Panel coupling and rotation system

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a patio cover system. The system comprises a frame comprising support beams; support posts configured to support the frame; cover panels rotatably coupled to the support beams; an actuator, and/or other components. The actuator may be mounted to the frame and coupled to the cover panels, may be configured to rotate the cover panels between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and comprises a motor; a piston coupled to the motor; an arm coupled to the piston and configured to extend from the piston toward the cover panels; a linking member coupled to the arm and the cover panels, and/or other components. The linking member may be configured to rotate the cover panels in unison between the open configuration and the closed configuration when driven by the arm, the piston, and/or the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An actuator system for a patio cover, the patio cover comprising a frame, the actuator system comprising:
 a motor; and   a linking assembly coupled to the motor and configured to rotate cover panels of the patio cover between an open configuration and a closed configuration,   wherein the motor is pivotally coupled to the frame to allow the motor to pivot toward the frame when the cover panels rotate to the closed configuration, and pivot away from the frame when the cover panels rotate to the open configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The actuator system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is rotationally coupled to the linking assembly by a bracket, the bracket comprising one or more of a bolt, a flat washer, a lock nut, and/or a spacer. 
     
     
         3 . The actuator system of  claim 2 , wherein the linking assembly comprises:
 a piston coupled to the motor;   an arm coupled to the piston and configured to extend toward the patio cover panels, the arm being rotationally coupled to the piston to provide the rotational coupling between the motor and the linking assembly; and   a linking member coupled to the arm and the cover panels, the linking member configured to rotate the cover panels in unison when driven by the arm, the piston, and/or the motor, between the open configuration and the closed configuration,   wherein the linking member, the piston, and the arm are configured to pivot with the motor toward the frame when the cover panels rotate to the closed configuration, and pivot away from the frame when the cover panels rotate to the open configuration.   
     
     
         4 . The actuator system of  claim 3 , wherein the linking member is longer than the arm along a first axis, and the arm is longer than the linking member along a second, substantially perpendicular axis; and wherein the linking member has a longer first end located toward the motor along the first axis relative to a shorter second, opposite, end of the linking member. 
     
     
         5 . The actuator system of  claim 3 , wherein the linking member is rotatably coupled to a plurality of individual link pins that extend from different ones of the cover panels, the linking member configured to rotate the cover panels between the open configuration and the closed configuration via the link pins. 
     
     
         6 . The actuator system of  claim 5 , wherein a given link pin extends from one side of a cover panel at an end of the cover panel such that at least a portion of the linking member and/or the arm changes height relative to a frame of the patio cover when the cover panels rotate between the open configuration and the closed configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The actuator system of  claim 5 , wherein the cover panels are mounted to the frame via rotation pins located at either end of a given cover panel, the rotation pins located along an axis of rotation of the given cover panel, the rotation pins being separate from the link pins, wherein:
 orifices in the frame that receive the rotation pins are located closer to an upper surface of the frame on a first side of the frame where the motor is mounted and where the linking member operates, relative to a second, opposite side, of the frame, and   the rotation pins on the first side of the frame have a longer length than the rotation pins on the second side of the frame to accommodate a gap between the cover panels and the frame that is larger on the first side of the frame than the second side of the frame.   
     
     
         8 . The actuator system of  claim 7 , wherein each of the orifices comprises a bushing and a snap ring configured to receive and hold the rotation pins. 
     
     
         9 . The actuator system of  claim 7 , wherein the linking member comprises arcuate portions configured to engage the rotation pins when the cover panels are in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The actuator system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is pivotally coupled to the frame via a motor base bracket, the motor base bracket coupled to a top surface of the frame toward one end of the frame via one or more screws, the motor base bracket comprising a base coupled to the top surface by the screws, a pivot axis, and an adaptor coupled to the base and the motor and configured to rotate around the pivot axis, the adaptor coupled to the base by a bolt and a lock nut oriented along the pivot axis. 
     
     
         11 . A method for assembling a patio cover, the patio cover comprising a frame, the method comprising:
 assembling a linking assembly coupled to a motor and configured to rotate cover panels of the patio cover between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and   pivotally coupling the motor to the frame to allow the motor to pivot toward the frame when the cover panels rotate to the closed configuration, and pivot away from the frame when the cover panels rotate to the open configuration.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising rotationally coupling the motor to the linking assembly with a bracket, the bracket comprising one or more of a bolt, a flat washer, a lock nut, and/or a spacer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the linking assembly comprises:
 a piston coupled to the motor;   an arm coupled to the piston and configured to extend toward the patio cover panels, the arm being rotationally coupled to the piston to provide the rotational coupling between the motor and the linking assembly; and   a linking member coupled to the arm and the cover panels, the linking member configured to rotate the cover panels in unison when driven by the arm, the piston, and/or the motor, between the open configuration and the closed configuration,   wherein the linking member, the piston, and the arm are configured to pivot with the motor toward the frame when the cover panels rotate to the closed configuration, and pivot away from the frame when the cover panels rotate to the open configuration.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the linking member is longer than the arm along a first axis, and the arm is longer than the linking member along a second, substantially perpendicular axis; and wherein the linking member has a longer first end located toward the motor along the first axis relative to a shorter second, opposite, end of the linking member. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the linking member is rotatably coupled to a plurality of individual link pins that extend from different ones of the cover panels, the linking member configured to rotate the cover panels between the open configuration and the closed configuration via the link pins. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a given link pin extends from one side of a cover panel at an end of the cover panel such that at least a portion of the linking member and/or the arm changes height relative to a frame of the patio cover when the cover panels rotate between the open configuration and the closed configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cover panels are mounted to the frame via rotation pins located at either end of a given cover panel, the rotation pins located along an axis of rotation of the given cover panel, the rotation pins being separate from the link pins, wherein:
 orifices in the frame that receive the rotation pins are located closer to an upper surface of the frame on a first side of the frame where the motor is mounted and where the linking member operates, relative to a second, opposite side, of the frame, and   the rotation pins on the first side of the frame have a longer length than the rotation pins on the second side of the frame to accommodate a gap between the cover panels and the frame that is larger on the first side of the frame than the second side of the frame.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each of the orifices comprises a bushing and a snap ring configured to receive and hold the rotation pins. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the linking member comprises arcuate portions configured to engage the rotation pins when the cover panels are in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the motor is pivotally coupled to the frame via a motor base bracket, the motor base bracket coupled to a top surface of the frame toward one end of the frame via one or more screws, the motor base bracket comprising a base coupled to the top surface by the screws, a pivot axis, and an adaptor coupled to the base and the motor and configured to rotate around the pivot axis, the adaptor coupled to the base by a bolt and a lock nut oriented along the pivot axis.