Deflector device for a sunroof of a vehicle

Abstract

The present invention suppresses the detachment and relaxation of a deflector body from a deflector blade. A deflector device (10) includes a deflector body (11) capable of being folded and unfolded; a held member (21) provided along an upper edge of the deflector body; a deflector blade (14) formed with a groove extending in a vehicle width direction to accommodate the held member; and a holding member (23) fixed to the deflector blade and holding the held member in the groove. The holding member includes an engaging portion (24) having one end (24a) engaged with the groove and the held member, and a fixed portion (25) extending from the other end (24b) of the engaging portion at a certain angle, formed with a plurality of insertion holes (26) for fastening members (27) mounted to the deflector blade.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a deflector device for a sunroof of a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] A deflector device is provided in a sunroof of a vehicle in which a sunroof panel is provided in a roof, and when an opening of the roof is opened by a sliding action of a movable roof panel, a deflector provided along a front edge of the opening is projected upward from the opening.

[0003] As such a deflector device, there is known one provided with a deployable deflector member made of a soft sheet material, the deflector member being connected to a rigid deflector base member mounted to the roof and a deployable carrier capable of rotation (Patent Literature 1). In this deflector device, grooves for a cable (welding rod / tube) connecting the deflector member (deflector body) are formed in the deflector base member and the deployable carrier (deflector vane), and the cable is inserted into each groove. The cable is injection-molded on the deflector body, is composed of a plastic capable of elastic deformation, and is held in the groove by a head of a screw member screwing with the deflector base member or the deflector vane.

[0004] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0005] PATENT LITERATURE

[0006] Patent Literature 1: German Patent Application No. 102006043275 SUMMARY

[0007] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0008] However, in the deflector device described in Patent Literature 1, since the cable (i.e., the held member) is held in the groove by the head of the screw member, when the screw member is loosened, the locking of the head can be released and the cable can be detached from the groove. In addition, since the tension on the deflector body is concentrated on the portion of the cable abutting against the head of the screw member, the cable can be flexed and uneven tension can be applied to the deflector body.

[0009] In view of the above background, the present application aims to suppress detachment and slackening of the deflector body from the deflector vane.

[0010] MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0011] To address the aforementioned issues, one aspect of the present invention is a sunroof deflector device (10) for a vehicle, comprising: a fabric-like deflector body (11) foldable and unfoldable, disposed along the leading edge of an opening (2) formed on a fixed roof (3); a retaining member (21) disposed along the upper edge of the deflector body; deflector blades (14) having grooves (22) extending in the vehicle width direction to accommodate the retaining member; and a pair of arms (16) supporting either lateral end of the deflector blades. The part allows the deflector blade to extend and retract from the opening; and a retaining member (23) is fixed to the deflector blade to hold the retained part in the groove, the retaining member comprising: an engaging part (24), one end (24a) of which engages with the retained part in the groove; and a fixing part (25) extending from the other end (24b) of the engaging part at an angle to the engaging part, forming a plurality of through holes (26) for mounting a fastening member (27) on the deflector blade.

[0012] According to this method, since the retaining member is fixed to the deflector blade through the fastening member inserted in the through hole, the retaining member is difficult to detach from the deflector blade. Furthermore, the retaining member is difficult to bend because it includes a locking portion and a fixing portion that is inclined or at an angle relative to the locking portion. This helps to suppress loosening of the deflector body.

[0013] In the above manner, preferably, the retained part (21) is received in the groove in such a way that the engaging part (24) is clamped in by folding back at the bottom of the groove (22).

[0014] According to this method, the retained component is difficult to disassemble even if it is not bonded or engaged with the engaging part. This prevents the retained component from falling out of the slot of the guide vane.

[0015] In the above manner, preferably, the portions (31, 32) of the retained member (21) into which the engaging portion (24) is inserted are respectively formed with protrusions (35, 34) protruding toward the engaging portion.

[0016] According to this method, both parts of the retained component into which the engaging portion is inserted can abut against the engaging portion over a long region in the vehicle width direction. This prevents any part of the deflector body from loosening due to misalignment of the retained component relative to the engaging portion.

[0017] In the above manner, preferably, the fixing part (25) extends in the vehicle width direction by a length corresponding to the length of the engaging part (24) in the vehicle width direction, and the retaining member (23) is L-shaped in a cross section orthogonal to the vehicle width direction.

[0018] According to this method, the bending rigidity of the retaining component is improved throughout its entire length in the vehicle width direction. This suppresses the deflection of the retaining component and inhibits the slack of the deflector body.

[0019] In the above manner, preferably, a protrusion (46) is provided near the portion of the guide vane blade (14) for mounting the fastening member (27), and a positioning hole (44, 45) is formed in the fixing portion to engage with the protrusion.

[0020] In this method, the protrusion engages with the positioning hole to maintain the correct alignment of the component with the guide vane blades. This simplifies the installation of the component to the guide vane blades.

[0021] In the above manner, preferably, the deflector blade (14) is integrally formed with the pair of arms in a manner that is continuous with the pair of arms via a pair of bends (15), and the retaining member (23) includes a central member (41) disposed in the center of the vehicle width direction and a pair of bends (42) disposed in the bends, the bends being configured to retain the end of the retained member (21) in a portion of the groove (22) formed on the corresponding arm (16).

[0022] According to this method, even with manufacturing errors, the end of the retaining component can be held in the groove formed on the bend and arm by a pair of bending components, unaffected by misalignment caused by manufacturing errors. This suppresses end slack of the deflector body.

[0023] The effects of the invention

[0024] According to the above method, it is possible to prevent the main body of the deflector from the deflector blades and to prevent it from loosening. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a car roof where the deflector device of the application implementation method is used.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional view of the deflector device.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the deflector device.

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of the main parts.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the upper support structure.

[0030] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of section VI.

[0031] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of Part VII.

[0032] Figure 8 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of section VIII. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in the description, the forward and backward directions and the lateral direction (vehicle width direction) are defined based on the travel direction of the vehicle to which the present invention is applied.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the roof 1 of a car using the deflector device 10 in the application embodiment. Figure 1 As shown, the car roof 1 has a fixed roof 3 with a generally rectangular opening 2 formed at the front and a sunroof device 4 configured to seal the opening 2, thus constituting a sunroof. The sunroof device 4 has a front panel 5 that closes the front part of the opening 2 and a rear panel 6 that closes the rear part of the opening 2. The front panel 5 and the rear panel 6 are arranged along the roof 1 with their upper surfaces flush with the upper surface of the roof 1. The front panel 5 is a movable panel that can move relative to the roof 1, while the rear panel 6 is a fixed panel that cannot move relative to the roof 1. The front panel 5 is configured to slide relative to the fixed roof 3 in the front-rear direction, opening the front part of the opening 2 by sliding it rearward and closing the front part of the opening 2 by sliding it forward.

[0035] A sunroof frame 7 supporting the front panel 5 and the rear panel 6 is disposed below the fixed roof 3 (on the passenger side). The sunroof frame 7 includes a pair of side members and a front member 8 (see...). Figure 3 The front member 8 extends laterally along the front edge of the opening 2, connecting the front ends of the pair of side members. The rear crossbeam extends laterally along the rear edge of the opening 2, connecting the rear ends of the pair of side members. The front member 8 and the rear crossbeam are made of injection molded material, for example, resin.

[0036] The sunroof device 4 is an externally sliding type that tilts the front panel 5 upward from a closed position where the front of the opening 2 is closed, and slides backward on the upper side of the rear panel 6. The front panel 5 is driven by a known drive mechanism that drives the tilting and sliding movements by sliding along guide rails formed on the side members in the front-rear direction via front and rear sliders. Detailed description of the drive mechanism is omitted in this specification.

[0037] A deflector device 10 is provided at the leading edge of the opening 2. When the opening 2 is open, it protrudes upward from the opening 2 and is stored below the opening 2 when the opening 2 is closed. The deflector device 10 is assembled to the sunroof frame 7 and forms part of the sunroof device 4. The sunroof device 4 is configured as a unit mounted on the roof 1 and fixed to the fixed roof 3 by the sunroof frame 7.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the deflector device 10. The deflector device 10 has a generally symmetrical configuration. The deflector device 10 is positioned along the leading edge of the opening 2 and has a foldable and unfoldable fabric-like deflector body 11. The deflector body 11 is made of a soft, fine-mesh fabric material. The lower edge of the deflector body 11 is supported by a lower bracket 12. Figure 3 ) Installed on the front component 8 of the sunroof frame 7 Figure 3 The upper bracket 13 is installed on the upper edge of the guide vane body 11.

[0039] The upper bracket 13 is a resin injection molded product, including a deflector blade 14 extending in the vehicle width direction and a pair of arms 16 integrally formed on the deflector blade 14 and extending rearward from curved portions 15 formed at both ends of the deflector blade 14. The pair of arms 16 are supported at their rear ends by support members 17 mounted on the sunroof frame 7, allowing them to rotate about the axis X in the vehicle width direction. A pair of force-applying members 18 are provided between the upper bracket 13 and the sunroof frame 7 to apply upward force to the pair of arms 16. Figure 2 Only the force-applying component 18 on the right side is shown in the figure. In the example shown, the force-applying component 18 is a torsion coil spring. In other embodiments, the force-applying component 18 may also be a leaf spring, a compression coil spring, a tension coil spring, etc. When the front panel 5 slides backward, the deflector blades 14 protrude from the opening 2, and when the front panel 5 slides forward, the deflector blades 14 retract into the opening 2.

[0040] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the deflector device 10, showing the deflector device 10 in its deployed state. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the lower bracket 12 is bonded to the lower edge of the deflector body 11, for example, by an adhesive. The lower bracket 12 is, for example, an injection-molded resin article, having claws 12a that engage with the front member 8 of the sunroof frame 7. Thus, the lower bracket 12 can be detachably mounted to the front member 8. By mounting the lower bracket 12 to the front member 8, the lower edge of the deflector body 11 is fixed to the front member 8.

[0041] The retaining component 21 is sewn onto the upper edge of the deflector body 11. The retaining component 21 can also be attached to the deflector body 11 by bonding or welding. The upper edge of the deflector body 11 is held to the deflector blade 14 via the retaining component 21. Figure 4yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of the key parts. (See example) Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, a groove 22 extending in the vehicle width direction is formed on the lower surface of the deflector blade 14. The retaining member 21 is inserted into the groove 22 and is held inside the groove 22 by the retaining member 23 fixed to the deflector blade 14.

[0042] The retaining member 23 is made of sheet metal and has an L-shape when viewed from above. Specifically, the retaining member 23 has: an engaging portion 24, one end of which, the upper end 24a, engages with the retained member 21 inside the groove 22; and a fixing portion 25, continuous with the other end of the engaging portion 24, the lower end 24b, which is disposed outside the groove 22. The fixing portion 25 extends from the lower end 24b of the engaging portion 24 at a certain angle (90° in this embodiment) to the engaging portion 24 and is fixed to the deflector blade 14. Both the engaging portion 24 and the fixing portion 25 extend in the vehicle width direction. A plurality of through holes 26, formed by through holes, are formed at intervals along the vehicle width direction on the fixing portion 25. The fixing portion 25 is fixed to the deflector blade 14 by a plurality of screws 27 inserted into the through holes 26. The screw component 27 is a fastening component having a shaft portion 28 with external threads and a head 29. The shaft portion 28 is inserted into the insertion hole 26 and screwed into the threaded hole 30 formed on the guide vane 14, thereby fixing the fixing part 25 to the guide vane 14 through the head 29.

[0043] In this way, the retaining member 23 is secured to the deflector blade 14 by a screw member 27 inserted into the insertion hole 26, thus making it difficult for the retaining member 23 to fall off the deflector blade 14. Furthermore, the retaining member 23 is made of metal and is difficult to bend due to the inclusion of a locking portion 24 and a fixing portion 25 inclined relative to the locking portion 24. Therefore, loosening of the deflector body 11 can be suppressed.

[0044] The retained component 21 is folded back at the bottom of the groove 22, appearing as an inverted J-shape when viewed from the side. The retained component 21 is an extruded resin product, formed of a material softer than the deflector blade 14. The retained component 21 has a base 31 that is coupled to the deflector body 11, a front end 32 opposite to the base 31, and a connecting portion 33 that connects the base 31 and the front end 32. The connecting portion 33 is located at the bottom of the groove 22, constituting a folded portion for aligning the front end 32 with the base 31. The retained component 21 is received in the groove 22 such that the engaging portion 24 of the retaining component 23 is inserted. The engaging portion 24 of the retaining component 23 engages with the folded portion of the retained component 21 located at the bottom of the groove 22 by abutment. The fixing portion 25 is fixed to the deflector blade 14 by a screw component 27, thereby retaining the retained component 21 inside the groove 22 by the engaging portion 24.

[0045] In this way, the retained component 21 is housed in the groove 22 by folding back at the bottom of the groove 22 to clamp the engaging portion 24, so that it is difficult to remove from the engaging portion 24 even if it is not bonded or engaged with it. As a result, it is possible to prevent the retained component 21 from falling out of the groove 22 of the guide vane blade 14.

[0046] The front end portion 32 of the retained member 21 is thinner than the base 31 and the connecting portion 33. A pair of lips 34 extending in the vehicle width direction are integrally formed on the surface of the front end portion 32 facing the base 31. On the other hand, a protrusion 35 extending in the vehicle width direction is integrally formed on the surface of the base 31 facing the front end portion 32. The protrusion 35 is positioned corresponding to the lips 34 and abuts against the front surface of the engaging portion 24. The pair of lips 34 abut against the rear surface of the engaging portion 24. That is, the base 31 and the front end portion 32 of the retained member 21 into which the engaging portion 24 is inserted are respectively formed with lips 34 and protrusions 35 as protrusions protruding toward the engaging portion 24. Therefore, the two parts of the retained member 21 into which the engaging portion 24 is inserted abut against the engaging portion 24 over a long area in the vehicle width direction. As a result, a portion of the deflector body 11 is prevented from loosening due to misalignment of the retained member 21 relative to the engaging portion 24.

[0047] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the upper support 13. (Example) Figure 5 As shown, the retaining member 23 is divided into five parts in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the retaining member 23 has a central member 41 disposed at the center of the deflector blade 14 in the vehicle width direction, a pair of curved members 42 disposed in the curved portion 15 of the deflector blade 14, and a pair of intermediate members 43 disposed between the central member 41 and the curved members 42. Each curved member 42 also extends rearward from the curved portion 15 and is mounted on a corresponding arm 16. Specifically, each arm 16 is formed such that a groove 22 formed on the deflector blade 14 further extends through the curved portion 15 and the arm 16. Figure 2 As shown in the diagram, the end of the retained member 21 extends in the front-rear direction and is held inside the groove 22 formed on the corresponding arm 16.

[0048] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The enlarged view of section VI shows the central component 41. (See diagram below.) Figure 6 As shown, a through hole 26 for use as a screw component 27 is formed at the right end of the central component 41. Figure 4The central component 41 has two circular holes 44 (one of which is hidden by the screw component 27). Two elongated holes 45, serving as insertion holes 26 and positioning holes, are formed at the left end of the central component 41. A circular protrusion 46 is formed on the upper bracket 13 corresponding to the two positioning holes. The circular holes 44 and elongated holes 45, engaging with the protrusion 46, function as positioning holes for positioning the central component 41. A threaded hole 30 is formed on the upper bracket 13 corresponding to the two insertion holes 26. Figure 4 The central component 41 is fixed to the upper bracket 13 by a screw component 27 that engages with the threaded hole 30.

[0049] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 An enlarged view of part VII shows the middle component 43 on the right side. (See diagram below.) Figure 7 As shown, the intermediate component 43 and the central component 41 are arranged with a gap between them. A through hole 26 for a screw component 27 is formed at the left end of the intermediate component 43. Figure 4 The middle component 43 has two circular holes 44 for positioning holes (one of which is hidden by the screw component 27). Two elongated holes 45, serving as insertion holes 26 and positioning holes, are formed at the right end of the middle component 43. An insertion hole 26 for the screw component 27 is also formed in the middle of the middle component 43 (hidden by the screw component 27). A circular protrusion 46 is formed on the upper bracket 13 corresponding to the two positioning holes. A threaded hole 30 is formed on the upper bracket 13 corresponding to the three insertion holes 26. Figure 4 The intermediate component 43 is fixed to the upper bracket 13 by a screw component 27 that engages with the threaded hole 30.

[0050] Figure 8 yes Figure 5 An enlarged view of section VIII shows the curved component 42 on the right side. (See diagram below.) Figure 8 As shown, the bending member 42 is disposed with a gap between it and the intermediate member 43. A circular hole 44 (hidden by the screw member 27) serving as an insertion hole 26 for the screw member 27 and a positioning notch 47 are formed at the front end of the bending member 42. The rear end of the bending member 42 only has a locking portion 24 and does not have a fixing portion 25. An elongated hole 45 serving as a positioning hole is formed in the portion of the fixing portion 25 near the rear end of the bending member 42. A circular protrusion 46 is formed on the upper bracket 13 corresponding to the notch 47 and the positioning hole. Threaded holes 30 are formed at the front end of the bending member 42 corresponding to the insertion hole 26 and near the inner side of the locking portion 24 at the rear end in the machine width direction. Figure 4The bent component 42 is fixed to the upper bracket 13 by a screw component 27 that engages with the threaded hole 30. The screw component 27 located at the rear end of the bent component 42 locks the end face of the engaging part 24 through the protruding portion of the head 29.

[0051] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown in the diagram, the bending member 42 is configured such that the end of the retained member 21 is held inside the groove 22 formed on the corresponding arm 16. Therefore, even if there is a manufacturing error in the dimensions of the upper support 13 and the retaining member 23, the end of the retained member 21 is held by a pair of bending members 42 in the groove 22 formed on the bent portion 15 of the upper support 13 and the arm 16 to suppress misalignment caused by manufacturing errors. As a result, slack at the end of the deflector body 11 can be suppressed.

[0052] Furthermore, even without manufacturing errors, since the upper support 13 is formed of resin and the retaining member 23 is formed of metal, the retaining member 23 may mismatch with the groove 22 due to the difference in their coefficients of thermal expansion. In this embodiment, the guide vane 14 is formed to include a central member 41 and a pair of curved members 42, which are spaced apart from the adjacent intermediate member 43. Therefore, even if a dimensional difference occurs due to the difference in their coefficients of thermal expansion, the end of the retained member 21 is held in the groove 22 formed on the curved portion 15 and arm 16 of the upper support 13 by the pair of curved members 42, thereby suppressing misalignment.

[0053] like Figures 5-8 As shown, in the central component 41, intermediate component 43, and bending component 42, the fixing portion 25 extends in the vehicle width direction by a length corresponding to the length of the engaging portion 24 in the vehicle width direction. That is, the portion of the retaining component 23 extending in the vehicle width direction has an L-shaped cross-section. Therefore, the bending rigidity of the retaining component 23 is increased over its entire length in the vehicle width direction. As a result, deflection of the retaining component 23 is suppressed, and slackness of the deflector body 11 is suppressed.

[0054] As described above, the threaded hole 30 in the guide vane blade 14 for mounting screw component 27 ( Figure 4 A protrusion 46 is provided near the retaining member 23, and a circular hole 44 and an elongated hole 45 formed in the fixing portion 25 of the retaining member 23 serve as positioning holes that engage with the protrusion 46. That is, the retaining member 23 can be aligned with the guide vane 14 by engaging the protrusion 46 with the positioning hole. As a result, the installation of the screw member 27 with the guide vane 14 is easy. In addition, since the positioning hole includes the elongated hole 45, dimensional errors between the upper bracket 13 and the retaining member 23 can be tolerated during assembly.

[0055] The above describes specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be implemented in a wide range of variations. For example, in the above embodiments, the deflector device 10 is described as being applied to the roof 1 of a car, but it can also be widely applied to trailers, railway vehicles, etc. In addition, in the above embodiments, the arm 16 is directly forceped upward by the force-applying member 18, but the force-applying member 18 can also indirectly apply force to the arm 16 by applying force upward to the deflector blades 14. Furthermore, the specific configuration, arrangement, quantity, material, angle, etc. of each component and part can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. On the other hand, the components shown in the above embodiments are not necessarily indispensable and can be appropriately selected.

[0056] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0057] 1: Roof

[0058] 2: Opening

[0059] 3: Fix the roof

[0060] 4: Sunroof installation

[0061] 5: Front panel

[0062] 6: Rear panel

[0063] 10: Deflector plate device

[0064] 11: Main body of the deflector

[0065] 13: Upper support

[0066] 14: Deflector Blades

[0067] 15: Bending section

[0068] 16: Arm

[0069] 21: The retained component

[0070] 22: Slot

[0071] 23: Retaining component

[0072] 24: Card-connecting section

[0073] 24a: Top (one end)

[0074] 24b: Lower end (the other end)

[0075] 25: Fixing part

[0076] 26: Interleaving hole

[0077] 27: Screw components (fastening components)

[0078] 31: Base

[0079] 32: Front end

[0080] 33: Connecting Part

[0081] 34: Lips (protrusions)

[0082] 35: Protrusion (protrusion)

[0083] 41: Central Components

[0084] 42: Bending component

[0085] 43: Intermediate components

[0086] 44: Round hole (intercepting hole, positioning hole)

[0087] 45: Long hole (intercepting hole, positioning hole)

[0088] 46: protrusion

Claims

1. A deflector device for a vehicle sunroof, characterized in that, include: The main body of the fabric-like air deflector can be folded and unfolded, and is configured along the leading edge of the opening formed on the fixed roof; The retaining component is disposed along the upper edge of the deflector body; The deflector blades are formed with grooves extending in the vehicle width direction to accommodate the held component; A pair of arms that support either lateral end of the deflector blade, allowing the deflector blade to extend and retract from the opening; as well as A retaining component, fixed to the guide vane blade, holds the retained component within the groove. The retaining member includes: a engaging portion, one end of which engages with the retained member in the groove; and a fixing portion, which extends from the other end of the engaging portion at an angle to the engaging portion and forms a plurality of through holes for fastening members to be installed on the guide vane blade.

2. The deflector device for a vehicle sunroof according to claim 1, characterized in that, The retained component is housed in the groove in a state where it is folded back at the bottom of the groove to clamp the engaging portion.

3. The deflector device for a vehicle sunroof according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the portions of the retained component into which the engaging portion is clamped has a protrusion that protrudes toward the engaging portion.

4. The deflector device for a vehicle sunroof according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The fixing part extends in the vehicle width direction by a length corresponding to the length of the engaging part in the vehicle width direction, and the retaining member is L-shaped in a cross section orthogonal to the vehicle width direction.

5. The deflector device for a vehicle sunroof according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, A protrusion is provided near the portion of the guide vane blade for mounting the fastening component. A positioning hole is formed in the fixing part to engage with the protrusion.

6. The deflector device for a vehicle sunroof according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The deflector blades are integrally formed with the pair of arms in a manner that is continuous with the pair of arms via a pair of bends. The retaining member includes a central member disposed at the center in the vehicle width direction and a pair of curved members disposed at the curved portion, the curved members being configured to retain the end of the retained member in a portion of the groove formed on the corresponding arm.

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