Wind deflector and roller blind panel of an automobile and method for producing a functional element

Abstract

A method for producing a functional element of an automobile that can be folded and/or wound up, having the steps of providing a fabric that can be folded and/or wound up, arranging the fabric on an application table or in a casting tool in a level arrangement and molding at least one edge strip made of a polyurethane material to the fabric under atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, a wind deflector element of an automobile is provided to a roller blind panel of an automobile, each comprising a fabric that can be folded and/or wound up and that is provided with an edge strip made of a polyurethane material and forming an edge reinforcement.

Claims

1. A method for producing a functional element of an automobile that can be folded and/or wound up, comprising the steps of: providing a fabric that can be folded and/or wound up; arranging the fabric on an application table or in a casting tool in a level arrangement; and molding at least one edge strip made of a polyurethane material to the fabric under atmospheric pressure.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is unwound onto the application table from a fabric roll and is provided with the edge strip while in the uncut state on the application table.

3. The method according to claim 1, where after the edge strip has been molded on, the fabric is fed to a cutting unit and is cut along the edge strip.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cutting unit is a die-cutting device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is cut before the edge strip is molded on.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein during molding, the polyurethane material permeates the fabric, thus forming the edge strip on both sides of the fabric.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the application table has a molding groove into which the polyurethane material flows.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the edge strip is formed by means of a dispensing head which applies the polyurethane material onto the fabric in a controlled manner.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hardness of the edge strip is adjusted by adjusting the composition of the polyurethane material.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the edge strip is formed in such a manner that it has zones of different hardness.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the polyurethane material flows without pressure from a dispensing head into a cavity of the casting tool.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the polyurethane material is a casting resin.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein two functional elements of the same kind are produced in parallel.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional element that can be folded and/or wound up is a deflector mesh for a roof opening system.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional element that can be folded and/or wound up is a roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the edge strip is a guiding element into which a constant force spring is embedded.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the edge strip is a beading for connecting the roller blind panel to the winding shaft or to a pull bar.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the edge strip is a winding core onto which the roller blind panel can be wound.

19. A wind deflector element of an automobile, comprising a fabric that can be folded and/or wound up and that is provided with an edge strip made of a poly-urethane material and forming an edge reinforcement.

20. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein the polyurethane material is a casting resin.

21. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein the edge strip permeates the fabric.

22. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein the edge strip is arranged on one side of the fabric and the other side of the fabric is free of the edge strip.

23. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein the edge strip is formed on the entire circumference of the fabric.

24. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein at least one stiffening strip integrally branches off from the edge strip, the stiffening strip extending in the direction of the center of the fabric.

25. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein the fabric is a mesh or a woven fabric.

26. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, characterized in that the edge strip has zones of different hardness.

27. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein the fabric of the wind deflector element has an edge strip made of a hard component and forming a beading at each of an upper edge and a lower edge and lateral edge strips made of a soft component.

28. The wind deflector element according to claim 19, wherein the edge strip is a beading for connecting the fabric to a retaining element.

29. A roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement of an automobile, comprising a fabric that can be folded and/or wound up and that is provided with an edge strip made of a poly-urethane material and forming an edge reinforcement.

30. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the polyurethane material is a casting resin.

31. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the edge strip permeates the fabric.

32. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, the edge strip is arranged on one side of the fabric and the other side of the fabric is free of the edge strip.

33. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the edge strip is formed on the entire circumference of the fabric.

34. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein at least one stiffening strip integrally branches off from the edge strip, the stiffening strip extending in the direction of the center of the fabric.

35. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the fabric is a mesh or a woven fabric.

36. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the edge strip has zones of different hardness.

37. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the edge strip is a guiding element into which a constant force spring is embedded.

38. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 37, wherein the edge strip is part of a lateral guiding strip of the roller blind panel, the guiding strip being connected to a central portion of the roller blind panel.

39. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the edge strip is a winding core onto which the fabric can be wound.

40. The roller blind panel of a roller blind arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the edge strip is a beading for connecting the fabric to a retaining element.

Description

[0040] Examples of embodiments of a functional element that can be folded and/or wound up according to the invention and of methods for producing the same are illustrated in the drawing in a schematically simplified manner and are explained in more detail below.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a wind deflector element capable of being folded in its spread state;

[0042] FIG. 2 shows edge strips being molded to a fabric of the wind deflector element of FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of a roller blind panel during formation of an edge strip;

[0044] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a production method for a deflector element or for a roller blind panel in a side view;

[0045] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a production method for a functional element according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 6 shows another alternative embodiment of a production method for a functional element according to the invention;

[0047] FIG. 7 shows another alternative embodiment of a production method for a functional element according to the invention; and

[0048] FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of a production method for a functional element according to the invention.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a wind deflector element 10 that is part of a wind deflector arrangement used in the area of a front edge of a roof opening for a roof opening system of an automobile. In addition to the wind deflector element 10, which is capable of being folded, the wind deflector has a base element (not illustrated) fixed to the roof and a pivotable deflector clip (not illustrated) pre-tensioned in the deployment direction by means of corresponding deployment springs.

[0050] The wind deflector element 10 comprises a foldable fabric 12 made of a mesh material and cut according to the requirements of the wind deflector arrangement. The fabric 12 has an upper edge, which is provided with a first beading 14 to be formed on the deflector clip, beading 14 constituting an edge strip, and a lower edge, which is provided with a second beading 16 to be formed on the base element, beading 16 also constituting an edge strip. The beadings 14 and 16 each extend along the longitudinal extension of the fabric 12, i.e. in the transverse direction of the vehicle in question, and extend up to the edges arranged on both sides and also provided with an edge strip 18A and 18B, respectively, each of said edge strips extending in the vertical direction when the fabric 12 is in the extended state and connecting the upper beading 14 to the lower beading 16. Furthermore, the wind deflector element 10 comprises two stiffening strips, each of which extends from one of the edge strips 18A and 18B in the direction of the center of the fabric, doing so at least approximately parallel to the upper edge strip forming beading 14.

[0051] Production of the wind deflector element 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is explained below with reference to FIG. 2.

[0052] First, a cut of the fabric 12 is placed on an application table in level arrangement and fixed, if required. Subsequently, a casting resin made of a polyurethane material is applied along the entire circumferential edge of the cut of the fabric 12 by means of a dispensing head 24, thus forming the two beadings 14 and 16 and the two lateral edge strips 18A and 18B. Additionally, the stiffening strips 20A and 20B are applied to the fabric 12 by means of the dispensing head 24. The viscosity of the polyurethane material applied to the fabric 12 can be adjusted by means of the dispensing head 24. The casting resin is applied without being subjected to pressure, i.e. it is under atmospheric pressure.

[0053] Since the hardness of the resulting material molded to the fabric 12 can also be adjusted by means of the dispensing head 24 by adjusting the composition, the beadings 14 and 16 are formed by a hard material having a hardness of about 35 Shore D, whereas the edge strips 18A and 18B, which are formed on the lateral edges, and the stiffening strips 20A and 20B are formed as a soft material having a hardness of about 60 Shore A. By being configured in this way, the wind deflector element 10 satisfies the requirements for folding and spreading when the wind deflector clip is actuated, while the beadings 14 and 16 ensure a secure connection to the deployment clip and the base element.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a roller blind panel 30 which is part of a roller blind arrangement (not described) of an automobile roof. The roller blind panel 30 comprises a fabric 32 capable of being wound up and made in particular of an opaque woven fabric. At each of its edges arranged on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roller blind, the fabric 32 is provided with an edge strip 34A and 34B, respectively, which is produced from a polyurethane material made of casting resin. A constant force spring 36A and 36B is embedded into each of the edge strips 34A and 34, respectively. The two constant force springs 36A and 36B serve as winding springs for the roller blind panel 30, enabling the latter to be wound onto a winding core 38, which is formed by an edge strip at a rear edge of the fabric 32 and interconnects the bilaterally arranged edge strips 34A and 34B. The winding core 38, too, is produced from a polyurethane casting resin molded to the fabric 32.

[0055] At its edge facing away from the winding core 38, the fabric 32 is provided with a beading 40, which also constitutes an edge strip and which allows the roller blind panel 30 to be connected to a pull bar (not illustrated). To connect the roller blind panel 30, the beading 40 engages into a corresponding beading groove of the pull bar. Together with the constant force springs 36A and 36B, the edge strips 34A and 34B each form lateral guiding elements of the roller blind panel 30, which can be guided in corresponding guide rails of the roller blind arrangement. By being guided at the sides, the extended portion of the roller blind panel 30 is tensioned in the transverse direction at all times.

[0056] The roller blind panel 30 is produced in the way described below.

[0057] First, a cut of the fabric 32 is placed in level arrangement on an application table. Additionally, the constant force springs 36A and 36B are placed against the fabric in their unwound state, i.e. in level arrangement as well. Subsequently, a polyurethane casting resin is molded to the fabric 32 along the edge of the fabric cut by means of a dispensing head 24 so as to form the edge strips. By controlling the dispensing head 24 accordingly, the winding core 38 is formed as a hard material having a hardness of 35 Shore D, the beading 40 is formed as a hard material having a hardness of 35 Shore D, and the edge strips 34A and 34B, in which the constant force springs 36A and 36B are embedded, are each formed as a soft material having a hardness of 60 Shore A. Once the casting resin molded to the fabric 32 without pressure by means of the dispensing head 24 has set, the finished roller blind panel 30 is removed from the application table so that it can be processed further or be installed.

[0058] In FIG. 4, production of a wind deflector element or of a roller blind panel is illustrated in a highly schematized manner. For this purpose, first, a fabric 44 capable of being wound up and folded and forming a mesh or woven fabric is provided on a fabric roll 42. The fabric 44 is unwound from the fabric roll 42 and conveyed to an application table 22. There, a circumferential edge strip 46 is produced by means of a dispensing head 24 from which a polyurethane casting resin is dispensed or flows without pressure, thus being applied onto the fabric 44 under atmospheric pressure so as to form the edge strip 46 in the manner of a bump having a shape defined by the dispensing head. Once the casting resin has set, the fabric 44 is transported to a cutting unit 48, where it is cut along the edges of the edge strip 46 by means of cutting dies 50. At the same time, a new section of the fabric 44 can be provided with an edge strip 46 at the application table 22. Subsequently, the resulting deflector element 52 or the resulting roller blind panel 52 can be removed from the cutting unit 48 in its finished state and can be processed further or be installed.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of an application table 22, which differs from the one of FIG. 4 in that it is provided with a molding groove 54 which allows providing the fabric 44 with an edge strip 46 that is formed on both sides of the fabric 44 and that permeates the fabric 44 when the casting resin is applied by means of the dispensing head 24. When the casting resin is applied to the upper side of the fabric 44, it flows through the fabric 44 into the molding groove 54, allowing the casting resin to set both in the molding groove 45 and at the upper side of the fabric 44. Once the edge strip 46 has set, the fabric 44 can be cut in a cutting unit, which may correspond to the cutting unit illustrated FIG. 4, for example.

[0060] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of an application table 22 on which an edge strip 46 is formed on a previously cut fabric 12 by means of a dispensing head 24. As in the embodiments described above, the dispensing head 24 is moved along the edge of the fabric 12 by being controlled accordingly and by means of step motors, for example, so that the edge strip 46 can be formed on the circumference of the fabric 12, the edge strip 46 consisting of a polyurethane casting resin applied without pressure under atmospheric pressure.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows an application table 22 that corresponds at least largely to the application table shown in FIG. 5, thus also being provided with a molding groove 54 for forming a circumferential edge strip 46 on a fabric 12, the molding groove allowing the edge strip 46 to be molded to the upper side and to the underside of the fabric 12. However, the fabric 12 has already been cut according to a specific application when the edge strip 46 is molded on.

[0062] FIG. 8 shows a casting tool 60 comprising an upper tool 62 and a lower tool 64 which form a cavity 66 that serves to mold a circumferential edge strip made of a polyurethane casting resin to a cut of a fabric 12 arranged level in the casting tool 60. The polyurethane casting resin can flow into the cavity 66 via a dispensing head 24 and a channel 68 under atmospheric pressure and spread out there. Once the casting resin has set in the casting tool 60, the upper tool 62 and the lower tool 64 are separated, allowing the fabric 12 now provided with the edge strip 46 to be demolded.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0063] 10 wind deflector element [0064] 12 fabric [0065] 14 beading [0066] 16 beading [0067] 18A, B edge strip [0068] 20A, B stiffening strip [0069] 22 application table [0070] 24 dispensing head [0071] 30 roller blind panel [0072] 32 fabric [0073] 34A, B edge strip [0074] 36A, B constant force spring [0075] 38 winding core [0076] 40 beading [0077] 42 fabric roll [0078] 44 fabric [0079] 46 edge strip [0080] 48 cutting unit [0081] 50 cutting die [0082] 52 deflector element/roller blind panel [0083] 54 molding groove [0084] 60 casting tool [0085] 62 upper tool [0086] 64 lower tool [0087] 66 cavity [0088] 68 channel