Retractable awning for slide-out unit on mobile home, recreational vehicle or the like

• US 5,171,056 A
• Filed: 12/19/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1991
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Carefree/Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Carefree/Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Murray, Brent W., Faludy, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US07/810,220
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 296/163, 296/165, 296/171, 296/175, 296/172, 296/176, 296/26, 160/65, 160/67, 160/72, 160/81, 52/67, 135/89
• US Class Current: 296/163
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/343 Hoods for caravans
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/0614 whereby the pivot axis of the articulation is parallel to the roller
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/0625 whereby the roller is installed on the articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/067 acting as intermediate support of the flexible canopy

Abstract

A retractable awning for use on mobile homes, recreational vehicles or the like having slide-out units as a part thereof includes an awning sheet that is secured along an inner edge to the side of the mobile home with the opposite edge being secured to a torsionally biased roll bar rotatably disposed on the outer ends of support arms pivotally mounted to the outer face of the slide-out unit. A flexible tie-down strap secures the awning in an extended position with the support arms projecting substantially horizontally away from the outer wall, and upon release of the tie-down strap, the awning automatically retracts to a position immediately adjacent to the outer wall of the slide-out unit. The awning sheet always overlies the top wall of the slide-out unit when the slide-out unit is extended and regardless of whether or not the awning is extended or retracted.

Claims

1. A retractable awning for a mobile home or the like wherein said home has a side wall with an opening therein and a horizontally movable slide-out unit disposed in said opening, the slide-out unit having a vertical outer wall substantially parallel to said side wall, a pair of vertical end walls substantially perpendicular to said outer wall, a horizontal bottom wall, and a horizontal top wall substantially perpendicular to said outer and end walls, said slide-out unit being selectively movable between a retracted position wherein said outer wall is substantially coplanar with said side wall and an extended position wherein said outer wall is displaced from said side wall in substantially parallel relationship therewith, said retractable awning being movable between extended and retracted positions and having an awning sheet with inner and outer edges, said inner edge being anchored to said side wall at a location above said opening and said outer edge being secured to a roll bar about which said awning sheet is rolled when the awning is retracted, a pair of support arms having an inner end pivotally mounted on said outer wall and an outer end pivotally supporting an end of said roll bar, and tie down means secured to said roll bar and being releasably securable to said outer wall to retain the awning in an extended condition.

2. The retractable awning of claim 1 wherein said roll bar is torsionally biased toward a retracted position of the awning.

3. The retractable awning of claim 1 wherein said tie down means includes a flexible strap.

4. The retractable awning of claim 2 wherein said tie down means includes a flexible strap.

5. The retractable awning of claim 4 wherein said flexible strap is secured to the roll bar so as to be rollable about said roll bar with said awning sheet when the awning is moved from an extended to a retracted condition.

6. The retractable awning of claim 5 further including anchor means mounted on said outer wall beneath the mounting of said support arms to the outer wall, said flexible strap being adapted to be releasably connected to said anchor means.

7. The retractable awning of claim 2 wherein said support arms include spacer means thereon which are engageable with said outer wall when the support arms are extended substantially vertically upwardly from their mounting so as to maintain a spacing between said roll bar and the outer wall.

8. A retractable awning for a mobile home or the like wherein said home has a side wall with an opening therein and a horizontally movable slide-out unit disposed in said opening, the slide-out unit having a vertical outer wall substantially parallel to said side wall, a pair of vertical end walls substantially perpendicular to said outer wall, a horizontal bottom wall, and a horizontal top wall substantially perpendicular to said outer and end walls, said slide-out unit being selectively movable between a retracted position wherein said outer wall is substantially coplanar with said side wall and an extended position wherein said outer wall is displaced from said side wall in substantially parallel relationship therewith, said retractable awning being movable between extended and retracted positions and having a rectangular awning sheet with inner and outer edges, first anchor means mounted on said side wall above said opening for securing said inner edge of the awning sheet to the side wall, a roll bar having means thereon for securing the outer edge of said awning sheet thereto, said roll bar including torsion spring means biasing said roll bar toward the retracted position of the awning, a pair of support arms having inner and outer ends, bracket means mounted on said outer wall pivotally supporting the inner ends of said support arms, the outer ends of said support arms rotatably supporting the ends of said roll bar, said support arms being pivotally movable between a retracted position wherein the arms extend substantially vertically upwardly from their mounting and an extended position wherein they extend substantially horizontally from their mounting, said arms including spacer means thereon to retain a spacing between said outer wall and the roll bar when the support arms are in the retracted position, a flexible tie down strap having one end anchored to the roll bar and an opposite free end, and second anchor means mounted on said outer wall beneath said support arms and adapted to be releasably connected to said free end of the tie strap.

9. The retractable awning of claim 8 wherein said outer wall has an upper edge and wherein said awning sheet engages said upper edge when the slide-out unit and the retractable awning are extended.