The present disclosure relates to a design and method of use of a canopy with a drop screen, and more specifically, a drop down shade and/or projector screen.
An awning is a welcome addition to a house, recreational vehicle, or other dwelling. The awning typically provides increased enjoyment of an outdoor area surrounding the dwelling. The awning can cast a shaded area that creates an escape from direct sunlight, thereby providing a space in which an occupant of the dwelling may relax. The shaded area created by the awning contributes to the relaxation of the occupant in that there is a perceived decrease in temperature and, thus, generally becomes more comfortable. The awning as well advantageously protects occupants underneath from precipitation.
Known awning structures generally consist of a base that is permanently affixed to the dwelling, and a canopy that is removably attached to the base. Conventional awning structures are discussed in detail further in U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,433 assigned to Carefree/Scott Fetzer Company. U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,433 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
One aspect of the present disclosure incudes an awning assembly comprising a roll bar extending laterally between first and second arms. The roll bar comprising a removable and replaceable roller tube portion defining a wide opening within the roll bar and an inner roller mechanism housed within the wide opening. The inner roller mechanism comprising a drop end bracket rotatably and slidably coupling a second roll bar to the roll bar via a connector bracket, the second roll bar extending laterally within the roll bar, a screen supported by the second roll bar, wherein the screen is extendable or retractable responsive to rotation of the second roll bar.
Another aspect of the present disclosure includes an awning assembly comprising a roll bar supporting a canopy, the canopy couplable to a dwelling at a first end and coupled to the roll bar at a second end, the roll bar extends along a lateral axis between first and second arms, the first and second arms couplable to the dwelling at a first end, and supporting the roll bar at a second end, the first and second arms extend or retract the canopy by extending or retracting the arms. The roll bar comprises a removable and replaceable roller tube portion defining a wide opening within the roll bar, an opening extending along the lateral axis, and an inner roller mechanism comprising a second roll bar housed within the wide opening. The inner roller mechanism comprises a drop end bracket defining first and second slide brackets spaced by a rotation bracket, first and second slide portions housed within the first and second slide brackets support the second roll bar and a rotation mount housed within the rotation bracket rotatably and slidably coupling the second roll bar to the roll bar, the second roll bar extending laterally within the roll bar and a screen supported by the second roll bar and extending through the first opening, a connecting bracket defining first and second through holes and a rotation through hole, the first and second slide brackets at least partially housed within the first and second through holes, wherein the screen is extendable or retractable responsive to rotation of the second roll bar.
Yet another aspect of the present disclosure includes an awning assembly comprising a roll bar extending along a lateral axis between first and second arms. The roll bar comprises a removable and replaceable roller tube portion defining a wide opening within the roll bar and an inner roller mechanism housed within the wide opening. The inner roller mechanism comprises a drop end bracket defining first and second slide brackets spaced by a rotation bracket, a connecting element defining first and second through holes and a rotation through hole, a rotation mount housed within the rotation bracket and the rotation through hole rotatably and slidably coupling a second roll bar to the roll bar, the second roll bar extending laterally within the roll bar, the rotation mount and the first and second slide portions move along a first axis responsive to the second roll bar extending or retracting, further wherein the first and second slide brackets and the first and second through holes support one or more slide portions that interact with the second roll bar to inhibit movement along a second axis, the first axis transverse to the second axis and the lateral axis, and the second axis transverse to the lateral axis. The inner roller mechanism further including a screen supported by the second roll bar, wherein the screen is extendable or retractable responsive to rotation of the second roll bar, and a tray supporting the second roll bar during extension and retraction of the screen, the tray supported by the removable and replaceable roller tube portion.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates upon consideration of the following description of the disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals, unless otherwise described refer to like parts throughout the drawings and in which:
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
Referring now to the figures generally wherein like numbered features shown therein refer to like elements having similar characteristics and operational properties throughout unless otherwise noted. The present disclosure relates to a design and method of use for a canopy with a drop screen, and more specifically, a drop down shade and/or projector screen.
Now referring to
It would be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that additional example embodiments of the awning assembly 20 are contemplated. In one such example embodiment, the awning assembly 20 has support arms 38 that retract up and/or rotate inwards such as towards the roll bar 32. Stated another way, the support system 36 when in the contracted position (see
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The inner roller mechanism 42 includes a drop mounting 46 of a second roll bar 54 housed within the roll bar 32. The drop mounting 46 includes drop end brackets 56 coupled to opposing ends of the roll bar 32 and the second roll bar 54. The drop end brackets 56 define one or more slide brackets 50A, 50B and a rotation bracket 47. Wherein, one or more slide portions 48a, 48b slidably reside within the one or more slide brackets 50A, 50B, and a rotation mount 48c slidable and rotationally resides within the rotation bracket 47. The one or more slide portions 48a, 48b and the rotation mount 48c are coupled to and support the second roll bar 54 within the roll bar 32. The rotation mount 48c allows the second roll bar 54 to rotate within the rotation bracket 47 while the one or more slide portions 48a, 48b reside in one or more slide brackets 50A, 50B of the roll bar 32. Further, a connecting bracket 102 defining first and second through holes 104a, 104b spaced by a rotation through hole 106 is coupled to the second roll bar 54. In one example embodiment, the first and second through holes 104a, 104b support at least a portion of the one or more slide portions 48a, 48b. In this embodiment, the rotation through hole 106 supports at least a portion of the rotation mount 48c. In one example embodiment, the connecting bracket 102 is spaced from the drop end bracket 56.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in the example embodiment of
In one example embodiment, the one or more slide portions 48a, 48b comprise one of metal, plastic, or the like. In another example embodiment, the connector bracket 102 comprises one of metal, plastic, or the like. In another example embodiment, a diameter of the first and second through holes 104a, 104b are between 0.1 mm to about 2 mm greater than a diameter of the slide bracket interaction area 82. In yet another example embodiment, an inner width 51b of one or more slide portions 48a, 48b are between 0.1 mm to about 2 mm greater than the diameter of the slide bracket interaction area 82. In yet another example embodiment, an outer width 51c of one or more slide portions 48a, 48b are between 0.1 mm to about 2 mm greater than a diameter or width of the end bracket 84.
In the illustrated embodiment of
In one example embodiment, the rotation bracket interaction area 92 defines a top clip area 92a and first and second lateral clip areas 92b, 92c. In this example embodiment, the rotation bracket interaction area 92 supports an end area 92d that extends beyond the retaining element 98 when assembled. Further in this example embodiment, the retaining element 98 comprises a top clip 98a that is complementary to the top clip area 92a, and first and second lateral clips 98b, 98c that are complementary to the first and second lateral clip areas 92b, 92c. In another example embodiment, the rotation bracket interaction area 92 defines additional clip areas, identical to the clip areas 92a, 92b, 92c that are located between the drop end bracket 56 and the second roll bar 54, that support a second retaining element. In one example embodiment, the rotation bracket interaction area 92 defines clip areas 92a, 92b, 92c on at least one of an outward facing side of the connection bracket 102 and between the drop end bracket 56 and the intermediate element 96.
As illustrated in the example embodiment of
As illustrated in the example embodiment of
Wherein, the one or more slide portions 48a, 48b in conjunction with the one or more slide brackets 50a, 50b, and the first and second through holes 104a, 104b prevent unwanted motion along an x direction (see x-y coordinates in
As illustrated in the example illustrated embodiments of
In one example embodiment, such as when the drop shade 40 is retracted, the stop 66 at least partially covers the first opening 33. In this embodiment, the top face 67a of the stop 66 interacts with the outward face 32b of the roller tube 32. The rear face 67b extends outwardly and is flush with the roll tube 32. In the illustrated example embodiment of
The stop 66 is attached to the drop screen 40 at least one of on center C or off center. In the illustrated example embodiment of
In one example embodiment, the second roll bar 54 is added to the roll bar 32 by removing the replaceable roller tube portion 32a by removing the connectors 62a, 62b. The slide bracket interaction area 82 of each of the one or more slide portions 48a, 48b is inserted into the one or more slide brackets 50a, 50b. The spacer elements 83 are coupled to the slide bracket interaction areas 82 of each of one or more slide portions 48a, 48b, the slide bracket interaction area is further inserted into the first and second through holes 104a, 104b. The slide connector 86 is secured to the first interaction area 82a of the slide bracket interaction area 82 opposite the end bracket 84 across the first and second through holes 104a, 104b and the one or more slide brackets 50a, 50b to retain the one or more slide portions 48a, 48b within the first and second through holes and one or more slide brackets. The rotation bracket interaction area 92 is inserted into the rotation bracket 47 and the rotation through hole 106 and the retaining element 98 is secured to the rotation bracket interaction area opposite the intermediate element 96 across the rotation bracket to retain the rotation mount 48c within the rotation bracket and the retaining element. The drop screen 40 is extended through the first opening 33. The replaceable roller tube portion 32a is attached via the connectors 62a, 62b to comprise an assembled awning assembly.
Wherein a tray 52 supported by the replaceable roller tube portion 32a, supports the second roll bar 54 of the inner roller mechanism 42, such that as the screen 40 is unrolled the second roll bar 54 moves toward the tray 52 until the second roll bar 54 rests upon the tray directly (see
Even tension on the screen 40 during extension and retraction promotes favorable roll up (e.g. the screen 40 fabric stays even along the x-direction) and reduces the risk of wrinkling. It would be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that the inner roller mechanism 42 may utilize an electric motor, a torsion spring, or the like to extend and retract the screen 40.
The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The disclosure is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”, “having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.
The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
The following application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/901,986 filed Sep. 18, 2019 entitled DROP CANOPY WITH SCREEN. The above-identified application from which priority is claimed is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62901986 | Sep 2019 | US |