Sail shaped awnings

Abstract

The invention relates to sail shaped awnings, and particularly to attached or freestanding awnings that use tensioned flexible fabric to protect against the sun, wind, rain, hail and other weather conditions. Such awnings may also incorporate firefighting characteristics. In one aspect, the invention resides in a sail shaped awning attached to a building structure, and at least one remote support or column having at least one wire or cable for tensioning the awning, is connected to the roof or roof support assembly so as to apply a downward, restraining force. Preferably, outer edge(s) of the tensioned awning fabric connected to at least one remote support or column are raised or lowered to assist in holding down the roof and to keep out debris during high winds. The outer edge(s) may be connected to hoisting cables or chains connected to winches on the remote support or column, or to telescopic columns.

1 . A sail shaped awning attached to a building structure and at least one remote support, or column, wherein at least one wire or cable, operable to tension the awning, is connected to a roof, or roof support assembly, of the building structure to apply a downward, restraining force thereto.  
     
     
         2 . An awning as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 outer edges(s) of the tensioned awning fabric, connected to the remote support(s) and/or column(s), are selectively raiseable or lowerable to assist in holding down the roof and to prevent the ingress of debris in high winds.    
     
     
         3 . An awning as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein: 
 supplementary connection means, such as cables or chains, are provided between the roof, or roof support assembly, and the remote support(s) and/or column(s).    
     
     
         4 . An awning as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the outer edge(s) are connected to hoisting cables or chains operably connected to winches on the remote support(s) or column(s); or the outer edge(s) are connected to telescopic columns.    
     
     
         5 . A sail shaped awning wherein: 
 at least one column supporting the tensioned awning fabric is curved to form an outwardly directed upper distal column portion; and    an adjacent portion of the awning fabric is tensioned over the upper distal column portion.    
     
     
         6 . An awning as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 a cable or chain connected to the adjacent portion of the awning fabric passes over a roller, pulley or guide at the distal end of the upper distal column portion and is tensioned by tensioning means on the column or on the ground.    
     
     
         7 . A sail shaped awning having at least one outwardly curved or inclined supporting column, wherein: 
 when the awning fabric is tensioned, the column is deflected to reduce the curvature or inclination below the strength or failure criteria of the column.    
     
     
         8 . A sail shaped awning supported on a plurality of spaced columns, wherein: 
 each column has a curved, outwardly and downwardly directed, upper distal column portion, adjacent upper distal column portions being interconnected by edge tensioning means for the awning fabric.    
     
     
         9 . A sail shaped awning supported on a plurality of spaced columns, wherein: 
 each column has a curved, inwardly and downwardly directed upper distal column portion, the edges of the awning fabric being tensioned over the upper distal column portions and secured to the columns intermediate their height.    
     
     
         10 . A sail shaped awning having at least one layer of tensioned awning fabric mounted on at least one support; wherein: 
 the or each support includes a building structure, a column or post, a beam or frame member extending from the building structure, or a cable or beam interconnecting two or more of the columns or a column and the building structure.    
     
     
         11 . An awning as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the or each beam or frame member extends from the building structure in a cantilevered manner, or is supported by a column intermediate its length or adjacent a distal end, the or each beam being optional curved to tension the awning fabric in two directions.    
     
     
         12 . An awning as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the awning fabric is mounted on two or more groups of the supports at respective different heights to tension the awning fabric in at least two directions to form awning shapes such as hypars.    
     
     
         13 . An awning as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 two or more vertically spaced layers of awning fabric are mounted on the supports in at least partial overlap, where at least one of the layers of awning fabric is a shade cloth and the or each other layer of awning fabric is a shade cloth or a solid fabric.    
     
     
         14 . An awning as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 one or more vent means are provided in the or each layer of awning fabric.    
     
     
         15 . An awning as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 one or more wall panels interconnect two or more of the supports.    
     
     
         16 . An awning as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 one or more of the wall panels are mounted to be selectively raised or lowered relative to the adjacent supports, where the or each wall panel is mounted on wall panel support members hingedly mounted or attached to the supports, or is extendible or retractable in the manner of a venetian blind.    
     
     
         17 . An awning as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein: 
 secondary supports support free ends of the columns, as the supports, and the or each wall panel; and    means between the wall panel support members and the secondary supports urge the wall panels to a raised position.    
     
     
         18 . An awning as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the or each layer of awning fabric comprises a plurality of at least semi-rigid panels hingedly interconnected together.    
     
     
         19 . An awning as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 beams or cables interconnect pairs of spaced supports to define ridges and/or valleys in the or each layer of awning fabric.    
     
     
         20 . A sail shaped awning having at least one layer of tensioned awning fabric supported on at least one column wherein: 
 the or each column has a substantially vertical lower portion end a curved upper portion, the awning fabric being connected to, and extending at least partially over, the carved upper portion.    
     
     
         21 . An awning as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the upper portion is outwardly directed; and    connection means connect an edge of the awning fabric to the upper portion so that the edge overlies the upper portion.    
     
     
         22 . An awning as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the upper portion is outwardly and downwardly directed; and connection means connect an edge of the awning fabric to the upper portion so that the awning fabric extends over, and down, the upper portion.    
     
     
         23 . An awning as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the upper portion is inwardly and downwardly directed; and    connection means connect an edge of the awning fabric to an intermediate or lower portion of the column, the awning fabric being supported by, and extending over the, upper portion.    
     
     
         24 . An awning as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the awning is supported by two or more of the columns, where the columns have upper portions at two or more different heights.    
     
     
         25 . An awning as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the or each column has two or more curved upper portions, each upper portion supporting one or more layers of awning fabric.    
     
     
         26 . An awning as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 tensioned cables or chains connect the upper portions to footings to resist upward flexing of the upper portions.    
     
     
         27 . An awning as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 wall panels of tensionable fabric interconnect the lower portions of adjacent columns.    
     
     
         28 . An awning as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 a first layer of awning fabric of shade cloth material overlies, and is spaced above, a second layer of solid awning fabric to provide a cool, waterproof area covered by the awning.    
     
     
         29 . A sail shaped awning having at least one layer of tensioned awning fabric supported on at least one column, wherein: 
 connection means between the awning fabric to the or each column is movable with a vertical direction component along the or each column to enable the awning to be moved between a raised position and a lowered position.    
     
     
         30 . An awning as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 the connection means includes a flexible cable or chain arranged to pass between guide means on the or each column, the flexible cable or chain being operably connected to a control cable or chain; or trolley means; operably connected to winch means in or on the or each column.    
     
     
         31 . An awning as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 when the awning is mounted on a building structure, and is in the lowered position, the awning applies downward restraining force(s) to a roof structure of the building to at least partially protect the building structure against high winds, flying debris and the like.    
     
     
         32 . An awning as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein: 
 one or more cables interconnect the building structure to the or each column to assist in the application of the downward restraining force(s) to the roof structure.    
     
     
         33 . An awning as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 where the or each column has an outwardly directed, curved, upper portion, the connection means includes a resiliently extensible tension member, such as shockcord, to accommodate the curvature of the columns.    
     
     
         34 . An awning as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein: 
 the edges of the awning fabric are reinforced with plastic tensionable material, such as shockcord; and    the combination of the stretchable properties of the awning fabric with the elastic tensionable materials provides a combined dampening force against vibrational earthquake forces applied to the awning and/or the building structure.    
     
     
         35 . A sail shaped awning having at least one layer of tensioned awning fabric supported on at least one column, wherein: 
 at least one nozzle, operable to spray a fluid, is provided on the or each column, the or each nozzle being operable to direct the fluid into an area covered by the awning fabric.    
     
     
         36 . An awning as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein: 
 a first nozzle is provided adjacent an upper end of the or each column; and    a second nozzle is provided intermediate the length of the or each column.    
     
     
         37 . An awning as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein: 
 the or each column is hollow and contains or forms a reservoir for the fluid;    the fluid being a liquid, gas, or foam, or particulate for fire fighting purposes, or for de-icing or melting snow on the awning.    
     
     
         38 . An awning as claimed in  claim 2  wherein: 
 each outer edge of the tensioned awning fabric has a pair of aligned pockets operable to receive respective hingedly-connected arms of an edge bar connectable to a remote support or column, where shear pins interconnecting the arms are operable to fall above a preset wind load to allow the arms to be released from the aligned pockets.