|
(11) | EP 1 533 441 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Sun awning with concealable supporting arms |
| (57) A sun awning having concealable supporting arms has an end element (5) of a flexible
material (3), in a position opposite to a take-up roller (4) in which the end element
(5) accommodates in a longitudinal groove (17) thereof a couple of supporting arms
(6,7), each arm (6,7) having a head (18) and, connected thereto, a longitudinal axis
elongated body (20), said supporting arms (6, 7) being adapted, when the awning is
opened, to connect said end element (5) to fixed anchoring brackets (8,9) by means
of a respective coupling unit (10,11). |
[0002] Nowadays, sun awnings have a take-up roller around which a flexible material is wound. This take-up roller is located high either on a ceiling or a wall e.g. of a balcony or a terrace. Usually two supporting arms of the flexible material are fastened to a railing of the balcony or terrace and serve to keep the flexible material stretched, said supporting arms hooking up an end element which is attached to the flexible material in its edge opposite to the other edge thereof, which is secured to the take-up roller. In general such supporting arms are able to rotate in an angle range of 180 degrees as required by a user.
[0003] The way of anchoring the flexible material by two supporting arms fastened to the railing involves some drawbacks. From a functional point of view, to join the end element of the flexible material with the supporting arms is uncomfortable, sometimes difficult. Moreover, this manner of sustaining the flexible material of the awning can cause injuries to a person operating it. Then, these supporting arms, as they are constantly in sight, are not aesthetically acceptable so that they worsen a building front.
[0005] In particular, an object of the present invention is to change the traditional manner of opening a sun awning.
[0006] Another object of the invention is to make a sun awning that is provided with sustaining means, which is comfortable, efficient, and not susceptible to cause injuries to the person operating it.
[0007] A further object of the invention is to eliminate aesthetic damages of a continuous presence of supporting arms of the awning on railings of the buildings.
[0008] Therefore, according to the invention, a sun awning is provided having concealable supporting arms, in which a flexible material with a determined length and width has a first edge in its length direction which is secured to a take-up roller pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis inside an awning box, and a second edge, which is lengthwise opposite to said first edge and is secured to a horizontal axis end element; the flexible material, when the awning is closed, being fully wound around to the take-up roller, and when the awning is opened, the flexible material being unwound from the take-up roller and the end element being usually connected to a railing or the like, characterised in that said end element accommodates in a first longitudinal groove thereof a couple of supporting arms, each arm having a head and, connected thereto, a longitudinal axis elongated body, said supporting arms being adapted, when the awning is opened, to connect said end element to fixed anchoring brackets by means of a respective coupling unit.
[0009] The present invention will be described with reference to a preferred embodiment, connection being made to the enclosed drawing, in which:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a sun awning according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic cross section view of a sun awning box according to the invention, with the flexible material of the awning being fully wound;
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross section view of a sun awning box according to the invention, with the flexible material of the awning being partially withdrawn;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of an end element with supporting arm of the sun awning according to the invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the end element with supporting arm of the sun awning according to the invention;
Figure 6 is a plan view of a detail of the end element with supporting arm of the sun awning according to the invention;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a coupling unit of the sun awning according to the present invention;
Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling unit in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a diagrammatic side view of the coupling unit in Figure 7, with parts cut away;
Figures 10 to 12 are plan views of components of the coupling unit in Figure 7; and
Figure 13 is a perspective view of a connection element between the end element and the supporting arm of Figures 4 and 5.
[0010] With reference to the drawings, a perspective view of a sun awning according to the invention is shown in Figure 1. The sun awning comprises an awning box 1 which is fastened e.g. to a ceiling of a terrace by a hanger of known type in a location 2. A flexible material 3 of the awning is secured at one of its edges to a take-up roller 4, and can be unwound from and wound on it by means known. An edge of the flexible material 3 opposite to said edge secured to the take-up roller 4 is attached to an end element 5, which has supporting arms 6, 7 connecting the end element 5 to fixed anchoring brackets 8, 9 by respective coupling units 10, 11.
[0011] Reference is made now to Figures 2 and 3, which are cross-section views of the sun awning box 1 according to the present invention, with the flexible material 3 being fully wound on the take-up roller 4, and being partially withdrawn from it, respectively. The internal edge of the flexible material 3 is secured to the take-up roller 4 in a peripheral slot thereof by a first rod 12. The external edge of the flexible material 3 is secured in a corresponding slot formed in the end element 5 by a second rod 13.
[0012] According to the invention, the awning box 1 made from a substantially oval section bar, that in its front portion, i.e. where the profile of the section is tapered, has a wide aperture 14. The front missing portion of the section bar, from which the awning box 1 is made is the end element 5, which is a section bar with the same external shape and dimensions as the aperture 14 of the oval section bar. The rims of the aperture 14 in the section bar are reinforced by section portions that serve also to act as a suitable abutment for the end element 5. Although not described in detail, the end element 5, after being withdrawn from the section bar of the awning box 1, is shown in Figure 3 yet in the awning box by chain.
[0013] As shown in Figure 5, which is a perspective view of the concave part of the end element 5 between two adjacent hollow portions 15, 16, formed in the end element 5 is a central groove portion 17. As seen in Figure 3, the central portion 17 is partially circular so that a substantially spherical head 18 is embraced or enclosed therein. The spherical head 18 is part of an supporting arm 6, 7, an elongated body of which is indicated as 20. The spherical head 18 is connected to the elongated body 20 by a connection 21 (Figures 4 and 5).
[0014] As best shown in Figures 4 to 6, which depict the supporting arm 6, 7 in plan and perspective views, the head 18 is constrained to remain in the central portion or longitudinal groove 17, which is its seat, but also the body 20, essentially a hollow section bar having an elliptic-shape cross-section, is accommodated inside the central portion 17. However, in this central portion 17 the head 18 can rotate about its axis from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 5, after performing a rotation indicated by an arrow F. It is clear that this rotation, which is connected to a greater strength of the supporting arm when it works in a vertical position, thanks to a higher moment of inertia of the elliptic cross-section, might be not required if the supporting arm is chosen of a different shape cross-section of section bar.
[0015] Then, the body 20, which has an axis y substantially coplanar to the axis x of the end element 5, can rotate in a range of 90 degrees, as shown by an arrow G. This permit the end element 5 to be hooked by the anchoring bracket 8, 9 through a coupling unit 10, 11.
[0016] Reference is made to Figure 13, in which a connection member 45, connecting the end element 5 with the supporting arm 6, 7, is shown in a perspective view. The connection member 45 forms a firm and steady ball joint between such components, offering an alternative embodiment to the simple fitting of the head 18 into the central portion 17. The connection member 45 represents a lock seat of the head 18 in the central portion or groove 17 of the end element 5. Therefore, the connection member 45 has a substantially cylindrical external profile, which is provided with protrusions (no longer described) designed to be coupled slidable with the concave profile of the end element 5. The connection member 45 is hollow in its interior and so dimensioned to accommodate the head 18 freely movable therein. The connection member 45 has laterally a cut-out 46 designed to accommodate, in 90 degree rotation of the supporting arm 6, 7 with respect to the position inside the end element 5, the connection 21 between the head 18 and the body 20 of the supporting arm.
[0017] The connection member 45 is locked in desired position inside the end element 5 by a stop dowel (not shown) passing through a hole 47 and fit into a dead hole (not shown) which is performed in the end element 5. The spherical head 18 is constrained inside the connection member 45 by a pin 48, shown with its ends projecting, only for clarity sake, in Figure 13. In operation, the ends of the pin 48 shall be at most flush with the external side profile of the connection member 45.
The coupling unit 10, 11 is shown in detail in Figures 7 to 9, which are a perspective view, an exploded perspective view and a partially cut side view thereof, respectively. The coupling unit 10, 11 connects a supporting arm 6, 7 with an anchoring bracket 8, 9.
[0018] The supporting arm 6, 7, in its end opposite to the spherical head 18, has a partial gear-wheel profile 19 fixed to the body 20 of the supporting arm 6, 7. The gear-wheel profile 19 has a tooth profile 21 similar to that one of a ratchet gear. The gear-wheel profile 19 has a central hole 22 suitable for a pin 23 passing through it. The pin 23 creates an articulation joint for the supporting arm 6, 7, as well as it connects two sandwich parts 24, 25 of the coupling unit 10, 11, to form substantially a sleeve 24-25. Opposite to the gear-wheel profile 19, each fixed anchoring bracket 8, 9 includes an angular element 26 from which a bar 27 with a clutch dog 28 extends toward the coupling unit 10, 11.
[0019] Pivoted about a pin 29 between two sandwich portions 24, 25 of each coupling unit 10, 11 is a pawl 30 adapted to engage the clutch dog 28 of the bar 27, which is accommodated in the sleeve constituted by two sandwich portions 24-25, to couple the arm 6, 7 to the anchoring bracket 8, 9.
[0020] The pawl 30 is best shown with reference to Figure 10, which is a plan view thereof. The pawl 30 comprises a claw portion 31, in which a recess 32 is provided so shaped and dimensioned to engage the clutch dog 28 of the bar 27. The pawl 30 has a hole 33 for the insertion of the pin 29 between two sandwich portions 24, 25. A part in the pawl 30 opposite to the claw portion 31 is designed to contact at the rear a locking lever 34 pivoted with its hole 35 about a pin 36.
[0021] The pawl 30 projects upward by its portion 37 from an upper recess 38 of the sleeve (see Figures 7, 8).
[0022] The locking lever 34 has a surface facing the pawl 30 that is conformed according to an undulated profile 40 with a small protrusion 39. The function of the undulated profile 40 with a small protrusion 39 will be explained below.
[0023] The surface opposite to the profile 40 in the locking lever 34 has an upper portion 41 designed to engage the teeth 21 of the gear-wheel profile 19 and a lower portion 42 charged by a spring 43 housed in the body of sandwich elements 24, 25. The spring 43 is preferably a flat spring.
[0024] It is readily understood that in the coupling unit the pawl 30 engages the clutch dog 28 of the bar 27 in order to create an anchoring connection, and the locking lever 34 engages a respective tooth 21 of the gear-wheel profile 19 of the arm in order to choose the desired inclination of the arm to the horizontal plane of the anchoring bracket.
[0025] The operation of the clutch unit is as follows. In virtue of the spring 43 biasing upward the surface portion 42 of the locking lever 34, the pawl 30 is arranged in the position substantially shown in Figure 9. When the sleeve 24-25 is approached to the bar 27 of the bracket 8, 9, the recess 32 of the pawl 30 engages the clutch dog 28. The portion 37 projects from the recess 38 of the sleeve. The locking lever 34 engages a tooth 21 of the gear-wheel profile 19 connected to the bar 10, 11.
[0026] If one wants to change the tooth 21 in contact with the surface portion 41 of the locking lever 34, he has only to manually press lightly the projection 37 in the pawl 30. A slight lowering downward, as shown in Figure 9, causes the locking lever 34 to be detached from the portion of the gear-wheel 19, allowing the arm to rotate in the desired angular position. In order to confirm this position, it is enough to release the projection 37 from the manual pressure. The pawl 30 is kept engaged with the tooth 28 of the bar 27, and then the end element 5 of the awning is yet anchored. If one wants to remove this anchoring, he has to exert a pressure on the portion 37 greater than before, so that the pawl 30 rotate in such a manner that its protrusion 44 goes beyond the small protrusion 39 on the surface 40 in the locking lever 34. In this condition, the pawl 30 is completely disengaged from the clutch dog 28 and the coupling unit 10, 11 can be detached from the anchoring bracket 8, 9. In order to store the arm 6, 7 in the end element 5, it is enough to position the coupling unit 10, 11 aligned with the body 20 of the arm 6, 7, rotate 90 degrees the arm 6, 7 in the opposite direction to the arrow F in Figure 5, and then rotate 90 degrees in the plane in the opposite direction to the arrow G in order to accommodate the arm 6, 7 in the groove 17 of the end element 5.
[0027] It should be evident that the coupling unit 10, 11 can be manufactured in a more simple way than in the embodiment described. In fact, if one does not wants to angle the arm with respect to the coupling unit, the locking lever of the latter and the relative gear-wheel portion of the arm can be avoided. In this case, it shall be enough to provide the coupling unit with a counteracting spring (not shown) that acts on the pawl 30 to assure the engagement with the clutch dog 28.
1. A sun awning having concealable supporting arms, in which a flexible material (3)
with a determined length and width has a first edge in its length direction which
is secured to a take-up roller (4) pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis inside
an awning box (1), and a second edge, which is lengthwise opposite to said first edge
and is secured to a horizontal axis end element (5); the flexible material (3), when
the awning is closed, being fully wound around to the take-up roller (4), and when
the awning is opened, the flexible material being unwound from the take-up roller
(4) and the end element (5) being usually connected to a railing or the like, characterised in that said end element (5) accommodates in a longitudinal groove (17) thereof a couple
of supporting arms (6, 7), each arm (6, 7) having a head (18) and, connected thereto,
a longitudinal axis elongated body (20), said supporting arms (6, 7) being adapted,
when the awning is opened, to connect said end element (5) to fixed anchoring brackets
(8, 9) by means of a respective coupling unit (10, 11).
2. The sun awning according to claim 1, characterised in that each arm of said couple of supporting arms (6, 7) is fit with its head (18) inside
said longitudinal groove (17) of the end element (5), so that its longitudinal axis
of elongated body (20) is constrained to lie in the same plane as the horizontal axis
of the end element (5) and to rotate in that plane 90 degrees with respect to the end element (5).
3. The sun awning according to claim 1, characterised in that each arm of said couple of supporting arms (6, 7) is fit with its head (18) inside
said longitudinal groove (17) of the end element (5), so that its longitudinal axis
of elongated body (20) is constrained to lie in the same plane as the horizontal axis
of the end element (5) and to rotate in that plane 90 degrees with respect to the end element (5), the supporting arms (6, 7)
being further able to rotate about said its axis of elongated body (20).
4. The sun awning according to each one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said arm head (18) is constrained inside said longitudinal groove (17) with interposition
of a connector (45), as a seat of ball joint, being adapted to be locked in position
in the longitudinal groove (17) of the end element (5).
5. The sun awning according to claim 1, characterised in that each one of said fixed anchoring brackets (8, 9) includes a bar (27) with a clutch
dog (28), and said coupling unit (10, 11) comprises a sleeve (24-25) connected to
said elongated body (20) of supporting arm opposite to said its head (18), said sleeve
(24-25) including, pivoted inside thereto, a pawl (30) that is charged by a spring
to engage said clutch dog (28) in order to couple the supporting arm (6, 7) to the
anchoring bracket (8, 9), said pawl (30) projecting out of said sleeve (24-25) to
achieve a manual detachment by counteracting said spring.
6. The sun awning according to claim 1, characterised in that each one of said fixed anchoring brackets (8, 9) includes a bar (27) with a clutch
dog (28), and said coupling unit (10, 11) comprises a sleeve (24-25) pivotally mounted
on a gear-wheel portion (19) fixed to said elongated body (20) of supporting arm opposite
to said its head (18), said sleeve (24-25) including, pivoted inside thereto, a pawl
(30), projecting out of the sleeve (24-25), designed to engage said clutch dog (28)
in order to couple the supporting arm (6, 7) to the anchoring bracket (8, 9), and
further, also pivoted inside the sleeve (24-25), a locking lever (34) of the spring-charged
position, to set the angular position of the sleeve (24-25) with respect to said gear-wheel
(19), as desired, said locking lever (34) comprising a first portion (41) having a
surface conjugate to that one of the tooth (21) of the gear-wheel portion (19), and
a second portion (40) having an undulated profile, opposite to the first portion (41),
designed to engage said pawl (30), so that, by manually acting on said pawl (30),
first a detachment of the locking lever (34) from the gear-wheel (19) is obtained
and, secondly, after going beyond a stop small protrusion (39) provided in said second
portion (40), the detachment of the pawl (30) from the bar (28) of the anchoring bracket
(8, 9) is achieved.
7. The sun awning according to claim 1, characterised in that said awning box (1) is a section bar having an oval cross-section, in the front portion
of which an aperture (14) reinforced in its shaped rims for accommodating said end
element (5) is provided; said end element (5) being a section having corresponding
dimensions and shape to the aperture (14), to close the awning box (1) along a continuous
profile.