Patent Publication Number: US-2021180327-A1

Title: Articulated arm for outdoor awnings

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an articulated arm for outdoor awnings. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The use is widespread of outdoor awnings installed on the walls of buildings, some of which are provided with articulated extendable arms for deploying the awning. 
     Such articulated arms are made up externally of four main components: a shoulder for connection to a supporting structure, a first profiled element connected to the shoulder, a joint, a second profiled element articulated to the first element by way of the joint, and a tip element for connecting to the end profile of the awning. In the sector, such profiled elements are often called the arm and the forearm, respectively. 
     Other components belong to the articulated arms and their function is to connect the above mentioned elements and to maintain the tensioning of the arm during use of the awning. For this reason, the use is widespread of a pretensioning device, which usually consists of a gas-filled piston or a helical spring. These, typically, pass lengthwise through the first profiled element of the articulated arm. 
     Assembly of such conventional articulated arms occurs in the following manner at least one helical spring (or the piston) is coupled with one end to the shoulder and with the other end to a strap (or a chain or a cable). The spring and the strap pass lengthwise through the first profiled element and the strap protrudes from the latter, and is designed to be pulled in order to pretension the spring. Then the joint and the second profiled element are mounted and, at the same time, the strap, passing through these as well, is pulled in order to tension the spring and, finally, is coupled to the second profiled element. 
     Such conventional articulated arms reveal a complexity, and therefore a cost, both in terms of components and in terms of assembly, which can significantly influence the overall cost of the product. 
     The complexity of assembly leads producers to provide the articulated arm already fitted, tensioned and painted. 
     Furthermore, such arms also show room for improvement in their operation. The pretensioning device, for example the spring, must be brought to tension with a force such as to keep the fabric of the awning taut. The greater the force, the more the arm tends to deform by bending. Furthermore, in this system, the spring is placed under further tension by folding the arm when closing the awning. 
     SUMMARY 
     The aim of the present disclosure is to provide an articulated arm for outdoor awnings which is capable of improving the known art in one or more of the above mentioned aspects. 
     Within this aim, the disclosure provides an articulated arm that is structurally simpler than conventional aims, in order to facilitate its assembly and keep down production costs. 
     The disclosure facilitates the tensioning operations and to improve the operation of the arm during its use. 
     The disclosure is able to supply the articulated arm not completely mounted. 
     The disclosure provides an articulated arm that is highly reliable, easy to implement and at low cost. 
     This aim and these and other advantages which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by providing an articulated arm according to claim  1 , optionally provided with one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the articulated arm according to the disclosure, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the articulated arm according to the disclosure in an extended configuration, applied to an awning; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the articulated arm according to the disclosure, in an inactive configuration; 
         FIGS. 3 to 8  show steps of assembly and tensioning of the articulated arm according to the disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a partially exploded perspective view of the articulated arm according to the disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 9  showing a step of assembly of the articulated arm according to the disclosure; 
         FIGS. 11 to 14  are perspective views similar to  FIG. 9  showing other steps of assembly of the articulated arm according to the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 9  of the articulated arm according to the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference to the figures, the articulated arm according to the disclosure, generally designated by the reference numeral  10 , comprises: 
     a first longitudinally extended element  11 , to be connected with one of its ends to a supporting structure and provided with elastic tensioning means  13  which are accommodated at least partially inside it, 
     a second longitudinally extended element  12 , to be connected rotatably on one side of the first longitudinally extended element  11 , with the rotation fulcrum  30  in a region comprised between the two ends of the first element  11 , 
     an elongated flexible element  14  for maintaining tension and adapted to connect the elastic tensioning means  13  to the second longitudinally extended element  12 , surrounding at least partially the region in which the fulcrum  30  is located. 
     In particular, the flexible element  14  preferably comprises, as illustrated, a strap. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show the articulated arm  10  respectively in the active configuration of maximum extension and in the inactive configuration with the arm folded. In particular,  FIG. 1  shows the aim applied to an awning and connected to the supporting structure. 
     In the subsequent  FIGS. 3 to 5 , note that the first longitudinally extended element  11  comprises a first end portion  15  for connection to a supporting structure, a longitudinally extended profiled element  16 , which is internally hollow and inside which the above mentioned elastic tensioning means  13  are at least partially accommodated, and a second end portion  17 , which is for connection to the second longitudinally extended element  12 , as can be clearly seen from  FIGS. 10 to 14 . The fulcrum  30  is present on the second end portion  17 . In particular, on one side of the second portion  17  there is a pivoting portion with the fulcrum  30 . 
     The two end portions  15  and  17  conveniently have parts for coupling to the profiled element  16  which are at least partially complementarily shaped to it and which have a smaller cross-section in order to be inserted with interference into its cavity, as can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Those figures show the first longitudinally extended element during its assembly and during some steps of the pretensioning. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 8 , the elastic tensioning means  13  comprise: 
     a mechanical return device  18  to be connected at one end to the first end portion  15  and at the opposite end to traction means  19  in order to subject the mechanical return device  18  to traction, 
     means for maintaining tension  20  during the assembly of the first longitudinally extended element  11  with the second longitudinally extended element  12 . 
     In particular, as can be seen from  FIG. 3 , the mechanical return device  18  comprises, in the example shown, a helical spring, but it can alternatively be constituted, for example, by a gas-filled piston. 
     With regard to the traction means  19 , these comprise a rigid plate-like element  21  to be connected to the mechanical return device  18 , with the interposition of an extension  22  of the spring in the case shown, and which has at least one first transverse hole  23  and at least one second transverse hole  24 , contoured, one of each in the case shown, and transverse with respect to the longitudinal direction of extension of the profiled element  16 . The plate-like element  21  is designed to protrude from the profiled element is  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , into the second end portion  17 . The latter is provided laterally with a window  25 , at the transverse holes  23  and  24 . 
     The traction means  19  also comprise a removable extension  26  of the plate-like element  21 , which is adapted to protrude from the second end portion  17 , in the manner shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The plate-like element  21  has a barbed hook  21   a  at the end, in order to facilitate the disengagement of the removable extension  26 . Conveniently, the removable extension  26 , at the end for coupling with the plate-like element  21 , has a fork  26   a  with a transverse link, onto which the element  21  hooks with the hook  21 a, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The tensioning means  20  during assembly comprise an element  27  for locking the sliding of the plate-like element  21  within the profiled element  16 , and which is provided with at least one pin  28  with which it is adapted to be inserted into an adapted first transverse hole  23  of the plate-like element  21  and is adapted to abut against the end of the profiled element  16  by return of the plate-like element  21 , as a result of the return device  18 . 
       FIGS. 6 to 8  show what has just been described and, in particular,  FIG. 8  shows the moment when the locking element  27  abuts against the profiled element  16 . 
       FIG. 9  separately shows the first longitudinally extended element  11 , the second longitudinally extended element  12 , and the flexible element  14 . 
     The end of the first longitudinally extended element  11 , at the second end portion  17 , is open, as can be seen in  FIGS. 4 to 8 , for the outward passage of the removable extension  26  during the step of tensioning, and can be closed, as illustrated in the subsequent figures, by way of a special cylinder  29  with an axial hole for the passage of a pin or the like which locks its positioning. 
     The second end portion  17  has the fulcrum  30  on the side opposite to the side joining to the locking element  27 . The fulcrum  30  is in a pivoting portion that comprises a portion protruding from the second end portion  17  and adapted to be inserted into a forked seat on the end of the second longitudinally extended element  12 , and to be locked to it by way of a pin  31  inserted in the direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of the two elements.  FIG. 10  shows the joining of the two with the insertion of the pin  31 . 
       FIGS. 11 to 14  show other steps of assembly of the two longitudinal elements, with connection by way of the flexible element  14 . 
     The flexible element  14  has, at one end, a cylinder  32  to be arranged and locked in an adapted receptacle provided in an end portion of the second longitudinally extended element  12 , and, at the opposite end, means for coupling  33  to the plate-like element  21 . 
     The cylinder  32  can be substituted by any other alternative means for joining the flexible element  14  to the second longitudinally extended element  12 . 
     The means for coupling  33  comprise a fastener, substantially mushroom-shaped, which is adapted to be locked in the second transverse hole  24 . The latter is conveniently  8 -shaped, with a wider part for inserting the fastener and a narrower part in which the fastener is secured. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 13  and in  FIG. 14 , there is also an additional cylinder  34  to be inserted through the window  25  in order to keep a part of the flexible element  14  inside the second end portion  17 , which is locked in its seat by way of a pin  35  or a screw or the like which passes transversely through the longitudinal element  11  and axially through the cylinder. 
     The flexible element  14 , in being fastened to the plate-like element  21 , is indirectly fastened to the elastic tensioning means  13  and encircles the end of the first element  11  in order to be fastened laterally to the second element  12 , proximate to the fulcrum  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , there are also covers  36  and  37  for closing the window  25  and openings for the insertion of pins and cylinders. 
     Use of the articulated arm, according to the disclosure, is as follows in its assembly. 
     The mechanical return device  18 , i.e. the spring in the example, is connected, as shown in  FIG. 3 , with one end to the first end portion  15  and with the other end to the plate-like element  21 , with the interposition between the two of an extension  22 , which is conveniently rigid. 
     The profiled element  16  is fitted over these, and the plate-like element protrudes partially from such profiled element, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The removable extension  26  is associated with the free end of the plate-like element  21 , in order to facilitate holding, and the second end portion  17  is fitted over these and will be coupled with the profiled element  16 , from which the extension  26  protrudes. 
     The extension  26  is pulled outward by the operator, as shown in  FIG. 5 , thus placing the device  18  in traction and therefore creating a pretensioning. 
     While manually maintaining such pretensioning, the locking element  27  is inserted through the window  25 , as in  FIGS. 6 and 7  in succession. On releasing the hold, the plate-like element  21  tends to return, pulled by the return device  18 , toward its initial position until the locking element  27  abuts against the end of the profiled element  16 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     The removable extension  26  is removed and the end of the first longitudinally extended element  11 , from which it protruded, is closed by the cylinder  29 . 
     The first longitudinally extended element  11  is pivoted to the second longitudinally extended element  12 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , at the fulcrum  30 . 
     The two elements are connected by way of the flexible element  14 : the cylinder  32  is inserted into and locked in the receptacle at the end portion of the second longitudinally extended element  12  and at the other end the fastener is locked in the second transverse hole  24 . During this operation the second longitudinally extended element  12  is kept in a position with respect to the first  11  such as to define an angle greater than 90° between the two. 
     The cylinder  34  is positioned and locked through the window  25 , as shown in  FIG. 13 , so as to restrain the element  14 . The second element  12  is closed toward the first  11  so as to define an angle smaller than 90° and, while maintaining this position, the locking element  27  is removed, as shown in  FIG. 14 . The partial closure serves to increase tension, thus causing the sliding of the plate-like element toward the second end and therefore causing the removal of the locking element  27 , which otherwise would impede the extension of the arm. 
     It should be noted that the pretensioning is carried out substantially only on the first longitudinally extended element  11 : the spring is placed under traction and the tension is maintained within the element  11  without involving the second element  12  until to moment the two are assembled together. 
     The articulated arm  10  according to the disclosure, in addition to evidently being simpler and quicker to tension, with respect to conventional arms, advantageously makes it possible to postpone the assembly of the two longitudinal elements. In fact, these must not be joined simultaneously with the pretensioning. 
     Furthermore, the connection of the two elements, first and second, is objectively simple even for an operator lacking any training whatsoever. 
     It should also be noted that the fulcrum  30  is not arranged at the end of the first longitudinally extended element  11 , but rather laterally, along the second end portion. This advantageously makes it possible to increase the pulling leverage and therefore to develop the same tensioning force with less preloading of the return device with respect to what is needed in conventional arms and, as a consequence, reducing the risk of bending during its use. 
     The leverage is ample when the arm is extended and is reduced during closure, thus transmitting little of the tension to the fabric, which for this reason is preserved. 
     In practice it has been found that the disclosure fully achieves the intended aim and advantages by providing an articulated arm that is structurally simpler than conventional arms, facilitating its assembly and the pretensioning operations, and furthermore it is less subject to deformations during use. 
     The disclosure, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements. 
     In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art. 
     The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102017000143319 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.