GB2304083A - Framework and awning - Google Patents

Abstract

A supporting framework for a flexible sheet covering, which framework may be collapsed for storage and erected for use, comprises at least two mounting members 22, 24 each for three elongate frame parts: 16, (25 fig 4), 33 and 18, (26 fig 4), 35; two of said parts (25, 33 and 26, 35) being displaceable from a storage position with the three parts adjacent (fig 5), and preferably in a single plane, to an erected position in which the parts extend away from one another to form two corners of the erected framework. A third mounting member 23 may be provided between said at least two mounting members and may form a roof ridge support. The framework may support an awning, which may comprise a first part 4 with means, eg a rod like beading (3 fig 1) engagable in a track (2 fig 1), to connect it to a wall, eg of a caravan(1 fig 1), and a second and main awning part 7 connectable to the first awning part, eg by a zip (5, 6 fig 1).

Description

AWNING The present invention relates to an improved awning for connection to a wall of, for example, a caravan or possibly other structure although is primarily intended for use with touring caravans.

Awnings are known wherein the main awning of sheet material has interconnection means along an upper edge which are interconnectable with a mounting track provided on the wall of a caravan. A tubular support frame comprised of individual separate pole members interconnectable in part - telescopic manner are known and assemblable and erectable to form the support for the awning. It has been found particularly difficult to offer up and interconnect the upper edge of the awning with the receiving track on the caravan wall since a large amount of sheet material has to be pulled adjacent the caravan and then displaced along the track with the person erecting the awning effecting such generally with arms raised above the head.Also, the assembly of the large number of individual tubes to form the supporting frame can prove difficult and time-consuming, has to be completed whilst working within the envelope of the sheet material after it has been fitted to the awning track.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an awning such as for touring caravans which retains the characteristics of a conventional awning once erected but which is very much simpler, quicker and less physically demanding to erect.

According to the present invention an awning for connection to a wall for example, of, a caravan, comprises a first awning part of sheet material having connection means for permitting connection to said wall, and a second and main awning part of sheet material connectable to said first awning part.

The first awning part will preferably comprise an elongate strip which forms a separate roof strip part of the awning and preferably has side wall portions or preferably side wall parts connectable thereto. The first awning part is preferably of a manageable size and will be of a width such that when said first awning part is mounted on said wall via the connection means it will extend therefrom by an amount sufficient to enable second connection means provided on said first awning part to be interconnectable with cooperating connection means of said main awning part.

The second connection means of the first awning part and the third connection means of the main awning part preferably provide a waterproof interconnection and will preferably comprise two parts of a waterproofed zipfastener arrangement although other means, such as a Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) or other hook and loop type fastening means, or lacings, toggles or other known fastening means optionally with additional weatherproofing flaps may be provided to overlie and/or underlie the interconnection. The interconnection may extend to join side wall portions of the first part and the main part or separate side wall parts may be provided each with their own connection means, cooperably interconnectable.

The first connection means of said first awning part which are connectable to the caravan wall -will preferably comprise a flexible rod-like beading of, for example, nylon or like material of known type engageable in/on a track mounted on or provided in the caravan wall in known manner.

A support frame will be provided for said awning and preferably provided by means of metal tubes which together form the framework and preferably a main tubular framework will be provided for supporting the main awning part and smaller tubular parts may be provided and connected, preferably pivotably, to said first awning part such that said supported main awning part may be moved towards and the tubular parts supporting the roof part offered up to said short tubes of the first awning part to facilitate interconnection thereof - with the main awning part being partially erected in upright manner - this additionally facilitating subsequent interconnection of the connection means of the first and main awning parts forming the roof. Subsequently, supporting guys/stays will be positioned and secured in known manner.

Preferably the first awning part will have secured thereto a plurality of mounting pads preferably of durable rubber against which the pivotally mounted ends of the short tubes will abut and with said pads being backed by and supported by said caravan wall.

Also according to the present invention there is provided as an adaption to existing awnings for caravans, a first or auxiliary awning part comprising an elongate strip of sheet material having first connection means for providing connection to a track in/on a caravan wall and second connection means connectable to an existing awning. The second connection means of said auxiliary awning part may be interconnectable with the known connecting means of the known awning part and preferably provide a weatherproof interconnection or an additional weatherproofing means such as a cover flap preferably securable by suitable means, will also be provided.

Preferably, however, a strip is cut off the existing awning and then an attachment strip of material secured to the awning in place of the cut off strip with said attachment strip having said cooperating connection means interconnectable with the second connection means of said first awning part. Integral or connectable sidewall portions or parts will also be preferably provided for said auxiliary awning part and have means interconnectable with side walls of the known awning.

Thus according to this aspect of the invention, means are provided which greatly facilitate the erection of known awnings by means of the additional awning part according to the invention.

Also according to the present invention there is provided a caravan including securing means for connection of an awning in combination with a two-part awning according to the present invention as defined above or, alternatively, in combination, an auxiliary awning part according to the invention defined above in combination with a known awning - which awning may be modified/adapted by having its slide connection means replaced by an interconnection means cooperable with that of the auxiliary part e.g. a zip fastening part.

Also according to the present invention there is provided a supporting framework for a flexible sheet covering to provide a housing with the parts of the framework being displaceably interconnected so as to be unfoldable to form a support framework for the sheet covering and foldable into the collapsed and storage position, and including at least two mounting members each for three elongate frame parts with two of said parts being displaceable from a storage position, wherein the three parts are disposed adjacent one another and preferably in a single plane, into an erected position wherein the parts extend away from each other to form two corners for the housing and wherein preferably a third mounting member is provided between said at least two mounting members for the same end of the housing, to form an intermediate or roof-ridge support.Whilst subsequently the frame parts will be referred to as supporting legs, roof members and cross members with the latter two being pivotally mounted, any form of mounting to permit the requisite relative movement is intended to be covered.

Preferably a part which extends between two mounting members is partially separable from a rigid interconnection into two sections retained together by flexible and/or hinge means e.g. a tension spring or wire, to permit relative displacement in more than one plane/direction.

More specifically according to the present invention there is provided an interconnected collapsable supporting frame for supporting a sheet cover to form a housing such as a tent, awning or like comprises at least two elongate (preferably extendible and retractable) supporting legs each having a ground-engaging end and a normally upper, roof - supporting end with each supporting leg having an elongate (preferably extendible and retractable) roof member pivotally connected adjacent said roof-supporting end of each supporting leg and pivotable about a first axis extending transverse or substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of each said leg or at least the longitudinal axis of the upper end thereof, and a two-part cross member with each of the two parts thereof being pivotally connected at or to the upper ends of two supporting legs with each of the two parts being pivotable towards and away from its associated supporting leg, preferably generally in the plane thereof, and about a second axis which extends transverse or substantially transversely to said first axis and transversely of said longitudinal axis, and which two parts preferably abut stop means to limit the movement of each part away from its associated support leg and also relative to each other to provide for stability of the frame in the assembled condition; wherein the parts of each two-part cross member are inter-engageable, preferably by means of a sliding outer sleeve, to form a rigid combination and are flexibly (preferably by means such as a tension spring) and/or hingedly interconnected to permit each of the two parts to lie juxtaposed each other in the collapsed condition of the frame with each of the two parts preferably also being displaceable relative to each other such as by angular rotation through 1800 to permit folding over into a more compact collapsed arrangement.

It is also envisaged that two supporting frames according to the invention as defined above may be provided and the ends of the roof members remote from the pivoted ends being interconnected by flexible means, such as a tension spring or like, to permit pivotal movement and rotational movements in similar manner to the cross members to provide a free-standing support frame e.g. for a greenhouse, a tent or other housing.

Such a foldable support framework or frame according to the present invention may be utilised for supporting known awnings.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an elevation of a caravan with a mounting track on its wall for receiving an awning in known manner and a two-part awning according to the present invention interconnectable therewith; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the beading slidably mountable in the track and details of the two part awning and supporting frame; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing a short frame tube and support pad therefor forming a support for said first awning part; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a foldable support frame according to the invention;; Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the support frame in a folded position but wherein the outer pairs of elongate components are to be folded over into the storage and transportation position; Fig. 6 is a schematic plan of the support frame laid on top of the awning with the first awning part adjacent thereto; Figs. 7A-7F are schematic illustrations of six stages of assembly from a folded packed flat position (possibly after the outer mounting members and connected members have been displaced through 1800 from an on top compact storage position) to the position ready for erection with an awning; Figs 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary details of a corner mounting member and a ridge mounting member with secured leg and pivotally connected roof member; and Fig. 10 is a detail of a modified corner mounting member similar to that of Fig. 8 but wherein the outer roof member is mounted inwardly of the supporting leg and has a restricted range of movement.

In Fig. 1 a caravan 1 is schematically illustrated having a known mounting track 2 provided on a side wall thereof to which is slidably connectable a known flexible nylon beading 3 mounted along one side of a generally rectangular sheet forming a first awning part 4. The awning part 4 has zip fastener connection means along an edge opposite to said beading 3 provided by way of a first part 5 of a zip fastener means which first part 5 is interengageable with the second part 6 of the zip fastener mounted on a main awning part 7 with said zip fastener parts 5 and 6 being openable and closable by a known sliding operating means 8. Additional sealing flaps (not shown Fig 1) may be provided for additional weatherproofing.Three short tubular support members 9 are provided under the first awning part 4 and connected thereto and universally pivotally mounted at their ends to be adjacent the caravan in rubber supporting pads 10 which are to abut the caravan wall. The other ends of the short tubes 9 are interengageable with ends of roof support rods 11 of the support framework for the main awning part 7. Side wall panels 12 are provided connected to said first awning part 4 and connectable to the edges 7' of side wall panels of the main awning part 7.

In Figs. 3 to 9 the interconnection of the tubular, circular cross-section components of supporting frame 15 is illustrated and the frame comprises three elongate telescopic supporting legs 16, 17 and 18 of three sections each securable in the extended position and legs 16,17,18 are of three sections each to permit adjustment to different ground levels but telescopes into each other to be of the same collapsed length as with the other elongate frame member having ground-engaging ends 19,20 and 21.The opposite ends of legs 16,17 and 18 each form roof-supporting ends which are non-pivotally mounted in an angled and generally Ushaped cross-section mounting member 22,23 and 24 with mounting members 22 and 24 having extension portions 22', 24' extending towards each other and providing a pivotal mounting for one part 25, 26 respectively of a two-part cross member 25,27 and 26, 28 respectively. Said parts 25 and 26 are mounted so as to be pivotal about an axis extending transverse or substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of its associated leg 16 or 18 respectively. The other part 27, 28 of each of the twopart cross members is pivotally mounted in an extension 23' of the central mounting member 23 and each is pivotal about an axis extending transverse or substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the associated leg 17 which is fixedly secured in member 23.Mounting members 22 and 24 in effect form corner joints or members of the frame and for the awning which they are to support and mounting member 23 forms the center joint or ridge joint for the ridge pole formed by leg 17 which is formed of three telescopic parts which provide for greater height. The extensions 22', 23', 24' of the mounting members 22,23 and 24 limit the movement of the parts 25,27,26,28 away from the associated leg 16,17 and 18 so as to provide a stable and rigid structure in the assembled condition.

The two parts 25,27 and 26,28 forming the two part cross members each have a tension spring 29, 30 extending therebetween with the end thereof mounted therein so as to provide a flexible interconnection of the two parts to permit pivotal movement and lateral movement of rotary nature to facilitate folding and the spring will preferably be under some tension (in known manner) to encourage the parts to interconnect by one telescopically, partially fitting into the other in ferrule type manner and the two telescoped parts are each additionally securable by a rigidising sleeve 31,32 slideable thereover and securable by suitable biassed spring pin means (not shown) in known manner.

Three elongate and telescopic roof members 33, 34 and 35 are provided pivotally mounted to the associated leg at their respective mounting member 22, 23 and 24 and pivotal about an axis extending transverse or substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the associated supporting leg 16, 17, 18 with the outer roof members 33 and 35 having 3600 of rotation. The central roof member 34 is pivotally mounted at the normally roof supporting end of leg 17 and the mounting member 23 for part 27 of cross member 25, 27 is slightly extended on such side to permit the mounting of rod member 34 and has a cut-out in the U-channel portion to permit sufficient pivotal movement e.g. 1800 from a position parallelly adjacent member 17 to a position extending parallelly away therefrom.

Fig. 4 is a plan member illustrating the frame in a position in which it is ready to be fitted to the main body of an awning such as that shown in Figs. 1-3 and as shown in Figs. 6 wherein Velcro ties or elasticated fixings (not shown) on the awning hold the flexible sheet/fabric to the legs in position. The free ends of telescopic roof members 33,34 and 35 are detachably inter-engageable with the three short tubular support members 10 of the auxiliary awning part (Figs 2 and 3).

Fig. 5 illustrates the frame of Fig 4 in a collapsed condition wherein the legs 16,17 and 18 and the roof members 33,34 and 35 have all been reduced in length by the parts thereof being telescoped together and members 33,34 and 35 pivoted through 1800 to lie adjacent and parallel to support legs 16,17 and 18 and all in the super plane. Rigidizing sleeves 31 and 32 have been disengaged and slid away from the flexible joint provided by springs 29 and 30 to permit the two parts of each of such two part cross members to be moved together from the V position shown to a substantially parallel position.

However, the three pairs of members 33,16 and 34,17 and 18,35 may be additionally displaced as permitted by via interconnecting springs 29,30 so that said three pairs of members may be disposed in a stack so as to be even more compact in the store position. Preferably, outer components 33,16 and 18,35 are rotated through 1800 to lie in the plane of the paper and to form a compact assembly and securing pins (not shown) through apertures in the mounting members may hold the components together in a single plane.

In Figs. 7A-7E the shapes of mounting members 22, 23, 24 are modified slightly and Figs. 7A-7E illustrate the displacements and manipulation operations from a position wherein the three pairs of members are first moved from a packed flat position of Fig. 7A wherein the components are laterally adjacent and in a compact position into the position of Fig 7B wherein parts 25, 27 and 26, 28 are moved slightly apart by stretching springs 29, 30. Mounting members 22 and 24 are then moved apart and reoriented through 1800 to assume the position of Fig. 7C. Subsequently members 22 and 24 are moved further apart and rigidizing sleeves 31, 32 located in position on the cross members 25, 27 and 26, 28 as shown in Fig. 7D. Roof members 33, 34 and 35 are then pivoted through 1800 to the position in Fig 7E.The roof members 33-35 and legs 16-18 are then telescopically extended to assume the position in Fig. 7F whereupon the covering which would normally be below the supporting frame as is attached to the framework by suitable attachment means.

In Fig. 3 which is an enlarged fragmentary schematic detail, the track 2 has the beading 3 of nylon or plastic as an extension of a connection portion of the auxiliary strip 4 interengaged therewith and the zip 5, 6 joining with the main part of the awning 7 with an overlying waterproofing strip 4' secured to sheet 4 and held against awning 7 by suitable securing means such as a hook and loop fastening means (Velcro-RTM).

A flexible rubber pad 10 is suspended from sheet 4 and abuts the caravan wall 1 and has pivot nut and bolt arrangement 10' holding a clevis and pin joint rotatable relative thereto and secured in the end of short tube 9 of the auxiliary awning part which in turn is engageable via a spring biased pin 10' engaging in an aperture in a roof member 11; 33,34,35 for the main awning.

In Fig. 10 a modification is illustrated wherein the outer roof member 33,35 is mounted inwardly of leg 16,18 i.e. on the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 8 and the mounting member 22",24" is modified by being slightly extended and having one wall portion of the Ushaped section thereof removed to leave space 22a,24a whilst wall portions 22b,24b and 22c,24c remain so that top wall 22b,24b limits the movement of member 33,35 in erection so that the pivot range thereof is 90" or thereabouts.

It will be appreciated there is a considerable benefit in the provision of a small separate roof strip 4 with suitable slide connections means (3) which can be more easily fitted into the awning track (2) on the caravan (11) (or a house or other wall) because it only carries a tiny fraction of the total fabric used in the awning, rather than the whole of the roof section plus some or all of the side pieces.

The awning (4,7) is rapidly erected by simply feeding the small roof strip (4) into the awning track (2) on the caravan (1), unfolding and rigidising the foldable frame (7), laying out the main body of awning fabric (7), fitting the frame (11) to it then joining the assembly to the small roof strip (4) by sliding the three roof poles (l1)of the main frame onto the three poles (9) on the roof strip (4), and joining the fabric on the two separate pieces together by means of a zip or similar fitting. The whole assembly is then secured to the ground in the conventional way using stays/guys and the adjustment on the roof poles and legs of the frame is used to create the relevant tension on the fabric.

The roof strip (4) of the invention reduces the physical effort and awkwardness of feeding the whole roof and part or all of the sides of known awning fabric through the caravan awning tract to a simple, rapid process. It also avoids the need to fix any anchor points to the side of the caravan to enable the roof poles to be secured against the side of the van since those fixing points are an integral part of the roof strip.

The interconnected folding frame avoids the need to sort and put together a number of varying sized poles, and since the fabric of the awning is easily fitted to it, whilst laid out on the ground it also avoids the physical difficulty of trying to assemble a frame under an awning which is already attached to the caravan.

The removal of the frame from the side of the caravan and refolding of it for storage is the reverse of the erection process, and offers similar savings in time, physical effort and complexity.

The inventive aspect of the design of the hinged frame enables it to be rapidly and easily folded and unfolded using joints, and locking devices which enable it to be rapidly made rigid.

The inventive aspect of securing of the assembled frame to the main body of awning fabric by simple push on fittings which enable the frame and fabric to be easily offered up to the roof strip as a single piece, thus avoiding the need to assemble poles underneath the awning fabric whilst it is fitted to the caravan.

Claims (28)

1. A supporting framework for a flexible sheet covering to provide a housing with the parts of the framework being displaceably interconnected so as to be unfoldable to form a support framework for the sheet covering and foldable into the collapsed and storage position, and including at least two mounting members each for three elongate frame parts with two of said parts being displaceable from a storage position, wherein the three parts are disposed adjacent one another and preferably in a single plane, into an erected position wherein the parts extend away from each other to form two corners for the housing.

2. A framework as claimed in claim 1, in which a third mounting member is provided between said at least two mounting members for the same end of the housing, to form an intermediate or roof-ridge support.

3. A framework as claimed in claims 1 or 2, in which a part which extends between two mounting members is partially separable from a rigid interconnection into two sections retained together by flexible and/or hinge means e.g. a tension spring or wire, to permit relative displacement in more than one plane/direction.

4. An interconnected collapsable supporting frame for supporting a sheet cover to form a housing such as a tent, awning or like comprises at least two elongate supporting legs each having a ground-engaging end and a normally upper, roof-supporting end with each supporting leg having an elongate roof member pivotally connected adjacent said roof-supporting end of each supporting leg and pivotable about a first axis extending transverse or substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of each said leg or at least the longitudinal axis of the upper end thereof, and a two-part cross member with each of the two parts thereof being pivotally connected at or to the upper ends of two supporting legs with each of the two parts being pivotable towards and away from its associated supporting leg, and about a second axis which extends transverse or substantially transversely to said first axis and transversely of said longitudinal axis; and wherein the parts of each two-part cross member are inter-engageable, to form a rigid combination and are flexibly and/or hingedly interconnected to permit each of the two parts to lie juxtaposed each other in the collapsed condition of the frame with each of the two parts preferably also being displaceable relative to each other such as by angular rotation through 1800 to permit folding over into a more compact collapsed arrangement.

5. A framework as claimed in claim 4, in which each supporting leg and/or roof member is extendible and retractable.

6. A framework as claimed in claims 4 or 5, in which each of the two parts of the cross member are pivotable in the plane of the supporting leg.

7. A framework as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, in which the two parts of the cross member abut stop means to limit the movement of each part away from its associated support leg and also relative to each other to provide for stability of the frame in the assembled condition.

8. A framework as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, in which the two parts of the cross member are interengageable by means of a sliding outer sleeve.

9. A framework as claimed in any of claims 4 to 8, in which each of the parts of the two part cross member are flexibly interconnected by a tension spring.

10. Two supporting frames as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the ends of the roof members remote from the pivoted ends are interconnected by flexible means, such as a tension spring or like, to permit pivotal movement and rotational movements in similar manner to the cross members to provide a free-standing support frame.

11. A supporting frame substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

12. An awning for connection to a wall comprises a first awning part of sheet material having connection means for permitting connection to said wall, and a second and main awning part of sheet material connectable to said first awning part.

13. An awning as claimed in claim 12, in which the first awning part comprises an elongate strip which forms a separate roof strip part of the awning.

14. An awning as claimed in claim 13, in which the strip has side wall portions or side wall parts connectable thereto.

15. An awning as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, in which the first awning part is of a manageable size and is of a width such that when said first awning part is mounted on said wall via the connection means it extends therefrom by an amount sufficient to enable second connection means provided on said first awning part to be interconnectable with cooperating connection means of said main awning part.

16. An awning as claimed in claim 15, in which the second connection means of the first awning part and the third connection means of the main awning part provide a waterproof interconnection and preferably comprise two parts of a waterproofed zip-fastener arrangement although other means, such as a Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) or other hook and loop type fastening means, or lacings, toggles or other known fastening means optionally with additional weatherproofing flaps may be provided to overlie and/or underlie the interconnection.

17. An awning as claimed in claim 16, in which the interconnection extends to join side wall portions of the first part and the main part or separate side wall parts are preferably provided each with their own connection means, cooperably interconnectable.

18. An awning as claimed in any of claims 12 to 17, in which the first connection means of said first awning part which are connectable to a wall comprise a flexible rod-like beading of, for example, nylon or like material of known type engageable in/on a track mounted on or provided in the wall in known manner.

19. An awning and support frame for said awning wherein metal tubes together form the frame comprising a main tubular framework for supporting the main awning part and smaller tubular parts provided and connected, preferably pivotably, to said first awning part such that said supported main awning part may be moved towards and the tubular parts supporting the roof part offered up to said short tubes of the first awning part to facilitate interconnection thereof - with the main awning part being partially erected in upright manner - this additionally facilitating subsequent interconnection of the connection means of the first and main awning parts forming the roof.

20. An awning and frame as claimed in claim 19, in which the first awning part secured thereto a plurality of mounting pads and against which the pivotally mounted ends of the short tubes abut and with said pads being backed by and supported by said wall.

21. An adaptor awning to existing awnings for caravans, comprises a first or auxiliary awning part comprising an elongate strip of sheet material having first connection means for providing connection to a track in/on a caravan wall and second connection means connectable to an existing awning.

22. An adaptor as claimed in claim 21, in which the second connection means of said auxiliary awning part is interconnectable with the known connecting means of the known awning part.

23. An adaptor as claimed in claim 22, in which the connection means provide a weatherproof interconnection or an additional weatherproofing means such as a cover flap preferably securable by suitable means.

24. An adaptor as claimed in claims 22 or 23, wherein a strip is cut off the existing awning and then an attachment strip of material secured to the awning in place of the cut off strip with said attachment strip having said cooperating connection means interconnectable with the second connection means of said first awning part.

25. An adaptor as claimed in any of claims 21 to 25, in which integral or connectable sidewall portions or parts are provided for said auxiliary awning part and have means interconnectable with side walls of the known awning.

26. An awning substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

27. A caravan including securing means for connection of an awning in combination with a two-part awning according to the present invention as defined above or, alternatively, in combination, an auxiliary awning part according to the invention defined above in combination with a known awning - which awning may be modified/adapted by having its slide connection means replaced by an interconnection means cooperable with that of the auxiliary part e.g. a zip fastening part.

28. A combination of a supporting framework as claimed in at least claim 1 and an awning as claimed in at least claim 12.