Patent Publication Number: US-11649636-B2

Title: Tubular motor seal for extendable awning

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/743,056, filed Oct. 9, 2018, the entire content of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     (Not Applicable) 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a tubular motor for driving an awning roller and, more particularly, to a seal enclosure for a tubular motor. 
     Typical lateral arm awnings incorporating tubular type motors use a tubular motor attached to a roll-up tube that has a limited Ingress Protection rating (IP code). The use of a motor with a limited Ingress Protection rating in an outdoor environment can lead to premature failure of the motor due to corrosion and the like. 
     SUMMARY 
     The seal enclosure according to the described embodiments utilizes a rotary seal, motor box, motor box/seal interface, and roll-up tube gasket to interface with the tubular motor and roll-up tube assembly to increase the Ingress Protection rating while still allowing for normal operation. The assembly seals the tubular motor from the elements to prevent corrosion that could occur with a typical residential lateral awning. The rotary seal and connector elements allow the tube to rotate about the connector element and provide a water resistant seal. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a seal enclosure for a tubular motor includes a motor box having an exterior shape and sized to fit over an end of the tubular motor, and a motor box extension having an outer shape corresponding to the exterior shape and engaging the motor box, where the motor box extension includes a circumferential protrusion. A gasket is positioned between the motor box and the motor box extension, and a flexible seal engages the circumferential protrusion and is configured to engage the awning roller. 
     The motor box extension may include a first central opening that is sized to fit over the awning roller. The gasket may include a second central opening that is sized corresponding to the first central opening. The gasket may have an outer shape corresponding to the exterior shape of the motor box. The circumferential protrusion may be disposed around an exterior surface of the motor box extension. The circumferential protrusion may include an inclined surface, and the motor box extension may further include a trough on a motor box side of the circumferential protrusion. The flexible seal may include an interior circumferential ridge, where the interior circumferential ridge is positioned over the inclined surface into engagement with the trough. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, a motorized awning roller assembly includes an awning roller, a tubular motor coupled with the awning roller to drive the awning roller, and the seal enclosure of the described embodiments. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, a seal enclosure includes a motor box sized to fit over an end of the tubular motor, a motor box extension engaging the motor box and including a circumferential protrusion, a gasket positioned between the motor box and the motor box extension, and a flexible seal engaging the circumferential protrusion and configured to engage the awning roller. The motor box, the motor box extension and the flexible seal define a closed housing for the tubular motor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other aspects and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of the seal enclosure according to the described embodiments; 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded perspective view of the seal enclosure; 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded cross-sectional view of the seal enclosure; and 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of the assembled enclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the drawings, a seal enclosure  10  is provided for a tubular motor  12  that is configured to drive an awning roller  14 . The seal enclosure  10  includes a motor box  16  with an exterior shape. The motor box  16  is sized to fit over an end of the tubular motor  12 . The motor box  16  includes an opening  17  therein for threading wires or a power cord from the tubular motor  12 . A motor box extension  18  has an outer perimeter corresponding (i.e., substantially identical) to the exterior shape of the motor box  16  as shown in  FIG.  1   . The motor box extension  18  includes a central opening  19  that is sized to fit over the awning roller  14 . The motor box extension  18  also includes a circumferential protrusion  20 . 
     A gasket  22  is positioned between the motor box  16  and the motor box extension  18 . As shown, the gasket  22  may have an outer shape corresponding to the exterior shape of the motor box  16 . The gasket  22  includes a central opening  23  that is sized corresponding to the central opening  19  of the motor box extension  18 . The motor box includes openings as shown for receiving connectors securable through the gasket  22  and the motor box extension  18 . 
     A flexible seal  24  is configured to engage the awning roller  14 . The awning roller  14  may be provided with notches  26  or the like, and the flexible seal  24  may be provided with interior tabs  28  that are positioned to engage the notches  26 . The flexible seal  24  is thus configured to fit over the awning roller  14  with the tabs  28  engaging the notches  26 . The motor box  16 , the motor box extension  18  and the flexible seal  24  define a closed housing for the tubular motor  12 . 
     As is conventional with tubular motors, a crown  29  engages an end of the awning roller  14  and serves to center the awning roller  14  about the tubular motor  12 . The crown  29  includes corresponding notches  291  for receiving the notches  26  of the awning roller  14  that protrude inside the awning roller  14 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the circumferential protrusion  20  may be disposed around an exterior surface of the motor box extension  18 . As shown, the circumferential protrusion  20  may include an inclined surface  30 , where the motor box extension  18  further includes a trough  32  on a motor box side of the circumferential protrusion  20 . The flexible seal  24  may be provided with an interior circumferential ridge  34 . In assembling the seal enclosure  10 , the circumferential ridge  34  is positioned over the inclined surface  30  of the circumferential protrusion  20  into engagement with the trough  32 . 
     The seal enclosure of the described embodiments serves to seal the tubular motor from the elements to thereby make the motor more dust, water and corrosion resistant. The assembly utilizes components to protect the motor from the elements while still allowing for the full function of the motor/tube assembly. The design utilizes the rotary seal, motor box, motor box/seal interface and roll-up tube gasket to interface with the tubular motor and roll-up tube assembly to increase the Ingress Protection rating while still allowing for normal operation. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.