Vehicle roof structure

Abstract

Conventional vehicle roof structures have a complex overall structure, making it difficult to reduce the size and weight and the installation space required. [Solution] A roof panel Rp on the outside of the vehicle has a radiative cooling layer 1 on its outer surface, and a roof trim Rt on the inside of the vehicle has a trim body 10 with an opening area H, a first trim member 11 that opens and closes the opening area H, and a second trim member 12 connected to the first trim member 11, and a winding mechanism 13 for the second trim member 12 is provided on the rear side of the vehicle of the opening area H, and the first trim member 11 is movable between a normal position that closes the opening area H and a shading position that covers the inside of the windshield 2, and the second trim member 12 is breathable and can be deployed into the opening area H as the first trim member moves to the shading position, resulting in a roof structure for a vehicle V that is simple in structure, compact and lightweight, and requires less installation space, while also improving the function of suppressing temperature rise inside the passenger compartment 3.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a roof structure for a vehicle that has a function of suppressing a temperature rise inside the vehicle compartment. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional roof structure such as the one described above is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a sunshade device consisting of a sunshade device box, a sunshade material, a small electric motor, etc. is attached between the ceiling and roof of a vehicle. This sunshade device provides sun protection by extending the sunshade material along the interior side of the front window and rear window. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-104054 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional vehicle roof structure, in addition to the various components of the sunshade device, a power transmission mechanism for converting the rotation of the small electric motor into the reciprocating motion of the sunshade material and a guide mechanism for guiding the sunshade material between the sunshade device box and the window are essential. For this reason, the conventional vehicle roof structure has a complex overall structure, and has the problem that it is difficult to achieve size and weight reduction and to save installation space.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and aims to provide a vehicle roof structure that not only simplifies the overall structure, reduces size and weight, and saves installation space, but also enhances the function of suppressing temperature rise inside the vehicle cabin. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle roof structure according to the present invention includes a roof panel on the outer side of the vehicle and a roof trim arranged on the inner side of the roof panel, the roof panel having a radiative cooling layer that radiates far-infrared rays on its outer surface. The roof trim of the vehicle roof structure includes a trim body having an opening area, a first trim member that opens and closes the opening area, and a second trim member connected to the rear end of the first trim member. The roof trim also includes a winding mechanism that winds and stores the second trim member on the vehicle rear side of the opening area of ​​the roof trim. The vehicle roof structure is characterized in that the first trim member is movable between a normal position that closes the opening area and a shading position that covers the inside of the windshield, and the second trim member is breathable in both front and rear directions and can be deployed into the opening area as the first trim member moves to the shading position.

[0007] In the vehicle roof structure having the above configuration, the first trim member is movable between a normal position that closes the opening area of ​​the trim body and a light-blocking position that covers the inside of the windshield. In other words, the first trim member forms part of the roof trim, which is an interior material, and is also used as a sunshade that covers the inside of the windshield, and can be moved manually. Therefore, the vehicle roof structure does not require a dedicated sunshade, drive mechanism, etc.

[0008] In addition, in the vehicle roof structure, as the first trim member is moved to the shading position, the breathable second trim member is pulled out from the winding mechanism and deployed into the opening area of ​​the trim body. At this time, in the vehicle roof structure, hot air from inside the vehicle cabin passes through the second trim member and reaches the roof panel, where the radiative cooling layer of the roof panel radiates the heat from inside the vehicle cabin to the outside, and the resulting cool air descends into the vehicle cabin through the second trim member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] By adopting the above-described configuration, the vehicle roof structure of the present invention not only simplifies the overall structure, reduces size and weight, and saves installation space, but also enhances the function of suppressing temperature rise inside the vehicle cabin through the combination of shading of the windshield by the first trim member and air cooling by the radiative cooling layer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a vehicle roof structure according to the present invention, in which a first trim member is in a normal position. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first trim member is moved to a light-blocking position. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are plan views showing two examples of a first trim member. [Figure 4] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the first trim member reflects sunlight, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the first trim member does not transmit sunlight. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example of a second trim member. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first and second trim members are flush with each other. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of a vehicle roof structure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of a vehicle roof structure. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of a vehicle roof structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] First Embodiment The roof structure of a vehicle V shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a roof panel Rp on the outside of the vehicle and a roof trim Rt arranged on the inside of the roof panel Rp, and the roof panel Rp has a radiative cooling layer 1 on its outer surface that radiates far infrared rays.

[0012] The vehicle V shown in the figure has a windshield 2, with the left side of the figure being the front, and has front seats FS, rear seats RS, a dashboard D, a steering wheel Sh, and other components inside the passenger compartment 3. The roof panel Rp is a metal outer panel. The roof trim Rt is an interior material, and forms an appropriate gap between it and the roof panel Rp.

[0013] The radiative cooling layer 1 of the roof panel Rp has a radiative cooling function of emitting far-infrared rays to maintain a temperature lower than that inside the vehicle cabin 3, and can be formed by a film attached to the roof panel Rp or a paint applied to the roof panel Rp. The radiative cooling layer 1 may be formed on the entire roof panel Rp or on a part of it. Such radiative cooling layers 1 are well known as cooling sheets and structures in various fields such as mobile objects and buildings.

[0014] In addition, the above roof structure includes a roof trim Rt that includes a trim body 10 having an opening area H, a first trim member 11 that opens and closes the opening area H, and a second trim member 12 that is connected to the rear end of the first trim member 11, and includes a winding mechanism 13 that winds and stores the second trim member 12 on the vehicle rear side of the opening area H of the roof trim Rt.

[0015] The illustrated trim body 10 is provided with functional components 14, such as a rearview mirror and a sun visor, at its front portion, and has an opening area H in the center. The first trim member 11 is large enough to cover the inner surface of the windshield 2, and is removably attached to the trim body 10, opening and closing the opening area H when attached and detached. Therefore, when the first trim member 11 is in its normal position in which it closes the opening area H, it is located further rearward of the functional components 14.

[0016] The first trim member 11 may be plate-shaped and may be made of a woven fabric as shown in FIG. 3(A) or a nonwoven fabric as shown in FIG. 3(B). In particular, when a woven fabric is used, it is possible to apply various decorative designs, and it has the advantages of being lightweight, easy to handle, and wrinkle-resistant.

[0017] Furthermore, as a more preferred embodiment, the first trim member 11 can have a surface facing the windshield 2 that reflects sunlight L, as shown in FIG. 4(A), thereby more reliably suppressing the temperature rise inside the passenger compartment 3.

[0018] Furthermore, as a more preferred embodiment, the second trim member 11 can have a function of blocking sunlight L, as shown in Figure 4(B), thereby more reliably suppressing the temperature rise inside the passenger compartment 3.

[0019] The second trim member 12 is a flexible sheet-like member that can be wound up by a winding mechanism 13, is large enough to cover the opening area H, and has a front end connected to a rear end of the first trim member 11 so that they are flush with each other. The second trim member 12 is breathable in both directions, and a more preferred embodiment has a mesh structure as shown in Figure 5.

[0020] The retraction mechanism 13 is disposed between the roof panel Rp and the roof trim Rt, and as shown in the enlarged view of Figure 1, has a roller 13B that retracts the second trim member 12 within a case 13A, and urges the roller 13B in the direction of retracting the second trim member 12 (the direction of the arrow in the enlarged view) by a well-known mechanism used in rolling screen winding mechanisms, etc. In this way, the retraction mechanism 13 has the function of applying tension to the first trim member 11 and the second trim member 12 toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0021] In the roof structure of the vehicle V having the above-described configuration, the first trim member 11 is movable between a normal position in which it closes the opening area H as shown in Fig. 1 and a light-blocking position in which it covers the inside of the windshield 2 as shown in Fig. 2. In the roof structure, the second trim member 12 is deployable in the opening area H as shown in Fig. 2 as the first trim member 11 moves to the light-blocking position.

[0022] In other words, the first trim member 11 in the above roof structure, together with the trim main body 10, forms part of the roof trim Rt, which is an interior material, and also serves as a sunshade covering the inside of the windshield 2 to reflect sunlight L (arrow A1 in Figure 2), eliminating the need for a dedicated sunshade, drive mechanism, etc.

[0023] In addition, in the above roof structure, when the first trim member 11 is moved to the shading position, hot air (arrow A2 in Figure 2) inside the passenger compartment 3 passes through the second trim member 12 and reaches the roof panel Rp, and the heat inside the passenger compartment 3 is radiated to the outside by the radiative cooling layer 1 of the roof panel Rp, and the resulting cool air (arrow A3 in Figure 2) descends into the passenger compartment 3 through the second trim member 12.

[0024] In this way, the roof structure of the vehicle V not only simplifies the overall structure, reduces size and weight, and saves installation space, but also enhances the function of suppressing temperature rise inside the passenger compartment 3, thanks to the combination of shading of the windshield 2 by the first trim member 11 and air cooling by the radiative cooling layer 1.

[0025] Furthermore, in the above roof structure, the first trim member 11 in its normal position is positioned further rearward of the vehicle than functional components 14 at the front of the passenger compartment, such as the rearview mirror and sun visor, so that the first trim member 11 can be moved to the light-blocking position without being obstructed by the functional components 14.

[0026] Furthermore, by adopting the second trim member 12 having a mesh structure, the above roof structure has extremely good breathability in the front and back directions of the second trim member 12, which allows hot air in the passenger compartment 3 to rise smoothly toward the roof panel Rp and cold air cooled by the radiative cooling layer 1 to fall smoothly, thereby further improving the cooling function in the passenger compartment 3.

[0027] Furthermore, the above roof structure closes the opening area H with the second trim member 12 having a mesh structure, thereby not only ensuring ventilation but also improving the interior appearance of the passenger compartment 3 and preventing the hands or objects of occupants from accidentally getting caught between the roof panel Rp and the roof trim Rt.

[0028] Furthermore, in the above roof structure, the winding mechanism 13 has the function of applying tension to the first trim member 11 and the second trim member 12 toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, for example, when the first trim member 11 is made of woven fabric and is moved to the shading position, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from occurring in the first trim member 11 and the second trim member 12, thereby maintaining good design.

[0029] Furthermore, the above roof structure can be deployed so that both the first trim member 11 and the second trim member 12 form the same plane, as shown in Fig. 6, by the tensioning function of the winding mechanism 13. In this case, the roof structure may be such that the first trim member 11 is flexible, such as a plate-shaped member or a woven fabric.

[0030] When used as a sunshade, it is more desirable to arrange the first trim member 11 along the windshield 2, but a simple deployment as shown in Figure 6 is also a variation. In this case, the hot air between the windshield 2 and the first trim member 11 is guided to the opening area H of the trim main body 10, reaches the roof panel Rp, and is cooled by the radiative cooling layer 1.

[0031] 7 to 9 are diagrams showing second to fourth embodiments of the vehicle roof structure according to the present invention. In the following embodiments, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0032] Second Embodiment The roof structure of a vehicle V shown in Fig. 7 has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, and is provided with a first fixing mechanism 21 that fixes the lower part of the first trim member 11 that has moved to the light-blocking position on at least one of the first trim member 11 side and the windshield 2 side. The windshield 2 side includes not only the windshield itself but also part of the dashboard D.

[0033] The first fixing mechanism 21 may be, for example, a suction cup provided on the first trim member 11 side and attached to the windshield 2, a combination of a hook provided relative to the first trim member 11 and the dashboard D and a locking portion of the hook, or a combination of a magnet and an adhesive portion of the magnet.

[0034] The roof structure of the vehicle V having the above configuration can maintain the expanded state of the first trim member 11 and the second trim member 12 by fixing the lower part of the first trim member 11 that has been moved to the shading position using the first fixing mechanism 21, thereby reducing the gap (air layer) between the first trim member 11, which functions as a sunshade, and the windshield 2, making it easier to suppress the temperature rise inside the passenger compartment 3.

[0035] Third Embodiment The roof structure of vehicle V shown in Fig. 8 has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, and also has a second fixing mechanism 22 that fixes the upper part of the first trim member 11 that has moved to the light-blocking position, on at least one side of the first trim member 11 and the windshield 2. As with the first fixing mechanism 21, the second fixing mechanism 22 can be a suction cup, a combination of a hook and a locking part, or a combination of a magnet and an adhesive part.

[0036] The roof structure of the vehicle V having the above configuration can maintain the expanded state of the first trim member 11 and the second trim member 12 by fixing the upper part of the first trim member 11 that has been moved to the shading position using the second fixing mechanism 22, thereby reducing the gap (air layer) between the first trim member 11, which functions as a sunshade, and the windshield 2, making it easier to suppress the temperature rise inside the passenger compartment 3.

[0037] <Fourth embodiment> The roof structure of the vehicle V shown in Figure 9 has a basic configuration equivalent to that of the first embodiment, and is configured to have both the first fixing mechanism 21 described in the second embodiment and the second fixing mechanism 22 described in the third embodiment on at least one side of the first trim member 11 side and the windshield 2 side.

[0038] The roof structure of the vehicle V having the above configuration can maintain the expanded state of the first trim member 11 and the second trim member 12 by fixing the lower and upper parts of the first trim member 11 that has been moved to the shading position using the first and second fixing mechanisms 21, 22, thereby further reducing the gap (air layer) between the first trim member 11 that functions as a sunshade and the windshield 2, making it easier to suppress the temperature rise inside the passenger compartment 3.

[0039] The configuration of the vehicle roof structure according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, in the above-described embodiments, the first trim member 11 is used as a sunshade for the windshield, but if the first trim member, the second trim member 12, and the winding mechanism 13 are arranged in the reverse direction in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the first trim member 11 can also be used as a sunshade for the rear window. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 radiative cooling layer 2. Windshield 3 Cabin 10 Trim body 11 First trim member 12 Second trim member 13 Winding mechanism 14 Functional parts in the front of the vehicle 21 First fixing mechanism 22 Second fixing mechanism H opening area Rp roof panel Rt roof trim V vehicle

Claims

1. a roof panel on the outer side of the vehicle; and a roof trim arranged on the inner side of the roof panel; The roof panel has a radiative cooling layer that radiates far infrared rays on its outer surface, the roof trim comprises a trim body having an opening area, a first trim member that opens and closes the opening area, and a second trim member that is connected to a vehicle rear end of the first trim member, a winding mechanism that winds and accommodates the second trim member on a vehicle rear side of the opening area of ​​the roof trim, the first trim member is movable between a normal position that closes the opening area and a light-blocking position that covers the inside of the windshield, A vehicle roof structure, characterized in that the second trim member has breathability in the front and back directions and is deployable in the opening area as the first trim member moves to the light-blocking position.

2. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, further comprising a first fixing mechanism on at least one of the first trim member side and the windshield side, for fixing a lower portion of the first trim member that has been moved to the light-blocking position.

3. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, further comprising a second fixing mechanism on at least one of the first trim member side and the windshield side, for fixing an upper portion of the first trim member that has been moved to the light-blocking position.

4. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the first trim member has a surface facing the windshield when in the light-blocking position that reflects sunlight.

5. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the first trim member has a function of blocking sunlight.

6. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the first trim member is made of a woven fabric.

7. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the first trim member in the normal position is disposed rearward of functional components in the front of the vehicle compartment, such as a rearview mirror and a sun visor.

8. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the second trim member has a mesh structure.

9. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the winding mechanism has a function of applying tension to the first trim member and the second trim member toward the rear of the vehicle.

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