Patent Publication Number: US-9410326-B2

Title: Awning system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/897,563, filed on Oct. 30, 2013, and incorporates by reference the disclosure thereof in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Recreational vehicles, for example, motorhomes and travel trailers, often are provided with retractable awning systems. Such awning systems may include a roller, an awning fabric or canopy having a first end that is attached to and can be rolled onto and off of the roller, means for driving the roller so that the awning fabric may be rolled onto and off of the roller, and support structure for supporting the roller and the other (“free”) end of the awning fabric when deployed from the roller. Either the roller or the free end of the awning fabric may be attached to the vehicle, and the other of the roller or the free end of the awning fabric may be attached to an extendable support structure. 
     Known extendable support structures generally fall into two categories: cantilevered supports and strut-type supports. Cantilevered supports typically include arms that extend outwardly, more or less horizontally, from an outer wall of the vehicle near the attachment of the roller or awning fabric to the vehicle. As such, cantilevered supports may be located entirely overhead so that they do not interfere with a person entering or exiting the space underneath the awning fabric. Cantilevered supports, however, may not be as robust as strut-type supports and may not be able to withstand loads as great as may be withstood by strut-type supports. 
     Strut-type supports typically include struts extending from a lower portion of a wall of a structure to which the awning and support structure may be attached. As such, strut-type supports can be more robust than cantilevered supports. Such struts, however, typically extend diagonally along the sides of the space covered by the awning, and obstruct entry to and exit from that space from and to the sides of that space. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 2  is a detail view of a portion of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a detail view of another portion of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a detail view of a further portion of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a detail view of yet another portion of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a second perspective view of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a left side elevation view of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a right side elevation view of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional right side elevation view of awning and support system  10 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a detail view of yet a further portion of awning and support system  10 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is a front elevation view of a portion of awning and support system  10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings show illustrative embodiments of an awning and support system  10 . System  10  includes two support structures  12 . The two support structures  12  may be generally identical or mirror images of each other. Each support structure  12  includes a base  14 , a first (or “upper”) support arm  16 , a second (or “lower”) support arm  18 , a third (or “roller”) support arm  20 , a telescopic actuator  22  and a biasing member  24 . Base  14  may be mounted to, for example, a wall of a building or vehicle. Telescopic actuator  22  may be a pressurized gas strut having a housing and actuator rod, and may be configured to bias the actuator rod to an extended position and require application of a compressive force thereto to collapse the actuator rod into the housing. System  10  also includes an awning  26  and an awning roller  28 . 
     A head unit  30  is attached to a first end of roller support arm  20 . Awning roller  28  is located between and supported by head units  30  attached to the first ends of roller support arms  20 . More specifically, a first end of roller  28  is supported by head unit  30  attached to a first end of roller support arm  20  of one of support structures  12 , and a second end of roller  28  is supported by head unit  30  attached to the first end of roller support arm  20  of the other of support structures  12 . 
     A first end (or “roller end”) of awning  26  is attached to roller  28 . A second end (or “free end”) of awning  26  may be attached to another structure, for example, base  14  or a vehicle or building to which system  10  may be attached or to an integrated or intervening mounting structure  27 . The head unit  30  attached to either or both of roller support arms  20  may include an electric drive motor or other means to selectively wind and unwind awning  26  onto and off of roller  28 . 
     A first end of upper support arm  16  is rotatably connected to base  14  at a first pivot point Pl. First pivot point P 1  may be located near or further inboard from a first (or “upper”) end of base  12 . A first end of lower support arm  18  is rotatably connected to base  14  at a second pivot point P 2 . Second pivot point P 2  is distanced from first pivot point P 1  by a first distance D 1  toward a second (or “lower”) end of base  12 . 
     A second end of lower support arm  18  is rotatably connected to roller support arm  20  at a third pivot point P 3 . Third pivot point P 3  may be located near or further inboard from a second end of roller support arm  20 . A second end of upper support arm  16  is rotatably connected to roller support arm  20  at a fourth pivot point P 4 . Fourth pivot point P 4  is distanced from third pivot point P 3  by a second distance D 2  toward the first end of roller support arm  20 . 
     A first end of telescopic actuator  22  is rotatably connected to lower support arm  18  at a fifth pivot point P 5 . Fifth pivot point P 5  is located near but is separated from second pivot point P 2  by a third distance D 3  toward the second end of lower support arm  18 . A second end of telescopic actuator  22  is rotatably connected to upper support arm  16  at a sixth pivot point P 6 . Sixth pivot point P 6  is located intermediate first pivot point P 1  and fourth pivot point P 4 . 
     System  10  may be selectively operated between a deployed state and a collapsed state. In the deployed state, upper support arm  16 , lower support arm  18 , roller support arm  20  and telescopic actuator  22  extend away from base  12  in a direction generally (though not necessarily absolutely) perpendicular thereto. Also, in the deployed state, awning  26  may be extended away from the structure to which the free end thereof is attached such that awning  26  is pitched with respect to the structure or generally perpendicular to the structure. If system  10  is attached to a building or a vehicle that is level with respect to level ground, the awning may be parallel to the ground or “flat.” 
     Telescopic actuator  22  imparts a force to upper support arm  16  and lower support arm  18  at pivot points P 5  and P 6 . This force tends to rotate upper support arm  16  and lower support arm  18  about pivot points P 1  and P 2 , respectively, toward the extended position described above, and to maintain upper support arm  16  and lower support arm  18  in this extended position. Upper support arm  16  and lower support arm  18 , in turn, impart forces to roller support arm  20  at pivot points P 3  and P 4 . These forces cause roller support arm  20  to rotate about pivot points P 3  and P 4  to the extended position described above. These forces also tend to maintain roller support arm  20  in this extended position. The foregoing forces may be counteracted by tension in awning  26  between roller  28  and the structure to which awning  26  is attached. 
     System  10  may be transitioned to a collapsed state by winding awning  26  onto roller  28 . The tension in awning  26  as awning  26  is rolled onto roller  28  imparts a force on upper support arm  20 . This force counteracts the force applied to pivot points P 3  and P 4  by lower support arm  18  and upper support arm  16 , respectively, and causes upper support arm  20  to rotate about pivot point P 3  and pivot point P 4  toward a collapsed position, as will be discussed further below. Upper support arm  16  and lower support arm  18 , in turn, apply a compressive force to telescopic actuator  22  at pivot points P 5  and P 6 , thereby collapsing the actuator rod of telescopic actuator  22  into the body or housing thereof. At the same time, upper support arm  16  rotates about pivot point P 1  and second support arm  18  rotates about pivot point P 2  toward collapsed positions, as discussed further below. 
     In the collapsed state, awning  26  is wound around roller  28 , and upper support arm  16 , lower support arm  18 , roller support arm  20  and telescopic actuator  22  are collapsed generally against, and may be nested within, base  14 . Also, in the collapsed state, biasing member  24  is compressed between base  14  and lower support arm  18  or between lower support arm  18  and telescopic actuator  22 . As such, biasing member  24  imparts a force between the foregoing pairs of components. Additionally, in the collapsed state, telescopic actuator  22  imparts a force on upper support arm  16  at pivot point P 6 , causing upper support arm  16  to bow outwardly from base  14  between pivot points P 1  and P 4 . More specifically, the travel of the actuator rod of telescopic actuator  22  relative to the body thereof is limited and the relative locations of pivot points P 5  and P 6  are selected such that such that the compressive travel limit of the actuator rod of telescopic actuator  22  relative to the body thereof is reached before the rotational travel limit of upper support arm  16  toward base  14  is reached. As such, the second end of upper support arm  26  continues to rotate toward base  14  after the rod of telescopic actuator  22  has reached its travel limit relative the base thereof and can be no further compressed, thereby imparting onto upper support arm  16  a bending stress about pivot point P 6  and/or causing upper support arm  26  to bend about pivot point P 6 . The travel limit of the rod relative to the body of actuator  22  may be due to, for example, the rod bottoming out within the housing, or by means of an internal or external stop device that limits such travel. 
     In order to deploy awning  26  and support structure  12 , awning  26  is unwound from roller  28 . The release of tension in awning  26  further to the unrolling thereof allows the bending stress placed upon upper support arm  16  during the collapsing process, as described above, to be relieved. The relief of the bending stress causes upper support arm  16  to straighten out such that pivot point P 4  moves away from base  14 . At about the same time, the force imparted by biasing member  24  on lower support arm  18  and telescopic actuator  22  or telescopic actuator  22  and upper support  16  pushes the body of telescopic actuator  22  away from lower support arm  18  (or pushes lower support arm  18  away from base  14 ), thereby initially displacing upper support arm  16  and lower support arm  18  from the collapsed position. Further deployment of support structures  12  is driven by the telescopic action of telescopic actuator  22 . 
     As discussed above, each support structure  12  includes a base  14 , a first or upper support arm  16 , a second or lower support arm  18 , a third or roller support arm  20 , a telescopic actuator  22  and a biasing member  24 . Base  12  is shown is an elongated, generally C-shaped channel having a bottom  32  and sides  34  extending generally perpendicularly from first and second edges of bottom  32 . Bottom  32  and sides  34  cooperate to define an interior region of base  12 . Bottom  32  of base  12  may define one or more apertures  36  for receiving fasteners (not shown) that may be used to attach base  12  to a structure, for example, a building, motorhome, or travel trailer. Sides  34  of base  12  may include apertures  38 ,  40  for receiving pins or other means for connecting first support arm  16  and second support arm  18  thereto, as will be discussed further below. Apertures  38  may be located near a first end of base  12 . Apertures  40  may be located near apertures  38  and toward a second end of base  12  relative to apertures  38 . Bottom  32  and/or sides  34  of base  12  may be generally planar, or they may have cross-sectional shapes, as shown, to enhance the rigidity or other structural characteristics of base  12 . Sides  34  of base  12  are configured to receive first support arm  16 , second support arm  18  and telescopic actuator  22  there between when support structure  12  is in a collapsed state, as will be discussed further below. 
     Upper support arm  16  is shown as an elongated, generally C-shaped channel having a bottom  42  and sides  44  extending generally perpendicularly from first and second edges of bottom  42 . Bottom  42  and sides  44  cooperate to define an interior region of first support arm  16 . Sides  44  define apertures  46 ,  48  for receiving pins or other means for connecting first support arm  16  to base  12  and third support arm  20  thereto, as will be discussed further below. Apertures  46  are located near a first end of first support arm  16 , and apertures  48  are located near a second end of first support arm  16 . Scallops S 1  may be provided at the free edges of sides  44  to provide clearance for hardware at pivot point P 2 . Scallops S 2  may be provided at the free edges of sides  44  to provide clearance for hardware at pitch adjustment pivot point P 7 , as discussed further below. Sides  44  further define apertures  54  for receiving pins or other means for connecting telescopic actuator  22  to upper support arm  16 , as will be discussed further below. 
     Lower support arm  18  is shown as having a first section  56  and a second section  58 . First section  56  is shown as an elongated, generally C-shaped channel having a bottom  60  and sides  62  extending generally perpendicular from first and second edges of bottom  60 . Bottom  60  and sides  62  cooperate to form an interior region of first section  56  of second support arm  18 . Sides  62  define apertures  64  for receiving a pin or other means for connecting second support arm  18  to base  14 , as will be discussed further below. Apertures  64  are located near a first end of second support arm  18 . The portion of sides  62  defining apertures  64  may extend beyond bottom  60 . Sides  62  also define apertures  66  for receiving pins or other means for connecting telescopic actuator  22  to lower support arm  18 , as will be discussed further below. Sides  62  further define apertures  68  for receiving pins or other means for connecting first section  56  of lower support arm  18  to second section  58  of lower support arm  18 , as discussed further below. The portion of sides  62  defining apertures  68  may extend beyond bottom  60 . 
     Second section  58  of lower support arm  18  is shown as a square tubular member but could be a C-shaped channel or other member. A first of second section  58  defines apertures  69  for receiving a pin or other means for connecting first section  56  of lower support arm  18  to second section  58  of lower support arm  18 , as discussed further above. In an embodiment, such pinning means could be a nut and bolt made of, for example, stainless steel, inserted through apertures  68  and  69 . A Belleville washer may be provided between the head of the bolt an outer surface of one of sides  62  of first section  56  of lower support arm  18 . Another Belleville washer may be provided between the nut and an outer surface of the other of sides  62  of first section  56  of lower support arm  18 . This connection defines pivot point P 7 . Normally, first and second sections  56 ,  58  are collinear. First section  56  may be rotated about pivot point P 7  with respect to second section  58  in order to alter the pitch of awning  26  when deployed. The Belleville washer arrangement may serve to maintain the rotated (or non-collinear) position of first section  56  with respect to second section  58 . 
     Roller support arm  20  is shown as an elongated, generally C-shaped channel, having a bottom  76  and sides  78  extending generally perpendicular from first and second edges of bottom  76 . Bottom  76  and sides  78  cooperate to define an interior region of third support arm  20 . Sides  78  of third support arm  20  define apertures  80 ,  82  for receiving pins or other means for connecting first support arm  16  and second support arm  18  to third support arm  20 , as will be discussed further below. Sides  78  of third support arm  20  are configured to receive sides  44  of first support arm and to overlap sides  34  of base  12  when support structure  12  is in collapsed state, as will be discussed further below. 
     A first end of upper support arm  16  is rotatably connected to base  12  by aligning apertures  46  of upper support arm  16  with apertures  38  of base  12  and inserting a pin  90  or similar pinning means, for example, a nut and bolt arrangement, through the foregoing apertures. Bushings and/or bearings may be included at this connection as desired. Pin  90  may have a head portion and a shank portion. The shank portion may define a groove  91  at an end thereof opposite head portion. The groove may receive a c-clip  92  to retain pin  90  within the foregoing apertures. This connection defines first pivot point P 1 . 
     A first end of lower support arm  18  is rotatably connected to base  12  by aligning apertures  64  of lower support arm  18  with apertures  40  of base  14  and inserting a pin  93  through such apertures. Pin  93  may be configured in a manner similar to pin  90  described above and have similar retaining means. This connection defines second pivot point P 2 . 
     A second end of lower support arm  18  is rotatably connected to roller support arm  20  by aligning apertures  67  of lower support arm  18  with apertures  82  of roller support arm  20  and inserting pin  94  through such apertures. Pin  94  may be similar to pin  90  described above and have similar retaining means. This connection defines third pivot point P 3 . 
     A second end of upper support arm  16  is connected to roller support arm  20  by aligning apertures  48  of upper support arm with apertures  80  of roller support arm and inserting pin  95  through such apertures. Pin  95  may be similar to pin  90  described above and have similar retaining means. This connection defines fourth pivot point P 4 . 
     A first end of telescopic actuator  22  is rotatably connected to lower support arm  16  by aligning apertures  66  of lower support arm  18  with an aperture at the first end of telescopic actuator  22  and inserting pin  96  through such apertures. Pin  96  may be similar to pin  90  described above and have similar retaining means. This connection defines fifth pivot point P 5 . 
     A second end of telescopic actuator  22  is rotatably connected to upper support arm  16  by aligning apertures  54  of upper support arm  16  with an aperture at the second end of telescopic actuator  22  and inserting pin  97  through such apertures. Pin  97  may be similar to pin  90  described above and have similar retaining means. This connection defines sixth pivot point P 6 . 
     Biasing member  24  is shown as a compressible and resilient rubber bumper disposed between telescopic actuator  22  and lower support arm  18 . Alternatively, biasing member  24  could be a spring or other structure suitable for biasing lower support arm  18  relative to telescopic actuator  22  or relative to base  14 , as discussed further above. 
     Distances D 1 , D 2  and D 3  may be selected as desired to yield a desired orientation or pitch of awning  26  relative to the structure to which system  10  is attached when awning  26  is deployed, and to allow system  10  to be collapsed as discussed above. 
     To the extent dimensions may be provided in the drawings, the dimensions are illustrative and may be scaled or otherwise changed as desired to yield a particular result. 
     Terms of orientation such as “upper” and “lower” as used herein should not be interpreted in an absolute sense but instead as indicators of relative orientation. 
     One or more embodiments are described and/or shown herein for illustrative purposes and should not be construed to limit the scope of the underlying invention. The disclosed embodiments could be modified without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it might be possible to relocate biasing member  24  to a position between upper support arm  16  and telescopic actuator  22 . Also, the roller and head unit could be located on the structure to which system  10  may be attached, and the free end of awning  26  could be attached to a header (not shown) spanning the first ends of roller support arms  20 .