Abstract: A canopy assembly for sheltering a drive-up ordering station of a fast food restaurant can pivot out of the way when impacted by a vehicle and return automatically to a centered position. A centering feature mounted to a column supporting a roof structure engages a pivotal coupler to bias the roof to a center position. This feature includes a pivot post assembly extending across the cavity and through a pair of helical slots in the coupler. When a leading end of the roof assembly is struck by a vehicle, the coupler is rotated and the pivot post engages the slots so that the coupler translates upward. The coupler is biased by gravity to a centered position in which the top ends of the slots rest on the pivot post.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 19, 2001
Date of Patent:
July 15, 2003
Assignee:
The Howard Company, Inc.
Inventors:
Paul R. Bertheaume, Kenneth R. Bergmann, Maurice Michaud, Matt Dewey
Abstract: A canopy assembly for sheltering a drive-up ordering station of a fast food restaurant can pivot out of the way when impacted by a vehicle and return automatically to a centered position. A centering feature mounted to a column supporting a roof structure engages a pivotal coupler to bias the roof to a center position. This feature includes a pivot post assembly extending across the cavity and through a pair of helical slots in the coupler. When a leading end of the roof assembly is struck by a vehicle, the coupler is rotated and the pivot post engages the slots so that the coupler translates upward. The coupler is biased by gravity to a centered position in which the top ends of the slots rest on the pivot post.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 19, 2001
Publication date:
July 25, 2002
Inventors:
Paul R. Bertheaume, Kenneth R. Bergmann, Maurice Michaud, Matt Dewey