Self-stabilizing extrusion for closure assemblies

A self-stabilizing extrusion for closure assemblies, including awnings, canopies, and displays having an elongated hollow frame substantially rectangular in vertical cross-section with inside and outside surfaces which is constructed of a top wall perpendicularly connected to parallel side walls terminating in perpendicular flange members parallel to the top wall. A slot opening is formed between the flange members for the receipt of closure material. The side walls are also interconnected by a slot base to which the closure material is affixed. A base support is provided between the slot base and the inside surface of the top wall. The slot is defined by the slot opening, the inside surfaces of the side walls below the slot base, and the slot base. The top and side walls may also include a plurality of stabilizing recesses and stabilizing notches. The corners are also equipped with stabilizing recesses.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to framed closure and more specifically, to a 
self-stabilizing extrusion for the construction of awnings, canopies, 
coverings, displays, and other similar structures. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Typically, awnings, canopies, coverings, displays, and other similar 
structures are constructed of an elongated frame or support structure to 
which a covering material is anchored. The frame is conventionally 
constructed of a stiff, yet malleable light-weight material such as 
aluminum, in order to achieve a variety of special shapes. The frame is 
usually rectangular in vertical cross-section, and has a longitudinal 
slot, or channel, extending the length of the frame, within which the 
closure material is anchored, for example by a staple. The construction 
generally attempts to offer flexibility of form in that the frame members 
can be bent to produce closure assemblies having arcuate shapes. 
However, the prior art has failed to eliminate the problem of twisting and 
warping of the frame members that occurs when they are bent into the 
desired forms. This misshaping occurs due to the opposed compression and 
tension forces applied to the hollow frame member during arcuate bending. 
This frame misshaping may also prevent access to the closure anchoring 
slot in the frame member due the "cupping effect." This necessitates 
reopening the slot by hand, which is laborious and adds further 
inconsistencies to the final frame shape. Accordingly, it is a goal of the 
present invention to provide a self-stabilizing extrusion for closure 
assemblies which maximizes stabilization against misshaping due to 
bending, while minimizing the overall weight of the extrusion. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention is a self-stabilizing extrusion for closure 
assemblies including awnings, canopies, coverings, displays, and other 
similar structures, which includes an elongated hollow frame substantially 
rectangular in cross-section. The frame has opposing side walls connected 
to a top wall. The side walls terminate on their bottom ends in inwardly 
directed flange members, which are parallel to the top wall, and which 
form therebetween a slot opening. The frame also includes a slot base, 
which extends between and is affixed to the side walls, and a base 
support, which extends between and is affixed to the inside surface of the 
top wall and the slot base. 
The slot is defined by the slot opening, the inside surfaces of the side 
walls below the slot base and the slot base. The slot serves as an 
anchoring site for the closure material. The structural integrity of the 
frame, including the slot, is maintained in part by the base support. The 
base support is preferably centrally disposed and affixed to the middle of 
the inside surface of the top wall and the middle of the slot base. 
However, the invention contemplates a plurality of evenly spaced or 
radially arranged base supports extending from the inside surface of the 
top wall to the slot base. 
In the preferred embodiment, the slot base has a first portion extending 
from one side wall to the base support, and a second portion extending 
from the other side wall to the base support. The juncture of the first 
and second portions of the slot base preferably forms an angle of about 
160.degree. in the direction of the slot. 
The preferred embodiment of the self-stabilizing extrusion for closure 
assemblies further has stabilizing recesses evenly disposed on the inside 
and outside surfaces of the frame. The stabilizing recesses serve to 
absorb the twisting and misshaping forces associated with frame bending. 
The stabilizing recesses may be disposed in a variety of stress absorbing 
positions, but are preferably arranged such that two stabilizing recesses 
are disposed on the outside surfaces of the top and both first and second 
outside side walls, one stabilizing recess is centrally disposed on the 
inside surfaces of the top and both the first and second side walls, and 
four corner stabilizing recesses are individually disposed at the inside 
junctures of the top, first and second side walls and flange members. The 
stabilizing recesses on the side walls are preferably partially 
trapezoidal in cross-sectional shape and the stabilizing recesses in the 
corners are preferentially partially rounded in cross-sectional shape. 
Additionally, the preferred embodiment of the self-stabilizing extrusion 
for closure assemblies has stabilizing notches centrally located on the 
outside surfaces of the top and both the first and second walls. 
Additionally, in the preferred embodiment of the self-stabilizing 
extrusion for closure assemblies the flange members are thicker than the 
top and side walls, and the slot base is thicker than the base support in 
cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIGS. 1-8 show preferred embodiments of the present invention. While the 
configurations according to the illustrated embodiments are preferred, it 
is envisioned that alternative configurations may be adopted without 
departing from the invention as contemplated. For descriptive purposes, it 
is helpful to use the terms "affixed" or "connected" to denote the 
relative configuration of the various components of the present invention, 
however, it should be understood that the invention is manufactured using 
a continuous extrusion process. 
Referring to FIG. 1, the self-stabilizing extrusion for closure assemblies, 
generally indicated as 10, comprises an elongated hollow frame 20, which 
is substantially rectangular in vertical cross-section, with an inside 
surface 21 and an outside surface 22, as shown. The frame 20 is defined by 
a top wall 12, a first side wall 14, and a second side wall 16. The top 
wall 12 has a first edge 61 and an opposed parallel second edge 62. The 
first side wall 14 has a first top end 63 and a opposed parallel first 
bottom end 64. The second side wall 16 similarly has a second top end 66 
and an opposed parallel second bottom end 67. The first edge 61 of the top 
wall 12 is perpendicularly connected to the first top end 63 of the first 
side wall 14. The second edge 62 of the top wall 12 is perpendicularly 
connected to the second top end 66 of the second side wall 16. Thus, the 
first side wall 14 is in opposed parallel relationship to the second side 
wall 16. 
The first bottom end 64 of the first side wall 14 terminates in an inwardly 
perpendicular flange member 24, which is parallel to the top wall 12. The 
second bottom end 67 of the second side wall 16 similarly terminates in an 
inwardly perpendicular second flange member 26, which is also parallel to 
the top wall 12. The first and second flange members 24, 26 define 
therebetween a slot opening 62 for receiving therein closure material 100, 
as shown in FIG. 5. 
The first side wall 14 and the second side wall 16 are interconnected by a 
slot base 30 with a top surface 68 and a bottom surface 69. The slot base 
30 is buttressed by a base support 40, which extends between and is 
affixed to the inside surface 21 of the top wall 12 and the top surface 68 
of the slot base 30. 
A longitudinal slot 60 is provided along the length of the frame 20 for 
receiving therein closure material 105. The slot 60 is defined by the slot 
opening 62, the inside surface 21 of the first and second side walls 14, 
16 below the slot base 30, and the bottom surface 69 of the slot base 30. 
As seen in FIG. 5, the closure material 100 is attached to the 
self-stabilizing construction 10 by affixing the material inside the slot 
60 to the slot base 30. This attachment may be achieved by the use of 
staples 105, for example. 
In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, the base support 40 is centrally 
disposed and affixed between the middle inside surface 21 of the top wall 
12 and the middle top surface 68 of the slot base 30. The slot base 30 is 
thus bisected to create a first slot base portion 34 extending from the 
first slot wall 14 to the base support 40, and a second slot base portion 
36 extending from the second side wall 16 to the base support 40. The 
juncture of the first and second slot base portions 34, 36 forms an angle 
38 of less than 180.degree. in cross-section in the direction of the slot 
60. Preferably, this angle is about 160.degree.. The juncture of the base 
support 40 and the first and second slot base portions 34, 36 forms an 
angle 48A and 48B on either side of the base support 40 of greater than 
90.degree. in cross-section, and preferably about 100.degree.. The 
juncture of the first and second slot base portions 34, 36 with the bottom 
ends 64, 67 of the side walls 14, 16 form angles 39A, 39B of greater than 
90.degree., and preferably about 100.degree., in cross-section in the 
direction of the slot 60 
The self-stabilizing extrusion 10 overcomes the "cupping effect," which 
occurs while bending. The "cupping effect" is the tendency of prior art 
slot constructions to collapse inwards as bending forces are applied, thus 
causing uneven warpage and preventing access to the slot for closure 
material attachment. During bending of the present invention, the base 
support 40 is forced towards the slot opening 62, which force is 
transferred to the slot base 30 and out through the first and second side 
walls 14, 16 via the first and second slot base portions 34, 36. This may 
result in a slight decreasing of the angles 48A and 48B and increasing of 
the angle 38 of the slot base 30, however, more importantly the slot 
opening 62 remains open and accessible. Angles 39A and 39B cooperate to 
provide additional support for overcoming the "cupping effect." In 
addition, angle 38 causes first and second slot base portions 34, 36 to 
provide more satisfactory surfaces for the attachment of staples because 
of the angle at which the conventional stapler nose (not shown) is 
commonly inserted into the slot 60. 
According to the structural needs of a particular self-stabilizing 
extrusion 10, the components may be constructed of various relative 
thicknesses in cross-section in order to meet the goal of providing 
maximum stabilization against misshaping due to bending, while minimizing 
the overall weight of the extrusion. Generally, the slot base 30 is of a 
greater thickness than the base support 40. As seen in FIG. 2, the 
inwardly directed flange members 224, 226 may be thicker than the top wall 
212 and the first and second side walls 214, 216 in cross-section. 
The embodiments of FIGS. 1-8 also utilize a series of stabilizing recesses 
50 disposed along the top wall 12 and the first and second side walls 14, 
16 of the frame 20. Also, corner stabilizing recesses 53 are individually 
disposed at the inside surface 21 junctures of the top wall 12 and the 
first and second side walls 14, 16, and the junctures of the first and 
second side walls 14, 16 and the flange members 24, 26. Corner stabilizing 
recesses 53 may be positioned individually or in any combination in the 
four corners 73, 74, 76, 77. Only the two corners 73, 76 are equipped with 
corner stabilizing recesses 53 in FIG. 1 (and corners 473, 476 in FIG. 4), 
whereas in FIG. 2 all four corners 273, 274, 276, 277 have corner 
stabilizing recesses 253. Additionally, it may be helpful to configure the 
recesses 253 in the top corners 273, 274 to be larger than the recesses 
253 in the bottom corners 274, 277, as in FIG. 2. In FIG. 1, and 
correspondingly in FIGS. 2-8, the stabilizing recesses 50 on the walls 12, 
14, 16 are partially trapezoidal in shape in cross-section and the corner 
stabilizing recesses 53 are partially rounded in cross-sectional shape. 
These stabilizing recesses 50, 53 provide the frame 20 with additional 
resistance to warpage and bending distortions. The stabilizing recesses 
50, 53 are intended to absorb bending stresses such that the overall 
rectangular integrity of the frame 20 is maintained as much as possible. 
As seen in FIG. 1, the stabilizing recesses 50 are distributed on the 
frame 20 in an alternating pattern, wherein two stabilizing recesses 50 
are disposed on each of the outside surfaces 22 of the top wall 12 and 
both first and second outside walls 14, 16; one stabilizing recess 50 is 
centrally disposed on each of the inside surfaces 21 of the top wall 12 
and both the first and second walls 14, 16; and four corner stabilizing 
recesses 53 are individually disposed at the inside surfaces 21 of the 
junctures of the top wall 12 and the first and second side walls 14, 16, 
and the junctures of the first and second side walls 14, 16 and the flange 
members 24, 26. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 7, the stabilizing recesses 
750 are disposed only upon the outside surface 722 of the walls 712, 714, 
716. 
As seen in FIG. 3, the frame 320 may be equipped with stabilizing notches 
380 on the outside surfaces 322 of the top wall 312 and the first and 
second side walls 314, 316. These stabilizing notches 380 are essentially 
small indentations, which are distributed in pairs on the walls 312, 314, 
316 between the stabilizing recesses 350 on the outside surfaces 322. The 
stabilizing notches 380 are intended to provide further absorption of 
warping forces during bending to maintain the cross-sectional rectangular 
shape of the frame 320. FIG. 3 also shows a self-stabilizing extrusion 310 
equipped with an extension 370 horizontally extending from the second 
bottom end 367 the second side wall 316 in the direction opposite the 
flange member 326. The extension 370 serves to provide support for the 
closure material 100 (as seen in FIG. 5) along the length thereof. 
As seen in FIG. 4, the frame 420 is shaped in an elongated rectangle form 
in vertical cross-section, wherein the side walls 414, 416 are longer than 
the top 412. The present invention contemplates a variety of such 
rectangular shapes, depending on the desired shape of the closure 
assembly. Furthermore, additional stabilizing recesses 450 are distributed 
on the inside surface 421 and outside surface 422 of the first and second 
side walls 414, 416 for the reasons mentioned above. 
As seen in FIG. 6, an additional feature of the base support 460 is shown. 
After routing through joints to make an opening 407 for closure material 
100 (not shown) insertion, the base support 440 becomes exposed and 
doubles as a staple receiving surface, allowing the securing of the 
corners of the closure material 100. FIG. 6 shows a joint between two 
self-stabilizing extrusions 210 and 410. Extrusion 210 is bent into an 
arc, with slot base 230 being visible through the slot opening 262 from 
the outer perimeter of the arc. Extrusion 410 has a somewhat more elongate 
rectangular vertical cross-section than extrusion 210, as in FIG. 4, 
although the more elongate shape is not required. Note that the 
stabilizing recesses are not shown for simplicity in FIG. 6. A portion of 
second side wall 416, second slot base portion 436, and inwardly directed 
flange member 426 of extrusion 410 have been removed by routing to form an 
opening 407 contiguous with slot opening 262 of extrusion 210. It should 
be recognized that the orientation of the extrusion 410 could be reversed 
such that routing is performed on the first side wall 414. Base support 
440 can form an essentially contiguous surface with slot base 230, 
provided the distance from the slot opening 262 to the slot base 230 of 
extrusion 210 is essentially equal to the distance between the side wall 
416 and the stabilizer 440 of extrusion 410. In such a configuration, base 
support 440 can advantageously serve as an additional staple receiving 
surface for closure material. 
As seen in FIG. 7, the stabilizing recesses 750 may be disposed only upon 
the outside surface 722 of the frame 720. As seen in FIG. 8, the base 
support 840 may extend below the slot base 830 to form two elongated slots 
860A and 860B. Furthermore, the invention contemplates a plurality of base 
supports, which would form therebetween a proportional number of elongated 
slots. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent to one 
with skill in the art.