Self-powered motorized window awning

Abstract

A self-powered awning having a drive assembly with a motor at least partially inserted into an awning roll-up tube for deploying/retracting the awning. The awning uses a rechargeable battery and/or one or more solar panels to charge the rechargeable battery and/or power the awning. Accordingly, the awning can be installed onto a building or vehicle wall without requiring the awning to be wired to the building or vehicle electrical system. The drive assembly and power system can also be retrofitted to existing awnings.

1 . An awning for mounting on a wall, said awning comprising: 
 a roll-up tube;    a drive assembly at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube for deploying and retracting said awning; and    a solar panel for generating electrical power for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The awning of  claim 1 , further comprising a rechargeable battery for storing said electrical power and for powering said drive assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The awning of  claim 1 , wherein said solar panel is fixedly mounted on the wall.  
   
   
       4 . The awning of  claim 1  for installing on a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       5 . An awning comprising: 
 a roll-up tube;    a canopy attached to said roll-up tube;    a drive assembly for deploying or retracting said awning;    a solar panel fixedly mounted on a wall for generating electrical power for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       6 . The awning of  claim 5 , wherein said motorized drive assembly is at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube.  
   
   
       7 . The awning of  claim 5 , further comprising a rechargeable battery for storing said electrical power for powering said drive assembly.  
   
   
       8 . The awning of  claim 5 , further including a wall mounting assembly fixedly mounted on the wall, wherein said roll-up tube is rotatably fixed to said wall mounting assembly.  
   
   
       9 . The awning of  claim 5  for installing on a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       10 . An awning comprising: 
 a wall mounting assembly fixed to a wall, said wall mounting assembly including a roll-up tube rotatably attached to said wall mounting assembly;    a canopy rod;    a canopy having an inner end connected to said roll-up tube and an outer end connected to said canopy rod;    a support arm including: 
 a first end connected to the wall;  
 a second end connected to said canopy rod;  
 at least one joint assembly between said first end and said second end; and  
 a biasing spring for biasing said support arm outward from the wall about said joint assembly;  
   a drive assembly for deploying or retracting said awning;    a rechargeable battery for providing electrical power for powering said drive assembly; and    a solar panel for generating electrical power for storing in said rechargeable battery and/or for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       11 . The awning of  claim 10 , wherein said solar panel is fixedly mounted on one of the wall or said wall mounting assembly.  
   
   
       12 . The awning of  claim 11 , wherein said drive assembly is at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube.  
   
   
       13 . The awning of  claim 10 , wherein said drive assembly is at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube.  
   
   
       14 . The awning of  claim 10  for installing on a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       15 . An awning comprising: 
 a wall mounting assembly fixed to a wall;    a first and a second support arm each connected to the wall;    a roll-up tube rotatably attached to said first support arm at one end of said tube;    a canopy having an inner end connected to said wall mounting assembly and an outer end connected to said roll-up tube;    a drive assembly attached to said second support arm and at least partially inserted into another end of said roll-up tube for deploying or retracting said awning;    a rechargeable battery for providing electrical power for powering said drive assembly; and    a solar panel for generating electrical power for storing in said rechargeable battery and/or for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       16 . The awning of  claim 15 , wherein said solar panel is fixedly mounted on said wall mounting assembly.  
   
   
       17 . The awning of  claim 15  for mounting on a wall of a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       18 . An awning comprising: 
 a roll-up tube rotatably fixed to a wall;    a canopy rod;    a canopy having an inner end connected to said roll-up tube and an outer end connected to said canopy rod;    a support arm including: 
 a first end connected to the wall;  
 a second end connected to said canopy rod;  
 at least one joint assembly; and  
 a biasing spring for biasing said support arm outward from the wall about said joint assembly;  
   a drive assembly at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube for deploying or retracting said awning;    a rechargeable battery for providing electrical power for powering said drive assembly; and    a solar panel for generating electrical power for storing in said rechargeable battery and/or for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       19 . The awning of  claim 18  for installing on a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       20 . An awning comprising: 
 a wall mounting assembly mounted on a wall;    a first and a second support arm each attached to the wall;    a roll-up tube having one end connected to said first support arm;    a canopy having an inner end connected to said wall mounting assembly and an outer end connected to said roll-up tube;    a drive assembly attached to said second support arm and at least partially inserted into another end of said roll-up tube for deploying or retracting said awning;    a rechargeable battery for providing electrical power for powering said drive assembly; and    a solar panel fixedly mounted on said wall mounting assembly for generating electrical power for storing in said rechargeable battery and/or for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       21 . The awning of  claim 20  for installing on a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       22 . An awning comprising: 
 a roll-up tube rotatably fixed to a wall;    a canopy rod;    a canopy having an inner end connected to said roll-up tube and an outer end connected to said canopy rod, wherein said canopy can be wound on said roll-up tube by rotating said tube in a wind direction for retracting said awning and unwound from said roll-up tube by rotating said tube in an unwind direction to deploy said awning;    at least two support arms, each support arm including: 
 a first end connected to the wall;  
 a second end connected to said canopy rod; and  
 at least one joint assembly, wherein at least one support arm further includes a biasing spring for biasing said support arm outward from the wall about said joint assembly;  
   wherein said outward biasing of said support arms tends to deploy said awning and keep said canopy taught when said roll-up tube is rotated in an unwind direction to deploy said awning;    a motorized drive assembly at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube, wherein said drive assembly is for winding or unwinding said roll-up tube;    a rechargeable battery for providing electrical power to said drive assembly; and    a solar panel for generating electrical power for storing in said rechargeable battery and/or for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       23 . The awning of  claim 22  for installing on a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       24 . The awning of  claim 22 , wherein said solar panel is fixedly mounted on the wall.  
   
   
       25 . An awning comprising: 
 a wall mounting assembly fixed to a wall;    a roll-up tube rotatably fixed to said wall mounting assembly;    a canopy rod;    a canopy having an inner end connected to said roll-up tube and an outer end connected to said canopy rod, wherein said canopy can be wound on said roll-up tube by rotating said tube in a wind direction for retracting said awning and unwound from said roll-up tube by rotating said tube in an unwind direction to deploy said awning;    at least two support arms, each support arm including: 
 a first end connected to the wall;  
 a second end connected to said canopy rod; and  
 at least one joint assembly;  
   a motorized drive assembly at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube and rotationally connected to said roll-up tube, wherein said drive assembly is for winding or unwinding said roll-up tube to deploy or retract said awning;    a rechargeable battery for providing electrical power to said drive assembly; and    a solar panel fixedly mounted on said wall mounting assembly for generating electrical power for storing in said rechargeable battery and/or for powering said drive assembly.    
   
   
       26 . The awning of  claim 25  for installing on a building or vehicle, wherein no connection to an electrical system of the building or vehicle is necessary to operate said awning.  
   
   
       27 . An awning comprising: 
 a roll-up tube;    a drive assembly at least partially inserted into said roll-up tube for deploying and retracting said awning; and    a support arm connected to a wall, said support arm including a spring for biasing said support arm in an outward direction to deploy said awning.    
   
   
       28 . The awning of  claim 27 , wherein said spring is a torsion spring.  
   
   
       29 . The awning of  claim 27 , wherein said spring is a linear spring.  
   
   
       30 . The awning of  claim 27 , further comprising a solar panel for generating electrical power for powering said drive assembly.  
   
   
       31 . The awning of  claim 30 , further comprising a rechargeable battery for storing said electrical power and for powering said drive assembly.  
   
   
       32 . The awning of  claim 32 , wherein said solar panel is fixedly mounted on the wall.