Inventors:
Clark, Robert Clement (Cucamonga, CA)
Clark, Pauline Cecilia (Cucamonga, CA)
Clark, Robert Bevan (Alta Loma, CA)
Field of Search:
160/22,66-75,82 135/5A,5AT,25,26,29,32
Claims:
1. A support structure for an awning for a recreational vehicle comprising:
2. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein each of the main supports is adjustable in length and comprises a first elongated member, a second elongated member slidingly disposed within the first member, and means for
3. A support structure for an awning for a recreational vehicle comprising:
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In equipment providing collapsible protective covering, a support that is stable when it is opened and compact when it is closed is desired. For a collapsible awning unit attached to the side of a travel trailer, motor home and/or camper (popularly referred to as a Recreational Vehicle or a Rec-V), the parts thereof must operate as the awning extends or retracts and must meet the above criteria for stability and compactness.
Integrated nesting and rigid strength of the support structure for collapsible units providing protective covering and for other equipment, such as compact collapsible umbrellas and sun shades, prevents any oversize aspects of the collapsed unit as well as the untimely collapse of the erected unit. In collapsible awning units for a Rec-V, however, the importance of both rigid strength and nestable construction for the support element is greatly accentuated by certain circumstances that, if the awning lacked compact stability, would operate to make it relatively unsatisfactory and in certain cases extremely dangerous. For example, vibrations of non-nesting parts while the support structure is collapsed against the Rec-V, that result from the windstream caused while the Rec-V is traveling at about 60 mph would create destructive torques and sheer stesses that would wrest the awning unit from the side of the Rec-V; compact stability of the support structure would prevent any damage or destruction due to this cause. It is also typical that a collapsible awning for a Rec-V carries a large heavy flexible cover and 8 to 21 feet long multiribbed, heavy torque spring loaded roller lement that by itself demands that rigid strength be provided by the support elements when the awning is extended to an open position. In addition, the operators of a Rec-V customarily frequent the wide open outdoor camping areas where strong gusty winds playing against the sail-like awning double or quadruple the downward gravitational force vectors on the support element or attempt to raise the awnings away from its support with similarly strong vectorially upward forces.
It is true that a substantially rigid support structure must be built into a collapsible awning unit for a Rec-V, yet the weight of the support structure must be limited so as not to unduly increase that of the Rec-V nor to cause a problem to the Rec-V operator when attempting either to collapse or open the awning unit. After the Rec-V opearator has driven it to, or decides to leave a temporary campsite a compact stabilized support structure must not have been constructed so that a complex procedure for either erecting or collapsing the awning unit exceeds or taxes the capacity of the Rec-V operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides at one and the same time the double function of a high degree of stability for the support elements while it is in an open position and a unique nesting characteristic while it is in a collapsed position to eliminate vibrational destruction and unplanned collapse from high winds and other destructive forces while being able to be opened or collapsed by a very simple procedure. This is accomplished by the use of a uniquely triangulated support structure involving a double tiangular supporting structure with partially shared elements. A vertical slide and the wall of the travel trailer is common to both triangles. A main support is also common to both. An auxiliary support forms with the other two common sides of the triangles an inner triangle. The third side of the outer triangle is a flexible cover of the awning unit.
A triangle from a structural viewpoint provides the greatest strength of any geometrical shape. It is an immutable law of planar geometry that three lines of given length can form one and only one triangle; it is a corallary of this law that the angles of a triangle formed by three lines of a given length are unchangeable. This law from geometry and its corollary when applied to the field of structural or mechanical engineering provides a means of potentially creating with triangles the strongest shape. The potential for this shape is actualized into a tension and compression bearing triangle when rigid material is used to construct it as is the case for our inner support triangle. It is actualized into a tension bearing only triangle when at least one side is constructed from flexible material as is the case for our outer support triangle. In either case its ability to defy deformation exceeds any other shape for the same material.
The requirement for a rigid material for the sides of the triangle can be met by using metal, one of the strongest structural materials, for the sides of the triangle. Another means of meeting the requirement for rigid material is to use a flexible material in tension. The weight penalty imposed by metal can be lessened with no loss and an actual increase in its rigidity is achieved by shaping the metal so that it has a "C" or "U" cross section. Said shaping also produced unexpected results that added to the compact stabilization of the support and ease in its operation. The use of said shaped parts that differ in size so that one fits within the other permits the parts of the support to nest compactly together when the awning is collapsed. The usage of said shaped parts also permits the use of a pivotally slidable shoe on the end of one of the sides of the triangle so that it can be slid into a triangle forming shape from a collapsed to an opened position and vice versa.
The controlled location of the slidable shoe on one end of the auxiliary support of the inner triangle is achieved by a stop and detent means locking it into a fixed location relative to the main support of the triangle while being pivotally attached to the vertical slide of the triangle. The vertical slide and main support of the triangle can then be slidably adjusted with relation to each other and locked into place relative to each other by one of several means well known in the art. The outer triangle is similarly adjusted at the same time and when fully extended acts in its tension bearing capacity.
The auxiliary support of the inner triangle introduces several functional advantages to the support structure of the awning unit. One is due to the fact that it is secured to the main support intermediate the ends thereof; this location results in a reduction of the required strength of the main support since its span distance is thereby reduced. Another results from the elimination of a compression member that is adjacent to the canvas and therefore required to have a long span as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,869 to Duda. Still another stems from its capability to be collapsed by a simple procedure and stored in nesting relation within said main support instead of being removed and stored separately as is necessary for said compression member adjacent to the canvas in said patent to Duda.
The weight penalty for using metal as the material for the support arms is reduced by the use of lightweight non-ferrous metal such as aluminum. In addition metals such as aluminum are conducive to being shaped with said cross sections by an inexpensive extrusion process.
The main support of the triangle can be lengthened by use of a telescoping extension. The main support extends beyond the point where it connects to the auxiliary support and is pivotally attached to the torque spring loaded roller that carries the flexible cover of the awning unit that in turn has its inner end anchored to the wall of the Rec-V.
The vertical slide of the triangle is rigidly attached to the Rec-V at its top and bottom. Therebetween the vertical slide is slightly displaced from the side of the Rec-V to permit the end of the main support to slidably move along thereon. It is also so shaped that both the auxiliary support and main support not only nest within each other but all three, as an integrated system, nest together one on top of the other when the awning is in a collapsed position.
The present invention has the following advantages:
1. to provide a support for facilitating opening, supporting and collapsing of awning units having the foregoing features and benefits;
2. the provision of nesting for the compact stabilization of the awning unit in a collapsed position;
3. to provide a double triangulated support for creating the strongest structural shape to impart compact stabilization to the awning unit in an opened position;
4. the provision of a C or U cross sectional shape for the rigid material of the triangulated support for permitting and controlling the slidable location of parts, adding strength to the supporting parts and giving to the parts the capability to nest in a collapsed position;
5. other advantages and beneficial features will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the disclosure is made of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a travel trailer awning unit having a double triangulated tension and/or compression bearing support for a flexible cover for illustrating the operation of the compact stable awning structure of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing in full lines the awning unit in fully extended or open position and showing in dotted lines an intermediate position;
FIG. 3 is a selectively fragmented exploded perspective view of the elements of the travel trailer awning structure illustrating the connecting interfaces;
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the awning unit in a collapsed position against the side of the travel trailer;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the nested elements taken along 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the cap on the main support showing how the roller is attached thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1 for a more detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a conventional travel trailer 12 is shown that is used as a recreational vehicle and for other purposes. Attached to the side of the travel trailer 12 is an awning unit 13 for providing protection or covering from the elements. As indicated in FIG. 1 the awning unit 13 has been placed in an open or extended position. This position resulted from a simple twofold operating procedure involving releasing and positioning functions performed by an operator. If there is more than one set of supporting elements such as a pair -- one at each end of the awning unit 13 -- then the procedures are duplicated in turn for each set. The operator starts by releasing a conventional holding catch 21 that held the nested support elements in a closed position against the side of the trailer as shown in FIG. 4. If, after release, roller 14 does not automatically start to fall away from the side of the travel trailer, then the operator merely pulls gently on the main support 15 that was nested together with the other support elements against the side of the travel trailer 12. This will cause the roller 14 to start to fall away from the side of the travel trailer 12. Thereupon the weight both of the roller 14 and the flexible cover 19 rolled around it tends to cause it to fall away from the side of the travel trailer 12 into an open or extended position. As the roller 14 approaches a fully extended position two factors tend to slow it down; both offsetting factors are the more pronounced the more the roller 14 has fallen away from the travel trailer 12 for its weight is reduced by the amount the flexible cover 19 has unrolled and a steadily increasing counter force is created in the torque spring in said roller 14 as the spring is wound up. The operator initiates the positioning of the awning in the desired extended position by sliding and locking the auxiliary support 16 into a pivoting position about midway along the main support 15. The main support 15 can then be lengthened or shortened by slidably telescoping the telescopic first portion 17 and the telescopic second portion 18 of the main support 15 in the desired direction and locking them in place by a conventional adjustment. The final positioning operation involves sliding the main support 15 up along the vertical slide 20. If this final operation is to bring the outer support triangle into full operation, then the flexible cover 19 must be fully extended so that it is able to act as a tension member of said triangle. To achieve this main support 15 must be raised up on said slide 20 until said cover 19 is fully extended. When raised to this position sleeve 26 on the end of main support 15 is locked into place against vertical slide 20 by any one of the simple conventional means.
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 we will provide a detailed description of the main support 15 of awning structure 13 shown in FIG. 1. The first end of the main support 15 is pivotally attached to a sleeve 26. The second end of the main support 15 is rigidly attached to a cap 27. The main support 15 itself is composed of the above mentioned two portions that telescopically adjust the length of the main support 15. Telescopic first portion 17 is the inner slidable part of the main support 15 and telescopic second portion 18 is the outer-slidable part thereof. The telescopic first part 17 has a cross sectional U shape. The telescopic second portion 18 has a cross sectional C shape that is adapted to slidably retain within it the telescopic first portion 17. The adjacent ends of the two portions of main support 15 as shown in FIG. 3 have two holes 22a and 22b therein. Telescopic first portion 17 has a similar hole 22c towards the end adjacent to the vertical slide 20. Each of the three holes is adapted to receive conventional detent plug 29a, 29b and 29c. Said detent plugs act as stops to limit the distance that the two said telescopic portions can slidably adjust. To provide for holding said two portions at the adjusted desired length multiple holes are made in the side wall of the telescopic first portion 17 and are adapted to receive therein a fastening device 32 such as a spring actuated button that is placed in the side wall of the telescopic second portion 18.
In FIG. 3 the vertical slide 20 shown in its entirety in FIGS. 1 and 2 is herein shown only fragmentally but in greater detail for the purpose of emphasizing the details of the elements interfacing with it. In this preferred embodiment vertical slide 20 is a hollow tubular rod. At the top and bottom thereof are conventional brackets 36a and 36b that are attached to the side wall of the trailer 12 by either being riveted or screwed into said wall. These brackets pivotally hold capping devices 37a and 37b that are rigidly fixed to the top and bottom of the vertical slide 20. These said capping devices fixedly hold the vertical slide 20 displaced a sufficient distance from the side wall of the travel trailer 12 in order to permit sleeve 26 to slide therealong without impairment. At the lower end of the vertical slide 20 is sleeve 26 that slidably fits around said vertical slide 20 so that the pivotally attached telescopic first portion 17 of main support 15 can be raised or lowered along said slide to adjust the position of the awning. At the upper end of the vertical slide 20 auxiliary support 16 is pivotally fixed thereto by pin 38.
Referring again to FIG. 3 the auxiliary support 16 also shown in its entirety in FIGS. 1 and 2 is here fragmentally shown to bring out those details that contribute to the performance of its critical support function. In FIG. 2 the auxiliary support 16 is shown in two of the many different positions it can assume as it pivots on pin 38 while the awning structure 13 is being opened or closed or, after being opened, is adjusted to various elevated positions and/or extensions of the flexible cover 19. One of the key elements contributing to the simple functioning of the awning structure as it is opened into an extended position or collapsed into a closed position is the slide shoe 44 on the one end of the auxiliary support 16. This slide shoe 44 has a U shaped cross section that is adapted to be slidably retained in the channel formed by the C shaped cross section of the telescopic second portion 18 of the main support 15. The slide shoe 44 is pivotally attached to the one end of the auxiliary support 16 by conventional fastening devices such as pins 45 that are adapted to be inserted into holes in the side walls of the slide shoe 44 and in the side walls of auxiliary support 16. Auxiliary support 16 is fabricated with a U shaped cross section that is adapted to nest around vertical slide 20 and within slide shoe 44 when the awning structure has been collapsed into a closed position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and at the same time provide stability to the awning structure 13 especially when the auxiliary support 16 supports the main support 15 while the awning structure has been extended into an open position. As the operator starts to change the awning structure 13 from the closed position shown in FIG. 4 to the opened position(s) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the slide shoe 44 is forced to move up in the channel of the telescopic second portion 18 of main support 15 until one end of it impinges upon and is stopped by a conventional detent 46. Thereupon when slide shoe 44 has reached this limiting position the operator holds it in said limiting position by activating snap spring 47 adapted to be inserted through a hole in the side wall of telescopic second portion 18 and conventionally designed to lock said shoe into said limiting position.
Now referring to FIG. 6, the cap 27 that is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as rigidly attached to the upper end of main support 15, is shown herein in exploded detail to better explain its operational and interfacing functions. Cap 27 consists of two parts, a bottom portion 50 and a top portion 51 that are screwed together. The bottom portion is fabricated with ribs 52a and 52b adapted to receive therebetween torsion assembly rod 53 extending from and then bent at a 90° angle from roller 14. The roller 14 is retained against the face of cap 27 by said rod 53. The face of cap 27 has adjacent recesses 49a and 49b in said top and bottom of said cap 27 adapted to receive therein said rod 53. Said rod 53 resting in said recesses and keyed therein by said ribs to prevent turning, yet has sufficient clearance to allow substantial swivel-like motion of said rod 53 in cap 27.
The swivel-like connection of rod 53 to cap 27 is important to several operations of the awning unit. When the operator first released the closed awning unit 13 from its collapsed position as shown in FIG. 4, one side of the awning unit is released at a time. Nevertheless the support structure on each side has a freedom of motion independent of the support structure attached to the other end of the roller 14 since both are joined to said roller 14 by said swivel-like connection between cap 27 and rod 53. This swivel-like connection is important also when one side of the awning unit is raised or lowered different than that of the other side; this might be desirable in many other situations such as to permit rain water to run off.
The function of the roller depends on a conventional torque spring therein. The torque spring inside roller 14 winds up as the roller falls away from the side of travel trailer 12 as it starts to open up from its collapsed position shown in FIG. 4 and opens itself to an extended position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The embodiment herein taught includes two torque springs in roller 14 -- one at each end thereof -- reinforcing and independent of each other.
The awning structure 13 will be described completely when flexible cover 19 shown in FIG. 1 together with its interface with other elements of the awning structure 13 and its operating functions have been described. Attention is directed to flexible cover 19, which may be made from dacron vinyl material that is rectangular in shape and, depending on the length of the travel trailer 12, has a length alongside the travel trailer of approximately 8 to 21 feet and a width that can be extended from the travel trailer approximately 8 feet.
The inner end of flexible cover 19 adjacent to the side or wall of the travel trailer 12 is fixedly attached thereto by conventional means. The outer end of the flexible cover 19 farthest removed from the side or wall of the travel trailer 12 is adapted to be fixedly attached to roller 14 and adapted to wind therearound.
Referring now to FIG. 4, the awning structure 13 is shown collapsed in a closed position with holding catch 21 having been wrapped around the nested elements thereof in order to retain it in the collapsed position. The above described simple twofold operating procedure involving releasing and positioning functions is performed by the operator to collapse the awning structure 13 by reversing the steps used to open it. The integrated nesting of all the elements of awning structure 13 when it is collapsed into a closed position is shown by FIGS. 4 and 5. The vertical slide 20 nests inside the auxiliary support 16. The auxiliary support 16 nests inside the slide shoe 44. Slide shoe 44 as well as the telescopic first portion 17 nest inside the main support 15. The flexible cover 19 when collapsed into a closed position is wound up around roller 14.
In light of the above teachings of the preferred embodiments disclosed, various modifications and variations of the present invention are contemplated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.