Vehicle awning support and method of use

1. A vehicle awning assembly including:

a vehicle awning; and

at least one awning support for mounting the vehicle awning to a vehicle, said awning support including a vehicle mount for mounting the awning support to the vehicle, a vehicle awning mount for mounting the awning support to the vehicle awning, and an articulated arm extending between the mounts, the articulated arm comprising a lower arm pivotable relative to the vehicle mount and an upper arm pivotable relative to the lower arm,

said articulated arm being upwardly moveable between a retracted position in which the vehicle awning is located adjacent the vehicle and an extended position in which the vehicle awning is elevated above the vehicle, the vehicle awning being extendable laterally outward relative to the vehicle,

wherein when the articulated arm is in the retracted position, a lower surface of the lower arm abuts an outer surface of the vehicle mount.

2. A vehicle awning assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the articulated arm extends substantially parallel with the vehicle awning when the articulated arm is in the retracted position.

3. A vehicle awning assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle awning translates substantially vertically as the articulated arm moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

4. A vehicle awning assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle awning lies substantially flush with the vehicle when the articulated arm is in the retracted position.

5. A vehicle awning assembly as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one awning support includes a pair of awning supports located at or near either end of the vehicle awning, wherein the pair of awning supports define respective inwardly pointing elbows located above the vehicle.

6. A vehicle awning assembly as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the pair of awning supports extend in a substantially horizontal direction along the vehicle when the articulated arm is in the retracted position.

7. A vehicle awning assembly as claimed in claim 1 , further including the vehicle in the form of a camping trailer, the at least one awning support being mounted to a roof of the camping trailer at one side of the camping trailer.

8. A vehicle awning assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the articulated arm extends the vehicle awning in a substantially vertical direction.

9. A vehicle awning support for supporting a vehicle awning on a vehicle, said support including:

a vehicle mount for mounting the support to the vehicle;

a vehicle awning mount for mounting the support to the vehicle awning; and

an articulated arm extending between the mounts, the articulated arm comprising a lower arm pivotable relative to the vehicle mount and an upper arm pivotable relative to the lower arm, said articulated arm being upwardly moveable between a retracted position in which the vehicle awning is located adjacent the vehicle and an extended position in which the vehicle awning is elevated above the vehicle, the vehicle awning being extendable laterally outward relative to the vehicle,

wherein when the articulated arm is in the retracted position, a lower surface of the lower arm abuts an outer surface of the vehicle mount.

10. A vehicle awning support as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the articulated arm defines an elbow, and includes a pair of supports that pivot about the elbow and are brought together in the retracted position.

11. A vehicle awning support as claimed in claim 9 , further including a lock for locking the articulated arm in the retracted position.

12. A vehicle awning support as claimed in claim 9 , further including a lock for locking the articulated arm in the extended position.

13. A vehicle awning support as claimed in claim 9 , wherein each mount is pivotally mounted to the articulated arm.

14. A vehicle awning support as claimed in claim 9 , further including an adjustment means for adjusting the articulated arm to a desired height, wherein the adjustment means includes an extensible gas strut.

15. A vehicle awning support as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the vehicle mount includes mounting plates at spaced apart locations to facilitate stable mounting.

16. A vehicle awning support as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the articulated arm defines apertures to reduce weight.

17. A method of adjusting the height of a vehicle awning relative to a vehicle fitted with a vehicle awning assembly,

the vehicle awning assembly including the vehicle awning and at least one awning support for mounting the vehicle awning to the vehicle,

said awning support including a vehicle mount for mounting the support to the vehicle, a vehicle awning mount for mounting the awning support to the vehicle awning, and an articulated arm extending between the mounts, the articulated arm comprising a lower arm pivotable relative to the vehicle mount and an upper arm pivotable relative to the lower arm,

the method comprising extending each support between a retracted position in which the vehicle awning is located proximal the vehicle and an extended position in which the vehicle awning is elevated above the vehicle,

wherein when the articulated arm is in the retracted position, a lower surface of the lower arm abuts an outer surface of the vehicle mount.

18. A method of adjusting as claimed in claim 17 , further involving unlocking each support prior to extending.

19. A method of adjusting as claimed in claim 17 , further involving locking each support in the extended position.

20. A method of adjusting as claimed in claim 17 , further involving extending the vehicle awning laterally when each awning support is in an extended position.