Lateral arm awning system and method of operation

A method of operating a lateral arm awning assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing separate mounting structures for mounting at separate lateral locations of a support surface;
• providing first and second articulating arms having first and second ends, the first ends of the first and second articulating arms to be coupled to the mounting structures to form a first connection with said first and second articulating arms and said support surface, said first and second articulating arms comprising first and second distal arms coupled to first and second proximal arms by first and second elbows, respectively;
• and
• providing a roller tube supporting a canopy, the roller tube having spaced lateral ends, the second ends of the first and second articulating arms for supporting the lateral ends, said articulating arms for moving said roller tube away from said support surface as the canopy extends from a furled position to an unfurled position, said first and second elbows moving toward each other as the canopy extends from the furled position to the unfurled position, said roller tube supported solely by said first and second articulating arms when the canopy is in the unfurled position.

A lateral arm awning assembly comprising:

• first and second mounting plates mounted upon installation directly to a surface structure at spaced lateral locations;
• first and second articulating arms each including a proximal arm pivotably connected to a distal arm at an arm elbow, said proximal arm of each of said first and second articulating arms comprising separate pivoting mounting structures for forming a pivotally fixed connection with said first and second mounting plates, said first and second articulating arms further comprise a channel extending along at least a portion of a length of said first and second articulating arms, wherein the channel conceals first and second springs coupled to the first and second articulating arms when a canopy is in a furled position;
• and
• a roller tube supported by the distal arms, said roller tube supporting a said canopy coupled to a roller shaft, the roller shaft rotationally supported by a bracket supported by the distal arms, wherein said first and second articulating arms comprise independent structures that solely support said canopy in the unfurled position, wherein the arm elbows move toward each other when moving into the unfurled position.