Awning with Elbow Pivot Joint and Method of Making Same

Abstract

An awning including an awning canopy and a set of arms each comprising a distal arm and a proximal arm connected by a pivot elbow is described herein. The set of arms are capable of supporting the awning canopy in partially and fully extended positions. Each distal arm is configured to be angled relative to a plane corresponding to the proximal arm of the same arm. The set of pivot elbows are configured to pivotally connect each pair of distal and proximal arms with the set of pivot elbows each including a pair of pin supports. The pin supports within each pair of pin supports are not mirror images of one another so as to allow the respective distal arm to be angled relative to the plane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An awning comprising:
 an awning canopy;   a set of arms each comprising a distal arm and a proximal arm, the set of arms capable of supporting the awning canopy in partially and fully extended positions, wherein each distal arm is configured to be angled relative to a plane corresponding to the proximal arm of the same arm; and   a set of pivot elbows pivotally connecting each pair of the distal and proximal arms, the set of pivot elbows each comprising a pair of pin supports, wherein the pin supports within each pair of pin supports are not mirror images of one another so as to allow the respective distal arm to be angled relative to the plane.   
     
     
         2 . The awing of  claim 1 , further comprising a midrail, wherein each of the set of pivot elbows are coupled to the midrail with a connector so as to allow the midrail to rotate about the pivot elbow. 
     
     
         3 . The awing of  claim 2 , wherein the connector slides axially along the length of the midrail. 
     
     
         4 . The awing of  claim 1 , further comprising a lead rail connected to each of the distal arms with respective pivot connectors, wherein the pivot connectors each comprise oblong slots so as to allow each of the distal arms to slide within each of the pivot connectors. 
     
     
         5 . The awning of  claim 4 , wherein the lead rail is coupled to the awning canopy. 
     
     
         6 . The awning of  claim 1 , wherein the awing canopy is capable of being supported by the distal arms in the fully extended position, wherein the distal arms are configured to be angled downwards relative to the plane. 
     
     
         7 . The awning of  claim 6 , wherein the awing canopy is capable of being supported by the distal arms in the partially extended position, wherein the distal arms are configured to be angled upwards relative to the plane in the partially extended position. 
     
     
         8 . The awning of  claim 1 , wherein the set of pivot elbows are each composed of a proximal portion coupled to the respective proximal arm and a distal portion coupled to the respective distal arm. 
     
     
         9 . The awning of  claim 8 , wherein each proximal portion includes one of the pair of pin supports that are not mirror images of one another. 
     
     
         10 . The awning of  claim 8 , wherein each proximal portion includes one of the pair of pin supports, wherein the pin supports of each pair are not coaxial with one another. 
     
     
         11 . The awning of  claim 10 , wherein one of the pin supports for each pair of the pin supports is positioned at a different distance away from an external wall of the respective proximal portion such that the pin supports of each pair are not coaxial with one another. 
     
     
         12 . The awning of  claim 11 , wherein the pin supports of each pair are suitable to receive a respective pin, wherein a pin body of the pin travels diagonally across a respective internal wall of the proximal portion of the pivot elbow. 
     
     
         13 . The awning of  claim 12 , wherein the respective pin body is operatively coupled to each of the respective distal portions of the set of pivot elbows. 
     
     
         14 . The awning of  claim 12 , wherein the respective pin body is attached to proximal and distal ends of the respective pin so as to provide a flush connection to the respective, non-coaxial pin supports. 
     
     
         15 . An awning comprising:
 an awning canopy;   a set of arms each comprising a distal arm and a proximal arm, the set of arms capable of supporting the awning canopy in a fully extended position, wherein each distal arm is configured to be angled downward relative to a plane corresponding to the proximal arms in the fully extended position;   a set of pivot elbows pivotally connecting each pair of the distal and proximal arms, wherein the set of pivot elbows each comprising a pair of pin supports, wherein one pin support of each pair is not coaxial with the other pin support so as to allow the distal arms to be angled relative to the proximal arms, wherein each pair of pin supports are positioned so as to define a respective axis through the pairs of pin supports; and   a set of pins each suitable to be received by one of the pair of pin supports of the set of pivot elbows, the set of pins each having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a pin body, wherein the pin body is positioned between the proximal and distal portions.   
     
     
         16 . The awning of  claim 15 , wherein each of the proximal and distal portions of the set of pins are suitable to be received by the pair of pin supports that are not coaxial. 
     
     
         17 . The awning of  claim 15 , wherein the pin body of each of the set of pins is aligned with the respective axis through the pairs of pin supports so as to have the pin body travel diagonally across a surface of each respective one of the set of pivot elbows. 
     
     
         18 . The awning of  claim 17 , wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion are each inverted bodies of each other so as to enable the pin body to travel diagonally. 
     
     
         19 . The awning of  claim 15 , wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion of each respective pin comprise pivot pin supports that are capable of being rotated within the respective pair of pin supports so as to configure the downward angle of the distal arms relative to the plane corresponding to the proximal arms. 
     
     
         20 . The awning of  claim 19 , wherein the pivot pin supports are capable of being configured to be rotated automatically by at least one motor or rotated manually via a crank.