Shutter device with flexible lateral edges

1. Shutter device with a shutter intended to close a bay ( 6 ) or other opening, the shutter presenting a plane in a closed position,

with flexible edges ( 2 , 3 ) protruding with respect to the plane of the shutter ( 1 ) and

running in opposing guideways ( 4 , 5 ) having an upper part ( 11 ) and a lower part ( 13 ),

at least one reintroduction element ( 12 ) being provided at the upper part ( 11 ) of at least one of the guideways, allowing the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) to be reintroduced into the guideways ( 4 , 5 ) during an upwards movement of the shutter when these edges ( 2 , 3 ) have become disengaged from the lower part ( 13 ) of the guideways under the action of a force exerted on these edges ( 2 , 3 ) in a direction transverse to the guideways ( 4 , 5 ),

wherein this reintroduction element ( 12 ) has guide members ( 14 , 15 ) with rounded surfaces on their sides facing the lower part ( 13 ) and the at least one guideway respectively, the lateral edges ( 2 , 3 ) being guided by said rounded surfaces during reintroduction of the edges ( 2 , 3 ) into the guideways ( 4 , 5 ),

whereby the guide members ( 14 , 15 ) press against the lateral edges ( 2 , 3 ) over a contact surface ( 37 ) between the guide members ( 14 , 15 ) of the reintroduction element ( 12 ) and the corresponding edge ( 2 , 3 ) during this reintroduction,

wherein the lateral edges ( 2 , 3 ) consist at least partially of an elastomeric material so that the said contact surface ( 37 ) increases as the said force increases, spreading this force over the contact area ( 37 ).

2. Shutter device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the reintroduction element ( 12 ) and the projecting edge ( 2 , 3 ) collaborate with one another in such a way that, as soon as the aforesaid force exerted on the edge ( 2 , 3 ) exceeds a determined value, the said contact area ( 37 ) undergoes displacement with respect to a longitudinal axis of the projecting edge ( 2 , 3 ) situated a certain distance away from the contact area ( 37 ), allowing the edge ( 2 , 3 ) to disengage from the reintroduction element ( 12 ).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) are made of a flexible and deformable shape-memory material so that these edges ( 2 , 3 ) revert to their original shape after deformation under the effect of the aforesaid displacement of the contact area ( 37 ).

4. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) have a Shore A hardness of between 75 and 100.

5. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) are made at least partially of polyurethane.

6. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lateral edges ( 2 , 3 ) of the shutter ( 1 ) are provided with a fibre, optionally glass-fibre or aramid-fibre reinforcement.

7. Device according to claim 6 , characterized in that the aforesaid fibres extend along the length of the said edges ( 2 , 3 ).

8. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the hardness of the edges ( 2 , 3 ) is chosen so that, when a tensile force transverse to the longitudinal direction of the guideways ( 4 , 5 ) is exerted on the said edges ( 2 , 3 ), these edges ( 2 , 3 ) disengage from their corresponding guideway ( 4 , 5 ) without being considerably deformed whereas, when this force exceeds a certain value, these edges ( 2 , 3 ) deform more, temporarily, in order to be able to disengage from the reintroduction element.

9. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the reintroduction element ( 12 ) is mounted elastically on a support so that when the said tensile force exceeds the aforementioned determined value, the reintroduction element ( 12 ) is temporarily displaced under the action of the corresponding edge ( 2 , 3 ) so as to allow the latter to disengage from the reintroduction element ( 12 ).

10. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the reintroduction element ( 12 ) is made of a deformable shape-memory material so that when the said tensile force exceeds the aforementioned determined value, the reintroduction element ( 12 ) is deformed under the action of the corresponding edge ( 2 , 3 ) as the latter disengages from the reintroduction element ( 12 ).

11. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least two reintroduction elements ( 12 ) are provided, arranged on each side of the plane of the shutter.

12. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) are roughly continuous.

13. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) consist of discrete elements extending one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the lateral edges ( 2 , 3 ) of the shutter ( 1 ).

14. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) form part of the shutter ( 1 ).

15. Device according to claim 3 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) have a Shore A hardness of between 75 and 100.

16. Device according to claim 15 , characterized in that the said edges ( 2 , 3 ) are made at least partially of polyurethane.

17. Shutter device according to claim 4 , characterized in that the reintroduction element ( 12 ) and the projecting edge ( 2 , 3 ) collaborate with one another in such a way that, as soon as the aforesaid force exerted on the edge ( 2 , 3 ) exceeds a determined value, the said contact area ( 37 ) undergoes displacement with respect to a longitudinal axis of the projecting edge ( 2 , 3 ) situated a certain distance away from the contact area ( 37 ), allowing the edge ( 2 , 3 ) to disengage from the reintroduction element ( 12 ).