| Lead bar for a retractable awning -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Lead bar for a retractable awningRelated Patent Categories: Flexible Or Portable Closure, Partition, Or Panel, With Outriggers (i.e., Awnings)Lead bar for a retractable awning description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060213624, Lead bar for a retractable awning. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention concerns a lead bar for a retractable awning, of the type comprising a hollow profile produced by extrusion of a light metal alloy, such as aluminium. STATE OF THE PREVIOUS ART [0002] Retractable awnings comprising a canvas with a rear edge attached to a rolling-up tube rotatably mounted at its ends to rotate on brackets fixed to a wall or other structure, and a front edge attached to a rigid bar so called "lead bar" are well-known in the art. Connected to the roll-up tube there is a mechanism that can be operated either manually or by motor in order to rotate the tube in one or the other directions so that the awning canvas is opened or closed. A pair of spring-loaded retractable arms are connected at one end to said wall or other structure and at the other end to the lead bar so that they support the lead bar and apply a tension to the awning canvas. There are two main variants of this type of awning: those with rigid arms that are articulated at one end to the wall and attached at the other end to the lead bar, and that are foldable by oscillation in respective vertical planes, and those having arms each formed by two sections hinged together and articulated to the wall at one of their ends and to the lead bar at the other end, and that are elbow-like foldable in a common plane that is substantially parallel to the plane in which the awning canvas extends. [0003] Throughout this document, the term "rear" is used to designate those parts that are closest to the wall or other structure on which the awning roll-up tube is mounted, and the term "front" is used to designate those parts that are furthest away from the wall or the roll-up tube. The terms "upper" and "lower" are used in its conventional sense referred to the lead bar when it is in a position corresponding to a substantially horizontal position of the arms. The terms "vertical" and "horizontal" in reference to the lead bar are also based on its position when the arms are in a substantially horizontal position. [0004] The lead bar, especially when it has significant length, for example, four metres or more, is subjected to significant combined flexion and torsion forces. The directions in which the forces are produced depends on several factors, some variable, such as the arm and awning inclinations, the amount the awning canvas is extended, wind force and direction etc, together with others that are constant, such as arm type and arrangement, arm spring-load factor, the weight of the lead bar itself and that of the canvas, among others. There is a main flexion effort in a vertical plane due to the weight of the lead bar itself and to the arm supporting force. Also, there is a main flexion and torsion combined effort, being a flexion effort in the plane in which the canvas extends, and a torsion effort along the bar's longitudinal axis due to the tension in the canvas and to the thrust of arms. The tensions due to the variable factors are produced in variable planes or axes and are added to the previously mentioned main tensions. Consequently, there is a need for a lead bar adapted to adequately withstand the tensions produced by the combined main and variable efforts. [0005] Document ES-A-1031627, to the present applicant, describes a lead bar constituted from a hollow profile made by aluminium extrusion, and which comprises longitudinal grooves designed for securing a front edge of the awning canvas and a front skirt, as well as other longitudinal grooves for securing the front ends of the arms. The mentioned profile presents an angular configuration formed by an elongated horizontal region and an elongated vertical region. A multiplicity of said longitudinal grooves enable the profile to be installed with the horizontal region in either the upper or lower positions, maintaining the vertical region in a front position. This profile also allows different options for securing the arms, whether these are rigid oscillating or elbow-like articulated. The mentioned elongated horizontal and vertical regions provide a good level of resistance against the flexion efforts in the vertical and horizontal planes, but are not so efficient against torsion efforts along the longitudinal axis of the bar and against combined flexion and torsion efforts in other variable and unpredictable planes. [0006] Patent FR-A-2335686 relates to an awning leading bar made up of two or more extruded hollow profiles joined together by means of sections of cylindrical pipes that are plugged into the respective adjacent ends. To this end, the profile has a surrounding wall that defines three coaxial cylindrical portions, at least one of which links up along two corresponding generatrices with a pair of substantially straight sections that form a very open "V" cross-section that provides a certain amount of elasticity that is necessary to permit said piece of cylindrical connection piping to be plugged in. However, this same elasticity is an inconvenience with respect to withstanding the torsion efforts in the longitudinal axis of the bar, as well as the combined flexion and torsion efforts, since it facilitates the elastic deformation of the profile. [0007] Patent ES-A-2029203 describes an awning comprising a lead bar made from an extruded hollow profile with longitudinal grooves designed for securing a front edge of the awning canvas and a front skirt, as well as another longitudinal groove for securing the front ends of the awning arms located at a rear section of the profile. The relative arrangement of the longitudinal grooves for securing canvas, skirt and arms allows the profile to be installed in two mutually inverted positions that are respectively suitable for rigid oscillating or elbow-like articulated arms. In each case, the canvas-securing groove is located in the upper section and as close as possible to the lead bar when the arms are completely folded. This profile includes a wide region and an elongated region, but the longitudinal grooves for securing canvas and arms are not located on said wide portion in relative opposite positions with respect to its central axis. [0008] Utility model DE-A-9403139 describes a lead bar for a retractable awning with the features of the preamble of claim 1. [0009] A purpose of the present invention is to reduce the inconveniences of the profiles of the previous art by providing a lead bar for a retractable awning adapted to withstand the combined flexion and torsion efforts in main planes and axes and in other multiple variable planes. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention contributes to reach the previous and other objectives by providing a lead bar for a retractable awning of the type that is made up of a hollow profile obtained by extrusion of a light metal alloy, and comprising a longitudinal canvas-securing groove for fixing the front edge of an awning canvas and a longitudinal arm-securing groove for securing the front end of at least one arm. Said profile has a cross-section with a surrounding wall that defines a wide region, in which said surrounding wall comprises upper, lower, front and rear portions located away from a central geometric axis, and an elongated region, in which said surrounding wall comprises front and rear sections facing each other and located close to a geometric mid-plane between them. The mentioned elongated region overhangs downwards from said lower portion of the wide region next to the front edge of the same. The cited longitudinal canvas-securing groove and said longitudinal arm-securing groove are arranged on said upper portion and lower portion of the wide portion respectively in substantially directly opposite positions in relation to said central axis. The lead arm of the present invention is characterised in that in that said profile comprises a partition wall that separates the wide region from the elongated region, said partition wall connecting an interior part of said longitudinal arm-securing groove and an area of the surrounding wall where said front portion of the wide region and said elongated front section of the elongated region meet together. [0011] This partition wall reinforces the profile and endows additional rigidity in the wide region against any eventual strain caused by combined torsion and flexion efforts. [0012] In exemplary embodiments, the lower portion of the wide region is connected to said rear long section forming a concavity with respect to the outside of the bar at a right, or almost right, angle, and the longitudinal arm-securing groove is formed in said concavity. [0013] In exemplary embodiments, the contour of the wide region is similar to a circle, or preferably, an ellipse having a horizontal axis slightly longer than a vertical axis when said arm is substantially horizontal, thereby providing the profile with excellent resistance to torsion with respect to the central axis of the wide region and increased resistance to flexion in a horizontal plane through this central axis. Similarly, the mentioned mid-plane in the elongated region is substantially vertical when the arms are substantially horizontal, thereby providing the profile with excellent resistance to flexion in a vertical plane. [0014] Thus, the lead bar according to the present invention achieves excellent resistance to torsion along its longitudinal axis and also to flexion in the horizontal and vertical planes, with a minimum of weight and without renouncing to an attractive aesthetic appearance. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] The previous and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0016] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a lead bar for a retractable awning according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [0017] FIG. 2 is a side view of the mounting of the lead bar shown in FIG. 1; [0018] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the torsion moment to which the lead bar is subjected during use and the forces causing it; [0019] FIG. 4 is a diagram that illustrates the flexion moment in the horizontal plane to which the lead bar is subjected during use and the forces causing it; [0020] FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates the flexion moment in the vertical plane to which the lead bar is subjected during use and the forces causing it; Continue reading about Lead bar for a retractable awning... Full patent description for Lead bar for a retractable awning Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Lead bar for a retractable awning patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Lead bar for a retractable awning or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Separable paper stripping device Next Patent Application: Easily fixable roman blind Industry Class: Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Lead bar for a retractable awning patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.19986 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
