Nonplanar Fabric Arrangements Patents (Class 160/56)
  • Patent number: 9038694
    Abstract: A sun shading apparatus includes a supporting frame, a shading frame and a shading fabric. The supporting frame includes first and second leg frames, and a supporting bar extended between the first and the second leg frames, while the second leg frame has third and fourth mounting slots. The shading frame includes first and second coupling joints each having a V-shaped cross section, first and second frame members, and a reinforcing frame, wherein the supporting bar is extended between the first and second coupling joints. The first and the second frame member are coupled with the first coupling joint and the second coupling joint respectively, while the reinforcing frame is extended between the first and second frame member and the supporting bar to form a support platform. The shading fabric is detachably mounted on the support platform for shading adverse weather condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Inventor: Paul Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8839839
    Abstract: A retractable awning that transforms automatically into a gable or arch is disclosed. The awning sheet extends using articulated hinged arms. A first end of each articulated arm is hingedly affixed to a stationary surface. The two articulated arms provide vertical support while extending the awning sheet. A swiveling hinge interface connects the ends of the articulated arms and the front support member. The front support member is a flexible spring member and resiliently arches the awning when extending. In another embodiment, the front support member is a left member and right member connected by a hinge and a spring. The spring resiliently urges the left and right member into a gabled configuration, thereby gabling the awning. When retracting the awning, the ends of the front support member and awning sheet are pulled outwards, thereby counteracting the naturally gabled or arched configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventor: Kenneth C. Prine, Sr.
  • Patent number: 8783329
    Abstract: A sun shading apparatus includes a supporting frame, a shading frame and a shading fabric. The supporting frame includes first and second leg frames, and a supporting bar extended between the first and the second leg frames, while the second leg frame has third and fourth mounting slots. The shading frame includes first and second coupling joints each having a V-shaped cross section, first and second frame members, and a reinforcing frame, wherein the supporting bar is extended between the first and second coupling joints. The first and the second frame member are coupled with the first coupling joint and the second coupling joint respectively, while the reinforcing frame is extended between the first and second frame member and the supporting bar to form a support platform. The shading fabric is detachably mounted on the support platform for shading adverse weather condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventor: Paul Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8225839
    Abstract: A retractable awning that transforms automatically into a gable or arch is disclosed. The awning sheet extends using articulated hinged arms. A first end of each articulated arm is hingedly affixed to a stationary surface. The two articulated arms provide vertical support while extending the awning sheet. A swiveling hinge interface connects the ends of the articulated arms and the front support member. The front support member is a flexible spring member and resiliently arches the awning when extending. In another embodiment, the front support member is a left member and right member connected by a hinge and a spring. The spring resiliently urges the left and right member into a gabled configuration, thereby gabling the awning. When retracting the awning, the ends of the front support member and awning sheet are pulled outwards, thereby counteracting the naturally gabled or arched configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Kenneth C. Prine, Sr.
  • Patent number: 8113259
    Abstract: A side shade for an awning includes a mounting member having a top end, a bottom end, a hook at the top end and a vertical groove extending from the top end to the bottom end. The mounting member is removably connectable by the hook to the awning near an attachment support of the awning. At least a portion of a stiffening member and a first vertical side of the fabric panel are slidingly disposed within the vertical groove of the mounting member. When assembled and attached to the awning the fabric panel of the side shade is vertically adjustably positionable above or below a lateral side of a predominantly horizontal panel of the awning so that there is no vertical gap between the panel of the awning and the fabric panel of the side shade through which direct light can penetrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: Marvin Carl Tessmer
  • Patent number: 8069899
    Abstract: A vertically attachable golf cart canopy having a folding canopy which allows other accessories, such as coolers and sand bottles, to be mounted underneath. The golf cart canopy has three components: a securing frame (1), canopy support bars (2) and (3) and a canopy (4), (5) and (16). The securing frame (1) is shaped so as to have two vertical legs (21) and a horizontal top bar (23). Frame structure tabs (8) are located at the base of the legs (21) wherein the support bars (2) and (3) are pivotally attached to the securing frame (1). Each leg (21) has a leg extension (24) with at least one securing tab (6) to secure the securing frame (1) to the golf bag support bar (18). The horizontal top bar (23) has a canopy holder (11) which holds the removably attached canopy (4), (5) and (16), a canopy flap (13) and a canopy fastener (15) in order for the user to keep the vertically attachable golf cart canopy in an upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Annwill, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger F. Nation
  • Patent number: 7740044
    Abstract: The primary roller of an awning assembly has an internal cavity, an opening between the internal cavity and the exterior of the primary roller and a first arresting element. A first awning material is adapted to be unwound from the primary roller when the primary roller rotates in a first direction and wound onto the primary roller when the primary roller rotates in a second direction. A secondary roller is mounted for rotation within the internal cavity of the primary roller. One end of a second awning material attached to the secondary roller extends through the opening in the primary roller. A second arresting element is attached to the one end of the second awning material and is adapted to engage the first arresting element of the primary roller, whereby rotation of the secondary roller in the second direction causes the primary roller to rotate in the second direction together with the secondary roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Dometic, LLC
    Inventor: Roberto Gutierrez
  • Publication number: 20090077906
    Abstract: Trailer shelters having foam head and side members are described herein. An over road trailer shelter configured in accordance with one embodiment includes a flexible head curtain configured to extend horizontally along a top portion of an opening in a warehouse or other building. The flexible head curtain can include at least one fabric flap hingeably attached to an exterior surface of a base fabric layer. The fabric flap is configured to protect the head member from damage resulting from repeated trailer contact. A trailer enclosure configured in accordance with another embodiment includes a head member that extends horizontally between first and second side members. Each of the side members and the head member includes a compressible foam portion covered by a fabric portion. In addition, each of the side members supports a flexible side curtain that extends inwardly to seal against the sides of the trailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: 4Front Engineered Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Tramonte, JR., Ralph W. Moody
  • Patent number: 7464900
    Abstract: A folding, retractable dome for protecting a feature, such as a docking mechanism, a hatch or other equipment at an exterior surface of a space vehicle, includes a plurality of arcuate ribs, each having opposite ends respectively pinioned at opposite sides of the feature at the surface of the vehicle for rotational movement about an axis of rotation extending through the opposite ends and through an arcuate path of revolution extending over the feature, and a flexible cover attached to each of the ribs such that, in a deployed configuration of the dome, in which adjacent ribs are rotated apart from each other at a maximum relative angle therebetween, the cover is stretched generally tangentially between the adjacent ribs to form a generally arcuate shield over the feature, and in a retracted position of the dome, in which adjacent ribs are rotated together at a minimum relative angle therebetween, the cover is collapsed to define folded pleats between the adjacent ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Paul R. Clark, Ross H. Messinger
  • Patent number: 7210492
    Abstract: A retractable rain cover is attachable to a golf cart has a rigid frame extending aft from the rear roofline of a golf cart and over a golf bag carried at the rear of the cart. A flexible canopy is movable along the frame from a stowed position to a deployed position. In the stowed position the canopy is contained either rolled up in a housing along the rear roofline or is in a lay flat condition disposed within the footprint of the golf cart roof. In the deployed position the canopy extends along the frame and overlies the golf bag at the rear of the cart. Also, the canopy has a closable opening positioned to align with the upper end of the golf bag when the canopy is in a deployed position thereby permitting direct access through the deployed canopy to any golf club in the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventors: William Gerrie, Kenneth M. McAlpin
  • Patent number: 7163044
    Abstract: A roller shade assembly includes a drape bar extending adjacent a rotatably supported roller tube to suspend a portion of a flexible shade fabric windingly received by the roller tube. The drape bar includes a fabric-receiving portion that is shaped along at least a portion of its length to be non-linear so that the suspended portion of the shade fabric defines a curve across its width. The fabric-receiving portion of the drape bar may be continuously curved. Alternatively, the fabric-receiving portion may include substantially straight segments each longitudinally misaligned with adjacently located segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Kirby
  • Patent number: 7100662
    Abstract: A golf cart club bag protection device having a folding canopy which allows other accessories, such as coolers and sand bottles, to be mounted underneath. The device has four components: a securing frame (1), an attachment bar (22), canopy support bars (2) and (3) and a canopy (4), (5) and (16). The securing frame (1) is shaped so as to have two vertical legs (21) and a horizontal top bar (23) while the attachment bar (22) has a unique shape so as to raise the pivotal point of the device. Tabs (8) are located at the base of the legs (21) wherein the support bars (2) and (3) are pivotally attached to the securing frame (1). The attachment bar (22) has two C-shaped clamps (6) which are used to secure the securing frame (1) to the golf bag support bar (18). The horizontal top bar (23) has a canopy holder (11) which holds the removably attached canopy (4), (5) and (16), a canopy flap (13) and a canopy fastener (15) in order for the user to keep the golf cart club bag protection device in an upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Annwil Inc.
    Inventor: Roger F. Nation
  • Patent number: 6820673
    Abstract: An awning, especially an articulated arm awning, comprises an awning cloth that can be wound up in the form of a cloth roll and a front bar that is disposed at the free outer end of the awning cloth, connected to the same, said front bar incorporating at least one swivel joint having an approximately horizontal or forwarded tilted swivel axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Schmitz—Werke GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Bernhard Wessels
  • Patent number: 6591556
    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
  • Publication number: 20020096265
    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
  • Patent number: 6267130
    Abstract: A lightweight awning frame having the flexibility of being easily lengthened or shortened by the addition or removal of extension pieces, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and mass produce, assemble and install, and package in a relatively compact cardboard box. The awning can be produced in various forms with common requirements of multiple bent pipes and non-welded, one piece engageable members wherein the ends of the pipes are inserted and securely engaged for the purpose of forming a semicircular half-dome shaped structure. Standard left and right end sections having a set of awning tubes can be formed into awning ribs by connection or the addition of extension members and support brackets connected at joints spacing the awning tubes apart in an array of awning ribs. One form of the side brackets has two receiving openings and a flange for securing individual tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Katherine R. Konda
  • Patent number: 5718253
    Abstract: A screen room enclosure for use with an RV having an awning rail and an awning coupled to the awning rail, the enclosure comprising a side panel having a top edge, a first cord coupled to the top edge and having a first engagement means at an end adjacent the awning rail, and a first channel clip comprising a planar section having a slot engageable with the first engagement means, and a non-planar section engageable with the awning rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Inventor: Thomas Charles McNamee
  • Patent number: 5509236
    Abstract: A safety canopy for use with a doorway in a wall is provided. The canopy is rigid and puncture-resistant, and is fixed to the wall and extends from the wall above the doorway downwardly away from the wall to a fixed margin edge, which is positioned approximately level with the top of the doorway. The canopy is positioned and has sufficient size to shelter an individual from objects falling from above the doorway. For additional support of the canopy, a plurality of vertical canopy support braces may be fixed to the canopy margin edge, extending downwardly to a support surface, such as a floor. Vertically oriented pillars may also be included on one side of the wall, extending from the support surface upwardly to the juncture of the wall and canopy. Angled canopy support braces may then be fixed to the canopy margin edge and angled downwardly to intersect the pillars, thereby providing additional support to the canopy for preventing the canopy from collapsing under load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Inventor: Peter V. Angles
  • Patent number: 5170811
    Abstract: An annexe assembly is shown which has a support assembly attachable to the side of a caravan or the like and which supports the annexe cover as well as the folded annexe frame. The cover is tapered whereby it may roll upon a spool within the support assembly. The cover may be selectively extended from or retracted into said support assembly and the annexe frame is pivotally attached to the support assembly whereby it may be selectively moved between a stowed attitude substantially within or adjacent the support assembly and an erected attitude for supporting the extended covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Aussie Traveller Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jude C. Kirk, William F. Bradnam