IE60848B1 - Means for supporting and guiding a foldable awning - Google Patents

Description

The present invention concerns means for supporting and guiding a foldable awning.

At present, a foldable awning for covering movable structures such as transport vehicles is supported by cross-members which may or may not be hoop-shaped, at least some of which are supported at each end by a carriage, the rollers of which are movable on a horizontal rail, the two rails supporting and guiding the two carriages of each cross-member being arranged o parallel to one another and at a distance from one another corresponding to the length of a cross-member, whilst auxiliary members may be provided to lift each fold of the awning between each cross-member when it is folded.

In the case of carrying vehicles of which the overall height is limited by a maximum structure imposed by regulation, it is useful, in order to obtain the greatest possible loading height, for the height dimension of the rail to be as small as possible. 2o Some designers have thus been led to devise special sections adapted to house the rollers of the carriages, but which, by very reason of their originality, are very expensive.

British Patent GB-2.145.681 discloses means for supporting and guiding a foldable awning for commercial vehicles having, on each side of the vehicle, two longitudinal rails serving to guide the ball bearing hubs with which each end of the movable hoops supporting the awning is equipped. Each hoop thus has four ball bearing hubs enabling it to move between the opened out position and the folded position of the awning.

This arrangement thus requires the presence of four rails and, as a result, the adjustment on these rails of four ball bearing hubs for each hoop. It should also be noted that the four rails which are necessary in this example are added to the vehicle body and take up space which decreases the loading volume of the vehicle.

US Patent 3.942.830 discloses means for supporting and guiding foldable awnings for covering a movable structure in accordance with which the awning is supported by cross-members, which may or may not be hoop-shaped, to which it is fixed by riveted or bolted ties, at least some of which are supported at each end by a carriage of which the rolling members are movable on a horizontal rail, the two rails which support and guide the two carriages of each cross-member equipped therewith being disposed parallel to one another and at a distance from one another corresponding to the length of a crossmember, these rails being constituted essentially by a cylindrical body having a circular transverse crosssection, each carriage provided at each end of a crossmember being equipped with at least two sets of rolling elements arranged around the cylindrical body constituting the relevant rail, such that their median planes are oriented radially with respect to the cylindrical body and offset with respect to one another so as to cover this cylindrical body over an arc of a circle greater than 180°, each carriage being secured against rotation with respect to the longitudinal axis of its rail by engagement on the other rail of the associated carriage of the same cross-member.

However, in the means disclosed in this US patent for its guidance by the corresponding rail, the rolling elements are constituted by casters having a groove with the profile of the portion of the periphery of the rail with A which this pulley is concerned, such that the rolling elements of this carriage are costly.

The present invention aims to remedy these disadvantages. To this end, in the means for supporting and guiding a foldable awning to which it relates, and which is of the aforementioned type, each cylindrical body constituting a rail is itself constituted by a tubular section, each rolling element of each carriage is constituted by a roller/ each set of rolling elements of each carriage has at least three rollers and, in addition, on the one hand, each end of a rear end hoop is supported by the carriage corresponding to it by means of a pivotal arm allowing it to tilt upwards and towards the front of the vehicle over an angular travel of the order of 90° and, on the other hand, this hoop carries a band which, when it is in the normal lowered position, is substantially vertical and covers the fixed rear cross-member of the vehicle body.

Advantageously, each guiding rail constitutes one of the upper lateral longitudinal members of this structure.

Preferably, two sets of four rollers are provided on each carriage.

If the conditions of use require it, particularly in the case of a large surface length to be covered, a tubular or solid reinforcing section having a flattened rectangular transverse cross-section is associated with the tubular section of circular transverse cross-section, and is fixed by one of its minor sides, by welding or any other suitable method, to the lower generatrix of the tubular section and in such a way that its median plane is oriented vertically and radially downwards with respect to the tubular section.

The presence of this reinforcing section may, in addition, be used to advantage for fixing the other accessory parts such as, for example, rails for the carriages of lateral awning elements.

This arrangement ensures excellent sealing inside the movable structure in the closed position of the awning.

Advantageously, on the one hand, a spring for return to the raised position is associated with at least one of the pivotal arms supporting the rear end hoop and, on the other hand, the tilting hoop carries, preferably in its central portion, a hook intended to engage, in the lowered position of this hoop, in the notch of a lock in the form of a resilient return lever carried by the fixed rear cross-member of the structure and operable from the ground, for example by means of a pole, so as to be pivoted into the unlocked position.

In accordance with yet another characteristic of the invention, in order that the hook engages securely in the notch of the lock, the tilting hoop carries, at each of its ends, and at right angles to each tubular section, a bracket having a centring groove, the ramps of the two brackets, which have opposite slopes, being intended, by engaging on the rail corresponding to them, to ensure the centring of this tilting hoop at the end- of bilting into the low position.

The invention will in any case be clearly understood by means of the description which follows, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings showing, by way of non-limitative example, one embodiment of these means: Figure 1 is a front view in elevation; Figure 2 is a view in transverse cross-section, to an enlarged scale, of one of the carriage guiding rails in the vicinity of this carriage; Figure 3 is a view in section along the line III-III of Figure 2 of the carriage alone; Figures 4 and 5 are partial perspective views showing a particular arrangement of the rear hoop of the means of the invention, in the case of their application to the support and guidance of an awning for a commercial vehicle, respectively in the low use position and raised loading position; Figure 6 is a partial front view in elevation of the rear hoop of Figures 4 and 5.

As shown in particular by Figure 1, the means of the invention are means for supporting and guiding an awning 2 intended to constitute the covering element of a particular rectangular structure such as, for example, the body of a commercial vehicle. These means are of the type having a plurality of cross-members 3 which may or may not be hoop-shaped, to which the awning 2 is fixed, in a manner known per se, by riveted or bolted ties, not shown in the drawing, the length of which corresponds at least to the width of the surface to be covered and each end of at least certain of which is equipped with a carriage 4 movable on a horizontal rail 5. The two rails 5 supporting the carriages 4 are clearly arranged parallel to one another along the two opposite sides of the surface to be covered, the length of the crossmembers 3 clearly corresponding to the spacing of the rails 5 which are arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, along the upper edge of the lateral rails of its loading surface. These two rails 5 constitute the upper lateral longitudinal members of the vehicle body. e.

As shown in particular by Figure 2, each rail 5 is constituted by a tubular section having a circular cross- r section and each carriage 4 has two sets 6, 7 of four rollers 8, 9, 11 and 12 disposed around the section 5 such that their median planes are oriented radially with respect to the section 5 and angularly offset with respect to one another to cover this tubular section 5 over an arc of a circle greater than 180° and thus to oppose any movement of the carriage 4 in a direction other than the longitudinal direction of the section 5.

As the drawings show, the rotational axes of the four rollers 8, 9, 11 and 12 of a single set 6 or 7 are located in a single diametric plane of the corresponding tubular section 5.

In the example shown in the drawings, the rollers 8, 9, and 12 of a carriage 4 cover the tubular section 5 over 210° since the median planes of the rollers 9 and 11 make, with the horizontal plane 13 passing through the longitudinal axis 5a of the relevant tubular section 5 and located below them, an angle of 45°, whilst the median planes of the rollers 8 and 12 make, with this same horizontal plane 13 located above them, an angle of °.

Naturally, the angular distribution of the rollers 8, 9, and 12 around the tubular section 5 which acts as their guiding rail cannot prevent rotation of the corresponding carriage 4 about the axis 5a of this tubular section 5, but it can easily be seen that this »· rotation is prevented by the connection of this carriage 4 to the cross-member 3 which connects it mechanically to the other carriage 4 with which the other end of this cross-member 3 is equipped and which itself is engaged on the other tubular section 5.

The rail 5, which is constituted by a commercial tubular section, is of very low cost since it does not necessitate any operation intended to change it in a manner specific to its use in supporting and guiding a plurality of carriages 4. However, in the case where this should be made necessary by a large surface length to .be covered, above all if it is desired to avoid the necessity of providing intermediate struts, a flat section 14 having a flattened rectangular tubular or solid transverse cross-section, may be associated with the tubular section 5. This section 14 is fixed to the section 5 by one of its minor sides, by welding or in any other manner, to the lower generatrix of the section 5 such that its median plane 14a is oriented radially with respect to the section 5 and directed vertically downwardly. n order not to impede the movements of the carriages 4 on the section 5, nor the folding of the awning 2 supported by the cross-members 3 and the carriages 4, the thickness of the reinforcing section 14 is selected to be less than the diameter of the section 5.

Even when the section 5 is equipped with a reinforcing section 14, the cost of the rail thus obtained is extremely low.

With the same aim of maintaining its low cost, each carriage 4 is constituted very simply by a length of section 15 having an inverted U-shaped transverse crosssection, each radial wing of which carries, on its internal face, an auxiliary length o'f section 16 having a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-section and fixed, by its base, to the internal face of the relevant lateral wing of the section 15.

Each lateral wing of an auxiliary section 16 which is intended to support the shafts of two corresponding rollers of the sets 6 and 7 of rollers 8, 9, 11 and 12, forms, with the base 16, the angle corresponding to the desired inclination for the median plane of the relevant roller with respect to the horizontal plane 13.

As is clearly apparent from Figure 2, each carriage 4 is extremely simply constructed and, as a result, has a very low cost.

It should be noted that when the structure of the invention constitutes the body of a commercial vehicle, as is known per se, the hoop disposed at the front end of the vehicle body is fixed, whilst the hoop disposed at the rear of this body is movable and its travel is clearly greater than that of all the intermediate hoops.

As Figures 4 to 6 particularly show, each end of the rear hoop, designated by the reference 3a since it is different from the other hoops 3, is supported by the carriage 4 associated with it, by means of an arm 17 pivoted on a horizontal shaft 18 coaxial with the pivotal axis of the arm 17 supporting the other end of this hoop carried by the corresponding carriage 4. The object of this arrangement is to enable the rear hoop 3a to be tilted upwardly towards the front of the vehicle body over an angular path of the order of 90°, as shown by the arrow 19 in Figure 4, from its low position in Figure 4 into a raised position shown in Figure 5. In addition, this rear hoop 3a carries a band 21 which, when the hoop ft is in the lowered position, itself occupies a substantially vertical position in which it covers or envelops the rear cross-member 22 of the vehicle body.

This arrangement thus ensures an excellent seal inside the vehicle body in the closed position of the awning, avoiding any risk of water penetration.

The lower edge of this band 21 is, in addition, advantageously folded twice at 90° in the direction of the outside of the vehicle body, to enable a channel 23 to be formed for collecting running water and allow it to flow to either side of the hoop 3a.

To facilitate the holding of the hoop 3a in both the normal low position and the raised loading position, on the one hand, a spring 24 is associated with at least one of the arms 17 tending to return it constantly to the high position, and on the other hand, the hoop 3a carries, preferably at its centre, a hook 25 adapted to engage in the notch 26a of a lock 26 in the form of a lever pivoted on a horizontal shaft 27 resiliently returned to the vertical locked position as shown in Figures 4 and 5, but capable of being pivoted in the direction of the arrow 28, against the aforementioned resilient return force, in order to be brought into the unlocked position.

When the rear hoop 3a is retained by the lock 26 in the low position as shown in Figure 4, it is sufficient, in order to allow it to be unlocked and tilted into the raised position shown in Figure 5, to act on the end of the lock 26 opposite to the notch 26a, in the direction of the arrow 29, to cause it to· tilt, as previously indicated, in the direction of the arrow 28 and thus free the hook 25 of the hoop 3; this latter is thus tilted into the raised position by the spring 24. The operation of the lock can easily be carried out by means of a pole, with which users of this type of vehicle are usually equipped. ίί To return the hoop 3a to the low use position, it is sufficient to exert on it, using the aforementioned pole, a pulling force tending to cause it to pivot in the opposite direction to that of the arrow 19, until its hook 25 engages in the notch 26a of the lock 26. The head of this latter moreover has, as is known per se, an inclined face 26b causing it to tilt in the direction of the arrow 28 into contact with the hook 25.

Figure 6 shows an interesting additional characteristic IQ of the means of the invention, this characteristic having the effect of ensuring the perfect centring of the hoop 3a, at least when it reaches the low position, this centring being intended to ensure the good engagement of the hook 25 in the notch 26a of the lock 26.

In the example shown in Figure 6, to this end, the hoop 3a has, at each end, a bracket 31 having a centring ramp 31a. The two ramps 31a of the two brackets 31, which have opposite slopes, are intended, by engaging on their corresponding rails, to correct any possible lateral offsetting of the hoop 3a.

Claims (8)

1. A means for supporting and guiding a foldable awning for covering a mobile structure, such as the body of a commercial vehicle or the like, of the type in which the awning is supported by cross-members , which may or may not be in the shape of hoops, to which it is fixed by riveted or bolted ties, at least some of which are supported at each of their ends by a carriage, the rolling members of which are movable on a horizontal rail , the two rails which support and guide the two carriages of each cross-member equipped therewith being arranged parallel to one another and at a distance from one another corresponding to the length of a crossmember, these rails being essentially constituted by a cylindrical body of circular transverse crosssection, each carriage provided at each end of a cross-member being equipped with at least two sets of rolling elements disposed around the cylindrical body constituting the relevant rail, such that their median planes are oriented radially with respect to the cylindrical body and offset one with respect to the other so as to cover the cylindrical body over an arc of a circle greater than 180°, each carriage being secured against rotation with respect to the longitudinal axis of its rail by engagement, on the other rail, of the associated carriage of the same crossmember, whilst auxiliary members may be provided for raising each fold of the awning between each structure when it is folded, characterised in that each cylindrical body constituting a rail is itself constituted by a tubular section, in that each rolling element of each carriage is constituted by a roller, in that each set of rolling elements of each carriage has at least three rollers and in that in addition, on the one hand, each end of a rear end hoop is supported by the carriage corresponding to it by means of a pivotal arm allowing it to tilt upwards and towards the front of the vehicle, over an angular travel of the order of 90° and, on the other hand, this hoop carries a band which, when it is in the normal lowered position, is substantially vertical and covers the rear fixed cross-member of the vehicle body.

2. A means according to Claim 1, characterised in that two sets of four rollers are provided on each carriage .

3. A means according to either one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each rail constitutes one of the upper lateral longitudinal members of this structure.

4. A means according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that with each tubular section of transverse circular cross-section is associated a reinforcing section of flattened rectangular transverse cross-section, solid or tubular, fixed by one of its minor sides and by welding or any other suitable method to the lower generatrix of the tubular section and in such a way that its median plane is oriented vertically and radially downwards with respect to the tubular section .

5. A means according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each carriage is constituted simply by a length of section of inverted U-shaped transverse cross-section, each radial wing of which carries, on its internal face, an auxiliary length of section of substantially U-shaped transverse cross-section and fixed by its base to the internal face of the relevant lateral wing of the section, each lateral wing of an auxiliary profile Η which is intended to support the shafts of two corresponding rollers of two sets and of rollers, forming, with the base , the angle corresponding to the desired inclination of the median plane of the relevant roller with respect to the horizontal plane .

6. A means according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, on the one hand, a spring for return to the raised position is associated with at least one of the pivotal arms supporting the rear end hoop and, on the other hand, the tilting hoop carries preferably in its central portion, a hook intended to engage, in the lowered position of this hoop , in the notch of a lock in the form of a resilient return lever carried by the fixed rear cross-member of the structure and operable from the ground, for example with the aid of a pole, so as to be pivoted into the unlocked position.

7. A means according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the tilting hoop carries, at each of its ends and at right angles to each tubular section, a bracket having a centring ramp , the ramps of the two brackets having opposite slopes.

8. A means according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.