Method of Creating Living Space with Added Ambient Sound, Retractable Awning with Source of Sound Beneath Awning Canopy, and Head for Retractable Awning Having a Speaker

Abstract

A method of creating a living space beneath an awning with added ambient sound, a retractable awning with added ambient sound and a head for a retractable awning having a speaker. The awning has a canopy secured to an awning roller with the roller mounted between opposite awning heads. A speaker is mounted in at least one of the heads for directing sound away from the head. In a retracted position of the awning, sound is directed away from the living space created beneath the awning when it is deployed, and in the deployed position with the awning extended, sound is directed into the living space.

1 . A method of creating a living space beneath an awning with added ambient sound directed into the living space comprising the steps of
 a. forming a deployable awning with opposite heads, said awning having a deployed position and a retracted position,   b. installing a source of sound proximate at least one of said heads, with said source of sound directed away from the living space in the retracted position, and   c. extending said awning to the deployed position with said source of sound directed into the living space.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which the source of sound comprises a speaker located in said head and projecting sound from an opening in said head, and in which method step “c” includes directing said opening toward the living space. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which in method step “b” sound is directed above the living space. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which the source of sound is mounted in an opening in said head. 
     
     
         5 . In a retractable awning having an awning canopy secured to an awning roller, the roller being mounted in opposite heads, the heads being secured to arms movable between a retracted position with the canopy rolled on the roller and a deployed position with the canopy at least partially unrolled from the roller to create a living space beneath the awning, the improvement comprising
 a. a speaker mounted at a mounting position proximate at least one of the heads, said speaker directing sound from said mounting position away from said head, and   b. said speaker being positioned so that in the retracted position sound is directed away from the living space, and in the deployed position sound is directed into the living space.   
     
     
         6 . The retractable awning according to  claim 5 , in which said mounting position comprises an opening in said head, said speaker being located in said opening. 
     
     
         7 . A head for a retractable awning, comprising
 a. an awning head body,   b. an attachment segment for securing said awning head body to an awning support arm,   c. an opening in said awning head body, and   d. a speaker located in said opening, said speaker having a source of sound directed out of said awning head body.   
     
     
         8 . The head according to  claim 7 , in which said attachment segment comprises an attachment member extending from said awning head body. 
     
     
         9 . The head according to  claim 7 , in which said speaker has a body which extends within said awning head body. 
     
     
         10 . The head according to  claim 7 , in which said source of sound is directed through said opening.