Vehicle sunshade curtain mechanism for vehicle skylight and its guiding device

Abstract

The present invention provides a guiding device for a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism and a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism. The guiding device includes a first guiding portion disposed on a guide rail of the sunroof, and a second guiding portion that cooperates with and positions the first guiding portion. Wherein, the second guiding portion is arranged such that the side edge of the curtain cloth of the roller blind mechanism moves along the first guiding portion between the deployment position and the retraction position via the second guiding portion, and at the retraction position, the curtain cloth can partially disengage from the second guiding portion to be guided and retracted. The guiding device of the present invention enables the curtain cloth to smoothly move between the deployment position and the retraction position via the guiding device, effectively solving the noise problem and the risk of detachment. Moreover, at the retraction position, the curtain cloth can partially disengage from the guiding device and be guided and retracted, so that the diameter of the reel is significantly reduced as the retracted curtain cloth only involves the thickness of the curtain cloth and does not have the thickness of the existing guide piece.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle sunroof components. More specifically, it relates to a guiding device for a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism, and a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism including the guiding device. Background Art

[0002] Currently, vehicle sunroofs, especially panoramic sunroofs, are installed on the roofs of many vehicles, and at the same time, a roller blind mechanism is equipped to improve the riding and driving comfort. The roller blind mechanism is usually arranged on the rear frame of the sunroof, and mainly includes a curtain cloth wound by a winding device and a guiding device. Among them, the curtain cloth unfolded from the winding device enters the guide rail of the sunroof through the guiding device and moves along the guide rail. In order to make the unfolded curtain cloth taut between the guide rails on both sides of the sunroof, the commonly adopted solution is to sew slender guiding pieces on both sides of the curtain cloth, and the tautness of the curtain cloth is achieved by the engagement of the guiding pieces in the guide rail. For example, as Figure 1 shown, metal spring pieces 30 are provided on both sides of the curtain cloth 20, or as Figure 2 shown, plastic side strips 40 are provided on both sides of the curtain cloth 20. The spring pieces 30 or the side strips 40 can be engaged in the card slots of the guide rail 10, so as to realize the movement guiding of the curtain cloth 20 along the guide rail 10 in the Y direction (longitudinal direction) and obtain the tautness of the unfolded curtain cloth in the X direction (lateral direction). When the curtain cloth is rolled up, the guiding pieces are also rolled up and wound on the reel of the winding device.

[0003] However, even with very thin guiding pieces, the presence of plastic side strips or metal spring pieces still increases the diameter of the reel after the winding device winds up the curtain cloth by about 3 - 10 mm, affecting the head space for use by passengers, especially those in the back row. In addition, the cost of metal spring pieces is higher than that of plastic side strips, and although the curtain cloth is taut in both solutions, the running friction noise of the guiding pieces is large, and the risk of the guiding pieces loosening or falling off from the guide rail cannot be avoided. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a guiding device for a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism to reduce the diameter of the reel when the curtain cloth is wound up, occupy less head space for passengers, obtain a more comfortable riding experience, and avoid the noise and falling-off risk generated due to the movement of the curtain cloth during use.

[0005] To this end, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guiding device for a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism, the guiding device including a first guiding portion arranged on the guide rail of the sunroof, and a second guiding portion cooperatively positioned with the first guiding portion, wherein the second guiding portion is arranged such that the side edge of the curtain cloth of the roller blind mechanism moves along the first guiding portion between the unfolded position and the wound-up position through the second guiding portion, and at the wound-up position, the curtain cloth can partially disengage from the second guiding portion to be guided and wound up.

[0006] According to the above technical concept, the present invention may further include any one or more of the following alternative forms.

[0007] In some alternative forms, the first guiding portion is provided as a guiding groove longitudinally extending on the guide rail, and the guiding groove has an opening facing the curtain; the second guiding portion is provided as a guiding rod disposed in the guiding groove, and the cross-sectional dimension of the guiding rod is larger than the dimension of the opening.

[0008] In some alternative forms, a sleeve formed by flanging is provided on a side edge of the curtain, and the sleeve can be sleeved on the guiding rod and move along the guiding rod in the guiding groove.

[0009] In some alternative forms, a stop member is provided at a front end portion of the guiding rod adjacent to the unfolding position to limit the movement of the guiding rod along the guiding groove and define the unfolding length of the curtain; a rear end portion of the guiding rod adjacent to the winding position is suspended in the guiding groove for the installation and partial detachment of the curtain.

[0010] In some alternative forms, the stop member is a block fixedly connected to the guiding rod, and the dimension of the block is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional dimension of the guiding groove.

[0011] In some alternative forms, the guiding rod is provided with a circular cross-section and the rear end portion is provided as spherical.

[0012] In some alternative forms, the guiding rod and / or the stop member is made of plastic.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism, including a curtain wound by a winding device and a guiding device, and the curtain unfolded from the winding device enters the guide rail of the sunroof via the guiding device and moves along the guide rail, wherein the guiding device is arranged according to the above-mentioned guiding device for the vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism.

[0014] The guiding device for the vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism of the present invention avoids the risk of the curtain cloth loosening or falling by providing a first guiding part and a second guiding part that cooperate with each other for positioning, and enabling the side edge of the curtain cloth to move between the deployment position and the retraction position along the first guiding part via the second guiding part; by setting the second guiding part such that the curtain cloth can partially disengage from the second guiding part at the retraction position to be guided for retraction, only the curtain cloth is retracted, significantly reducing the reel diameter of the retraction device, increasing the usable space for passengers, and improving riding comfort; in addition, this guiding device ensures that the curtain cloth smoothly enters the guide rail and moves smoothly along the guide rail, effectively solving the noise generated when the curtain cloth contacts the guiding device during movement. The guiding device of the present invention has the advantages of simple structure, convenient assembly, reliable use, cost-effectiveness, etc., and is widely applied. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood through the following alternative embodiments described in detail in conjunction with the drawings, where the same reference numerals identify the same or similar components, and among them:

[0016] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a guiding device for an existing vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism and the curtain cloth;

[0017] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic view of another guiding device for an existing vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism and the curtain cloth;

[0018] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a guiding device for a vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention and the curtain cloth;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic view of the front end of the second guiding part of the guiding device according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 is Figure 4 a schematic view of the front end of the second guiding part in [] being clamped;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic view of the rear end of the second guiding part and the first guiding part of the guiding device according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic view of the state where the curtain cloth partially disengages from the second guiding part to be guided for retraction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The implementation and use of the embodiments will be discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments discussed are merely exemplary illustrations of specific ways of implementing and using the present invention, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. When describing the structural positions of various components, expressions of directions such as up, down, top, bottom, etc. are not absolute but relative. When the components are arranged as shown in the figure, these direction expressions are appropriate, but when the positions of the components in the figure change, these direction expressions also change accordingly.

[0024] In this document, it should be understood that "front" and "rear" are relative to the forward direction of the vehicle, "longitudinal" refers to the length direction of the vehicle body, and "lateral" refers to the width direction of the vehicle body. The guide rails of the sunroof include left and right guide rails that are symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the guide rails extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0025] According to the concept of the present invention, it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the drum after the rolling curtain is wound up by the winding device, thereby increasing the headroom space for rear passengers, while reducing the noise generated when the curtain moves back and forth and avoiding the risk of the curtain falling off. The present invention advantageously provides a guiding device that enables the curtain to move smoothly between the deployed position and the winding position via the guiding device, effectively solving the noise problem and the risk of falling off, and at the winding position, it can partially disengage from the guiding device and be guided to wind up, so that the wound curtain only involves the thickness of the curtain and does not have the thickness of the existing guiding sheet, significantly reducing the diameter of the drum.

[0026] Figures 3 to 6 A guiding device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. First, refer to Figure 3 , the guiding device includes a first guiding portion provided on the guide rail 10 of the sunroof, and a second guiding portion that cooperates with and positions the first guiding portion. In the shown embodiment, the first guiding portion can be a guiding groove 11 extending longitudinally on the guide rail 10, and the second guiding portion can be a guiding rod 50 disposed in the guiding groove 11. The curtain 20 is guided by the guiding rod 50 and moves in the guiding groove 11.

[0027] It should be understood that the cross-sectional shape of the guiding groove 11 can be square, rectangular, circular or other suitable shapes, and a chamfered rectangular groove is taken as an example in the figure. Advantageously, the guiding groove 11 has an opening 12 facing the curtain 20 for the side edge of the curtain 20 to pass through and be guided by the guiding rod 50. The cross-sectional dimension of the guiding rod 50 is larger than the dimension of the opening 12, so that the guiding rod 50 will not disengage from the guiding groove 11, and thus provides a tensioning force and an anti-falling function for the curtain 20 guided by it.

[0028] Combined with Figure 3 and Figure 5, in some embodiments, the side edges of the curtain fabric 20 may be provided with sleeves 21 formed by flanging. The sleeves 21 can be sleeved on the guide rod 50 so as to move along the guide rod 50 within the guide groove 11. To obtain the sleeves 21, the side edges of the curtain fabric 20 can be folded and the folded side edge portions can be joined together. The so-called "joining" includes but is not limited to sewing, bonding, welding, etc. In this way, after the curtain fabric 20 is sleeved on the guide rod 50, the smooth movement of the curtain fabric 20 along the guide rod 50 between the deployed position and the retracted position can be achieved, without generating movement noise and without the risk of the curtain fabric coming loose. It should be understood here that the deployed position is closer to the front of the vehicle body, while the retracted position is closer to the rear of the vehicle body.

[0029] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 shown, a stop member is provided at the front end portion of the guide rod 50 adjacent to the deployed position. The stop member can optionally be a stopper 51 fixedly connected to the guide rod 50. Advantageously, the size of the stopper 51 is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional size of the guide groove 11 of the guide rail 10, and as Figure 5 shown, the stopper 51 can be clamped on the guide rail 10 by an adjacent component 70 on the sunroof, thereby restricting the movement of the guide rod 50 along the guide groove 11 and also limiting the deployed length of the curtain fabric 20. In some embodiments, the stopper 51 can be an independent component and be fixed to the guide rod 50 by, for example, welding. In some embodiments, the stopper 51 can be integrally formed with the guide rod 50. In addition, the guide rod and the stopper can be made of plastic, thereby obtaining advantages such as cost reduction and weight reduction.

[0030] In some embodiments, the guide rod 50 can be configured as a columnar slender rod with a circular cross-section, and the rear end portion adjacent to the retracted position is configured as a spherical shape, as Figure 5 and Figure 6 shown. This helps the sleeve 21 of the curtain fabric 20 to smoothly sleeve on the guide rod 50 and move smoothly along the guide rod within the guide groove, without generating noise caused by scratching of the curtain fabric during the running of the curtain fabric. In addition, as Figure 6 shown, since the rear end portion of the guide rod 50 does not form a stop but is suspended in the guide groove 11, when the curtain fabric 20 moves towards the retracted position, once the sleeve 21 of a part of the curtain fabric 20 moves out of the guide rod 50, as exemplified by different states, the sleeve 21a of the curtain fabric 20a that initially moves out of the guide rod 50 begins to become flat under the action of the retracting mechanism. With the guiding action of the guiding structure 60 of the retracting mechanism, the sleeve 21b of the curtain fabric 20b away from the guide rod 50 becomes completely flat. Therefore, the thickness of the side edge of the curtain fabric wound on the reel is only the thickness of two layers of curtain fabric. Compared with the existing guide plate solution, the drum diameter of the retracting device cooperating with the guiding device of the present invention is significantly reduced, obtaining a satisfactory interior space of the vehicle.

[0031] It should be understood here that the embodiments shown in the figures only display the optional shapes, dimensions and arrangements of the guiding device according to the present invention, which are for illustration only and not for limitation. Other shapes, dimensions and arrangements can also be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0032] The technical content and features of the present invention have been disclosed above. However, it can be understood that under the creative concept of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various changes and improvements to the above-disclosed concept, but all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is illustrative rather than restrictive, and the protection scope of the present invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism, comprising a curtain cloth wound by a winding device and a guiding device. The curtain cloth deployed from the winding device enters the guide rail of the sunroof via the guiding device and moves along the guide rail, characterized in that, The guiding device includes a first guiding portion disposed on the guide rail of the skylight, and a second guiding portion that cooperates with and positions the first guiding portion. Wherein, the second guiding portion is arranged such that the side edge of the curtain of the roller blind mechanism moves along the first guiding portion between the deployment position and the retraction position via the second guiding portion, and at the retraction position, the curtain can partially disengage from the second guiding portion to be guided and retracted; The second guiding portion is a guiding rod, and a sleeve formed by hemming is provided on the side edge of the curtain. The sleeve can be sleeved on the guiding rod and move along the guiding rod; The guiding rod is arranged to have a circular cross-section, and the rear end portion of the guiding rod adjacent to the retraction position is arranged to be spherical; The retracting device includes a guiding structure that extends from the rear end of the guiding rod along the direction in which the sleeve moves from the guiding rod towards the retraction position; the sleeve of the curtain away from the guiding rod becomes completely flat under the guiding action of the guiding structure to be retracted onto the retracting device.

2. The vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first guiding portion is arranged as a guiding groove extending longitudinally on the guide rail. The guiding groove has an opening facing the curtain; the guiding rod is arranged in the guiding groove, and the cross-sectional dimension of the guiding rod is larger than the dimension of the opening.

3. The vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism according to claim 2, wherein, A stop is provided at the front end portion of the guiding rod adjacent to the deployment position to limit the movement of the guiding rod along the guiding groove and define the deployment length of the curtain; the rear end portion of the guiding rod adjacent to the retraction position is suspended in the guiding groove for the installation and partial disengagement of the curtain.

4. The vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The stop is a block fixedly connected to the guiding rod, and the dimension of the block is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional dimension of the guiding groove.

5. The vehicle sunroof roller blind mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The guiding rod and / or the stop is made of plastic.

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