Foldaway railed balcony, particularly for boats

• US 8,365,472 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opacmare S.R.L.
• Original Assignee: Opacmare S.R.L.
• Inventors: Grimaldi, Michele
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ihezie, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/966,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 52/69, 52/73, 52/796, 114/362, 114/364
• US Class Current: 52/69
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/04 Stanchions; Guard-rails ; Bulwarks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2017/045 Bulwarks, or the like

Abstract

A foldaway balcony comprises a platform structure tiltably mounted on a wall and a rail structure mounted to the platform structure. The platform structure comprises a box-like support structure and a planar floor structure which are tiltable relative to the wall separately from each other. The rail structure comprises a plurality of rail elements, which are hinged at the edge of the support structure of the platform structure, and are tiltable between a stored position, in which they lay within the support structure, and a deployed position, in which they stand relative to the support structure. When the platform structure moves from the closed position to the open position, first the support structure is tilted, then the rail elements move from the stored position to the deployed position, and finally the floor structure is tilted.

Claims

1. A foldaway balcony, comprising a platform structure tiltably mounted on a wall, said platform structure being able to assume a closed position in which it is disposed substantially aligned with the wall, and an open position in which it is disposed cantilevered from the wall, and further comprising a railing structure mounted on the platform structure, wherein

said platform structure includes a substantially box-shaped support structure and a planar floor structure which are tiltable separately from one another relative to the wall;

and

said railing structure includes a plurality of railing elements, said railing elements being hinged at an edge of said support structure of the platform structure, and being tiltable between a stored position in which they lie inside the support structure, and a deployed position in which they stand up relative to the support structure;

wherein in said closed position the railing elements are interposed between the support structure and the floor structure, and

wherein when the platform structure switches from the closed position to the open position, the support structure is tilted at first, then the railing elements switch from the stored position to the deployed position, and at last the floor structure is tilted.

2. A balcony according to claim 1, in which a tilt axes of the support structure and of the floor structure are substantially parallel to said wall.

3. A balcony according to claim 1, in which the railing elements feature a telescopic structure, in such a way as to be extendable to a predetermined height when they are in the deployed position.

4. A balcony according to claim 1, in which said railing elements are respectively associated with sides of the edge of the balcony, and in which a tilt axis of each railing element is substantially parallel to the side of the balcony with which it is associated.

5. A balcony according to claim 4, in which each railing element is constituted by a frame of tubular elements, and comprises essentially at least two uprights or stanchions hinged to the edge of the support structure and a handrail extending between said uprights.