CANOPY DEVICE

Abstract

A canopy device including a drive unit for moving a canopy material and at least two girders that extend in a movement direction of the canopy material and which are spaced apart from each other transversely to the movement direction of the canopy material. The canopy material can be moved from an opened actuating state to various actuating states between the girders. The drive unit is fixed in position and includes a transmission arrangement and an actuating element able to move along a girder, which are coordinated such that a driving action can be transmitted from the drive unit to the actuating element. The actuating element is designed for a connection to the canopy material and is coupled to a gear wheel of the transmission arrangement, which is drivable by the drive unit. The gear wheel interacts with a tooth contour formed along the girder.

Claims

1. A canopy device for providing a canopy made from a flexible canopy material, which can be moved with the device into various actuating states, wherein the device comprises a drive unit for moving the canopy material into the different actuating states, and at least two girders, which define a canopy region and extend in a movement direction of the canopy material and which are spaced apart from each other transversely to the movement direction of the canopy material, wherein the canopy material can be moved from an opened actuating state of the canopy to various actuating states of the canopy material between the at least two girders, so that the canopy material spans at least one section between the girders, wherein the drive unit is fixed in position, and the device further comprises a transmission arrangement and an actuating element able to move along at least one of the girders, which are coordinated such that a driving action can be transmitted from the drive unit to the actuating element, wherein the actuating element is designed for a connection to the canopy material and wherein the actuating element is coupled to a gear wheel of the transmission arrangement which is drivable by the drive unit, wherein the gear wheel interacts with a tooth contour formed along the girder.

2. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission arrangement comprises a drive shaft drivable with the drive unit, which is mounted fixed in position.

3. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein several actuating elements can be driven at the same time with a single drive shaft.

4. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission arrangement comprises a telescopic coupling.

5. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission arrangement comprises a reversing gear.

6. The canopy device according to claim 2, further comprising a connection segment that engages each time at several positions of the drive shaft, spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft, thereby establishing a driving connection to a corresponding gear wheel.

7. The canopy device according to claim 1, further comprising at least two gear wheels, spaced apart from each other in the direction transverse to the drive shaft, and linked together firm against rotation by a connection element of the transmission arrangement.

8. The canopy device according to claim 1, further comprising an actuating element connected and coordinated with the canopy material such that the canopy material is compressible by a folding process during an opening process of the canopy.

9. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein at least two actuating elements are provided on one girder, each actuating element being drivable by a corresponding transmission arrangement.

10. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein the girder is fashioned as a curved longitudinal profile.

11. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein the girder comprises a first girder section and a second girder section, wherein a corresponding first gear wheel moves along the first girder section and a corresponding second gear wheel moves along the second girder section.

12. The canopy device according to claim 1, wherein several canopy rows are present, arranged alongside each other in the movement direction of the canopy material, each canopy row comprising several girders, spaced apart from each other transversely to the movement direction of the canopy material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWNGS

[0055] Further features and advantages of the present invention shall be explained more closely with the aid of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, represented schematically in the figures.

[0056] FIG. 1 a perspective partial view diagonally from above of a canopy device according to the present invention in the mounted state on a holder;

[0057] FIG. 2 is the front view of FIG. 1;

[0058] FIG. 3 is side view of FIG. 1; and

[0059] FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0060] A canopy device 1 according to the present invention serves for providing a canopy 2 made from a flexible canopy material 3, such as an orchard canopy or hardening house for crops. Hardening houses serve, in particular, for temperature and light habituation, for example for perennial plants, for which the cultivation occurs in a covered area, after an alternation of various temperatures, from warm to cool. Such plants are planted, for example, in the autumn and need to survive a winter in order to bloom in spring.

[0061] With the canopy 2, a zone with a rectangular ground surface is temporarily housed or covered entirely or partially underneath the canopy 2. In FIGS. 1 to 4, the canopy 2 is for the most part closed or only opened somewhat in the upper region.

[0062] When the canopy 2 is entirely opened (not shown), the respective area is present without any canopy or free to the surroundings. The canopy material 3, such as a flexible, weatherproof, transparent sheet, can be moved with the canopy device 1 by motor or automation into different actuating states at will and in reversible manner.

[0063] The canopy device 1 comprises a drive unit 4 for moving the canopy material 3 into the different actuating states. The canopy device 1 comprises different regions, which in the example shown comprise a first row 5 and a second row 6, forming a tunnel-shaped or semicircular canopy when the canopy 2 is closed.

[0064] The two rows 5 and 6 are identical in construction and are oriented alongside each other and parallel to each other. The two rows 5 and 6 comprise two girders 7, 8 and 9, 10. The canopy material 3 comprises four striplike or rectangular cover sheets 11 to 14, wherein the cover sheets 11 and 12 belong to the first row 5 and the cover sheets 13 and 14 belong to the second row 6.

[0065] The girders 7-10 each comprise two girder sections, which are present parallel to each other and somewhat set off from one another. Accordingly, the girder 7 comprises the girder sections 7a and 7b, the girder 8 the girder sections 8a and 8b, the girder 9 the girder sections 9a and 9b and the girder 10 the girder sections 10a and 10b.

[0066] The cover sheets 11 and 12 can be stretched between the girders 7 and 8 and beyond each of them to the sides and can be moved from a ridge area 15 of the first row 5 in each case in the direction of movement V (see FIG. 4) or R2 to the outside and downward as far as the outer eaves 17 and inner eaves 18. The cover sheets 11 and 12 are laid in folds and laid together or gathered compactly. In the Figures, the segment of the cover sheet 11 not lying flat or still gathered and the additional cover sheets 12 to 14 are not shown realistically, but rather highly schematized in the form of a harmonica.

[0067] The cover sheets 13 and 14 of the second row 6 can be stretched accordingly between the girders 9 and 10 and beyond each of them to the sides and can be moved from a ridge area 16 of the second row 6 in each case in the direction of movement V or R2 to the outside and downward as far as the outer eaves 19 and the inner eaves 18.

[0068] For the movement of the canopy material 3 or the respective cover sheets 11-14, the canopy device 1 comprises the drive unit 4, such as an electric motor 20, and a transmission arrangement 21, which acts between the drive unit 4 and eight identical gear wheels 22 to 29, in order to drive each of the gear wheels 22 to 29 optionally in rotation in one direction or the other.

[0069] The transmission arrangement 21 comprises a drive shaft 30 for a drive connection between the drive unit 4 and the gear wheels 22-29. The drive shaft 30 is driven in rotation by the drive unit 4.

[0070] From the drive shaft 30, four partial drive trains of the transmission arrangement 21 branch off.

[0071] A first partial drive train, explained more closely in the following, and producing the driving of the gear wheel 22, comprises a reversing gear 31, engaging with the drive shaft 30, a telescopic coupling 32, connected to the reversing gear 31 and preferably designed as a telescopic articulated coupling, and a transverse shaft 33 connected to the telescopic coupling 32, on which the gear wheel 22 is mounted, firm against rotation. A takeoff shaft of the reversing gear 31 stands preferably at an angle of around 45 degrees to the horizontal, for space reasons, so that the telescopic coupling 32 is also oriented about this angle range or somewhat more steeply or shallow, depending on the particular actuating state.

[0072] By rotation of the drive shaft 30, the telescopic coupling 32 is driven in rotation by the reversing gear 31, designed as a 90-degree reversing gear, and thus the transverse shaft 33 with the gear wheel 22 is driven in rotation. The telescopic articulated coupling 32 automatically provides distance and length equalization in its longitudinal direction and comprises at each end a universal joint, so that a spatial change in position of the transverse shaft 33 can be equalized or adapted to the positionally firm reversing gear 31.

[0073] The gear wheel 22 rotating with the transverse shaft 33 meshes with its circumferential tooth contour by a tooth contour 42 formed to fit the tooth contour on the gear wheel 22, which is present at the bottom side of the girder section 7a. In this way, depending on the direction of rotation D1 or D2 of the drive shaft 30, the gear wheel 22 is driven clockwise or anticlockwise, so that the gear wheel 22 and an actuating element 34 arranged on it or coupled to the gear wheel 22 can move along the girder section 7a upward and inward in the direction R1 or downward and outward in the direction R2. Advantageously, there are no buckling areas in the movement, since the girder section 7a is curved. The actuating element 34 is connected to the cover sheet 11 and accordingly moves the cover sheet 11 along, R1 being the closing direction of the cover sheet 11 and R2 the opening direction of the cover sheet 11.

[0074] The additional gear wheel 23 arranged firm against rotation on the transverse shaft 33 is in meshing contact with a tooth contour of the girder section 8a of the girder 8, formed corresponding to the tooth contour 42. In this way, the corresponding actuating element 35 and thus also the cover sheet 11 in this area is driven in motion in the closing direction R1 or in the opening direction R2. The transverse shaft 33, which rotates during the opening and closing of the cover sheet 11 and forms the axis of rotation of the gear wheels 22 and 23, at the same time carries out the translatory movement R1 or R2 together with the actuating elements 34 and 35 along the curved shape of the girder sections 7a and 8a.

[0075] Furthermore, in a corresponding manner, a corresponding actuating element 35 to 41 is coupled to each of the additional gear wheels 23 to 29, acting in correspondence with the actuating element 34 and being connected to the corresponding cover sheet 11-14 in each case.

[0076] The drive unit 4 can be switched at will between the on and off states, so that the cover sheet 11 and also the other cover sheets 12-14 can be brought at the same time into any given actuating state in agreement with the other cover sheets.

[0077] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a canopy 2 roughly closed by two thirds, wherein a gathered segment of the cover sheets 11-14 is shown schematically in zig-zag fashion. With the canopy device 1, a canopy 2 closing from the eaves 17-19 or from the bottom and a canopy 2 opening from the ridge areas 15, 16 or opening from the top is realized. In the state of the canopy 2 partly opened in the figures, the cover sheets 11-14 cover an angle range of around 60 degrees from their respective lower eaves-side longitudinal edge to their respective upper edge, pulled up in the direction of the respective ridge areas 15, 16, on the quarter-circle respective girder sections 7a, 7b to 10a, 10b of the girders 7-10. A remaining angle range up to the ridge area 15 or 16 or up to the vertical at 90 degrees along the girders 7-10 is clear or open to the surroundings. This clear area can still be closed with the cover sheet 11 by appropriate switching of the drive unit 4. All intermediate positions or intermediate actuating states between totally open canopy 2, when the cover sheet 11 is completely folded up at the eaves 17, and totally closed canopy 2, are possible by motor operation.

[0078] When the canopy is completely closed (not shown) or when the actuating state of the cover sheets 11-14 is completely closed, the entire area under the outstretched cover sheets 11-14, produced by the two tunnel arches according to the two rows 5 and 6 with the girders 7-10, is covered. The end faces of the canopy device 1 or of the two rows 5 and 6 are not affected by this.

[0079] The movement of the cover sheet 13 at the row 6 occurs simultaneously and identically to the cover sheet 11 as described above, wherein the cover sheet 13 acts corresponding to the cover sheet 11. Advantageous for this are the corresponding or identical components in operative connection with the drive shaft 30, namely, a reversing gear 43, a telescopic coupling 44, the gear wheel 26 with the actuating element 38 and a transverse shaft 45 with the other gear wheel 27 and the actuating element 39, wherein the upper edge of the cover sheet 13 engages with the actuating elements 38, 39. The gear wheels 26, 27 mesh, like the gear wheels 22, 23, with tooth contours which are present on the inside of each of the curved girders 9a, 10a.

[0080] Basically all girder sections 7a, 7b to 10a, 10b each have a tooth contour at the inner side.

[0081] The two corresponding cover sheets 12 and 14 of the rows 5 and 6 likewise function in the same way and are moved by a transmission arrangement 21 with the same components corresponding to the cover sheets, with the difference that the respective gear wheels 24, 25 and 28, 29 are driven in rotation opposite to the rotation direction 7 of the gear wheels 22, 23, 26, 27, while the rotary speed of all rotating components is identical.

[0082] Thus, all cover sheets 11-14 are placed in the same actuating state at the same time simultaneously and with the same speed and all cover sheets 11-14 are closed at the same time in direction R1 or opened in direction R2.

[0083] Accordingly, a reversing gear 46, a telescopic coupling 47, the gear wheel 24 with the actuating element 36 and a transverse shaft 48 with the further gear wheel 25 and the actuating element 37 is responsible for the movement of the cover sheet 12.

[0084] Correspondingly, a reversing gear 49, a telescopic coupling 50, the gear wheel 28 with the actuating element 40 and a transverse shaft 51 with the further gear wheel 29 and the actuating element 41 is responsible for the movement of the cover sheet 14.

[0085] For the organizing of the opposite rotary speed of the rotating components for the movement of the cover sheets 11 and 13 on the one hand and that of the rotating components for the movement of the cover sheets 12 and 14 on the other hand, only the respective reversing gears are installed the other way around. This means that the reversing gears 31 and 43 are installed the other way around to the reversing gears 45, 49.

[0086] Moreover, in order to hold the canopy device 1, three cross beams 52, 53 and 54 fashioned as hollow rectangular profiles are provided in the eaves 17-19, extending transversely to the movement direction V. The cross beams 52, 53 and 54 are supported at their respective end regions on either side by a ground structure, such as the truss structure 55, while another opposite ground structure parallel to and at a distance from the truss structure 55 is not shown. In the longitudinal direction of the extensible parallel cross beams 52-54, the canopy device 1 can be lengthened with correspondingly extensible cover sheets 11-14 or transverse shafts and additional girders or have other corresponding components. A lengthening in the direction of movement V with additional rows is also possible. If necessary, additional drive units with corresponding drive shafts may be provided for this.

[0087] Along the eaves 17-19 or the cross beams 52-54, these may be designed to collect and carry away rainwater and/or hail in the end regions of the canopy device 1, for example, they may have a roof gutter, which is advantageous for relieving strain on the layout when the canopy 2 is fully or partly closed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0088] 1 Canopy device

[0089] 2 Canopy

[0090] 3 Canopy material

[0091] 4 Drive unit

[0092] 5, 6 Row

[0093] 7-10 Girder

[0094] 7a, 7b Girder section

[0095] 8a, 8b Girder section

[0096] 9a, 9b Girder section

[0097] 10a, 10b Girder section

[0098] 11 Cover sheet

[0099] 11a Section

[0100] 12-14 Cover sheet

[0101] 15, 16 Ridge area

[0102] 17-19 Eaves

[0103] 20 Electric motor

[0104] 21 Transmission arrangement

[0105] 22-29 Gear wheel

[0106] 30 Drive shaft

[0107] 31 Reversing gear

[0108] 32 Telescopic coupling

[0109] 33 Transverse shaft

[0110] 34-41 Actuating element

[0111] 42 Tooth contour

[0112] 43 Reversing gear

[0113] 44 Telescopic coupling

[0114] 45 Transverse shaft

[0115] 46 Reversing gear

[0116] 47 Telescopic coupling

[0117] 48 Transverse shaft

[0118] 49 Reversing gear

[0119] 50 Telescopic coupling

[0120] 51 Transverse shaft

[0121] 52-54 Cross beam

[0122] 55 Truss structure