Vehicle Roller Blind Guide Element Prevents Jamming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing roller blind arrangements for vehicles can jam or wind incorrectly when rolled up quickly due to acceleration, leading to bulging and improper winding.

Innovation Solution

A roller blind arrangement featuring a housing with a guide element opposite the unwinding direction and a metal strip spring for winding, preventing bulging by allowing rapid winding without jamming, with a simple mechanical design and adaptable to manual or electric operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the roller blind is wound up quickly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, then the winding speed is improved, but the roller blind roll can be greatly accelerated leading to jamming or incorrect winding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewinding speedVSAvoidwinding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element is positioned to preemptively counteract the harmful acceleration effect before it causes jamming or incorrect winding. By placing the guide element opposite to the unwinding direction, it creates a mechanical constraint that prevents the roller blind roll from accelerating excessively during quick winding operations, thus resolving the contradiction between winding speed and winding reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Productivity

If the roller blind is wound up quickly, then productivity is improved, but the roller blind can bulge and jam in the roller blind arrangement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewinding efficiencyVSAvoidoperational reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element serves as a preventive measure that counteracts the bulging effect before it leads to jamming. By strategically positioning the guide element, it restricts the roller blind roll's movement path during rapid winding, preventing bulging while maintaining high winding efficiency, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and operational reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Device complexity

If a simple mechanical design is used, then device complexity is reduced, but it may not prevent jamming during rapid winding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical design complexityVSAvoidwinding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element is extracted as a separate, dedicated component from the overall winding mechanism. This simple yet effective element is positioned to specifically address the jamming problem during rapid winding, allowing the rest of the mechanical design to remain simple while improving reliability through this targeted addition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables reliable, rapid winding without jamming or bulging, maintaining a stable roller blind roll and supporting both manual and electric operation with a cost-effective, simple construction.

Implementation Method 1

The winding device has a spring, which is designed as a metal strip from a spring sheet metal, for winding the roller blind web into a roller blind roll.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2422035B1Roller blind arrangement, in particular for a vehicle, and roof arrangement
Publication Date: 2013.07.10 WEBASTO AG
  • EP2422035B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a roller blind arrangement (20), in particular for a vehicle, comprising a roller blind web (22). The roller blind web (22) can be wound up at least at one end (24) to form a roller blind roll (36) having a geometric center axis (A) by means of a winding device (30). The roller blind web (22) can be unwound in an unwinding direction (R_1). The winding device (30) has a guide element (40), which is arranged in a direction (R_2) largely opposite to the unwinding direction (R_1) relative to the geometric center axis (A) of the roller blind roll (36) and is designed to limit a motion of the roller blind roll (36) in the direction (R_2) opposite to the unwinding direction (R_1). The invention relates to a roof arrangement having a roof opening (14), a roof opening frame (16), which borders the roof opening (14), and a roller blind arrangement (20). The roller blind arrangement (20) is arranged in the roof opening (14) and mechanically coupled to the roof opening frame (16).