Retractable sun shade

Abstract

A retractable sun shade, comprising at least one fabric section affixed to a boom, the boom supported and slideably engaged to a track at an intermediate portion of the boom, the track supported by a frame, and at least one flexible drawing element affixed to the boom at the intermediate portion, for drawing the boom in a first direction along the track to extend the sun shade and for drawing the boom in an opposite direction along the track to retract the sun shade.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A retractable sun shade, comprising:
 a track;   at least one boom for supporting one or more fabric sections;   for each at least one boom, a runner, one face of the runner comprising a track portion adapted to be received in sliding engagement with the track, and an opposed face of the runner comprising a boom portion adapted to be affixed to a central portion of that at least one boom.   
     
     
         3 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the track further comprises a complementary track channel for receiving and capturing the track portion of the runner in sliding engagement. 
     
     
         4 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the boom further comprises a complementary boom channel for receiving and capturing the boom portion of the runner. 
     
     
         5 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the at least one boom comprises a plurality of booms and wherein a corresponding plurality of runners are each fixable to a central portion of one of the plurality of booms, and to slideably engage with the track and to support that one of the plurality of booms and corresponding one or more fabric sections from the track. 
     
     
         6 . The sun shade of  claim 5  wherein one of the plurality of booms comprises a drawing boom and the remaining booms are drawn along the track as the drawing boom is drawn along the track. 
     
     
         7 . The sun shade of  claim 5  further comprising:
 at least one flexible drawing element affixed to an intermediate portion of a lead drawing boom of the plurality of booms, for drawing the lead drawing boom in a first direction along the track to extend the sun shade and for drawing the lead drawing boom in an opposite direction along the track to retract the sun shade. 
 
     
     
         8 . The sun shade of  claim 7  wherein the flexible drawing element is strung through, and slides freely through, the runners fixable to the remaining booms of the plurality of booms, but is affixed to a lead runner fixable to the central portion of the lead drawing boom. 
     
     
         9 . The sun shade of  claim 7  wherein the at least one flexible drawing element comprises a loop, the loop terminated at a lead runner supporting the lead drawing boom, the loop extending at least from the lead runner to an extension end of the track, back to a retraction end of the track, and terminating at the lead runner. 
     
     
         10 . The sun shade of  claim 3  wherein the track portion of the runner comprises a T-shaped rib for engagement into the complementary track channel. 
     
     
         11 . The sun shade of  claim 4  wherein the boom portion of the runner comprises a T-shaped rib for engagement into the complementary boom channel. 
     
     
         12 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the boom portion extends in a direction perpendicular to an orientation of the track portion. 
     
     
         13 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the at least one boom and the track comprise extrusions, wherein the track further comprises a complementary track channel for receiving and capturing the track portion of the runner, wherein the boom further comprises a complementary boom channel for receiving and capturing the boom portion of the runner, and wherein the complementary boom channel and the complementary track channel comprise grooves in at least one face of the at least one boom and the track. 
     
     
         14 . The sun shade of  claim 13  wherein the grooves extend the full length of the at least one boom and the track. 
     
     
         15 . The sun shade of  claim 13  wherein the grooves comprise a same extrusion profile for the at least one boom and the track. 
     
     
         16 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the at least one boom and the track comprise plastic extrusions. 
     
     
         17 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the at least one boom further comprises a reinforcing member inserted into at least one boom. 
     
     
         18 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the runner comprises a plastic block. 
     
     
         19 . The sun shade of  claim 2  wherein the track portion comprises ball bearings to slideably engage with the track. 
     
     
         20 . The sun shade of  claim 2 , further comprising the one or more fabric sections. 
     
     
         21 . The sun shade of  claim 20 , wherein the sun shade further comprises a spline for securing the one or more fabric sections into a groove in at least one face of the at least one boom. 
     
     
         22 . The sun shade of  claim 9  further comprising a crank for engaging with, and for drawing on, the flexible drawing element, wherein turning the crank may advance or retract the sun shade. 
     
     
         23 . The sun shade of  claim 13 , wherein the grooves in the at least one face of the at least one boom and the track comprise grooves in a plurality of faces of at least one of the at least one boom and the track.