SUN AND WIND SHIELD

The present invention relates to a sun and wind shield, particularly for use on balconies, terraces and like areas, comprising a flexible canvas material or corresponding fabric material and cross-struts which are joined to the canvas material and which can be moved along posts for regulating or adjusting the surface area covered by the canvas material.

Conventional wind shields for balconies and like areas typically consist of a length of awning canvas that is mounted in a predetermined position with the aid of posts and possibly also cross-struts. The position of the shield and/or its size can not be easily adjusted in accordance with requirements.

CH-A5-660900 describes a sun and rain shield for balconies. This shield includes an awning canvas or some like material that can be drawn out to provide a roof and a wall in front of the balcony to the extent desired. The canvas is guided in side rails and has essentially the same function as conventional awnings, i.e. is able to cover a desired part of the area above and in front of a place to be shielded, but provides a continuous surface between the roll and the front edge of the shield surface.

Balcony-mounted sun and wind shields are intended to protect against strong sunlight and/or wind while maintaining a clear external view to the greatest possible extent. Thus, the screen shall not cover a wider area than the situation actually requires. The screen shall also be easily mounted and easily removed as soon as no protection is required. Furthermore, it shall be possible to vary the area covered by the shield with respect to size and position, so as to provide the best possible protection while maintaining the best possible view. This shall be possible to achieve with a few simple hand manoeuvres that, for instance, will enable the surface area of the shield to be reduced and/or moved without requiring any part of the shield to be dismantled.

The invention is based on the understanding that this can be achieved with the aid of canvas material that is divided into lengths and with the aid of a construction that will enable a desired number of canvas lengths to be used in dependence on the prevailing situation, wherein said lengths can be placed in any desired position.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, a sun and wind shield of the kind defined in the first paragraph is mainly character¬ ized in that the canvas material is divided into a number of lengths, in that each length is delimited by an upper and a lower transverse strut, and that each strut can be individually locked in desired positions along the posts.

The size of the area covered by the shield can be adjusted with some few simple hand manoeuvres and the protective surface can be moved to desired positions along the posts so as to provide an optimal shielding effect with each situation.

The posts are preferably comprised of tubes or profiled bars, and the cross-struts are connected to the posts by means of slide fittings that can be moved along the posts. The cross- struts are also preferably connected to the posts with the aid of similar slide fittings.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the size and position of the protective surface can be adjusted with the aid of ropes or like lines of which a first rope is connected to the lowe.r cross-strut of the lowermost length of canvas, and of which a second rope is connected to the upper cross-strut of the uppermost length of canvas.

Other significant and characteristic features of the invention will be evident from the accompanying Claims. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates an inventive wind shield extended to its maximum.

Fig. 2 illustrates the principle construction of the wind shield shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates a slide fitting used with the wind shield shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the wind shield shown in Fig. 1 with a reduced protective surface area, wherein Fig. 4 illustrates an intermediate position; Fig. 5 illustrates an upper position; and Fig. 6 illustrates a lower position.

Fig. 7 illustrates a further development of an inventive wind shield.

Fig. 8 illustrates a pivotal arm used in the construction shown in Fig. 7.

The wind shield shown in Fig. 1 is, for instance, mounted on a balcony balustrade 1 with the aid of mounting devices 2 and 3 respectively. It may, however, equally as well be mounted between floor and roof of a balcony, or mounted on posts fixed to the ground or some other underlying support surface.

The illustrated shield includes two tubular posts 4, 5 which are fitted to the balcony balustrade 1 by means of said fastener devices 2, 3. The construction also includes slide fittings 6 that can slide along the posts 4, 5 and that include post-receiving through-penetrating openings 18, see Figs. 2 and 3. The slide fittings 6 also include transverse openings or recesses 19 for receiving cross-struts 7 that extend through parallel channels in an awning canvas or cloth 8 that functions to shield against the sun and wind. The cross-struts 7 can thus be moved laterally in relation to the slide fitting 6 and associated posts 4, 5, which enables the posts to be mounted at a mutual distance apart that can be adjusted to suit the prevailing requirement. The slide fitting 6 also include locking screws 20 which coact with respective posts 4, 5 to lock each slide fitting in a desired position relative to respective posts.

There are used in the illustrated embodiment four cross-struts 7 which divide the awning canvas 8 into three lengths or sections 9. The number of canvas lengths used and their respective sizes may, however, be varied as required, and in the case of a typical balcony it may be convenient to use four canvas lengths to provide full coverage between the balcony roof 'and the balcony balustrade.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the wind shield is adjusted with the aid of two lines 10, 11 and associated winches 12, 13. The line 10 that extends from the winch 12 is divided into two parts whose ends are attached to the two slide fittings connected to the lowermost cross-strut 7 of the lowermost canvas length 9. The line 11 that extends from the winch 13 is also divided into two parts which are attached to respective slide fittings 6 connected to the upper cross-strut

7 of the uppermost canvas length. Division of the two lines into two parts avoids so-called skewing of cross-struts. The lines extend through respective openings 21 and 22 in the slide fittings 6; see Fig. 3.

The canvas material can be stretched between the uppermost and the lowermost cross-strut 7 with the aid of the winches 12 and 13, and if the canvas material does not cover the full height of the posts 4 and 5, the position of the stretched canvas 8 can also be adjusted in its vertical extension. At least the slide fittings 6 connected to the upper and the lower cross- struts 7 are then locked to respective posts 4, 5. Intermediate slide fittings are also suitably locked to the posts, so as to effectively stretch and tighten the canvas material 8 and therewith prevent it fluttering in the wind.

Fig. 2 illustrates the construction of certain parts of the wind shield shown in Fig. 1 in more detail. For the sake of simplicity, the posts 4, 5 are represented simply by chain lines. The winches 12 and 13 are fitted on mounting devices 3, which also include through-penetrating openings 14 for receiving the posts 4 and 5 and firmly fitting the posts to a balcony balustrade. The winches include knob-like locking devices 15 by means of which the drums of respective winches can be locked in desired positions relative to the mounting devices 3. The rear side-surfaces of the winch drums may also be provided with diagonal grooves 16 that coact with edge- shaped projections 18 on the devices 3, such as to obtain positive locking of the drums.

Fig. 4 illustrates the wind shield shown in Fig. 1 with a reduced surface area. This has been achieved by moving the two center ost slide fittings 6 towards one another and locking said fittings in relation to the posts 4, 5, therewith folding or gathering together the intermediate canvas length 9. The canvas in the two other canvas lengths is then stretched with the aid of the winches 12 and 13, whereafter the upper and the lower slide fittings are also locked to the posts.

This results in a smaller wind shield, although the shield nevertheless consists of stretched canvas material. It will be evident that the position of this smaller wind shield can be varied vertically as desired.

Fig. 5 illustrates the shield in a further reduced state, in which only one canvas length 9 is used. The remaining canvas lengths have been folded together. This shield mode may be used, for instance, when requiring solely sunlight protection. A corresponding shield, or decorative "pelmet" can also be obtained by using a separate, upper canvas length in combina¬ tion with remaining canvas lengths, which therewith form a wind screen or privacy screen at a lower level, with a free space therebetween.

Similar to Fig. 5, Fig. 6 illustrates a reduced screen in which only one canvas length 9 is used. In this application, remaining canvas lengths 9 have been folded together inwardly of the upper edge part of the balcony balustrade 1. This may be suitable, for instance, when desiring a better wind screen or privacy screen than is afforded solely by the balustrade.

It will be evident from Figs. 4-6 that the inventive screen construction enables the surface area of the screen and its position along the posts to be readily varied. This can be achieved while maintaining a desired tension in the canvas material. When no additional protection is required, the entire screen canvas can be folded inwardly of the upper edge-part of the balcony balustrade 1 or gathered in a vicinity immediately beneath the balcony roof.

Fig. 7 illustrates a further development of an inventive shield. This shield may consist of any desired number of canvas lengths in accordance with the previous Figures, and one or more canvas lengths 23 that are separate from the remaining canvas lengths. The lower cross-strut 7 of respective separate canvas lengths 23 is not fixed directly to slide fittings 6 that are movable along the posts 4, 5, but are carried by pivotal arms 24 that are movable along said slide fittings, see also Fig. 8. The pivotal arms are conveniently attached to slide fittings 6 that are movable along the posts. It will be seen that the upper canvas length 23 in Fig. 7 can be extended and collapsed respectively by appropriate adjustment of the mutual spacing between the slide fittings shown in Fig. 8. This upper canvas length 23 can therewith be used as a sunshade that affords free sight between the upper canvas length and the nearest underlying canvas length 9. Naturally, more canvas lengths can be provided with pivotal arms of this kind if so desired, therewith obtaining a screen whose function is at least partly similar to a Venetian blind function. 5

Although the cross-struts 7 in the earlier described embodi¬ ments have the form of straight bars, it will be understood that the struts may optionally be curved to provide protection on several sides of a balcony, for instance. In this case, 10 there will suitably be used at least three posts so that the struts will be guided at the corners.

Similarly, the posts may be curved at their tops so as to form a roof over the balcony for instance, instead of being straight 15. tubes as in the case of the illustrated posts 4, 5. A roof of this construction can be opened to allow in more sunlight when so desired, and closed completely or partially when desiring shade or protection from rain.

20 The aforedescribed embodiments of the invention can be varied and modified in several other respects. For instance, the canvas lengths 9 may be comprised of material other than canvass, although the material used must be flexible. Other conceivable materials are plastic, bast, bamboo or other

25 lamella material, and also wind-shielding net. The inventive shield may also be used in greenhouses to provide desired shading with the aid of greenhouse foil.

The posts need not be comprised of tubing, but may alterna- 30 tively have the form of profiled bars, in which case the slide fittings are provided with parts that are guided by the bars. The slide fittings may also be locked to the posts in other known ways. Naturally, the canvas lengths may be moved and stretched manually for adjustment and securing of the shield 5 in any desired position, in addition to the illustrated line system. Instead of attaching both parts of one line to the lowermost slide fittings, said parts may be connected to the next lowermost fittings, wherewith the lowermost canvas length may form a decorative "pelmet" when the shield is hoisted. Alternatively, all canvas lengths may be line-controlled so as to provide the greatest possible flexibility.