Vehicle Sunshade Screen Shaping via Curved Transverse Guide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing open roof constructions for vehicles fail to effectively guide and shape sunshade screens, leading to sagging and inadequate headroom for occupants.
Innovation Solution
The use of a transverse guide with a central concave section and convex sections on either side, combined with longitudinal guides, to guide the screen and maintain its shape, preventing sagging and maximizing headroom by adapting the screen to the vehicle roof contour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple transverse guide structure is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the screen sags between the transverse guide and beam
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is segmented into transverse guides positioned at different locations (first transverse guide near the beam, second transverse guide further away) to provide distributed support points along the screen length, preventing sagging without requiring an overly complex single-structure solution
Solution Approach 2:
At least one longitudinal guide is introduced as an intermediary element between the transverse guides and the screen to provide continuous longitudinal support, ensuring the screen maintains its shape without requiring the transverse guides themselves to be overly complex
2Shape
If the screen is stretched tightly to prevent sagging, then screen shape is improved, but headroom for occupants is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse guides are designed with curved contours that follow the desired screen shape, allowing the screen to be supported in a aesthetically pleasing curved form rather than a tight straight line, thereby preserving headroom while preventing sagging
Solution Approach 2:
The position and contour parameters of the transverse guides are optimized to balance screen support requirements with headroom requirements, allowing the screen to be supported effectively while maximizing the vertical space available for occupants
3Shape
If multiple transverse guides are used to guide both upper and lower surfaces, then screen shape control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of guiding both upper and lower surfaces of the screen at all points along its length, the patent applies guidance partially - the transverse guides engage with the screen at specific locations and the longitudinal guide provides support along the length, achieving adequate shape control without the excessive complexity of complete dual-surface guidance
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2~3
AI summary
An open roof construction for a vehicle having a roof opening (2) in its fixed roof (1) comprises a transparent movable panel (3) and a sunshade assembly (7) including a winding mechanism 9, 13) and a screen (10) which is stretched in a non-linear shape in transverse direction during use. The winding mechanism comprises a winding tube (9) connected to the attached edge of the screen and which is rotatable about an axis of rotation (13) for winding and unwinding said screen between an extended position screening said roof opening and a retracted position releasing said roof opening. A transverse guide (14) extends in transverse direction and is disposed between the beam and the winding tube. The transverse guide is curved in transverse direction to form the screen in a non-linear shape between the guide and the beam. In one aspect, the transverse guide guides at least a part of both the upper and lower surfaces of the screen in order to urge the screen into a partly convex and partly concave shape. According to another aspect, at least one longitudinal guide (16) for the screen extends between the transverse guide and a stationary part (4) on the opposite side of the roof opening and adapted to guide the screen from below.