Awning apparatus

1. An awning arm assembly comprising:

a rooftop mount structure configured to attach to a vehicle at or above a mounting elevation;

an arm having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end having a first surface; and

a joint comprising:

an axle coupled with the arm at the inner end, the axle extending along an axis;

a hollow body disposed about the axle and coupled with the rooftop mount structure in a manner providing no relative movement between the hollow body and the rooftop mount structure, the hollow body having a second surface; and

a channel disposed in the hollow body and having a first end and a second end in which the axle is disposed, the channel being larger at the first and second ends than it is at a point along the channel between the first and second ends so as to allow the axle to tilt relative to the channel;

wherein the hollow body is coupled with the axle such that movement of the arm relative to the hollow body adjusts an angle between the arm and the rooftop mount structure;

wherein the first and second surfaces are disposed at the first end of the channel and are configured so as to contact each other and to slide past each other with rotation of the arm about the axis of the axle;

wherein the first or second surfaces are shaped so as to include a first portion that permits a first degree of tilt of the axle relative to the channel as the arm rotates about the axis of the axle and a second portion that permits a second, greater, degree of tilt of the axle relative to the channel as the arm rotates about the axis of the axle;

wherein movement of the arm relative to the rooftop mount structure causes the outer end of the arm to travel along a radial path, creating a horizontal distance in a horizontal direction between the outer end of the arm and the rooftop mount structure; and

wherein the joint is configured such that rotation of the arm relative to the rooftop mount structure includes sliding contact within the first portion that maintains the outer end of the arm at or above a clearance elevation and sliding contact within the second portion that allows the outer end of the arm to lower below the clearance elevation.

2. The awning arm assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the maximum horizontal distance of the outer end of the arm that includes sliding contact within the first portion defines a clearance distance of the outer arm;

wherein the clearance distance is equal to a distance traveled by the outer end of the arm when the angle between the arm and the hollow body is equal to at least about 20% of a maximum angle.

3. The awning arm assembly of claim 2 , wherein the angle between the arm and the hollow body is equal to at least about 35% of the maximum angle.

4. The awning arm assembly of claim 2 , wherein the inner end of the arm comprises an insert on which the first surface is disposed, and the hollow body comprises a cap, the second surface disposed on the cap.

5. An awning arm assembly comprising:

a mount structure configured to attach to a vehicle rooftop;

an arm having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end having first and second forked portions, the first forked portion having a first control surface; and

a joint disposed between the mount structure and the arm comprising:

an axle coupled with the first and second forked portions of the arm, the axle extending along a longitudinal axis;

a hollow body disposed about the axle and coupled with the mount structure in a manner providing no relative movement between the hollow body and the mount structure, the hollow body having a second control surface; and

a channel disposed in the hollow body and having a first end and a second end, the axle disposed within the channel, the channel extending along a longitudinal axis and having an inner perimeter at the first and second ends that is larger than an outer perimeter of the axle;

wherein the first and second control surfaces are configured such that movement of the arm relative to the hollow body adjusts an angle between the longitudinal axis of the axle and the longitudinal axis of the channel.

6. The awning arm assembly of claim 5 , wherein the inner perimeter of the channel at the first and second ends is greater than an inner perimeter of the channel at a point along the channel between the first and second ends.

7. The awning arm assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second control surfaces are disposed adjacent to the first end of the channel and are configured so as to contact each other and to slide past each other when the arm moves relative to the hollow body.

8. The awning arm assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second control surfaces are shaped to increase an angle between the longitudinal axis of the channel and the longitudinal axis of the axle as the arm moves relative to the hollow body.

9. The awning arm assembly of claim 5 , wherein the joint is configured such that when the arm moves relative to the hollow body, the outer end of the arm remains at or above a clearance elevation until after the arm has moved a clearance distance in a horizontal direction.

10. The awning arm assembly of claim 5 , wherein the inner arm further comprises an insert, the insert comprising the first control surface.

11. The arm assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first and second control surfaces are disposed on wear resistant structures.

12. An awning arm joint, comprising:

an arm end member comprising a first fork portion, a second fork portion, and an arm end control facet;

an axle assembly coupled with the first fork portion and the second fork portion; and

a hollow body comprising a channel disposed about the axle assembly and at least two hollow body control facets disposed at one end of the channel,

wherein a first gap is provided between an inner periphery of the channel and an outer periphery of the axle assembly adjacent to the hollow body control facets and a second gap between the inner periphery of the channel and an outer periphery of the axle assembly at a location spaced away from the hollow body control facets, the second gap being less than the first gap; and

wherein the arm end control facet is disposed over a first hollow body control facet when the joint is folded and is disposed over a second control facet when the joint is extended.

13. A rooftop mount system, comprising:

a vehicle rooftop bracket; and

the joint of claim 12 .

14. The joint of claim 12 , wherein the channel extends along a longitudinal axis and has a first inner perimeter at the first end and has a second inner perimeter between the first and second ends that is smaller than the first inner perimeter.

15. An awning arm joint, comprising:

a fixed mount structure;

an arm end member comprising a first fork portion and a second fork portion,

an axle assembly coupled with the first fork portion and the second fork portion; and

a hollow body assembly comprising a hollow body coupled with the fixed mount structure and defining a channel disposed about the axle assembly, and a wear-resistant portion comprising a first side coupled with the hollow body and a second side disposed adjacent to one of the first fork portion and the second fork portion;

wherein the second side comprises a contact surface configured to be in sliding contact with a contact surface of the one of the first fork portion and the second fork portion.

16. The awning arm joint of claim 15 , wherein the wear-resistant portion comprises a cap, and the hollow body is coupled with the cap.

17. The awning arm joint of claim 16 , wherein the cap further comprises a stud configured to engage a notch disposed in the hollow body to prevent relative motion between the cap and the hollow body.

18. The awning arm joint of claim 15 , wherein the awning arm joint further comprises an insert disposed between the second side of the wear-resistant portion and the one of the first fork portion and the second fork portion.

19. The awning arm joint of claim 18 , wherein the insert is removable and replaceable from the awning arm joint.

20. The awning arm joint of claim 15 , wherein the channel comprises a first end and a second end, the channel being wider at the first and second ends than at a point along the channel between the first and second ends.

21. The awning arm joint of claim 15 , wherein the first side and the second side are configured such that rotation of the arm end member with respect to the hollow body assembly in a first plane of motion causes the axle assembly to rotate with respect to the hollow body assembly in a second plane of motion.