Attaching a canvas to an inflatable structure

Abstract

This sun protection assembly includes a structure, at least one fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) fixed to the structure at at least first, second and third non-aligned fixing points, at least one permanent attachment member (32) for securely fixing said fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) to the first fixing point, and at least one attachment member with reduced mechanical resistance (34) compared to the mechanical resistance of said permanent attachment member (32) for connecting said fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) to the second fixing point, said reduced mechanical resistance attachment member (34) being capable of fixing said fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) to the second fixing point and capable of releasing the fixing at the second fixing point when the stress exerted on said reduced mechanical resistance attachment member (34) exceeds a predetermined threshold. Figure for the summary: Fig 3

Description

Title of the invention: Attaching a canvas to an inflatable structure technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of assemblies for solar protection comprising a structure, in particular an inflatable structure with captive air. Prior techniques

[0002] A sun protection assembly, for example a parasol, generally comprises a rigid frame consisting of a vertical pole and a plurality of ribs extending outward from the pole, as well as a canvas attached to the ribs of the frame.

[0003] In the event of excessive wind exposure of the canvas, the assembly may become destabilized, or even deteriorate.

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a fixing of a canvas to a structure remedying this drawback. Description of the invention

[0005] The invention relates to a sun protection assembly comprising a structure, at least one fabric fixed to the structure at at least first, second and third non-aligned fixing points, and at least one permanent attachment device for securely fixing said fabric to the first fixing point.

[0006] According to a general characteristic, the assembly further comprises at least one hooking element with reduced mechanical resistance compared to the mechanical resistance of said permanent hooking element for connecting said canvas to the second fixing point, said hooking element with reduced mechanical resistance being able to fix said canvas to the second fixing point and able to release the fixing at the second fixing point when the stress exerted on said hooking element with reduced mechanical resistance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0007] Said reduced mechanical resistance attachment device makes it possible to reduce the stress exerted by said canvas on the structure when said canvas exerts too much stress on it, in particular when said canvas exerts a stress greater than the predetermined threshold on the second fixing point of the structure.

[0008] When the fastening at the second fixing point is released by said reduced mechanical resistance attachment member, said permanent attachment member continues to securely fix said canvas to the first fixing point of the structure, thus preventing its loss.

[0009] Advantageously, the assembly structure can be a captive air inflatable structure. In this case, the use of said mechanically resistant attachment device Reduced size is particularly advantageous. Indeed, an inflatable structure is generally inflated and deflated frequently, for example at the beginning and end of each day. When the inflatable structure inflates or deflates, the fabric is set in motion and can face the wind, thus exerting a greater force on the inflatable structure.

[0010] Advantageously, said permanent hanging device is removably mounted to the first fixing point and / or to said canvas between a mounted permanent hanging position and a disassembled storage position.

[0011] Said reduced mechanical resistance attachment member may include an elastic element.

[0012] Said elastic element can elongate when the stress exerted on said attachment member with reduced mechanical resistance exceeds the predetermined threshold and thus modify the wind resistance conditions of said fabric. Said elastic element can then retract when the stress exerted on said attachment member with reduced mechanical resistance falls below the predetermined threshold.

[0013] Said elastic element may include an elastic tensioner or a spring.

[0014] Alternatively, said reduced mechanical resistance fastening member may include a fusible element serving as a tensile rupture initiator.

[0015] Said fusible element makes it possible to remove the connection between said canvas and the second fixing point of the structure when the stress exerted on said attachment member with reduced mechanical resistance exceeds the predetermined threshold.

[0016] Said fusible element may, for example, include glue or a multi-strand cord or an open ring.

[0017] Thus, said fusible element can easily be replaced.

[0018] Said fusible element may include a self-gripping strip or a magnet or a crocodile clip.

[0019] Thus, said fusible element can be reset manually.

[0020] When the structure is a captive air inflatable structure, it may include at least first and second elongated inflatable elements of revolution on which said fabric is fixed.

[0021] The assembly may include at least one link extending between the first and second elongated inflatable elements of revolution.

[0022] Said canvas can be fixed to said link.

[0023] The assembly may include a plurality of links extending between the first and second elongated inflatable elements of revolution and a plurality of canvases attached to said links.

[0024] The assembly may include a vertical inflatable barrel with captive air.

[0025] The first and second elongated inflatable elements of revolution can extend transversely in projection with respect to said shaft.

[0026] The assembly may include at least three, in particular six, inflatable elongated elements of revolution extending transversely from said shaft and regularly spaced in the circumferential direction, and at least one canvas fixed between each pair of successive inflatable elongated elements of revolution. Brief description of the drawings

[0027] The present invention will be better understood upon study of the detailed description of embodiments, taken by way of non-limiting examples and illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

[0028] [Fig-1] is a schematic side view of a solar protection assembly according to an example of an embodiment of the invention;

[0029] [Fig.2] is a top view of the assembly of [Fig.1];

[0030] [Fig.3] is a detail view of [Fig.2]; and

[0031] [Fig.4] is a view of [Fig.3] during high stress. Detailed description

[0032] Fig. 1 schematically represents an assembly 2 for sun protection comprising a trunk 4, an inflatable structure 6 mounted on the trunk 4 and equipped with a vertical inflatable pole 8 with captive air deploying from the trunk 4 and a canopy 10 projecting transversely from the vertical pole 8, and a plurality of guy wires 12 fixing the canopy 10 to the vertical pole 8.

[0033] As more clearly illustrated in [Fig. 2], the canopy 10 comprises a plurality of members or tubes 14, here six in number, extending transversely with respect to the vertical shaft 8 and regularly spaced in the circumferential direction. Each member 14 comprises an elongated inflatable element 16 of revolution with captive air ([Fig. 3]), in particular composed of a plurality of internal air chambers and an external envelope within which the internal air chambers are housed.

[0034] The outer casing of the elongated 16-revolution inflatable elements with captive air is made of a fabric, for example, DACRON®. Each internal air chamber of the elongated 16-revolution inflatable elements with captive air is made of a stretchable material, for example, polyurethane. The internal air chambers form the framework of the elongated 16-revolution inflatable elements with captive air.

[0035] Each elongated element 16 of revolution inflatable with captive air comprises one or more inflation points (not shown), in particular an inflation valve for simultaneously inflating the internal air chambers of the elongated element 16 or several inflation valves for independently inflating the internal air chambers of the elongated element 16, so that each elongated element 16 revolution inflatable captive air can be inflated independently of other elongated 16 revolution inflatable captive air elements.

[0036] The assembly 2 for sun protection also includes canvases 18 fixed between the successive canopy 10 members 14 in the circumferential direction, the canvases 18 being fixed on the elongated elements 16 of revolution inflatable with captive air, the canvases 18 forming a protection under the canopy 10.

[0037] In the illustrated embodiment, the canopy 10, comprising six members 14, is hexagonal in shape, thus allowing several assemblies 2 for sun protection to be juxtaposed in a hexagonal grid to obtain sun protection over a larger area. Alternatively, the canopy 10 may have other shapes, for example circular, oval, square, or rectangular.

[0038] Fig. 3 represents in more detail a pair of successive elongated elements 16 of revolution inflatable with captive air of the canopy 10 in the circumferential direction.

[0039] The assembly 2 for sun protection here comprises a proximal link 20, an intermediate link 22, and a distal link 24 stretched between successive inflatable, captive-air elongated elements 16 of revolution of the canopy 10, the links 20, 22, and 24 being fixed to the inflatable, captive-air elongated elements 16 of revolution. The links 20, 22, and 24 are, for example, cords. The intermediate link 22 is located between the proximal link 20 and the distal link 24.

[0040] The assembly 2 for sun protection here comprises a proximal fabric 26, an intermediate fabric 28 and a distal fabric 30 stretched between the successive elongated inflatable elements 16 of revolution of the canopy 10. The intermediate fabric 28 is located between the proximal fabric 26 and distal fabric 30.

[0041] The assembly 2 for solar protection comprises a plurality of permanent attachment members 32 and attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34 compared to the mechanical resistance of the permanent attachment members.

[0042] Each canvas 26, 28, 30 is fixed on one side to the two ends of one of the links 20, 22, 24 of the assembly 2 by two permanent attachment devices 32 which securely fix the canvas 26, 28, 30 to the canopy 10.

[0043] Each canvas 26, 28, 30 is attached on the other hand to the two successive elongated inflatable elements 16 of revolution of the canopy 10, in particular at a plurality of aligned attachment points, by a plurality of attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34. The attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34 are suitable for attaching the canvases 26, 28, 30 to the canopy 10 of the inflatable structure 6.

[0044] In the event of high stress exerted on a fabric 26, 28, 30, more particularly when the stress exerted on the attachment elements with reduced mechanical resistance 34 exceeds a predetermined threshold, for example in the event of high wind during the During inflation or deflation of the inflatable structure 6, the low-strength fastening elements 34 are capable of releasing the attachment of the fabric 26, 28, 30 to the canopy 10 of the inflatable structure 6, as illustrated in [Fig. 4]. The predetermined threshold is, for example, equal to a fraction of the mechanical strength of the permanent fastening elements 32, in particular equal to a fraction less than 50% of the mechanical strength of the permanent fastening elements 32.

[0045] The permanent attachment members 32 keep the canvases 26, 28, 30 firmly attached to the inflatable structure 6 when the attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34 release the attachment of the canvases 26, 28, 30.

[0046] Each low-strength attachment device 34 may include a crocodile clip capable of gripping a fabric 26, 28, 30, the clamping force of the clip defining the predetermined threshold. When a crocodile clip releases the fabric 26, 28, 30, it is then easy to reattach the fabric 26, 28, 30 to the inflatable structure 6 by replacing the crocodile clip.

[0047] Alternatively, all or part of the crocodile clips can be replaced by another fusible element serving as a break initiation point in tension, in particular a self-gripping strip or a magnet or glue or an open ring or a multi-strand rope.

[0048] Alternatively, all or part of the crocodile clips can be replaced by an elastic element, in particular an elastic tensioner or a spring.

[0049] More specifically, the proximal web 26 is fixed by permanent attachment members 32 to the two ends of the proximal link 20 and by attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34 to each of the members 14 of the pair of successive members 14, the proximal web 26 extending inwards from the proximal link 20.

[0050] The intermediate web 28 is fixed by permanent attachment members 32 at both ends of the intermediate link 22 and by attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34 at three points of the proximal link 20, the intermediate web 28 extending between the proximal link 20 and the intermediate link 22.

[0051] The distal web 30 is fixed by permanent attachment members 32 to the two ends of the distal link 24 and by attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34 at four points of the intermediate link 22, the distal web 30 extending between the intermediate link 22 and the distal link 24.

[0052] When the stress exerted on the reduced mechanical resistance attachment members 34 exceeds the predetermined threshold, the proximal fabric 26 is only fixed by the permanent attachment members 32 at the two ends of the proximal link 20. Thus the wind resistance of the proximal fabric 26 is greatly reduced, greatly reducing the risk of deterioration and destabilization of the inflatable structure 6.

[0053] The intermediate fabric 28 is then attached to the inflatable structure 6 only by the permanent attachment members 32 at the two ends of the intermediate link 22. Regarding the distal fabric 30, it is then attached to the inflatable structure 6 only by the permanent attachment members 32 at the two ends of the distal link 24.

[0054] In the example shown, the proximal fabric 26 is attached to the inflatable structure 6 by two permanent attachment members 32 and by two attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34. Alternatively, a fabric 18 of the assembly 2 could be attached to the inflatable structure 6 only by two permanent attachment members 32 and by one attachment member with reduced mechanical resistance 34. As a variant, a fabric 18 of the assembly 2 could be attached to the inflatable structure 6 only by one permanent attachment member 32 and by two attachment members with reduced mechanical resistance 34.

Claims

Demands

1. Assembly (2) for sun protection comprising a captive air inflatable structure (6), at least one fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) fixed to the captive air inflatable structure (6) at least of the first, second and third non-aligned attachment points, and at least one permanent attachment member (32) for securely attaching said fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) to the first attachment point, characterized in that said permanent attachment member (32) is removably mounted to the first attachment point and / or to said fabric (16, 26, 28, 30) between a mounted permanent attachment position and a disassembled storage position;and in that it further comprises at least one attachment element with reduced mechanical resistance (34) compared to the mechanical resistance of said permanent attachment element (32) for connecting said web (18, 26, 28, 30) to the second fixing point, said attachment element with reduced mechanical resistance (34) being capable of fixing said web (18, 26, 28, 30) to the second fixing point and capable of releasing the fixing at the second fixing point when the stress exerted on said attachment element with reduced mechanical resistance (34) exceeds a predetermined threshold.;

2. Assembly (2) according to claim 1, wherein said reduced mechanical resistance attachment member (34) comprises an elastic element.

3. Assembly (2) according to claim 2, wherein said elastic element comprises an elastic tensioner or a spring.

4. Assembly (2) according to claim 1, wherein said reduced mechanical resistance fastening member (34) comprises a fusible element serving as a tensile rupture initiator.

5. Assembly (2) according to claim 4, wherein said fusible element comprises a self-gripping strip or a magnet or glue or an open ring or a crocodile clip or a multi-strand cord.

6. Assembly (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air-inflatable structure (6) comprises at least first and second elongated air-inflatable elements (16) of revolution on which said fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) is fixed.

7. Assembly (2) according to claim 6, comprising at least one link (20, 22, 24) extending between the first and second elongated inflatable elements (16), said fabric (18, 26, 28, 30) being fixed to said link (20, 22, 24).

8. Assembly (2) according to claim 7, comprising a plurality of links (20, 22, 24) extending between the first and second elongated inflatable elements (16) of revolution and a plurality of canvases (18, 26, 28, 30) attached to said links (20, 22, 24).

9. Assembly (2) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, comprising a vertical inflatable captive air barrel (8), the first and second elongated inflatable revolution elements (16) extending transversely outward from said barrel (8).

10. Assembly (2) according to claim 9, comprising at least three, in particular six, inflatable elongated elements (16) of revolution extending transversely outward from said shaft (8) and regularly spaced in the circumferential direction, and at least one canvas (18, 26, 28, 30) fixed between each pair of successive inflatable elongated elements (16) of revolution.

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