Sun screen device

Abstract

The invention relates to a sun screen device (1) having a thin-walled element that can be rolled up, in particular a fabric (2). In order to reduce fluttering movements, according to the invention, at least one fillable chamber (3) connected to the element that can be rolled up, or formed by the element, is provided in order to increase the stability of the element by filling the chamber (3) with a gas, in particular air.

Description

[0001] Sun protection device

[0002] The invention relates to a sun protection device comprising a thin-walled, rollable element, in particular a cloth.

[0003] Sun protection devices of the type mentioned above, such as sun sails or awnings, are well known in the art. These consist of a thin-walled, rollable element that is rolled out and stretched over or in front of the area to be shaded.

[0004] A disadvantage of state-of-the-art sun protection devices is the inherently low stability of the thin-walled elements, typically fabrics. This leads to the fabrics collecting rainwater, sagging, and fluttering under wind loads. Depending on the wind speed and the angle of incidence of the airflow, these fluttering movements can be severe, which also leads to unpleasant noise.

[0005] This is where the invention comes in. The object of the invention is to provide a sun protection device of the type mentioned above that has increased mechanical stability, particularly against wind loads and sagging.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by a sun protection device of the type mentioned at the outset, in which at least one fillable chamber is provided which is connected to the rollable element or formed by the element in order to increase the stability of the element by filling the chamber with a gas, in particular air.

[0007] Within the scope of the invention, it was recognized that a section modulus relevant for stability in such a roll-up element can be easily increased by equipping the element with an inflatable chamber or by forming such a chamber. This directly increases the rigidity of the element, thereby improving stability and reducing fluttering or sagging. At the same time, the element is still easy to roll up, especially since the chamber can be easily emptied again if necessary, in particular by letting air out of the chamber. Accordingly, the sun protection device according to the invention can still be easily brought into an operating position in which the element provides shade, and can be brought into a stable state in this operating position by inflating the chamber, while it is also still possible to stow the element in a small space by rolling it up, whereby the air ora gas is released from the chamber. The cloth is preferably a woven cloth.

[0008] The chamber can be accessed through a tube connected to the element, which may be formed, for example, by a cloth, and which is made of a gas-tight, particularly airtight, material, particularly plastic or rubber, or is coated with such a material. However, the chamber can also be formed by the element itself, provided that the element is made of a gas-tight material, at least in the area of ​​the chamber, or is coated with such a material.

[0009] It is advantageous to provide a winding shaft onto which the element can be rolled up. In this way, conventional awnings with an element formed with a chamber according to the invention can be easily constructed in a stable form and, as needed, can be easily moved into an unrolled working position or a rolled-up rest position to activate or deactivate shading by unrolling or rewinding.

[0010] It is preferably provided that a drive is provided for the winding shaft, by means of which the winding shaft can be rotated about a rotation axis in order to be able to roll up or unroll the element.

[0011] The chamber can, in principle, have any desired shape to increase the stability of the element. To easily prevent bulging of the chamber while simultaneously achieving high stability, it is preferably provided that the at least one chamber is elongated. A chamber of this shape can be achieved, for example, by a tube connected to the element or formed by the element. To achieve high stability of the element in different directions, several chambers can be provided, the longitudinal axes of which run in different directions, in particular perpendicular to one another.

[0012] To increase the stability of the element along a direction along which the element can be rolled out or rolled up, it is advantageous if a longitudinal axis of at least one chamber is approximately normal to a rotation axis around which the element can be rolled up, in particular a rotation axis of a winding shaft. It has been shown that, particularly in large solar sails, wind loads often excite vibration modes that lead to large movements of the element between a rotation axis and a support. A corresponding chamber with a longitudinal axis normal to the rotation axis greatly reduces this vibration, as stiffness is significantly increased compared to corresponding bending.

[0013] Furthermore, it may also be advantageous if the longitudinal axis of at least one chamber is approximately parallel to the rotational axis around which the element is rolled up. This reduces vibrations normal to the unrolling direction.

[0014] To achieve particularly good rolling behavior, it can be provided that a longitudinal axis of at least one chamber is inclined to a rotational axis around which the element can be rolled up, in particular at an angle of 5 degrees to 85 degrees, preferably 20 degrees to 70 degrees, particularly preferably 40 degrees to 50 degrees. As a result, thicker and thinner areas in the element, which result from the chambers, balance each other out over a circumference, thus achieving a very uniform rolling geometry.

[0015] To prevent overpressure in the chamber, which could occur, for example, in strong sunlight due to thermal expansion of the gas contained in the chamber or due to bending or buckling of the chamber under high wind loads, a pressure relief valve can be provided on the chamber. To achieve particularly high stability, several chambers can be provided, which are arranged in particular in parallel, V-shaped, and / or zigzag configurations.

[0016] It can be advantageous if at least two chambers are connected to each other. Such a construction is known, for example, from air mattresses or the like, thus creating communicating chambers. For this purpose, the chambers can, for example, each be elongated and connected at the ends or in the middle. The gas-tight chamber can be constructed in a variety of ways. For example, a gas-tight cloth could be used as an element. If an air-permeable cloth is used, a corresponding chamber can be easily created, for example, by having at least one chamber with a substantially gas-tight insert.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, the element may also be provided with a gas-tight coating in the region of the at least one chamber. The coating may be arranged on the inside or outside.

[0018] The element can be equipped with one or more chambers. Depending on stability requirements, the one or more chambers can also cover a large part of the surface of the element. In particular, the chamber can cover at least 40 percent, in particular at least 60 percent, and preferably at least 70 percent of the surface of the element. If the chamber is flat, webs are preferably provided within the chamber to connect the boundary surfaces of the chamber, in order to ensure the flattest possible shape of the chamber.

[0019] In order to achieve a particularly large, flat chamber in a particularly simple manner, it can be provided that the element is designed in two layers, so that a chamber is formed between layers of the element, which chamber can be filled with the gas. The layers can then be connected by webs so that a chamber with a low height but a large width and length can be achieved. To avoid excessive bulging of the chamber, particularly if it is not elongated but rather flat, it can be provided that the chamber has webs which connect boundary surfaces in order to prevent the chamber from bulging. Such webs are known, for example, from air mattresses in order to achieve a flat chamber that is simultaneously filled with compressed air.

[0020] It is advantageous to provide an inflation device with which the chamber can be filled, in particular a hand pump, a gas pressure accumulator, and / or a compressor. This allows the chamber to be filled automatically, which is particularly advantageous for sun protection devices in the higher price segment.

[0021] It is advantageous to provide a winding shaft onto which the element can be rolled, with a connecting hose from the pressure accumulator or compressor to the chamber routed through the winding shaft. This ensures a simple yet robust construction, and the visual appearance of the sun protection device is not compromised by visible hoses.

[0022] A visually appealing appearance can also be achieved if a winding shaft is provided onto which the element can be rolled up, with a compressor arranged in the winding shaft.

[0023] The compressor can be supplied with energy in a variety of ways, for example, via sliding contacts, through which an electric current is transmitted to the rotating winding shaft. However, it can also be provided that the compressor is supplied with energy wirelessly, in particular with a rechargeable battery in the winding shaft, which is connected to the compressor and can be charged wirelessly, especially inductively. Thus, the compressor is only activated very rarely, namely to inflate the chamber, or possibly to accelerate the release of gas from the chamber, so that even with a low charging current, which can easily be transmitted inductively, a rechargeable battery for operating the compressor can usually be charged without further ado.

[0024] It is advantageous to provide a compressor for inflating the chamber, which moves with the element. The compressor is particularly arranged in a profile that can be extended with the element. Such a design can be particularly advantageous for a sun protection device designed as an awning. The chamber in the awning can then be filled by the compressor located at the end even when the awning is only partially extended, thus bringing even a half-extended awning into a stable state by inflating the chamber.

[0025] It has proven effective to have a valve located in a section of the chamber that is wound up last, and which valve is electrically actuated to enable targeted emptying of the chamber during winding. The chamber is thus emptied by winding up the element via the valve located at the end.

[0026] It is advantageous if the chamber is filled from one end of the element, so that gas can enter the chamber even when the element is only partially unwound. For example, in a sun sail, this can be achieved via a valve located at a corner of the sun sail farther from the winding shaft. This corner is pulled to a support via a cable, especially since this corner is wound up last and unwound first.

[0027] It has proven useful to provide a device for filling the chamber, in particular a pressure accumulator or a compressor, as well as a control system for the device.

[0028] It is then still sufficient to operate the sun protection device by pressing a single button, which simultaneously fills the chamber as the element rolls out or rolls up. Synchronizing the operation of the chamber filling device and the drive ensures that the chamber is not filled while it is still rolled up.

[0029] It has proven effective that the element can be moved into an extended working position and a rolled-up rest position, in particular by means of a drive, with the control system configured to fill the chamber depending on the position of the element. It has proven effective that the element has a condensate outlet opening, which is in particular closable. This allows for easy drainage of condensate accumulating in the chamber.

[0030] It is advantageous if photovoltaic modules are arranged on the element. Corresponding rollable photovoltaic elements are lightweight, and the increased stability achieved by the chamber on the element allows the photovoltaic modules to be positioned in a favorable manner, allowing the sun protection device to be used particularly effectively for generating electricity, in particular to operate a compressor of the sun protection device or to charge a connected accumulator. The sun protection device can then be operated without an additional external power supply, i.e., without a grid connection. The photovoltaic modules can also be designed as flexible, elastically rollable photovoltaic modules.

[0031] The sun protection device according to the invention can, in principle, be designed as any rollable element that provides shade. It is particularly preferred that the sun protection device be designed as an awning or a sun sail with a winding shaft and at least one, preferably two, supports.

[0032] If the sun protection device is designed as an awning, this can of course be designed in any way known from the prior art, in particular as a rail-guided awning or as an articulated arm awning.

[0033] In state-of-the-art sun sails, spring elements are often used to connect the sail or fabric to supports so that the spring elements can compensate for movements in the fabric caused by wind loads. Cable storage devices can also be used for this purpose. However, due to the stability of the fabric of the sun protection device according to the invention, spring elements can be omitted, so that the element can be connected to the supports without any length compensation. The fabrics can thus be rigidly tensioned, eliminating the need for cable storage devices with gas pressure springs or steel springs. Thanks to rigid tensioning and the new technology with air-filled chambers, yielding is no longer necessary. The supports and brackets are preferably designed to withstand wind loads, and if the load is too great, the system is rolled up. Bunching up and sagging are therefore no longer necessary.A length-compensation-free connection is therefore understood to be a connection of the element to supports by an essentially rigid or length-invariable element such as a rope.

[0034] Further features, advantages, and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following exemplary embodiments. Reference is made to the drawings, which show:

[0035] Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a sun protection device according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of a sun protection device according to the invention;

[0036] Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of a sun protection device according to the invention.

[0037] Fig. 1 shows a sun protection device 1 designed as an awning, which has an element which can be rolled up on a shaft 6 which is rotatable about a rotation axis 4 and which is designed as a fabric 2 or awning fabric. In order to achieve a high level of stability of the element, inflatable chambers 3 are arranged on the awning, which here run perpendicular to the rotation axis 4. The chambers 3 can be filled via the shaft 6, to which the fabric 2 is attached. Alternatively or additionally, it would also be possible for the chambers 3 to be filled via an end profile 5 of the awning. Filling via the end profile 5 of the awning has the particular advantage that the awning can be brought into a stable state even when it is only partially extended. Filling can be carried out, for example, using a compressor (not shown here).

[0038] Fig. 2 shows a sun protection device 1 according to the invention designed as a sun sail. This sun protection device 1 has a winding shaft 8 which is mounted on two supports 9. Rotation of the winding shaft 8 about the rotation axis 4 enables the element, which here is designed as a sailcloth, to be rolled up or unrolled. To increase the stability of the rolled-out sailcloth or the sun protection device 1, inflatable chambers 3 are also provided here, with each chamber 3 being elongated. The chambers 3 are filled here via the winding shaft 8 by a compressor arranged in the winding shaft 8, whereby the visual appearance of the sun protection device 1 is not negatively affected.

[0039] Alternatively, it would of course also be possible to fill the chambers 3 through valves at corners 10. This in turn has the advantage that filling the chambers 3 would be possible even if the sailcloth is only partially unwound. In the illustrated embodiment, in addition to the two supports 9 on which the winding shaft 8 is mounted, two further supports 9 are shown, to which the sailcloth is tensioned by means of cables 7. Although this is one of the most common forms of constructing a sun sail, the sun protection device 1 according to the invention can of course also be designed with only one support 9 or considerably more supports 9.

[0040] The winding shaft 8 is typically driven by a drive. Preferably, a drive control and a compressor control are coupled or synchronized, thus preventing the chambers 3 from being inflated while the sheet 2 is still wound up, or allowing winding up only when the chambers 3 are empty.

[0041] Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of a sun protection device 1 according to the invention, which is also designed as a sun sail. In contrast to the sun sail shown in Fig. 2, which has a diagonal winding shaft 8, the sun sail shown in Fig. 3 is designed with a winding shaft 8 on one side. To achieve high stability of the element, which here is also designed as a fabric 2, chambers 3 are arranged in a V-shape on the fabric, so that they contribute to stability in different directions and prevent fluttering movements. Here, too, the fabric 2 is tensioned by cables 7 on supports 9.

[0042] Due to the significantly increased stability of the sun protection device 1 provided by the chamber 3, the sun protection device 1 can also be used, in particular, as a support for photovoltaic modules, especially rollable photovoltaic modules. A sun protection device 1 according to the invention has significantly increased stability in an inflated state compared to conventional sun protection devices 1. This prevents fluttering movements under wind loads and sagging.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Sun protection device (1), comprising a thin-walled, rollable element, in particular a cloth (2), characterized in that at least one fillable chamber (3) connected to the rollable element or formed by the element is provided in order to increase the stability of the element by filling the chamber (3) with a gas, in particular air.

2. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a winding shaft (8) is provided onto which the element can be rolled up.

3. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a drive is provided for the winding shaft (8), by means of which the winding shaft (8) can be rotated about a rotation axis (4) in order to be able to roll up and / or unroll the element.

4. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one chamber (3) is elongated.

5. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that a longitudinal axis of at least one chamber (3) is approximately normal to a rotation axis (4) around which the element can be rolled up.

6. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that a longitudinal axis of at least one chamber (3) is approximately parallel to a rotation axis (4) around which the element can be rolled up.

7. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a longitudinal axis of at least one chamber (3) is oblique to a rotation axis (4) around which the element can be rolled up, in particular at an angle of 5 degrees to 85 degrees, preferably 20 degrees to 70 degrees, particularly preferably 40 degrees to 50 degrees.

8. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a pressure relief valve is arranged on the chamber (3).

9. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a plurality of chambers (3) are provided, which are arranged in particular in parallel, V-shaped and / or zigzag-shaped manner.

10. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that at least two chambers (3) are connected to one another.

11. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the at least one chamber (3) has a substantially gas-tight insert.

12. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the element is formed with a gas-tight coating in the region of the at least one chamber (3).

13. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the chamber (3) covers at least 40%, in particular at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, of a surface of the element.

14. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the element is formed in two layers, so that a chamber (3) is formed between layers of the element, which chamber can be filled with a gas.

15. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the chamber (3) has webs which connect boundary surfaces in order to prevent bulging of the chamber (3).

16. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that an inflation device is provided with which the chamber (3) can be filled, in particular a hand pump, a pressure accumulator and / or a compressor.

17. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that a winding shaft (8) is provided on which the element can be rolled up, whereby a connecting hose from the pressure accumulator or from the compressor to the chamber (3) is guided through the winding shaft (8).

18. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that a winding shaft (8) is provided, on which the element can be rolled up, wherein a compressor is arranged in the winding shaft (8).

19. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that the compressor is supplied with energy wirelessly or via sliding contacts, wherein in particular a battery is provided in the winding shaft (8), which is connected to the compressor and can be charged wirelessly, in particular inductively.

20. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that a compressor is provided for inflating the chamber (3), which compressor is moved with the element, the compressor being arranged in particular in a profile (5) which is extendable with the element.

21. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that a valve is arranged in a region of the chamber (3), which region is wound up last, and which valve is electrically actuated in order to enable a targeted emptying of the chamber (3) during winding up.

22. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the chamber (3) is filled from one end of the element, so that a gas can be introduced into the chamber (3) even when the element is only partially unwound.

23. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that a device for filling the chamber (3), in particular a pressure accumulator or a compressor, and a control for the device are provided.

24. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 23, characterized in that the element can be brought into a rolled-out working position and a rolled-up rest position, in particular by means of a drive, wherein the control is designed to fill the chamber (3) depending on a position of the element.

25. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the element has a condensate outlet opening which is in particular closable.

26. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that photovoltaic modules are arranged on the element.

27. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that the sun protection device (1) is designed as an awning.

28. Sun protection device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that the sun protection device (1) is designed as a sun sail with a winding shaft (8) and at least one, preferably at least two, supports (9).

29. Sun protection device (1) according to claim 28, characterized in that the element is connected to the supports (9) without length compensation.

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