Recreational vehicle awning support
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to attachments for recreational vehicles and, in particular, to an awning support for releasably supporting and maintaining the awning of a recreational vehicle in a rolled up storage position adjacent to the side thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Recreational vehicles have long been a popular means of vacationing. They are typically equipped with essential home amenities, such as cooking, sleeping, and rest room facilities. As such, travelers employ recreational vehicles to camp and tour various locations without the need to arrange for hotel or resort accommodations. 
     Awnings are another popular feature for recreational vehicles. The awnings are typically maintained on a roll which attaches to the side of the recreational vehicle and which allows the recreational vehicle owner thereof to unroll the awning to a usable position to provide shelter from the elements, such as rain and sun. The recreational vehicle owner can easily roll the awning back to the storage position adjacent the side of the recreational vehicle prior to traveling in the recreational vehicle, or when the awning is otherwise not needed. Thus, a retractable awning, as described above, is a desirable feature for recreational vehicle owners. 
     To maintain the recreational vehicle awning in the storage position rolled up adjacent the side of the recreational vehicle, a retaining apparatus or retention bracket is required. Prior brackets and retaining apparatuses have proven cumbersome. Some brackets rigidly secure the rolled awning to the side of the recreational vehicle, but, nevertheless, make it difficult or complicated to release the rolled awning to the usable position. Prior apparatuses which provide for easy transition between the rolled and unrolled positions have turned out to ineffectively maintain the awning in the stored position. In such cases, the roller bar was initially closed to the storage position and then these apparatuses were manually adjusted and/or positioned and adjusted up to the roller bar, thus supporting the roller bar in the storage and travel position. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide an awning support which securely supports and maintains the awning of a recreational vehicle in a rolled up storage position. 
     Another important object is to provide a support which allows the user to unroll the stored awning to an operative position without difficulty. A further object is to provide a support which allows the user to readily roll the awning from the operative position back to the storage position, and the action of rolling the awning to the rolled up storage will securely support and maintain the roller bar in that position. An additional object is to provide a support that does not tear, scrape, or otherwise damage the awning when the awning is moved between the storage and operative positions. 
     Yet another object is to produce an inexpensive support constructed with strong, weatherproof materials. A related object is to construct the support with a minimal number of moving and interacting parts to minimize breakdown and maintenance. 
     To accomplish these and other related objects of the invention, an awning support is disclosed for supporting and securely maintaining the awning of a recreational vehicle in a storage position in which the awning is maintained for travel. The awning support comprises a bracket adapted to secure to the vehicle. The bracket includes at least one retention member which extends angularly upward away from the side of the vehicle, and has upper and lower surfaces. The awning support further comprises an awning-receiving apparatus for releasably supporting and securing the retracted awning. The receiving apparatus is movably mounted to the bracket between a supporting position in which the receiving apparatus rests upon the upper surface of the retention member, supporting the rolled up awning in the storage position, and an inoperative or nonsupporting position in which the awning is unrolled and the receiving apparatus does not rest upon the upper surface of the retention member. The angularly disposed upper surface of the retention member engages the receiving apparatus and securely maintains the apparatus in the storage position. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the awning-receiving apparatus comprises a semicylindrical supporting surface having an edge proximal to the side of the vehicle and a distal edge thereto. The awning-receiving apparatus is pivotally connected to that end of the retention member which is located distally from the side of the vehicle. When the awning support is in the supporting position, the awning-receiving apparatus pivots upwardly and rests on the upper surface of the retention member, and the proximal edge of the receiving apparatus is disposed in a lower horizontal plane than the distal edge, thereby securing the rolled or retracted awning in the storage position. When the awning-receiving apparatus is in the inoperative position, the distal edge of the receiving apparatus is disposed in a lower horizontal plane than the proximal edge, and the distal edge is disposed to receive the awning roll when the awning is retracted from the usable to the storage position. 
     Thus, the present invention overcomes the problems heretofore experienced by recreational vehicle owners. The present invention discloses an inexpensive awning support which securely supports an awning of a recreational vehicle in a storage position, and yet is adapted to readily release the retracted awning to an operative position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts and the various views: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recreational vehicle having an awning extended to a usable position; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken generally along the plane of line 2--2 in the direction of the arrows showing the awning support attached to the recreational vehicle and showing the support in the inoperative position in which the awning roll is not supported on the awning support; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the awning support is in the supporting position in which the awning is rolled up adjacent the side of the recreational vehicle; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view taken generally along the plane of line 4--4 in FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows showing the pivotal connection of the awning-receiving apparatus to the support bracket; 
     FIG. 5 is an elevational view taken generally along the plane of line 5--5 in FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows; and 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the pivotal connection of the awning-receiving apparatus to the support bracket. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, and initially to FIG. 1, numeral 10 generally designates the awning support of the present invention. The awning support 10 is adapted to support and securely maintain the awning 12 wrapped around roll bar 14 in a storage position (See FIG. 3). The awning support allows the awning to be released from roll bar 14 to a usable position (See FIGS. 1-2) in which the awning is supported by retractable poles 15. 
     The awning support 10 generally comprises a bracket 20 which is adapted to secure the awning support 10 to the recreational vehicle 21. The awning support 10 further comprises an awning-receiving apparatus 22 which is pivotally connected to the bracket 20 between a supporting position (See FIG. 3) in which the awning 12 is in the storage position and an inoperative position (See FIGS. 1-2) in which the awning 12 is in the usable position. 
     The bracket 20 comprises a mounting plate 24 having screw holes 26 adapted to receive screws 28 and washers 29, or the like, to rigidly secure the awning support 10 to the side of the vehicle 21 (shown best in FIG. 6). The bracket 20 further comprises a retention means for engaging the awning-receiving apparatus 22 to support and maintain the awning-receiving apparatus 22 in the supporting position and thus, support the awning 12 in the storage position. In the preferred embodiment, the retention means comprises at least two arms 40 spaced substantially parallel apart. The arms 40 are rigidly attached to the mounting plate 24 and are preferably formed integrally therewith. The arms 40 have upper surfaces 42 which extend angularly upward away from the proximal ends 44, which are secured to the mounting plate 24, toward distal ends 46. The distal ends 46 have holes 48 adapted to provide a pivotal connection between the awning receiving apparatus 22 and bracket 20, as will be described below. It should be understood that a wider, single retention arm could be used. However, using at least two retention arms spaced apart, such as arms 40, provides greater stability. 
     The awning-receiving apparatus 22 preferably comprises a semicylindrical collar 49 having a semi-cylindrical supporting surface 50 and a lower surface 52 for engaging the angled upper surfaces 42 of retention arms 40 when the awning-receiving apparatus 22 is in the supporting position, thereby maintaining the rolled awning 12 in the storage position. The semicylindrical collar 49 also includes an edge 54 located proximally to the side of the recreational vehicle 21, and a distal edge 56. In the preferred embodiment, the supporting surface 50 of the awning-receiving apparatus 22 includes a buffer means, such as padding 58, to prevent damage to the awning 12 when the awning 12 is in the storage position, or when the awning 12 is moved between the inoperative and usable positions. 
     Plates 70 are secured in spaced parallel relation to the lower surface 52 of the awning-receiving apparatus 22 generally along the transverse center line of surface 52 and extend generally perpendicularly therefrom. The plates 70 are secured to the lower surface 52 by known means, such as welding. Referring to FIG. 6, holes 72 are formed therein for receiving bolt 74. Bolt 74 is received through holes 48 of retention arms 40 and holes 72 of plates 70, and is secured thereto by nut 76. The plates 70, and thus the awning-receiving apparatus 22, are thereby pivotally connected about bolt 74 to bracket 20 between the supporting and inoperative positions. The bolt 74 preferably has a smooth rod portion 78 to facilitate pivoting of the awning-receiving apparatus 22 about the bolt 74. When the semicylindrical collar 49 is in the supporting position, the proximal edge 54 is disposed in a lower horizontal plane than the distal edge 56. When the semicylindrical collar 49 is in the inoperative position, the distal edge 56 is disposed in a lower horizontal plane than the proximal edge 54. 
     The awning support 10 further comprises a stop means, such as pin 90, which engages the bottom surface 92 of plates 70 to limit the pivotal movement of the awning-receiving apparatus 22 away from the side of the vehicle, thereby maintaining the distal edge 56 of awning-receiving apparatus 22 in a position disposed to receive the awning 12 when such is moved from the usable to the storage positions. The pin 90 can be formed integrally with an arm 40 of bracket 20, or it could be received through a hole 91 and secured therein by known means (refer to FIG. 6). 
     The awning-receiving apparatus 22, the bracket 20, and the retention arms 40 are preferably made from a durable weather-resistant material, such as aluminum or a durable plastic. Also, plastic washers 80 are preferably placed between the plates 70 and the retention arms 40, as shown in FIG. 5, to prevent scraping of the metal surfaces when the awning-receiving apparatus 22 pivots between the supporting and inoperative positions. 
     OPERATION 
     When the awning 12 is retracted into the storage position, as shown in FIG. 3, and it is desired that the awning 12 be moved to the usable position, the awning 12 must be pulled away from the side of the vehicle with sufficient outward force to cause the awning-receiving apparatus 22 to pivot up and over upwardly angled upper surfaces 42 of retention arms 40. The awning-receiving apparatus 22 will then pivot until the bottom surface 92 of plate 70 engages the pin 90, thereby preventing further pivotal movement of the awning-receiving apparatus 22 away from the side of the vehicle. Thereafter, the awning 12 may be unrolled to the usable position, as shown in FIG. 1, and poles 15, or the like, may be used to support the ends 102 of the awning, as is well-understood in the art. 
     With the awning-receiving apparatus 22 in the inoperative position, the distal edge 56 is disposed to receive the rolled up awning 12. To return the awning 12 to the storage position, the awning 12 must be retracted by rolling the same upon roll bar 14 toward the storage position, whereby the awning-receiving apparatus 22 will automatically pivot to the supporting position in which the lower surface 52 engages upper surfaces 42 of retention arms 40, thereby supporting and maintaining the retracted awning 12 in the storage position. 
     From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well-adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. 
     It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. 
     Since many possible embodiments made be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.