Flexible Sunshade Edge Flap Retention via Local Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sunshade assemblies with flexible sunscreens face issues where the guide locking members fail to prevent the longitudinal edge flaps from being pulled out due to insufficient entrance opening size, leading to unpredictable product properties and manufacturing challenges.
Innovation Solution
The flexible sunscreen is manufactured with a central part made of a first material and inwardly folded longitudinal edge flaps made of a second material with higher stiffness, allowing for improved retention in guides while maintaining flexibility for winding, using different materials to achieve varying stiffness directions and potentially lower friction for easier handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entrance opening size of the guide channel is reduced to improve retention of edge flaps, then the retention reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases and tool collapse risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing reinforcement elements specifically at the entrance opening of the guide channel where the edge flaps enter, rather than making the entire guide channel more complex. The reinforcement is localized to the critical area needing improved retention, allowing the rest of the guide channel to maintain its original simple design and manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide channel is constructed as a composite structure combining the base guide channel material with additional reinforcement elements (such as ribs, flanges, or separate reinforcement pieces) at the entrance opening. This composite approach allows the entrance opening to have enhanced structural properties for better retention while the rest of the guide channel maintains its original material properties and manufacturing characteristics.
2Reliability
If the entrance opening size is reduced to improve retention, then the retention reliability is improved, but the manufacturing precision becomes unpredictable due to tool wear
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement elements are pre-formed as separate components or pre-integrated features during the molding process, rather than requiring precise formation of the entrance opening dimensions themselves. This preliminary action allows the critical retention function to be achieved through the added reinforcement structure, making the system less sensitive to variations in the base guide channel dimensions caused by tool wear.
3Reliability
If the stiffness of edge flaps is increased to improve retention in guides, then the retention reliability is improved, but the flexibility for winding is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sunscreen assembly has non-uniform stiffness distribution: the edge flaps have higher stiffness (through reinforcement elements or material selection) for improved guide retention, while the central part maintains lower stiffness for winding flexibility. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible sunscreen is provided intended for use in a sunshade assembly of the type comprising a flexible sunscreen having a central part and two opposed inwardly folded longitudinal edge flaps connected to the central part by means of folding lines, and two opposed longitudinal guides for receiving therein and guiding corresponding ones of the inwardly folded longitudinal edge flaps of the flexible sunscreen, which guides are provided with locking members for engaging an outer end of the inwardly folded longitudinal edge flaps for preventing these edge flaps from moving out of the longitudinal guides. The central part of the flexible sunscreen mainly is manufactured from a first material with a first stiffness wherein of the inwardly folded longitudinal edge flaps and of the parts of the central part adjacent the edge flaps at least part is made of a second material with a second higher stiffness.