Easy-to-assemble outdoor solar shelter

Abstract

The invention relates to an outdoor sun shelter (1), comprising: -a frame (2) having first and second beams (3), each of said beams having a first groove (31) delimited by a bottom (37) and by first and second lateral edges (33, 35), and having a second groove (32) formed on a face of the first groove (31), the first and second grooves extending along a longitudinal axis of their beam;-several blades (4), each extending between the first and second beams (3) and spaced apart, the blades (4) having profile shapes and each having first and second ends, the first end (41) being housed in the first groove (31) of the first beam (3) and clamped by the bottom (37) and by the first and second lateral edges (33, 35) of this first groove (31), the second end being housed in the first groove of the second beam and clamped by the bottom and by the first and second lateral edges of this second groove; -shims (5) interposed between the first ends (41) of the blades (4) and housed in the first groove (31) of the first beam, said shims (4) each having a protrusion (51, 52) engaged in the second groove (32) of the first beam (3). Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 1;

Description

Title of the invention: Easy-to-assemble outdoor solar shelter

[0001] The invention relates to the field of solar shelters for residential areas, and in particular solar shelters or pergolas that limit solar exposure in outdoor areas of a dwelling.

[0002] Known pergolas generally consist of four posts supporting a parallelogram-shaped frame. Blades extend parallel to two beams positioned at the longitudinal ends of the pergola. The blades extend perpendicularly to two other beams that support them. These blades generally have profiles with bores at their ends. Screws engage in these bores and secure them to the support beams. The blades are fixed at regular intervals.

[0003] Such pergolas, however, pose a problem of assembly time and management of manufacturing tolerances, given the number of screws and bores required to ensure their attachment to the support beams.

[0004] The invention aims to resolve one or more of these drawbacks. The invention thus relates to an outdoor sun shelter, comprising: -a frame comprising at least first and second beams, each of said beams having a first groove delimited by a bottom and by first and second lateral borders, and having a second groove formed on a face of the first groove, the first and second grooves extending along a longitudinal axis of their beam; -several blades each extending between the first and second beams and spaced apart from each other, the blades having profile shapes and each having first and second ends, the first end being housed in the first groove of the first beam and held by the bottom and by the first and second lateral edges of this first groove, the second end being housed in the first groove of the second beam and held by the bottom and by the first and second lateral edges of this second groove; - wedges interposed between the first ends of the blades and housed in the first groove of the first beam, said wedges each having an outgrowth engaged in the second groove of the first beam.

[0005] The invention also relates to the following variants. Those skilled in the art will understand that each of the features of the following variants can be combined independently of the above characteristics, without constituting an intermediate generalization.

[0006] According to one variant, the blades have the same cross-section from the free edge of the first end to the free edge of the second end.

[0007] According to one variant, the first and second ends of the blades have a play with respect to the lateral edges and a play with respect to the bottom of the first grooves of the first and second beams respectively.

[0008] According to another variant, the first and second ends of the blades are capable of being displaced relative to the first and second beams by the amplitude of said clearances.

[0009] According to yet another variant, the said first and second beams have a profile shape.

[0010] According to yet another variant, said profile forms an uninterrupted surface extending continuously from the first lateral border to the second lateral border and delimiting the bottom and the second groove.

[0011] According to one variant, said second groove is provided in the bottom of the first groove.

[0012] According to yet another variant, the protrusion of the wedges comprises two elastically deformable lips, the distance at rest between the distal edges of the two lips being greater than the width of the opening of said second groove.

[0013] According to another variant, the shelter further includes flanges attached to the first beam and restricting the sliding of the blades and wedges along the longitudinal axis of the first beam.

[0014] According to another variant, said flanges maintain a gap between the blades and the wedges in the first groove of the first beam less than half the width of a wedge.

[0015] According to another variant, said wedges have a profile shape over their entire width, the width of a wedge corresponding to its dimension along the longitudinal axis of the first beam.

[0016] According to yet another variant, said first beam comprises first and second front faces extending perpendicularly respectively to the first and second lateral edges, said wedges having a front surface flush with the first and second front faces.

[0017] According to one variant, the shelter further includes uprights attached to the frame and fixed to the ground.

[0018] The invention also relates to a set of parts, comprising first and second beams, blades and wedges configured to be assembled to form an outdoor sun shelter as defined above.

[0019] The invention further relates to a method for assembling an outdoor solar shelter comprising the steps of: -supply of a frame comprising at least first and second beams, each of said beams having a first groove delimited by a bottom and by first and second lateral borders, and having a second groove formed on one face of the first groove, the first and second grooves extending along a longitudinal axis of their beam; -to house the first and second ends of a set of blades in the first grooves respectively of the first and second beams; -to place wedges in the first groove of the first beam, between the first ends of said blades so as to space the blades apart from each other, by putting an outgrowth of the wedges into the second groove of the first beam.

[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description, which is by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of an example of a solar shelter according to a mode of realization of the invention;

[0022] [Fig.2] is a top view of the shelter in [Fig.1];

[0023] [Fig.3] is a front cross-sectional view of the shelter in [Fig.1];

[0024] [Fig.4] is a side cross-sectional view of a beam of the shelter of the [Fig.1];

[0025] [Fig.5] is a front cross-sectional view of a blade of the shelter of the [Fig.1];

[0026] [Fig.6] is a front view of a slipway of the shelter of the [Fig.1];

[0027] [Fig.7] is a side cross-sectional view of the wedge of [Fig.6];

[0028] [Fig.8] is a front cross-sectional view of a blade interposed between two wedges;

[0029] [Fig.9] is a side cross-sectional view of the shelter of [Fig.1] at the level of a blade;

[0030] [Fig. 10] is a side cross-sectional view of the shelter of [Fig.1] at the level of a slipway;

[0031] [Fig. 11] is a front cross-sectional view of a variant of a blade interposed between two wedges;

[0032] [Fig. 12] is a perspective view of a variant of the shelter of [Fig.1] during the installation of a longitudinal clamping system.

[0033] The invention relates to an outdoor sun shelter. An example of an embodiment of an outdoor sun shelter 1 according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in [Fig. 1]. The shelter 1 comprises a frame 2 equipped with longitudinal beams 3. The beams 3 support a set of transverse blades 4. As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the blades 4 are spaced apart to allow air passages 10, while providing some protection from the sun's rays.

[0034] The frame 2 is advantageously held above the ground by means of uprights 9. The uprights 9 are thus integral with the frame 2 and fixed to the ground. According to Alternatively, the frame 2 can be fixed to a wall with bracing. In a typical but not exhaustive configuration, the frame 2 is held horizontally above the ground. The frame 2 can also be inclined relative to the horizontal. The longitudinal beams 3 are connected here by means of transverse beams 8. Typically, but not exhaustively, the longitudinal beams 3 are parallel, and the transverse beams 8 are perpendicular to these beams 3. The blades 4 are positioned perpendicular to the beams 3. The blades 4 extend between the beams 3. The blades 4 are supported at their ends by the beams 3, as detailed below.

[0035] The blades 4 are held spaced apart from each other by means of spacers 5, as illustrated in [Fig. 3]. Thus, for each beam 3, there is an alternation of blades 4 and spacers 5 along the longitudinal direction of that beam 3. Such an example of this alternation is illustrated more precisely in [Fig. 8]. An example of a spacer 5 is illustrated more precisely in Figures 6 and 7. The blades 4 have a profile shape, an example of a cross-section being illustrated in [Fig. 3]. The blades 4 thus have a shape that can be easily obtained by extrusion. The blades 4 are advantageously hollow profiles, as illustrated in the example in [Fig. 5]. The blades 4 advantageously form a closed contour in cross-section.

[0036] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a beam 3 according to the invention. The beam 3 has a first groove 31 delimited by a bottom 37 and by first and second lateral edges 33, 35. The beam 3 also has a second groove 32 formed on one face of the first groove 31. The second groove 32 is advantageously formed in the bottom 37. The first and second grooves 31 and 32 extend along the longitudinal axis of the beam 3. Such a configuration allows the end of a blade 4 or a wedge 5 to be housed at any longitudinal position of the beam 3, according to an assembly detailed later.

[0037] As illustrated in [Fig. 9], one end 41 of the blade 4 is housed in the first groove 31. The movement of this end 41 is constrained on the one hand by the bottom 37 of the groove 31, and on the other hand by the lateral edges 33 and 35. Thus, the upper and lower faces 43 and 44 of the blade 4 interfere respectively with the lateral edges 35 and 33 of the beam 3. The faces 43 and 44 are advantageously flat so as to be stably supported by the lateral edges 33 or 35, as appropriate.

[0038] The wedges 5 are also housed in the groove 31, so that the movement of the blades 4 is then restricted along all axes. The wedges 5 also have at least one projection 51 or 52 that engages in the second groove 32, in order to allow the wedge 5 to be secured to the beam 3, as illustrated in [Fig. 10]. The wedges 5 can thus be secured to the beam 3 by a simple translation along the Y axis. A similar configuration can be used for the two beams 3 opposite each other.

[0039] The shelter structure 1 according to the invention proves particularly advantageous, as the ends of the slats 4 can be inserted into the groove 31 by a simple translation, and the wedges 5 can also be inserted into the groove 3 by a simple translation. With a groove 32 formed in the base 37, the wedges 5 can be fixed to the beam 3 by this same translation. Furthermore, since the grooves 31 and 32 extend along the longitudinal direction of the beam 3, the slats 4 and the wedges 5 can be positioned interchangeably along this longitudinal direction, making assembly easy and limiting dimensional constraints during manufacturing. Furthermore, the blades 4 can be immobilized and spaced without the use of screws or other added elements that would have to pierce the beam 3 and engage with these blades 4. Thus, the ends of the blades 4 have a play with respect to the lateral edges 33 and 35 as well as a play with respect to the bottom 37.In the absence of additional fixing elements, the ends of the blades are likely to be displaced relative to the beams 3 by the extent of these clearances. Furthermore, very simple blades 4 can be used, having the same cross-section between the free edges of their ends. It can thus be seen that no added component is interposed between the base 37 and the blade 4, or between the lateral edges 33, 35 and this blade 4.

[0040] Advantageously, the beams 3 have a profile shape, which makes it easy to form the grooves 31 and 32 extending along the longitudinal direction X.

[0041] Advantageously, the profile of a beam 3 forms an uninterrupted surface extending continuously from the lateral edge 33 to the lateral edge 35 and delimiting the bottom 37 and the second groove 32. It is thus easy to obtain a continuous sealed surface limiting the risks of liquid ingress and corrosion.

[0042] Advantageously, the protrusion of the wedges 5 comprises two lips 51 and 52, which are elastically deformable, typically by bending. To secure the wedge 5 to the groove 32 by snapping it into place, the rest distance between the distal edges of these lips 51 and 52 is advantageously greater than the width of the opening 38 in the groove 32. To reduce the width of this opening, the beam 3 advantageously has projections 34 and 36 that interfere with the blades 51 and 52. The cross-section of the groove 32 can widen behind these projections 34 and 36 to allow the lips 51 and 52 to return to their resting shape and thus form retaining hooks.

[0043] As illustrated in [Fig. 12], the shelter 1 advantageously includes brackets attached to the beam 3, restricting the sliding of the slats 4 and the wedges 5 along the longitudinal axis of the beam 3. Indeed, if the beams 3 are custom-cut for a given construction site, it can be difficult to anticipate the longitudinal position of the wedges 5 at the ends of the beams 3. With appropriate brackets, the longitudinal sliding of the blades 4 and wedges 5 can be interrupted, so as to maintain the assembly in the groove 31.

[0044] In this example, the transverse beams 8 are fixed to the beams 3 to ensure the longitudinal clamping of the sliding motion of the blades 4 and the shims 5. Thus, the beams 8 close off the two ends of each groove 31. Furthermore, the clamping includes a specific shim 50, having the same geometry as the shims 5. Such a shim 50 can have a width defined by cutting once all the blades 4 and shims 5 are already in place, starting from a beam 8 already fixed to the end of the beams 3. The width is taken here as the dimension of the blade 4 or the shim 5 depending on the longitudinal direction of the beam 3. By using such a shim 50, of suitable length, the assembly can be easily carried out even in the presence of inaccuracies or variations in the assembly or manufacturing process.

[0045] Advantageously, the total play between the blades 4 and the shims 5 in the groove 31 is less than half the width of a shim 5 or the width of a blade 4, so as to limit the risks of a blade 4 coming loose from a beam 3. The shim 50 allows this play to be adapted to the desired value.

[0046] Advantageously, the shims 5 have a profile shape across their entire width. This allows, on the one hand, for the formation of a multitude of shims 5 by cutting from the same profile, and on the other hand, ensures optimal guidance of the shim 5 in the groove 32. As illustrated in [Fig. 7], such a profile advantageously has a closed contour 50, from which the lips 51 and 52 project. The closed contour 50 is advantageously rectangular, so that two faces are opposite the lateral edges 33 and 35, and so that a face opposite the lips 51 and 52 can form a visible flat surface between the blades 4.

[0047] In the illustrated example, the beam 3 has first and second front faces 301 and 302 extending perpendicularly respectively to the first and second lateral edges 33 and 35. The shims 5 advantageously have a front surface flush with the first and second front faces 301 and 302. Advantageously, the mounting gap between the edges 33, 35 and the shims 5 is reduced, in order to prevent the penetration of water or dust.

[0048] Advantageously, the beams 3, the blades 4 and / or the wedges 5 can be made of aluminum alloy.

[0049] The shelter 1 described above can also be presented as a set of kit parts, intended for assembly by a professional.

[0050] In the illustrated example, the blades 4 have a rectangular cross-section. The outer face of the wedges 5 is also rectangular, so that a flat lateral face of a blade 4 comes into contact with a parallel linear portion of a wedge 5.

[0051] Contact between a flat lateral face of a blade 4 and a parallel linear portion of a wedge 5 can be maintained in the configuration illustrated in [Fig. 11]. In this configuration, the blades 4 have a cross-section whose contour is a parallelogram. The blades 4 thus have an inclined configuration with respect to the vertical. The outer face of the wedges 5 is also a parallelogram, so that a flat lateral face of a blade 4 is indeed in contact with a parallel linear portion of a wedge 5.

[0052] A method for assembling an outdoor solar shelter 1 according to the invention may be as follows: -a chassis 2 is provided comprising at least two beams 3. Each of these beams has a first groove 31 and a second groove 32, as detailed previously; -An alternating arrangement of blade ends 4 and wedges 5, as previously described, is inserted into the first groove 31 of the beams 3. This spaces the blades 4 apart. By inserting the wedges 5 into the groove 31, the protrusions of these wedges 5 (here, the lips 51 and 52) are also engaged in the second groove 32 of the beam 3. The wedges 5 are thus immobilized on their beam 3 to prevent the blades from sliding along the grooves 31.

Claims

Demands

1. Outdoor sun shelter (1), characterized in that it comprises: -a frame (2) comprising at least first and second beams (3), each of said beams having a first groove (31) delimited by a bottom (37) and by first and second lateral edges (33, 35), and having a second groove (32) formed on a face of the first groove (31), the first and second grooves extending along a longitudinal axis of their beam;-several blades (4) each extending between the first and second beams (3) and spaced apart from each other, the blades (4) having profile shapes and each having first and second ends, the first end (41) being housed in the first groove (31) of the first beam (3) and held by the bottom (37) and by the first and second lateral edges (33, 35) of this first groove (31), the second end being housed in the first groove of the second beam and held by the bottom and by the first and second lateral edges of this first groove;- wedges (5) interposed between the first ends (41) of the blades (4) and housed in the first groove (31) of the first beam, said wedges (5) each having an outgrowth (51, 52) engaged in the second groove (32) of the first beam (3), the outgrowth of the wedges (5) comprising two elastically deformable lips (51, 52), the rest distance between the distal edges of the two lips being greater than the width of the opening (38) of said second groove (32).;

2. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to claim 1, wherein the blades (4) have the same cross-section from the free edge of the first end to the free edge of the second end.

3. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second ends of the blades (4) have a clearance relative to the side edges (33, 35) and a clearance relative to the bottom (37) of the first grooves (31) of the first and second beams (3) respectively.

4. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to claim 3, wherein the first and second ends of the blades (4) are capable of being displaced relative to the first and second beams by the amplitude of said clearances.

5. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first and second beams (3) have a profile shape.

6. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to claim 5, wherein said profile forms an uninterrupted surface extending continuously from the first lateral edge (33) to the second lateral edge (35) and delimiting the bottom (37) and the second groove (32).

7. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second groove (32) is provided in the bottom (37) of the first groove (31).

8. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising flanges attached to the first beam (3) and restricting the sliding of the blades (4) and wedges (5) along the longitudinal axis of the first beam.

9. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to claim 8, wherein said flanges maintain a gap between the blades (4) and the wedges (5) in the first groove of the first beam less than half the width of a wedge.

10. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said wedges (5) have a profile shape over their entire width, the width of a wedge corresponding to its dimension along the longitudinal axis of the first beam (3).

11. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first beam (3) has first and second front faces extending perpendicularly respectively to the first and second lateral edges, said wedges (5) having a front surface flush with the first and second front faces.

12. Outdoor sun shelter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising uprights (9) integral with the frame (2) and fixed to the ground.

13. Assembly of parts, comprising first and second beams (3), blades (4) and wedges (5) configured to be assembled to form an outdoor sun shelter according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. Method for assembling an outdoor solar shelter comprising the steps of: -supply of a frame (2) comprising at least first and second beams (3), each of said beams having a first groove (31) delimited by a bottom (37) and by first and second lateral borders (33, 35), and having a second groove (32) formed on a face of the first groove (31), the first and second grooves extending along a longitudinal axis of their beam; -to house the first and second ends of a set of blades (4) in the first grooves (31) respectively of the first and second beams (3); -to house wedges (5) in the first groove (31) of the first beam (3), between the first ends of said blades (4) so ​​as to space the blades (4) apart from each other, by putting an extension (51, 52) of the wedges into contact in the second groove (32) of the first beam (3), the extension of the wedges (5) having two elastically deformable lips (51, 52), the rest distance between the distal edges of the two lips being greater than the width of the opening (38) of said second groove (32).

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