Articulated Awning Arm with Internal Cable Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing articulated arms for sun awnings lack safety and reliability in their electric systems, particularly lighting, and have cumbersome cable management that complicates maintenance and repair, while also not providing optimal illumination and clean aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
The articulated joint design incorporates an annular housing within the arm and forearm to protect power supply cables, with a removable cover for easy access and magnetic connecting devices, allowing for safe and efficient maintenance, and an inclined tubular section for improved lighting direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If power supply cables are mounted outside the arm and forearm, then accessibility for connection is improved, but safety and reliability deteriorate due to exposed cables
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply cables are nested inside the hollow interior of the articulated arm and forearm structures. The arm (8) and forearm (9) are designed as hollow tubular elements that contain the cables, protecting them from external damage while maintaining organized cable management throughout the articulated mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
An annular housing (30) with a cover (34) serves as an intermediary structure at the articulated joint. This housing provides a protected access point where cables can be connected to electric users while maintaining both safety through enclosure and accessibility through the removable cover.
2Reliability
If cables are run inside the arm and forearm, then safety and reliability are improved, but ease of maintenance and repair deteriorates due to difficult access
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated joint is segmented into separate components including the arm, forearm, annular housing, and removable cover. This segmentation allows the cover to be independently removed for cable access while leaving the rest of the articulated joint intact, enabling maintenance without complete disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular housing with its removable cover acts as an intermediary access point. It provides a dedicated maintenance interface that separates the cable access function from the structural articulation function, allowing easy cable replacement and inspection while maintaining the integrity of the articulated joint.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cables remain visible at the articulated joint, then flexibility of movement is maintained, but aesthetics deteriorate with visible bends and hanging cables
Solution Approach 1:
The cables are nested within the hollow interior of the articulated arm and forearm, eliminating visible external cables and bends. The articulated joint allows full range of motion while the cables remain concealed inside the tubular structures, maintaining clean aesthetic lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular housing serves as an intermediary that accommodates cable connections internally. The cover, when installed, conceals the cable access point and any necessary bends or connections, presenting a smooth, continuous exterior surface that maintains aesthetic appearance while allowing cable flexibility.
4Ease of manufacture
If electric users are mounted outside the arm, then ease of installation is improved, but protection and cleanliness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Electric users are nested within the hollow interior of the articulated arm and forearm structures. This nesting provides inherent protection against environmental factors such as weather, dust, and physical damage, while the users remain integrated into the arm structure rather than being external attachments.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular housing with removable cover serves as an intermediary installation interface. It provides a protected environment for connecting electric users to the power supply cables, shielding the connection points from external harmful factors while allowing for relatively easy installation and removal of the cover during the installation process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances safety and reliability by protecting cables and facilitating maintenance, while ensuring effective lighting and cleaner aesthetics by housing cables and electric users within the arm, allowing for easy inspection and repair, and directing light towards the central area under the awning.
Implementation Method 1
connecting devices between said portion and the cover configured to allow the application or the removal of the cover to/from said portion without further disassembling the arm
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an articulated arm for arm awnings, comprising: an arm (8) and a forearm (9), an articulated joint (10) interposed between the arm (8) and the forearm (9) to connect them mutually. The articulated joint (10) comprises: a portion developing around the rotation axis (X, Y) and delimiting an annular housing (30) oriented towards the exterior of the joint (10). The annular housing (30) communicates with an inner cavity of the arm (8) and with an inner cavity of the forearm (9) to allow the passage of a power cable (33). A cover (34) is configured to close the annular housing (30) with respect to the outside. Connecting devices (35, 36) between the portion and the cover (34) are configured to allow the application or removal of the cover (34) to/from the portion without further disassembling the arm (2).