Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ADJUSTABLE DEVICE FOR DIVERTING RAINWATER RUN-OFF FROM A RETRACTABLE AWNING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the diversion of rainwater that collects on and
flows away from retractable
awnings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Awnings are commonly used on both motorized and towable recreational vehicles
or campers as well as
on homes where they are often installed over patios and decks. They can
provide shade from the sun as
well as shelter from rain. Awnings may be fixed but in many cases are
retractable. Retraction of the
awning can allow exposure to the sun, as desired, but it also may be required
to prevent damage from
heavy snow, ice or wind. On motorized and towable recreational vehicles and
campers, it is also
necessary to retract during transportation.
During a rainfall, an awning will protect the area below from getting wet. The
awning is attached to the
wall of the recreation vehicle, home or other structure and, when extended, it
is generally angled
slightly downward away from the structure. Rainwater will collect on top of
the awning and is generally
directed away from the structure to which it is attached and towards the lower
edge of the awning
opposite the attachment surface. This lower edge is often also tilted to one
end or the other to further
direct the flow of the water being shed. The point of attachment of the awning
to the outer support
roller is generally in a straight line along the length of the support roller.
Although the area under the
awning is kept reasonably dry, the water will be mostly shed to the lowest end
along the outer support
roller. This can result in a large amount of water being directed off the
awning from a relatively small
area and can result in significant splashing of water and debris onto items
stored below the awning that
would otherwise be protected. Erosion and flooding can also occur on the
ground in the area directly
below the normal water shed point which can also reduce the usable area that
would otherwise be
protected by the awning.
Gutter systems that are used to collect and divert water from a typical house
roof are often referred to
as eavestrough and do not usually work with a retractable awning. They are not
effective when the
water is not shed over the support roller and along the entire front edge of
the awning fabric. Also, the
Date Regue/Date Received 2022-07-13
standard method of affixing a typical household eavestrough would not allow
the awning to be rolled up
for retraction.
In many cases, retractable awnings do not have support members that extend to
the ground to support
the awning at its extents furthest from the recreational vehicle or home. This
allows for easier
extension of the awning and unobstructed access below all but ledge of the
awning. One existing
water catchment system that is available for retractable awnings utilizes a
section of hose that hangs
from the lowest corner of an extended awning down to the ground level. This
hose now becomes an
obstruction at one corner of the awning that would not otherwise exist.
One problem for mounting a rain gutter system, is that it must be removed for
retraction and therefore
must be easy to install or remove. Another problem is that the awning fabric
on some models is
attached along a different point of rotation on the front support roller
relative to the ground. In some
cases, this also limits the surface of said roller where the device may be
attached. The point of
attachment also tends to result in the rainwater collecting along the
attachment point and not flowing
over the support roller. This then results in the rainwater being directed
along this attachment point to
the lowest end of the support roller where it is finally shed off the awning.
Therefore, the trough to
collect and divert this rainwater must be offset from the support roller to
align with the point of
shedding which may vary from one model of retractable awning to another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A rain catchment diversion device that can be quickly and easily attached and
removed from many
retractable awnings that may be attached to homes, recreational vehicles and
other structures. This
gutter system will catch the rainwater that collects on top of such an awning
and is shed from the lowest
corner so that the water can be diverted further beyond the edge of the awning
to reduce the splashing
of water and debris on items located beneath the awning. The water diversion
may also help prevent
flooding and erosion on the ground directly below the edge of the awning from
where it is shed. The
apparatus attaches to the support roller located parallel to and away from the
structure to which the
awning is mounted. The apparatus is comprised of a clamp or other mounting
mechanism, a section of
eavestrough or similar diversion mechanism, and a connecting mechanism that
locates between the
mounting mechanism and diversion mechanism to allow attachment and adjustment
of the eavestrough
relative to the mounting mechanism. The mounting mechanism can be rotated
somewhat with respect
Date Regue/Date Received 2022-07-13
to the support roller to where the best point of attachment can be achieved.
The mounting mechanism
also allows the eavestrough to be extended beyond the edge of the awning
somewhat parallel to the
support roller. Further, the mounting mechanism can be easily rotated 180
degrees to extend to the
opposite side of the awning. The amount of such extension beyond the edge of
the awning can be varied
based on the desired distance of rainwater diversion and the length of the
diversion trough attached.
The connecting mechanism allows the diversion mechanism to be rotated somewhat
with respect to
the mounting mechanism. The connecting mechanism also can be installed in such
a way as to create a
slope on the diversion mechanism relative to the ground so that gravitational
force will divert the
rainfall away from the edge of the awning along the length of the diversion
trough.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be more fully understood with reference to the Detailed
Description, in conjunction
with the following FIGURES, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top view of a retractable awning, attached to an RV or camper
showing an embodiment of the
invention operatively installed near one end of the awning support roller.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the retractable awning and RV or camper of FIG. 1
showing an embodiment of
the invention operatively installed near one end of the awning support roller.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a retractable awning, attached to an RV or camper
of FIG. 1 showing an
embodiment of the invention operatively installed near one end of the awning
support roller.
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a retractable awning, attached to an RV or
camper of FIG. 1 showing an
embodiment of the invention operatively installed near one end of the awning
support roller.
FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of the invention.
FIG.7 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention mounted to the awning
support roller wherein
the diversion trough is rotated slightly to the left relative to the direction
of the mounting mechanism.
FIG. 8 is the opposite side, relative to FIG .7, of an embodiment of the
invention mounted to the awning
support roller wherein the diversion trough is rotated slightly to the left
relative to the direction of the
mounting mechanism, which is the same direction as in FIG. 7.
Date Regue/Date Received 2022-07-13
FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the mounting mechanism and connecting mechanism
of the invention.
FIG. 10 is a top view of the invention wherein the diversion trough is rotated
slightly to the right relative
to the mounting mechanism.
FIG. 11 is a front view of the invention wherein the diversion trough is
rotated slightly to the right
relative to the mounting mechanism;
FIG. 12 is a top view of the invention, with a breakaway, showing the location
of section B-B
FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the connecting mechanism of the invention.
Fig. 14 is an isometric view of the connecting mechanism with the connecting
bracket in the inverted
position.
Detail A shows the expanded detail of the area as shown in FIG. 9.
Section B-B shows the section view as indicated in FIG. 12
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As illustrated in FIG. 9, the rainwater catchment diversion device is
comprised of a mounting mechanism
and a diversion mechanism 15 that are adjustably joined together by one or
more connecting
mechanisms 14.
The mounting mechanism 10 is comprised of one or more components that allow
the device to be
adjustably and removably attached to the support beam 4 of a retractable
awning system 2 typically
used on an RV or camper 1.
One embodiment of the mounting mechanism 10 is comprised of a partially open
tubularly shaped
section of pipe 7 that is open along the entire length of the pipe and where
the closed arc of the pipe is
greater than 180 degrees as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9, and where the pipe is
made of a material which
is flexible enough to allow the 2 exposed edges running the length of the pipe
to be spread apart from
each other by the person installing the device, to an extent where the
distance is greater than the
diameter of the awning support beam 4 to which it will surround, and where the
material will return
more or less to it's original arc radius when the spreading force is removed.
The inside radius of the
Date Regue/Date Received 2022-07-13
above pipe section would be slightly larger than the outer radius of the
awning support beam 4 as
illustrated in FIG. 7.
One embodiment of the mounting mechanism 10 includes one or more thumbscrews
12 or similar
threaded component that might be installed through a threaded hole in the wall
of the mounting pipe 7
close to one of the edges running the length of said mounting pipe. The
extension of this threaded
component through the wall of the mounting pipe 7 and against the awning
support beam 4 would
result in the portion of the mounting pipe located above the vertical centre
point of the awning support
beam to be held with an increased force and resistance against the point of
contact with the mounting
pipe as illustrated in FIG. 7. Furthermore, the open spacing between the face
of the threaded
component 12 that would be touching the awning support beam 4, and the
furthest edge of the
mounting pipe 7 that runs the length of the pipe, would be less than the outer
diameter of the awning
support beam 4. This increase in resistance and reduced opening size will
reduce the chance of the
mounting pipe being removed from around the awning support beam in a mostly
downward motion as
might happen as a result of gravitational or other normally experienced forces
acting on the mounting
pipe.
An embodiment of the device also includes one or more slotted openings 8 in
the mounting pipe 5, as
illustrated in Detail A of FIG. 9, through which a fastener is positioned in
order to connect the mounting
mechanism 10 to the connecting bracket 11 which supports the diversion
mechanism 15. The slot allows
the mounting pipe 5 to be rotated around support beam 4 while said mounting
pipe is still supported
along the length of the support beam and the fasteners can be orientated in a
mostly vertical position.
The rotation can allow alternate positions of mounting wherein the mounting
pipe 7 does not interfere
with the awning 3 as it is attached to the awning support beam 4.
The rainwater diversion mechanism 15 is attached to the mounting mechanism 10
with one or more
connecting mechanisms 14 as illustrated in FIG. 9 and Detail A of FIG. 9. One
embodiment of the
connecting mechanisms includes a connecting bracket 11 and a fastener 9,
wherein the diversion trough
is a section of commercially available standard PVC eavestrough with formed
flanges 20 running the
length of the eavestrough that can be held within the sets of slotted openings
19 or 20 located along
opposing walls of the connecting bracket.
The connecting bracket 11 may include a slotted opening 17 through which the
fastener 9 would be
inserted as it passes through the mounting pipe and connecting bracket, and
such slot would allow the
Date Regue/Date Received 2022-07-13
diversion trough 5 to be mounted parallel to the length of the mounting
bracket 11 directly below said
mounting bracket, or to one side or the other relative to a line directly
below and parallel to the
mounting bracket, or at an angle relative to a line directly below and
parallel to the mounting bracket as
illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 11. This adjustment from side to side or at an
angle can allow the diversion
mechanism to be positioned relative to the point of run-off from the awning 3
regardless of which end
the rainwater catchment diversion device 6 is positioned on the awning support
beam 4.
One embodiment of the connecting bracket 11 includes 2 sets of notches, 18 and
19 as illustrated in FIG.
13, along the sides of said bracket that are shaped to accept the flanges 20
as pre-formed on
commercially available PVC eavestrough, as indicated in FIG. 7, that may be
used as diversion trough 5.
Each of the 2 sets of notches has a notch along one side of the connecting
bracket 11 and one along the
opposing side of the same bracket. One set of notches 18 is located at a set
distance relative to the top
face of the connecting bracket 11, as shown in FIG. 13, and the second set of
notches 19 is located at a
distance relative to the bottom face of said bracket that is notably greater.
The use of two connecting
mechanisms 14 to connect the mounting mechanism 10 and the diversion mechanism
15 wherein one
connecting bracket 11 is located towards one end of the mounting pipe and is
attached to the diversion
trough 5 with the top face positioned upwards as in FIG. 8 and FIG. 13 and the
second connecting
bracket is positioned towards the opposite end of the mounting pipe in an
inverted orientation, as in FIG
7 and FIG. 14, will allow the diversion trough 5 to be angled relative to the
ground as illustrated in FIG. 2
and FIG.6 resulting in gravitational forces directing the water to the desired
end of diversion trough.
An embodiment of the diversion mechanism may include a handle 13 attached to
the diversion trough 5
as illustrated in FIG. 6 that can be used to more easily transport, install,
remove or adjust the device.
Date Regue/Date Received 2022-07-13
