JP7798617B2 - awning - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Takano Co., Ltd. disclosed the invented awning (product name: portable awning "Cassiopeia") on the date and place below. 1. On January 25, 2022, it was disclosed on the Takano Co., Ltd. website, which is published at the address https://www.takano-net.co.jp/exterior/information_exhibit/detail/?dbid=1060. 2. On January 25, 2022, it was disclosed on the website of "AtPress" (@Press), a press release/news release distribution service operated by Socialwire Co., Ltd. and with which Takano Co., Ltd. has a contract, which is published at the address https://www.atpress.new.jp/news/294997. 3. On February 15, 2022, it was unveiled at the 50th International Hotel and Restaurant Show, with a live exhibit and brochures distributed.

The present invention relates to an awning that provides shade and protection from rain.

For example, awnings are known that are installed on terraces and gardens in commercial facilities such as restaurants and hotels, as well as in homes, to provide shade and protection from the rain (see Patent Document 1: JP 2006-043430 A).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-043430

The conventional awning exemplified in Patent Document 1 allows the canvas to be deployed on both the left and right sides when viewed from the front, enabling a wider range of sun and rain protection. However, it was configured with two rollers: one for winding up the left canvas and one for winding up the right canvas. Furthermore, two operating units for respectively deploying and retracting the left and right canvases, and two guide rails for guiding each operating unit so that it can move up and down, were provided on both ends of the rollers in the axial direction. As such, there were issues with the large number of parts, the device structure was complex, and costs increased. There was also the issue of it appearing untidy.

In response to the above issues, the inventors of the present application considered adopting a configuration in which the left and right canvases are wound around a single roller, rather than separate rollers. While this configuration makes it possible to reduce the number of parts, it creates a new issue in that the height positions (unwinding positions) of the left and right canvases, which are unwound in opposite directions from a single roller, are different, giving the appearance a different, more disorganized impression than before.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an awning that reduces the number of parts, simplifies the device structure, reduces costs, and gives an impression of order.

The present invention solves the above problems through the solutions described below.

The awning of the present invention is an awning in which a sheet-like canvas is unfolded to provide sun and rain protection, and comprises: a first canvas unfolded on the left side when viewed from the front ; and a second canvas unfolded on the right side as the canvases; a winding roller which overlaps and winds up and unwinds the first canvas and the second canvas; and a first roller which extends parallel to the central axis of the winding roller and is rotatably arranged on the left side when viewed from the front, around which the first canvas is hung, and a second roller which is rotatably arranged on the right side, around which the second canvas is hung; the front is the surface viewed from a direction parallel to the central axis of the winding roller, and the first roller and the second roller are arranged so that their respective upper surfaces are at the same height.
It is characterized by:

This allows the canvas to be unrolled on both the left and right sides using a single winding roller, simplifying the device structure. Furthermore, the height positions of the left and right canvases, which are unrolled in opposite directions from a single winding roller, can be aligned, giving a neat and tidy impression and creating a sense of luxury.

The winding roller further comprises a first frame to which the leading end of the first canvas is fixed, a first arm having one end connected to the first frame and configured to unfold and store the first canvas by reciprocating the first frame, a second frame to which the leading end of the second canvas is fixed, and a second arm having one end connected to the second frame and configured to unfold and store the second canvas by reciprocating the second frame, and the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm are rotatably connected to an operating unit that simultaneously operates the first arm and the second arm, and a guide rail that guides the operating unit so that it can move up and down, and the operating unit is disposed at both ends of the winding roller in the axial direction, or at either end , and a biasing member that constantly biases the first canvas and the second canvas against the winding roller in the winding direction. and the operating unit is provided with a stopper for fixing it at a predetermined position against the biasing force of the biasing member, and by moving the operating unit from below upward, the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm connected to the operating unit rise, and the first frame connected to one end of the first arm and the second frame connected to one end of the second arm move in a direction away from the winding roller, thereby unfolding the first canvas and the second canvas, and by moving the operating unit from above downward, the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm connected to the operating unit descend, and the first frame connected to one end of the first arm and the second frame connected to one end of the second arm move in a direction approaching the winding roller, thereby storing the first canvas and the second canvas . This allows the operating unit that performs the unfolding and storing operations of the left and right canvases, respectively, and the guide rail that guides the operating unit so that it can move up and down, to be configured as one unit on each side of the axial direction of the winding roller, thereby reducing the number of parts, simplifying the device structure and reducing costs.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the operating unit include a left guide roller and a right guide roller, both of which have central axes parallel to the central axis of the winding roller and rotatably abut against the left side and right side of the guide rail, respectively, and a central guide roller, both of which have central axes perpendicular to the central axis of the winding roller and rotatably abut against the front or rear side of the guide rail. With this configuration, when an operator moves the operating unit up or down, the force applied by the operator to the operating unit increases sliding resistance, which can be reduced by the central guide roller, allowing for smooth vertical movement of the operating unit. Furthermore, when an operator moves the operating unit up or down, the load applied to the operating unit from the other end of the first arm increases sliding resistance, which can be reduced by the left guide roller, allowing for smooth vertical movement of the operating unit. Similarly, the load applied to the operating unit from the other end of the second arm increases sliding resistance, which can be reduced by the right guide roller, allowing for smooth vertical movement of the operating unit.

It is also preferable to further provide support legs at the bottom that can be extended and retracted by sliding to both the left and right sides when viewed from the front . This allows the support legs to be retracted when moving, making it easy to move. On the other hand, the support legs can be extended when setting up, preventing the canvas from tipping over when exposed to wind and ensuring stable installation. Furthermore, the sliding extension structure gives an impression of orderliness and creates a sense of luxury.

The present invention makes it possible to reduce the number of parts, simplify the device structure, and reduce costs, while also creating an awning that gives a neat and tidy impression and exudes a sense of luxury.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of an awning according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the example of the awning of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of part A in FIG. 1 . 2A and 2B are a front view and a plan view of part B in FIG. 1 .

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view (schematic diagram) showing an example of an awning 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 1(a) showing the canvases 14A and 14B in an unfolded (unrolled) state, and Fig. 1(b) showing the canvases 14A and 14B in a stowed (rolled) state. Fig. 2 is a front view (schematic diagram) of the awning 1, with Fig. 2(a) showing the canvases 14A and 14B in an unfolded state and the support legs 40A and 40B in an unfolded state, and Fig. 2(b) showing the canvases 14A and 14B in a stowed state and the support legs 40A and 40B in a stowed state. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view (schematic diagram) of part A in Fig. 1. Fig. 4(a) is a front view (schematic diagram) of part B in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4(b) is a plan view (schematic diagram) thereof. For ease of explanation, arrows in the figures indicate the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions of the awning 1. Furthermore, throughout all the figures used to explain each embodiment, components with the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations may be omitted. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, general structural materials (metal, resin, wood, etc.) are used as structural materials for the device.

This awning 1 is a device that has a sheet-like canvas (made of cloth, resin, etc.) that can be deployed and stored, and provides shade and protection from the rain when the canvas is deployed. It is used, for example, on terraces and gardens in commercial facilities such as restaurants and hotels, as well as in homes.

As an example configuration, the awning 1 is configured with two posts 10A, 10B erected at the front and rear, and a winding roller 12 rotatably mounted on the top of the two posts 10A, 10B (specifically, the support portions 11A, 11B provided at the top). Note that decorative panels 13A, 13B may be attached to the posts 10A, 10B as shown in Figure 1, or decorative panels may not be attached to the posts 10A, 10B as shown in Figure 2.

The canvases provided include a first canvas 14A that is deployed on the left side when viewed from the front, and a second canvas 14B that is deployed on the right side. As shown in Figure 3, the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B are configured to be wound up and unwound by a single winding roller 12 with their surfaces facing each other. The winding roller 12 is equipped with a biasing member (for example, a spiral spring) (not shown) that constantly biases (i.e., applies rotational force) the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B in the winding direction.

Conventional awnings are configured with two winding rollers: one for winding and unwinding the left-side canvas, and another for winding and unwinding the right-side canvas. This results in a large number of parts and a complex device structure. The inventors of the present application have addressed this issue by configuring the first left-side canvas 14A and the second right-side canvas 14B to be wound and unwound on a single winding roller 12, rather than on separate winding rollers. As a result, this configuration does indeed reduce the number of parts and simplify the structure. However, the height positions of the first left-side canvas 14A and the second right-side canvas 14B, which are unwound in opposite directions from the single winding roller 12, are different; more specifically, their unwinding positions (positions away from the winding roller 12) are different, resulting in a new issue: the appearance is unbalanced and untidy.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a first roller 16A is rotatably arranged to the left of the center axis of the winding roller 12 when viewed from the front, around which the first canvas 14A is wound, and a second roller 16B is rotatably arranged to the right of the center axis of the winding roller 12, around which the second canvas 14B is wound. Here, the first roller 16A and the second roller 16B are arranged so that their respective upper surfaces (i.e., their uppermost positions) are at the same height.

With this configuration, the first canvas 14A on the left side and the second canvas 14B on the right side can be unrolled (unrolled) and stored (rolled up) using a single winding roller 12. Furthermore, the height positions (unrolling positions) of the first canvas 14A on the left side and the second canvas 14B on the right side, which are unrolled in opposite directions from a single winding roller 12, can be aligned. This simplifies the device structure while creating a neat and tidy impression and fostering a sense of luxury.

Next, the awning 1 according to this embodiment is configured to include a first frame 20A to which the tip 14a of the first canvas 14A is fixed, and a first arm 22A, one end 22a of which is connected to the first frame 20A and which deploys and retracts the first canvas 14A by reciprocating the first frame 20A (moving the one end 22a toward and away from the winding roller 12). The first arm 22A has its middle portion rotatably suspended and supported by a first hanging arm 24A, which is rotatably connected to the supports 10A and 10B. Similarly, the awning 1 is configured to include a second frame 20B to which the tip 14b of the second canvas 14B is fixed, and a second arm 22B, one end 22c of which is connected to the second frame 20B and which deploys and retracts the second canvas 14B by reciprocating the second frame 20B (moving the one end 22c toward and away from the winding roller 12). The second arm 22B is supported at its middle portion by a second suspension arm 24B that is rotatably connected to the supports 10A and 10B. In this embodiment, the first arm 22A, first suspension arm 24A, second arm 22B, and second suspension arm 24B are provided on both ends of the winding roller 12 in the axial direction, respectively.

Furthermore, the other end 22b of the first arm 22A is rotatably connected, and the other end 22d of the second arm 22B is rotatably connected, thereby providing one operating unit 30 that simultaneously operates the first arm 22A and the second arm 22B, and one guide rail 32 that guides the operating unit 30 for vertical movement. In this embodiment, guide rails 32 are fixed to both axial ends of the winding roller 12, specifically to each of support columns 10A and 10B, and the operating unit 30 is attached so as to be able to move up and down (slide in the up and down direction) relative to each guide rail 32. As a variant, a guide rail 32 and operating unit 30 may be provided only on one axial end of the winding roller 12 (i.e., only on either support column 10A or support column 10B) (not shown).

With this configuration, one guide rail 32 and one operating unit 30 are provided per support (10A or 10B), allowing both the first arm 22A and the second arm 22B to be operated, i.e., both the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B to be deployed and retracted. This simplifies the device structure and reduces costs by reducing the number of parts compared to conventional configurations.

As shown in FIG. 4(b), the operating unit 30 according to this embodiment includes a left guide roller 34 and a right guide roller 36, both of which have central axes parallel to the central axis of the winding roller 12 and rotatably contact the left side surface of the guide rail 32 (specifically, the outer surface of the member constituting the left side surface) and the right side surface of the guide rail 32 (specifically, the outer surface of the member constituting the right side surface). The operating unit 30 also includes a central guide roller 38, whose central axis is perpendicular to the central axis of the winding roller 12 (more precisely, parallel to the perpendicular direction), and which rotatably contacts at least one of the front surface (specifically, the inner surface of the member constituting the front surface) and rear surface (specifically, the inner surface of the member constituting the rear surface) of the guide rail 32. The operating unit 30 is equipped with a handle 31 for the operator to grasp and operate, and a stopper 33 for fixing the operating unit 30 in a predetermined position (deployed position, retracted position).

This configuration allows the operating unit 30 to move up and down smoothly with little force. If the operating unit 30 and the guide rail 32 were simply designed to slide (contact each other), the load (rightward component) applied to the operating unit 30 from the other end 22b of the first arm 22A would increase sliding resistance when the operating unit 30 moves up and down. However, the configuration including the left guide roller 34 reduces this sliding resistance. Similarly, the load (leftward component) applied to the operating unit 30 from the other end 22d of the second arm 22B would increase sliding resistance when the operating unit 30 moves up and down. However, the configuration including the right guide roller 36 reduces this sliding resistance. Furthermore, the force (front-to-back component) applied by the operator to the operating unit 30 when the operating unit 30 moves up and down would increase sliding resistance, but the configuration including the center guide roller 38 reduces this sliding resistance.

The operator operates the operating unit 30 to unfold or retract the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B as follows. Specifically, when the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B are changed from a retracted state (see Figures 1(b) and 2(b)) to an unfolded state (see Figures 1(a) and 2(a)), the operator grasps the handle 31 of the operating unit 30 and moves from bottom to top. This causes the other end 22b of the first arm 22A and the other end 22d of the second arm 22B, both connected to the operating unit 30, to rise. At this time, the link mechanism including the first suspension arm 24A causes the first frame 20A, connected to one end 22a of the first arm 22A, to move away from the winding roller 12, unfolding the first canvas 14A. At the same time, the action of the link mechanism including the second hanging arm 24B causes the second frame 20B connected to one end 22c of the second arm 22B to move in a direction away from the winding roller 12, unfolding the second canvas 14B.

On the other hand, when the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B are changed from an unfolded state (see Figures 1(a) and 2(a)) to a stowed state (see Figures 1(b) and 2(b)), the operator grasps the handle 31 of the operating unit 30 and moves from top to bottom. This causes the other end 22b of the first arm 22A and the other end 22d of the second arm 22B, which are connected to the operating unit 30, to descend. At this time, the link mechanism including the first hanging arm 24A causes the first frame 20A connected to one end 22a of the first arm 22A to move toward the winding roller 12, thereby storing the first canvas 14A. At the same time, the link mechanism including the second hanging arm 24B causes the second frame 20B connected to one end 22c of the second arm 22B to move toward the winding roller 12, thereby storing the second canvas 14B. As mentioned above, the winding roller 12 is equipped with a biasing member that constantly biases the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B in the winding direction, so the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B can be stored without sagging and the force required to operate the operating unit 30 can be reduced.

Next, the awning 1 according to this embodiment is configured with support legs 40A and 40B at the lower end (specifically, the lower end of the posts 10A and 10B) that can be extended and retracted by sliding to both the left and right sides when viewed from the front.

With this configuration, the support legs 40A, 40B can be retracted when moving, making it easy to move. Meanwhile, the support legs 40A, 40B can be extended when setting up, preventing the first canvas 14A and the second canvas 14B from tipping over when exposed to wind, ensuring stable installation. Furthermore, the sliding telescopic structure gives a neat impression and fosters a sense of luxury. As a variant, instead of a mobile configuration with support legs 40A, 40B, a non-mobile (fixed) configuration can be used in which the lower ends of the posts 10A, 10B are buried directly in the ground (not shown).

As explained above, the present invention makes it possible to reduce the number of parts, simplify the device structure, and reduce costs, while also creating an awning that gives a neat impression and exudes a sense of luxury.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 Awning 12 Winding roller 14A First canvas 14B Second canvas 16A First roller 16B Second roller 20A First frame 20B Second frame 22A First arm 22B Second arm 30 Operating unit 32 Guide rail 34 Left guide roller 36 Right guide roller 38 Central guide roller

Claims (4)

An awning in which a sheet-like canvas is unfolded to provide shade and protection from the rain,
The canvases include a first canvas deployed on the left side when viewed from the front and a second canvas deployed on the right side;
a winding roller for winding and unwinding the first canvas and the second canvas in a stacked manner;
The winding roller includes a first roller extending in a direction parallel to the central axis thereof, and rotatably disposed on the left side when viewed from the front, around which the first canvas is wound, and a second roller rotatably disposed on the right side, around which the second canvas is wound,
the front surface is a surface seen from a direction parallel to the central axis of the winding roller,
The awning is characterized in that the first roller and the second roller are arranged so that their upper surfaces are at the same height. a first frame to which the leading end of the first canvas is fixed;
a first arm having one end connected to the first frame and configured to reciprocate the first frame to unfold and retract the first canvas;
a second frame to which the leading end of the second canvas is fixed;
a second arm having one end connected to the second frame and configured to reciprocate the second frame to unfold and retract the second canvas;
an operating unit to which the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm are rotatably connected and which simultaneously operates the first arm and the second arm, and a guide rail to guide the operating unit so that it can move up and down are disposed at both ends of the winding roller in the axial direction, or at either one end thereof ;
The winding roller is provided with a biasing member that constantly biases the first canvas and the second canvas in the winding direction, and the operating part is provided with a stopper that fixes the canvas at a predetermined position against the biasing force of the biasing member,
By moving the operating unit from below to above, the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm connected to the operating unit rise, and the first frame connected to one end of the first arm and the second frame connected to one end of the second arm move in a direction away from the winding roller, thereby unfolding the first canvas and the second canvas,
By moving the operating unit from above to below, the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm connected to the operating unit are lowered, and the first frame connected to one end of the first arm and the second frame connected to one end of the second arm are moved in a direction approaching the winding roller, whereby the first canvas and the second canvas are stored.
The awning according to claim 1, characterized in that The awning according to claim 2, characterized in that the operating unit includes a left guide roller and a right guide roller, both of which have central axes parallel to the central axis of the winding roller and rotatably abut against the left side surface of the guide rail, and a right guide roller, both of which have central axes perpendicular to the central axis of the winding roller and rotatably abut against the front or rear surface of the guide rail. The awning according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising support legs at the lower end that extend and contract by sliding to both the left and right sides when viewed from the front .