Ventilation shutter with louver having sealing lip

Abstract

A ventilation shutter has a frame providing an opening between the exterior and interior of a building. The shutter has a plurality of louvers pivotally mounted in the frame such that each louver is moveable between an open position and a closed position where the bottom edge of one louver engages the top edge of the next lower louver. The top edge of each louver has a sealing lip extending therefrom configured to engage with the bottom edge of the adjacent louver when the plurality of louvers are in the closed position.

1 . A ventilation shutter  10  for use in a building having an exhaust fan that provides air flow from an interior of the building to an exterior of the building, said shutter comprising:
 a frame  12  providing an opening between the exterior and the interior of the building, the frame comprising a top member  14 , a bottom member  16  and side members  18  extending between the top member and the bottom member; 
 a plurality of louvers  20  positioned in the frame, each of the plurality of louvers having a top edge  26 , a bottom edge  28  and outer ends  30 , each louver having a curved shape, wherein each of the plurality of louvers is pivotally mounted in the frame such that each louver is moveable between an open position and a closed position where the bottom edge of one louver engages the top edge of the next lower louver, wherein the top edge has a sealing lip  60  extending therefrom configured to engage with the bottom edge of the adjacent louver when the plurality of louvers are in the closed position. 
 
     
     
         2 . The ventilation shutter of  claim 1  wherein the top edge  26  of each of the plurality of louvers  20  has a pivot crown that has cross sectional area that is greater than other portions of the louver and the sealing lip  60  extends from the pivot crown. 
     
     
         3 . The ventilation shutter of  claim 1  wherein sealing lip  60  has a base arm  64  joined with an engagement arm  66  at elbow  68 , and wherein the engagement arm extends from the base arm so that the elbow forms an angle α of less than 90 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The ventilation shutter of  claim 3  wherein a proximal end  70  of the engagement arm is joined with the base arm and a distal end  72  of the engagement arm extends away from the upper edge to provide an engagement surface  74  that mates with the bottom edge of the adjacent louver when the louvers are in the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The ventilation shutter of  claim 1  wherein the bottom edge of each of the plurality of louver has a sealing tail  62  extending therefrom. 
     
     
         6 . The ventilation shutter of  claim 5  wherein sealing lip  60  contacts the adjacent sealing tail  62  so as to provide a seal between adjacent louvers. 
     
     
         7 . The ventilation shutter of  claim 6  wherein the sealing tail  62  forms a compound geometric shape such that it has a first leg  74  connected with a second leg  76  at a knee  78  and wherein the second leg extends from the first leg so that the knee forms an angle β of greater than 70 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The ventilation shutter of  claim 7  wherein the second leg is oriented such that it mates with the surface of the adjacent louver when the louvers are in the closed position.