Rollo Assembly Guide Channel Support Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing rollo assemblies for open roof vehicles, connecting members often protrude from guide channels, making it difficult to connect counter connecting members due to varying positions and orientations, leading to increased manufacturing costs when guide channels are extended to support them.
Innovation Solution
A support mechanism, such as a transverse beam or abutment members, maintains connecting members in a well-defined position, allowing guide channels to be cut to desired lengths without additional material costs, and sliding connections between members and drive cables prevent activation of drive mechanisms during mounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If guide channels are extended to support connecting members, then connecting reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
A support element is introduced as an intermediary component between the guide channel and the connecting member. The support element receives the connecting member and maintains it in a well-defined position, while the guide channel itself remains at its original, shorter length. This mediator approach allows the connecting member to be properly supported without requiring the guide channel to be extended, thus maintaining manufacturing cost efficiency while achieving reliable connection.
2Ease of operation
If connecting members are allowed to protrude from guide channels, then ease of connection is improved, but position stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support element acts as a mediator that allows the connecting member to protrude from the guide channel for easy connection while simultaneously maintaining the connecting member in a well-defined, stable position. The support element provides the necessary positional stability that would otherwise be lost when the connecting member protrudes, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of connection and position stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If guide channels are made longer to support connecting members, then connection accuracy is improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented from the guide channel structure. Instead of making the guide channel longer to provide support, a separate, dedicated support element is used. This segmentation allows the guide channel to remain at its original, shorter length (reducing material cost) while the support element provides the necessary connection accuracy for the connecting member.
Data Source
AI summary
A rollo assembly for use in a vehicle with an opening, includes a shaft, a screen wound on/off said shaft where a forward end is provided with a beam and opposite channels guide edges of the screen and ends of the beam. Drive cables are provided with connecting members for drivingly engaging respective counter connecting members provided at ends of the beam. The shaft, beam and screen are combined into a detachable unit which, when the screen is substantially fully wound onto the shaft and the cables assume a position in which the connecting members at least partially protrude from a longitudinal end of the channels, can be moved relative to said channels for connecting or disconnecting the counter connecting members to or from the connecting members. A support maintains the connecting members of the cables, when maximally protruding from said longitudinal end of the channels, in a well-defined position.