US 2024/0159057 A1Published application

Awning drop shade and attachment method

OwnerRoger Hunckler, Clare Huncklerinventors

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Abstract

An awning drop shade that attaches to a motorized retractable awning with a fail-safe removal mechanism that does not interfere with the safe operation of the awning because it automatically removes the drop shade from the awning when the powered awning retracts automatically. A combination of adhesive tapes and magnets is employed to install the shade fabric on the awning. Magnets embedded into the fabric are magnetically attached to corresponding external magnets, which, in turn, are attached to the extended end of the awning with the help of double-sided adhesive tapes. A pair of lanyards tether the installed drop shade to the ground and facilitate its fail-safe removal through magnetic detachment when the awning retracts automatically. Fabric pockets provided on the shading fabric allow insertion of a non-ferrous rod into them to lift the magnet-containing fabric above ground for placement on the extended end of the awning without a ladder.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A drop shade assembly for a motorized retractable awning, said assembly comprising:

a shade fabric with a plurality of first magnets non-removably placed within the fabric in a spaced-apart manner along the length of a top hem of the fabric;
a plurality of second magnets, wherein each second magnet is paired with a corresponding first magnet and remains magnetically attached thereto when the shade fabric is applied to an extended end of the retractable awning;
a plurality of double-sided adhesive tapes, wherein a first adhesive side of each adhesive tape is to be applied to a corresponding one of the plurality of second magnets and a second adhesive side is to be applied to the extended end of the awning, wherein the top hem of the shade fabric is to be installed on the extended end of the awning through a combination of the following:
physical placement of each adhesive tape-bearing second magnet along the length of the extended end of the awning through application of the second adhesive side of a corresponding adhesive tape to the extended end of the awning, and
magnetic connection between each pair of first and second magnets;
and
a pair of tethers, wherein one end of each tether is attached to a corresponding extreme end of the shade fabric and the other end of each tether is to be secured to the ground after installing the shade fabric on the extended end of the awning.

4 more elements

A motorized retractable awning system comprising:

a motorized retractable awning having an extended end;
and
a drop shade attached to the extended end of the awning, wherein the drop shade includes:
a shade fabric with a plurality of first magnets non-removably placed within the fabric in a spaced-apart manner along the length of a top hem of the fabric, wherein one of the following applies:
each first magnet is sewn into the fabric, and
each first magnet is welded into the fabric;
a plurality of second magnets, wherein each second magnet is paired with a corresponding first magnet and magnetically attached thereto;
a plurality of double-sided adhesive tapes, wherein a first adhesive side of each adhesive tape is applied to a corresponding one of the plurality of second magnets and a second adhesive side is applied to the extended end of the awning to thereby install the shade fabric on the extended end of the awning;
and
a pair of tethers, wherein one end of each tether is attached to a corresponding extreme end of the shade fabric and the other end of each tether is secured to the ground.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.