Curved-Path Awning Drop Arm for Automatic Fabric Inclination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing awnings require manual adjustment of the fabric inclination to achieve optimal shading based on the sun's position and extension state, which is inefficient and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
The awning design allows for the automatic adjustment of the fabric plane inclination by moving the drop arm along a curved path, enabling continuous adjustment without the need for user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the fabric plane inclination is fixed or manually adjusted, then the structure is simple, but the shading effectiveness deteriorates when sun position changes
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric plane inclination is made dynamic by allowing the drop arm to move along a curved path between retraction and extension. This continuous movement enables the fabric plane angle to change automatically with the extension state, adapting to different sun positions without requiring manual intervention or complex adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The awning system performs self-adjustment of the fabric plane inclination through the curved movement path of the drop arm. As the drop arm extends or retracts, the geometry of the curved path automatically changes the fabric plane angle, eliminating the need for external manual adjustment and reducing device complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drop arm moves in a straight line, then the mechanism is simple, but the fabric plane inclination cannot be adjusted continuously
Solution Approach 1:
The drop arm movement path is designed as a curved path instead of a straight line. This curvature enables the fabric plane inclination to change continuously as the drop arm moves between retraction and extension, achieving continuous adjustment capability while maintaining relative mechanical simplicity through geometric design rather than complex mechanisms
3Productivity
If the awning is extended partially to save fabric, then fabric usage is optimized, but shading effectiveness deteriorates when sun is low
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the fabric plane inclination based on the extension state. When the awning is partially extended, the curved movement path automatically sets an optimal fabric plane angle that maximizes shading effectiveness for low sun positions, allowing partial extension to remain effective without requiring full extension
Data Source
AI summary
An awning comprising a fabric roller, a fabric, and a drop arm. The fabric is connected to the fabric roller in the region of an inner fabric edge and to the drop arm in the region of an opposite outer fabric edge. The drop arm can be adjusted via a drive device between a fully retracted minimum position P0, in which the fabric is wound as tightly as possible on the fabric roller, and a fully extended maximum position, in which the fabric has the widest possible span. The drop arm is moved between the minimum position and the maximum position along a curved path of movement, wherein a distance to a reference plane in the maximum position is at least 8.0 times as great as a distance from the reference plane in a position extended by 50% along the reference path.