Roller blind for sliding roof system

p0001The invention relates to a roller blind for a sliding roof system.

p0002A roller blind for a sliding roof system is generally mounted below an opening in a vehicle roof, to cover the opening, depending on the wishes of the vehicle occupant, more or less. If the opening is to be released, the roller blind is wound up on a winding shaft, which is acted upon by a spring in the winding direction. Of the winding shaft the roller blind can be pulled against the force of the spring so that it covers the opening. In order for the blind, when it is located below the opening in the vehicle roof, there is no slack in the vehicle interior in the longitudinal edges of the blind are each received in a guide rail, so that it can be transversely kept tensioned to the displacement direction.

p0003A disadvantage of the known blinds that acting on the winding shaft spring must be strong enough to wind the blind reliably while not overwhelmingly adjust the spring the shade when the shade was brought by the user into a desired position by itself allowed. In view of the aging of the spring and the different friction conditions that may occur over the life of the blind, as well as the different spring forces acting in completely withdrawn from the winding axis Rollo one hand and almost completely wound Rollo other hand, the two requirements can only meet great expense.

p0004The <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="GB1416431A"><text>GB 1416431</text></patcit> shows a window shade for an aircraft, consisting of several profiled parts made of aluminum, which are disposed adjacent one another. The aperture is guided in lateral guide rails by means of flat springs.

p0005The <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="US4825921A"><text>US 4,825,921</text></patcit> shows a Flyscreens, in which a spring steel sheet for guiding the fly screen is mounted on the rim.

p0006The object of the invention is to provide a window shade, on the one hand can be reliably wound with little effort, on the other hand remains reliably in every position. In addition, it should be able to be realized with a small building and space requirements.

p0007To achieve this object, a blind for a sliding roof system according to the invention is provided which consists of a flexible material, wherein two coil springs are provided which extend along the longitudinal edges of the blinds and looking to contract to a spiral, the spiral springs simultaneously for guiding the blind can serve in a guide rail, wherein the bias of the coil springs causes produce within the guide rails a comparatively high friction, is so reliably prevents adjusting the shade of alone undesirably, and that no separate Rollo brake , Basically, a roller blind, wherein the two spiral springs instead of acting on the winding axis of spring used, which act directly on the shade itself, the advantage that the part of the roller blind, is not located in the guide rails, is automatically rolled up into a roll , In this way acts on the part of the blind, which is located in the guide rails, only a very small traction. In addition, the bias of the coil springs results in that they produce a relatively high friction within the guide rails. This reliably prevents the blind from alone displaced undesirably. In a separate blind brake can be dispensed with. Finally, results in a lower space since not the rewind axle spring loading is necessary, or it can be completely dispensed with the winding axis, so that the blind winds freely once it has left the guide rails.

p0008It is preferably provided that the helical springs are also used to guide the blind in a guide rail. In this way can be to the otherwise used for guiding the blind elements, such as piping, bead or guide strip, omitted.

p0009According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the helical springs are biased so that when they are outside of the guide rails and no shade between them would be present, would each pull together in a spiral whose tips are opposed to each other. This ensures that the roller blind winding generated by the coil springs is held transversely to the guide rails taut, if they are not a winding axis.

p0010The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a roller blind which is provided on its longitudinal edges with a respective coil spring, and two guide rails, in which the respective coil spring is accommodated, so that the roller blind is guided between the guide rails, wherein the part of the coil springs which is located outside the guide rails, winds along with the attached blind by itself to form a roll. Regarding the advantages, reference is made to the above explanations.

p0011The invention is described below with reference to a preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:<ul><li><figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> a perspective view of a vehicle roof with a roller blind according to the invention;</li><li><figref idrefs="f0001">figure 2</figref> a schematic side view of a blind according to the invention;</li><li><figref idrefs="f0002">figure 3</figref> a section along the plane III-III of <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>;</li><li><figref idrefs="f0002">figure 4</figref> on an enlarged scale the detail IV of <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 2</figref>; and</li><li><figref idrefs="f0003">figure 5</figref> in a schematic view of a coil spring in a state which it occupies when no external forces are applied.</li></ul>

p0012In <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> is a vehicle roof 5 to see, which is provided with an opening. 7 The opening 7 is associated with a lid 9 of a sliding roof system. The lid 9 is movable between a closed position in which it closes the opening 7, and one in<figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> shown, open position can be adjusted. Below the cover 9, and also below the opening 7 a roller blind 10 is disposed. The blind 10 may, relative to the vehicle, forward and backward to move. When the shade 10 is completely pushed to the back, the opening 7 is completely released. Fresh air and sunlight then have free access to the vehicle interior. When the blind 10 is fully pushed forward, the opening 7 is covered by the roller blind. Fresh air and sunlight can thus reach only to a limited extent in the vehicle interior.

p0013The shade 10 is made of a flexible material such as fabric or a plastic film. At its front edge, a hoop 12 is provided on which a vehicle occupant can attack to move the shade to the front or rear. Side along the opening 7 extend two guide rails 14, in which the two longitudinal edges of the shade, so in the vehicle longitudinal direction considered the right and the left edge of the shade 10, are added. In the area of ​​the rear end of the opening 7 is the trailing edge of the blind on which a winding body 16 is mounted. The winding body is mounted on the roof; it can be designed as a plastic strip, which is sprayed onto the trailing edge of the blind and substantially has the function to hold the rear edge of the roller blind in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle tensioned.

p0014Along the longitudinal edges of the shade 10, so the guide rails 14 in the associated region, a spiral spring is in each case 18 which is formed as a thin metal strip of spring metal sheet and serves as a guide element. The coil spring 18 has when it is accommodated in the corresponding guide rail, in which<figref idrefs="f0002">figure 3</figref> visible, curved cross-sectional shape. The roller blind 10 is connected to the helical springs 18 only on the outer half, ie from the outer edge to about the apex of the coil springs 18. This area is in<figref idrefs="f0002">figure 3</figref> designated by the reference numeral 20th The roller blind 10 may be glued to the coil spring 18 in particular.

p0015The guide rail 14 has a generally rectangular cross-section, in the interior of the spiral spring 18 together with the attached at their edge portion of the shade 10 is fixed in the section. On the side directed toward the vehicle center side of the guide rail has a leg 22, which engages between the roller blind 10 and the directional center of the vehicle portion of the spiral spring 18, ie in the region in which the shade 10 is not bonded with the coil spring 18th The coil spring 18 can thus be supported below the leg to keep the roller blind 10 transversely stretched.

p0016The two coil springs 18 are biased such that they roll up automatically. Furthermore, they are so biased that they try to "obliquely" roll up, as in<figref idrefs="f0003">figure 5</figref> you can see. Each coil spring 18 would, if it can be rolled freely and no shade 10 and no bobbin 16 were present, roll up so that a spiral is created, the free end is facing outwards, ie from the other coil spring away. This ensures that the shade 10 between the two coil springs when they are outside of the guide rails 14, is held taut.

p0017When the shade 10 is shifted rearward to expose the opening 7, the rear portion of the shade 10 is pushed out of the guide rails 14th It is rolled up by the coil springs 18 automatically and by itself to form a roll. This is taut due to the bias of the coil springs and due to the winding former 16th The roller blind roll rests against a wall 24 which delimits a receiving space for the wound shade 10th

p0018As no spring is provided which exerts a dependent of the position of the roller blind winding force on the shade, there is a constant tension which counteracts an adjustment of the blinds to the front. Another effect is to increase the displacement force, so as to obtain a self-locking it. Thus a manually operated roller blind remains in any intermediate position are without an additional brake is necessary Rollo

p0019When the shade 10, the guide rails 14 leaves and is wound into a coil, the coil springs 18 change their cross-sectional shape of the in <figref idrefs="f0002">figure 3</figref> shown first cross-sectional shape to a second cross-sectional shape in the <figref idrefs="f0002">figure 4</figref> is shown. The coil springs have a flat rectangular cross section whose height corresponds to the material thickness of the coil springs 18th Therefore, there is a winding with a small diameter.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

p0020<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>5</dt><dd>vehicle roof</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>opening</dd><dt>9</dt><dd>cover</dd><dt>10</dt><dd>roller blind</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>Spriegel</dd><dt>14</dt><dd>guide rail</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>bobbin</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>guide member</dd><dt>20</dt><dd>connecting portion</dd><dt>22</dt><dd>leg</dd><dt>24</dt><dd>wall</dd></dl>