Patent Publication Number: US-8539718-B2

Title: Rain catch for collecting and diverting rainwater from a retractable awning

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to rainwater capture and diversion, and more particularly to rainwater capture and diversion as applied to awnings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of retractable awnings has become widespread. They are commonly used to provide shelter from the elements for outdoor spaces such as patios. They can also be employed to lower energy bills by shading windows of dwellings, and are widely installed on campers and motor homes to provide protection from the elements for a patio area immediately adjacent thereto. Their retractable design is particularly important to the camper and mobile home application as it is critical that they be easily stowed while the camper or mobile home is in motion. 
     One important concern users of awnings have, both fixed and retractable, is control of rainwater as it sheds from the top surface of the awning. Awnings are typically deployed such that their top surfaces are declined at a downward angle from their point of attachment to a structure. This facilitates shedding of rainwater to the lower end of the awning and prevents water from pooling on the top of the awning. As with pitched roofs on buildings, without a gutter system of some kind, water can quickly pool and splash around the perimeter of the awning. This can cause problems such as erosion, mud splatter, and even flooding of the very area the awning is intended to shield from the rain. 
     Gutter systems of various designs similar to those employed on the roofs of buildings have been adapted for use in conjunction with awnings in the past to help collect and divert the shedding rainwater away from the perimeter of the awning. Such a gutter system, however, is really only practical when applied to awnings that are intended to be permanently (or at least semi-permanently) deployed. Any conventional gutter system design that is applied to a retractable awning will interfere with its easy retraction and stowing. At the very least, a typical gutter system would have to be detached and disassembled first every time a retractable awning is to be retracted and stowed away. Likewise, the gutter system would have to be re-assembled and re-affixed whenever the awning is re-deployed. Thus, this additional assembly and dis-assembly of a gutter system tends to negate the convenience that a retractable awning is designed to provide, and such systems are therefore not commonly used with retractable awnings. 
     One simple technique commonly employed by users of retractable awnings, in an attempt to minimize impact of rainwater as it is shed from the awning during a rain shower or storm, is to tilt the awning to one corner on the downward end of the awning. This at least causes the flow of the shedding rainwater to be substantially directed to one location of the awning&#39;s perimeter, rather than being permitted to shed from all downward edges of the awning. This can be accomplished by simply adjusting a supporting member, typically provided at each corner of the tilted end of the awning, such that one support member is shorter than the other. This causes the top surface of the awning to tilt to the corner having the shorter support member. 
     While this technique is helpful in some ways, it still does not solve the problems outlined above, and in fact may exacerbate some of them. For example, pooling of water and erosion can be much worse, albeit limited to one location, when virtually all of the rainwater is shed to a more limited area of the awning&#39;s perimeter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An easy to install (and uninstall) rain catch collects rainwater shed from the top surface of an awning canopy of a retractable awning to facilitate the diversion of the collected water to a more convenient location other than the immediate area surrounding the perimeter of the awning. The rain catch is designed to be quickly strapped or clamped to an awning beam on the leading edge of the awning that is provided with most retractable awning designs. The rain catch is disposed at a lowest corner of the awning, established by adjusting the length of one support member of a retractable awning at that corner of the downward end of the awning to be shorter than any other members supporting the awning at its downward or leading edge. 
     The rain catch has a body cavity with an opening that is disposed in a spacing between a bracing member that runs substantially perpendicular to the awning beam and the side edge of the awning canopy. The rainwater is collected or captured as it flows toward the lower corner and over the edge of the awning canopy into the cavity opening. The rainwater is then funneled through a downspout port to which a downspout of adequate length and/or angle may be coupled. The end of the downspout is typically directed away from the immediate perimeter area of the awning and can be located at a sufficient distance that the problems associated with excessive water shedding from the perimeter edges of the downward side of the awning are avoided. 
     The rain catch and diverter is easily installed and removed from most retractable awning designs, thereby making it particularly desirable for application to retractable awnings that are intended to be only temporarily deployed, and are thus retracted and then re-deployed on a regular basis. 
     In one general aspect of the invention, a rain catch collects and diverts rainwater from a retractable awning. The retractable awning has an awning beam that supports a tilted awning canopy that has a lowest corner. The tilted awning canopy directs rainwater to the lowest corner. The rain catch includes a collector body that defines a collector body cavity and an awning beam collar. The collector body cavity has a cavity opening that is able to receive rainwater flowing off the lowest corner of the tilted awning canopy. The awning beam collar can be attached to the awning beam. The rain catch further includes a downspout port cooperative with the collector body that is able to couple to a downspout. The downspout port permits received rainwater to flow from the collector body, through the downspout port, and out of the downspout. 
     In a further embodiment, the rain catch includes means for securing the awning beam collar to the awning beam, and that in further embodiments, the means for attaching can at least one hook and loop material strap. In an embodiment, the retractable awning has a bracing member substantially perpendicular to the awning beam at each side of the awning canopy, and the cavity opening of the collector body cavity is disposed at the lowest corner of the tilted awning canopy in a space between the edge of the awning canopy and one of the bracing members. In another aspect of the collector body further comprises a mounting hole and one end of a mounting support can be inserted in the mounting hole and the other end can be in physical communication with the one of the bracing members to resist rotation of the rain catch around the awning beam. 
     In further embodiments, the rain catch can include an angled downspout coupled to the downspout port to direct received rainwater away from the retractable awning, and an extended downspout coupled to the downspout port to direct received rainwater away from the retractable awning. In an embodiment, the rain catch can include a means for substantially immobilizing the extended downspout at an end closest to the ground, and that means for immobilizing can be a body filled with sand and a means, coupled to the body, for securing the extended downspout to the body filled with sand. 
     In other aspects of the invention, the awning beam collar can include a pad made of a material able to resist rotation of the rain catch about the awning beam, and the collector body and the collector body cavity can be curved to direct rainwater flow toward the downspout port. In an embodiment, the collector body cavity can also an angled surface that can direct received rainwater flowing past the downspout port from the front of the collector body downwardly towards the downspout port. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more fully understood with reference to the Detailed Description, in conjunction with the following FIGURES, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a retractable awning, attached to an RV or camper, with one corner of its downward side being lower than the other, and showing an embodiment of the invention operatively installed at the lower corner; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the retractable awning of  FIG. 1 , showing the lowered corner only, and showing an embodiment of the invention installed at the lower corner, and showing a downspout coupled to a support member of the retractable awning; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an abbreviated cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the invention mounted on an awning beam; 
         FIG. 5  is top view of the awning of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of the invention mounted on the lower corner of the awning; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an end view of an embodiment of the invention, the viewed end being the one that is closest to the awning beam when mounted on an awning; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of an elbow fitting that can be attached to a downspout port of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an anchoring means that can be deployed at the end that is closest to the ground, of an extended downspout coupled to an embodiment of the rain catch of the invention and that can be used to restrict movement of the extended downspout port; 
         FIG. 9B  is a perspective view of another embodiment of an anchoring means that can be deployed at the end that is closest to the ground, of an extended downspout coupled to an embodiment of the rain catch of the invention and that can be used to restrict movement of the extended downspout port. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a view from the front of a retractable awning  102  that is attached to and deployed from a recreational vehicle (RV) or camper  104 . The retractable awning  102  is attached to RV/camper  104  in a manner that is well known in the art. The retractable awning  102  has a roller tube  106  from which an awning canopy  108  is unrolled when being deployed, or onto which it is rolled when being retracted. The roller tube  106  also acts as an awning beam providing structural support to the leading edge  114  of the awning canopy  108 . The awning canopy  108  is supported by bracing members  110   a  and  110   b , which run parallel with the outside edges of the awning canopy  108  to provide rigidity to the canopy  108  when it is fully extended. The retractable awning  102  also includes support members  112   a  and  112   b  that support the leading edge  114  and awning beam  106  of the retractable awning  102 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , one of the support members  112   a  is deployed such that it is shorter than support member  112   b , thereby causing the awning canopy  108  to tilt toward the lower corner  116  of the retractable awning  102 . The support members  112   a, b  are typically designed to adjust in length by any of a number of known techniques to allow the user to adjust the pitch of the awning canopy  108 . An embodiment of a rainwater catch and diverter  100  of the present invention is shown deployed at the lower corner  116  of the awning  102 . The rainwater catch and diverter  100  can be coupled to the front awning beam (e.g. roller tube  106 ) such that rain water shed from the top surface of the awning canopy  108  flows to the lower corner  116  and is then captured by the rainwater catch and diverter  100  of the invention. The rainwater is then diverted away from the perimeter of the awning by extended downspout  118 . Details of the embodiments of the rainwater catch and diverter  100  of the invention will be set forth in detail below. 
       FIG. 2  is shows a side view of the retractable awning  102  of  FIG. 1 . For simplicity, only the lower corner  116  is shown. Extended downspout  118  can be coupled to the support arm  112   a  using, for example, Velcro straps, plastic ties, or other known techniques  212 . It should be noted that it is common for support members  112   a  and  112   b  to have the capability to be deployed in a carport style configuration as well (not shown). In the carport configuration, support members  112   a,b  are extended perpendicularly to the ground. This permits easier access to the area under the awning canopy  108  from the sides. Support member  112   a  can still be made shorter than  112   b  to create the tilting of awning canopy  108  toward the rainwater catch and diverter  100  deployed on awning beam  106  at lower corner  116 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the rainwater catch and diverter  100  of the invention. Rainwater flows from the surface of an awning canopy ( 108 ,  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) into catch opening  302  and then into a cavity  304  formed by collector body  300 . A debris guard  306  can be placed over the opening  302  in the collector body cavity  304 , to prevent large debris such as twigs, leaves and the like from entering the collector body cavity  304 . The debris guard  306  can be of any design suitable to permit water to flow readily there-through, while preventing larger forms of debris from collecting in the collector body cavity  304 . The debris guard can be made of any suitable material, including but not limited to rigid plastic, nylon or metal. 
     In an embodiment, the collector body  300  can be made of a molded plastic or other suitable material, and can be curved at the front end to facilitate the flow of rainwater toward a downspout port  500 , which is formed in the bottom of the collector body  300  toward the back end of the collector body  300 . Downspout fitting  316  extends from the downspout port  500  and collector body  300 , and can be threaded to receive an extended downspout ( 118 ,  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) or other suitable attachments. An angled surface  314 , formed within collector body cavity  304  can serve to direct collected rainwater that is flowing from the front of collector body  300  downward toward downspout port  500  to facilitate evacuation of the rainwater from the collector body cavity  304 . 
     In an embodiment, collector body  300  further forms a beam collar  312 , which is shaped to receive the awning beam  106  of the awning to which it will be attached. In the case of retractable awning  102  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the beam collar  312  can be radiused to meet the round shape of the roller tube  106  that forms the awning beam  106  for awning  102 . A pad  310  can be deployed on the surface of the beam collar  312 , made of material such as rubber, having a suitable coefficient of friction to resist rotational forces that will be created as water is collected at the front of the collector body  300 . The beam collar  312  can be of any depth that will accommodate standard sized roller tubes, such that the opening  302  can be deployed at a level at or just below the top surface of awning canopy  108 . 
       FIG. 4  is an abbreviated cross-sectional side view of the rainwater catch and diverter  100  of  FIG. 3 , showing the beam collar  312  receiving the roller tube awning beam  106  of awning  102  ( FIG. 1 ). In an embodiment, Velcro straps  402   a  and  402   b  can be used to secure the roller tube within beam collar  312 , thereby providing a means for securing the rainwater catch and diverter  100  to the awning beam  106 . It will be clear to one of ordinary skill that straps  402   a  and  402   b  can be two ends of the same strap, or can be two separate straps. It will also be clear that if, for example, strap or strap end  402   a  provides the hook mechanism of a typical Velcro fastening system, than strap or strap end  402   b  will provide the loop mechanism, or vice versa. Other means for securing the rainwater catch and diverter  100  to the awning beam can also be used, such as belt straps, ties and the like. Moreover, multiple sets of straps can be used, or one larger strap system can be employed. 
     It should be noted that other retractable awning designs, such as those employed in residential applications, typically have their roller tubes at the end of the awning that is attached to the building, rather than the leading edge  114  of the awning canopy. Thus, the awning canopy is unrolled from the attached end of the awning, instead of from the leading edge  114  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In this case, the awning beam  106  for the leading edge  114  of the awning canopy  108  may have any shape including round and rectangular. Thus, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the beam collar  312  can be of any suitable shape, and of any suitable depth, to receive a standard awning beam  106  that is not a roller tube. 
       FIG. 5  is an abbreviated top view of the rainwater catch and diverter  100  deployed at lower corner  116  of retractable awning  102 . Rainwater catch and diverter  100  is attached to awning beam  106  using Velcro strap  402 . As previously mentioned, more than one set of straps can be used. Rainwater catch and diverter  100  can be attached to the awning beam such that catch opening  302  in body cavity  304  is disposed in space  504  between the edge of the awning canopy  108  and bracing member  110   a . This gap or space  504  is common to most retractable awning designs. Catch opening  302  can also be positioned at or just below the level of the top surface of awning canopy  108 , so water running off of the awning canopy  108  at the lowest corner  116  will easily flow into the body cavity  304  through the debris screen  306  and catch opening  302 . Additional mounting support can be provided by mounting support  602 , which can be inserted into mounting hole ( 308 ,  FIG. 3 ) and then can rest on bracing member  110   a  to prevent clockwise rotation of rainwater catch and diverter  100  because of the higher weight at the front of the collector body  300  of rainwater catch and diverter  100  due to the collected rainwater that has not yet been evacuated from body cavity  304 . Mounting support  602  can be made of any suitably resilient material, including metal, and can either have an end that rests on the bracing member surface, or can be clamped or otherwise affixed to the bracing member. 
       FIG. 6  shows a top view of the rainwater catch and diverter  100 . Gaps  502   a , located just behind the leading edge  314   a  (i.e. on the dry side) of angled interior surface  314  ( FIG. 3 ), provide an opening through which one or more Velcro straps or strap ends  402   a  can emerge from the collector body  300 . Downspout port  500  is located under the angled interior surface  314  so that captured rainwater flowing toward the back of the collector body  300  will be driven down toward the downspout port  500  to facilitate efficient evacuation of the rainwater from collector body cavity  304 . Gaps  502   b  provide openings through which Velcro straps or strap ends  402   b  emerge from the end of the collector  100 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an end view of the rainwater catch and diverter  100 , illustrating the back end of the collector body  300  that would be facing out from the end of the awning  102 . In an embodiment, downspout fitting  316  can have threads  702  for receiving and threading with an extended downspout  118 , or which can also threadably receive a downspout elbow fitting  800  such as is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Elbow fitting  800  can then couple to extended downspout  118  to direct the water evacuated from the collector cavity  304  and through the downspout port  500  away from the perimeter of the retractable awning  102  to which it is coupled. 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate embodiments of a means by which the extended downspout  118  can be immobilized at its end nearest the ground to prevent the force of the diverted rainwater, or other forces such as wind, from re-locating the end of the extended downspout to a less desirable location.  FIG. 9A  illustrates an embodiment that employs handle  903  to push legs  905  into the ground, forcing body  901  to receive and hold the extended downspout  118  to the ground. 
       FIG. 9B  illustrates an embodiment that employs an anchoring member  902  having sufficient weight to resist the forces created by wind or the flow of the diverted rainwater. A retaining member  904 , which is fixedly attached to the anchoring member  902 , holds the extended downspout  118  in place. The anchoring member can be of a water resistant material, and can contain a filler such as sand to provide the weight necessary to anchor the extended downspout  118 . The retaining member  904  can be a Velcro strap, plastic tie, a ring, a clamp, buckle, etc. that can be used to secure the extended downspout to the anchoring member  902 . The retaining member can be fixedly attached to the anchoring member by any known suitable technique, including the use of an adhesive or being sewn into the anchoring member  902 . 
     Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limit the invention except as indicated in the following claims.