Column system and screen device comprising one or more such column systems

Abstract

 The invention relates to a column system, comprising a column (10) and one or more attachment elements (11, 12) which are intended to be fitted to said column (10), wherein said column (10) is provided on its outer surfaces (outer periphery) with at least one stop (13), and one or more of said attachment elements (11, 12) are provided, on their outer surfaces, with at least one part (14), at least a portion of which, in the assembled state, adjoins the stop (13), wherein said column (10) is provided with one or more prism-shaped cavities (18) which extend towards the inside of the column (10) and of which said stops (13) form part, and wherein said attachment elements comprise slat guides, screen guides, finishing profiled sections or securing profiled sections for guiding and finishing a screen device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a column system comprising a column and one or more attachment elements which are intended to be fitted to said column.

[0002] The invention also relates to a screen device provided with one or more such column systems.

[0003] Screen devices of this type are generally set up in order to shield an outdoor location from adverse weather conditions. For example, screen devices of this type are often set up at residential dwellings, restaurants, shops and the like in order to shield an outdoor terrace or a location where goods for sale are located from sun, precipitation and wind. These screen devices can therefore be designed in the form of awnings, pergolas, terrace covers and the like having the features listed above.

[0004] A screen device of this type comprises a roof structure. This roof structure is generally provided with one or more roof structure elements and at the front and rear edges is provided with a virtually horizontally disposed beam of single-part or multi-part design, each of the beams being connected to said roof structure elements. The roof structure, and therefore likewise the roof structure elements that form part of it, are preferably positioned at a sloping angle. However, this need not necessarily be the case. The roof structure/roof structure elements may equally well be disposed virtually horizontally.

[0005] If the screen device is intended to be fitted to an existing wall, the rear beam is fixed to the existing wall by means of a securing system. At that time, the front beam is supported by one or more columns. It is preferable for a column of this type to be located at each of the ends of the front beam, in order to support these ends. It is possible for the front beam, at these ends, to project longitudinally a certain distance beyond the columns. If the screen device is free-standing, the rear beam is also supported by one or more columns, preferably two columns located at either end of the rear beam in order to support said ends.

[0006] If one or more screens which can be rolled up and unrolled and are moved back and forth between the roof structure elements are arranged between said roof structure elements, the abovementioned top beam is designed as a screen case which is provided with a space to accommodate one or more screen rollers on which are arranged the screens that can be rolled up and unrolled.

[0007] Likewise, if one or more screens are arranged between the front columns mentioned above, the front beam is designed as a front bar that is provided with a space to accommodate one or more screen rollers on which are arranged said screens that can be rolled up and unrolled.

[0008] If it is desirable for one or more screens that can be rolled up and unrolled to be arranged on the sides of the screen device, as seen from the front, the screen device, at the sides, preferably comprises a side screen case which is provided with a space for accommodating one or more screen rollers on which are arranged the screens that can be rolled up and unrolled.

[0009] However, it should be noted that it is not always necessary for screens that can be rolled up and unrolled to be arranged at all the locations referred to above. It is also possible to opt for panels of, for example, glass, plastic, wood, metal or a combination thereof to be arranged between or against the roof structure elements and/or columns at one or more locations.

[0010] It is preferable for a bottom slat, which is guided in a slat guide at both its ends, to be arranged at the bottom side of the screens that can be rolled up and unrolled at the locations of the screen device where said screens are located. These slat guides may be manufactured separately and then fitted to the roof structure elements and/or the columns. It is also possible for the slat guides to be manufactured integrally with the roof structure elements and/or the columns. It is preferable for the lateral sides of the screens also to be guided in screen guides. For this purpose, all said screens may be provided on their lateral sides with a thickened portion, preferably designed as half of a zip fastener. However, this is not necessary but guiding the lateral sides of the screens inside screen guides ensures that the screen is always held taut.

[0011] One problem which arises when fitting these slat guides and/or screen guides to the columns is that there are manufacturing tolerances in the guides and columns to which they are fitted. The slat guides and/or screen guides need to be aligned as accurately as possible with the columns despite these tolerances. This problem generally also arises with a column system provided with a column and one or more attachment elements that are intended to be fitted to said column.

[0012] JP 2003119880 describes a support column in which are arranged cavities for guiding and accommodating wires. A covering strip covers the cavities. However, this column is unsuitable for robust assembly and alignment of attachment elements of a screen device.

[0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide a column system, comprising a column and one or more attachment elements which are intended to be fitted to said column, wherein the alignment of one or more outer surfaces of said attachment elements with one or more outer surfaces of the column is optimized and the tolerances involved in manufacture of the column and the attachment elements can be compensated for.

[0014] The object of the invention is achieved by providing a column system, comprising a column and one or more attachment elements which are intended to be fitted to said column, characterized in that said column is provided on its outer surfaces with at least one stop, and one or more of said attachment elements are provided on their outer surfaces with at least one part, at least a portion of which, in the assembled state, adjoins the stop, wherein said column is provided with one or more prism-shaped cavities which extend towards the inside of the column and of which said stops form part, and wherein said attachment elements comprise slat guides, screen guides, finishing profiled sections or securing profiled sections for guiding and finishing a screen device.

[0015] By providing the column with a stop of this type and providing said attachment elements with one or more parts which adjoin the stop in the assembled state, it is possible to compensate for the tolerances associated with the manufacture of said components, and the attachment elements are always virtually perfectly aligned with the column to which they are fitted.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of a column system according to the invention, said cavities are of bar-shaped design.

[0017] The provision of cavities in the shape of a bar has advantages from the perspective of manufacturing technology, since such cavities are easy to produce.

[0018] To make it easy to fit the attachment elements to said columns, it is preferable for said stops to form one of the legs of a right angle, and said parts preferably also form one of the legs of a right angle, such that the two right angles can be very easily fitted together.

[0019] In this way, the slat guides are virtually perfectly aligned with the column to which they are fitted, so that the tolerances involved in producing the slat guides and the column are efficiently compensated for.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of a column system according to the invention, said column systems comprise one or more screen guides for guiding the lateral sides of the screens which extend between the columns, wherein said column is provided on its outer surfaces with at least one stop and one or more of said screen guides are provided on their outer surfaces with at least one part which at least over a portion, in the assembled state, adjoins said stop.

[0021] In this way, the screen guides are virtually perfectly aligned with the column to which they are fitted, and the tolerances involved in producing the screen guides and the columns can be efficiently compensated for.

[0022] In the present patent application, the assembly comprising a column and the screen guides/slat guides and the finishing profiled sections that can be fitted to these columns in the assembled state, as well as the connection means and fixing means, are referred to as a column system. The screen guides and slat guides and the finishing profiled sections are considered to be attachment elements.

[0023] It should be noted that the screen guides and slat guides which are fitted to said columns are often one and the same. However, this is not necessarily the case. Said guides may also be provided separately and may each be fitted to the columns separately.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of a column system according to the invention, the column systems comprise one or more finishing profiled sections which are intended to be fitted to a respective column, wherein said column is provided on its outer surfaces with at least one stop, and one or more of said finishing profiled sections are provided on their outer surfaces with at least one part, at least a portion of which, in the assembled state, adjoins said stop.

[0025] In this way, the finishing profiled sections are also perfectly aligned with the column to which said finishing profiled sections are fitted.

[0026] In a more preferred embodiment of a column system according to the invention, said column systems comprise connection means for connecting said finishing profiled sections to said screen guides and/or slat guides.

[0027] In a particular embodiment of a column system according to the invention, said column systems comprise fixing means for connecting said screen guides and/or slat guides and said finishing profiled sections to said columns.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of a column system according to the invention, said columns are provided on their outer surfaces with one or more cavities extending towards the inside of the columns, wherein said stops form part of said cavities, and one or more end pieces can be arranged in these cavities wherein said end piece have a thickness that is less than or equal to the depth of the respective cavities into which these end pieces are introduced.

[0029] In an advantageous embodiment of a column system according to the invention, said column systems comprise one or more filler profiled sections which, in the assembled state, are introduced into one or more of the cavities in order to fill said cavities.

[0030] In a more advantageous embodiment of a column system according to the invention, said filler profiled sections have a thickness that is virtually equal to the depth of said cavities into which they are introduced.

[0031] These end pieces are provided firstly in order, if a screen roller is present on which is arranged a screen that can be rolled up and unrolled, to connect said screen roller to this end piece, and secondly in order, if the front bar comprises a rear cap, to connect this rear cap to a respective end piece. Furthermore, these end pieces are also connected to the columns. In this way, the assembly is held together securely.

[0032] The most important advantage of arranging the end pieces in said cavities is that the end pieces are not visible when the screen device is viewed both from the front/rear and from above. If a screen guide is fitted to the column, the end pieces are also not visible when the screen device is viewed from below. However, if no such screen guides are present, this end piece is visible when the screen device is viewed from below, but not when it is viewed from above and from the front/rear. An additional advantage is that said front bar adjoins the column without any space between them, resulting in a watertight assembly. A further additional advantage is that the end piece is securely connected to the column. If the front bar is of multi-part design, and therefore comprises a front cap and a rear cap, these parts adjoin the column in order to obtain a watertight assembly.

[0033] The invention also relates to a screen device, comprising

• a roof structure;
• one or more column systems which are provided with a column which, in the assembled state, at least partially support the roof structure,
• one or more screens which can be rolled up and unrolled, extend between said columns and are provided with a slat on the opposite side from the side on which the screens are rolled up and unrolled;
• two or more slat guides which, in the assembled state, guide said slats, each of said slat guides, in the assembled state, being fitted to a respective column;
• optional screen guides and finishing profiled sections,

wherein the screen device comprises one or more column systems according to the invention as described above, wherein said column systems comprise one or more slat guides that are intended to be fitted to the column, and wherein said column is provided on its outer surfaces with at least one stop, and one or more of said slat guides are provided on their outer surfaces with at least one part, at least a portion of which, in the assembled state, adjoins said stop.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of a screen device according to the invention, the screen device comprises one or more screen cases provided with space to accommodate one or more screen rollers on which are arranged the screens which can be rolled up and unrolled, wherein the screen cases extend in a direction that is transverse to the direction of the roof device elements.

[0035] In another preferred embodiment of a screen structure according to the invention, the screen device comprises one or more front bars which extend between the front columns and are optionally provided with a space for accommodating one or more screen rollers on which are arranged the screens that can be rolled up and unrolled.

[0036] In yet another preferred embodiment of a screen device according to the invention, the screen device comprises one or more almost horizontally disposed side screen cases which, in the assembled state, comprise one or more screens which can be rolled up and unrolled, extend between a respective front column and a respective rear column, or which extend between a respective front column and a respective wall support and which are each arranged on a screen roller, wherein said side screen cases, at one or both ends, comprise an end piece to which said screen rollers are connected in the assembled state, wherein said end pieces, in the assembled state, are arranged in a respective cavity, and wherein said end pieces have a thickness that is less than or equal to the depth of the respective cavity into which they are introduced.

[0037] Here too, the most important advantage of arranging the end pieces in said cavities is that the end pieces are not visible when the screen device is viewed from the front/rear, the top and below. An additional advantage is that said side screen cases adjoin the column without any space in between, resulting in a watertight assembly. A further additional advantage is that the side screen cases are securely connected to the respective column. If these virtually horizontally disposed side screen cases are of multi-part design, and therefore comprise a front cap and a rear cap, these parts adjoin the column in order to obtain a watertight assembly.

[0038] In one embodiment of a screen device according to the invention, said screen cases, front bars and side screen cases comprise, at one or both ends thereof, an end piece to which said screen rollers are connected in the assembled state, wherein said end pieces, in the assembled state, are arranged in a respective cavity, and wherein said end pieces have a thickness that is less than or equal to the depth of the respective cavity into which they are introduced.

[0039] In one embodiment of a screen device according to the invention, one or more sliding panels, folding panels or strips extend between said columns.

[0040] In one embodiment of a screen device according to the invention, the one or more sliding panels, folding panels or strips are made from glass, metal or wood.

[0041] The invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis of the following more detailed description of a screen device according to the invention that is provided with various column systems according to the present invention, and a preferred embodiment of a column system according to the present invention. This detailed description of these illustrative examples are intended to do no more than firstly provide an illustration of the basic features of the invention and secondly to indicate further advantages and details of this screen device. Therefore, this description cannot in any way be considered to restrict the scope of protection or possible application of the invention.

[0042] In this more detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings by means of reference symbols. In the drawings:

• Figure 1 shows a perspective illustration of an embodiment of a screen device according to the invention that has been fitted to an (existing) wall and provided on its front side with two column systems according to the invention,
• Figure 2 shows a cross section through a column system according to the invention of a screen device as shown in Figure 1, with the cross section taken at the location where the front bar is connected to the column;
• Figure 3 shows a perspective front view of a part of a column, a cross section through a screen case, a cross section through a gutter profiled section and a part of a screen and slat guide of a screen device as shown in Figure 1 in the assembled state;
• Figure 4 shows a perspective front view of a part of a gutter profiled section and a part of a front bar of a screen device as shown in Figure 1 which is provided with an end piece in the assembled state;
• Figure 5 shows a side view of a side screen case of a screen device as illustrated in Figure 1 which is provided with an end piece;
• Figure 6 shows a perspective front view of the illustration presented in Figure 5.

[0043] The screen device (1) according to the invention as illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a roof structure (100) which is provided with three sloping roof structure elements (2), namely two sloping roof structure elements (2) which, when the screen device (1) is viewed from the front, are arranged at the left-hand and right-hand sides of the roof structure (100) and one roof structure element (2) that is provided between them, with one screen (3) which can be rolled up and unrolled extending between each pair of roof structure elements (2), said screen being guided on its lateral sides in screen guides (11), which are either formed integrally with the roof structure elements (2) or are designed separately and are fitted to said roof structure elements (2) and connected thereto. This can be done by providing the lateral sides of the screens (3) with a flexible thickened portion, for example half of a zip fastener, which can be moved to and fro in an elongate cavity (11a) (see Figure 2) that is provided in the screen guides (11). Furthermore, a bottom slat (8) may be fitted to the screens (3) on the opposite side from the side on which the screens (3) are rolled up and unrolled; this bottom slat (8) can be guided in slat guides (8) which are either formed integrally with the roof structure elements (2) or are designed separately and are fitted to these roof structure elements (2) and connected thereto. However, the screens (3) do not necessarily have to be guided in screen guides (11) on their lateral sides. It is also possible for only the bottom slat (8) to be guided in said slat guides (38). The screen and slat guides (11, 38) which guide the screens (3) that can be moved back and forth between the sloping roof structure elements (2) may be identical or different guides.

[0044] These screens (3) are accommodated in a screen case (4) which is provided at the top side of the roof structure (100), extends in a direction transverse to the direction in which the sloping roof structure elements (2) extend, is disposed as an extension to the roof structure elements (2) and is connected to one or more of said sloping roof structure elements (2). If the screen case (4) forms part of a free-standing screen device (1) (i.e. a screen device which is not fitted to a wall), this screen case (4) is supported by means of a column (10) at least at both its ends. However, if this screen case (4) forms part of a screen device (1) that is fitted to an existing wall (101), as shown in Figure 1, it is preferably fitted to the wall (101) by means of a securing system.

[0045] It should be noted that it is not necessary for screens (3) to be arranged between the sloping roof structure elements (2). It is also possible for fixed panels (not shown in the figures) to be arranged between the roof structure elements (2).

[0046] Furthermore, the screen device (1) according to the invention is provided with a front bar (5) extending virtually horizontally. This front bar (5) may be of single-part or multi-part design. The front bar (5) shown in Figures 3 and 4 is of two-part design and therefore comprises a front and a rear cap (5a, 5b). As can be seen in Figure 1, the front bar (5), preferably its two ends, is carried (or supported) by columns (10).

[0047] Said front bar (5) also comprises a gutter profiled section (20), which is suitable for collecting and carrying precipitation water in the direction of the columns (10) to which the front bar (5) is connected. This gutter profiled section (20) may be formed integrally with the front bar (5) or may also be designed as a separate profiled section that is connected to the front bar (5) in the assembled state. As can be seen from Figure 1, the sloping roof structure elements (2) are supported on this gutter profiled section (20).

[0048] It is also possible, when the screen device (1) is viewed from the front, for one or more screens (7), which can be rolled up and unrolled, to be arranged between the two columns (10) that are located at the front of the screen device (1) and support the front bar (5), which screens, at their lateral sides, are guided in screen guides (11) which, in the assembled state, are fitted to said columns (10). These one or more screens (7) which can be rolled up and unrolled are accommodated in said front bar (5). The screens (7) can then be rolled up and unrolled between a slot (26) arranged between said front and rear caps (19a, 19b). However, if no screens (7) are provided between the front columns (10) at the front side of the screen device (1), the slot between the front and rear caps (19a, 19b) is covered with a covering profiled section (not shown in the figures). The underside of these screens (7) (i.e. the opposite side from the side at which the screens (7) are rolled up and unrolled) may also be provided with a bottom slat (8) (see Figure 1). This bottom slat, as can be seen from Figure 1, is also guided at both ends in a respective slat guide (38), which is either formed integrally with the front columns (10) of the screen device (1) or is of separate design and fitted and connected to the columns (10). As can be seen from Figure 2, in columns (10) of this type, the slat guides (38) and the screen guides (11) are generally one and the same. However, this need not necessarily be the case. It is also possible to provide separate screen and slat guides (11, 38) (not shown in the figures).

[0049] Furthermore, it is possible for the screen device (1), as seen from the front, to be provided at its left-hand and right-hand sides with one or more screens (9). These screens (9), which can be rolled up and unrolled, are accommodated in side screen cases (5). In the case of a free-standing screen structure (1) each of these side screen cases (5) extend between a front column (10) and a rear column (the rear column is not shown in the figures). These rear columns are then of identical design to the front columns (10) described above, as illustrated in cross section in Figure 2. In the case of a screen device (1) that is fitted to a wall (101) and is provided at its sides with one or more screens (9), as shown in Figure 1, it is preferable for a wall support (33) to be fitted to the wall (101), in which case a side screen case (4) of this type then extends between a column (10) that is situated at the front of the screen device (1) and the respective wall support (33) that is fitted to the wall (101). It is likewise possible for these screens (9) to be provided on their underside (i.e. the opposite side from the side on which the screens are rolled up and unrolled) with a bottom slat (8) (see Figure 1). This bottom slat (8), as can be seen from Figure 1, is likewise guided at both its ends in a respective slat guide (38). These slat guides (38) may either be formed integrally with respective front and rear columns (10) of the screen device (1), in the case of a free-standing screen device (1), or with the respective front column (10) of the screen device (1) and the respective wall support (33), in the case of a screen device (1) that is fitted to an existing wall (101). However, it is also possible for the slat guides (38) to be designed separately and, in the case of a free-standing screen device (1), for them to be fitted to the respective front and rear columns (10) of the screen device (1) and connected thereto, or, in the case of a screen device (1) that it is fitted to an existing wall (101), to be fitted to the respective front column (10) of the screen device (1) and the respective wall support (33). As can be seen from Figure 2, in columns (10) of this type the slat guides (38) and the screen guides (11) are generally one and the same. However, this need not necessarily be the case. It is also possible to provide separate screen and slat guides (11,38).

[0050] As can be seen from Figure 2, it is furthermore possible to provide one or more finishing profiled sections (12a, 12b) which are fitted to the column (10). These finishing profiled sections (12a, 12b) are provided in order to obtain a virtually flat outer side, with the exception, of course, of the slot (11a) that is arranged in the screen/slat guide (11, 38) (see Figures 2 and 3) to guide the lateral sides of the screen (7, 9) that is arranged therein and to guide the bottom slat (8) that is fitted to the screen (7, 9) on the opposite side from the side on which the screen (7, 9) is rolled up (i.e. the underside of the screen (7, 9)). Said finishing profiled sections (12) may be of single-part or multi-part design. In the embodiment of a column system (50) according to the invention shown in Figure 2, the finishing profiled sections (12) are of multi-part design, with a first part (12a) connected to the column (10) by means of fixing means (16), while a second part (12b) is connected to a respective screen/slat guide (11, 38) by means of connecting means (15).

[0051] The screen/slat guides (11, 38) and the finishing profiled sections (12), as can be seen in Figure 2, are connected to the respective column (10) by means of fixing means (16). The finishing profiled section (12) are connected to the respective screen/slat guides (11, 38) by means of connecting means (15). These connecting and fixing means (15, 16) may comprise bolts, screws and/or click-fit connections.

[0052] As can be seen from Figure 2, when the column (10) is seen from the front, a screen/slat guide (11, 38) is fitted to the column (10) on the right-hand side of the column (10), in order to guide the lateral sides of a screen that can be rolled up and unrolled and is arranged in the front bar (5), and a screen/slat guide (11, 38) is fitted to the column (10) at the rear side of the column (10) in order to guide the lateral sides of a screen (9) that can be rolled up and unrolled and has been introduced into a side screen case (24) (Figure 1) which is located on the left-hand side of the screen device (1) as seen from the front.

[0053] The assembly comprising a column (10) together with the screen/slat guides (11, 38) and the finishing profiled sections (12) that are fitted to these columns (10) in the assembled state, as well as the connection and fixing means (15, 16), is referred to in the present patent application as a column system (50). The screen and slat guides (11, 38) and the finishing profiled sections (12) are considered attachment elements.

[0054] As can be seen in Figure 2, a column (10) of a column system (50) according to the invention is provided on each side, on its outer surfaces of this column (10), with a cavity (18) which is of bar-shaped design and is directed inwards. The provision of these bar-shaped inwardly-directed cavities (18) leads to a stop (13) being formed on the two opposite sides of this cavity (18), against which stop attachment elements, such as said screen/slat guides (11, 38) and finishing profiled sections (12), can be aligned. For this purpose, these screen/slat guides (11, 38) and finishing profiled sections (12) each comprise a part (14) which is designed to at least partially adjoin a respective stop (13). Said stops (13) and said parts (14) are preferably designed as a straight line.

[0055] To allow simple assembly of the screen/slat guides (11, 38) and the finishing profiled sections (12), the stops (13) preferably form one of the legs of a right angle, and said parts (14) of the screen/slat guides (11, 38) and the finishing profiled sections (12) preferably also form one of the legs of a right angle, such that the two right angles can be very easily fitted together.

[0056] As can be seen in Figure 2, which shows a front view of the screen device (1), the outer side (110) of the screen/slat guides (11, 38) that guides the screen (9) that can be rolled up and unrolled from the abovementioned side screen case (24) is aligned with the left-hand side (100) of the column (10). The right-hand side (112) of the portion (12a) of the respective finishing profiled section (12) is aligned with the right-hand side (101) of the column (10). Furthermore, the front edge (111) of the screen/slat guide (11, 38) that guides the screen that can be rolled up and unrolled from the abovementioned front bar (5) is aligned with the front edge (103) of the column (10), and the rear edge (113) of the portion (12a) of the respective finishing profiled section (12) is aligned with the rear edge (102) of the column (10).

[0057] As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, this front bar (5) also comprises an end piece (21) at both its ends. If this front bar (5) comprises a rear cap (19b), this rear cap (19b) is connected at each end (not shown in the figures) to a respective end piece (21). This is preferably done by means of bolts and/or screws (32) (see Figure 4). As can be seen in Figure 3, the rear cap (19b) is also connected to the gutter profiled section (20). The front cap (19a) of the front bar (5), by contrast, is only connected to the gutter profiled section (20), as can be seen in Figure 3.

[0058] Furthermore, if a screen that can be rolled up and unrolled is provided in the front bar (5) the screen roller (not shown in the figures) on which this screen that can be rolled up and unrolled is arranged may on the one hand be connected to a respective end piece (21) by means of a motor support (not shown in the figures). As can be seen in Figure 3, this can be achieved by sliding a motor support for supporting a drive motor (not shown in the figures) for driving the rolling/unrolling movement of a screen over guide strips (28) which are connected to the end piece (21) preferably by means of screws and/or bolts (31) (see Figures 3 and 4). On the other hand, it is also possible for the screen roller to be connected to the respective end piece (21) by means of a bearing piece (not shown in the figures) which is slid over the guide strips (28). It is also possible for these guide strips (28) to be formed integrally with the end pieces (21).

[0059] On the other side, each of the said end pieces (21) is secured to a respective column (10) by means of bolts or screws (30) (see Figures 3 and 4). These end pieces (21) are arranged in said cavities (18) (not shown in Figures 3 and 4) and for this purpose have a thickness that is less than or equal to the depth of said cavities (18). In this way, the front bar (5) or, if the latter is of multi-part design, the front and rear caps (19a, 19b) of this front bar, adjoin said columns (10) to which the front bar (5) is connected.

[0060] It is also possible for the virtually horizontally disposed side screen cases (24) which, when the screen device (1) is viewed from the front, are located on the left-hand and right-hand sides of this screen device (1), to be provided at one or both ends with an end piece (25). As can be seen from Figures 5 and 6, these end pieces (25) are provided with a part (25a) which projects downwards and by which said end pieces (25) can be fixed to said columns (10). These portions (25a), in the assembled state, are secured by the screen/slat guide (11, 38) and the finishing profiled section (12) (not shown in Figures 5 and 6) that are fitted to the column (10). The two ends of the screen roller (not shown in the figures) are each connected to a respective end piece (25).

[0061] These end pieces (25) are likewise introduced into said bar-shaped, inwardly-directed cavities (18) such that the side screen cases (25), or if the latter are of multi-part design the front and rear caps (24a, 24b) of the side screen cases (24) (see Figure 5), adjoin the column (10) to which these side screen cases (24) are fitted, in order to hide the end pieces from view and also to obtain a watertight assembly.

[0062] The cavities (18) of the columns (10) to which no attachment elements (11, 12) are fitted are preferably filled with filler profiled sections (22) which have a thickness that is virtually equal to the depth of the bar-shaped, inwardly-directed cavities (18). These filler profiled sections (22) are preferably provided in such a way that they virtually completely fill the empty spaces of the cavities (18), i.e. the spaces of the cavities (18) in which there are no end pieces, screen guides (11) or finishing profiled sections (12).

[0063] As can be seen from Figure 2, the column (10), as seen from the front in the assembled state, may be provided on its left-hand and right-hand sides with round grooves (23) in which screws and/or bolts may be arranged in order for the underside of the column (10) to be connected to a baseplate (36) (see Figure 1), which in turn is connected to the surface of the ground.

Claims

1. Column system (50), comprising a column (10) and one or more attachment elements (11, 12, 38) which are intended to be fitted to said column (10), characterized in that said column (10) is provided on its outer surfaces with at least one stop (13), and one or more of said attachment elements (11, 12, 38) are provided on their outer surfaces with at least one part (14), at least a portion of which, in the assembled state, adjoins the stop (13), wherein said column (10) is provided with one or more prism-shaped cavities (18) which extend towards the inside of the column (10) and of which said stops (13) form part, and wherein said attachment elements comprise slat guides (38), screen guides (11), finishing profiled sections (12) or securing profiled sections for guiding and finishing a screen device.

2. Column system (50) according to Claim 1, characterized in that said cavities (18) are of bar-shaped design.

3. Column system (50) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said column system (50) comprises connection means (15) for connecting said finishing profiled sections to said screen and/or slat guides (11, 38).

4. Column system (50) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said column system (50) comprises fixing means (16) for connecting said screen and/or slat guides (11, 38) and said finishing profiled sections (12) to said columns (10).

5. Column system (50) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said columns (10) are provided on the outer surfaces with one or more cavities (18) extending towards the inside of the columns (10), wherein said stops (13) form part of said cavities (18), and in that one or more end pieces (21) can be arranged in these cavities (18) wherein said end pieces (21) have a thickness that is less than or equal to the depth of the respective cavity (18) into which these end pieces (21) are introduced.

6. Column system (50) according to Claim 5, characterized in that said column system (50) comprises one or more filler profiled sections (22) which, in the assembled state, are introduced into one or more of the cavities (18) in order to fill said cavities (18).

7. Column system (50) according to Claim 6, characterized in that said filler profiled sections (22) have a thickness that is virtually equal to the depth of the respective cavity (18) into which they are introduced.

8. Screen device, comprising

- a roof structure (100);

- one or more column systems (50) which are provided with a column (10) which, in the assembled state, at least partially support the roof structure (100),

- one or more screens (7, 9) which can be rolled up and unrolled, extend between said columns (10) and are provided with a bottom slat (8) on the opposite side from the side on which the screens (7, 9) are rolled up and unrolled;

- two or more slat guides (38) which, in the assembled state, guide said bottom slats (8), each of said slat guides (38), in the assembled state, being fitted to a respective column (10);

- optional screen guides (11) and finishing profiled sections (12), characterized in that the screen device (1) comprises one or more column systems (50) according to one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Screen device according to Claim 8, characterized in that the screen device comprises one or more screen cases (4) provided with space to accommodate one or more screen rollers on which are arranged the screens which can be rolled up and unrolled, wherein the screen cases extend in a direction that is transverse to the direction of the roof device elements (2).

10. Screen device according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the screen device comprises one or more front bars (5) which extend between the front columns and are optionally provided with a space for accommodating one or more screen rollers on which are arranged the screens that can be rolled up and unrolled.

11. Screen device according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the screen device comprises one or more almost horizontally disposed side screen cases (25) which, in the assembled state, comprise one or more screens (9) which extend between a respective front column (10) and a respective rear column, or which extend between a respective column (10) and a respective wall support (33) and which are each arranged on a screen roller.

12. Screen device according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that said screen cases (4), front bars (5) and side screen cases (24) comprise, at one or both ends thereof, an end piece (25) to which said screen rollers are connected in the assembled state, wherein said end pieces (25), in the assembled state, are arranged in a respective cavity (18), and wherein said end pieces (25) have a thickness that is less than or equal to the depth of the respective cavity (18) into which they are introduced.

13. Screen device according to one of Claims 8 to 12, characterized in that one or more sliding panels, folding panels or strips extend between said columns (10).

14. Screen device according to Claim 13, characterized in that the one or more sliding panels, folding panels or strips are made from glass, metal or wood.

Drawing