Awning bead and staple system

Abstract

An improved system of virtually seamless connected awning sections with a consistent visual appearance between the sections. A recessed awning bead encased with the fabric covering material chosen for the awning is contoured to, and fit into, a novel channel in the awning frame members. The awning bead allows for uniform weathering and fading of all visible awning parts. Such an improved awning is more aesthetically pleasing because no part of the seam protrudes above the plane of the awning surface. A narrowed neck of the channel in the awning frame member maintains the awning bead within the channel and thus slightly below the exterior awning surface in order to maintain a consistent surface between panel sections.

1 . An improved awning system having a fabric covering material applied over a tubing framing structure, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 a frame member having at least one longitudinal channel, said channel having an inner surface and a narrowed channel neck, one edge of said fabric covering material being fixedly attached to said inner surface; and    a bead for insertion into said channel of said frame member such that, when inserted into said channel, said bead is positively retained in said channel and no part of said bead protrudes above the plane defined by the opening of said channel neck.    
     
     
         2 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said inner surface of said channel has at least one groove running longitudinally along said channel, said groove serving as a guide to assist in trimming said fabric covering material.  
     
     
         3 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said inner surface of said channel has at least one groove running longitudinally along said channel, said groove providing increased gripping strength for improved retention of said fabric covering material.  
     
     
         4 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the material for said bead is selected from the group consisting of PVC, foam cord, hose, rope, and said covering material.  
     
     
         5 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said bead is encased with the same material as said fabric covering material to allow said bead and said fabric covering material to weather at approximately the same rate and thus maintain a consistent aesthetic appearance as said system ages.  
     
     
         6 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said fabric covering material is fixedly attached to said inner surface using an attachment method that is selected from the group consisting of nails, screws, tacks, glue, heat tacking, and staples.  
     
     
         7 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said frame member is aluminum.  
     
     
         8 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said frame member is a composite of steel and aluminum.  
     
     
         9 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the cross-section of said channel is essentially circular, said circular shape allowing for easier attachment of rolled fabric covering material.  
     
     
         10 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the cross-section of said bead approximates the shape of the cross-section of said channel.  
     
     
         11 . An improved bead for use in awning and other fabric framing structures, said bead for use in filling the gap present in the channel of a frame member wherein at least one edge of a fabric covering material is fixedly attached, said improvement comprising: 
 a core selected from the group consisting of PVC, foam cord, hose, rope, and said covering material; and    an outer encasement, said encasement being fixedly attached to said core and sized to fit into said channel such that, when inserted into said channel, said bead is positively retained in said channel and no part of said awning bead protrudes above the plane defined by the opening of said channel neck.    
     
     
         12 . The improvement of  claim 11  wherein said bead is compressible.  
     
     
         13 . The improvement of  claim 11  wherein said encasement is said fabric covering material, so as to allow said bead and said fabric covering material to weather at approximately the same rate and thus maintain a consistent aesthetic appearance as said awning or other fabric framing structure ages.  
     
     
         14 . an improved frame member extrusion for use in awnings and other fabric framing structures, said improvement comprising: 
 at least one longitudinal channel, said channel having an inner surface and a narrowed channel neck, said inner surface for fixedly attaching a fabric covering material; and    at least one longitudinal groove in said inner surface of said channel, said groove serving as a guide to assist in trimming said fabric covering material.    
     
     
         15 . The improvement of  claim 14  wherein said groove provides increased gripping strength for improved retention of said fabric covering material by increasing the surface area of said inner surface.  
     
     
         16 . The improvement of  claim 14  wherein the cross-section of said channel is essentially circular, said circular shape allowing for easier attachment of rolled fabric covering material.  
     
     
         17 . The improvement of  claim 14  wherein said frame member extrusion is aluminum.  
     
     
         18 . The improvement of  claim 14  wherein said frame member extrusion is a composite of steel and aluminum.  
     
     
         19 . A method for creating a multiple-section framing structure system with inconspicuous seams utilizing the improved awning system of  claim 1  such that said system appears to be one continuous unit, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a. forming the frame members to establish the desired shape of said framing structures, with the outer frame members of each of the multiple-sections that will eventually be conjoined oriented such that said outer frame member channels will be in contact between the conjoined sections;    b. stretching a fabric covering material over said framing structure;    c. fixedly attaching the ends of the panels of said covering material in the channels of said frame members of said framing structure;    d. trimming the excess of said covering materials from said channels by inserting the tip of a trimming knife into the groove in said channel and sliding said knife the length of said covering material;    e. inserting said bead encased with said covering material into the gap remaining in said channels; and    f. fixedly attaching the outer frame members of said multiple-sections to be conjoined.