Patent ID: 8132583

Claim:
A method of forming a raintrough from the valance sheet of a recreation vehicle awning assembly of the type having: an awning sheet anchored to an elongate awning reel along a longitudinal awning connection line; and a flexible valance sheet extending downward from the outer edge of the awning reel; said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of raintrough support clips, each said raintrough support clip comprising: a.1 a generally cylindrical main body having a circumferential gap extending between an upper longitudinal edge and a lower longitudinal edge, said main body being made from an elastically-resilient material; and a.2 an outrigger member cantilevering outward from a lower region of the main body, said outrigger member having an upturned portion and forming a generally U-shaped space between the outrigger member and the main body; and (b) mounting each raintrough support clip to the awning reel in a selected location along the length thereof, by: b.1 elastically spreading the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the raintrough support clip's main body sufficiently to allow the main body to be disposed around the awning reel; and b.2 disposing the raintrough support clip's main body around the awning reel in a selected location along the length thereof, such that the upper longitudinal edge of the main body is disposed under the awning sheet adjacent to the awning connection line; and (c) deforming the valance sheet into the U-shaped spaces of the outrigger members of the raintrough support clips, to form a raintrough adjacent to the awning reel such that rainwater falling upon the awning sheet will flow into said raintrough.