WO2020121358A1

WO2020121358A1 - Guide element for covering apparatus, and corresponding assembly method

Info

Publication number: WO2020121358A1
Application number: PCT/IT2019/050268
Authority: WO
Inventors: Loris Mindotti
Original assignee: Pratic F.Lli Orioli S.P.A.
Priority date: 2018-12-14
Filing date: 2019-12-13
Publication date: 2020-06-18
Also published as: IT201800011100A1

Abstract

Guide element (10) for one or more sliding means (15), with which covering elements (17) of a covering apparatus (16) are associated, comprising a first guide member (11) and a second guide member (12) parallel and opposite each other, lying on a same guide plane (P) and configured to guide the sliding of the sliding means (15).

Description

“GUIDE ELEMENT FOR COVERING APPARATUS, AND CORRESPONDING ASSEMBLY METHOD”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a guide element for covering apparatuses.

The covering apparatus to which the present invention is applied comprises a plurality of covering elements that act as protection, both against solar radiation and also against atmospheric agents, and sliding means that allow the movement of these covering elements.

By way of example only, the covering apparatus can be an adjustable sunshade, a pergola, a canvas, even large, in the range of several meters on each side.

In particular, the guide element which the invention concerns is suitable to guide one or more of the sliding means as above, in order to move the covering elements between an operative, or covering, position, in which they are substantially parallel to a covering plane, and an inactive, or open, position in which they are inclined with respect to the covering plane as above, and vice versa.

In the present description and in the drawings, we will describe the application of the invention to a covering apparatus of the type with tilting blades. It should be understood that the invention can also be applied to covering apparatuses provided with a covering element of the canvas type, in which the latter is supported and moved by means of section-dividing profiles, or ribs, disposed transversely to the direction of movement of the canvas, with the necessary adjustments known to a person of skill in the art.

The present invention also concerns the corresponding method to assemble the guide element as above.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Different types of covering apparatuses are known, such as, for example, adjustable sunshades, which use covering elements having the function of protecting, selectively and even only temporarily, a zone below, both from the sun’s rays and atmospheric agents, such as rain, snow, or hail, and also from other objects that can fall from above. A first known type of covering apparatus comprises a plurality of oblong covering elements, parallel to each other and connected with their ends to an actuation mechanism, for example of the pantograph type, in turn slidingly supported on two guide elements stably attached to two support elements of a support structure, opposite and perpendicular to the covering elements.

A second known type of covering apparatus comprises a covering element of the canvas type, associated with a plurality of oblong elements for supporting the latter, which are disposed below the canvas and are supported at their ends by two lateral cross pieces for supporting a support structure, opposite and perpendicular to the oblong support elements. Furthermore, the oblong support elements are mobile on guide elements between an operative, or covering, position, in which they keep the canvas unfolded so that it forms a protection for the whole zone below, and an inactive position, in which they are packed toward a transverse element of the support structure, in which the canvas is gathered in layers, so that the sun’s rays and atmospheric agents can reach the part of the zone below which is not protected by the canvas.

In particular, in the first known type of covering apparatus, the covering elements are provided, at their ends, with sliding means associated with guide elements in order to allow their sliding, in a direction of sliding parallel to the guide elements themselves, in order to assume a covering position, in which they are coplanar to a covering plane and protect the zone below, or an inactive position, in which they are inclined by many degrees, for example up to 140° and more, with respect to the covering plane as above and packed toward a transverse element of the support structure, so as to allow the sun’s rays and atmospheric agents to reach the part of the zone below left uncovered.

Generally, in order to ensure an optimal sliding of the covering elements and guarantee they are effectively supported, the guide elements are made by extrusion in a single piece or body, and are provided with rails that cooperate both at the lower and also at the upper part with the sliding means, for example sliders, casters or other.

This, as well as entailing high production costs linked to the complexity of the extrusions to be made, also entails the need to insert each sliding means in compartments and/or spaces inside the guide element, in a longitudinal direction of the guide element itself.

In order to do this, an aperture is normally provided on the guide element, at the upper or at the lower part, advantageously in a segment of it which is not affected by the translation of the sliding means, so as to insert the covering elements one by one and, subsequently, make them slide into a predefined or desired assembly position.

This entails complex and long installation operations of the covering elements, and equally complex maintenance operations particularly if it is necessary to replace a determinate covering element, this operation requiring the disassembly of the other covering elements located upstream in the sliding direction in the guide element.

Furthermore, for installation requirements of the covering apparatus, the position of the aperture on the guide element is not always easily accessible, at times requiring the disassembly of part of the structure already assembled, that is, requiring solutions not foreseen by the installation instructions, which do not consider the actual structural and functional requirements of the covering apparatus, as designed.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide a guide element for sliding means in a covering apparatus of the type indicated above, which allows the installation of the covering elements in an easy, quick and safe way, even in the event the covering apparatus is installed on the edge of a terrace, or on the edge of an overhang.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a guide element for the sliding means as above which simplifies maintenance and replacement operations of a covering element.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a guide element for sliding means which can be produced simply and economically.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, a guide element for one or more sliding means, with which covering elements of a covering apparatus are associated, comprises a first guide member and a second guide member parallel and opposite each other, lying on a same guide plane and configured to guide the sliding of the sliding means as above.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the guide element also comprises support means configured to support the first guide member, and positioning means, distinct and separate from the support means, configured to cooperate with the sliding means so that the latter are slidingly maintained on the guide plane. Furthermore, the positioning means are associated with the support means by attachment means of the removable type.

The removability of the attachment means allows the selective decoupling of the positioning means from the support means. This is advantageous both during the installation step, since the covering elements can be positioned from above, and not inserted one after the other from one end of the guide element, and also in the event it is necessary to replace one or more covering elements.

The present invention also concerns a covering apparatus that comprises one or more covering elements, preferably oblong, having respective terminal ends associated with the sliding means as above, and a pair of the guide element as above.

The present invention also concerns a method to assemble the guide element as above. The method comprises:

- a first step in which the support means of the first guide member are made integral with the support structure,

- a second step in which the sliding means are slidingly positioned on the first guide member so that the sliding means lie on the guide plane and can slide along a sliding axis parallel to the first guide member.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention the method also comprises:

- a third step in which the positioning means are associated with the support means by attachment means, preferably the removable type, so that the positioning means cooperate slidingly with the sliding means and keep them on the guide plane.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a perspective view taken from above, which schematically shows a covering apparatus provided with a plurality of covering elements mobile along a pair of guide elements according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a perspective view of the guide element of fig. 1 suitable to guide sliding means associated with covering elements of a covering apparatus;

- fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a guide element for sliding means according to the present invention;

- fig. 4 is a section view of the guide element of fig. 3 attached to a support structure of a covering apparatus.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

With reference to fig. 1, a guide element, hereafter simply guide 10, in accordance with the present invention, for one or more sliding means 15, with which covering elements 17 of a covering apparatus 16 are associated, comprises a first guide member 11 and a second guide member 12 parallel and opposite each other, lying on a same guide plane P and configured to guide the sliding of the sliding means 15.

In the embodiment shown, the covering elements 17 consist of blades able to be inclined between a substantially horizontal covering position and an inclined position which allows the passage of the sun’s rays and atmospheric agents; as stated above, it is understood that this application is only an example, since the teachings of the invention can be applied in the same way in the case of covering elements 17 of the canvas type in which the latter is supported and moved by means of section-dividing profiles, or ribs, disposed transversely to the direction of movement of the canvas. The sliding means 15 associated with the covering elements 17 are mobile in the direction of a sliding axis Z, parallel to both the first guide member 11 and also the second guide member 12 and lying on the guide plane P. The guide 10 has an oblong development in the direction of the sliding axis Z and has a length coherent with a depth size of the covering apparatus 16.

The guide 10 also comprises support means 13 configured to support the first guide member 11, and positioning means 14, distinct and separate from the support means 13, configured to cooperate with the sliding means 15 so that the latter are slidingly maintained on the guide plane P, wherein the positioning means 14 are associated with the support means 13 by attachment means 18, preferably of the removable type.

According to a variant, the guide 10 is defined only by the support means 13 and by the positioning means 14. This allows to reduce the number of components which the guide 10 consists of. Furthermore, this allows to produce the guide 10 in two separate parts, simplifying its production and making it cheaper. Furthermore, if it were necessary to replace a determinate covering element 17 and/or a sliding mean 15, it would be sufficient to uncouple the positioning means 14 from the support means 13 and directly replace the covering element 17 and/or the sliding mean 15, avoiding having to act on all the others.

In accordance with the embodiment shown in figs. 3-4, the guide 10 can have an internally hollow box-like profile both in order to limit the weight, and also in order to define one or more operative compartments and/or spaces.

The support means 13 and the positioning means 14 of the guide 10 are defined by section bars obtained separately. In particular, the support means 13 and the positioning means 14 are defined by section bars obtained by a drawing method of a metal material. Advantageously, the metal material is aluminum and/or an alloy thereof.

The support means 13 comprise a support wall 19 and the positioning means 14 comprise at least a first coupling wall 20 which is attached resting on the support wall 19.

In accordance with the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the support means 13 also comprise a lower wall 21 opposite the support wall 19 and connected to the latter by an attachment wall 22.

On site, the guide 10 is positioned resting on a support structure 23 of the covering apparatus 16 (fig. 1, fig. 4) and is attached to it with at least the support means 13. In particular, the support means 13 are connected to the support structure 23 with the attachment wall 22 as above, provided externally for this purpose with an attachment surface 24 which can be flat in order to facilitate contact with the support structure 23. Furthermore, the attachment wall 22 can be provided with holes for the passage of attachment devices 25 for its stable application to the support structure 23. Furthermore, the support means 13 are stably attached to the support structure 23 so that the sliding axis Z is parallel to the longitudinal direction of development of the support structure 23.

The support means 13 also comprise an abutment wall 26 connected to the support wall 19, and the positioning means 14 comprise a second coupling wall

27 connected to the first coupling wall 20. The second coupling wall 27 is positioned, during use, against the abutment wall 26 configured to guarantee a correct positioning of the positioning means 14 with respect to the support means 13 in a direction orthogonal to the guide plane P.

The abutment wall 26 is inclined with respect to the support wall 19 so as to promote the abutment with the second coupling wall 27 inclined with respect to the first coupling wall 20 so as to match with the abutment wall 26. Advantageously, the abutment wall 26 is orthogonal to the support wall 19.

The support wall 19 is shaped so as to have a first portion 19a and a second portion 19b lowered stepwise with respect to the first portion 19a, so as to guarantee a correct positioning of the positioning means 14 with respect to the support means 13 in a direction parallel to the guide plane P.

In particular, at least a part of the first coupling wall 20 is resting on the second portion 19b which being lowered with respect to the first portion 19a allows, when the positioning means 14 are stably attached to the support means 13, to obtain a substantially flat upper external surface of the guide 10.

The second portion 19b and the abutment wall 26 are provided with recesses

28 suitable to receive respective shaped edges 29 provided respectively on the first coupling wall 20 and on the second coupling wall 27 for the precise and stable positioning of the positioning means 14 with respect to the support means 13.

This preliminary jointed coupling is finalized by means of attachment means 18 which clamp the first coupling wall 20 with the second portion 19b in a parallel direction with respect to the guide plane P. When the coupling is completed, the first guide member 11 and the second member guide 12 are parallel and opposite each other and lie on the plane P.

Although in the solutions shown the attachment means 18 are shown as screws, it is understood that, in accordance with possible solutions, the attachment means 18 can consist of any system whatsoever, simple or complex, for coupling together the support means 13 and the positioning means 14, as a non-limiting example, a joint, a same-shape coupling, a threaded element, a welding, a gluing or other similar or comparable attachment mean.

The support means 13 also comprise a seating 30 defined by at least a first base wall 31 orthogonal to the guide plane P and intermediate between the support wall 19 and the lower wall 21, and on which the first guide member 11 is associated. The first guide member 11 is made in a single body with the support means 13.

The positioning means 14 comprise a second base wall 32 orthogonal to the guide plane P and configured to support the second guide member 12. The second guide member 12 is made in a single body with the positioning means 14.

The first guide member 11 and the second guide member 12, during use, face each other and between them there is a guide interspace in order to allow the positioning and sliding of the sliding means 15. In the example provided here, both the first guide member 11 and also the second guide member 12 have an extension in the direction of the sliding axis Z equal to the length of the guide 10, and have a protruding profile which acts as a rail and has a shape suitable to be inserted in a groove 15a of the sliding means 15.

In accordance with possible embodiments, not shown, the first guide member 11 and the second guide member 12 can have a hollow profile respectively in the first base wall 31 and in the second base wall 32, in a direction orthogonal to the latter two. This hollow profile can have a shape suitable to completely house the sliding mean 15 which, in this embodiment, has a full section or it can have a shape suitable to at least partly house the sliding mean 15 which, in this embodiment, is provided with protrusions mating with the hollow profile as above. In accordance with possible embodiments, the sliding means 15 can be chosen in a group comprising wheels, casters, sliders, shuttles and the development of the groove 15a can be respectively circumferential or linear.

In accordance with some embodiments, during use, the sliding means 15 are aligned along the sliding axis Z so that the covering elements 17 can slide in order to pass from a covering position, in which the covering elements 17 cover the zone below the covering apparatus 16, to an open position in which the zone below is uncovered. In particular, in the covering position the sliding means 15 are equally distributed along the length of the guide 10, while in the open position the sliding means 15 are distributed in a restricted portion localized at one of the two ends of the guide 10. In this case, the covering elements 17 are packed toward a transverse element of the support structure 23, so as to allow the sun’s rays and atmospheric agents to reach the part of the zone below left uncovered.

In accordance with the embodiment shown in figs. 3-4, the seating 30, inside which the sliding means 15 are inserted, is open toward the outside and has an extension for the entire length of the guide 10 so as to allow the connection between the sliding means 15 and the covering elements 17. For this purpose, the seating 30 is open in a direction orthogonal to the guide plane P and, during use, toward a zone inside the covering apparatus 16. The seating 30 is also configured to house members 33 for moving the sliding means 15.

Each guide 10 comprises the movement members 33 as above provided with transmission devices 34 and configured to move the covering elements 17 between the open position and the closed position or to intermediate positions between the two. In possible embodiments, the transmission devices 34 can be chosen in a group comprising at least one of either belts, chains, worm screws or other.

In accordance with the embodiment shown in figs. 2-4, the movement members 33 comprise a belt-type transmission device 34, which can be selectively moved in a closed ring around return elements 35 positioned at the ends of the guide 10. The transmission device 34 is inserted in a closed ring in the seating 30 in a more internal position, that is, in a position closer to the attachment wall 22, with respect to the sliding means 15.

The transmission device 34 defines, between the return elements 35, return segments 34a, 34b. In particular, the return segment 34a lies on a parallel plane and equidistant from the first guide member 11 and from the second guide member 12.

The movement members 33 cooperate with at least one drawing shuttle 36 associated with at least one covering element 17, closer to one end of the guide 10. For example, as shown in fig. 2, a first covering element 17 is firmly attached to the guide 10 by means of a clamping device 37, and a second covering element 17 is associated with the drawing shuttle 36.

The drawing shuttle 36 is attached to the return segment 35a which allows it to slide between the first guide member 11 and the second guide member 12. The drawing shuttle 36 allows the movement of the covering element 17 to which it is connected while the subsequent and consequent movement of the other covering elements 17 can occur by interference and thrust of the drawing shuttle 36 against the sliding means 15 and by the overall inertia of the covering elements 17 already in movement.

The activation of the movement members 33 can be achieved by means of a motor, not shown, advantageously installed on the support structure 23, in correspondence with one end of the guide 10.

In the example provided in fig.l, a covering apparatus 16 is schematically shown provided with a plurality of covering elements 17 mobile along a pair of guides 10. The covering elements 17 can have an oblong development, orthogonal to the sliding axis Z, and are mobile on a pair of guides 10 by means of sliding means 15. The sliding means 15 are associated with the covering elements 17 in correspondence with their opposite terminal ends. The pair of guides 10 is attached to a support structure 23 of the covering apparatus 16, which, in the example provided here, consists of two lateral crosspieces 38 and 39, parallel to each other and to the sliding axis Z. In particular, the guides are attached to the two lateral crosspieces 38 and 39. The lateral crosspieces 38 and 39 are connected to each other by a front longitudinal beam 40 and by a rear longitudinal beam 41 orthogonal to the sliding axis Z. Four vertical uprights 42 are configured to support the support structure 23 at a determinate height from the floor, or from the ground, for example about 3m.

Embodiments of the present invention also concern a method to assemble the guide 10 for one or more covering elements 17 of the covering apparatus 16. The method comprises:

- a first step in which the support means 13 of the first guide member 11 are made integral with the support structure 23;

- a second step in which the sliding means 15 are slidingly positioned on the first guide member 11 so that the sliding means 15 lie on the guide plane P and can slide along the sliding axis Z parallel to the first guide member 11.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the method also comprises:

- a third step in which the positioning means 14 are associated with the support means 13 by attachment means 18, preferably of the removable type, so that the positioning means 14 cooperate slidingly with the sliding means 15 and keep them on the guide plane P.

In this way, initially it is possible to prepare the assembly on the support structure 23 only of the support means 13 of the guide 10, and then selectively position each covering element 17 with respective sliding means 15, in any position whatsoever on the length of the guide 10, substantially preventing any type of obstacle and/or impediment that may occur during the assembly.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the guide for sliding means of a covering apparatus as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to one example, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of guide for sliding means and corresponding assembly, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Guide element (10) for one or more sliding means (15), with which covering elements (17) of a covering apparatus (16) are associated, comprising a first guide member (11) and a second guide member (12) parallel and opposite each other, lying on a same guide plane (P) and configured to guide the sliding of said sliding means (15), characterized in that it also comprises support means (13) configured to support said first guide member (11), and positioning means (14), distinct and separate from said support means (13), configured to cooperate with said sliding means (15) so that the latter are slidingly maintained on said guide plane (P), wherein said positioning means (14) are associated with said support means (13) by attachment means (18) of the removable type.

2. Guide element (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that said support means (13) comprise a support wall (19) and said positioning means (14) comprise at least a first coupling wall (20), which is attached resting on said support wall (19).

3. Guide element for sliding means as in claim 2, characterized in that said support means (13) also comprise an abutment wall (26) connected to said support wall (19), and said positioning means (14) comprise a second coupling wall (27) connected to said first coupling wall (20), wherein said second coupling wall (27) is positioned, during use, against said abutment wall (26), said abutment wall (26) being configured to guarantee a correct positioning of said positioning means (14) with respect to said support means (13) in a direction orthogonal to said guide plane (P).

4. Guide element for sliding means as in claim 2 or 3, characterized In that said support wall (19) is shaped so as to have a first portion (19a) and a second portion (19b), lowered stepwise with respect to said first portion (19a), so as to guarantee a correct positioning of said positioning means (14) with respect to said support means (13) in a direction parallel to said guide plane (P).

5. Guide element for sliding means as in claim 4, characterized in that said second portion (19b) and said abutment wall (26) are provided with recesses (28) suitable to house respective shaped edges (29) provided respectively on said first coupling wall (20) and on said second coupling wall (27) for the precise and stable positioning of said positioning means (14) with respect to said support means (13).

6. Guide element for sliding means as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said first guide member (11) is made in a single body with said support means (13).

7. Guide element for sliding means as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said second guide member (12) is made in a single body with said positioning means (14).

8. Guide element for sliding means as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said support means (13) and said positioning means (14) are obtained separately and are defined by section bars obtained with a drawing method of a metal material.

9. Covering apparatus (16) comprising one or more covering elements (17), preferably oblong, having respective terminal ends associated with sliding means (15) and a pair of guide elements (10) as in any claim hereinbefore.

10. Method to assemble a guide element (10) for one or more sliding means

(15), with which covering elements (17) of a covering apparatus (16) having a support structure (23) are associated, wherein said guide element (10) comprises a first guide member (11) and a second guide member (12) parallel and opposite each other, lying on the same guide plane (P) and configured to guide the sliding of said sliding means (15), wherein said assembly method comprises:

- a first step in which support means (13) of said first guide member (11) are made integral with said support structure (23);

- a second step in which said sliding means (15) are slidingly positioned on said first guide member (11) so that said sliding means (15) lie on said guide plane (P) and can slide along a sliding axis (Z) parallel to said first guide member (11), characterized in that it also comprises

- a third step in which positioning means (14) are associated with said support means (13) by attachment means (18), preferably the removable type, so that said positioning means (14) cooperate slidingly with said sliding means (15) and keep them on said guide plane (P).