Outdoors curtain and method for actuating a sheet of said curtain

Abstract

 An outdoors curtain (1) comprises a sheet (6), slidably associated to a frame (2), in order to be movable from an extended position, in which the sheet (6) is tensioned, to a retracted position, in which the sheet (6) is folded in "packet" fashion, and vice versa. Said sheet (6) is actuated by a drawing cable (8) and by a holding cable (11), able to be actuated by means of a mechanical or manual actuator, with possibility of placing the sheet (6) in a condition of hyper-tension, when it is in the extended position. A method for actuating a sheet (6) of an outdoors curtain (1), in which the sheet is tensioned, to a retracted position, in which the sheet is folded, and vice versa, comprises a step of applying a traction stress to the sheet (6) in the extended position, to place it in hyper-tension.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an outdoors curtain, comprising:

• a support frame provided with at least one transverse bar, slidably movable between two longitudinal elements;
• a sheet, having one end applied to a fixed portion of the frame or to a load-bearing structure, and one opposite end applied to the transverse bar and slidable relative to the longitudinal elements of the frame, together with the transverse bar, from an extended position, in which the sheet is tensioned, to a retracted position, in which the sheet is folded, and vice versa;
• means for actuating the sheet from the extended position to a retracted position and vice versa.

[0002] The present invention relates also to a method for actuating a sheet of an outdoors curtain, applied to a transverse bar slidable between two longitudinal elements of a frame of the curtain, from an extended position, in which the sheet is tensioned and hence capable of opposing a traction stress, to a retracted position, in which the sheet is folded, and vice versa.

[0003] The field of the present invention is that of outdoor curtains, i.e. curtains able to serve as roofs, to protect persons or objects from the sun and the weather. These curtains comprise a sheet and a frame to support the sheet.

[0004] Within this field, use is frequent of curtains able to be operated in two different operative conditions, depending on whether the shelter provided by the curtain is to be utilised or not; in a first operative condition, the sheet is in extended position, whilst in a second operative condition the sheet is in retracted / closed position. Therefore, said curtains also comprise means for actuating the sheet from one position to the other, said sheet being movable (possibly in slidable fashion) relative to two longitudinal elements of the frame.

[0005] In this light, different technical solutions are known. Some curtains provide for the use a sheet wound on a roller associated to the frame. In these cases, the sheet is actuated from the extended position to the retracted position by a rotation of the roller, and from the retracted position to the extended position by traction means, constituted for example by a cable connected to a transverse bar whereto the sheet is applied, said transverse bar being slidably engaged in the longitudinal elements of the frame.

[0006] Said curtains are effective in protecting from the sun, but they have drawbacks with regard to the need to provide shelter from rain and above all from wind. In the extended position, the sheets are substantially elastic and poorly resistant against wind.

[0007] In other curtains, the sheet is retracted / re-closed in a manner called "in packets" (or "packing"), i.e. in such a way that the sheet, in the retracted position, is substantially folded back onto itself. In a curtain of this kind, to the sheet are transversely applied rigid elements, called windbreaks, which cause the sheet, in the extended position, to be particularly resistant even under adverse weather conditions. However, said "packet" curtains present particular problems with regard to the actuation of the sheet. In this respect, a technical solution is known, described in the patent IT 01299972, which provides for the use of closed belts / chains, housed in the longitudinal elements and actuated by an actuator; in this solution, each longitudinal element inferiorly defines a groove, in which slide latching elements having one end fastened to the chain / belt and one end fastened to the sheet.

[0008] However, said technical solution has some limitations. First of all it is complex to manufacture; moreover, it does not allow to place the sheet in a condition of hyper-tension, when it is in the extended position.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks and to make available an outdoors curtain, of the type with retraction / re-closure of the sheet in the "packet" manner, which is particularly resistant also in the presence of wind or rain, and enables to actuate the sheet in simple and effective fashion.

[0010] Said object is fully achieved by the curtain of the present invention, which is characterised by the content of the claims set out below and in particular in that the actuation means comprise:

• at least one drawing cable, having one end fastened to the frame and wound on a first pulley and the other end connected to the transverse bar so that a rotation of the first pulley in the direction of tensioning of the drawing cable exerts a force on the transverse bar towards the extended position of the sheet;
• at least one holding cable, having one end fastened to the frame and wound on a second pulley and the other end connected to the transverse bar so that a rotation of the second pulley in the direction of tensioning / winding of the holding cable exerts a force on the transverse bar towards the retracted position of the sheet;
• means for winding / unwinding the drawing cable and the holding cable on the respective pulleys;
• elastic means for connecting the drawing cable and the holding cable to the transverse bar.

[0011] An additional object of the present invention is to make available a method for actuating a sheet of an outdoors curtain, with retraction / re-closure of the sheet in the "packet" manner, which is particularly simple and effective and enables also to place the sheet in hyper-tension, in the extended position.

[0012] Said object is fully achieved by the method of the present invention, which is characterised by the content of the claims set out below and in particular in that it comprises the following steps:

• winding (unwinding) a portion of a holding cable, having one end fastened to the frame and the other end connected with the aid of an elastic holding element to the transverse bar, to actuate the sheet from the extended position to the retracted position (from the retracted position to the extended position);
• simultaneous unwinding (winding) a portion of a driving cable, having one end fastened to the frame and the other end connected, with the aid of an elastic holding element, to the transverse bar through a transmission, to actuate the sheet from the extended position to the retracted position (from the retracted position to the extended position);
• winding a further portion of the driving cable, when the sheet is in the extended position, with elastic deformation of said elastic driving cable and hyper-tension of the sheet.

[0013] This and other characteristics shall become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated purely by way of non limiting example in the accompanying drawing tables, in which:

• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a curtain according to the present invention, with the sheet in the extended position;
• Figure 2 shows a bottom perspective view of the curtain of Figure 1, with the sheet in the extended position;
• Figure 3 shows a top perspective view of the curtain of Figure 1, with the sheet in the retracted position;
• Figure 4 shows a bottom perspective view of the curtain of Figure 1, with the sheet in the retracted position;
• Figure 5 shows the means for actuating the curtain of Figure 1 (in the absence of sheet and frame).
• Figure 6 shows an enlargement of a portion of the actuating means of Figure 5;
• Figure 7 shows an enlargement of another portion of the actuating means of Figure 5, interacting with the transverse bar;
• Figure 8 shows the enlargement of Figure 7, in a step of retracting the sheet;
• Figure 9 shows the enlargement of Figure 7, in a step of extending the sheet;
• Figure 10 shows the enlargement of Figure 7, in the step of hyper-extending the sheet.

[0014] In Figures 1 through 4, the reference number 1 designates an outdoors curtain according to the present invention. The curtain 1 comprises a support frame 2, able to be associated to a wall or to various (substantially known) support elements. The frame 2, in turn, comprises a fixed transverse element, preferably but not necessarily constituted by a box body 3, and two longitudinal elements 4, fastened to the ends of the box body 3 (or of said fixed transverse element) and substantially perpendicular relative to it. The longitudinal elements 4 define guides (or grooves) in which a transverse bar 5 is slidably engaged. Said guides (or grooves) are defined by the longitudinal elements 4 in preferably lateral position, i.e. on mutually opposite surfaces, facing each other, of the longitudinal elements 4. The curtain 1 also comprises a sheet 6, applied to the transverse bar 5 and connected, at an opposite end, to the box body 3. The sheet 6 is movable relative to the frame 3 and in particular relative to the shaft 13 and to the longitudinal elements 4, from an extended position, in which the frame 6 is tensioned, to a retracted position, in which the sheet 6 is folded back, and vice versa. The movement of the sheet 6 is determined by the sliding of the transverse bar 5; the sheet 6 has one end applied to a fixed portion of the frame 2 (e.g. the box body 3) and an opposite end applied to the transverse bar 5.

[0015] Therefore, the sheet 6 defines a retractable roof and it is preferably, but not necessarily, made of fabric. Thus, the sheet 6 is movable between two operative positions: an extended position (Figures 1 and 2), in which the sheet is tensioned and covers the underlying area, and a retracted position (Figures 3 and 4), in which the sheet is folded back and it leaves the underlying area uncovered. In the folded back position, the sheet 6 assumes a "packet" or "accordion" configuration, said configuration being known in itself within the field of outdoors curtains.

[0016] The curtain 1 also comprises means 7 for actuating the sheet 6 from the extended position to the retracted position and vice versa. Said actuating means, shown in Figures 5 through 10, comprise at least one driving cable 8, having one end fastened to the frame 2 and wound on a first pulley 9 and the other end connected to the transverse bar 5, in such a way that a rotation of the first pulley 9 in the direction of tensioning of the drawing cable 8 exerts a force on the transverse bar 5 towards the extended position of the sheet 6. The driving cable 8 interacts with a transmission 10 (constituted, alternatively, by a pulley or by a slide), associated preferably to the frame 2 substantially at one end of one of said longitudinal elements 4. In this way, a winding of a portion of the driving cable 8 on the first pulley 9 causes a displacement of the bar 5 away from the box body 3, with consequent corresponding folding of the sheet 6 or of a portion thereof.

[0017] Moreover, the actuating means 7 comprise at least one holding cable 11, having one end fastened to the frame 2 and wound on a second pulley 12 and the other end connected to the transverse bar 5 so that a rotation of the second pulley 12 in the direction of tensioning / winding of the holding cable 11 exerts a force on the transverse bar 5 towards the retracted position of the sheet 6. The holding cable 11 is connected to the transverse bar 5 in substantially direct fashion, i.e. without transmissions, therefore a winding of one portion of the holding cable 11 on the second pulley 12 causes a displacement of the bar 5 towards the box body 3, with consequent extension of the sheet 6 or of a portion thereof.

[0018] Note that the driving cable 8 is wound on the first pulley 9 in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of winding of the holding cable 11 on the second pulley 12. In this way, to a winding of a first portion of the driving cable 8 corresponds an unwinding of a corresponding portion of the holding cable 11, and vice versa.

[0019] The actuating means 7 also comprise means for winding / unwinding the drawing cable 8 and the holding cable 11 on the respective pulleys. Such means comprise, in a preferred embodiment, a shaft 13 for driving the pulleys (9 and 12), the pulleys being coaxial relative to the shaft 13; said drive shaft 13 is operatively associated to an actuator, constituted by en electric motor or, alternatively, to a manual winch (not shown because they are known in themselves).

[0020] In alternative embodiments, the first pulley 9 and the second pulley 12 are not coaxial, but driven by the same actuator; said pulleys can also be driven by two different actuators, autonomously operated, in which case it is not necessary for the driving cable 8 and the holding cable 11 to be wound on the respective pulleys in mutually opposite directions.

[0021] The actuation means 7 also comprise elastic means, operatively active between the cables (the driving cable 8 and the holding cable 11) and the transverse bar 5. In particular, said elastic means comprise an elastic driving element 14 and an elastic holding element 15.

[0022] The elastic driving element 14 is constituted for example by one or more springs, or rubber bands, or gas pistons, which may be positioned in parallel, and it has a first end operatively connected to the driving cable 8 and a second end fastened to the transverse bar 5. The elastic holding element 15 is constituted for example by a spring, by a rubber band, by a gas piston or by an elastic cable, which may be a part of the holding cable 11 itself, and it has a first end that is operatively connected to the holding cable 11 and a second end fastened to the transverse bar 5. Therefore, said elastic elements can be connected in series to the respective cables or also in parallel to a portion of the cables, indifferently.

[0023] Note that the curtain 1 preferably contains a plurality of substantially rigid rod-like elements 16 transversely applied to the sheet 6. Said rod-like elements 16, called windbreaks, are able to confer particular strength to the sheet 6, especially in case of adverse weather conditions.

[0024] In the illustrated embodiment, the actuation means 7 are wholly housed within the frame 2 and the transverse bar 5, so they are not visible. In particular, at least a first portion of the driving cable 8 is housed inside one of the longitudinal elements 4 of the frame 2 and possibly in the box body 3, whilst a remaining portion is housed inside the transverse bar 5, together with the elastic driving element 14. In the same way, at least a first portion of the holding cable 11 is housed within one of said longitudinal elements 4 of the frame 2 and possibly in the box body 3, whilst a remaining portion is housed inside the transverse bar 5, together with the elastic holding element 15. Note that in an embodiment that is not illustrated herein, the driving cable 8 and/or the holding cable 11 are supported / guided outside the longitudinal elements 4, by means of appropriate supporting and guiding elements fastened to the longitudinal elements 4.

[0025] In the illustrated embodiment, the transverse bar 5 also comprises sliding blocks 17, slidably engaged in the guides defined by the longitudinal elements 4. Moreover, the curtain 1 preferably, but not necessarily, comprises a plurality of latching elements (not shown in the figures, for they are known in themselves), operatively connected to at least one edge of the sheet 6 and slidably engaged in the longitudinal elements 4. Said latching elements can be fastened directly to a lateral edge of the sheet 6; however, in a preferred embodiment, the latching elements are fastened to opposite ends of the rod-like elements 16. Note that the number of said latching elements determines the number of folds defined by the sheet 6 when it is in the retracted, packet-like position.

[0026] The transverse bar 5 also comprises one or more fastening elements 18 translatable in transverse direction, constituted for example by screws, movable associated to a guide defined by the transverse bar 5. Said fastening elements 18 are to anchor the driving cable 8 and the holding cable 11 to the transverse bar 5. Note that, in a preferred embodiment (the one illustrated herein), the curtain 1 comprises two driving cables 8 and two holding cables 11. Each pair of cables (a driving cable and a holding cable) is preferably housed inside one of the two longitudinal elements 4 and (when present) to the box body 3, of the frame 2. Alternatively, each pair of cables can be supported / guided outside the transverse elements 4, by means of supporting and guiding element fastened to the transverse elements 4.

[0027] Each cable is wound on its own pulley; therefore, the curtain 1 comprises two pairs of pulleys, connected to opposite ends of the shaft 13; each pair of pulleys comprises a first pulley 9 and a second pulley 12, as described above.

[0028] The sheet 6, when it is in the folded position, or in a partially folded intermediate position, substantially offers no resistance to traction, i.e. to a force applied to the transverse bar 5 in a direction of separation of the bar from the box body 3. On the contrary, when the sheet 6 is in the extended position, it is able to offer resistance to traction stresses. In this light, it is observed that a possible application of a traction stress to the sheet 6, when it is in the extended position, would advantageously entail placing the sheet 6 in a condition of hyper-tension, able to provide particular strength / stiffness to the sheet 6 with.

[0029] In this light, the presence of the elastic means originally assures the capability of placing the sheet 6 in a condition of hyper-tension, when it is in the extended position. When the sheet 6 is in the extended position, an action on the actuation means 7 to wind an additional portion of the driving cable 8, with corresponding application of a force on the transverse bar 5 away from the box body 3, causes an elastic deformation, i.e. an elongation, of the elastic driving element 14 and a corresponding elastic deformation, i.e. a shortening, of the elastic holding element 15 (as shown in Figure 10). In this circumstance, the elastic holding element 15 serves the purpose of facilitating the recovery of the holding element 11, whilst the elastic driving element 14 serves the purpose of exercising said hyper-tension stress on the transverse bar 5 and hence on the sheet 6.

[0030] The curtain 1 of the present invention comprises a sheet 6 for covering and protecting an underlying area against the wind, which is advantageously movable from an extended position, in which it is tensioned, to a retracted position, in which it is folded in "packet" fashion, and vice versa; said actuation being operated by means of cables, with the possibility of placing the sheet 6 under hyper-tension, when it is in the extended position.

[0031] The present invention also makes available a method for actuating a sheet 6 of an outdoors curtain 1, applied to a transverse bar 5 slidable between two longitudinal elements 4 of a frame 2 of the curtain 1, from an extended position, in which the sheet 6 is tensioned and hence capable of opposing a traction stress, to a retracted position, in which the sheet is folded, and vice versa.

[0032] Said method originally comprises a step of winding a portion of a holding cable 11, having one end fastened to the frame 2 and the other end connected with the aid of an elastic holding element 15 to the transverse bar 5, to actuate the sheet 6 from the extended position to the retracted position. Said step is illustrated in Figure 8.

[0033] Said method also comprises a step of winding a portion of a driving cable 8, having one end fastened to the frame 2 and the other end connected, through an elastic driving element 14, to the transverse bar 5 through a transmission 10 (so that a tension applied to said cable imparts a force on the transverse bar 5 towards the extended position); said step (shown in Figure 9) enables to actuate the sheet 6 from the extended position to the retracted position.

[0034] The method also provides, originally, a step of winding a further portion of the driving cable 8, when the sheet 6 is in the extended position, causing the deformation of said elastic driving cable 14 and placing the sheet 6 in a condition of hyper-tension. Said step is illustrated in Figure 10.

[0035] Said method comprises, during the step of winding a portion of the holding cable 11, the unwinding a corresponding portion of the driving cable 8.

[0036] Similarly, during the step of winding a portion of the driving cable 8, a corresponding portion of the holding cable 11 is unwound. Moreover, during the step of winding said further portion of the driving cable 8 (hyper-tensioning step), said elastic holding element 15 is deformed, thereby favouring the winding / recovery of the holding cable 11 at the end of the hyper-tensioning step, or in a subsequent step of folding the sheet 6.

[0037] The curtain 1 of the present invention advantageously enables to operate an outdoors curtain 1 actuating a sheet 6 for covering and protecting an underlying area against the wind, from an extended position, in which the sheet 6 is tensioned, to a retracted position, in which the sheet 6 is folded in "packet" fashion, and vice versa; said actuation being operated by means of cables, with the possibility of placing the sheet 6 under hyper-tension, when it is in the extended position.

Claims

1. Outdoors curtain (1), comprising:

- a support frame (2) provided with at least one transverse bar (5), slidably movable between two longitudinal elements (4);

- a sheet (6) having one end applied to a fixed portion of the frame (2), or to a load-bearing structure, and one opposite end applied to the transverse bar (5) and slidable relative to the longitudinal elements (4) of the frame (2), together with the transverse bar (5), from an extended position, in which the sheet (6) is tensioned, to a retracted position, in which the sheet (6) is folded, and vice versa;

- means (7) for actuating the sheet (6) from the extended position to the retracted position and vice versa,

characterised in that the actuating means (7) comprise:

- at least one drawing cable (8), having one end fastened to the frame (2) and wound on a first pulley (9) and the other end connected to the transverse bar (5) so that a rotation of the first pulley (9) in the direction of tensioning of the drawing cable (8) exerts a force on the transverse bar (5) towards the extended position of the sheet (6);

- at least one holding cable (11), having one end fastened to the frame (2) and wound on a second pulley (12) and the other end connected to the transverse bar (5) so that a rotation of the second pulley (12) in the direction of tensioning / winding of the holding cable (12) exerts a force on the transverse bar (5) towards the retracted / folded position of the sheet (6);

- means for winding / unwinding the drawing cable (8) and the holding cable (11) on the respective pulleys;

- elastic means for connecting the drawing cable (8) and the holding cable (11) to the transverse bar (5).

2. Curtain as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said winding / unwinding means comprise a motorised or manual actuator, the driving cable (8) being wound on the first pulley (9) in a direction contrary to the direction of winding of the holding cable (11) on the second pulley (12), said first and second pulley being actuated by the same actuator in such a way that to the winding (unwinding) of the drawing cable (8) on the first pulley (9) corresponds the unwinding (winding) of the holding cable (11) on the second pulley (12).

3. Curtain as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it comprises a transmission / pulley (10) associated to the frame (2) substantially at one end of one of said longitudinal elements (4) and interacting with the driving cable (8).

4. Curtain as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that said elastic means comprise:

- an elastic driving element (14), having one end operatively connected to the driving cable (8) and one end fastened to the transverse bar (5);

- an elastic holding element (15), having one end operatively connected to the driving cable (11) and one end operatively connected to the transverse bar (5).

5. Curtain as claimed in claim 4, wherein said elastic elements (14 and 15) are constituted by springs, or elastic cables, or gas pistons.

6. Curtain as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that the sheet (6), in the retracted position, is folded back on itself in so-called "packet" fashion.

7. Curtain as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of substantially rigid rod-like elements (16) applied to the sheet (6) transversely, and simultaneously slidable in the longitudinal elements (4).

8. Curtain as claimed in any of the previous claims, wherein at least a first portion of the driving cable (8) is housed within one of said longitudinal elements (4) of the frame (2) and at least a first portion of the holding cable (11) is housed within one of said longitudinal elements (4) of the frame (2).

9. Curtain as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of substantially latching elements operatively connected to at least one edge of the sheet (6) and slidably engaged in the longitudinal elements (4).

10. Curtain as claimed in claim 9, wherein said latching elements are fastened to opposite ends of substantially rigid rod-like elements (16) applied transversely to the sheet (6).

11. Curtain as claimed in any of the previous claims, wherein the longitudinal elements (4) of the frame (2) define on their lateral surfaces, facing each other, guides / grooves in which the transverse bar (5) is slidably engaged.

12. A method for actuating a sheet (6) of an outdoors curtain (1), applied to a transverse bar (5) slidable between two longitudinal elements (4) of a frame (2) of the curtain (1), from an extended position, in which the sheet (6) is tensioned and hence capable of opposing a traction stress, to a retracted position, in which the sheet (6) is folded, and vice versa,
characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

- winding (unwinding) a portion of a holding cable (11), having one end fastened to the frame (2) and the other end connected with the aid of an elastic holding element (15) to the transverse bar (5), to actuate the sheet (6) from the extended position to the retracted position (from the retracted position to the extended position);

- simultaneous unwinding (winding) a portion of a driving cable (8), having one end fastened to the frame (2) and the other end connected, with the aid of an elastic driving element (14), to the transverse bar through a transmission (10), to actuate the sheet (6) from the extended position to the retracted position (from the retracted position to the extended position);

- winding a further portion of the driving cable (8), when the sheet (6) is in the extended position, with elastic deformation of said elastic driving element (14) and hyper-tension of the sheet (6).

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that, during the step of winding said additional portion of the driving cable (8), it comprises a deformation of said elastic holding element (15).

Drawing