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(11) | EP 1 640 526 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Device for fixing awnings and the like |
| (57) It comprises a piece (2) which includes means for attaching the piece to the awning
and means for attaching the piece to a plate (3) fixed to a wall or the like. The
means for attaching the piece to the plate (3) comprises a hook-shaped profile (5)
in the plate (3), inside which an end (4) of the piece (2) is inserted, so that said
piece (2) pivots with respect to said end (4) until its lower part rests against the
plate (3), the plate (3) including means for blocking said piece (2) to the plate
(3) in the part of the piece (2) which rests against the plate.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Devices for fixing awnings consisting of several plates screwed to the wall and supporting pieces which, in turn, support the rest of the awning, are known. Said plates are usually provided with hook-shaped protruding profiles to which the piece for supporting the awning is engaged.
[0003] These devices have the drawback that, in some occasions, they are difficult to assemble. This is due to the fact that the awning is fixed to the front part of the plates, so it is difficult for the operator to see where the hooks of the plates are situated, the operation of engaging the awning to said hooks being, thus, complicated.
[0004] The assembly operation is even more difficult if the awning is heavy, as the operator has to bear it while trying to engage the fixing piece to the hooks of the plates.
[0005] On the other hand, devices which have upper hooks in the plates fixed to the wall for supporting the awning by means of a piece hanging from it, are also known. These devices ease fixing the awning to the wall, but include additional necessary pieces to attach said piece to the awning, and the resulting assembly is too complex. Moreover, in some occasions, the design of said hooks also makes difficult placing the awning at the supports of the wall.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The aim of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages of the devices known in the art, providing a device for fixing awnings and the like comprising a piece which includes means for attaching the piece to the awning and means for attaching the piece to a plate fixed to a wall or the like, characterized in that the means for attaching the piece to the plate comprises a hook-shaped profile in the plate, inside which an end of the piece is inserted, so that said piece pivots with respect to said end until its lower part rests against the plate, the plate including means for blocking said piece to the plate in the part of the piece which rests against the plate.
[0007] Thanks to these characteristics, the operation of fixing the awning to the wall is much simpler, as the operator only has to insert one of the ends of the fixing piece of the awning inside the hook-shaped profile of the plate fixed to the wall. Subsequently, the piece is pivoted until its lower part rests against the plate and it is fixed. The arrangement is positioned before fixing it thanks to the weight of the awning.
[0008] Moreover, the fixing piece can be coupled to the plate before the awning is fixed to it, so it is not necessary to handle the whole assembly.
[0009] Preferably, the means for blocking said piece comprises at least one orifice in an arm of the plate, the piece resting on said arm and being fixed to it by inserting a screw inside said at least one orifice of the arm of the plate and inside an orifice in the piece.
[0010] Thus, the awning is firmly fixed by its lower part, only a screw is necessary to carry out the operation, as the hook of the plate retains the piece by its upper part.
[0011] Advantageously, the at least one orifice of the arm has a horizontal widened part for adjusting the screw laterally. This allows a correct positioning of the awning with respect to the plate before it is fixed permanently.
[0013] The downward oriented hook-shaped profile allows inserting the end of the piece inside it in an easier way and a more effective attachment of both elements is achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In order to assist the description of all that has been outlined above some drawings are attached which show schematically and solely by way of non-restrictive example a practical case of embodiment of the device of the invention, in which figures 1, 2 and 3 show the driving of the device for fixing awnings of the present invention, and figure 4 is a view of an embodiment of the plate of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] As shown in figures 1, 2 and 3, the device 1 of the present invention comprises a piece 2 and a plate 3 fixed to a wall.
[0016] The piece 2 is designed to support an awning which is attached to it by the fixing points 7, and it includes at its upper part a protrusion forming an end 4 which is received by a reversed hook-shaped profile 5, inside which it is partially retained. Once the end 4 is placed inside said profile 5 by inserting it at its lower part, the piece 2 is pivoted until it rests on an arm 6, which in the illustrated embodiment has a corresponding shape to that of the lower part of the piece 2. Thus, the piece 2 is conveniently positioned thanks to its own weight, without having to use screws or any other similar fixing means.
[0017] As shown, the attachment between the profile and the piece 2 is very easy, as the profile 5 has a downward oriented hook shape which allows the operator inserting the end 4 of the piece 2 inside it by its lower part, moving the piece 2 upwards.
[0018] Subsequently, the operator pivots the piece 2, until it rests over the horizontal arm 6, which also supports the weight of the piece in the vertical direction.
[0019] To secure the piece 2 once it has been placed, the plate 3 and the lower part of the piece 2 are attached by means of a screw 8 housed in orifices 9, 10 in the arm 6 of the plate 3 and in the piece 2. Thus, pivoting of the piece 2 in the opposite sense is prevented.
[0020] Although it is necessary to fix the piece 2 to the plate 3 to prevent possible movement between both elements, the downward oriented hook-shaped profile 5 and the horizontal arm 6 block movement of the piece 2 in the vertical direction even if no fixing screws are used. This provides a more secure attachment between the piece 2 and the plate 3, as disengagement of the plate 3 and the piece 2 shall be more difficult in the event that the screw is removed.
[0021] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the plate of the device 1 of the invention. As it can be seen, the orifices 9, 11 of the plate 3 have a widened part in the longitudinal direction to allow a proper lateral adjust between the piece 2 and the plate 3 before they are fixed permanently, and to change the position of the plate 3 with respect to the wall.
[0022] As it has been shown, the device 1 of the invention allows securing the awning to the profile 3 fixed to the wall in an easy an effective way by means of a single piece 2. The operator only has to place the end 4 of the piece inside the hook-shaped profile 5 of the plate 3, and then pivot it by means of its own weight, until it rests on the arm 6. Therefore, the task of positioning and placing all the fixing elements of the awning is much easier.
1. Device (1) for fixing awnings and the like, comprising a piece (2) which includes
means for attaching the piece to the awning and means for attaching the piece to a
plate (3) fixed to a wall or the like, characterized in that the means for attaching the piece to the plate (3) comprises a hook-shaped profile
(5) in the plate (3), inside which an end (4) of the piece (2) is inserted, so that
said piece (2) pivots with respect to said end (4) until its lower part rests against
the plate (3), the plate (3) including means for blocking said piece (2) to the plate
(3) in the part of the piece (2) which rests against the plate.
2. Device (1), according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for blocking said piece (2) comprises at least one orifice (9) in an arm
(6) of the plate (3), the piece (2) resting on said arm (6) and being blocked to it
by inserting a screw (8) inside said at least one orifice (9) of the arm (6) of the
plate (3) and inside an orifice (10) in the piece (2).
3. Device (1), according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one orifice (9) of the arm (6) has an horizontal widened part for adjusting
the screw (8) laterally.
4. Device (1), according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hook-shaped profile (5) has an inverted hook shape.