Device for covering window or door openings via a corner

Abstract

A device for shading corner window or door openings is shown and described, comprising at least two box elements (4), two textile curtains (5), end strips (6") at the lower end of the curtains, and guides on the sides of the curtains (5) facing away from the corner area, wherein the curtains (5) are each wound up in a box element (4), wherein the box elements (4) are connected to each other at the angle of the existing windows or doors, and wherein the end strips (6") are connected to each other in the corner area of ​​the device by an angle connector, and wherein two connecting elements arranged at the free ends of the end strips (6, 6') and connectable to each other are provided as angle connectors.In order to improve wind load influence, glare reduction, individual control for each cardinal direction, and also simplified processing and assembly, it is provided that each connecting element is designed as a cover cap (41A, 41B) that can be detachably connected to the respective end strip (6") and that each cover cap (41A, 41B) has a projecting rib (45A, 45B) at the end of which a guide element (46A, 46B) with an inner through-opening serving as a vertical centering axis is provided.

Description

[0001] Shown and described is a device for shading window or door openings running around corners, comprising at least two box elements, two textile hangings, end strips at the lower end of the hangings, and guides on the sides of the hangings facing away from the corner area. The hangings are each wound up in a box element, the box elements being connected to one another at the angle of the existing windows or doors, the end strips being connected to one another in the corner area of ​​the device by an angle connector, and two connecting elements arranged at the free ends of the end strips and connectable to one another being provided as angle connectors. An example with the corresponding features of the preamble of claim 1 can be found in WO2018 / 178911 A1.

[0002] Shading systems for window or door openings have long been known in practice in a variety of designs. The control of the extending blinds is preferably done electrically, with the drives, cabling, etc., located inside the installed box elements.

[0003] In modern architecture, windows, in particular, have emerged as an important stylistic element. Today, there are no limits to the ideas for windows in terms of shape and color when it comes to a house's facade. Windows transform the entire appearance of the house and can make any building look modern and stylish. Minimalist, slim, or even frameless corner windows require sun protection that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. This also gives rise to the need for sun protection that runs across corners.

[0004] There are various solutions in the known state of the art. EP 3 140 488 B1 describes two textile sun protection devices consisting of a box element, textile hanging, guide and end strip, which are arranged at the angle of the corner window to each other. Each sun protection device has a laterally running vertical guide, in which the associated end strip of the sun protection device is guided by means of an end cap arranged on the front. In the area of ​​the corner where the two sun protection devices meet, the end strips are mitered and connected to each other via a connector. They thus form a rigid angle. This corresponds in type to the design of the frame connection for hollow chamber profiles of a corner window. When closed, the textile hanging is not connected over its entire height, creating a gap between the individual hangings.

[0005] Another known design provides a central guide positioned at the angle bisector of the corner window and connected to it. This central guide allows the textile curtain to be guided across the entire height. The end strip of the sun protection devices is recessed in the area of ​​the central guide and remains rigidly connected.

[0006] Another solution is described in DE 10 2017 114 920 A1. The design corresponds to the aforementioned EP 3 140 488 B1. This solution differs in that it features end caps arranged on the front side, which offer axial adjustment.

[0007] A designer experienced in the design of such components will derive from the above-mentioned state of the art, that the end profiles are mitred to match the corner window, that the sun protection devices are rigidly connected to each other via a one-piece connector to match the corner window, that the mitred surfaces of the end profiles touch each other and thus close the hollow chamber of the end profiles, that the connector of the end profiles is only inserted after the curtains have been installed.

[0008] The previously described state of the art reaches its limits in practice for several reasons. According to DIN EN 1991-4, Load assumptions for buildings, areas are divided into interior, edge, and corner areas. Depending on the building height, different wind loads arise for roofs and facades in these areas. Considering these corner windows in terms of the different load requirements, it is clear that at least four times the wind load can be expected in the corner area. Today, this is addressed by appropriately controlling the sun protection device, which then opens four times earlier than with a window in the area. This, in turn, means that corner windows are exposed to unprotected sunlight accordingly earlier.

[0009] Another requirement for a sun protection system is glare-free shading. Current solutions do not meet this requirement, as only the end profiles are connected, allowing light to penetrate through the gap between the fabrics. Another risk with this design is the possibility of air flowing behind the textile curtains in the corner area, thus creating a "sail" effect. Corner windows are usually oriented in two directions, for example, east / south. Therefore, it is certainly necessary to open or close or position the sun protection systems facing different directions independently of each other.

[0010] The invention is therefore based on the object of designing and constructing the device for shading corner window or door openings mentioned at the outset and described in more detail above in such a way that an improvement in the influence of wind load, freedom from glare, individual control for each direction and also simplified processing and assembly can be achieved.

[0011] This object is achieved in the device for shading window or door openings running around corners with the features of the preamble of claim 1 in that each connecting element is designed as a cover cap which can be detachably connected to the respective end strip and in that each cover cap has a projecting web, at the end of which a guide element with an inner through-opening serving as a vertical centering axis is provided.

[0012] The invention recognizes that dividing the known rigid corner connector into two individual connecting elements offers a number of advantages. The connecting elements according to the invention each consist of a machined extruded profile with one or more axially extending pivoting and centering connection points. The trim strips can be cut at the angle of the corner window, but preferably as a straight cut (90°).

[0013] Preferably, the guide elements are of different sizes, and the larger guide element has a vertical slot for the web of the smaller guide element to pass through, so that both guide elements can move vertically relative to one another without hindering one another. The slot is expediently designed so that it is widened at its ends to ensure secure insertion of the passing web of the other cover cap. In this case, the two connecting elements designed as cover caps are therefore not firmly connected to one another, but rather they ensure the vertical guidance of the end strips in the area of ​​the corner of the window or door. This solution has the particular advantage that both curtains can be operated differently from one another, which is not possible with connecting elements that are firmly connected to one another.In this way, window areas that are not directly affected by sunlight can remain open, while the window area at the corner that is exposed to the sun is protected by the extended shading curtain.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the larger guide element has a hollow cylindrical shape. Preferably, the larger guide element also has a double-conical inner surface, which has the smallest inner diameter at its center. In In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the smaller guide element has a cylindrical inner opening for receiving a guide means. Preferably, the outer shape of the smaller guide element is also double-conical, with the largest outer diameter at its center to center both elements when passing the larger guide element. The respective double-conical configurations ensure that a clean "threading" can be easily achieved when the two guide elements approach vertically.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a guide rod, preferably made of stainless steel, serves as the guide means.

[0016] Alternatively, it is also possible to use a guide wire as a guide means, which is preferably designed as a taut rope.

[0017] To compensate for minor deviations from a right angle in corner windows or doors, especially in older buildings, the end pieces and cover caps are made of an elastic and UV-resistant plastic. This allows minor angular deviations to be easily compensated for by the connecting elements and cover caps used.

[0018] The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which represents only a preferred embodiment. In the drawing show, each in perspective, Fig. 1 shows a corner shading device according to the prior art and, Figs. 2 to 4B show an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

[0019] In Fig. 1 A known device for shading corner window openings is shown schematically. It shows a corner window 1 with a surrounding frame 2, but without glazing. For the external shading systems, it is irrelevant whether the corner window is frameless or whether a vertical support profile 3 is arranged in the corner area, as shown.

[0020] The shading device consists initially and essentially of two mitred box elements 4 arranged outside the upper frame 2, in each of which a curtain 5 is wound. Below the curtains 5, two end strips 6 can be seen, of which the end facing away from the corner is guided in the area of ​​the frame 2 by a guide rail 7, and wherein the end strips in the corner area of ​​the device are connected by a (in Fig. 1 The exact arrangement of the box elements 4 and end strips 6 in the angle area depends on the respective local conditions. For simplicity, Fig. 1 a corner window forming a right angle.

[0021] In Fig. 2 An embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown schematically. It can be clearly seen here that end strips 6" are provided, which are not arranged in a common horizontal plane. The exact structure is therefore clearer from the Fig. 3 can be found.

[0022] Fig. 3 clearly shows that the ends of the 6" end strips are straight. The extruded profiles of the 6" end strips are designed so that they can be provided with connecting elements without a plug-in part. The connecting elements here are designed as cover caps 41A and 41B, which cover the open end of the 6" end strips and are screwed to this by means of screws 43 guided through corresponding openings 42 in corresponding channels 44 of the 6" end strips, so that a firm connection is created between the 6" end strip and the respective cover cap 41A or 41B. It can be seen that at the lower ends of the curtains 5 there is each a fastening loop with a piping 8, which is arranged in a recess in the respective 6" end strip.

[0023] Each cover cap 41A, 41B has a protruding web 45A, 45B, at the end of which a guide element 46A, 46B is provided, each of which is provided with an inner through-opening serving as a vertical centering axis. Here, too, the perspective shown is not sufficient to understand the interaction between the coupling elements 46A and 46B. Therefore, the two cover caps 41A and 41B are Figuren 4A und 4B shown again individually.

[0024] Fig. 4A clearly shows that the guide element 46A of the cover cap 41A is significantly smaller than the guide element 46B at the end of the web 45B of the cover cap 41B. The guide element 46A initially has a cylindrical inner opening 47 for receiving a guide means. The outer shape of the guide element 46A is double-conical, with a largest outer diameter 49A visible in the vertical direction in the center of the guide element 46A.

[0025] The larger guide element 46B also has a substantially hollow cylindrical shape, but the inner surface of this guide element 46B is again double-conical, so that a smallest inner diameter 49B is obtained there in the vertical direction.

[0026] The special feature of this embodiment of the invention is that the two cover caps 41A and 41B are able to allow the end strips 6" connected to them to move vertically relative to each other without hindering each other. For this purpose, the larger guide element 46B has a vertical slot 48 whose dimensions are designed such that it allows the web 45A of the cover cap 41A to pass through. If both end strips 6" are arranged in a common horizontal plane, the two guide sleeves 46A and 46B act exactly like the coupling elements of the end pieces of the embodiments described in the parent application EP 3 957 815, because both cover caps 41A and 41B are connected to each other with almost no play by the contact line of the circles 49A and 49B. The opening 47 of the smaller guide element 46A can serve to accommodate a guide means, for example a guide rod 48, as shown in Fig. 2 is shown.

[0027] The special design of the cover caps 41A and 41B ensures that the curtains 5 installed there can be moved independently of each other in the vertical direction. This represents a significant advantage, especially when only one of the two corner window surfaces is directly exposed to sunlight, since in this case, only this surface can be protected from direct sunlight by the individually extendable curtain 5.

[0028] Further advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims and the - basically divided - structure of the connecting elements or cover caps, of which the illustrated embodiment is only an example, since the present invention also includes other conceivable embodiments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for shading window or door openings extending around a corner, having at least two box elements (4), two textile hangings (5), end strips (6") at the lower end of the hangings and guides on the sides of the hangings (5) facing away from the corner area, the hangings (5) being wound up in a box element (4) in each case, the box elements (4) being connected to one another at the angle of the existing windows or doors, the end strips (6") being connected to one another in the corner area of the apparatus by an angle connector, two connecting elements arranged at the free ends of the end strips (6") and connectable to one another being provided as angle connectors, characterized in that each connecting element is designed as a covering cap (41A, 41B) which can be detachably connected to the respective end strip (6"), and in that each covering cap (41A, 41B) has a projecting web (45A, 45B), at the end of which there is a guide element (46A, 46B) with an inner through-hole serving as a vertical centering axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide elements (46A, 46B) are formed with different sizes, and that the larger guide element (46B) has a vertical slot (48) for passing the web (45A) of the smaller guide element (46A), so that both guide elements (46A, 46B) are movable in the vertical direction relative to each other without interfering with each other.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the larger guide member (46B) has a hollow cylindrical shape.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the larger guide member (46B) has a double-tapered inner surface and has the smallest inside diameter (49B) at its center.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the smaller guide member (46A) has a cylindrical inner opening (47) for receiving a guide means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the smaller guide element (46A) has an outer shape that is double-tapered and has the largest outer diameter (49A) in its center in order to center both elements (46A and 46B) when passing the larger guide element (46B).

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the guide means is designed as a guide rod (48), preferably made of stainless steel.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the guide means is designed as a guide wire, preferably as a tensioned cable.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the covering caps (41A, 41B) are made of an elastic and UV-resistant plastic.

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