Folding conservatory awning - roof

Abstract

 The invention is a folding conservatory awning - roof, a shading - roofing system, with two or more guide rails (2), on which are being moved slats (1,7) by sliders (4,12) and by a connection array with rack arms (3,5), sliders (4,12) that can slide inside and on the upper part of guide rails (2).The first slider opposite the guide rails (2) mounting bar (11) is the motion slider (4) and is connecting with the motorized operating system. The motorized operating system around the motor's tube (15) and underneath its mountings on guide rails (2), may have a torsion spring balance (16), with its ends adjusted on rings (17,18). One of the rings(17), is adjusted on motor's tube grooves (15) and turns around with it. The other ring (18) is fixed and discharges by opening the conservatory awning (retract, not protecting open area), helping the electric motor. One of the rest sliders (12) except the motion slider, must be locked, for the concentration position of slats, by opening the conservatory awning, to be determined. The locked slider (12) also determines the power of the motorized operating system, that needs to move the conservatory awning. The guide rails (2) are mounting on a mounting bar (11) that is jointed on fixing bracket (13). The guide rails can change their relative position, by at their length direction in relation to the mounting bar (11), since there is the cheek (10) that is fixed on the guide rails (2) with bolts (8).

Description

[0001] The invention refers to a conservatory awning type, shading - roofing system that is used for the protection and covering of openings and has an extent (closing) / retract (opening) motorized operating system.

[0002] Conservatory awning type, shading - roofing systems with an extent / retract motorized operating system, are being used widely for the cover of openings.

[0003] For the coverage of openings with this conservatory awning type, shading - roofing systems, there are known tree types of systems.
Awnings, in which by the retraction, the awning cover is rolling around a roller tube, they use an array of a fixed roller tube and a front profile, which slides inside two guide rails.
Awnings, in which by retraction, the awning cover is folding, using an array of multiple counterweights system under the guide rails, where the awning cover is being retained and can slide in the guide rails through a motorized operating system.
Awnings, in which by retraction, the awning cover is folding by a mechanism that elevates the awning cover, they use an array of multiple counterweights system above the guide rails, connecting each other through the elevation mechanism of the awning cover, and can slide inside the guide rails through a motorized operating system. Awnings with multiple counterweights system are known by the GR1006730 document, with the particular characteristic of the motorized operating system.
The above shading - roofing systems, have an aesthetic appearance for covering openings with low, volume and weight constructions.
They have an absolute shading ability.

[0004] Besides the advantages the above shading - roofing systems, also present certain disadvantages.
The roofing ability they offer is limited and refers to resistance to low wind and rain, the size of which is being determined by the manufacturer's manual, while they don't provide any snow protection. In extent position (closing) and partial or total protection of an opening, there is a wind force limit, that once it will be overrun, the immediately retraction of awning is required (opening), and the opening stays unprotected.
The same happens and in case of snowfall. The awning cover as a mean of protection from sun, wind and rain, as it is being hold by the multiple counterweights system and the rest of mechanism, in extent position and partial or total protection of the opening, it doesn't have the strength it is needed for adverse weather conditions, as they appear during the year seasons. The awning cover doesn't have any further support besides of it's fastening on the counterweights for extension and retraction.

[0005] The current invention means to create a conservatory awning type, shading - roofing system according the above, which can resist all the adverse environmental conditions, as rain, wind and normal snowfall, besides extreme weather conditions, where the consequences can not be calculated.
The system can be placed on any existing construction or opening (without an existing awning cover), or from the beginning, regardless the height of opening from bottom with a much more economic and easier posts support, in cases of long guide rails without any further constructions or the necessity of other substructure. Furthermore, the placement on guide rails, allows the extension by width or the placement of more than two guide rails for greater resistance in snow and wind loads.
The slats array, provides the capability of stacking them in any position that has been chosen by installation, according to which slider will be locked, except the first slider (motion slider), opposite the conservatory awning fixing bracket. This allows the use of a lower power motorized operating system and better use of the area above the system, in case there are limitations.
The guide rails support on wall - canopy, through the mounting bar, also provides the possibility of independent coverage of the gap between slat and wall - canopy in conservatory awning's close position, without any further structures or constructions for any angle of conservatory awning.

[0006] According to the invention, this can be achieved by a shading - roofing system that was mentioned above, thanks to the replacement of the awning cover with slats, which are connecting each other through rack arms. This allows slats to open, close and move directly by the sliders, which are sliding inside and on the upper part of the guide rails, without any counterweights and as a result without their support wagons. The above, provides the placement on existing constructions, conservatory awning form (without awning cover) using the suitable guide rails, on which, sliders can move, on which the slats and rack arms are adapted.
The first slider opposite the conservatory awning's fixing bracket on wall - canopy, is the motion slider and is connected to the motorized operating system. The rest sliders, through rack arms, are being draft, according to the first slider's movement, front or back. One of the rest sliders is being locked and as a result, the sliders near the motor tube, after the locked slider, are moving towards the opposite direction of the motion slider.
The motorized operating system around the motor tube and underneath it's bearings on guide rails, can have a torsion spring balance, whose ends are being adapted on two rings, a moving, rotating by the motor tube, and a fixed, which assists the electric motor, over the conservatory awning's opening (retracting and not protecting the opening).
The guide rail's connection with mounting bar, is carried out through a non fixed connection, with a cheek, whose position, is being fixed with guide rails, by screws and nuts, inside the guide rail's groove. The guide rails can move parallel to the mounting bar, according to conservatory awning's angle and are being locked in a position where the gap between conservatory awning and wall - canopy, in conservatory awning's close position, can be covered by the slat, independently, without any further constructions or structures.

[0007] A shading - roofing system according to the current invention, appears many advantages. Given that, slats are being used as shading - roofing means, the construction is more solid, resistant to, normal snowfall and adverse conditions of rain and wind.
Given that the format of the two guide rails, allows the movement of slats from the upper part of conservatory awning, through sliders, which are sliding inside the guide rails, on their upper part, it is achieved the optimum use of area, since the opening is being performed, from the upper part of conservatory awning, without being limited by the height of area. The above feature gives conservatory awning the ability, to support the guide rails beyond the end posts, with additional middle posts if it's necessary, in case of long guide rails without the need of any further constructions, 'suspension' type, to support the guide rails by existing structures, when there is the need of a construction support, on the upper part of conservatory awning.
The slats, are mobile elements which combine two movements. The linear motion, on guide rail's direction and the rotational motion with rotation center, the connection point on slider. On the first, to the conservatory awning's fixing bracket on wall - canopy, slat, there is no corresponding slider, like the rest slats, for covering the gap, between wall - canopy and slat, by conservatory awning's closing. The slats are connecting each other, in order, by rack arms, which rack arms are connecting with the slider by their one end. The end slats are using different rack arms because there are not other sliders following. The movement of the motion slider, which is connected to the motorized operating system, is drifting the rest sliders, which are connected through rack arms and slats, to a linear movement on guide rail's direction. The slats connection array, causes their rotation, to the same direction. The result of this combined movement, succeeds the opening and closing of conservatory awning.
According to which slider will be locked, by installation, because of the slats and sliders connection array and movement, it is possible the adjustment of two parameters. Firstly, the size of power motion of the motorized operating system and secondly the placement that the slats will be concentrating when conservatory awning is open. The first parameter, depends on the mass that the operating system has to move. Regarding to which slider will be locked, the operating system must move equal mass with this that exists on sliders, after the fixed slider, which occur to the opposite side of the conservatory awning's fixing bracket on wall.

[0008] From the above, it can be understood that the maximum mass, that the motorized operating system can move, appears, when the locked slider is the first, nearest the conservatory awning's fixing bracket on wall - canopy. This way, allows the control of motorized operating system's power. About the second parameter, the point where the slider will be locked, is a point of concentrating the slats by conservatory awning's opening, since the slats underneath the slider, are moving towards the slider. With this way, space problems and obstacles that prevent the awning opening, may be eliminated. For example, stacking on the upper part, near it's fixing bracket on wall - canopy and the existence of alternative positions lengthwise the guide rails.
According the conservatory awning's angle, the gap between wall - canopy and slat can be covered independently, without any further constructions, by moving the guide rails parallel to the mounting bar.
The possibility of placing a torsion spring balance around the motor tube, and underneath it's mountings on guide rails, which is being discharged by opening the conservatory awning (retracting and not protecting the opening), provides assist to the electric motor.

[0009] The invention is described below through an example and attached drawings, in which,

Figure 1, shows a perspective view of the current invention, where it can be seen the folding conservatory awning - roof in open position, with the first slider, near the mounting bar of guide rails, locked.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the folding conservatory awning - roof in close position.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the folding conservatory awning - roof in intermediate position, from which three end slats at width, and one above the motor tube have been removed, so the placement of the torsion spring balance can be seen.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the folding conservatory awning - roof in intermediate position.

[0010] Figure 1, shows the folding conservatory awning - roof with the end, at width (7) and the middle (1) slats, to have been moved to a position where the conservatory awning is widely open. The slider (4) is the motor, with the first slider (12) near the mounting bar (11) of guide rails, locked.
It can also be seen the connection screw (6), between rack arms and slats on guide rails, the cheek (10) on guide rail's mounting bar (11) connection screw (9), the screw (8) which connects the cheek (10) on the guide rail (2). The rack arms (5), from the side not connecting to the sliders, and the rack arms (3), are connecting to the slats by a screw (14). The motion slider (4) is moving by the guide rail's (2) direction departing from mounting bar (11), for the closing of conservatory awning. Through rack arms (3,5) and with the locked slider (12), the rest slats are being swept along. The front row of slats, near the mounting bar (11), according to guide rail (2) and through it's position adjustment on mounting bar (11), by screws (8), can cover completely the gap between slats and wall - canopy in conservatory awning's close position. The cheek (10) which is connecting with the mounting bar, is connected with screws(9), while the mounting bar (11) can alter the angle with the horizontal level, and therefore the conservatory awning's swivel angle through the connection joint with the placed on wall - canopy, fixing bracket (13). On motor's tube (15), and underneath it's guide rails (2) bearings, can be placed a torsion spring balance (16), whose ends are adjusting on the rings (17,18). The ring (17) is adapted on motor's tube (15) notches, and turning around with it, and the ring (18) is fixed and being discharged by conservatory awning's opening (retracting and not protecting the open area), helping the electric motor.

Claims

1. Folding conservatory awning - roof which includes two or more guide rails (2), that are mounted on a jointed mounting bar (11), on the fixing bracket (13), on which mounting bar (11) are being fixed through the cheek (10), the guide rails (2) have an open upper part and inside them the sliders are being moved, one slider from the sliders except the motion slider (4) must be fixed, which motion slider is connected to the motion system, on which system around the motor tube (15) and underneath its bearings on sliders (2) can be placed a torsion spring (16) whose ends are being adapted on the rotating ring (17), placed on the motors tube (15) grooves, and the fixed ring (18) and the sliders (12) which are connecting with slats (17) through screws and the rack arms (3,5) except the rack arm (3) of the first slat from the motion sliders (4) side and the slats are connected with the rack arms (3,5), from their side that they are not connected through screw (14) with the sliders and the movement of the slats is performing from the upper part of conservatory awning, with combined linear and rotational movement of slats for opening and closing the conservatory awning.

2. Folding conservatory awning - roof, according claim 1, characterized by using slats as means of shading - roofing , which, through the connection array with sliders (4,12) and each other (1,7), by rack arms (3,5), can resist in snowfall and adverse rain and wind conditions, in close position of conservatory awning (extent position and partial or total protection of opening).

3. Folding conservatory awning - roof, according claim 1, characterized by the fact that the locked slider (12) could be any slider except the motion slider (4), allowing to change the power of motorized operating system and choosing the position where the stacking of slats will be, by conservatory awning's opening (retracting and not protecting the opening).

4. Folding conservatory awning - roof, according claim 1, characterized by the fact that the slat consists, of at least one middle slat (1) and two end slats (7), which, since they are moving on the upper part of the guide rails (2), allow the extension of conservatory awning by width, or the placement of more than two guide rails (2), for a more solid construction and tolerance on bigger loads.

5. Folding conservatory awning - roof, according claim 1, characterized by the fact that the guide rails (2) can change their position by their length direction, in relation to the mounting bar (11) by screws(8), which connect the cheek(10) with the guide rail (2), while the cheek (10) is being hold on mounting bar (11) by screws (9). The change of the guide rails (2) position, means to cover the gap between wall - canopy and slat, in close position of conservatory awning. This gap is changing according to the conservatory awning's angle and because of the joint of the mounting bar with the fixing bracket (13).

6. Folding conservatory awning - roof, according claim 1, characterized by the fact that the electric motor can be supported by the torsion spring's (16) discharge, by opening (retracting and non protection of open area), with the torsion spring balance (16), placed around the motor's tube (15) and underneath it's bearings on the guide rails (2).

Drawing