Relating to furniture and or fastener mountings

Abstract

The invention provides for canopy designs for furniture, mountings for attaching such canopies to resin and plastic frames to tubular frames. Methods of mounting and methods of assembly are also provided.

1 . A canopy, the canopy including: 
 a first part which includes a first arm, the first arm being provided with a first component of a fastener system at or towards one end, the first arm being provided with a joint at or towards the other end;    a second part which includes a second arm, the joint connecting the second arm to the first arm, the joint allowing the orientation of the first arm to the second arm to be varied, the second arm being provided with a second joint, the second arm supporting a screen;    a third part which includes a further arm, the second joint connecting the further arm to the second arm, the second joint allowing the orientation of the second arm to the further arm to be varied, the further arm supporting a screen; and    wherein the second part and third part are adjustable in angle relative to one another.    
   
   
       2 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which the second arm is connected to the further arm indirectly through a third arm.  
   
   
       3 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which pairs of first and second and/or third and further arms are provided.  
   
   
       4 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which the canopy is for attachment to an item of furniture and the item of furniture is a chair, a deckchair, a lounger, a recliner, a seat or a reclining seat or in which the canopy is for attachment to an item of nursery equipment.  
   
   
       5 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which the length of the first arm is variable through the use of one or more repeat units.  
   
   
       6 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which one or more of the joints includes a rachet in the form of a series of radially extending ridges provided on a surface., such a surface being provided for each part of the joint, the surfaces carry the ridges engaging with one another.  
   
   
       7 . A canopy according to  claim 6  in which one part of the joint is provided with a raised portion which surrounds the axis of rotation and cooperates with a recessed portion around the axis of rotation of the other part.  
   
   
       8 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which one or more of the joints, particularly the first joint, are provided with a limit of rotation in one direction, the limit of rotation being provided by a protrusion on one part of the joint and a stop on the other part of the joint, the two abutting one another at the limit of rotation.  
   
   
       9 . A canopy according to  claim 8  in which the stop is provided with a metal reinforcing component.  
   
   
       10 . A canopy according to  claim 8  in which the joint is provided with a further projection which also cooperates with a stop at the limit of rotation, the further projection being provided circumferentially spaced apart from the first protrusion by an angle of between 160 and 200 degrees.  
   
   
       11 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which the canopy is in four or more sections.  
   
   
       12 . A canopy according to  claim 12  in which the first section is defined by a pair of first arms and a link between the first joints, the second section is defined by a pair of second arms, the link between the first joints and the link between the second joints, the third section is defined by a pair of further arms, the link between the second joints and the link between the further joints.  
   
   
       13 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which the separation between the first arms is less than the separation between the second arms and the separation between the further arms is less than the separation between the third arms.  
   
   
       14 . A canopy according to  claim 1  in which the first arms are shorter than the second arms and the further arms are shorter than the third arms.  
   
   
       15 . A method of attaching a canopy to an item, the method including: 
 providing the item with one or more second components of a fastener system;    providing a canopy, the canopy including: 
 a first part which includes a first arm, the first arm being provided with a first component of a fastener system at or towards one end, the first arm being provided with a joint at or towards the other end;  
 a second part which includes a second arm, the joint connecting the second arm to the first arm, the joint allowing the orientation of the first arm to the second arm to be varied, the second arm being provided with a second joint, the second arm supporting a screen;  
 a third part which includes a further arm, the second joint connecting the further arm to the second arm, the second joint allowing the orientation of the second arm to the further arm to be varied, the further arm supporting a screen; and  
 wherein the second part and the third part are adjustable in angle relative to one another;  
   the method further including connecting the first component of the fastener system to the second component.    
   
   
       16 . A mounting, the mounting including one part of a fastener system, the mounting being formed of a first part and a second part, the first and second parts releasably engaging with one another, the first and second parts defining a channel between the first and second parts, the channel receiving a frame in use, the first part including a first frame engaging portion which faces the channel at a position and a second frame engaging portion which faces the channel at a position, the second part including a first frame engaging portion which faces the channel at a position and a second frame engaging portion which faces the channel at a position, the axis of the channel at the position for a first frame engaging portion being different to the axis of the channel at the position for a second frame engaging portion.  
   
   
       17 . A mounting according to  claim 16  in which the item attached to the mounting in use is one of a canopy, sunshade, sun screen, umbrella, parasol, rainshield or table.  
   
   
       18 . A mounting according to  claim 16  in which the recess is defined by two halves, one half being provided by the recess portion of the first part of the mounting, the second half being provided by the recess portion of the second part of the mounting.  
   
   
       19 . A mounting according to  claim 17  in which the recess is defined by a first part of the mounting, particularly in the case of mountings intended for use on nursery equipment.