Folding panel assembly

Claim 1

A FOLDING PANEL ASSEMBLY FOR AN OPENING IN A STRUCTURE OPERABLE BETWEEN AN EXTENDED LIMIT POSITION CLOSING THE OPENING AND A RETRACTED LIMIT POSITION EXPOSING THE OPENING, COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED APART PARALLEL TRACKWAYS IN THE SIDES OF THE OPENING, EACH TRACKWAY CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF PARALLEL INNER AND OUTER CHANNELS, AT LEAST TWO PAIR OF PANEL MEMBERS, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE PANEL MEMBERS OF EACH PAIR ALONG ADJACENT SIDE EDGES, CONTROL HINGE GEAR MEANS CONNECTING ADJACENT PANEL MEMBERS OF THE PAIRS OF PANELS AND CONTROL MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID PANEL MEMBERS TO SAID STRUCTURE, SAID CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A TORQUE CONTROL ARM AT EACH SIDE OF SAID FOLDING PANEL ASSEMBLY ADJACENT SAID HINGE GEAR MEANS, SAID TORQUE CONTROL ARM HAVING GUIDE ROLLERS AT OPPOSITE TERMINAL ENDS ENGAGING IN SAID CHANNELS, SAID HINGE GEAR MEANS AND CONTROL MEANS COOPERATING TO EFFECT CONTROLLED MOVEMENT OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER BETWEEN EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS, SAID TORQUE CONTROL ARM MAINTAINING THE PIVOTAL AXES OF THE HINGE GEARS IN A PREDETERMINED COMMON PLANE DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS BETWEEN SAID EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS.