Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Extension arm which is arranged in a pivotable manner on a support
Technical field
The invention relates to an extension arm which is arranged on a
support such that it can be pivoted about its axis and which can be
pivoted, and arrested in the pivoted position by means of a hand
lever. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, such an
extension arm is designed as an extensible free arm and the support is
designed as a pole of a free-arm sunshade.
An extension arm which is arranged on a support such that it can be
pivoted about its axis is known, for example, from EP 0 830 074 B1, in
the case of which the extension arm is configured as an extensible
free arm and the support is configured as the pole of a free-arm
sunshade. In order to make optimum use of the shade as the position
of the sun changes, it is possible not just for the pole to be rotated
about its own axis but also, in particular, for the extension arm to
be pivoted about its axis, with the result that the sunshade can be
moved into an appropriate oblique position and arrested there. For
this purpose, a hand lever is fitted, for example, on the extension
arm in order to pivot the extension arm, and thus the sunshade, and
then to arrest the same in the pivoted position by means of a clamping
arrangement. The disadvantage here, however, is that the hand lever
fitted on the extension arm is difficult to reach as a result of the
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extension arm usually being located at a high level. In addition, the
operation of pivoting the extension arm with the sunshade framework
requires relatively .Large forces, which can barely be applied, if at
all, by the small hand lever. Added to this is
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the fact that, depending on the sunshade position, such a hand lever
projects to a more or less pronounced extent into the space occupied
by the user, which is not just unsightly but also poses a risk of
injury to the user.
The same applies to the clamping lever of the clamping arrangement for
arresting the extension arm in the pivoted position. In order to
improve the handleability, it is known to use a worm gear mechanism.
Such a worm gear mechanism not only is a relatively expensive
component but also only allows slow adjustment and is barely
accessible.
Description of the invention
The object of the invention is to configure an extension arm, which
is arranged on a support such that it can be pivoted about its axis,
in such a way that pivoting is easily possible even with the
extension arm located at a relatively high level and in the case of
relatively large forces of inertia.
This object is achieved by an extension arm which is arranged on a
support such that it can be pivoted about its axis and which can be
pivoted, and arrested in the pivoted position, by means of a hand
lever, characterized in that the hand lever is designed as a guide rod
which can be latched to the extension arm in different
angle-of-rotation positions and can be arrested on the support. Since
the hand lever is configured as a guide rod, it is possible for the
guide rod to be of a longer overall length, and thus for the extension
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arm to be arranged at a higher level, while such a guide rod, rather
than projecting in an obstructive manner into the space occupied by
the user, is nevertheless always positioned, when in use, against the
support, to which it is arrested in a releasable manner directly or
indirectly. This means that the guide rod does not constitute any
obstruction or hazard for the user and can nevertheless be handled
straightforwardly and with little force being required.
Advantageous configurations of the extension arm are:
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(a) In a further aspect, the present invention provides an
extension arm wherein the hand lever is arrested indirectly on
the support.
(b) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the guide rod is
arranged on an adjustment ring which can be pivoted about the
extension arm and can be latched to latching recesses of the
extension arm by means of a latching bolt.
(c) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm characterized in that the latching bolt is
prestressed toward the latching recesses by means of a
prestressing spring.
(d) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the guide rod is
arranged in an articulated manner on the latching bolt in order
to actuate the .Latching bolt.
(e) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm wherein the articulating manner is a pivoting
joint.
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(f) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the guide rod is
connected in an articulated manner to a housing of the latching
bolt and contains a traction element which is connected to the
latching bolt for the release of the latching bolt.
(g) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm wherein the articulated manner is a pivoting
joint.
(h) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the guide rod is
provided with an axial through-passage opening for accommodating
the traction element.
(i) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm characterized in that the traction element has a
handle which is arranged at the bottom end of the guide rod.
(j ) In a stil_L further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm wherein the handle is an eyelet-like handle.
(k) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm characterized in that the traction element has a
catch which is assigned to a handle of the guide rod.
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(1) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the guide rod can be
arrested on the support via an arresting member.
(m) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm characterized in that the guide rod can be
arrested on the support via an arresting member.
(n) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the guide rod has a D-
like cross section with a rounded part and a rectilinear base
part, the base part being directed toward the support.
(o) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm characterized in that the guide rod has a D-like
cross section with a rounded part and a rectilinear base part,
the base part being directed toward the support.
(p) In a stil:L further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension a:rm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, 13 and
15, characterized in that the extension arm is hollow and
designed for accommodating a cable pull.
(q) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm characterized in that the extension arm is hollow
and designed for accommodating a cable pull.
(r) In a stil:L further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the extension arm is
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arranged on a supporting member such that it can be rotated
about its axis, said supporting member being connected in an
articulated manner to a carriage which can be displaced, and
arrested, along the support.
(s) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm characterized in that the extension arm is
arranged on a supporting member such that it can be rotated
about its axis, said supporting member being connected in the
articulated manner to a carriage which can be displaced, and
arrested, along the support.
(t) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm wherein the articulating manner is a pivoting
joint.
(u) In a further aspect, the present invention provides the
extension arm as claimed in any one of claims 19, 20 and 21,
wherein the support has a pole.
(v) In a still further aspect, the present invention provides
the extension arm characterized in that the guide rod can be
arrested on the carriage.
A particularly straightforward arrangement of the guide rod on the
extension arm is specified in paragraph (a) above. In this case, it
is possible for the latching bolt to be arranged and actuated
independently of the guide rod. It is advantageous if, according to
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paragraph (b) above,, the latching bolt is prestressed toward the
latching recess by means of a prestressing spring, this achieving
reliable latching in the case of which undesired unlatching of the
latching bolt is prevented. If appropriate, it is possible, according
to paragraphs (c) and (d) above, for the guide rod to be arranged in
an articulated manner_ on the latching bolt and to serve for actuating
the latter. This increases, however, the risk of undesired actuation,
which is to be avoided for safety reasons. More advantageous therefore
is a configuration according to paragraphs (e) and (f) above, as a
result of which the traction element is arranged such that it is
protected by the guide rod, with the result that undesired actuation
is largely prevented. It is possible here for the traction element to
be arranged outside the guide rod, but a configuration according to
paragraph (g) above is more advantageous. Arranging the traction
element within the guide rod results not just in better safety, but
also in improved esthetics.
There are various possible ways of actuating the traction element.
According to paragraphs (h) and (i) above, a handle of the guide rod
may also serve, at the same time, for actuating the traction element.
For esthetic, practical and, in particular, safety purposes, however,
the arrangement, according to paragraphs (j) and (k) above, of an
additional catch, assigned to the handle of the guide rod, for the
traction element is preferred.
In order to keep the extension arm, and a sunshade, which may be
fastened thereon, in the pivoted position,
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it is necessary to arrest the guide rod on the support. There are
various possible ways of doing this, the arrangement of an arresting
member according to paragraphs (1) and (m) above being particularly
straightforward and preferred.
The guide rod may have various cross sections. Particularly
expedient, according to paragraphs (n) and (o) above, is a D-like
cross section with a rounded part and a rectilinear base part. In
this case, the basic position is preferably set up such that the
rectilinear base part. is directed toward the support.
There are likewise various possible ways of configuring the extension
arm. It is thus possible, for example, for it to comprise a solid
profile. A configuration according to paragraphs (p) and (q) above,
however, is more advantageous, the hollow configuration here making
it possible to accommodate a traction element, for example, for
opening and closing a sunshade canopy.
The support may be of any desired design and may comprise, for
example, a wall or a pole. The configuration according to paragraphs
(r), (s) and (t) is advantageous in particular for the use as a
free-arm sunshade. In this case, the guide rod, according to
paragraph (u) above, can expediently be arrested on a carriage
belonging to the pole.
It is particularly advantageous if, according to paragraph (v) above,
the extension arm is designed as an extensible free arm
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and the support is designed as a pole of a free-arm sunshade, as is
described in EP-B1 0 741 531 and 0 830 074.
Brief description of the drawings
Advantageous configurations of the invention are described in more
detail hereinbelow using the example
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of a free-arm sunshade and with reference to the drawings, in which:
figure 1 shows the free-arm sunshade in the closed position;
figure 2 shows the free-arm sunshade in the open position;
figure 3 shows, on a larger scale and partly in section, a detail of
the connection between the extension arm and the support or
pole;
figure 4 shows a guide rod in cross section;
figure 5 shows the free-arm sunshade before the extension arm and
the sunshade canopy have been pivoted; and
figure 6 shows the extension arm and the sunshade canopy in the
pivoted position.
Methods of implementing the invention and industrial applicabilit
The free-arm sunshade illustrated in the figures has a pole 4 which is
anchored, for example, in a base 2 and serves as a support for an
extensible extension arm 6. The latter is arranged on a carriage 8,
which can be displaced along the pole 4, via an articulation 10. The
extension arm 6 is supported at the top end of the pole 4 via a
connecting rod 12. For this purpose, the
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connecting rod is connected, on the one hand, to the extension arm 6
via an articulation 1.4 between the two ends of said extension arm and,
on the other hand, to the top end of the pole 4 via a further
articulation 16. By means of a crank 18 and of a circulating element
20 indicated in figure 3, the carriage 8 is moved up and down along
the pole 4 from a rest position in figure l, in which the extension
arm 6 butts against the pole 4, into an extended position in figure 2.
Arranged at the end of the extension arm 6 is a sunshade canopy 22
which is closed when the extension arm is retracted, as is shown in
figure l, and is open when the extension arm is extended, as can be
gathered from figure 2. There are likewise various possible ways of
opening and closing the sunshade canopy, of which preferred ways can
be gathered from the abovementioned specifications.
Details regarding the pivoting of the extension arm about its axis 24
and the components used for this purpose can be gathered from figure 3
in particular. The extension arm 6 is of tubular configuration and, at
its end which is directed toward the pole 4, has a bearing ring 26
which is mounted pivotably on a supporting member 28. The supporting
member 28 is connected to the carriage 8 such that it can be pivoted
via an articulation 10. It is possible to arrange in the hollow
extension arm 6, for example, a cable pull 30 for opening and closing
the sunshade canopy 22.
Arranged on the outside of the bearing ring 26 is an adjustment ring
32 which can be pivoted about the
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bearing ring and bears a latching bolt 36 in a housing
34. Said latching bolt is prestressed toward the
bearing ring 26, and/or latching recesses 40 arranged
therein, by means of a spring 38. The bearing ring 26
has a plurality of circumferentially distributed
latching recesses 40, of which the angle positions
correspond to the adjustment positions of the extension
arm 6 and thus of the sunshade canopy 22. Articulated
on the housing 34 of the latching bolt 36, via a
bearing bolt 42, is a guide rod 44, designed as a tube.
Provided in the interior of the guide rod 44 is a
traction element 46 which is connected to the latching
bolt 36 in a pivotable manner via a coupling ring 48.
The traction element 46 projects downward through the
guide rod 44 and is provided there with a catch 49
which is assigned to an eyelet-like handle 50 of the
guide rod 44, as can be gathered from figures 5 and 6
in. particular. In the rest position, the guide rod 44
is latched to the carriage 8, and thus to the pole 4,
via a fork-like arresting member 52, as can be gathered
from figures 1 and 2 and also figure 6. By virtue of
the guide rod 44 being arranged in an articulated
manner on the housing 34 via the bearing bolt 42, the
arreSti_ng aCtipn pf the gmide rpd dd nn the ar
i°,rvtin~
member 52 is maintained even when the extension arm 6
is moved out of its rest position in figure l into the
extended position in figure 2 and vice versa. The guide
rod is retained in a longitudinally displaceable manner
in the fork-like arresting member 52 in order for it to
be possible for it to follow the movements of the
articulation bolts 10 and 42 when the extension arm 6
is retracted and extended.
The pivoting of the extension arm 6 and thus of the
sunshade canopy 22 takes place as follows. If the
sunshade canopy 22, and thus the extension arm 6, is
located in the basic position, in which the sunshade
canopy is located horizontally, then the guide rod 44
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is released from the arresting member 52 and the
latching bolt 36 is released from the latching recess
40 via the catch 49 and the traction element 46. With
the extension arm 6 at rest and/or the sunshade canopy
22 horizontal, the guide rod 44 can then be pivoted
laterally to the extent which corresponds to the
subsequent pivot angle of the sunshade canopy and which
is shown in figure 5. Thereupon, the latching bolt 36
is brought into engagement with an offset latching
recess 40 (the latter nevertheless not being
illustrated specifically), with the result that, when
the guide rod 44 is pivoted in relation to the carriage
8 and/or the pole 4, the extension arm 6, and thus the
sunshade canopy 22, is pivoted by the previously
selected angle position, as is shown in figure 6. The
pivoted position is fixed by virtue of the guide rod 44
being latched to the arresting member 52. By virtue of
the guide rod 44 being released from the arresting
member 52 and the guide rod 44 being pivoted back into
the position shown in figure 5, it is possible to
eliminate the pivoted position of the sunshade canopy
22 and/or the extension arm 6. Following release of the
latching bolt 36 from the recess 40 by means of the
traction element 46, the guide rod 44 can be pivoted
back freely again into the basic position, in which the
guide rod 44 latches on the carriage 8 by way of the
arresting element 52. In this position, the latching
bolt 36 also latches again in the corresponding basic-
position latching recess on the bearing ring 26, with
the result that the extension arm 6 and/or the sunshade
canopy 22 is fixed in the horizontal, basic position.
The guide rod 44 therefore allows straightforward
pivoting of the extension arm and thus of the sunshade
canopy, the length of the guide rod being selected such
that, even with the extension arm located at a high
level, the guide rod 44 and the handle 50 are easily
accessible. By virtue of the lever transmission, the
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length of the guide rod 44 in particular also allows
easy pivoting of the sunshade canopy 22 and/or the
extension arm 6. This configuration allows round or
polygonal sunshades of, for example, 3 to 5 m in
diameter to be handled easily.
According to figure 4, the guide rod has a D-like cross
section with a rounded part 54 and a rectilinear base
part 56. The basic position is preferably set up here
such that the base part 56 is directed toward the pole
4 and/or the carriage 8. The shape of the guide rod can
thus be better adapted to the profile of the pole 4 and
of the carriage 8, and it provides a good grip for the
eccentric bearing bolt 42 guided through the guide rod.
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LIST OF DESIGNATIONS
2 Base
4 Pole
6 Extension arm
8 Carriage
Articulation
12 Connecting rod
14 Articulation
16 Articulation
18 Crank
Circulating element
22 Sunshade canopy
24 Axis
26 Bearing ring
28 Supporting member
Cable pull
32 Adjustment ring
34 Housing
36 Latching bolt
38 Spring
Latching recess
42 Bearing bolt
44 Guide rod
46 Traction element
48 Coupling ring
49 Catch
Handle
52 Arresting member
54 Rounded part
56 Rectilinear base part
