to an inch below an imaginary line interconnecting the inner and outer edges of the connector in operation of the awning it will be appreciated that in the extended position illustrated in fig1 and 3 the articulated slats 18 form an extension from the support surface 16 which is substantially co planar with the awning sheet 12 itself as appreciated from the foregoing the plurality of articulated slats are operably connected to the support surface 16 by the elongated slat connector 48 so that water deposited in the elongated slat connector will not flow out across the articulated slats where leakage may occur as water contacts the support surface or the elongated slat connector itself it flows into the trough 54 of the elongated slat connector and then drains laterally to either end of the elongated slat connector and onto the ground if the elongated slat connector is slanted along its length the drainage is facilitated by gravity if the elongated slat connector is not slanted to one end or the other the drainage occurs anyway as the trough portion 54 has enough volume to allow some accumulation in the trough portion before it drains laterally by necessity under all but the most severe conditions the water level in the trough portion 54 does not rise to or above the connection elements 64 66 on either of the longitudinal edges 50 52 of the elongated slat connector 48 the water is maintained at this level because it continuously drains off the ends of the elongated slat connector because the water does not pool in the elongated slat connector and thereby stand at a level above the longitudinal edges 50 52 the elongated slat connector prevents.