AU2015100823B4

AU2015100823B4 - A post attachment for a camper trailer awning frame and awning frame elements

Info

Publication number: AU2015100823B4
Application number: AU2015100823A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Raymond Raw
Original assignee: RAW ALANA
Current assignee: RAW ALANA
Priority date: 2015-06-19
Filing date: 2015-06-19
Publication date: 2019-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-19
Also published as: AU2015100823A4

Abstract

A post attachment for a camper trailer awning frame and awning frame elements An articulated post attachment is described. The articulated post attachment is configured to connect to a head end of a camper trailer awning post and includes: a mount for mounting to a head end of a post, the mount including a spike receiver for receiving a head end spike of a post; one or more pivots mounted on the mount for pivotally fixing one or more pivoting stub ends, each stub end configured to receive a ridge or connecting arm. Also described is a kit of parts for assembly into a camper trailer awning frame, the kit of parts including: a plurality of telescoping camper trailer awning frame elements; and a plurality of articulated post attachments as described above.

Description

1. The present invention relates generally to camper trailers and annexes attachable thereto.

Background

2. Camper trailers provide a compact, stowed aerodynamic form for towing behind a vehicle, and expand from that stowed position to a deployed position at a campground for providing comfortable camping accommodation.

3. The camping accommodation often takes the form of a canvas annex or awning to provide an increased living area under a canvas roof and peripheral canvas walls. The act of deploying the annex or awning can be time consuming and cumbersome. First, several telescoping poles are laid on the ground. It is often unclear immediately which pole is intended for which position: ridge, pylon or connector. If there are no markings, or if they have worn off with time, it is often the case that several attempts are undertaken before the correct combination of extensible poles is chosen.

4. Even if the correct poles are chosen the first time, the method of assembly is difficult with or without assistance. In inclement weather or darkness, the procedure can be draining after a long drive to reach a campsite.

5. The first step in the known procedure is that the telescopic centre ridge arm is connected at a first end to the camper trailer eye and the canvas awning is laid on top of the ridge pole. The ridge arm is then extended to the length of the canvas awning. A head end of a telescopic central post is fitted through an eye in the canvas awning and the telescopic centre ridge arm at the second end of the telescopic centre ridge arm and then the telescopic central post is extended to a full height so that the telescopic centre ridge arm is horizontal. A guy rope is connected to the head end of the central post and pegged to the ground to support the central post. The canvas awning is now in a draped position, over the central ridge arm and the central post.

6. Next, telescopic peripheral or outer ridge arms are attached at their first ends to the trailer eye at a peripheral position and the canvas annex laid on top of them. The telescopic outer ridge arms are then extended to the same length as the canvas at their respective positions to meet an eye in the canvas awning. Telescopic peripheral posts are then attached at their

2015100823 30 Oct 2019 head ends to the second end of the outer ridge arms, through the canvas awning eye. Guy ropes are then attached and the canvas awning is supported on the ridge arms and posts.

7. Finally, connecting posts are connected between the peripheral posts and the central post. For this, the guy ropes must be loosened and then the canvas awning at the second end of the telescopic ridge posts must be lifted off the posts. The connecting posts are then mounted on the head ends of the adjacent posts and the canvas replaced on top. Guy ropes are tightened and then the awning is ready for living under.

8. As will be appreciated, the known process is cumbersome and time consuming.

9. The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages, and/or at least provide a new awning frame and/or frame elements, and/or kit of parts.

Summary

10. In accordance with an aspect of the present technology there is provided a post attachment configured to connect to a head end of a post of a camper trailer awning frame, the post attachment including:

a blind sleeve mount for mounting to a head end of the post, the blind sleeve mount including one or more side walls and a blind cavity for receiving a head end of the post, the blind cavity extending to an end wall at a blind end thereof; and a spike receiving aperture extending through the end wall for receiving a head end spike of the post therethrough;

one or more pivots mounted on one or more of the side walls of the blind sleeve mount, the or each pivot configured to pivotally fix one or more pivoting stub ends, each stub end configured to connect to an awning support arm of the annex frame.

11. In one embodiment the blind sleeve mount is square.

12. In one embodiment there are two pivots disposed on the sleeve mount, the pivots being disposed on adjacent walls, or opposite walls, of the sleeve mount.

13. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of deploying a camper trailer awning, including the steps of:

affixing a post attachment in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3 to a plurality of camper trailer awning posts to form an articulating camper trailer awning frame assembly;

inserting the spike of the articulating camper trailer awning frame assembly through an eye of the camper trailer awning; and swinging and extending the arms to provide a deployed position for the awning.

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14. In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention there is provided an articulating camper trailer awning support including:

an articulating post attachment connected to a head end of a spiked post and including: a blind sleeve mount for mounting to a head end of the spiked post, the sleeve mount including one or more side walls and a blind cavity for receiving a head end of the spiked post, the blind cavity extending to an end wall at a blind end thereof;

a spike receiving aperture through the end wall for receiving a head end spike of the spiked post therethrough; and one or more pivot mounts extending from one or more of the side walls of the sleeve mount;

one or more awning posts pivotally mounted on the one or more pivot mounts for swinging into a generally horizontal or angled support position relative to the spiked post.

15. In one embodiment the mount is in the form of a mounting sleeve for receiving a post in the sleeve. In one embodiment the mount is a blind sleeve with a through aperture for receiving a head end spike therethrough and locating thereon. In one embodiment the sleeve is about 100mm long for suitable strength.

16. In one embodiment the sleeve has a hole for receiving a grub screw or other screw, rivet or other fastener to hold it on the head end of the pole.

17. In one embodiment the sleeve is square in section for receiving a head end of a square or circular post. In other embodiments there are provided sleeve sections of various geometries, including circular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, triangular and the like to suit various geometric annex arrangements.

18. In one embodiment there are two pivots mounted on either side of the square sleeve. In one embodiment there are two pivots mounted on adjacent sides of the square sleeve. In one embodiment the pivots are saddle mounts.

19. In one embodiment the pivots are mounted so that the connecting arm ends pivot vertically. In other embodiments the pivot is a ball and socket joint, so that pivoting can be about any suitable axis to cooperate with various canvas annex arrangements.

20. In one embodiment the connecting arm ends are arm receiving stubs and are circular in cross section to cooperate with a circular ridge or connecting post.

21. In accordance with one aspect there is provided a camper trailer awning frame including:

a main articulated frame assembly comprising:

a telescoping post having a head end spike for connecting through a canvas eye;

a first arm pivotally connected to the telescoping post;

the first arm being telescoping; and wherein the first arm is disposed at the head end of the telescoping post so as to swing

2015100823 30 Oct 2019 outwardly away from the telescoping post into a generally horizontal deployed position for supporting a canvas awning.

22. In one embodiment there is provided a second arm pivotally connected to the telescoping post.

23. In one embodiment the first and second arms are disposed on adjacent or opposed sides of the head end so that to deploy into a deployed position, the first and second arms swing away from one another into a generally horizontal position for supporting a canvas awning.

24. In accordance with another aspect there is provided a kit of parts which includes:

a main articulated frame assembly comprising:

a telescoping post having a head end spike for connecting through a canvas eye;

a first arm pivotally connected to the telescoping post and having a connecting portion at one end for connecting to a post;

the first arm being telescoping; and wherein the first arm is disposed at the head end of the telescoping post so as to swing outwardly away from the telescoping post into a generally horizontal deployed position for supporting a canvas awning; and one or more peripheral post and ridge assemblies including:

a telescoping post and a telescoping ridge arm for receiving a connecting portion of the first arm;

wherein when the kit is assembled, the connecting portion at the end of the first arm connects to one end of the telescoping post.

25. In one embodiment the telescoping posts are constructed from steel, although they could be made from aluminium, plastic, carbon fibre or other suitable material.

26. In one embodiment the head end spike is a steel spike about 75mm long.

27. In one embodiment the first arm is disposed on a head end sleeve, itself mounted on the telescoping post. In one embodiment the first and second arms are disposed on the head end sleeve.

28. In one embodiment the first arm is pivotally connected to the telescoping post by being mounted on a pivoting saddle.

29. In one embodiment the telescoping arms are square in section, but they could equally be circular or elliptical or other useful cross section. In one embodiment the head end sleeve is square in section and is mounted on a telescoping post of circular cross section. This facilitates ease of mounting the saddles but also facilitates angular adjustment of the head end sleeve if required.

30. In one embodiment the head end sleeve is blind so that it does not slip down the telescoping post.

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31. In one embodiment the connecting end of the first and second arms are through apertures to facilitate simple connection over a spike on an adjacent telescoping post.

Brief Description of the Drawings

32. In order to enable a clearer understanding, embodiments will hereinafter be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

33. Figure 1 is an isometric drawing of an articulated head end frame mount for fitment over a camper trailer awning frame post in a stowed position;

34. Figure 2 is an isometric drawing of the articulated head end frame mount of Figure 1, shown in a deployed position;

35. Figure 3 is a side elevation view of Figure 2;

36. Figure 4 is a side elevation view of Figure 1;

37. Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 2;

38. Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 1;

39. Figure 7 is a side elevation view of the technology, showing a frame having the articulated head end post attachment connected to two adjacent support posts; and

40. Figure 8 is an isometric view of the technology in situ connected to other horizontal frame elements.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

41. Referring to the Figures there is shown an articulated post attachment for fitment to a camper trailer awning post, the articulated post attachment generally indicated at 10 and including a mount 12 for mounting to a head end of a post. The mount 12 is in the form of a sleeve 14 for receiving a head end of a post 16 in the sleeve 14. The mount 12 is in the form shown, a sleeve with a spike receiver 17 in the form of a through aperture 18 for receiving a head end of the post and a spike 20 therethrough. In one embodiment there may be a blind sleeve for locating the sleeve on the post, and the spike 20 itself may be the only item allowed through the blind sleeve. In the embodiment shown, however, there is a

2015100823 30 Oct 2019 through sleeve and the sleeve is held on the wall of the head end of the post by a rivet or screw. In one embodiment the sleeve 14 is about 100mm long for suitable strength.

42. The sleeve 14 shown in the Figures is square in section for receiving the head end of a square or circular post 16.

43. The articulated post attachment 10 also includes one or more pivots 22 disposed on the mount 12 for pivotally fixing one or more pivoting stub ends 24, each stub end 24 configured to receive a ridge or connecting arm 26. In some embodiments there is only one connecting arm 26.

44. In the embodiment shown in the Figures there are provided two pivots 22, 23 mounted on either side of the square sleeve 14. In the embodiment shown the pivots are saddle mounts 25.

45. In the embodiment shown the pivots 22, 23 are mounted so that the connecting arm stub ends 24 pivot vertically. In other embodiments the pivot is a ball and socket joint, so that pivoting can be about any suitable axis to cooperate with various canvas annex arrangements.

46. In the embodiment shown the connecting arm ends are arm receiving stubs 24 and are circular in cross section to cooperate with a circular awning support post or circular connecting post 17.

47. The sleeve 14 is fitted over the head end of the camper trailer post 16 so that the spike extends through the aperture 18 as shown in the Figures, the connecting arms 17 are then connected to the stub ends 24 and then the annex frame and annex is assembled as set out below.

a. Fit a telescoping centre awning support arm 19 to the trailer eye and lay canvas (not shown) on top;

b. Extend the telescoping centre awning support arm 19 to the correct length of the canvas awning;

c. Fit the head end spike of the centre pole 16 through the awning support arm eye and eyes of the canvas awning and adjust pole to height;

d. Fit one telescoping peripheral awning support arms to the trailer eye and adjust to canvas awning length;

e. Deploy arm 17 that is attached to the main post 16, pivot out to external peripheral post (shown in Figure 7) and adjust to required length.

f. Fit peripheral poles (shown in Figure 7) through awning support arm eye and canvas eyes and adjust to height.

2015100823 30 Oct 2019

g. The other corner is a repeat of items d to f.

48. It is to be understood that various embodiments like those abovedescribed, and falling within the spirit, scope and ambit of the abovedescribed embodiments are intended to be covered by the present specification.

49. It is also to be understood that the word comprise and like grammatical variants including comprising are to be taken as inclusive and not excluding other components or features.

Claims

The claims defining the present invention are as follows:

1. A post attachment configured to connect to a head end of a post of a camper trailer awning frame, the post attachment including:

a blind sleeve mount for mounting to a head end of the post, the sleeve mount including one or more side walls and a blind cavity for receiving a head end of the post, the blind cavity extending to an end wall at a blind end thereof; and a spike receiving aperture extending through the end wall for receiving a head end spike of the post therethrough; and one or more pivots mounted on one or more of the side walls of the sleeve mount, the or each pivot configured to pivotally fix one or more pivoting stub ends, each stub end configured to connect to an awning support arm of the annex frame.
2. The post attachment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sleeve mount is square.
3. The post attachment in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein there are two pivots disposed on the sleeve mount, the pivots being disposed on adjacent walls, or opposite walls, of the sleeve mount.
4. A method of deploying a camper trailer awning, including the steps of:

affixing a post attachment in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3 to a plurality of camper trailer awning support elements to form an articulating camper trailer awning frame assembly;

2015100823 30 Oct 2019 inserting the spike of the articulating camper trailer awning frame assembly through an eye of the camper trailer awning; and swinging and extending the arms to provide a deployed position for the awning.
5. An articulating camper trailer awning support including:

an articulating post attachment connected to a head end of a spiked post and including:

a blind sleeve mount for mounting to a head end of the spiked post, the sleeve mount including one or more side walls and a blind cavity for receiving a head end of the spiked post, the blind cavity extending to an end wall at a blind end thereof;

a spike receiving aperture through the end wall for receiving a head end spike of the spiked post therethrough; and one or more pivot mounts extending from one or more of the side walls of the sleeve mount;

one or more awning posts pivotally mounted on the one or more pivot mounts for swinging into a generally horizontal or angled support position relative to the spiked post.