Method for Protecting an Area from Sun and Precipitation
A method for protecting an area from sun and precipitation using a retractable awning with an automated pitching gable or automated pitching arch is disclosed. An awning sheet extends using articulating hinged arms. A first end of each articulating arm is hingedly affixed to a surface. The articulating arms provide vertical support for the awning. Swiveling hinge interfaces connect the ends of the articulating arms to the ends of the front support member. In one embodiment, the front support member is an upwardly biased flexible spring member. In another embodiment, the front support member is a left member and right member movably connected by a hinge coupled to an upwardly biased spring. Upon extending the awning, the upwardly biased spring automates pitching the awning into a gable or arch. Upon retracting, the awning sheet is wrapped substantially around the roller, thereby counteracting the automated pitching gable or automated pitching arch.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/536,447 filed on Jun. 28, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/633,380, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,225,839 issued Jul. 24, 2012; filed on Dec. 8, 2009, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to the field of retractable awnings and more particularly to a method for protecting an area from sun and precipitation.
BACKGROUNDRetractable awnings are mostly flat and mainly used for sun protection on office buildings, multi-unit dwellings, single family homes, recreational vehicles, etc. To prevent damage from rain, the awnings are retracted. If not, a water basin can form on the awning sheet. To alleviate this problem, flat awnings are pitched downwards from a wall or other fixed surface and users may be forced to push up the middle of the awning sheet to release the water and/or debris.
Pitching the awning downwards may be permanent and can require a mounting height of greater than 15 feet, making it too high to reach without a ladder or extension device to assist in pushing up any saggy basin. Other installations requiring a shorter installation height but similar pitch, make headroom limited for use. Pitching awnings downwards are also impractical because they direct all precipitation and residue down and forward in front of the front bar of the awning possibly over a walk way, thereby impeding egress and ingress.
Pitching is either manual or electric and both ways present problems. Electric problems can prevent any pitching and manual pitch adjustment gear may be impractical because it can require two people to adjust the pitch. For example, the awning first must be fully extended, then multiple steps are required to achieve the desired pitch. One person has to hold up the front portion of the awning to reduce the load on the pitching gears, and the another person has to insert a hook end of an elongated bar into a hand crank, and manually turn the hand crank in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to attain the desired pitch. This is impractical for the elderly, or people with limited dexterity or strength.
An attempt to solve the problem has been made by manually gabling a flat retractable awning into a gabled awning using a joint mechanism requiring a user to hold a rod or other elongated device and manually urge the front portion of the awning upwards after the awning is fully extended. This is impractical for the following reasons: using a rod or other elongated device to manually urge the front portion of the awning upwards is difficult for some people who cannot lift their arms over their head, the resistance of the front portion of the awning may be difficult for individuals with limited strength or manual dexterity, and if the awning is installed high, a ladder or a very long, heavy rod would be required to reach the joint mechanism, making transformation dangerous. Additional storage space is also required for the rod or elongated device.
What is needed is a retractable awning that automates pitching when extending without any user action as deployed.
SUMMARYIn accordance with the invention, the problems of transforming a flat awning into a gabled configuration manually are avoided by having the front edge urge upwards without user action while the awning is being extended from a building or recreation vehicle.
In one embodiment, a retractable awning apparatus is disclosed where the front support member is a flexible spring member biased upwards in a naturally arched configuration. This flexible spring member resiliently urges the front edge of the awning upwards into an arched configuration when extending the awning sheet from the roller. As the awning sheet is pulled around the roller when retracting, the articulated arms are pulled towards the frame and the opposable ends of the flexible spring member and awning sheet are pulled outwards, thereby counteracting the naturally arched configuration of the flexible spring member.
In a second embodiment, a retractable awning apparatus is disclosed with a front support member having a left front member and right front member connected by a hinge and a spring. This spring resiliently urges the left member and right member into a gabled configuration when extending the awning sheet from the roller. As the awning sheet is pulled around the roller when retracting, the articulated arms are pulled towards the frame and the left front member and right front member are pulled outwards at opposable ends, thereby counteracting the naturally gabled configuration of the spring, and aligning the left front member and the right front member horizontally.
The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. In the preferred embodiments, references made to a gable or arch can be used interchangeably.
A retractable awning with an automated pitching gable or automated pitching arch configuration has been shown which serves the purposes sought herein. Modifications, variations, other uses, and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specifications and the drawings which disclose the present invention. Modifications, variations, other uses, and applications not outside the scope and spirit of the present invention are deemed covered by the present invention.
Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same result. It is believed that the apparatus and system of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Claims
1. A method for protecting an area from sun and precipitation, the method comprising:
- providing a retractable awning; the retractable awning comprising a flexible sheet, a front support member, a roller, a frame, a housing, a left articulating arm having a left proximal member movably connecting to a left portion of the frame by a first left hinge, a left distal member, the left proximal member movably connecting to the left distal member by a second left hinge forming a left joint, a right articulating arm having a right proximal member movably connecting to a right portion of the frame by a first right hinge, a right distal member, the right proximal member movably connecting to the right distal member by a second right hinge forming a right joint;
- affixing a front edge portion of the flexible sheet to a top portion of the front support member;
- affixing a back edge portion of the flexible sheet to the roller;
- securing the frame to a fixed surface or securing the frame to a recreational vehicle;
- affixing the housing to the frame;
- rotatably affixing the roller to the housing;
- turning the roller in a first direction along its axis;
- responsive to turning, the roller extending the flexible sheet substantially from the roller, the roller extending the left articulating arm from the frame, the roller extending the right articulating arm from the frame, and the roller extending the front support member;
- responsive to extending the front support member, the front support member automatically pitching the front edge portion of the flexible sheet without user action into an arch or a gable;
- turning the roller in a second direction along its axis;
- responsive to turning the roller in the second direction, retracting the flexible sheet substantially onto the roller; and,
- responsive to retracting the flexible sheet substantially onto the roller, counteracting the automatically pitching front edge portion of the flexible sheet.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the front support member is an upwardly biased flexible spring member, and wherein the step of automatically pitching the front edge portion of the flexible sheet includes extending all four of the following: the left articulating arm, the right articulating arm, the upwardly biased flexible spring member, and the flexible sheet, thereby urging the upwardly biased flexible spring member and automatically pitching the front edge portion of the flexible sheet into the arch.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the front support member further comprises a left front member and a right front member, and wherein the left front member and the right front member are movably connected by a hinge coupled with an upwardly biased spring, and wherein the step of automatically pitching the front edge portion of the flexible sheet includes extending all seven of the following: the left articulating arm, the right articulating arm, the left front member and the right front member movably connected by the hinge coupled with the upwardly biased spring, and the flexible sheet, thereby urging the left front member and the right front member out of horizontal alignment without user action automatically pitching the front edge portion of the flexible sheet into the gable.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first end of the front support member is rotatably affixed to the left distal member by a first swiveling hinge interface, and wherein a second end of the front support member is rotatably affixed to the right distal member by a second swiveling hinge interface.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of counteracting the automatically pitching front edge portion of the flexible sheet comprises the front support member, wherein the front support member is an upwardly biased flexible spring member, and the step of retracting the flexible sheet substantially onto the roller further comprises: retracting the left articulating arm substantially to the frame, retracting the right articulating arm substantially to the frame, and retracting the upwardly biased flexible spring member substantially to the frame.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of counteracting the automatically pitching front edge portion of the flexible sheet comprises the front support member, wherein the front support member further comprises a left front member and a right front member movably connected by a hinge coupled with an upwardly biased spring, and wherein the step of retracting the flexible sheet substantially onto the roller further comprises: retracting the left articulating arm substantially to the frame, retracting the right articulating arm substantially to the frame, and retracting each of the left front member and the right front member movably connected by the hinge coupled with the upwardly biased spring member substantially to the frame.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of turning the roller in the first direction and the step of turning the roller in the second direction is performed by a motor coupled to the roller.
Type: Application
Filed: May 5, 2014
Publication Date: Aug 21, 2014
Inventor: Kenneth C. Prine, SR. (St. Augustine, FL)
Application Number: 14/270,353
International Classification: E04F 10/06 (20060101);