the second thermoplastic.