Vehicle roof with roller blind arrangement

Abstract

Vehicle roof comprising a transparent roof section (12) and a roller blind assembly (16) for selectively shading or at least partially opening the transparent roof section (12), the roller blind assembly having a roller blind track (18) that can be wound up into a roller blind roll, a tension bow (22), and each of its edges arranged on both sides with respect to a vertical longitudinal roof center plane, provided with a guide strip (24) which is guided in a respective roof-mounted guide rail (28A, 28B), wherein the roller blind assembly (16) comprises a roller blind module (30) which has a cross member (32) extending in the transverse direction of the roof for the roller blind roll and, with respect to the vertical longitudinal roof center plane, a guide leg (34A, 34B) on both sides which is connected from below to the respective roof-mounted guide rail (28A, 28B), characterized in that the tension bow (22) is guided by lateral sliders (66) in the guide rails (28A,28B) and the guide arms (34A, 34B) of the roller blind module (30), and that the side gliders (66) each have a receptacle (68) for a coupling element (62) of a respective drive cable (60) driven by a drive motor (58), and that the receptacles (68) are each open upwards and accommodate the respective coupling element (62) without play in the longitudinal direction of the respective guide rail (28A, 28B).

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle roof having the features of the preamble of claim 1.Such a vehicle roof is known from practice and comprises a transparent roof section which is formed, for example, by a glass cover element of a sliding roof arrangement and which can be optionally shaded or at least partially released by means of a roller blind arrangement. The roller blind arrangement comprises a roller blind web which can be wound up to form a roller blind roll or can be unwound from the winding shaft for shading the transparent roof section on a winding shaft which is arranged in the region of a rear edge of the transparent roof section. With respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, the roller blind web is provided on both sides with a respective guide band which is guided in a guide rail which is fixed to the roof and is arranged on the relevant edge of the transparent roof section. This ensures that the roller blind web is held taut in the transverse direction of the vehicle in its regions unwound from the winding shaft.In previously known vehicle roofs of the above-described type, the roller blind arrangement is completely pre-assembled on the roof before the roof is mounted on a vehicle body shell from above. It must therefore fit together with the other roof components through an upper cutout of the vehicle body shell. However, since the roller blind roll or the winding shaft of the roller blind arrangement should be mounted below a opaque roof section for design reasons, the size of the transparent see-through region of the vehicle roof is limited by the roller blind arrangement.A vehicle roof having the features of the preamble of claim 1 is also known from the publication WO 2014 / 155785 A1 and comprises a transparent roof cutout and a roller blind arrangement for selectively shading or at least partially exposing the transparent roof section. The roller blind arrangement comprises a roller blind web which can be wound up to form a roller blind roll and is provided with a tension bow at one edge. On their edges arranged on both sides with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, the roller blind web is each provided with a guide band which is guided in a respective guide rail fixed to the roof. The two guide rails are connected to one another on the rear side via a frame rear part which, with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, is connected to the respective guide rail fixed to the roof on both sides in each case via a short leg section from below.The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle roof of the type mentioned in the introduction, which has a side-guided roller blind arrangement which, compared with the prior art described above, permits an enlarged roof transparent region without impairing the appearance of the vehicle roof.This object is achieved according to the invention by the vehicle roof having the features of claim 1.In the vehicle roof according to the invention, the roller blind arrangement therefore comprises a roller blind module which is connected via its two guide legs to the rear ends of the guide rails fixed to the roof, so that the cross member, on which the roller blind web forms a roller blind roll in the wound-up state, is offset with respect to the guide rails fixed to the roof in the rear direction of the vehicle or in the front direction of the vehicle. The guide legs arranged on both sides thus make it possible to continue the guide rails fixed to the roof into a region of the vehicle roof in which no see-through option is desired in any case. The transparent roof section can thus also extend in the roof longitudinal direction without restriction by the roller blind winding in the maximum manner. It is also possible, owing to the guide legs of the roller blind module, to arrange the cross member for the roller blind wrap above a load space of the relevant vehicle, so that the head clearance for vehicle occupants is not impaired by the roller blind wrap, since no installation space for the roller blind wrap has to be stored in the vehicle roof above the relevant vehicle seats. The vehicle roof can rather have a low overall height in these regions. The roller blind module designed in the sense of the invention thus enables a large roof transparent area and / or a large head clearance for vehicle occupants in a vehicle front.In order to also ensure a disturbance-free lateral guidance of the roller blind web in the region of the guide legs of the roller blind module and thus outside the transparent regions of the vehicle roof, the guide legs in a preferred embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention each have a guide track for a guide band of the roller blind web, which guide track continues in a guide channel of the relevant guide rail fixed to the roof.To actuate the roller blind arrangement, the roller blind web has a tension bow which is guided via lateral sliders in the guide rails and the guide legs of the roller blind module.In principle, the roller blind arrangement according to the invention can be actuated by a motor, wherein the lateral sliders of the tension bow each have a receptacle for a coupling element of a respective drive cable, which is driven by a drive motor. Expediently, the drive motor drives both drive cables together. It can be arranged on the front side of the transparent roof section or also on the rear side of the cross member of the roller blind module. It is also conceivable for the drive motor to be fastened to the cross member of the roller blind module and for the drive cables to be guided via the guide legs of the roller blind module to the sliders of the tension bow.In order to make it possible for the roller blind module including the roller blind web and including the tension bow to be mounted from below, i.e. via the head, on the guide rails fixed to the roof, the receptacles for the coupling elements of the drive cables are open upwards and in the direction of the relevant coupling element, wherein the coupling elements are received by the receptacles without play, however, in the longitudinal direction of the relevant guide rail. On the base side, the receptacles each have a contact surface for the relevant coupling element.In order to facilitate the overhead mounting of the roller blind module, it is advantageous if the receptacles each have insertion slopes for the respective coupling element.In the case of drive cables pre-assembled on the roof-mounted guide rails, the coupling elements are preferably guided in the guide rails in a rotationally secured manner, so that they already assume their installation position relative to the receptacles of the tension bow sliders during the assembly of the roller blind module. The coupling elements in particular each comprise a tongue which points in the direction of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof. The tongues of the coupling elements thus project from cable channels of the drive cables in the direction of the vertical longitudinal middle plane of the roof and only have to be brought into engagement with the tension bow guides or the receptacles thereof during the assembly of the roller blind module.In order to increase the torsional rigidity of the roller blind module and thus also to facilitate the mounting thereof, in an advantageous embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, a reinforcing strut extends between the guide legs of the roller blind module, which reinforcing strut is overlapped by the roller blind web. The stiffening strut can also form a run-off edge for the roller blind web.The cross member of the roller blind module can form a receiving space for the roller blind winding. In particular, the receiving space receives a winding shaft for the roller blind web, which can be prestressed in the winding direction of the roller blind web by means of a winding spring. In an alternative embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the lateral guide straps of the roller blind web can also be designed as constant force springs, which bring about winding of the roller blind web to form the roller blind winding outside the guide rails and guide legs of the roller blind module. A winding spring and, depending on the application, also a winding shaft or a winding tube can then be dispensed with.The guide legs and optionally also the cross member of the roller blind module are manufactured from plastic in a special embodiment. Expediently, the guide legs are then designed as injection molded parts which can have a complex geometry. Thus, the guide legs can each have a curved course in the longitudinal direction of the roof, which is suited to the installation space conditions available in the relevant vehicle roof.To stabilize the entire system of the vehicle roof, it is expedient if the roller blind module is secured via at least one suspension from below to a opaque roof section which is arranged on the rear side of the transparent roof section.Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of the invention can be derived from the description, the drawing and the patent claims.An exemplary embodiment of a vehicle roof according to the invention is shown in a schematically simplified manner in the drawing and is explained in more detail in the following description. It shows FIG. 1 shows a top view of a vehicle roof with a roller blind arrangement; FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the vehicle roof of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of a roller blind module of the roller blind arrangement alone; FIG. 4 shows the roller blind arrangement in a transition region between the roller blind module and a guide rail fixed to the roof; FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4, but in an assembly position of a tension bow; FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a region VI of the roller blind module surrounded by dashed lines in FIG. 3 together with a coupling element of a drive cable; FIG. 7 is a perspective front view of the roof-mounted guide rail in the transition region together with the coupling element of the drive cable; FIG. 8 shows a perspective front view of the region VI of the roller blind module surrounded by dashed lines in FIG. 3 in the transition region; FIG. 9 is a section through the transition region along the line IX--IX in FIG. 5; FIG. 10 is a section through the transition region of the line X--X in FIG. 5, but with the roller blind web extended; and FIG. 11 is a section through the transition region along the line XI-XI in FIG. 5.The drawing shows a vehicle roof 10 which is associated with a panoramic roof of a passenger vehicle and has a transparent roof section 12 formed by an adjustable cover element and surrounded by a opaque roof body 14. For optional shading or at least partial release of the transparent roof section 12, the vehicle roof 10 is provided on its underside with a roller blind arrangement 16. On the rear side of the roof body 14, a further opaque roof element is arranged, which is arranged above a cargo space of the passenger car.The roller blind arrangement 16 comprises a roller blind web 18 which, in order to release the transparent roof section, can be wound onto a winding shaft 20 extending in the transverse direction of the roof or can be unwound from the winding shaft 20 in order to shadow the transparent roof section 12. On its edge facing away from the winding shaft 20, the roller blind web 18 is provided with a tension bow 22 extending in the transverse direction of the roof, by the actuation of which the winding or unwinding of the roller blind web 18 is triggered.The winding shaft 20 is configured in the usual manner and comprises a winding tube which is prestressed by means of a winding spring in the winding direction of the roller blind web 18. The roller blind web 18 thus rolls automatically on the winding shaft 20 to form a roller blind roll upon a release or an adjustment of the tension bow 22 in the direction of the winding shaft 20.On their lateral edges arranged on both sides with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, the roller blind web 18 is each provided with a guide band 24, which is guided in a guide channel 26 of a guide rail 28A or 28B, which is fastened to the underside of the opaque roof body 14. The guide rails 28A and 28B, which are therefore designed to be fixed to the roof, extend along the edges of the transparent roof section 12 which are arranged laterally with respect to the vertical longitudinal central plane of the roof.The roller blind arrangement 16 further comprises a roller blind module 30, which comprises a cross member 32, which extends in the vehicle transverse direction and forms a receiving space for the winding shaft 20 and the roller blind winding of the roller blind web 18 formed on the winding shaft 20.The roller blind module 30 further comprises two guide legs 34A and 34B, which are connected to the two end sides of the cross member 32 and extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as far as the guide rails 28A and 28B fixed to the roof and are connected thereto. A reinforcing strut 36 extends between the two guide legs 34A and 34B, which strut is fastened at its ends to the underside of the roof body 14 in each case via a suspension 37 which is configured in the usual manner. The cross member 32 comprises a further suspension 38 which is connected to the underside of the opaque roof element 39 which is arranged on the rear side of the roof body 14 outside the head region of vehicle occupants.The roller blind module 30 is connected via the guide legs 34A and 34B respectively from below to the guide rails 28A and 28B fixed to the roof. For this purpose, the guide legs 34A and 34B have, on their end faces facing away from the cross member 32, in each case two fastening lugs 40 and 42 which in each case bear from below against the relevant guide rail 28A or 28B and are fastened in each case via a screw hole 44 or 46 through which a corresponding screw 45 engages in a nut 47, said screw hole being fastened to the underside of the relevant guide rail 28A or 28B.For the exact positioning of the roller blind module 30 with respect to the guide rails 28A and 28B, the fastening tab 42 has, on the upper side in the longitudinal direction of the rail, a centring ring 48 which follows the edge of the screw hole 46 and which engages in a corresponding recess 50 of the relevant guide rail 28A or 28B. In order to position the guide legs 34A and 34B exactly with respect to the guide rails 28A and 28B in the roof transverse direction, a rib 52 extending in the rail longitudinal direction is arranged on the upper side of the fastening tab 42 and engages in a corresponding recess 54 on the lower side of the guide rail 28A or 28B fixed to the roof.The guide legs 34A and 34B are each designed as a plastic injection molded part and have a course curved in the widest sense in an S-shaped manner in the longitudinal direction of the roof between the cross member 32 and the guide rails 28A and 28B.As can be seen in particular from FIG. 8, the guide legs 34A and 34B likewise have a guide track 56, which corresponds to the relevant guide channel 26 of the roof-mounted guide rail 28A or 28B and in which the relevant lateral edge region of the roller blind web 18 is guided by the guide band 24 between the cross member 32 and the respective roof-mounted guide rail 28A or 28B. By the lateral guidance of the roller blind web 18 in the guide rails 28A and 28B and the guide legs 34A and 34B, the roller blind web 18 is held taut in the transverse direction of the vehicle in its regions unwound from the winding shaft 20.For driving, the roller blind arrangement 16 has a drive motor 58 which, with respect to the vehicle orientation, is fastened at the front side of the transparent roof section 12 to the underside of the opaque roof body 14 and which drives two drive cables 60 which are designed as compression-resistant gradient cables and are each provided at their end with a coupling element 62 which is designed in the manner of a tab or tongue and projects out of the relevant cable duct 64 of the relevant guide rail 28A or 28B in the direction of the vertical longitudinal centre plane of the roof. The coupling element 62, the thickness of which approximately corresponds to the width of an outlet slot of the cable duct 64, guides the drive cable 60 in the relevant cable duct 64 in a rotationally secured manner. The coupling element 62 is thus supported at least with its upper side on the guide rail 28A or 28B.The tension bow 22 has at each of its ends arranged on both sides a slider 66 which is displaceably guided in the relevant guide channel 26 and the corresponding guide track 56 of the guide limb 34A or 34B adjoining the latter. The sliders 66 each have a receptacle 68, in which the tab-like coupling element 62 is arranged, namely without play in the displacement direction of the tension bow 22, The receptacle 68 has insertion slopes 70, along which the coupling element 62 is brought into position during the mounting of the roller blind module 30 on the guide rails 28A and 28B.The mounting of the vehicle roof 10 shown in the drawing takes place in the manner described below.First, a roof unit including the transparent roof portion 12, the opaque roof body 14, and the guide rails 28A and 28B, and the drive motor 58 and the drive cables 60 is mounted on a vehicle body shell. The coupling elements 62 of the drive cables 60 each assume the position shown in FIG. 7, i.e. they are arranged outside the respective cable duct 64 in the respective rear end region of the guide rails 28A and 28B, so that they are freely accessible from below. Subsequently, the roller blind module 30, which comprises the substantially U-shaped frame made up of the two guide legs 34A and 34B and the cross member 32, the reinforcing strut 36 and the roller blind web 18 with winding shaft 20 and tension bow 22, is screwed from below via the suspensions 37 and 38 to the opaque roof sections, i.e. to the roof body 14 and the roof element 39, and via the fastening straps 40 and 42 to the guide rails 28A and 28B. In this case, the coupling elements 62 move into the receptacles 68 of the sliders 66 of the correspondingly positioned tension bow 22, so that the tension bow 22 is coupled to the drive cables 60 driven by the drive motor 58. The system then has the arrangement shown in Fig. 5. Subsequently, the tension bow 22 or its sliders 66 are moved over the parting plane 72 formed between the guide legs 34A and 34B and the guide rails 28A and 28B, whereupon the drive motor 58 is initialized. This means that the position of the tension bow 22 shown in FIG. 4 is assigned to the open position of the roller blind arrangement 16. This prevents the sliders 66 from moving out of the guide rails 28A and 28B made of metal into the guide legs 34A and 34B formed of plastic during standard operation of the roller blind arrangement 16, which could lead to undesired noise generation.List of reference characters10 Vehicle roof 12 transparent roof section 14 opaque roof body 16 roller blind arrangement 18 roller blind web 20 winding shaft 22 tension bow 24 guide band 26 guide channel 28A, 28B guide rail 30 roller blind module 32 cross member 34A, 34B guide leg 36 stiffening strut 37 suspension 38 suspension 39 roof element 40 fastening tab 42 fastening tab 44 screw hole 45 screw 46 screw hole 47 nut 48 centering ring 50 recess 52 rib 54 recess 56 guide track 58 drive motor 60 drive cable 62 coupling element 64 cable channel 66 slider 68 receptacle 70 insertion bevel

Claims

Vehicle roof, comprising a transparent roof section (12) and a roller blind arrangement (16) for optional shading or at least partial release of the transparent roof section (12), which has a roller blind web (18), which can be wound up to form a roller blind roll, has a tension bow (22) and is provided on each of its edges arranged on both sides with respect to a vertical longitudinal central roof plane with a guide band (24), which is guided in a respective guide rail (28A, 28B) fixed to the roof, wherein the roller blind arrangement (16) comprises a roller blind module (30), which has a cross member (32), extending in the transverse roof direction, for the roller blind roll and on both sides with respect to the vertical longitudinal central roof plane in each case a guide leg (34A, 34B), which is connected from below to the respective guide rail (28A, 28B) fixed to the roof, characterized in that, the tension bow (22) is guided via lateral sliders (66) in the guide rails (28A, 28B) and the guide legs (34A, 34B) of the roller blind module (30), and the lateral sliders (66) each have a receptacle (68) for a coupling element (62) of a respective drive cable (60) which is driven by a drive motor (58), and the receptacles (68) are each open upwards and receive the respective coupling element (62) without play in the longitudinal direction of the respective guide rail (28A, 28B).Vehicle roof according to Claim 1, characterized in that the guide limbs (34A, 34B) each have a guide track (56) for the respective guide band (24) of the roller blind web (18), which guide track continues in a guide channel (26) of the relevant roof-mounted guide rail (28A, 28B).Vehicle roof according to Claim 1, characterized in that the receptacles (68) each have insertion slopes (70) for the respective coupling element (62).Vehicle roof according to Claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the coupling elements (62) of the drive cables (60) are guided in the guide rails (28A, 28B) in a rotationally secured manner and each comprise a tongue which points in the direction of the vertical longitudinal centre plane of the roof.Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a reinforcing strut (36) extends between the guide limbs (34A, 34B), which reinforcing strut is overlapped by the roller blind web (18).Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cross member (32) forms a receiving space for the roller blind winding and preferably receives a winding shaft (20) for the roller blind web.Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the guide limbs (34A, 34B) are produced from plastic.Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the guide limbs (34A, 34B) each have a curved course in the roof longitudinal direction.Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the roller blind module (30) is secured via at least one suspension (38) from below to a opaque roof section which is arranged on the rear side of the transparent roof section (12).

Images