WO2011013150A2

WO2011013150A2 - Moving assembly for awnings and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2011013150A2
Application number: PCT/IT2009/000346
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luca Grazioso
Original assignee: Corradi S.P.A.
Priority date: 2009-07-30
Filing date: 2009-07-30
Publication date: 2011-02-03
Also published as: EP2459814A2; WO2011013150A8; WO2011013150A3

Abstract

A moving assembly (1) for awnings and the like, awnings of the type that can move on a structure (2) provided with posts (3) that are jointly connected to the walking surface and with supporting beams (4) one end (5) of which is associated with an upper portion (6) of the posts (3) and the other end (7) of which is associated with another fixed structural element. The awnings are movable from a folded configuration, proximate to a first end (7) of the supporting beams (4), to an extended one, in which they lie above the structure (2), by virtue of the action of movement members that can move within guides (8) that are jointly connected to the supporting beams (4). Each movement member is functionally associated with a respective sprocket (9), which is mated with a respective motor (10), the motors (10), each associated with the sprocket (9) of a respective guide (8), being powered individually and independently by means of a specific control and management unit designed to maintain synchronization of their rotations.

Description

MOVING ASSEMBLY FOR AWNINGS AND THE LIKE

Technical field

The present invention relates to a moving assembly for awnings and the like.

Background art

Movable awnings, which slide on respective guiding structures, are a very interesting solution, because they make it possible to cover even rather large areas rapidly and effectively.

At the same time, awnings can still be gathered just as rapidly, when they are not being used, protecting them against the action of the weather.

The movement of awnings is normally entrusted to a specific motor, which engages respective sprockets provided on each guide: each sprocket is functionally associated with at least one respective traction carriage assigned to the actual movement of the awning.

In structures for awnings provided with two guides (along the lateral end edges of the awning), the motor is normally installed proximately to the area where the structure is anchored to the wall from which the awning will extend: in this manner it is possible to associate with the motor shaft respective transmission bars (one for each side) whose end engages mechanically the sprocket of a respective guide.

A same motor therefore actuates simultaneously the sprockets of two facing guides, producing a perfect synchronization of the movements of the respective carriages assigned to pulling the awning.

This synchronization gets closer to perfection as the torsional rigidity of the transmission bars increases; it is furthermore preferable for the bars to have the same length (motor arranged at the centerline, between the two guides), again in order to ensure a same torsional deformation during the movement of the sprockets, with consequent perfect synchronization of the movements of the carriages associated therewith.

The choice of a very rigid material to provide the bars entails a considerable increase in their overall weight: this complicates the transport and assembly steps and requires the motor to have a higher starting torque, since at startup it must also overcome the moment of inertia of the bars.

Mounting the motor along the centerline is also problematic: if it were possible to arrange the motor proximately to one of the sprockets, it would in fact be sufficient to use a single bar (on one side) while on the opposite side the driving shaft would be coupled directly to the sprocket (optionally with the interposition of a suitable pinion). Use of a single bar would be very advantageous in terms of reduction of purchase costs (a single long bar costs less than two short bars) and installation costs (the smaller the number of components to be assembled, the faster and easier the assembly).

In case of structures for awnings provided with three guides, it is even necessary to resort to a third bar, which engages the sprocket arranged on the side opposite to the one with which a first (or second) transmission bar (the one directly associated with the shaft of the motor) is associated: the third bar mates the sprocket of the central guide with the sprocket of the third lateral guide. In this case also, there is a problem in terms of synchronization of the movements of the carriages: the third bar is always dimensionally different from the other two and is therefore subjected to different torsional deformations during use.

As the number of guides increases, this problem of course becomes even more evident, to the point that structures with synchronous movement of a single awning with more than five guides are not provided: imprecisions in terms of synchronization in this case would create imbalances that would make the overall movement irregular and inefficient.

One must also not forget that transmission bars are moving mechanical elements: they are therefore dangerous for the user who might accidentally be involved and injured during motion (for example, during maintenance and/or cleaning a user might be injured by the bar actuated accidentally by the motor).

In order to obviate this drawback, one resorts to the creation of a suitable protective housing that covers the motor and the bars over the entire extension of the awning.

Of course, the cost of a large housing and the assembly problems (and the associated cost increases) of such a protective aid make this type of awning more expensive; their installation is furthermore complicated and requires the operators to be experts and to know fully the characteristics of the product.

It should also be noted that, again during assembly, a final tuning step is required in which the position of each individual carriage is adjusted in correspondence to the traction of the respective sprocket inside the guide: the torque transmitted by the transmission bars and the angular movements linked thereto are in fact variable depending on the parameters already cited above (rigidity and length of the bars) and therefore synchronization can be obtained only as a consequence of a fine adjustment of the positions of the carriages depending on the transmission defects with respect to ideal conditions (perfectly rigid bars without mechanical play).

Disclosure of the invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by proposing a moving assembly for awnings and the like in which the arrangement and tensioning of the awning are substantially independent from the elastic behavior of the motion transmission members.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to propose a moving assembly for awnings and the like in which it is simple to obtain optimum synchronization of motion of the carriages designed to pull the awning.

Another object of the invention is to propose a moving assembly for awnings and the like in which a small number of small housings is necessary to protect the user against accidental contacts with moving parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a moving assembly for awnings and the like that can be applied to awnings of any size, even to structures that have more than five guides.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a moving assembly for awnings and the like that is easy to assemble and install.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a moving assembly for awnings and the like that has a modest cost, is relatively simple to provide in practice and is safe in application.

This aim and these objects, as well as others that will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a moving assembly for awnings and the like, awnings of the type that can move on a structure provided with posts that are jointly connected to the walking surface and with supporting beams one end of which is associated with an upper portion of said posts and the other end of which is associated with another fixed structural element, said awnings being movable from a folded configuration, proximate to a first end of the supporting beams, to an extended one, in which they lie above said structure, by virtue of the action of movement members that can move within guides which are jointly connected to said supporting beams, characterized in that each movement member is functionally associated with a respective sprocket, which is mated with a respective motor, the motors, each associated with the sprocket of a respective guide, being powered individually and independently by means of a specific control and management unit designed to maintain synchronization of their rotations.

Brief description of drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the moving assembly for awnings and the like according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a structure for awnings provided with a moving assembly according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a first enlarged-scale detail of the structure for awnings provided with the moving assembly according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a second enlarged-scale detail of the structure for awnings provided with the moving assembly according to the invention;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a portion consisting of a motor and a sprocket of the moving assembly according to the invention. Ways of carrying out the invention

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a moving assembly for awnings and the like.

The assembly 1 is suitable to be associated with awnings of the type that can move on a structure 2 provided with posts 3 that are jointly connected to the walking surface and with supporting beams 4 one end 5 of which is associated with an upper portion 6 of the posts 3 and the other end

7 of which is associated with another fixed structural element.

The awnings can move from a gathered configuration, proximate to the end 7 of the supporting beams 4, to an extended configuration, in which they lie above the entire structure 2, by virtue of the action of movement members that can move within guides 8 that are jointly connected to the supporting beams 4: in particular, said members can be transmission belts designed to pull a carriage for pulling the awning.

Each movement member is functionally associated with a respective sprocket 9: in some versions, said sprocket 9 can be accessible from the outside of the respective guide 8 (through a hole provided in the side of the guide 8) and mated with a respective motor 10. However, said sprocket might also never be accessible from the outside and the corresponding motor 10 might be accommodated completely within the guide 8, further reducing the visual impact and space occupation of the motor 10. The motors 10, each associated with the sprocket 9 of the respective guide 8, are powered individually and independently by means of a specific control and management unit designed to maintain synchronization of their rotations.

In a specific analysis of a constructive solution that is safe and simple to apply, the motor 10 is provided with a respective driving shaft 11, which is rigidly mated with the sprocket 9 of the respective guide 8. In particular, the mating between the motor shaft 11 and the sprocket 9 is provided by means of a coupling 12 which has a slotted cavity (with shapes and dimensions that are complementary to the profile of the driving shaft 11), within which the end of the driving shaft 11 can be inserted with mechanical meshing, and which has a tip 13 provided with a key that engages the through hole 14 of the sprocket 9, ensuring correct motion transmission.

Each motor 10 comprises a respective protective housing 15, which is suitable to prevent accidental contact on the part of a user with all the moving parts and the live parts.

The structure 2 comprises an auxiliary beam 16, which is jointly connected to a wall of a building.

The auxiliary beam 16 is designed to be fixed to the ends 7 of the supporting beams 4 and to stably couple each motor 10 proximately to the sprocket 9 of the guide 8 of the respective supporting beam 4.

The possibility should not be excluded that said auxiliary beam 16 might in turn be supported by specific pillars, in order to create a self- supporting structure (a structure that is provided far from buildings and requires posts 3 and pillars to ensure correct spatial arrangement); it is equally important to point out that the auxiliary beam 16 is an optional component: the corresponding motor 10 in fact might also be anchored directly to the installation wall without requiring a specific beam 16 for its support.

According to a particular constructive solution of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, the auxiliary beam 16 can be discontinuous: in particular, it can consist of a plurality of segments arranged in mutual alignment on the wall of the installation building of the structure 2. In this case, each segment would be suitable to couple a respective end 7 of the supporting beam 4 associated therewith and to support the corresponding motor 10, which is engaged in the sprocket 9 of the specific guide 8.

In order to maximize the slenderness of the structure 2 (which also provides a higher aesthetic value of the assembly consisting of the structure 2 and the awning) and make the assembly easier and more straightforward, the motors 10 have a minimal axial space occupation, even less than 10% of the distance between two consecutive beams 4. In this manner it is simple to confine the motors 10 in very limited areas without said motors compromising the overall appearance of the structure 2, giving it a more essential and slender appearance.

The control and management unit, in a particular embodiment thereof, comprises instruments for detecting the voltage across the terminals of each motor 10 and the current absorbed by said motor to calculate the delivered mechanical torque; the tensioning of the awning on the structure 2 is in fact determined by the value of the torque and it is therefore possible to impose a correct tensioning of the awning simply by controlling the torque of the various motors 10.

The control and management unit comprises apparatuses for adjusting the electrical parameters delivered for the power supply of each motor 10: in particular, the presence is noted of apparatuses for calibration of voltage, current, frequency and waveform depending on the value of the torque to be assigned to the respective motor 10.

In conclusion, the adoption of a moving assembly 1 according to the invention makes it possible to provide structures 2 for awnings that comprise a plurality of motors 10, each associated with a respective sprocket 9 of a guide 8 that is associated with suitable supporting beams 4, for the traction of a respective carriage designed to pull the awning. Said motors 10 are controlled by a control and management unit designed to calibrate their electrical power supply parameters.

This type of structure 2 (provided with the assembly 1) can have a large number of supporting beams 4, even more than five.

In this case, the awning nonetheless has a width that is substantially equal to the distance between the inner face of the first supporting beam 4 arranged at one end of the structure 2 and the inner face of the last supporting beam 4 arranged at the opposite end of the structure 2. Said awning width can therefore be substantially unlimited in dependence on the number of beams 4 by means of which the structure 2 is provided.

Advantageously, therefore, the moving assembly 1 for awnings and the like makes it possible to arrange and tension the awning in a manner that is substantially independent from the elastic behavior of the motion transmission members: said members are in fact minimized in number and size, keeping each motor 10 facing and proximate to the respective guide 8 provided with the sprocket 9.

Conveniently, with the moving assembly 1 it is easy to achieve optimum synchronization of the movement of the carriages designed to pull the awning, since the control and management unit controls each motor 10 and supplies it with power according to a feedback criterion that is also based on the angular position of the other motors 10 that are present in the structure 2.

Positively, the moving assembly 1 for awnings minimizes the dimensions of the housings for protecting the user against accidental contacts with moving parts and live parts: this ensures easy assembly and a lower cost thereof.

It should be noted that the moving assembly 1 for awnings can be applied to awnings of any size, even to structures 2 that have more than five guides.

It is not secondary to specify, furthermore, that the moving assembly 1 for awnings is easy to assemble and install.

It is noted that according to a particular constructive solution shown in the accompanying figures, the motor 10 can be fixed to the beam 16 by means of a specific bracket 17 and suitable locking blocks 18 (the coupling of the parts is achieved with the aid of suitable screws 19).

It should be noted that the housing 15 as well can be mated with the bracket 17 in order to ensure its stable positioning.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In the exemplary embodiments shown, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments.

Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A moving assembly (1) for awnings and the like, awnings of the type that can move on a structure (2) provided with posts (3) that are jointly connected to the walking surface and with supporting beams (4) one end (5) of which is associated with an upper portion (6) of said posts (3) and the other end (7) of which is associated with another fixed structural element, said awnings being movable from a folded configuration, proximate to a first end (7) of the supporting beams (4), to an extended one, in which they lie above said structure (2), by virtue of the action of movement members that can move within guides (8) that are jointly connected to said supporting beams (4), characterized in that each movement member is functionally associated with a respective sprocket (9), which is mated with a respective motor (10), the motors (10), each associated with the sprocket (9) of a respective guide (8), being powered individually and independently by means of a specific control and management unit designed to maintain synchronization of their rotations.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that each one of said motors (10) is provided with a respective rotating shaft (11), which is mated with the sprocket (9) of the respective guide (8).

3. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that each motor (10) comprises a respective protective housing (15) that is suitable to prevent accidental contact of a user with all the moving parts and live parts.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said structure (2) comprises an auxiliary beam (16), which is meant to be fixed to said ends (7), associated with another fixed structural element, of the supporting beams (4) and to stably couple each one of said motors (10) proximately to the sprocket (9) of the guide (8) of the respective supporting beam (4).

5. The assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that said auxiliary beam (16) is discontinuous and consists of a plurality of segments, which are aligned on the wall of the building where the structure (2) is installed, each segment being suitable for coupling with a respective end (7) of the supporting beam (4) associated therewith and for supporting the corresponding motor (10), which is engaged in the sprocket (9) of the specific guide (8).

6. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said motors (10) have an axial space occupation of less than 10% of the distance between two consecutive beams (4).

7. The assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control and management unit comprises instruments for detecting the voltage across the terminals of each motor (10) and of the current absorbed by said motor in order to calculate the delivered mechanical torque, the tensioning of the awning on the structure (2) being determined by the value of said torque as a function of parameters detected by sensors of said control and management unit.

8. The assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control and management unit comprises apparatuses for adjusting the delivered electrical parameters for the power supply of each motor (10), in particular for the calibration of voltage, current, frequency and waveform as a function of the value of the torque to be assigned to the respective motor (10).

9. A structure for awnings, characterized in that it comprises a moving assembly consisting of a plurality of motors (10), each associated with a respective sprocket (9) of a guide (8) associated with supporting beams (4), for the traction of a respective carriage designed to pull the awning, said motors (10) being controlled by a control and management unit designed to calibrate the electric power supply parameters of said motors.

10. The structure for awnings according to claim 9, characterized in that said structure (2) has a plurality of supporting beams (4), said awning having a width that is substantially equal to the distance between the inner face of the first supporting beam (4) arranged at one end of the structure (2) and the inner face of the last supporting beam (4) arranged at the opposite end of the structure (2).