Unattached Lateral Ends in Vehicle Roof Wind Deflectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind deflectors for openable vehicle roofs face challenges in improving their structure and functionality, particularly in maintaining a tensed position without additional attachment elements, which affects their wind deflection and acoustic performance.
Innovation Solution
A flexible wind deflector element, made of mesh, fabric, or film, is attached at its central section to the raising bow or base element but remains unattached at its lateral end sections, allowing tensioning without lower edge attachment to the base element or upper edge attachment to the raising bow, utilizing a tension device like a spring or guide surface for positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the wind deflector element is attached along its entire length to the base element and raising bow, then the structural stability is improved, but the device complexity and installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wind deflector element is divided into functionally distinct attachment zones: a centrally located attachment region that provides structural stability, and lateral end sections that remain unattached to reduce complexity. This segmentation allows the patent to achieve stability where needed while eliminating unnecessary attachments at the ends, directly resolving the contradiction between structural stability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the wind deflector element have different attachment characteristics: the central section is attached to both the base element and raising bow for stability, while the lateral end sections are left unattached to reduce complexity. This local differentiation of attachment quality optimizes the overall system by applying attachments only where functionally necessary.
2Reliability
If the wind deflector element is fully attached to base element and raising bow, then the wind deflection performance is improved, but the acoustic behavior and adaptability to vehicle shape deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wind deflector element is segmented into attached and unattached regions, with only the central portion fixed to structural components. This segmentation maintains wind deflection performance through proper attachment at the functional center while allowing the unattached end sections to move freely, thereby improving acoustic behavior by reducing wind turbulence and noise generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The unattached lateral end sections of the wind deflector element are designed to be dynamic rather than fixed, allowing them to move and adapt with vehicle motion. This dynamic configuration improves acoustic behavior by reducing rigid structure-induced noise while maintaining wind deflection effectiveness through the attached central region.
3Stability of the object's composition
If attachment elements are added to secure the lateral end sections, then the structural stability is improved, but the installation space requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the attachment requirement from the lateral end sections of the wind deflector element, determining that these sections do not require attachment to base elements or raising bows. This extraction eliminates the need for additional attachment elements and installation space at the lateral ends, while the central attachment region maintains sufficient structural stability for the application.
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
This design enhances wind deflection and acoustic behavior without requiring additional installation space for attachment elements, allowing for a more compact and efficient wind deflector configuration that adapts to the vehicle's shape, improving both functionality and aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
The end section is held tensed by a spring to a raising bow 9 or deployment arm 13 in particular
Implementation Method 2
The raising bow 9 or deployment arm 13 comprises a guide or contact surface on which the upper edge of the end section of the wind deflector element, which is held tensed, is guided or held
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a wind deflector of an openable vehicle roof, with a base element that can be attached to the vehicle roof, with a raising bow that can be deployed relative to the base element, and with a flexible wind deflector element which is attached with its upper edge to the raising bow and with its lower edge to the base element, and which is held tensed between the raising bow and the base element when the raising bow is deployed, wherein it is provided according to the invention that, when the raising bow is deployed, a lateral end section of the wind deflector element is in a tensed position without attachment at its lower edge relative to the base element or a roof frame and/or without attachment at its upper edge relative to the raising bow.