Patio cover

Abstract

Terrace canopy comprising a supporting structure (4) with an open retractable roof fabric (6), where a free edge of the roof fabric (6) is provided with a movable front bar (7), characterized in such a way that the terrace canopy (1) is provided with at least two beams (11) that are movable independently of the roof fabric (6) and under the roof fabric (6) so that the roof fabric (6) can be supported at least by these beams (11) when the roof fabric (6) is at least partially unrolled, where the roof fabric (6) is provided with tensioning elements (9) at the opposite edges (10A, 10B) that are oriented perpendicular to the front bar (7) for keeping the roof fabric (6) under tension.

Description

2 Traditionally, the roof canvas in the unrolled state is positioned at a slight angle such that rainwater falling on the canvas is drained into a rain gutter provided for this purpose. The phenomenon of “pocketing” occurs when rainwater falling on the canvas does not reach the rain gutter, but forms a “pocket” in the canvas due to the water’s own weight. Usually, the so-called “pocketing” begins a few centimeters before the edge of the gutter, due to the flattening of the slope just before the gutter. As soon as even a small amount of water does not reach the gutter but flows back in one direction away from it, a “pocket,” “water pocket,” “pit,” or “valley” will be formed, as it were, in the roofing membrane, in which water will now begin to collect. The increasing self-weight of this accumulation of water causes the “water pocket” to move away from the drains and will only exacerbate the problem of “pocketing,” so that the “water pocket” becomes increasingly larger and, consequently, less and less water reaches the gutter. The “water pocket” eventually tends to move towards the center of the membrane.20 Naturally, the phenomenon of “sagging” is detrimental to the roof fabric. After all, the roof fabric will stretch or become permanently deformed, and in extreme cases, the roof fabric can even tear. If the roof fabric is deformed or torn, it must of course be replaced, which is often an expensive and time-consuming affair. Patio covers with beams attached to the roof fabric are well-known, for the purpose of forming a roof fabric that folds like an accordion. A disadvantage of this is that there is a lot of stitching involved in attaching the beams to the textile of the roof fabric; in fact, it involves parts of the fabric between the beams. Another disadvantage is that the roof fabric does not look taut but shows creases BE2025 / 5058 3 and that when folded, a thick bundle of roof fabric and beams remains visible. Terrace canopies with water-permeable zones above a rain gutter are also known. However, these terrace canopies have the disadvantage that water drainage only occurs via the rain gutter when the roof fabric is fully unrolled and the water-permeable zones are therefore positioned above the rain gutter.Moreover, such coverings have the disadvantage that water still tends to run back away from the permeable zones,10 meaning that the avoidance of “settlement” cannot be fully guaranteed. Other existing patio covers have water-permeable zones and a drain in the center of the roof fabric, where water tends to collect. Such covers have the disadvantage that the drain in the center of the roof fabric obstructs the view and that water can end up centrally under the cover when the drain is clogged or that water can seep through when use is made of a drain in textile with a water-repellent coating. After all, in practice, such textile with a water-repellent coating proves not to be completely watertight. Moreover, complex tensioning elements are necessary that can very quickly anticipate the variable load during extreme weather conditions. The present invention aims to offer a solution for at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages.This concerns the invention in a terrace canopy comprising a supporting structure with a roll-up and roll-down roof fabric, where a 30 free edge of the roof fabric is provided with a movable front bar, where the terrace canopy is provided with at least two beams that are movable independently of the roof fabric and under the roof fabric so that the roof fabric can be supported by these beams when the roof fabric is at least partially unrolled, where the roof fabric is provided with tensioning elements on the opposite edges that are oriented perpendicular to the front bar for holding the roof fabric in tension, characterized by the fact that at least two beams are curved 5 so that in the assembled state the curved beams with non-convex sides are oriented towards the roof fabric and support and / or press down on the roof fabric, all such that, when the roof fabric is at least partially unrolled, the roof canvas mainly assumes the curved shape of the beams.10 A patio cover according to the invention has the advantage that the movable beams support and / or press down on the roof fabric, so that no “pocketing” can occur when the roof fabric is fully or partially unrolled. Consequently, the roof fabric can no longer stretch, deform, or tear during rain, hail, snowfall, or the like. The water flows away immediately with minimal accumulation. In contrast to the fore-weather systems that drain the water where water tends to collect and “water pockets” occur, the movable beams of the invention counteract “pocketing” and force the water to the edges of the roof fabric. Since the beams are movable, they do not form a visible obstruction when the roof fabric is rolled up. The outdoor experience with the roof fabric rolled up is therefore fully preserved.It is hereby disclosed that the tensioning element at a first overhanging edge of the roof fabric may be positioned lower than at the opposite second overhanging edge, such that the roof fabric slopes towards the first overhanging edges and BE2025 / 5058 5 the roof fabric is provided with water-permeable zones at a distance D from the first overhanging edge. These tensioning elements are present to keep the roof fabric under tension. The first overhanging edge, which is positioned lower5 than the opposite second overhanging edge, ensures a slope of the roof fabric, whereby water is drained towards the water-permeable zones. According to the invention, the aforementioned movable beams are curved and positioned in such a way that these beams bulge the roof canvas away from the ground, so that water is drained to the first and second overhanging edge. In that case, it is not necessary for the first overhanging edge to be positioned lower than the second overhanging edge. The first and second overhanging edges can also be at the same height in such a case.The curvature of the beams forces the roof canvas upwards, away from the ground, so that water drains to both the first and the second overhanging edge.20 According to a preferred load-bearing design, the front bar is driven by a motor for its movement and the front bar is mechanically coupled to a first movable beam, either directly or, for example, by means of a cord,25 a cable or the like. This ensures that the movement of the front bar also causes a movement of the first beam. In this way, the roof canvas and the beams can share the same drive, which reduces costs. 30 In a preferred design, the rolling up or down of the roof canvas and the movement of the beams occur together, in a controlled manner and in the same direction. BE2025 / 5058 6 The rolling up or down of the roof canvas can proceed synchronously with the movement of the beams, or it is also possible that the beams move in steps while the roof canvas continuously rolls up or down.In the latter case, for example, the first beam may only be moved when the roof canvas has already been partially unrolled, and the second beam may only be moved when the first beam has already moved a certain distance. The rainwater landing on the roof canvas is preferably drained in a direction parallel to the movable beams. Since the beams are placed at an angle along their longitudinal direction, “gutters” are formed in the roof canvas as it were when it is (at least partially) unrolled, approximately halfway between the beams and also parallel to the beams. In a preferred form, the movable beams are interconnected by a cord, cable, or similar device, such that a displacement of the first beam results in a displacement of the second beam when the distance between the first and second beams is greater than the length of the cord measured between the first and second beams.Naturally, in the case of more than two beams, a cord is also provided between the second, third, and third beams, between the third and fourth beams, and so on. The cord between the first and second beams (and when there are more than two beams, also between the second, third, and so on) preferably unrolls from the second beam to the first beam when unrolling the roof canvas and vice versa when rolling up the roof canvas. It follows from this that when the roof canvas is rolled up and the distance between the beams is minimal, the cord between the first and second beams is primarily located at or within the height of the second beam. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, a center distance B between the beams in the unrolled state of the roofing fabric lies between 50 and 120 centimeters, but preferably between 60 and 100 centimeters, and ideally amounts to approximately 80 centimeters. Such values ​​for distance B ensure an optimal compromise between sufficient lifting and / or support of the roofing fabric, on the one hand, and no excessive material costs, on the other.It goes without saying that when distance B is small, more beams and therefore more material are required, whereas when distance B is large, there is a greater risk of “sagging” and thus permanent deformation or tearing of the roof fabric. The aforementioned values ​​for distance B ensure sufficient and rapid water drainage so that the roof fabric is subjected to little or no mechanical stress by the water falling on it. The slope of the roof fabric in the unrolled state lies between 0.5° and 5°, preferably between 1° and 3°, and ideally amounts to 1.5°. 25 Such slopes ensure sufficient and rapid drainage of rainwater landing on the roof fabric, while still achieving an aesthetically pleasing quasi-horizontal roof fabric. Moreover, such low slopes prevent the front batten layer from sagging on patio covers with a large projection. Any water-permeable zones can be implemented as perforations or mesh in the roof fabric.BE2025 / 5058 8 For example, one water-permeable zone per two beams, whereby at least one water-permeable zone is provided approximately halfway between two beams. Alternatively, the water-permeable zones may extend over the full length of the roof fabric. The length of the roof fabric is defined as the distance of the unrolled roof fabric, measured parallel to the first overhanging edge. The aforementioned distance is preferably located between 1 and 15 centimeters, preferably between 3 and 8 centimeters, and ideally 5 to 6 centimeters. This distance is usually the distance where “pocketing” begins to occur. In other words, this is usually almost the lowest point of the roof fabric; when water is present on the roof fabric, it is therefore logical to provide the water-permeable zone precisely at that point. Where water wants to collect, it must naturally be drained away as quickly as possible. It is hereby revealed that a rain gutter can be provided under the water-permeable zones for water drainage, so that the surface under the patio cover remains dry.25 In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention, a guiding layer or protective layer is applied to the side of the beams facing the roof fabric, which reduces friction between the roof fabric and the beams in order to maximize the service life of the roof fabric.30 Preferably, the aforementioned guiding layer or protective layer consists mainly of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). BE2025 / 5058 9 With the aim of better demonstrating the characteristics of the invention, a preferred design of a patio cover according to the invention is described below as an example without any restrictive character, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:5 Figure 1 schematically and in perspective depicts a patio cover with a partially unrolled roof fabric; Figure 2 depicts a view along bar F2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 depicts a cross-section of the patio cover10 from Figure 1 along the line III-III.figure 4 depicts the terrace canopy of figure 1 with the roof canvas fully rolled up; figure 5 depicts the terrace canopy of figure 1 with the roof canvas fully rolled up; 15 figure 6 depicts a view according to bar F6 in figure 1, where the roof canvas and the movable beams are shown transparently; figure 7 depicts a terrace canopy according to the invention; 20 figure 8 depicts a view according to bar F8 in figure 7. The terrace canopy shown in figure 1 comprises, in this case, two parallel longitudinal beams 2A, 2B and two parallel transverse beams 3A, 3B which are coupled together 25 to form a rectangular supporting structure 4. The supporting structure 4 is, in this example, supported at the corners by four posts 5. It goes without saying that the number of posts5 and the positioning of the posts5 can vary. Also, the terrace canopy1 can be mounted against a facade with, for example, a longitudinal beam2A,2B and / or a transverse beam3A,3B. BE2025 / 5058 10 The terrace canopy1 is further equipped with a roll-up and roll-down roof canvas6, which in this case is rollable and rolls down to the opposite transverse beam3B.The unrolling of the roof fabric6 therefore takes place in the direction of the arrowA, as shown in Figure 1. However, it is not excluded that the roof fabric5 6 is housed in a longitudinal beam2A,2B and unrolls to an opposite longitudinal beam2A,2B. In this case, the roof fabric6 is integrated into the crossbeam3A, but can alternatively also be integrated into the opposite crossbeam3B or10 even between the crossbeams3A,3B. In the example shown, a free end or free edge of the roof fabric6 is provided with a front batten7 which, with its end sections, can slide or roll in the guides8 provided for this purpose in the longitudinal beams15 2A,2Bis. To keep the roof canvas 6 under tension, the patio canopy 1 is also equipped with tensioning elements 9 located on the 20 overhanging edges 10A, 10B that are oriented transversely to the front batten 7. In the example shown, the tensioning elements 9 are thus located between the longitudinal beams 2A, 2B and the overhanging edges 10A, 10B of the roof canvas 6. 25 These tensioning elements 9 are positioned lower on a first overhanging edge 10A than on a second overhanging edge 10B.In practice this can also mean that one longitudinal beam 2A is positioned lower than the opposite longitudinal beam 2B, but this is of course not necessary.30 The overhanging edges 10A, 10B are the edges of the roof fabric 6 that are connected to the tensioning elements 9. BE2025 / 5058 11 This has the effect that the roof fabric 6 is at an angle when it is wholly or partially unrolled. In the relevant example in Figure 1, the tensioning elements 9 of the second overhanging edge 10B are positioned higher than the tensioning elements 9 of the first overhanging edge 10A, such that the roof fabric 6 slopes in the direction of arrow B. Water that ends up on the unrolled part of the roof fabric 6 will therefore also flow away in the direction of arrow B. The view shown in Figure 2 indicates that beams 11 are present under the roof canvas 6, which support the canvas 6 and prevent sagging during heavy rainfall. However, these beams 11 are movable under the canvas 6 and are straight in this case. 15 It is possible that the movable beams 11 are not connected to the canvas 6 in any way.A user, a rain sensor, or a weather forecast can then give the command to move the beams11 under the canvas6 in the event of heavy rain to push up or support the canvas6 and thus prevent sagging or tearing of the canvas6. In that case, the movable beams11 are self-driven, or driven at least by the first beam11A, and the other beams 11 are coupled to the first beam11A. Alternatively, the first beam11A can be mechanically connected to the front batten7, as shown in the example in Figure 2 and Figure 6, whereby a movement of the front batten7 causes a movement of the first beam11A. The first beam11A is then coupled to a second beam11B, which in turn is coupled30 to a third beam11C, and so on. The cross-section of the longitudinal beam 2A shown in Figure 3 illustrates that the roof canvas 6 is provided with water-permeable zones 12 at a distance D from the first BE2025 / 5058 12 overhanging edge 10A. Below the water-permeable zones 12, a rain gutter 13 is provided, which, in this case, is mounted against the longitudinal beam 2A.The schematically represented droplets14 in Figure 3 show how the water is drained. Water that lands on the roof fabric65 flows under the influence of the slopeα to the water-permeable zones12, where the water flows through these water-permeable zones12 and is collected in the rain gutter13 provided for this purpose. 10 Because the roof fabric6 is supported by the movable beams11, the slope can remain quite limited, for example 0.5° to 5°; in the example shown, this slope is 1.5°. After all, the water does not need to be drained as quickly as with traditional patio coverings1.15 The distance D, between the geometric center of the water-permeable zones12 and the first overhanging edge10A, is five centimeters in this case, but in practice can vary between one and fifteen centimeters.20 The water-permeable zones12 can be designed as perforations12, as shown in figure 3, but can alternatively also be designed as mesh. A combination of perforations12 and mesh is also not inconceivable.25 The orientation of the strip of water-permeable zones12, namely parallel to the longitudinal beams2A,2and therefore also parallel to the unrolling direction of the roof fabric6, ensures that drainage of rainwater falling on the roof fabric6 is guaranteed at all times30, even when the roof fabric6 is only partially unrolled. The cross-section of Figure 3 also shows the guides8 in which the end sections of the beams11, and possibly also the front batten7, BE2025 / 5058 13 can slide or move. To this end, these end sections are provided, for example, with small wheels or roller bearings that can rotate in these guides8 so that the beams11 can be moved easily. These guides8 can be located both above and below the roof canvas6 and on tensioning elements10A.5 In Figure 4 it can be seen that the patio cover1 provides a completely open structure when the roof canvas6 is fully rolled up. The beams11 are all positioned next to and against each other so that a package is formed which is located10 next to the crossbeam3A, in which the rolled-up roof canvas6 is provided.In Figure 5, on the other hand, the roof canvas 6 is fully unrolled, with the beams 11 also slid apart so that 15 they provide maximum support to the roof canvas 6. The center distance between the beams 11 is, in this example, 80 centimeters, but in practice this distance between the beams 11 can vary between 50 and 120 centimeters. 20 The roof canvas 6 forms, as it were, small gutters in the middle, between two beams 11, which drain the rainwater to the water-permeable zones 12, under the influence of the slope of the roof canvas 6. 25 The rainwater on the roof canvas 6 is thus drained parallel to the movable beams 11. In the top view shown in Figure 6, the roof canvas 6 and the movable beams 11 are shown transparently in such a way that the mechanical connection between the front batten 7 and the beams 11 becomes more visible to one another. BE2025 / 5058 14 In this example, the front bar is driven, for example by an electric motor not shown, a chain, belt or cord.The first beam11A is, in this example, coupled to the front batten7, in such a way that a shift of the front batten7 causes a shift of the first beam11A. The movable beams11 are in this example interconnected by a cord15 or similar, in such a way that a displacement of the first beam11A causes a displacement of a second beam11B when the distance between the first beam11A and the second beam11B is greater than the length of the cord15 measured between the first beam11A and the second beam11B, and so on. In practice, this means that when the roof canvas6 is unrolled from the fully rolled-up position in the direction of the arrowA, the front batten7 and the coupled first beam11A move together with the roof canvas6. 20 Initial moving so only the front bar7 and the coupled first bar11A.Between the first beam and the second beam, the aforementioned cord is placed at the rear, which ensures that when the distance between the first beam and the second beam is equal to the length of the cord between these beams, and the cord is thus fully tensioned, a further displacement of the first beam via the cord will move or pull the second beam along with it. The same naturally applies to the displacements of the cord between the second beam and a third beam, and between the third beam and a fourth beam, and so on. BE2025 / 5058 15 When rolling up the roof canvas6, initially only the front slat7 and the connected first beam11A will move again, now naturally in the opposite direction of the arrowA. It is only when the first beam11A touches the second beam11 that the first beam11A pushes the second beam11B along, as it were, in the opposite direction of the arrowA. Subsequently, when rolling up the roof canvas6 further, the second beam11B will touch the third beam11C and the first beam11A, second beam11B and third beam11C will move forward together, and so on.10 The movement of the beams11 in this example therefore does not occur continuously, but in steps. The rolling up and down of the roof canvas6 and the movement of the beams11 therefore proceed in a controlled manner and in the same direction.15 Thanks to the transparent representation of figure 6, it is clearly visible that, in this example, two cords15 are provided between the movable beams11 each time, which are positioned at a distance from each other such that the beams11 move evenly and parallel to the 20 front batten7 and cannot become crooked and block the movement. In this example, the two cords15 between the first beam11A and the second beam11B are attached at one end to the first beam11A and at the other end to the second beam11B by means of a spring 16 or by means of a winding system17. The two aforementioned cords therefore roll off from the second beam 30 11B to the first beam 11A when unrolling the roof canvas 6 and the cords roll up from the first beam 11A to the second beam 11B when rolling up the roof canvas 6.BE2025 / 5058 16 The same applies between the second beam11 and the third beam11C, the cords15 roll off from the third beam11C to the second beam11 and roll up from the second beam11B to the third beam11C, and so on. 5 The roller system17 prevents looping of the cords15 when the roof fabric6 is not fully unrolled. In this example, the beams11, with the exception of the first beam 11A, which naturally has no need for this, and the third beam10 11C in which an alternative system is provided, are equipped with two roller systems17, i.e. one roller system17 per cord15. Such a winding system17 can be a drum17 that is tensioned by a torsion spring cord15 which keeps it tensioned at all times.15 Alternatively, the winding systems17 can be replaced by another spring system16 with a spring16 that keeps the cords15 under tension, this is shown in the transparent view of the third beam11C. The choice of the winding systems17 or 20 spring system16 in the beams11, is in this example completely arbitrary.The aforementioned spring16 in the third beam11C is tensioned when the roof canvas is unrolled6, causing the third beam11C, via the cords15, to pull the second beam11B towards itself when the roof canvas is rolled up6, ensuring that the relevant cords 15 are always tensioned and do not form loops. Although the beams11 in the example in figure 6 are hollow and the roller systems17 and / or any spring systems16 are incorporated into the beams11, this is not necessary. Alternatively, the roller systems17 and / or spring systems16 can also be provided under the beams11, for example in a separate cassette or similar. BE2025 / 5058 17 The top side of the beams11, these being the sides of the beams 11 facing the roof canvas6, are in the example in figure 6 provided with a guide layer18 or protective layer 18 which reduces friction between the roof canvas6 and the beams5 to prevent wear on the roof canvas6. In the example, this guide layer18 or protective layer18 mainly consists of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).10 The terrace canopy shown in Figure 7 in accordance with the invention comprises movable beams11 that are curved or bent, with the exception of the front slat7. The curvature of these beams11 is more clearly visible in the view as shown in Figure 8. 15 The roof fabric6 is fully unrolled in Figures 7 and 8. The beams11 are movable under the roof fabric6. The curved beams are oriented with their convex side towards the roof fabric and support the roof fabric in such a way that, when the roof fabric is at least partially unrolled, the roof fabric mainly assumes the curved shape of the beams and bulges in such a way that the water drains away faster. The supporting structure can be positioned completely horizontally. The longitudinal beams (A, 2B) or transverse beams (A, 3B) therefore do not need to be at an angle, since the bulging of the roof fabric, which is achieved by the curved beams, ensures that the water drains away in the direction of the water-permeable zones.BE2025 / 5058 18 According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the beams11 are bent or curved in such a way that the center of each beam11 deviates ninety millimeters from the geometric center line connecting the endpoints of each beam11. In other words, the pre-bending of the curved beams11 amounts to 90 millimeters at rest, when no external forces are acting on them. However, in practice, the pre-bending can vary between 60 and 120 millimeters.10 An important advantage of the terrace roof with curved beams11 is that the distance between the beams11 can be greater than in the variant with straight beams11 described above. 15 Thus, the distance between the beams11 in this example is 120 centimeters, but in practice it is not excluded that this distance can amount to up to 150 centimeters. A difference with the known patio covers is that the water20 is drained in the direction of both the first overhanging edge10A and the second overhanging edge10B, in the direction of the arrowsB.The water-permeable zones 12 are in this case therefore also located at a distance D from both the first opposite edge 10A and at a distance D from the second opposite edge 25 10B, such that a rain gutter 13 is also provided on both opposite sides 10A, 10B of the canopy 1. These movable beams11 can either always be oriented with their convex sides towards the roof canvas6, both in the rolled-up and unrolled state of the roof canvas6, or can alternatively be folded down in the rolled-up state of the roof canvas6 and raised in the (partially) unrolled state of the roof canvas 6. In the folded-down state, the beams11 can be rotated, for example, BE2025 / 5058 19 45°, 90°, 135° or 180° relative to the beams 11 in the raised state. These beams11 can be raised after or during their movement, automatically or otherwise.Alternatively, instead of curved or bent beams, the beams could also be straight, whereby an object, a block or similar of a certain height is placed on the side of the beams that are oriented towards the roof canvas and approximately in the middle of the beams, such that the roof canvas is pressed upwards at approximately the middle of the beams. Although a freestanding patio cover is depicted in the figures, the invention is not limited to this. The invention also applies to patio covers that are mounted against a facade with one or more sides. It is also clear that the number of posts that support the load-bearing structure can vary across different designs. The present invention is by no means limited to the example described.