Patent Abstract:
A device for attaching a collapsible canopy having fittings to an exterior surface of a vehicle includes two elongated parallel rails mounted on the exterior surface in spaced apart parallel relation, two carriages each slidably mounted along a longitudinal axis on a respective rail, two clips each mounted on a respective carriage and arranged to cooperate with the canopy fittings and two adjustment elements each mounted along a respective rail and cooperating with respective clips and carriages. Each of the adjustment elements has an upper portion that defines a stair-shaped profile arranged to cooperate with the canopy fittings.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a device for fixing a collapsible canopy to the roof of a trailer, a camper or the like. 
     In particular, the invention concerns a device for fixing a collapsible canopy to such a roof, whereby the device can be used to mount a canopy on practically any camper whatsoever or on practically any trailer whatsoever, and whereby the canopy, when being mounted, can be adjusted such that it fits perfectly onto the edge of the existing roof of the camper, the trailer or the like. 
     As the canopies which are known up to now can only be mounted in a single fixing position, a perfect connection between the canopy and the roof edge of the camper or the trailer is only rarely obtained. 
     Consequently, as there usually remains a slit between the canopy and the roof edge, the wind will have more hold on the canopy, such that the device for fixing the canopy has to resist greater loads. 
     The invention aims a device for fixing a collapsible canopy onto the roof of a trailer, a camper or the like, which remedies the above-mentioned and other disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To this end, the present invention concerns a device for fixing a collapsible canopy onto the roof of a trailer, a camper or the like, which includes two parallel rails; a carriage on each rail which can move in the longitudinal direction of the rail; a clip, pivoting on the carriage, for fixing the collapsible canopy; and an adjustment element between each rail and the corresponding clip. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiment according to the invention is described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 represents a view in perspective of a roof onto which is fixed a canopy by means of a device according to the invention, with a partial section of said canopy; 
     FIG. 2 represents the part indicated by F 2  in FIG. 1 to a larger scale; 
     FIG. 3 represents a view analogous to that in FIG. 2, but whereby the device according to the invention has been dismounted; 
     FIG. 4 represents a cross section according to line IV—IV in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 represents a cross section according to line V—V in FIG. 1, to a larger scale; 
     FIG. 6 represents the part indicated by F 6  in FIG. 5 to an even larger scale; 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 represent views to a smaller scale, analogous to those in FIG. 5, but whereby the connecting section is situated in its highest position, in its lowest position respectively. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A device according to the invention for fixing a collapsible canopy  1  onto the roof  2  of a trailer, a camper or the like  3  consists of at least two rails  4 - 5  over which are mounted moving carriages  6 . The rails  4 - 5  are fixed crosswise to the edges  7  of the roof by means of L-shaped sections  8  and screws  9 . 
     The rails  4 - 5  are preferably made of tubular sections having a rectangular cross section with a longitudinal groove  10  on their top side, such that also other accessories such as luggage grids or the like can be fixed onto these rails. 
     The carriages  6  are mainly made of a section whose shape is that of an inverse omega, whose bottom  11  is provided under the corresponding rail  4 - 5  and whose sides  12 - 13  are provided next to the above-mentioned rails. Finally, the protruding walls  14 - 15  of this inverse omega-shaped section have fixing edges on their far ends placed in another position  16 - 17 , whereas ribs  18 - 19  and  20 - 21  respectively which are directed towards one another, are provided on the free end of the fixing edges  16 - 17  as well as on the side which is adjacent to the walls  12 - 13 . 
     Over the corresponding rails  4 - 5 , each carriage  6  is made of a connecting bridge  22  which is fixed onto the protruding walls  14 - 15 , for example by means of welding. 
     Said connecting bridge  22  is equipped, in its top part, with a tooth  23  which is more or less T-shaped and which extends in the longitudinal direction of the connecting bridge  22 . The head of said T-shaped tooth  23  has curved, lateral surfaces  24 - 25 , and the top wall of said tooth  23  has a rib  26 . 
     The device according to the invention further consists of a clip  27  which successively represents, as of the front edge to the back edge, a hook  28  which is directed upward, a downward directed groove  29 , a second upward directed hook  30  and a duct  31  provided over it. 
     The above-mentioned groove  29  preferably has curved, lateral walls  32 - 33  which are mutually connected via the bottom  34  of the groove  29 . 
     The above-mentioned duct  31  consists of three walls  35 - 36 - 37 , whereby ribs  38 - 39  which are directed towards one another are provided on the walls  35 - 37 . 
     In the walls  35 - 37  are provided two pairs of holes  40 , whereas a hole  41  is provided in the wall  36 . 
     Finally, the device according to the invention is used with an adjustment element  42  which is made such that it can rest in an appropriate manner on a rail  4 - 5  with its lower portion, whereas the upper portion defines a stair-shaped profile and to this end has different steps  43  which are all provided at different heights. 
     The mounting of a canopy  1  by means of a mechanism according to the invention is very simple and as follows. 
     First of all, the rails  4 - 5  are fixed onto the edges  7  of the roof by means of the above-mentioned L-shaped sections  8  and the screws  9 , after a carriage  6  has been provided on each rail  4 - 5 . 
     Then, the clip  27  is shifted over the tooth  23  by means of the groove  29 , such that the curved lateral walls  32 - 33  of the groove  29  can pivot against the curved lateral walls  24 - 25  of the tooth  23 , and such that the bottom  34  of the groove  29  rests on the rib  26  of the tooth  23  in order to facilitate the pivoting of the clip  27  in relation to the tooth  23 . 
     At this moment, the canopy  1  can be placed on the clip  27 , such that the protrusions  44 - 45  of the protrusion  1  catch in the hooks  28 - 30  of the clip  27 ; next a screw  46  is screwed in a nut  47  through the hole . 41  of the clip  27 , such that the far end of the screw  46  rests against the wall  48  of the canopy  1  so as to press the canopy in the clip  27 . 
     It is clear that the center distance of the axes between the clips  27  preferably corresponds to the center distance of the axes between the rails  4 - 5 . 
     In particular cases, it is possible, however, to make the clips  27  larger, such that either of the two clips  27  will be fixed onto the rails . 4 - 5  in an asymmetrical manner. This characteristic will be preferred when the rails  4 - 5  cannot be fixed in the ideal place, because a roof awning or the like is present. 
     In order to optimize the distribution of energy on the canopy  1 , the clips  27  can be either made larger as described above, or they can be replaced by a continuous clip which is fixed to the two rails  4 - 5 . 
     In order to be able to screw the screw  46  in the nut  47 , said nut  47  is shifted in the duct  31  of the clip  27 , such that it performs an antirotation between the walls  35 - 36 - 37  and the ribs  38 - 39  at the height of the hole  41  provided in the wall  36 . 
     Next, the canopy  1  is made to pivot around the tooth  23  of the T-shaped clip  27 , which is made considerably easier thanks to the fact that the bottom.  34  of the groove  29  rests on the rib  26  of the tooth  23 , as well as by the curved lateral walls  32 - 33  and  24 - 25  of the groove  29 , of the tooth  23  respectively, until the wall  49  of the canopy  1  fits perfectly to the edge  7  of the roof of the trailer, the camper or the like  3 . 
     Then, the adjustment element  42  is mounted in a position between the wall  35  of the duct  31  of the clip  27  on the one hand, and the top side of the rail  4 - 5  on the other hand, such that the canopy  1  is fixed as mentioned above. 
     Finally, the clip  27  is clamped on the carriage  6  by means of screws  50  and nuts  51 , such that the adjustment element  42  is simultaneously clamped in the selection or predetermined position. 
     To this end, the nuts  51  are shifted in the ducts formed by the sides  12 - 13  of the omega-shaped section, by the protruding walls  14 - 15 , by the fixing edges  16 - 17  and by the ribs  18 - 20  and  19 - 21  which are directed towards one another; then, the screws  50  are pressed through the holes  40  of the clip  27  and through the corresponding holes  52  provided in the protruding walls  14 - 15 , into the nuts  51 . 
     It is clear that a device for fixing a collapsible canopy to a roof is obtained in this manner, which makes it possible to mount a collapsible canopy onto the roof of any trailer or of any camper whatsoever in a very simple manner, whereby the device according to the invention makes the canopy fit perfectly onto the roof edge of the above-mentioned camper, trailer or the like, which is made possible among others thanks to the fact that the adjusting element has two series of steps upon which the rear end of the clip can rest and can be held so as to make the canopy fit perfectly onto the roof edge. 
     The invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a device can be made in all sorts of variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4