Vehicle Roof Roller Blind Modular Bearing Shell Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle roof designs with roller blind arrangements are pre-assembled on the roof before installation, making it impossible to install the blind system after the roof is connected to the vehicle body shell, and require high accuracy and manual assembly.
Innovation Solution
A modular roller blind arrangement with a bearing shell that can be attached from below, allowing for automated assembly and retrofitting, featuring lateral bearing elements that support the roller blind unit and guide rails, enabling precise positioning and integration of the blind system without obstructing the roof's viewing area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the roller blind arrangement is pre-assembled on the roof before connection to the vehicle body shell, then the assembly structure is stable, but the installation space becomes inaccessible and the assembly process cannot be automated
Solution Approach 1:
The roller blind arrangement is divided into separate modular components: the bearing shell with integrated guide rails can be pre-assembled with the roller blind unit, while the guide rails themselves remain as separate components that are attached to the roof structure after the roof is installed on the vehicle body. This segmentation allows automated assembly of the blind unit while maintaining structural stability through subsequent connection of the guide rails.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing shell and roller blind unit are pre-assembled together in a controlled manufacturing environment where precision can be ensured, but the guide rails are left to be installed separately after the roof is mounted on the vehicle. This preliminary assembly of critical components without final installation of all parts enables both pre-assembly stability and post-installation accessibility for automation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the roller blind arrangement is pre-assembled on the roof, then the assembly is complete, but the process requires high degree of accuracy in fabric centering to guide rails connection and cannot be automated
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the fabric centering function from the guide rail attachment. The bearing shell provides integrated lateral bearing elements that guide the blind fabric without requiring precise manual alignment to separately mounted guide rails. The guide rails are attached after the roof installation, allowing tolerance compensation, while the bearing shell integrates the centering function internally.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing shell with integrated lateral bearing elements performs the fabric centering function automatically through its own structural design, without requiring external guide rails that need precise manual alignment. The blind unit self-aligns within the bearing shell structure, eliminating the need for high-precision manual fabric centering to externally mounted rails.
3Ease of manufacture
If the roller blind arrangement is installed from above, then the assembly is straightforward, but it obstructs the roof viewing area
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of installing the roller blind arrangement from above the roof, the bearing shell with the roller blind unit is installed from below the roof structure. The lateral bearing elements extend upward to engage with the blind fabric, allowing the entire assembly to be mounted from the interior side of the roof, thus preserving the exterior viewing area while maintaining assembly simplicity through the modular design.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle roof comprising at least one transparent roof section, a support section which is fixed to the roof, and a roller blind assembly (15) for selectively shading or at least partly exposing the transparent roof section, said roller blind assembly having at least one roller blind unit (16, 17) which comprises a roller blind web (18, 19) that can be wound into a roller blind coil (20, 21) and a respective lateral bearing element (30) on both sides with respect to the vertical longitudinal central plane of the roof. The roller blind coil (20, 21) is arranged between the two lateral bearing elements (30), and the roller blind assembly (15) comprises a bearing shell (24) on which the at least one roller blind unit (16, 17) is secured via the lateral bearing elements (30) and which is fixed to the at least one support section from below.