Sunshade Assembly Bow-Shaped Tensioning for Sag Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thick and heavy sunshades, such as those made of Alcantara™, tend to sag and deform when wound off from a rotatable winding shaft, leading to an unattractive appearance and potential operational issues due to lack of tension.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating bow-shaped receiving arrangements near the lateral edges for slideably receiving tensioning members, which are longitudinally tensioned using a spring mechanism, ensuring the sunscreen remains taut by applying outward forces along the edges, and using either separate loop stitches or channel-shaped pockets for load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thick and heavy cloth (e.g., Alcantara) is used for the sunscreen, then the sunscreen provides better shading performance and durability, but it becomes difficult to keep the sunscreen taut when wound off from the winding shaft, resulting in sagging and deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning system is segmented into multiple tensioning members distributed along the lateral edges of the sunscreen. Each tensioning member acts independently to maintain tautness at different sections, preventing overall sagging while allowing the heavy material to maintain its structural integrity and shading performance
Solution Approach 2:
The spring members provide a counteracting tensile force that opposes the gravitational weight of the heavy sunscreen material. This elastic counterforce keeps the sunscreen taut and flat even when wound off the shaft, preventing sagging without requiring additional weight or complex mechanical support structures
2Reliability
If the sunscreen is made heavy and thick for durability, then reliability improves, but the appearance becomes unattractive and operational issues arise due to sagging
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning members with spring members are pre-installed and pre-tensioned on the sunscreen before use. This preliminary action ensures that the sunscreen starts in a taut, flat state and maintains this condition throughout operation, preventing sagging and deformations that would compromise appearance and operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The spring members provide dynamic tension adjustment based on the winding state of the sunscreen. As the sunscreen is wound or unwound, the spring tension automatically adjusts to maintain optimal tautness, ensuring consistent appearance and operational reliability across different positions and usage conditions
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
The solution effectively maintains the sunscreen's tautness, reducing sagging and deformations, while allowing for flexibility and balanced load distribution, enhancing both appearance and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
each tensioning member comprises a flexible rope, cable or alike of which one end is attached to the winding shaft and of which the opposite end is attached to a spring member for longitudinally tensioning the tensioning member
Data Source
AI summary
A sunshade assembly comprises a flexible sunscreen having two opposite lateral edges, a forward edge and a rearward edge. A rotatable winding shaft is provided for winding and unwinding the sunscreen at its rearward edge, and an operating beam connected to the forward edge of the sunscreen as well as two spaced guiding members cooperating with the opposite lateral edges of the sunscreen. The sunscreen near to each lateral edge is provided with a receiving arrangement for slideably receiving a tensioning member. Each receiving arrangement extends bow-shaped with its outer ends closer to the respective lateral edge than its parts between said outer ends. Each tensioning member further is a longitudinal member extending through a corresponding receiving arrangement and being tensioned in its longitudinal direction.