Abstract:
The apparatus has several carrying bars which can be spread in radial manner from a central headpiece (2) and several shielding screen elements (17, 18), which are in each case fixed between two carrying bars. The multipart construction of the carrying bars from longitudinally displaceable, interengaging bar elements (4, 5) makes it possible to slide screen elements (17, 18) over one another, so that the apparatus, when in use, can provide different shielding surface sizes starting from a compact, slid together and collapsed form. By sliding over one another limited light-transmitting screen elements, it is possible to individually adjust the shielding action.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an apparatus for screening, particularly a large-surface sunshade, with carrying bars pivotably fixed to a central headpiece for fixing a screening structure and with supporting bars for supporting the carrying bars in a position spread away from the central headpiece and whose inner end is connected by means of an articulation to a sliding body, which is displaceable on a guide element connected to the central headpiece. 
     Known apparatuses of this type suffer from the disadvantage that in the case of a large span width, such as is e.g. sought for restaurant gardens, in the folded up state there is a high, columnar structure at least corresponding to the length of the carrying bars and which can only be opened with difficulty due to the carrying bars which move outwards on spreading open. Tables or chairs close to it must be moved away beforehand. 
     The problem of the invention is to find an apparatus of the aforementioned type, which in the unfolded state allows an increase of its screening surface, but which in the folded up state is particularly compact and can be easily opened without being impeded by objects in the vicinity. In addition, an apparatus of such a type is to be found which, due to the basic construction principle offers numerous, new embodiments and use possibilities, which permit an optimum use adapted to local circumstances and the solar radiation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention the apparatus for solving this problem is characterized in that the carrying bars comprise at least two bar elements in reciprocal sliding engagement, so that they can be lengthened on sliding apart and to each of the bar elements in reciprocal sliding engagement is fixed a different screen element of the screen structure, so that screen elements provided on the same carrying bar can be slid over one another. 
     As a result of the features according to the invention, on folding together the screen-like apparatus the carrying bars can be shortened to approximately half their length, so that a compact structure is obtained. When the apparatus is opened out the surface structures slid over one another can be used with different covering positions for screening or shielding against solar radiation, e.g. to differently filter the latter by limiting permeable or transmitting surface elements, in order to reduce wind forces and/or to ensure reliable shielding in the case of rain. Between the covering surface elements it is possible for air to circulate, so that when the sun is shining the heat produced under the apparatus is further reduced. 
     In order to facilitate the folding up of the apparatus to give a compact unit, the screen elements are preferably made from pleated flat material, so that the pleats of superimposed screen elements engage in one another on folding together. 
     A very esthetic, closed form is given to the compact unit of the apparatus in that in a preferred embodiment envelope surfaces are provided, which are located on the outer bar elements in this position. 
     The compact, closed shape of the apparatus can be further improved in that when it is constructed as a parasol the mast can be so further shortened until the ends of the carrying bars folded up parallel to the mast extend at least approximately to the ground or a base of the apparatus. 
     Further advantageous embodiments of apparatuses according to the invention which e.g. relate to the supporting of the bar elements and the nature of the fixing of the screen elements to the bar elements, can be gathered from the following description relative to the drawings and form the subject matter of the dependent claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 A simplified side view of the bar system of an apparatus, in which one bar part is shown fully open and the other closed. 
     FIG. 2 An incomplete side view of the bar system according to FIG. 1 in the incompletely opened state. 
     FIG. 3 A cross-section along line III--III of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 4 A cross-section along line IV--IV of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 5 A plan view of the apparatus in the fully open state. 
     FIG. 6 A plan view of the apparatus according to FIG. 5 in a slightly opened state. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 Plan views of the inventive apparatuses with varyingly long carrying bars, e.g. for placing along a wall. 
     FIG. 9 An apparatus for positioning in the comer of a building. 
     FIG. 10 A representation corresponding to FIG. 1 of an embodiment with in each case three carrying bar elements. 
     FIG. 11 A cross-section along line XI--XI in FIG. 10. 
     FIG. 12 A perspective view of two overlapping, pleated screen elements in the open state. 
     FIG. 13 A perspective view of an area of two overlapping screen elements in the incompletely opened state. 
     FIG. 14 A cross-section through a carrying bar of a non-enlargeable parasol, e.g. according to FIGS. 21 to 26. 
     FIG. 15 A cross-section through a carrying bar for a non-enlargeable parasol with envelope flaps, e.g. according to FIGS. 16 and 17. 
     FIG. 16 A plan view of an apparatus opened in a first stage and with bearing envelope flaps. 
     FIG. 17 A larger-scale partial cross-section along line XVII--XVII of FIG. 16. 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 Views of the apparatuses in the folded up state. 
     FIG. 20 A larger-scale cross-section along line XX--XX of FIGS. 18 or 19. 
     FIGS. 21 and 22 A side view and plan view of a rectangularly recessed apparatus for the inclusion of a corner of a building. 
     FIGS. 23 to 26 A side view and plan view of an apparatus for arrangement along a building wall in partly and completely opened state. 
     FIG. 27 A side view of a closed parasol showing the initial positions for initiating opening. 
     FIG. 28 A perspective view of the parasol according to FIG. 27 in a first opening stage. 
     FIG. 29 The parasol according to FIG. 28 in a following, intermediate open position. 
     FIG. 30 A cross-section through the lower region of the parasol according to FIGS. 27 to 29 in the second position with raised mast. 
     FIG. 31 A cross-section through the lifting mechanism of the parasol according to FIG. 30 with two half-shown lifting positions. 
     FIG. 32 A cross-section through the upper region of a parasol in a first opening position and with a further opening position indicated by dot-dash lines. 
     FIG. 33 A cross-section through the upper region of a parasol, whose carrying bars are supported by a sliding element. 
     FIG. 34 A cross-sectional representation of another embodiment of a parasol with a spreading or opening mechanism according to FIGS. 1 and 2 and with two additional opening positions. 
     FIG. 35 A cross-section through two bar elements slid into one another of the parasol according to FIG. 34 with an engaging supporting bar element. 
     FIG. 36 A cross-section through an embodiment of a bar element with shaped on envelope profile parts. 
     FIG. 37 A partial cross-section through a carrying bar with a screen element edge held therein with a position of the blocking element during installation. 
     FIG. 38 The partial cross-section according to FIG. 37 with the completely inserted blocking element. 
     FIG. 39 A half cross-section through an apparatus in the vicinity of the central headpiece, with the bar elements according to FIG. 35 pivoted downwards parallel to the mast. 
     FIG. 40 A perspective view of a region of two overlapping screen elements with bar elements according to FIG. 35. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The carrying bars 1, whereof there are e.g. eight, extend when the apparatus is spread out or open from a central headpiece 2, e.g. in slightly inclined manner, radially outwards and are connected thereto by a uniaxial joint or articulation, so that they can be pivoted downwards at least approximately parallel to one another in the form of a compact unit, e.g. in accordance with FIGS. 18, 19 and 27. 
     The eight carrying bars 1 of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1, 2 or FIGS. 32 and 34 have in each case in the open state of the apparatus radially inner and outer bar elements 4, 5, which are displaceably guided on one another, in that in accordance with the sectional representation of FIG. 5 or FIG. 36 they comprise interengaging profile bars. The reciprocal engagement e.g. takes place in the form of a T cross-section, with a surrounding T-shaped hollow cross-section and a T-shaped engagement part 6, 6&#39;. For forming elongated reception channels 7 to 12, the cross-section of the bar elements 4, 5 also has on either side outwardly open, e.g. c-shaped cross-sectional areas. 
     The top or outer pair 7, 8 of reception channels of the inner bar element 4 are used for receiving the bead-like edge 13 (FIG. 15) of stiff shell elements 14, 15, e.g. made from aluminium, which together with the other shell elements 14, 15 held between in each case two carrying bars 1 form a closed envelope, which clad the parasol or sunshade in the closed state in accordance with FIGS. 18 and 19 and following the opening of the parasol in spaced manner rest on the latter. This is shown by the plan view of the apparatus according to FIG. 16 and in particular the associated cross-sectional representation of FIG. 17. Instead of being slightly pivotably mounted in reception channels, the shell elements can also be rigidly shaped in wing-like manner on either side of the particular bar element 4, as shown in the cross-sectional representation of FIG. 36. 
     The remaining reception channels 9 to 12 of the embodiment according to FIG. 15 are used for receiving and holding an edge 16 of individual, triangular or trapezoidal, flexible screen elements 17, 18, e.g. in the manner of a welt engagement, such as is conventionally used for fixing the edges of awning surfaces. 
     As the edges of the screen elements 17, 18 in each case extend over the length of the bar elements 4, 5, in the case of the fully open parasol (FIG. 5), there is an overlap of the inner and outer screen elements 17, 18 within a remaining engagement area 20 between the bar elements 4, 5. As the radially inner screen elements 17 in the vicinity of the overlap are spaced over the radially outer screen element 18, which corresponds to the spacing determined by the size and design of the cross-section of the juxtaposed bar elements 4, 5 guided on one another between the reception channels 9 and 11 or 10 and 12, the apparatus has an all-round split aperture corresponding to this spacing and through which an air exchange can take place, so that the area below the screening surface of the apparatus is ventilated or vented. 
     The support bars 21 are connected in articulated manner with the radially outwardly slidable bar elements 5, so that when the apparatus is open to the maximum size there is a stable support by the far outwardly projecting support bars 21. In order that the support bars 21 and therefore the mast 3 do not have to be made correspondingly long and so that at the start of opening there are statically favourable angular positions of the support bars 21, the latter e.g. comprise two support bar elements 23, 24 interconnected by means of a joint 22. The inner support bar elements 23 articulated to the lower sliding body 25 are in each case additionally held by an auxiliary support bar 26 engaging between the ends thereof, in that the bar 26 is articulated to a second, upper sliding body 27 guided on the mast 3. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a position of the support bar elements 23, 24, when the parasol is in a limited opening position (FIG. 6), where the parasol e.g. has a diameter of 3 m. On further sliding up the lower sliding body 25 the upper sliding body 27 is stopped on a stop member 28, so that the inner support bar element 23 pivots further outwards and assumes with respect to the displaceable element 5 an angular position in which the latter is slid outwards, so that the screening surface of the apparatus can be correspondingly continuously enlarged. A similar kinematics is also present in the embodiment according to FIG. 34. 
     The embodiment according to FIGS. 10 and 11 differs from that described hereinbefore substantially through a three-part construction of the carrying bars 1&#39;, in that between the lower bar element 5&#39; connected to the support bar 21&#39; and the upper bar element 4&#39; articulated to the headpiece 2&#39;, there is a third bar element 30 which is in sliding engagement therewith. The cross-sectional representation according to FIG. 11 shows that this sliding engagement can be in accordance with the principle of the embodiment of FIG. 3. The central bar elements 30 guided between the two bar elements 4&#39;, 5&#39; in this way can be slid outwards together with the screen elements 31 fixed thereto from the inner position shown in FIG. 10. Thus, their screen elements 31 are consequently covered in the inner position shown by those of the inner bar elements 4&#39; and in the extended position the screen elements 31 cover those of the bar elements 5&#39;. Between the two positions intermediate positions are continuously adjustable or settable. The different covering positions, which can also be made different screen flat elements adjacent in the circumferential direction of the apparatus, consequently allow a better solar radiation screening adapted to local circumstances or the sun&#39;s position. The air layer between the superimposed screen elements 17, 31 or 18, 31 contributes to the good thermal insulation. Preferably the central bar elements 30 guided between the bar elements 4&#39;, 5&#39; are detachably connected to the bar elements 5&#39;, to which are connected the support bars 21&#39;. Thus, these bar elements 30, if desired with the screen elements fixed thereto, in the case of a complete opening of the apparatus can be slid outwards by the support bars 21&#39; together with the bar elements 5&#39;, e.g. in order to ensure a rain-tight shielding in the outer circumferential area of the apparatus. However, if the overlap or covering of the screen elements associated with the bar elements 5&#39; and 30 is to be avoided in the outer circumferential area of the apparatus, then when the apparatus is incompletely opened the locking action between the bar elements 5&#39; and 30 must be released. However, in place of this it can be produced between the bar elements 4&#39; and 30. Locking can be achieved in the simplest way by a pressure screw or e.g. by a clamping lever, such as is e.g. conventionally used for the reciprocal locking of the legs of tripods. 
     The possible reciprocal overlap of the screen elements advantageously also permits the optional use of textile or sheet materials to a limited extent filtering sun rays, in order to allow a more careful suntanning. Then, for a more powerful screening action, by a partial sliding together of the parasol these more permeable screen elements 17, 18 are covered from above or below by another screen element 31. 
     In order to avoid a sagging of the screen elements 17, 18, 31 in the case of an incomplete opening of the sunshade and in order to permit an easy closing of the latter to give a compact form, preferably they comprise pleated awning material or some comparable material, which in the relieved state with the apparatus folded up in accordance with the cross-sectional representations of FIGS. 4 and 39 assume a pointed, zig-zag cross-sectional shape. In addition, bracing cords 35, 36 connected to spring pulls 33, 34 extend between the carrying bars 1&#39; in the circumferential direction of the apparatus. These spring pulls e.g. run along the carrying bars 1&#39; and therefore along the lateral edges of the screen elements 17, 18, 31, so that reversing points 38 are provided in the corner areas. The connection to the screen elements 17, 18, 31 takes place by passing the bracing cords 35, 36 through holes or slots in their folding areas 39. 
     The subdivision of the screen structure used for shielding against the sun, wind, rain or undesired viewing, into individual, replaceable screen elements makes it possible to achieve the above-described, enlargeable and/or multi-layer design of a screening apparatus. They also permit in simple manner the obtaining of special screening structure shapes, as shown by the embodiments of FIGS. 7 to 9 and 21 to 26. The embodiments of FIGS. 7 to 9 can be brought about without any significant changes to the carrying linkage of the parasol, in that in at least one particular circumferential area thereof only outer flat elements 40, 41; 40&#39;, 41&#39;; 40&#34;, 41&#34; between outer bar elements 5 have a different blank shape and an outer bar element 5 is in each case shortened or lengthened. 
     It is also possible to obtain screening or shielding apparatuses, which extend by less than 360° and have a corresponding cut out or away shape, so as to be able to e.g. pass round a house comer 44 with 270° in accordance with FIG. 22 or to be stretchable over 180° along a house wall 45 according to FIGS. 23 to 26. 
     For a particularly stable supporting of the carrying bars 1 it is recommended to have an additional spreading or opening mechanism, in accordance with FIGS. 21 to 26, in which the carrying bars 1 are articulated together by in each case two spreading or opening bars 47, 48 coupled together by a toggle joint 46, so that the screening structure has a more stable shape. For the easy opening of such an apparatus it is possible to use a conventional spreading or opening system with a sliding body 25&#34; and support bars 21&#34;. The sliding movement of the sliding body 25&#34; can be obtained by a cable line system guided over pulleys between the headpiece 2&#34; and the sliding body 25&#34;. For this purpose the mast 3&#34; need only have a length corresponding to the maximum sliding path, because such an apparatus can be fixed by means of a bracket 48 to the house wall or to some other supporting means. 
     FIGS. 32 and 33 show an embodiment of the apparatus in which the support bars 50 are in one piece, unlike in the embodiments of FIGS. 1, 2 and 10. However, in order to still be able to move the support point on the joint 51 along the particular carrying bar 1 with increasing opening, the joint 51 for the support bar 50 is either provided according to FIG. 32 on the outwardly displaceable bar element 5 or, according to FIG. 33, on a relatively short sliding element 53, which is guided on the carrying bar 1 or on a bar element 4 or 5. On sliding up the lower sliding body 25 the carrying bars 1 are firstly pivoted upwards by the support bars 50. Then the upper sliding body 27 is stopped on a stop member 54 fixed to the mast 3. During a further upward movement of the lower sliding body 25 the support bars 50 pivot outwards in the manner of a scissor arm, so that the sliding elements 53 or the bar elements 5 are moved continuously outwards with the associated flat elements 18. The stability of the apparatus is greatly helped by the outwardly displaced support. FIG. 34 shows an embodiment with the kinematic system according to FIGS. 1 and 2 and broken and dot-dash lines show two further spreading or opening positions of the support bar elements 23, 24. As in the embodiments of FIGS. 32 and 33 the rearward movement of the bar element 5 and therefore also the rearward movement, opposite to the spreading open movement, of the support bar elements 23, 24 is facilitated by a tension spring 52, which is fixed between the head side ends of the bar elements 4, 5. 
     For the upward movement of the lower sliding body 25 preferably a rotary drive 55 is provided, which has a not shown electric motor or an elongated hand crank 56. The rotary drive 55 has a worm 57, which engages in a worm wheel 58. The latter drives either the pulley of a cable line 59 fixed in the upper region of the mast 3, or a gear, which engages with a rack extending along the mast 3. 
     In order to obtain a very compact structure in the completely collapsed state of the parasol, i.e. with downwardly directed carrying bars 1 shortened by sliding together and in accordance with the first position shown in FIG. 27, the mast is also telescopically extendable, so that prior to opening it can be moved upwards above table height with the end 61 of the slid together carrying bars 1. Preferably for said upward movement a rotary drive 62 is provided, e.g. with a driving worm 63 and a worm wheel 64. The latter drives an elevating spindle 65, which engages with a spindle nut 66, so that the latter can be moved up and down together with the shaft 68 fixed thereto and carrying the upper mast part 67. Therefore the apparatus can easily be opened, although the significantly outwardly moving carrying bars 1 would prevent a presence in the vicinity of the mast 3. 
     A parasol with a minimum span width of e.g. 4 m corresponding to FIG. 28 and a maximum span width of e.g. 8 m according to FIG. 29 can consequently, in the case of non-use, be reduced to a columnar, compact structure in accordance with the first position of FIG. 27, whose height is approximately only 2 m. Such a relatively short, columnar structure which, as a result of the envelope flaps 14, 15 enclosing the flat elements 17, 18 has a closed, esthetically attractive form, fits well into a garden arrangement or the like, whereas a folded up parasol of the known construction with a comparable span would, as a result of its height of 4 m, plus its free lower mast length, not normally be accepted for this purpose. 
     The cross-sectional representations of FIGS. 11 and 35 illustrate the fact that as a result of the superimposed arrangement of the bar elements 4, 5, the adjacent, triangular and trapezoidal screen elements 17, 18 in the circumferential direction of the apparatus, unlike in the case of conventional umbrellas cannot be sewn together to give a unitary screening structure and instead their individual, lateral fastening to the bar elements 4, 5 is necessary. For this purpose it is appropriate to have a fastening based on the welt principle shown in FIG. 5. However, this suffers from the disadvantage that the edge 16 of the screen elements 17, 18 must be drawn in in its longitudinal direction into the reception groove 9, 10, so that it cannot be secured against displacement over its length and consequently a distortion of the screen elements can only be prevented in the vicinity of its fastened ends. In addition, a sewn in welt has the disadvantage that force concentrations occur at the seams, which in the case of permanent stressing can lead to the detachment or separation of the seam or damage to the screen elements 17, 18. 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention proposes, in accordance with that of FIGS. 35 to 40, the at least double-layer edge 70 of the screen elements 17, 18 resulting e.g. from loose folding or loose rolling in is secured by at least one strip-like blocking element 71 in a channel 72 of the bar element 4, 5. In said reception channel 72 in the position assumed by the blocking element 71 or due to the cross-sectional shape of the blocking element 71 between the latter and a channel wall 73 there is a gusset-like space 74, which encloses the at least double-layer edge of the screen element 17, 18. 
     Preferably the reception channel 72 bounded at its two cross-sectional ends by undercuts 75, 76 has a maximum width, which is sufficiently larger than the width of the strip-like blocking element 71, so as to permit in the tilted position an insertion of the blocking element 71 in the channel transversely to the longitudinal direction thereof. Therefore said width is greater than the maximum width of the blocking element 71 by at least the amount of one of the undercuts 76, plus the thickness of the screen elements 17, 18, as can be gathered from FIG. 37. This oversize of the width of the reception channel 72 compared with the width of the blocking element 71 can also be smaller. In this case the blocking element 71 is to be inserted from the channel end. Any significant oversize still present permits an easy insertion, without it being necessary to move in its longitudinal direction an e.g. previously inserted edge 70 of the screen element. 
     A pressing in of the strip-like blocking element 71 transversely to the longitudinal direction of the channel 72 is also made possible by its cross-section being resiliently deformable. The resilient deformability of the cross-section can result from at least one cross-sectional curvature 78. In the represented embodiment there are two oppositely directed curvatures or bends 78, 79 with a different radius at the cross-sectional ends. The screen element 17, 18 is guided over the upper curvature 78 having the larger radius, whereas the lower, oppositely directed curvature 76 has a supporting function, whilst receiving the edge 70 e.g. having two folds 80, 81. The oppositely directed curvatures 78, 79 of the blocking element cross-section lead to an upwardly inclined path of the central cross-sectional part 83 directed towards the bar element 4, 5, so that with the channel walls 73 is formed a gusset-like space 74. 
     The tensile stress on the screen elements 17, 18 due to the opening of the apparatus and which attempts to draw the same out of the gusset-shaped gap 74, on the one hand leads to the fixing of the at least double-layer edge 70 in the gap 74 and also to the fixing between the profile leg 84 forming an undercut and the upper curvature 78 of the blocking element 71. This clamping holding of the edge 70 of the screen elements 17, 18 leads to a reduced stressing of their material and therefore to a greater durability of the apparatus. Apart from the ease of manufacture and installation of this connection between a screen element 17, 18 and a bar element 4, 5 or a carrying bar 1, it also permits an easy replacement of individual screen elements 17, 18, in order to obtain special screening effects of the aforementioned type or achieve new esthetic effects. 
     For a very central mounting of the carrying bars 1 or the bar elements 4 on a headpiece 2 of the apparatus and which kinematically facilitates its outward pivoting, they are provided with a head end 86, which is directed inwards in inclined manner or at right angles to the particular bearing 87. This leads to the lateral displacement (88) of the axes of the bearings 51 and 87 shown in FIG. 30, which permits an outward pivoting of the carrying bars 1 or the bar elements 5 by the drive 55.