Abstract:
An awning lock mechanism for securing a collapsible awning. The lock mechanism is comprised of a lock housing and bracket that are coupled to an awning support member so that the lock mechanism is positioned closely adjacent the roller tube assembly when the awning is in its collapsed position. A locking pin selectively extends outwardly from the lock housing to be received by an opening formed in the roller tube assembly. In its locked position, the lock assembly substantially prevents the rotation of the roller tube assembly with respect to the support member. The lock member is then selectively moved to an unlocked position, allowing the deployment of the awning.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to locking mechanisms, and more particularly to a locking mechanism for securing conventional awnings, having a roller tube assembly, canopy, and supporting frame. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Retractable awnings have become widely used in many recreational settings, from their use with recreational vehicles to their use with homes and patios, to create a relaxing shelter from the sun and rain. Retractable awnings are favored in these applications due to their ability to collapse into a tightly wound structure that is secured against the wall of the recreational vehicle or home. In this position, the awning neatly awaits its next intended use. However, wind is a common enemy to these awnings, especially when they are in collapsed, and seemingly safe, positions. 
     Wind that travels parallel to the awning structure is usually harmless, due to the shallow profile of the awning against a wall when it is in its collapsed position. However, gusts of wind that engage the awning in a perpendicular fashion exert potentially dangerous forces on the awning structure. In its collapsed position, the typical awning may be spaced away from the wall upon which it is secured a distance of three to four inches from the center of the roller tube. For an awning having a width of fifteen feet, an exposed surface of approximately five square feet is created. For an RV traveling at approximately 65 miles per hour, a 40-mile-per-hour gust of wind blowing perpendicular to the recreational vehicle will produce a vectored force equivalent to a 90-mile-per-hour gust of wind on the five square feet of exposed awning surface. Any slack in the rollup spring or play in the locking mechanism may cause a portion of the canopy to be exposed. The continued gusts of wind will cause the canopy to act like a sail and violently pull away from the wall it is secured to. Depending upon the road and weather conditions, and the speed in which the recreational vehicle is traveling, the flailing awning can cause a great amount of damage to the recreational vehicle and to vehicles traveling behind the recreational vehicle. 
     The awning locking mechanisms of the prior art typically employ a reversible ratchet, teeth and paul, and a rolling lobe, which depend on friction to secure the roller tube in place. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,472,007 and 4,819,706 both disclose awnings that employ cam systems as the primary securement means for the awning. However, such friction means will always succumb to a variable force, such as the winds that gust into the exposed awning surfaces. 
     Many people typically fabricate crude backup systems for their awning locking mechanisms by securing the awning arms together using bungee cords or Velcro strips. Many people may also tie the awning arms to the fixture where the awning attaches to the recreational vehicle at the awning rail. Such systems offer a degree of security, but none of them will keep the canopy from billowing outwardly like a sail if the roller tube lock fails. 
     Other systems, such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,460, have been developed in order to prevent rotation of the roller tube while the awning is in its collapsed position. The &#39;460 patent teaches a hook mechanism, that is pivotably connected to the roller tube and a catch mechanism, which is secured to the wall of the recreational vehicle. Once the awning is in its collapsed position, the hook is rotated so that it engages the catch mechanism. However, such a latching device depends upon the strength of its connection at both the roller tube and the wall of the recreational vehicle. Accordingly, those two points of connection, along with the engagement structure, create three potential failure sources that weaken the potential integrity of the latching mechanism. 
     Accordingly, what is needed is a latching mechanism that is simple in construction and operation that reliably secures an awning in its collapsed position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The awning lock mechanism of the present invention is provided to secure an awning, having a canopy, a roller tube, and at least one support member, in a travel or collapsed position. The awning travel lock is generally provided with an elongated lock housing that is operatively coupled to a support member using an elongated lock bracket. The bracket is preferably angled so that, when the awning is in its collapsed position, the lock housing is positioned beneath the roller tube, adjacent one end thereof. 
     An elongated locking pin is disposed within the lock housing so that the locking pin may be moved, coaxially with the lock housing, between a locked position and an unlocked position. In its unlocked position, the locking pin is preferably substantially disposed within the lock housing. In its locked position, the locking pin extends outwardly from within the lock housing so that it is at least partially received within an opening formed in the roller tube. With the locking pin disposed within the roller tube, the roller tube is prevented from rotating with respect to the support member, thus substantially preventing the unrolling of the awning and the billowing of the canopy. 
     The locking pin is provided with a handle member that is manually engageable from one end of the lock housing, allowing the user to selectively move the locking pin between its locked and unlocked positions. 
     It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved awning lock mechanism for securing an awning in its collapsed position. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an awning lock mechanism that substantially prevents the rotation of the awning roller tube with respect to an awning support member when the lock mechanism is in its locked position. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide an awning lock mechanism that is simple in construction and operation. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an awning lock mechanism that works in conjunction with a locking mechanism of the awning&#39;s original design to secure the awning in its collapsed position. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide an awning lock mechanism that is easily manually engageable between its locked and unlocked positions. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an awning lock mechanism that can be used on virtually any design of conventional retractable awning. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the awning travel lock of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the awning travel lock of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the awning travel lock of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The awning lock mechanism  10  of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1-3 as the same would be used to secure a conventional awning in a collapsed or retracted position. For simplicity&#39;s sake, the awning lock mechanism  10  will be described herein as the same would be used to secure an awning that is attached to a recreational vehicle. However, it is contemplated that the present invention could be used on virtually any design of awning in a limitless number of applications, such as those being coupled to a house, trailer home, or other such fixed and mobile structures. 
     The lock mechanism  10  is preferably provided with an elongated lock housing  12 , having a first end  14  and a second end  16 . The lock housing  12  is secured to an elongated locking bracket  18  having opposite end portions  20  and  22 . In a preferred embodiment, the free end portion  22  of the locking bracket  18  is secured to the back of the awning rafter  24 , which is positioned behind the awning arm  26  when the awning is in its collapsed position. It is contemplated, however, that the locking bracket  18  could be secured to the awning arm  26  rather than the rafter arm  24 . Depending on the particular design of awning with which the lock mechanism  10  is to be used, it is typically unimportant which type of support member is secured to the locking bracket  18 . However, the locking bracket  18  should be secured to the support member so that the lock housing  12  is positioned closely adjacent the roller tube assembly  36  when the awning is in its collapsed position. It is contemplated that the locking bracket  18  will be angularly shaped to properly position the locking mechanism  10 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
     The locking mechanism  10  is further provided with a locking pin  28  having a first end  30  and a second end  32 . The locking pin  28  is coaxially movably secured within the lock housing  12  so that the locking pin  28  can be selectively moved between locked and unlocked positions. In the unlocked position, the locking pin  28  will preferably be substantially disposed within the lock housing  12  so that the first end  30  of the locking pin  28  will be disengaged from the roller tube assembly  36 . In the locked position, the locking pin  28  will extend at least partially beyond the first end portion  14  of the lock housing  12 . In this position, the first end portion  30  of the locking pin  28  will be received within the roller tube assembly  36 , via an opening  34  formed therein. In the locked position, the roller tube assembly  36  is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to either the rafter arm  24  or the awning arm  26 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, a spring  38  is disposed within the lock housing  12  to supply a force that continually urges the locking pin  28  in a locked position. A first stop  40  is disposed within the lock housing  12  adjacent the first end  14 . A second stop  42  is disposed within the lock housing  12  adjacent the second end  16 . The spring  38  is disposed between the first stop  40  and the second stop  42 . A first set screw  44  is disposed through the first stop  40  so that it engages the locking pin  28  as the locking pin  28  is positioned through the first stop  40 . In this arrangement, the first stop  40  is selectively movable within the lock housing  12  with the locking pin  28  as the same is moved between its locked and unlocked positions. The second stop  42  is secured in position with respect to the lock housing  12  using a second set screw  46 . Accordingly, as the locking pin  28  is manually or mechanically withdrawn from the lock housing  12  through its second end  16  using the handle portion  48  disposed at the second end portion  32  of the locking pin  28 , the spring  38  is compressed between the first stop  40  and the second stop  42 . 
     It is contemplated that the handle portion  48  can be formed to have virtually any known shape. However, it is preferred that the shape of the handle  48  be provided so that it can be selectively positioned to secure the locking pin  28  in its locked or unlocked positions. For example, the D-shape of the handle  48  depicted in FIGS. 1-3 enables the handle  48  to be received within the slot  49  formed in the second end portion  16  of the lock housing  12  when the locking pin  28  is in its locked position. When the locking pin  28  is sufficiently withdrawn from the lock housing  12 , through its second end portion  16 , the handle  48  can be rotated so that the handle  48  cannot be withdrawn into the slot  48 . Accordingly, the shape of the handle  48  and the lock housing  12  have allowed the lock mechanism  10  to be selectively secured in its locked and unlocked positions. It is contemplated that the shape of both the handle  48  and the lock housing  12  will vary according to the particular desired application and degree of position securement that is desired. 
     A cap member  50  is generally provided to be disposed at the first end  14  of the lock housing  12  to substantially prohibit water and debris from collecting within the lock housing  12 . However, it is contemplated that the lock housing  12  could be integrally formed with a substantially closed end portion  14 , obviating the necessity of a cap member  50 . Similarly, it is contemplated that the first stop  40  could be integrally formed with the locking pin  28 , and the second stop  42  could be integrally formed with the lock housing  12 . Alternative resilient members are also contemplated to be used in lieu of the spring  38 . The number and shapes of springs, as well as the materials used to form the same, can be modified according to the desired application. 
     It is contemplated that the lock mechanism  10  of the present invention could be used as an after-market product to be used in conjunction with the locking mechanism of the awning&#39;s original design. As an after-market product, it is contemplated that the locking bracket  18  will be coupled to the awning rafter  24  or the awning arm  26  using a plurality of self-tapping screws  52 . However, it is contemplated that other securement methods, such as welding, riveting, or other such means known in the art could be used. To assist the user in securing the awning bracket  18  to the support member, an adhesive member  54  could be provided on the mounting surface of the locking bracket  18  adjacent the free end portion  22 . The adhesive member  54  will allow the user to temporarily secure the locking mechanism  10  in position while the more permanent means is employed. 
     In the drawings and in the specification, there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and although specific items are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and proportion of parts, as well as a substitution of equivalents, are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims. 
     Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.