Abstract:
An intermediate support for a retractable roll awning. The support is positioned between two end brackets and provides additional support. The support includes a two support surfaces for supporting the roll awning in two directions. Alternatively, the support may comprise a single curved support surface. The support surface or surfaces include an arrangement for reducing friction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to retractable awnings, and more particularly, to an intermediate support for a retractable awning for use with recreation vehicles having retractable slide-out portions.  
           [0002]    Typical vehicles which must be transported over the roads, such as travel trailers and motor homes, are restricted in width to about eight feet. Any vehicle having a greater width usually requires a wide load permit. This width limitation severely limits the interior lay-out of the vehicle. Therefore, some recreational vehicles have been provided with retractable structures generally referred to as a “slide-outs” or slide-out rooms have been provided in many recreational vehicles. Such slide-outs are generally rectangular, and in some instances, extend lengthwise of the vehicle for substantial distance. Further, because of their size, such slide-outs are generally moved between the retracted and extended position by powered actuators. An example of a slide-out is illustrated in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,132.  
           [0003]    It is customary to form the roof of the slide-out as a flat surface extending parallel to the roof of the vehicle. Such slide-out roofs, which are flat and extend horizontally, tend to collect leaves, snow, dirt and other debris. Although seals have been provided for slide-outs to resist the movement of such debris into the vehicle interior when the slide-out is retracted, difficulty is often encountered because such debris is carried past the seal and enters the interior of the vehicle when the slide-out is retracted for road travel.  
           [0004]    In order to prevent the collection of debris on the roof of a slide-out, a retractable awning system has been provided in which a retractable awning was mounted so as to cover a substantial portion of the roof of the slide-out when the slide-out was extended. The intention of such awning was to cause any rain, snow, leaves or other debris to collect on the surface of the awning, and not on the roof, per se. The awning is structured so that as the slide-out is retracted, the awning rolls up on a roll journaled at the outer surface of the slide-out and drops the debris harmlessly on the ground. The roll is supported and journaled by a pair of brackets located at either end of the roll. Such a retractable awning is illustrated and described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,687.  
           [0005]    For especially long rolls, since they are only supported at their ends, the middle section of the roll may tend to sag or bow. The disadvantage of such sagging is an untidy appearance, as well as diminished shedding of water and debris.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides a recreational vehicle comprising a side wall, a slide-out room extendable from the side wall of the vehicle, a roll awning journaled to the slide-out room by a pair of brackets at ends of the roll awning, the roll awning comprising a fabric having one edge secured to the side wall. The recreational vehicle further comprises an intermediate support attached to the slide-out room and comprising a supporting surface that supports the roll awning at a location between the pair of brackets as the slide-out room is being extended from the side wall.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an intermediate support for a slide-out room of a vehicle according to the present invention;  
           [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a side view of the support of FIG. 1;  
           [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an intermediate support according to the present invention;  
           [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a front elevation showing supports according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;  
           [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the intermediate support of FIG. 1;  
           [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an intermediate support for a slide-out room of a vehicle according to a first alternate embodiment of the present invention; and  
           [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a side view showing an intermediate support for a slide-out room of a vehicle according to a second alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the present invention provides an intermediate support  10  for a slide-out awning or cover assembly  12  used for a vehicle slide-out room  14 . The awning assembly  12  comprises an awning roll  16  journaled to a pair of brackets  18  acting as end supports that are attached a wall  20  of the slide-out room  14 . An awning  22  comprising a sheet of fabric is wound around the roll  16  and secured at one edge  24  to a stationary wall  26  of the vehicle  28 . As the slide-out  14  is extended from the wall  26  of a vehicle  28 , the rolled awning  22  unwinds while the edge  24  of the awning  22  remains secured to the stationary vehicle wall  26 .  
         [0015]    The support  10  of the present invention attaches to the wall  20  of the slide-out room  14  and supports the awning assembly  12  at a location intermediate to the brackets  18 . The support  10  is secured to the wall  20  by one or more screws  30 .  
         [0016]    As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the support  10  is generally L-shaped having a relatively flat bottom surface  32  and a sloped back or rear surface  34 , both of which contact the awning assembly  12  proximate to its midpoint as it unrolls or rolls up on the support  10 . The support  10  prevents bowing or sagging of the roll  16 . One or more of the support surfaces  32 ,  34  may have a friction-reducing coating, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), to facilitate rolling up or unwinding of the awning  22 . Alternatively, the support  10  itself may be made from a low friction material.  
         [0017]    As shown in FIG. 3, the support  10  both lifts the roll  16  and spaces it from the wall  20 . The position of the middle of the roll  16  is schematically shown in broken lines  16   a  as sagging without the support  10  and in solid lines  16   b  as supported. The distance, x, from the wall  20  is set to hold the roll  16  straight or slightly bowed away from the wall  20  at the midpoint of its length. The height of the support  10  is set so the roll  16  is straight or slightly bowed up at the midpoint of its length. Since the roll  16  decreases in diameter as the awning  22  is unwound, the bowed support prevents the roll  16  from sagging due to this decrease in diameter.  
         [0018]    Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, multiple supports  10  can be used, spaced apart along the length of the roll  16 . The number of supports  10  required to adequately support a particular roll depends upon the roll&#39;s length and girth.  
         [0019]    As best shown in FIG. 5, three holes  36  are provided on the support  10  to accommodate the screws  30  for securing the support  10  to the wall  20 . As a first alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 6, elongated holes  38  can be provided to allow for vertical adjustment of the support  10 ′. Further, it should be appreciated that any number of holes can be provided. Further, other means of fastening the support  10 ,  10 ′ to the wall  20  can be used, such as riveting, welding or gluing.  
         [0020]    As a second alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 7, a curved support  10 ″ has a single curved support surface  40 , as a substitute for the two support surfaces  32 ,  34  of the support  10 ,  10 ′ of FIGS. 1-6. The shape of the surface  40  provides the horizontal and vertical support of the previous embodiment and additionally provides support in the negative vertical direction to prevent the awning roll  16  from being lifted under the tension of being deployed. Further, roller or ball bearings  42 , as schematically shown, are provided to reduce the friction between the roll  16  and the surface  40 . Although five bearings  42  are shown, any number of rollers can be used according to the present invention. Further, the bearings  42  could be replaced by other means of reducing friction, such as balls bearings or a low friction surface such as PTFE, as in the previous embodiments. Moreover, it should be appreciated that the bearings  42  of the embodiment of FIG. 7 could be adapted for use in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6.  
         [0021]    It should be evident that this disclosure is by way of example and that various changes maybe made by adding, modifying or eliminating details without departing from the fair scope of the teaching contained in this disclosure. The invention is therefore not limited to particular details of this disclosure except to the extent that the following claims are necessarily so limited.