SUNSHADE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PARTS THEREOF

Abstract

Sunshade system for a vehicle roof assembly, comprising a flexible sunscreen having at least a main part with two opposite lateral edges with guiding strips attached thereto. Each guiding strip comprises inwardly foldable parts foldable inwardly towards a centerline of the sunshade in an acute angle with the main part of the guiding strips and being folded flat in the same plane as the main part when the sunscreen is wound on the shaft. A foldable first hinge part extends in longitudinal direction of said strip formed as a depression. Two opposed longitudinal guides are provided with locking members and with guide chambers for engaging the inwardly foldable part of the flexible sunscreen. Each guiding strip is made of thermoplastic material and comprises at least a second hinge part extending parallel to the first hinge part, longitudinally along the guiding strip.

Claims

1. A sunshade system for use in a vehicle roof assembly, capable of opening or at least partly closing an opening below the vehicle roof assembly, said sunshade system comprising: a flexible sunscreen having at least a main part with two opposite lateral side edges, a leading edge (6) and a trailing edge, a winding shaft for winding and unwinding the flexible sunscreen at its trailing edge, an operating beam attached to the leading edge of the flexible sunscreen, guiding strips laterally extending along, and attached to, each of lateral side edges of the main part and each of the guiding strips comprising: an inwardly foldable part capable of being folded inwardly towards a longitudinal centerline of the sunshade system in an acute angle with a main part of each of the guiding strips and being folded flat in the same plane as the main part when the flexible sunscreen is wound up onto the winding shaft, and a first hinge part extending in longitudinal direction of said strip, whereby the first hinge part is formed as a depression made in the guiding strips, and whereby each inwardly foldable part is connected to a remainder of the guiding strip by said first hinge part, and two opposed longitudinal guides for retaining therein in a transverse direction and slidably guiding therein in a longitudinal direction, at least the inwardly foldable parts, and at least a part of the main part of the guiding strips, said guides being provided with locking members and with guide chambers for engaging at least the inwardly foldable part of the flexible sunscreen for preventing said inwardly foldable parts from laterally moving out of the longitudinal guides when the flexible sunscreen is at least partly unwound, wherein each guiding strip is made of thermoplastic material and comprises at least a second hinge part extending parallel to the first hinge part, longitudinally along a length of the guiding strip to form an opposite foldable part.

2. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein said first hinge part and said at least second hinge part are arranged on either side of a longitudinal centerline in the middle of each guiding strip.

3. The sunshade system according to claim 2, wherein said first hinge part and said at least second hinge part are positioned symmetrically relative to the longitudinal centerline in the middle of each guiding strip.

4. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein an attachment between the guiding strips and the side edges of the main part of the flexible sunscreen is made in an area of the guiding strips between the first and the at least second hinge part.

5. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the attachment between the guiding strips and the side edges of the main part of the flexible sunscreen is made in the at least second hinge part.

6. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the attachment between the guiding strips and the side edges of the main part of the flexible sunscreen is made in an area of the guiding strips inwardly beyond the at least second hinge part.

7. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the guiding strips are made of a material selected from a group of materials including PA, and PA+PTFE.

8. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the guiding strips have a material thickness T1 in the range of about 0.2 mm to about 1 mm.

9. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the guiding strips have a width W1 in a range of about 10 mm to about 40 mm, and wherein a distance between the first or second hinge part and an transverse edge of the guiding strip W2 lies in the range of about 2.5 mm to about 10 mm.

10. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hinge parts have a material thickness T2 of in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.5 mm.

11. The sunshade system according to claim 10, wherein a width W3 of the depression of the first and second hinge part, along a part having a substantially constant thickness T2, lies in the range of about 0.3 to about 2 mm.

12. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the guiding strip is equipped with a reinforcement.

13. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the guiding strips have an attachment to an upper side of the main part of the flexible sunscreen by one of stitching, gluing, welding, and a clamping method using heat.

14. The sunshade system according to claim 1, wherein the guiding strip is connected to the operating beam by a pocket formed by the guiding strip, around a connection bar which is mounted in the operating beam.

15. The sunshade system according to claim 14, wherein the pocket is reinforced by a pocket pilot for increasing buckling resistance of the guiding strip, the pocket pilot being attached to the operating beam.

16. A method of manufacturing guiding strips for use in a sunshade system in a vehicle roof assembly, comprising: providing a disc of thermoplastic solid material on a rotatable axis, wherein the disc of material is capable of rotating around the axis, cutting a layer of the disc by a sharp knife while the disc is rotating, the layer having substantially a thickness of a guiding strip, rolling the layer through a first pair of opposite rotating rollers to provide a pre-treatment wherein the pre-treatment is compression of the strip, rolling the layer through a heating device to provide the strip with a pre-treatment, wherein the pre-treatment is heating up the layer to a temperature in the range of between about 110 to about 260 degrees C. rolling the layer through at least one second pair of opposite rotating rollers to provide the layer with depressions ultimately forming the first and second hinge parts.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: gradually folding at least one of foldable parts into an acute angle with the remainder of the guiding strip along a length of the guiding strip and gradually unfolding the at least one of foldable parts into a plane of the main part of the guiding strip, and cooling down the guiding strip in a cooling unit to room temperature.

18. A method of manufacturing a flexible sunscreen of a sunshade system for use in a vehicle roof assembly, comprising: aligning a first length of guiding strip from a feed of the guiding strip, on a sewing table of a stitching machine, aligning a lateral side edge of a pre-cut flexible sunscreen on top the first guiding strip, clamping the stacked strip and flexible sunscreen in a clamping fixture, attaching of the first guiding strip to the flexible sunscreen by an attachment made by one of stitching, gluing, welding, and clamping using heat, cutting off of the loose guiding strip of the feed of the guiding strip from the already attached guiding strip substantially near the longitudinal end of the flexible sunscreen, pulling the attached first guiding strip with the flexible sunscreen from the sewing table, aligning of second guiding strip from a feed of the guiding strip onto the sewing table, aligning of the flexible sunscreen with the attached first guiding strip with its opposite lateral side edge onto the second guiding strip, clamping of the guiding strip and flexible sunscreen in a clamping fixture, attaching of second guiding strip to the flexible sunscreen by an attachment made by one of stitching, gluing, welding, and clamping using heat, cutting off of the loose guiding strip of the feed of the guiding strip from the already attached guiding strip and stitching wire substantially near the end of the longitudinal edge of the flexible sunscreen.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] Hereinafter aspects of the invention will be elucidated while referring to the drawing, in which:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic and perspective view a vehicle roof assembly and a sunshade system;

[0053] FIG. 2 shows in a perspective view a frame part of the vehicle roof assembly and a sunshade system;

[0054] FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show a partial sectional view along lines III-III FIG. 2 on a larger scale, and in 3 different versions of attachment of the guiding strips.

[0055] FIG. 4a shows a sectional view of a guiding strip in unfolded straight position.

[0056] FIG. 4b shows a detail from FIG. 4a.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the guiding strip comprising a reinforcement.

[0058] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the guiding strip of an embodiment having a reinforcement attached to it.

[0059] FIG. 7 shows a partial schematic perspective view of the sunshade system showing details of the fixing of the guiding strip to the operating beam.

[0060] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7

[0061] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view along line IX-IX in FIG. 7.

[0062] FIG. 10 shows a partial schematic perspective view of the sunshade system showing details of the fixing of the guiding strip to the operating beam.

[0063] FIG. 11 shows a sectional view along line XI-XI in FIG. 10.

[0064] FIG. 12 shows a partial sectional view along line XII-XII in FIG. 10.

[0065] FIG. 13 shows a schematic view of a method of manufacturing guiding strips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] Firstly referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 an example is illustrated of a vehicle roof assembly. Such vehicle roof system may be a so called top slider system, a spoiler roof system or a tilt/vent slider system. The panel of the vehicle roof assembly is capable of being opened and being closed. Below the vehicle roof assembly a sunshade system 1 is placed comprising a flexible sunscreen 2 capable of covering an opening 3 below the vehicle roof assembly and capable of revealing the opening 3 below the vehicle roof assembly by winding up the flexible sunscreen 2 on a winding shaft 8. The winding shaft is usually placed along the transverse rear end of the opening 3 below the vehicle roof assembly, but it is also feasible that the winding shaft 8 is placed transversely in the centre area or at the transverse front edge of the opening 3 below the vehicle roof assembly. The flexible sunscreen 2 comprises a main part 4A and along the longitudinal edges of the main part 4, side edges 5, 5, and further transverse edges such as a leading edge 6 and a trailing edge 7.

[0067] The sunshade system 1 further comprises guides 14, 14 (FIG. 3) that are placed in the lateral side areas of the opening 3 below the vehicle roof assembly. As a matter of fact the guides 14, 14 for the sunshade system 1 may be part of a stationary part or frame 22 of the vehicle roof assembly as shown in FIG. 2. Guides 14, 14 extend in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and comprise channels for guiding side edges 5, 5 of the flexible sunscreen 2.

[0068] In FIG. 3a-c a part of a guide 14, 14 is shown being guide chamber 16. The lateral edges 5, 5 of the flexible sunscreen 2 are shown which are connected to side guiding strips 10, 10. The connection is shown by a cross of attachment 19 in FIG. 3 and can be any of a stitched, glued or welded connection. The guiding strips 10, 10 comprise a foldable part 11, 11 at the lateral outer side of each guiding strip 10, 10 and a foldable part 18, 18 at the lateral inner side thereof. The foldable parts 11, 11 and 18, 18 are connected to a middle or main part of the guiding strips 10, 10 by a flexible hinge part 12, 17, respectively such that the strip has a symmetrical shape with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the strip 10, 10.

[0069] An attachment 19 to the sunscreen 2 is made in such a way that it is positioned in an area indicated in FIG. 3a having a width X along the complete longitudinal length of the guiding strip 10, 10. However, preferably, the attachment 19 is made along the centerline C (FIG. 4a) of the guiding strip 10, 10 such that when the attachment 19 is made between guiding strips 10, 10 and flexible sunscreen 2 the attachment 19 is made in a straight line. As can be seen from FIG. 3, only the foldable part 11, 11 is folded to an acute angle and placed in the guide chamber 16 of the guides 14, 14. The outer end of the foldable part 11, 11 hooks behind a locking member 15 in the guide 14, 14. Since each of the guiding strips 10, 10 are connected to opposite lateral edges 5, 5 of the flexible sunscreen 2 and are placed in opposite guide chambers 16, it is possible to create a transverse tension in the flexible sunscreen 2 such that the sunscreen 2 appears to be taut between the guides 14, 14. The foldable part 18, 18 does not fold during use of the sunscreen 2 and is particularly formed for manufacturing purposes.

[0070] FIG. 3b shows an alternative position of the attachment 19, i.e. within the second hinge part 17, where the stitch or other attachment can be made within the thickness of the guiding strip 10, 10.

[0071] In the FIG. 3c embodiment, the attachment 19 is positioned even beyond the second hinge 17, which could be useful in case of narrow guiding strips 10, 10.

[0072] In FIGS. 4a and 4b, the guiding strip is shown in an unfolded manner, whereby both first and second hinge parts 12, 17 are shown which are depressions 13, 13 made on both upper and lower sides of the guiding strips 10, 10, such that the strip 10, 10 also has a shape which is symmetrical with respect to a horizontal centerline of the strip 10, 10(not shown). In these figures also the definition of the lengths W1, W2 and W3 and thicknesses T1 and T2 as used in the claims are clarified.

[0073] In FIGS. 5 and 6, embodiments are shown whereby the guiding strips 10, 10 are equipped with additional reinforcements 24, 25. In FIG. 5 the additional reinforcement 24 is integrated into the material of the guiding strips 10, 10. It is conceivable that the basic material from which the guiding strips 10, 10 are made, is a 2K material, whereby the foldable parts 11, 11, 18, 18 and hinges 12, 17 are of a first material having a first E-modulus and the main part of the guiding strips 10, 10 comprises a second material having a second higher E-modulus. It is conceivable that such a reinforcement can also be added as a separate reinforcement 25 to the guiding strips 10, 10 such as shown in FIG. 6.

[0074] In FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 the guiding strips 10, 10 and the connection of the guiding strips 10, 10 to the operating beam 9 are shown. Adjacent to the operating beam 9, the guiding strips 10, 10 are cut in a longitudinal direction, whereby the inner part of the guiding strips 10, 10 is folded together with the flexible sunscreen 2 around a connection bar 23. The connection bar 23 extends along the length of the operating beam 9 and is locked inside the operating beam 9 by the inner shape of the operating beam 9. A front portion of the sunscreen 2 is formed into a pocket 20 folded around the connection bar 23 to connect the sunscreen 2 directly to the operating beam 9. Thus the connection bar 23 and consequently the sunscreen 2 move together with the operating beam 9. The operating beam 9 is driven by a drive unit comprising a DC electric motor and a flexible drive cable 33 (known per se). At the end of the drive cable 33 a drive cable plate 34 is connected which is directly connected with the operating beam 9. For clarity in FIG. 7, the guides 14, 14 are omitted to show the guiding strips 10, 10 and the drive cable connection. In FIGS. 8 and 9 the guides 14, 14 are added to show the relation between operating beam 9, guiding strips 10, 10 and guides 14, 14.

[0075] FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show another embodiment whereby a pilot 21 is shown connected to the operating beam. Pilot 21 further holds the connection bar 23 around which the flexible sunscreen 2 and the guiding strips 10, 10 are folded such as can be seen in FIG. 12. The pilot 21 puts pressure to the pocket 20 such that in case the flexible sunscreen 2 is wound up onto the winding shaft 8 and a buckling force is applied from the operating beam 9 via the guiding strips 10, 10 towards the winding shaft 8, the pilot 21 avoids that the connection bar 23 would freely move inside the pocket 20 without taking along the guiding strip 10, 10 inside the guide 14, 14. For clarity the guide 14, 14 is omitted from FIG. 10 to have a better view of the guiding strips 10, 10 and the pilot 21. In FIG. 11 the guide 14, 14 has been added to show the relationship between the pilot 21 and the guides 14, 14.

[0076] FIG. 13 shows a schematic view of a method for manufacturing the guiding strips comprising the steps of: [0077] providing a disc 26 of thermoplastic solid material on a rotatable axis, wherein the disc 26 of material is capable of rotating around the axis, [0078] cutting a layer of the disc 26 by a sharp knife 31 while the disc 26 is rotating, the layer having substantially the thickness of a guiding strip 10, 10, [0079] rolling the layer through a first pair of opposite rotating rollers 27 to provide a pre-treatment wherein the pre-treatment is compression of the strip, [0080] rolling the layer through a heating device 29 to provide the strip with a pre-treatment, wherein the pre-treatment is heating up the layer to a temperature in the range of between about 110 to about 260 degrees C. [0081] rolling the layer through at least one second pair of opposite rotating rollers 28, 28 to provide the layer with depressions 13, 13 ultimately forming the first and second hinge parts 12, 17 (FIG. 4a, 4b), [0082] gradually folding 30 at least one of foldable parts 11, 11 into an acute angle with the remainder of the guiding strip 10, 10 along a length of the guiding strip and gradually unfolding 30 the at least one of foldable parts 11, 11 into the plane of the main part of the guiding strip 10, 10 [0083] cooling down the guiding strip 10, 10 in a cooling unit 32 to room temperature.

[0084] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described before which may be varied widely within the scope of the invention as defined by the appending claims. For instance it may be conceivable that, when the accuracy requirements for straightness of the guiding strips 10, 10 are lower, the guiding strips 10, 10, after manufacturing of the guiding strips 10, 10, are cut in longitudinal direction along the centerline of the guiding strips 10, 10 so as to use each of the guiding strips 10, 10 at a lateral edge of the sunscreen. Also it may be conceivable that the foldable parts 11, 11 of the guiding strips 10, 10 are stored on the winding shaft 8 in an inwardly folded manner or in an unfolded, straight manner.