SUN AND WEATHER PROTECTION DEVICE

Abstract

A sun and weather protection device having fewer individual parts, a stronger clamping force and an operation which is as easy as possible and requiring only a single operating element (e.g. a clamping screw) for all adjustment directions, it is proposed to adopt a hinge combination comprising two hinge halves with rotating disks and integrated gripper clamps.

Description

This application claims priority from German application No. DE 202015001957.9 filed on Mar. 13, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a sun and weather protection device, particularly a parasol and further roof constructions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In addition to other parasol constructions, parasols configured as a support rod with cross struts are known, for example from CH 314813 (Albert Glatz), CH 395446 (Karl Strotz) and CH 501798 (Albert Glatz).

The advantages of these sail-shaped parasols are, amongst others, their rectangular shape and the adaptability to the position of the sun. A disadvantage is the complicated mounting of the separate fabric sheets onto the support rod. A particularly disadvantageous aspect is that adjustment of the roof to follow the variable path of the sun which depends on location, season and time of the day in accordance with prior art requires releasing and fixing again a plurality of locking devices. Also disadvantageous is that in some cases the clamping action of the locking devices according to the prior art is weak. In DE 24 30 234 A1 there is disclosed a hinge connection having only a single clamping screw. A disadvantage of the hinge connection of DE 24 30 234 A1 is the weak clamping action and the multipiece configuration of the hinge parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to eliminate the above mentioned weak points of the prior art and, accordingly, to achieve the advantages of having fewer individual parts, a stronger clamping force and an operation which is as easy as possible and requiring only a single operating element (e.g. a clamping screw) for all adjustment directions.

The object of the invention is achieved with a sun and weather protection device, particularly a parasol, with a standing rod, a support rod and a flexible protecting surface. The proposed sun and weather protection device comprises two hinge halves with closed gripper clamps and a toothed rotating disk plus a clamping bolt and a clamping handle.

In this manner, all of the directions of movement can be fixed and released again with a single clamping handle, the clamping action is stronger and the mounting task and the number of components are reduced.

As to what concerns stability, it is advantageous if the gripper clamp can be is closed with an insertable clamping wing. To ensure full flexibility of the sun and weather protection device it is of further advantage if the support rod is slidingly movable in its axial direction when the clamping screw is released. It is advantageous if the rotating disks for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod comprise mutually engaging indentations so as to achieve a form-locking connection. Alternatively, the rotating disks for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod can also be conically shaped—in order to establish a force-fitting connection.

Advantageously, the support rod and also the standing rod are configured with tubular shapes. In order to increase stability the support rod—as well as the standing rod—can have an outer cross section deviating at least sectionwise from a circular outer cross section, with one hinge part comprising in its gripper clamp part adaptor elements to said outer cross section. For this purpose, oval or polygonal outer cross sections with or without rounded corners are advantageous. But it is also possible to use a support rod—as well as a standing rod—comprising at least sectionwise a longitudinal groove, in which case at least one hinge part comprises, in its gripper clamp part, adaptor elements for the longitudinal groove. To provide for a height adjustment of the sun and weather protection device, the standing rod can comprise at least two telescopically sliding profiles.

To increase the stability and to improve the operation, mutually overlapping centering sleeves can be arranged around the center of the rotating disks.

The aforementioned elements as well as those claimed and described in the following exemplary embodiments, to be used according to the invention, are not subject to any particular conditions by way of exclusion in terms of their size, shape, use of material and technical design, with the result that the selection criteria known in the respective field of application can be used without restrictions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details, advantages and features of the object of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the corresponding drawings, in which a sun and weather protection device according to the present invention are illustrated by way of example. In the drawings there are shown in:

FIG. 1 a schematic view of a sun and weather protection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the hinge, in the folded state, without rendering of the protection roof;

FIG. 2 a view of the sun and weather protection device according to FIG. 1, in the opened state with rendering of the protection roof;

FIG. 3 a view of the sun and weather protection device according to FIG. 1, in the folded state, with rendering of the protection roof;

FIG. 4 a perspective view of the operating elements of the sun and weather protection device according to FIGS. 1 to 3; with a hinge according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention as central element, wherein the support rod as well as the standing rod are oriented in a vertical direction;

FIG. 5 a view of the hinge according to FIG. 4 as a sectional view, wherein the support rod as well as the standing rod are oriented in a vertical direction;

FIG. 6 a perspective view of the hinge according to FIG. 4, wherein the support rod is oriented in a direction rotated by 90° from the standing rod; and

FIG. 7 a view of the hinge according to FIG. 4 as an exploded view, wherein the support rod as well as the standing rod again are oriented in a vertical direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The parasol shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and denoted as a whole as 2 comprises a standing rod 4 which in the present exemplary embodiment comprises two pipe parts 6 and 8 that are telescopically sliding into each other and which can locked and released with a first attachment device 9 provided with a first clamping handle 10.

At the upper end of the upper pipe part 8 there is arranged a hinge 20 according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Moreover, the parasol of FIG. 1 comprises a support rod 22 which is depicted for the case of a horizontal orientation and which is also arranged at the hinge 20.

In FIG. 4 there is shown the hinge 20 which receives, on the one hand, the standing rod 4, namely the upper pipe part 8 of the standing rod, and, on the other hand, the support rod 22, both of which are slidable when the clamping handle 40 is released and both of which are locked when the clamping handle 40 of the hinge 20 is locked. Basically the hinge 20 of this exemplary embodiment comprises four functions which are all enabled when the clamping handle 40 is released and which all are prevented when the clamping handle 40 is locked, namely. The rotatability A of the standing rod 4 about the hinge 20, the slidability B of the support rod 22 in the hinge 20, the rotatability C of the support rod 22 about its own axis in the hinge 20 and also the rotatability D of the support rod 22 about the standing rod 4—in the exemplary embodiment by means of form-fitting indentations in two rotating disks 42 and 44 in the locked state. In an alternative exemplary embodiment—which is not shown separately the locking of the rotatability of the support rod 22 against the standing rod 4 is provided in a force-fitting manner preferably by having the rotating disks 42 and 44 for adjusting the angle between the standing rod 4 and the support rod 22 to be conically shaped. In a further alternative exemplary embodiment—which is not shown separately—the locking of the rotatability of the support rod 22 against the standing rod 4 is provided as a mixed form- and force-fitting type by having the rotating disks 42 and 44 configured with a roughened surface.

Due to the fact that in the proposed embodiment the hinge is configured with two hinge halves with closed gripper clamps and with two toothed rotating disks 42, 44 or in the above mentioned alternative embodiment, with conical or roughened-surface rotating disks, respectively - and further with clamping bolts 46 and a clamping handle 40, all of the directions of movement can be fixed and released again with a single clamping handle 40. The clamping action is stronger and the mounting task and the number of components are reduced. In the present exemplary embodiment, the hinge 40 thus comprises substantially two hinge halves in the form of rotating disks 42 and 44 with integrated gripper clamps 43, 45 and a clamping bolt 46. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the support rod 22 as well as the standing rod 4 have a circular outer cross section. In alternative exemplary embodiments, the support rod 22 and/or the standing rod 4 have an outer cross section deviating therefrom. To nonetheless provide for rotatability of the support rod 22 or the standing rod 4, the respective hinge part comprises. In its gripper clamp part, adaptor elements to said outer cross section. For this purpose, one can use an outer cross section that is at least sectionwise oval or a polygonal outer cross section with or without rounded corners, or a support rod and/or standing rod can be inserted which comprises at least sectionwise a longitudinal groove. In the exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, mutually overlapping centering sleeves 48 and 49 are arranged around the center of the rotating disks 42 and 44.

At both ends of the support rod 22, there are short support struts 24, 24a articulately attached opposite to each other with one end thereof, and with the other end thereof connected to hinges in the central part of long tensioning struts 26, 26a. The long tensioning struts 26, 26a are articulately connected at one end thereof with slides 28 running on the support rod 22, whereas at the outer ends of the tensioning struts 26, 26a there are attached the corners 30, 30a of the flexible protecting surface 32. The two slides 28 which are slidable in opposite directions and are equipped with a spring-loaded tilting lever 29 having claws that engage into a catch when the roof is open. Upon actuating the tilting lever 29, the sliders 28 are again released and can be slidingly pushed back. This arrangement of the struts 24, 24a, 26, 26a have the effect that the ends of the tensioning struts 26, 26a, which are connected with the corners 30, 30a of the protecting surface 32, move almost perpendicularly and linearly with respect to the support rod 22 and that the protecting surface 32 is brought to a parallel folding 33, thus allowing for unimpeded operation of the hinge 20 also when the roof is closed. Advantageously, the long tensioning struts 26,26a are arranged in such manner that in their folded position the outer ends thereof are arranged in a recessed position relative to the ends of the support rod 22, so as to avoid excessive stretching of the protecting surface 32 upon opening or closing operation.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the protecting surface 32 comprises corners 30, 30a, the corners 30, 30a of the protecting surface 32 being rotatably mounted at the ends of the struts. The support rod 22 comprises guiding grooves 34 for preventing twisting of the slides 28. In the guiding grooves 34 of the support rod 22 there are arranged stopper pawls 35 for the end position of the slides 28. For opening and closing, a tilting lever 29 with claws 29a provided with a spring is arranged in each of the slides 28 which holds the open tensioning struts 26, 26a in position by engaging with a counter catch at the support rod 22. The long tensioning struts 26, 26a are provided with spring-loaded extensions for compensating tension. The outer ends of the long tensioning struts 26, 26a in their closed position are arranged in a recessed position relative to the ends 22a of the support rod so as to avoid an excessive stretching of parts of the protecting surface 32. In the present exemplary embodiment, the struts are provided with spreading springs (alternatively: with spacers). Moreover, the protecting surface 32 comprises additional attachments 25 to the support rod 22 at one or both sides of the adjusting hinge, the support rod being provided in each case with a protection ring 25a.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

2 standing parasol

4 standing rod

6 lower pipe part

8 upper pipe part

9 first attachment device

10 first clamping handle

20 hinge

22 support rod

22 a support rod end

24 support strut

24 a support strut

25 additional attachments

25 a protection ring

26 tensioning strut

26 a tensioning strut

28 slide

29 tilting lever

29 a claw

30 corner

30 a corner

32 protecting surface

33 folding

34 guiding groove

35 stopper pawls

40 clamping handle of the hinge

42 rotating disk

43 integrated gripper clamp

44 rotating disk

45 integrated gripper clamp

46 clamping bolt

48 centering sleeve

49 centering sleeve

Claims

1. A sun and weather protection device, particularly a parasol, with a standing rod, a support rod and a flexible protecting surface, wherein the flexible protecting surface is attached to the support rod and wherein the standing rod and the support rod are connected to each other by means of a hinge combination and wherein the protecting surface can simultaneously be rotated about and fixed to both the axis of the standing rod and the axis of the support rod by actuating a single clamping screw, and wherein furthermore also the angle between the standing rod and the support rod can be adjusted and fixed, characterized in that the hinge combination comprises two hinge halves with rotating disks and integrated gripper clamps.

2. The sun and weather protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripper clamps are closable by means of an insertable clamping wing.

3. The sun and weather protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support rod is slidingly movable in its axis direction when the clamping screw is released.

4. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the rotating disks comprise mutually engaging indentations for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod.

5. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the rotating disks for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod are conically shaped.

6. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the support rod is configured with a tubular shape.

7. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the support rod has an outer cross section deviating at least sectionwise from a circular outer cross section and that at least one hinge part comprises in its gripper clamp part adaptor elements to said outer cross section.

8. The sun and weather protection device according to claim 7, characterized in that the support rod has at least sectionwise an oval outer cross section or a polygonal outer cross section with or without rounded corners.

9. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the support rod comprises at least sectionwise a longitudinal groove and that at least one hinge part comprises in its gripper clamp part adaptor elements for the longitudinal groove.

10. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the standing rod is configured with tubular shapes.

11. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the standing rod has an outer cross section deviating at least sectionwise from a circular outer cross section and that at least one hinge part comprises in its gripper clamp part adaptor elements to said outer cross section.

12. The sun and weather protection device according to claim 11, characterized in that the standing rod has at least sectionwise an oval outer cross section or a polygonal outer cross section with or without rounded corners.

13. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the standing rod comprises at least sectionwise a longitudinal groove and that at least one hinge part comprises in its gripper clamp part adaptor elements for the longitudinal groove.

14. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in that the standing rod comprises at least two telescopically sliding profiles.

15. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 1, characterized in having mutually overlapping centering sleeves which are arranged around the center of the rotating disks.

16. The sun and weather protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that the support rod is slidingly movable in its axis direction when the clamping screw is released.

17. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 2, characterized in that the rotating disks comprise mutually engaging indentations for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod.

18. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 3, characterized in that the rotating disks comprise mutually engaging indentations for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod.

19. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 2, characterized in that the rotating disks for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod are conically shaped.

20. The sun and weather protection device according to one of claims 3, characterized in that the rotating disks for adjusting the angle between the standing rod and the support rod are conically shaped.