Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
Device for fixing a screen, for example a sun screen, a
rain screen or the like to a support.
J
The present invention concerns a device for fixing a screen
to a support, for example a sun screen, a rain screen or
the like, in particular a screen as is used on terraces and
the like.
As is known, in the aforesaid applications, the screen can
be fixed to a mast or against a wal.1 or the like, either or
not by means of a support or an arm.
It is also known that the aforesaid known screens are fixed
by securing the bar or stick of the screen in a holder
which is part of the support.
It is also known that, in order to opera and close a screen,
use is made of a bush which is provided such that it can
slide over the bar of the screen, and that such a bar is
held with one hand, while the bush is pushed up or down
over the bar with the other hand until a suitable, usually
a snap locking is obtained.
A disadvantage of these known devices is that the screen
has to be taken out of the holder of the support in order
to be able to open and close the screen, which is
relatively time-consuming.
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
-2-
It is known that such supports are generally placed at
relatively great heights, which makes manipulating the
screen even more difficult.
In practice, it is often found that the aforesaid known
screens, given the encumbrance to open and close them, are
just not closed at all, which may result in damages in case
of storm or the like.
The present invention aims to remedy these and other
disadvantages.
To this end, the invention concerns a device for fixing a
screen to a support, whereby this screen is provided with a
bush in which a bar can be shifted, and whereby this bush
is connected to bones of the screen by means of spokes or
the like, characterized in that said bush is fixed directly
or indirectly to the aforesaid support.
The invention in other words consists in that the bush of
the screen is fixed to the support, as opposed to the known
devices whereby the bar of the screen is connected to the
support.
An advantage which is thus obtained, is that the screen can
be folded up and unfolded in a simple: and fast manner by
pulling the bar dawn or by pushing it up, such that it is
no longer required in this case to remove the screen
concerned from the support.
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
_J_
Preferably, when the screen is folded up, the bar of the
screen w~11 protrude with one part at the bottom side of
the b~?sh, which offers the advantage that: when the arm has
been provided at a certain height, also smaller persons can
easily reach the bar to manipulate it.
According to a preferred embodiment, the bar of the screen
is made pliable, whereby, when the screen is opened and the
bar consequently protrudes maximally downward, the lower
l0 part can be folded up and can be fi<ted, such that it can
form no hindrance to persons situated under the screen.
According to the most preferred embodiment, the bush of the
screen is held indirectly to the support by means of a
holder which is preferably made as a clip.
This offers the advantage that the screen can be removed
from the support in a simple manner, for example in order
to be able to put away the screen.
In order to better explain the characteristics of the
invention, the following preferred embodiments of a device
according to the invention are described as an example only
without being limitative in any way, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
figure 1 schematically represents an embodiment of the
device according' to the invention, whereby the screen
concerned is represented in the closed position;
3o figure 2 represents a vieHl similar to that of figure
l, but with the screen in the opened position9
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
figure 3 repre:~ents a practical. embodiment of a device
according to the invention;
figures 4 ar_~d 5 represent the device according to
figure 3, in two other positions,:
figure 6 represents the part indicated by F6 in figure
5, to a larger scale and partial-~.y cut out;
figures 7 and 8 represent views similar to that of
figure 3, but for other applications;
figure 9 represents the device according to figure 8,
but for another position;
figure 10 represents a variant of the embodiment from
figure 9;
figure 11 represents a section according to line XI-XI
in figure 10;
figure 12 represents a variant of figure 11.
Figures 1 and 2 schematically represent a device according
to the invention for fixing a screen 1, for example a sun
screen, to a support 2 which in this case consists of a
horizontal arm which is fixed to or in a wall 3 and which
is provided with a bush 4 at its free end which is fixed
directly to the support 1 and in which is provided a bar 5
which can be axially moved.
On the bush 4 is provided a clamping means for the bar 5 in
the shape of a screw 6 which is screwed through a passage 7
in the wall of the bush 4.
At the top end of the bar 5 is provided a flange 8 upon
which bones 9 of the screen 1 are provided hinge-mounted in
a known manner.
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
-5-
Between the bush 4 and the bones 9 are provided spokes 10
which are hinge-mounted to the bones 9 at one far end by
means of pins 11 which are provided in ears 12 which are
provided on the bones 9 on the hand, ano: which are hinge-
mounted to the bush 4, for example by means of pins 13
which are bearing-mounted in the ears I4 on the bush 4 on
the other hand.
l0 The screen 1 is completed in the known manner by a screen
which is fixed to the bones 9 and which is merely
represented by means of a dashed line in the figures for
clarity's sake.
15 The length of the bar 5 is preferably such that when, as
represented in figure 1, the screen 1 is folded up, the bar
5 protrudes with its free end from the bush 4.
The use of the device 1 is very simple and as follows
When, starting from the folded-up position as represented
in figure l, the screen 1 has to be unfolded, the user will
unscrew the screw 6 and he will pull the bar 5 down with
its lower end, so that, as represented in figure 2, the
spokes 10 and the bones 9 hinge away from one another and
the cloth 15 is spread open.
When, as represented in figure 2, the screen 1 is opened
entirely, the bar 5 is clamped in the bush 4 again by means
of the screw 6.
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
-6-
Tt is clear that also other clamping means than the screw 6
can be used to lock the bar 5, for example in the shape of
clamping means as applied ,with the known screens, whereby
these clamping means automatically lock the bar 5 in the
aforesaid position in the bush 4.
In order to fold up the screen 1 again, all one has to do
is simply unscrew the screw 6 first in the opposite sense,
to push the bar 5 upward and to subsequently screw down the
to screw 6 again.
Figures 3 to 6 represent a variant of a device according to
the invention whereby, in this case, the bar 1 of the
screen 1 is made pliable with a top part 16 upon which the
bones 9 are fixed and a lower part 17, whereby these parts
16 and 17 are connected by means of a. hinge 18, such that
the lower part 17 can be rotated upward and can be
suspended either on a hook 19 provided on t:he support 2, or
in a loop of the screen 1 or the like, as a result of which
the bar 5 will not hinder any person: situated under the
screen 1 or walking underneath it.
Figure 7 represents a device according to the invention
whereby the bush 4 is in this case fixed to a support 2 in
the shape of a pliable arm which is for example composed of
three parts 20-21-22 which are connected to each other by
means of two hinges 23, such that a folded screen can be
swung aside against the wall 3.
Figures 8 and 9 represent another application whereby the
arm forming the support 2 is in this case made telescopic
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
w?th two telescopic parts 24-25 which can be locked in
relation to one another by means of a. screw 20 or any other
clamping device and whose far ends 27-28 are made pliable
by means of two lockable hinges 29.
In the latter case, the support 2 can be folded in
different positions and the length of the support 2 can be
adjusted, so that the screen 1 can be easily positioned in
different positions in relation to a wall 3.
l0
Moreover, the screen 1, when it is not in use, can be
placed in a space-saving manner against the wall 3, as
represented in figure 9.
15. Although in the figures, the support ~ in the shape of an
arm has been fixed to a wall, it is also possible for such
an arm to be provided for example on a vertical mast which
can be made such that it can rotate itself around a
vertical axis.
Figures 10 and 11 represent a variant of the device from
figure 9, whereby the bush 4 is not fixed directly to the
support 2 in this case, but is being held indirectly to
this support 2 by means of a holder 30 in the shape of a
bush in which the bush 4 of the screen is clamped by means
of a clamping device which in this case consists of a screw
31 which has been screwed through the wall of the holder 30
up against the bar 5.
CA 02445208 2003-10-10
In the latter case, the screen 1 can be easily taken in and
out of the colder 30, roc example in order to put away the
screen 1 in a sheltered place.
Figure 12 represents a variant from figure 11, whereby the
clamping means of the bush 4 is in this case formed in the
holder 30 by a lever 32 which is fixed to the holder 30 by
means of a shaft 33, whereby said lever 32. has an eccentric
far end 34 which protrudes in a groove 35 of the holder 30,
such that when the lever 32 is placed diagonally to the
holder 30, the eccentric far end 34 will not make contact
with the bush 4 of the screen 1, whereas when the lever 32
is turned down into a position as represented in figure 12,
the bush 4 will be clamped in the holder 30 by this
eccentric far end 34.
The invention is by no means limited to the above-described
embodiments given as an example and represented in the
accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a device
according to the invention can be made in all sorts of
shapes and dimensions while still remaining within the
scope of the invention.