Roller blind arrangement comprising guide strips for a roller blind web

Abstract

A vehicle roof roller blind arrangement having roller blind web, windable to form a roller blind fabric roll in a winding area, and two guide rails disposed on either side of the web and which have respective guide tracks in which lateral guide strips of the web are guided, the guide rails connected to each other via a transverse frame part in which the winding area for the roller blind web is formed. Each guide rail has a clean-cut end adjacent to the transverse frame part. The transverse frame part has a strip infeed element for each guide rail, the strip infeed elements forming infeed tracks for the guide strips, each infeed track being defined by at least one inner retaining rib and at least one outer retaining rib for the guide strip, and the infeed tracks ending in the guide tracks of the guide rails.

Claims

1. A roller blind arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising: a roller blind web, which can be wound up to form a roller blind fabric roll in a winding area, and two guide rails which are disposed on either side of a longitudinal center plane of the roller blind web, and which comprise respective guide tracks in which lateral guide strips of the roller blind web are guided, the two guide rails being connected to each other via a transverse frame part in which the winding area for the roller blind web is formed, wherein each of the guide rails has an end adjacent to the transverse frame part, and the transverse frame part has a strip infeed element for each guard rail, the strip infeed elements forming infeed tracks for the guide strips, each infeed track being defined by at least one inner retaining rib, which is disposed closer to the longitudinal center plane, and at least one outer retaining rib, which is disposed further away from the longitudinal center plane, the retaining ribs serving to retain the guide strips, and the infeed tracks ending in the guide tracks of the guide rails; wherein each strip infeed element is connected to a body of the transverse frame part via a support wall; wherein the support walls are elastically deformable, so that tolerances between the transverse frame part and the two guide rails are compensated; wherein the entire body of the transverse frame part and both strip infeed elements together form a one-piece injection-molded plastic part; a winding shaft is provided onto which the roller blind fabric roll is formed and which is pivotely supported by the transverse frame part; and wherein the support walls are straight and protrude from the body of the transverse frame part in a direction of the respective guide rails, so that the respective strip infeed elements are spaced apart from the body of the transverse frame part.

2. The roller blind arrangement of claim 1, wherein the support walls have a maximum wall thickness of about 4 mm.

3. The roller blind arrangement of claim 1, wherein each strip infeed element has at least one locking element which engages into a respective one of the guide rails.

4. The roller blind arrangement of claim 1, wherein each strip infeed element comprises a locking element, and each of the two guard rails has a mating locking element for each locking element, the two guide rails and the strip infeed elements thus being each fixed to each other.

5. The roller blind arrangement of claim 1, wherein a sealing element is disposed between the end of each of the two guide rails and the transverse frame part.

6. The roller blind arrangement of claim 1, wherein the transverse frame part is an injection-molded plastic part made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.

7. The roller blind arrangement of claim 1, wherein the two guide rails are extruded aluminum profiles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle roof having a roller blind arrangement according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the first embodiment of the roller blind arrangement in an area II in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a view of the first embodiment of the roller blind arrangement according to FIG. 2 without illustration of a roller blind web;

(4) FIG. 4 is a plan view of the area of the first embodiment of the roller blind arrangement shown in FIG. 3;

(5) FIG. 5 is a plan view of a transverse frame part of the first embodiment of the roller blind arrangement in the area of a strip infeed element;

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of the strip infeed element of the first embodiment of the roller blind arrangement;

(7) FIG. 7 is a section through the first embodiment of the roller blind arrangement along line VII-VII in FIG. 2;

(8) FIG. 8 is a section through the first embodiment of the roller blind arrangement along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 2;

(9) FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a second embodiment of a roller blind arrangement in an area II in FIG. 1 shown in a pre-installation state;

(10) FIG. 10 is a perspective bottom view of the area of the second embodiment of the roller blind arrangement illustrated in FIG. 9 shown in the pre-installation state;

(11) FIG. 11 is a plan view of the area of the second embodiment of the roller blind arrangement illustrated in FIG. 9 shown in the pre-installation state;

(12) FIG. 12 is a section through the second embodiment of the roller blind arrangement along line XII-XII in FIG. 11;

(13) FIG. 13 is a plan view of the area of the second embodiment of the roller blind arrangement illustrated in FIG. 9 shown in the installed state;

(14) FIG. 14 is a section through the second embodiment of the roller blind arrangement in the installed state along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) FIG. 1 shows a vehicle roof 10 of a passenger motor vehicle not illustrated in more detail otherwise, vehicle roof 10 having a roof cutout 12 which can be closed or at least partially opened by means of a transparent lid element (not shown).

(16) In order to be able to protect a vehicle interior of the passenger motor vehicle against light shining through the roof cutout and the transparent lid element, vehicle roof 10 has a shading arrangement which is realized as a roller blind arrangement 14, a first embodiment of which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8. Roller blind arrangement 14 forms a laterally guided roller blind comprising a roller blind web 16 which can be wound onto a winding shaft 18 to form a roller blind fabric roll 20 in the area of a rear edge of roof cutout 12. At its edge facing away from roller blind fabric roll 20, said edge extending in the transverse direction of roof 10, roller blind web 16 is provided with a pull bar 22, which serves as an operating element of roller blind web 16.

(17) To laterally guide roller blind web 16, roller blind arrangement 14 has guide rails 24A and 24B on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, guide rails 24A and 24B extending along the lateral edges of roof cutout 12. Guide rails 24A and 24B are made of an aluminum material and are extruded profiles. Pull bar 22 is guided in in guide rails 24A and 24B via sliders 23.

(18) Furthermore, roller blind arrangement 14 comprises a transverse frame part 26 which extends in the transverse direction of roof 10 along the rear edge of roof cutout 12 and which connects bilaterally disposed guide rails 24A and 24B. Guide rails 24A and 24B thus form a U-shaped roof frame together with transverse frame part 26. Transverse frame part 26 is an injection-molded plastic part made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.

(19) Roller blind arrangement 14 is substantially mirror-symmetrical with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, which is why the following description will substantially be limited to the portions of the roller blind arrangement that are disposed on the left with respect to the forward direction of travel of the passenger motor vehicle. The portions of the roller blind arrangement disposed on the right with respect to the forward direction of travel of the passenger motor vehicle are realized correspondingly and are analogously apparent from the description.

(20) In the first embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 8, transverse frame part 26 has bearing seats 28 for the winding shaft 18 on both sides. Moreover, transverse frame part 26 has strip infeed elements 30 adjacent to respective guide rails 24A and 24B, each strip infeed element 30 being adjacent to the respective ends of guide rails 24A and 24B that face transverse frame part 26. Strip infeed elements 30 end in respective guide tracks 32 of guide rails 24A and 24B. Strip infeed elements 30 and guide tracks 32 of guide rails 24A and 24B serve to guide respective guide strips 34, which are made of metal or plastic and by means of which roller blind web 16 is guided at its lateral edges on either side of the vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, whereby it is held under tension in the transverse direction of roof 10. Guide strips 34 are attached to the lateral edges of roller blind web 16. In FIG. 2, roller blind web 16 and pull bar 22 are lifted off guide strip 34 between guide rail 24A and roller blind fabric roll 20 for a clearer view. Strip infeed elements 30 guide and center roller blind web 16 even in the area of transverse frame part 26.

(21) As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 in particular, strip infeed elements 30 each have an inner retaining rib 36, which is disposed closer to the vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, and an outer retaining rib 38, which is disposed further away from the vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, retaining ribs 36 and 38 retaining guide strip 34 in strip infeed element 30 and being adjacent to corresponding guide ribs 40 and 42 of guide track 32 of respective guide rails 24A and 24B.

(22) In order to be able to compensate for tolerances between strip infeed elements 30 and associated guide tracks 32 of guide rails 24A and 24B during installation of guide rails 24A and 24B, each strip infeed element 30 is connected to a body 46 of transverse frame part 26 via a support wall 44. Support walls 44 have a wall thickness of 2 mm to 4 mm and allow respective strip infeed elements 30 to shift in the transverse direction of roof 10.

(23) To connect strip infeed elements 30 to guide rails 24A and 24B at a precise position, two tab-like protrusions 48, which each form a locking element, are formed at the end of each strip infeed element 30, tab-like protrusions 48 being in contact with a wall or rib of respective guide rails 24A and 24B when in the installed position and securing strip infeed elements 30 against shifting in the transverse direction of roof 10.

(24) Body 46 and strip infeed elements 30 with support walls 44 are realized in one piece as an injection-molded plastic part and consist of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.

(25) Roller blind web 16, guide tracks 32 and strip infeed elements 30 of roller blind arrangement 14 are located in a dry area of the roof frame. To prevent water from intruding into the vehicle body in an area of transition located in a wet area of the roof frame between guide rails 24A and 24B on one side and transverse frame part 26 on the other side, sealing elements 50, which are formed by butyl seals, are disposed adjacent to the clean-cut ends or end faces of guide rails 24A and 24B.

(26) FIGS. 9 to 12 show a second embodiment of a roller blind arrangement according to the invention, which is also part of a vehicle roof of the kind illustrated in FIG. 1. As can be seen in FIG. 11 in particular, this roller blind arrangement comprises a transverse frame part 26 which has bearing seats 28 for a winding shaft 18 on both sides. Respective strip infeed elements 30 are disposed adjacent to guide rails 24A and 24B.

(27) Strip infeed elements 30, which are part of transverse frame part 26, end in respective guide tracks 32 of guide rails 24A and 24B. Strip infeed elements 30 and guide tracks 32 of guide rails 24A and 24B serve to guide a guide strip 34, which may be made of metal or plastic. Guide strips 34 are attached to the lateral edges of roller blind web 16, thus guiding roller blind web 16 at its lateral edges on either side of the vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, whereby roller blind web 16 is pulled tight in the transverse direction of roof 10. Strip infeed elements 30 make it possible for roller blind web 16 to be guided and centered even in the area of transverse frame part 26.

(28) Bilaterally disposed strip infeed elements 30 each have an inner retaining rib 36, which is disposed closer to the vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, and an outer retaining rib 38, which is disposed further away from the vertical longitudinal center plane of roof 10, retaining ribs 36 and 38 retaining guide strip 34 in strip infeed element 30 and being adjacent to corresponding guide ribs 40 and 42 of guide track 32 of associated guide rail 24A or 24B.

(29) On a side facing transverse frame part 26, strip infeed elements 30 each have a resilient element 64 which has a sinuous cross-section in the longitudinal direction of associated guide rail 24A or 24B in particular, i.e., is bent in opposite directions multiple times. With resilient elements 64, tolerances between strip infeed elements 30 and associated guide rail 24A or 24B can be compensated, tolerances in the longitudinal and vertical directions of the guide rails being compensated in particular.

(30) On a side facing associated guide rail 24A or 24B, each strip infeed element 30 comprises two locking elements in the form of pins 52 and 54. Recesses 66 and 68 corresponding to pins 52 and 54 are formed on guide rails 24A and 24B by appropriate profile design. In an installed state, which is illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, pins 52 and 54 are each disposed in matching recesses 66 and 68 of respective guide rails 24A and 24B. In this way, guide rails 24A and 24B are precisely positioned in relation to strip infeed elements 30, i.e., a defined relative position is established.

(31) Furthermore, strip infeed elements 30 each comprise two locking elements 56 and 58 which are realized as catch elements. Guide rails 24A and 24B each have a mating catch element 60 in the form of a recess and a mating catch element 62 in the form of a catch lug. With the aid of catch elements 56 and 58 and mating catch elements 60 and 62, guide rails 24A and 24B can be fixed to strip infeed elements 30.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(32) 10 vehicle roof 12 roof cutout 14 roller blind arrangement 16 roller blind web 18 winding shaft 20 roller blind fabric roll 22 pull bar 23 slider 24A, B guide rail 26 transverse frame part 28 bearing seat 30 strip infeed element 32 guide track 34 guide strip 36 inner retaining rib 38 outer retaining rib 40 guide rib 42 guide rib 44 support wall 46 body 48 tab-like protrusion 50 sealing element 52 pin 54 pin 56 catch element 58 catch element 60 mating catch element 62 mating catch element 64 resilient element 66 recess 68 recess