Patent Application
20190225059
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application 2018-009785, filed on Jan. 24, 2018 the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This disclosure generally relates to a manufacturing method of a roller shade device and the roller shade device.
A roller shade device winding up a shade sheet around a winding cylinder fitted onto a fixed shaft is formed such that the fixed shaft is curved to be formed in an arc shape by being matched with a curved shape of a translucent panel or a window glass which corresponds to a lighting portion. For example, according to EP2529965B (hereinafter referred to as Patent reference 1), a configuration in which a winding cylinder being formed in a corrugated structure in which a small-diameter portion and a large-diameter portion are continuously and alternately provided is disclosed. According to DE102013221558B (hereinafter referred to as Patent reference 2), plural cylindrical members are connected with one another in an axial direction to include a winding cylinder. That is, by including such a configuration, the winding cylinder may include flexibility in which the winding cylinder can rotate by following the curved shape of the fixed shaft. Then, accordingly, the shade sheet being extended from the winding cylinder may be disposed along the curved shape of the lighting portion.
However, according to the aforementioned conventional disclosure, the shade sheet may be wrinkled by twisting of the winding cylinder which includes flexibility. Accordingly, the designability may be decreased.
A need thus exists for a manufacturing method of a roller shade device and a roller shade device which are not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.
According to an aspect of this disclosure, a manufacturing method of a roller shade device including a fixed shaft, a winding cylinder which has flexibility following a curved shape of the fixed shaft, and within which the fixed shaft is inserted to be positioned so as to be rotatable therewith, a shade sheet which is wound up around the winding cylinder, and a torsion spring applying a rotary force to the winding cylinder, the rotary force which winds up the shade sheet around the winding cylinder includes a process of inhibiting an axial end portion of the winding cylinder from rotating relative to the fixed shaft in a state where the torsion spring applies the rotary force to the winding cylinder, the axial end portion being away in an axial direction from a position where the torsion spring is connected to the winding cylinder, and a process of bonding the shade sheet to the winding cylinder in a state where the axial end portion is inhibited from rotating.
According to another aspect of this disclosure, a roller shade device includes a fixed shaft, a winding cylinder which has flexibility following a curved shape of the fixed shaft, and within which the fixed shaft is inserted to be positioned so as to be rotatable therewith, a shade sheet which is wound up around the winding cylinder, a torsion spring applying a rotary force to the winding cylinder, the rotary force which winds up the shade sheet around the winding cylinder, and a rotation prevention mechanism inhibiting an axial end portion of the winding cylinder from rotating relative to the fixed shaft in a state where the torsion spring applies the rotary force to the winding cylinder, the axial end portion being away in an axial direction from a position where the torsion spring is connected to the winding cylinder.
The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with the reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
An embodiment of a roller shade device will hereunder be explained with reference to the drawings. As illustrated in
Specifically, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Specifically, as illustrated in
According to the roller shade device 30 of the embodiment, the fixed shaft 41 is provided such that an axial end portion 41a which is disposed at the left in the vehicle width direction (right in
Specifically, the fixed shaft 41 of the embodiment includes a cylindrical outer shape. As illustrated in
Meanwhile, as illustrated in
The axial end portion 41b of the fixed shaft 41 disposed close to the second support member 52 is coaxially fixed with the cylindrical bearing member 57 by being inserted into the winding cylinder 42. The aforementioned connection member 56 includes a insertion portion 58 being inserted into the bearing member 57. The roller shade device 30 of the embodiment includes a configuration in which the axial end portion 41b of the fixed shaft 41 is stably supported at the right in the vehicle width direction (the left in
As illustrated in
That is, in the roller shade device 30 of the embodiment, the torsion spring 43 includes a first end portion 43a which is locked by the axial protrusion 61 provided at the first support member 51 to be connected to the fixed shaft 41 via the first support member 51. The torsion spring 43 is configured such that the second end portion 43b is locked by the axial protrusion 62 disposed at the connection member 56, and thus is connected to the winding cylinder 42 via the connection member 56. The winding cylinder 42 of the embodiment rotates in response to the elastic force of the torsion spring 43 such that the torsion spring 43 drives the axial end portion 42b which is disposed at the right in the vehicle width direction and which is connected to the second end portion 43b of the torsion spring 43.
As illustrated in
Specifically, as illustrated in
Specifically, in the cylindrical members 70 of the embodiment, the engagement recessed portions 81 are equally spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction so as to be cut out at the outer circumferential surface of the first axial end portion 70a. The engagement protrusions 82 are equally spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction so as to protrude from the second axial end portion 70b in the axial direction. The engagement protrusions 82 are formed so as to include the outside dimension which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the engagement recessed portion 81. The roller shade device 30 of the embodiment is configured such that the engagement recessed portion 81 and the engagement protrusion 82 are engaged with each other between the cylindrical members that are next to each other in the axial direction, and thus the cylindrical members 70 disposed next to each other in the axial direction are connected with each other as the winding cylinder 42 which may transmit the rotary force and which may include a flexibility.
Next, a manufacturing method of the roller shade device 30 including the aforementioned configuration, specifically, an operation process when the shade sheet 20 is wound up by the winding cylinder 42 will hereunder be explained.
As illustrated in a flowchart in
In the roller shade device 30 of the embodiment, the process for accumulating the elastic force of the torsion spring 43 is operated by rotation of the axial end portion 42b of the winding cylinder 42 opposite to the winding-up direction, the axial end portion 42b to which the second end portion 43b of the torsion spring 43 is connected, in a state where the axial end portion 41a of the fixed shaft 41 to which the first end portion 43a of the torsion spring 43 is connected is retained so as not to be rotatable.
Next, in a state where the torsion coil spring 43 applies the winding cylinder 42 the rotary force in response to the accumulated elastic force of the torsion spring 43, the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42 which is away in the axial direction from a position where the winding cylinder 42 is connected with the second end portion 43b is inhibited from rotating relatively against the fixed shaft 41 (Step S102).
By the operation of the rotation prevention process, the base end 20b of the shade sheet 20 is bonded to the winding cylinder 42 in a state where the axial end portion 42a is inhibited from rotating (Step S103), the axial end portion 42a which is disposed at the left in the vehicle-width direction which is opposite to the axial end portion 42b being disposed at the right in the vehicle-width direction, the axial end portion 42b to which the torsion spring 43 applies the rotary force. The roller shade device 30 of the embodiment is configured such that the winding cylinder 42 winds up the shade sheet 20 by releasing of the rotation prevention function of the winding cylinder 42 after bonding of the shade sheet 20 (Step S104).
Specifically, as illustrated in
That is, as illustrated in
Next, the action of the roller shade device 30 of the embodiment will be explained. As above, according to the roller shade device 30 of the embodiment, the winding cylinder 42 is provided such that the cylinder members 70 (71 to 79) including the plural engagement recessed portions 81 at the first axial end portion 70a and the plural engagement protrusions 82 at the second axial end portion 70b are connected with one another in the axial direction. The engagement recessed portion 81 and the engagement protrusion 82 connecting the cylinder members 70 with one another are formed such that the inner dimension of the engagement recessed portion 81 is slightly smaller than the outer dimension of the engagement protrusion 82, and thus the winding cylinder 42 of the cylinder member 70 may be applied with the flexibility which may rotate the winding cylinder 42 while following the curved shape of the fixed shaft 41.
That is, as illustrated in
That is, in a case where the cylinder members 71 which are positioned at the axial end portion 42b of the winding cylinder 42 rotate in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 (in the clockwise direction in
In consideration of this, according to the roller shade device 30 of the embodiment, as described above, the shade sheet 20 is bonded with the winding cylinder 42 in a state where the cylinder member 79 which is farthest away from the cylinder member 71 applied with the rotary force by the torsion spring 43 is inhibited from rotating relative to the fixed shaft 41 in a case where the shade sheet 20 is wound up by the winding device 21.
That is, the torsion spring 43 inhibits the axial end portion 42a from rotating, the axial end portion 42a being disposed at the left in the vehicle width direction and positioned opposite to the axial end portion 42b which is disposed at the right in the vehicle width direction and to which the torsion spring 43 applies the rotary force, and thus the winding cylinder 42 is configured such that the rotary phase difference Δθ of the cylinder members 70 (71 to 79) is constantly maintained based on the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 in the winding up direction. Further, the shade sheet 20 is bonded with the winding cylinder 42 in this state, and thus the direction of rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 relative to the winding cylinder 42 does not change after the rotation prevention operation is released. Accordingly, even after the shade sheet 20 is wound up by the winding cylinder 42, the rotary phase difference Δθ may be constantly maintained between the cylinder members 70 (71 to 79) which are disposed next to each other in the axial direction based on the rotary force of the torsion spring 43 applied to the winding cylinder 42 in the winding-up direction.
That is, for example, in a case where the manufacturing method in which the rotary force based on the elastic force of the torsion spring 43 is applied to the winding cylinder 42 after the shade sheet 20 is bonded with the winding cylinder 42 which is in the unloaded state is employed, the torsion may be generated at the winding cylinder 42 in a state where the shade sheet 20 is bonded with the winding cylinder 42. Then, wrinkles may be generated at the shade sheet 20 in response to the torsion of the cylinder member 42 generated after the bonding of the shade sheet 20.
However, in a case where the winding operation of the shade sheet 20 is operated with the above operation procedure (see
Next, the effect and advantage of the embodiment will be explained.
(1) The roller shade device 30 includes the fixed shaft 41 curved to be formed in an arc shape, the winding cylinder 42 including the flexibility, which follows the curved shape of the fixed shaft 41, the winding cylinder 42 into which the fixed shaft 41 is fittingly inserted so as to be rotatable, the shade sheet 20 being wound up around the winding cylinder 42, and the torsion spring 43 applying the rotary force for winding up the shade sheet 20 around the winding cylinder 42. In addition, in a case where the shade sheet 20 is wound up around the winding cylinder 42, the winding cylinder 42 is configured such that the axial end portion 42a which is disposed opposite to the axial end portion 42b which is connected with the torsion spring 43 is inhibited from relatively rotating with the fixed shaft 41 in a state where the torsion spring 43 applies the rotary force in the winding-up direction to the winding cylinder 42. The shade sheet 20 is attached to the winding cylinder 42 in a state where the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42 is inhibited from rotating.
According to the aforementioned configuration, the shade sheet 20 is attached to the winding cylinder 42 in a state where the winding cylinder 42 is previously twisted in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 in the winding-up direction. As a result, even after the shade sheet 20 is wound up around the winding cylinder 42 by releasing of the rotation prevention function of the winding cylinder 42, the torsion of the winding cylinder 42 may be maintained constantly in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 in the winding-up direction, that is, a state where the additional torsion is not likely to be generated at the winding cylinder 42 may be maintained. Accordingly, the enhanced designability may be secured by the inhibition of the generation of the wrinkles at the shade sheet 20.
(2) The winding cylinder 42 is provided with the first hole portion 91 which passes through the winding cylinder 42 in the radial direction is provided at the axial end portion 42a which is disposed opposite to the axial end portion 42b being connected with the torsion spring 43. The fixed shaft 41 is provided with the second hole portion 92 which, in the radial direction, passes through the insertion portion 53 of the first support member 51 being integrally provided with the fixed shaft 41 at the axial end portion 41a which is disposed at the left in the vehicle width direction, as is the case with the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42 including the first hole portion 91. The rotation-prevention pin 93 serving as the shaft-shaped member for rotation prevention function is inserted into the first and second hole portions 91, 92, and thus a rotation prevention mechanism 95 is formed, the rotation prevention mechanism 95 which may retain the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42 to be relatively unrotatable, the axial end portion 42a which is away, in the axial direction, from the position where the torsion spring 43 applies the rotary force.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42 which is, in the axial direction, away from the axial end portion 42b which is connected with the torsion spring 43 may be easily inhibited from rotating relative to the fixed shaft 41 with the simple configuration in a state where the torsion spring 43 applies the rotary force in the winding-up direction to the winding cylinder 42. In this state, the shade sheet 20 is bonded to the winding cylinder 42, and thus the enhanced designability may be secured by the inhibition of the wrinkles of the shade sheet 20.
(3) The winding cylinder 42 is provided by connecting of plural cylinder members 70 (71 to 79) with one another in the axial direction. That is, the plural cylindrical members 70 that are connected with one another in the axial direction includes the winding cylinder 42, and thus the flexibility following the curved shape of the fixed shaft 41 may be applied to the winding cylinder 42 while securing the high support rigidity. In addition, in a case where the cylinder members 70 including the winding cylinder 42 rotate in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43, the cylinder members 70 rotate with the phase which is delayed by the predetermined rotary phase difference Δθ based on the connection structure of the cylinder members 70 including the flexibility as a winding cylinder 42, sequentially from the upstream to the downstream of the passage where the rotary force is transmitted in the axial direction. Thus, by employing the aforementioned configuration of (1) to the winding cylinder 42, the rotary phase difference Δθ of the cylinder members 70 which are disposed next to each other in the axial direction may be maintained constantly in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 in the winding-up direction around the winding cylinder 42. Accordingly, after the shade sheet 20 is bonded to the winding cylinder 42, the state where the additional torsion is unlikely generated at the winding cylinder 42 may be maintained.
The aforementioned embodiment may be modified as follows. The aforementioned embodiment and modified examples may be combined as long as it does not contradict technically.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the lighting portion 3 is provided such that the roof opening portion 4 is provided with the translucent panel 5 which is movable. Alternatively, the lighting portion 3 may be provided such that the translucent panel 5 is fixed to the roof panel opening portion 4. A non-translucent movable panel may be provided at the roof opening portion 4.
The position of the lighting portion 3 being attached with the roller shade device 30 does not necessarily have to be provided at the roof opening portion 4, and may be provided at a position where the sunshade device 11 is required. For example, a position may correspond to, for example, a side window of the side of the vehicle.
In the aforementioned embodiment, the fixed shaft 41 which is previously curved to be formed in an arc shape is employed. Alternatively, the fixed shaft 41 may be curved to match a curved shape of a position where the fixed shaft 41 is disposed.
According to the embodiment, the torsion spring 43 is configured such that the first end portion 43a is locked by the axial protrusion 61 which is disposed at the first support member 51 integrally provided with the fixed shaft 41, and the second end portion 43b is locked by the axial protrusion 62 which is provided at the connection member 56 integrally provided with the winding cylinder 42. Alternatively, the first end portion 43a and the second end portion 43b of the torsion spring 43 may be directly connected to the fixed shaft 41 and the winding cylinder 42, respectively, which serve as connection targets.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the second end portion 43b of the torsion spring 43 is connected to the winding cylinder 42 at the axial end portion 42b which is disposed at the right in the vehicle width direction. Alternatively, for example, the connected position does not necessarily have to be at an axial end portion of the torsion spring 43, and may be provided at, for example, a center portion in the axial direction. For example, in a case where the axial-direction center portion of the winding cylinder 42 corresponds to a connected position of the torsion spring 43, the axial end portion 42b which is disposed at the right in the vehicle-width direction also corresponds to an axial end portion which is away from a position where the torsion spring 43 is connected in the axial direction. Thus, in this case, as is the case with the axial end portion 42a which is disposed at the right in the vehicle-width direction, the axial end portion 42b which is disposed at the right in the vehicle-width direction may be inhibited from rotating relative to the fixed shaft 41.
In addition, the axial end portion 41a of the fixed shaft 41 does not necessarily have to be the portion connected to the first end portion 43a of the torsion spring 43. The plural torsion springs 43 may be employed to apply the rotary force in the winding-up direction to the winding cylinder 42.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the rotation-prevention pin 93 serving as a shaft-shaped member for the rotation prevention function is inserted into the first hole portions 91 passing through the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42, and the second hole portions 92 passing through, in the radial direction, the insertion portion 53 of the first support member 51 which is integrally provided with the axial end portion 41a of the fixed shaft 41 to include the rotation prevention mechanism 95 (see
Alternatively, for example, as shown in
The rotation prevention mechanism 95 may lock the fixed shaft 41 directly. Then, for example, the rotation prevention mechanism 95 may include other configurations, for example, protrusions for rotation-prevention function which are provided at the fixed shaft 41 and the winding cylinder 42 may be integrally restrained, or attached.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the plural cylinder members 70 (71 to 79) are connected with one another in the axial direction to include the winding cylinder 42. Alternatively, the number of the cylinder members 70 included by the winding cylinder 42 and the form of the connection portion may be freely changed.
For example, as illustrated in
Next, the technical idea which may be comprehended by the above embodiment and the modified examples will hereunder be explained.
The roller shade device which is characterized in that the shaft-shaped member for rotation prevention function is inserted into the first and second hole portions in the radial direction of the winding cylinder and the fixed shaft.
The roller shade device which is characterized in that the shaft-shaped member for rotation prevention function is inserted into the first and second hole portions in the axial direction of the winding cylinder and the fixed shaft.
The roller shade device which is characterized in that the winding cylinder includes the corrugated structure in which the small diameter portions and the large diameter portions are continuously and alternatively provided. Accordingly, the structure of the cylinder which includes the flexibility following the curved shape of the fixed shaft and within which the fixed shaft is inserted to be positioned so as to be rotatable therewith may be secured.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the manufacturing method of a roller shade device (30) including a fixed shaft (41), a winding cylinder (42) which has flexibility following a curved shape of the fixed shaft (41), and within which the fixed shaft (41) is inserted to be positioned so as to be rotatable therewith, a shade sheet (20) which is wound up around the winding cylinder (42), and a torsion spring (43) applying a rotary force to the winding cylinder (42), the rotary force which winds up the shade sheet (20) around the winding cylinder (42) includes a process of inhibiting an axial end portion (42a) of the winding cylinder (42) from rotating relative to the fixed shaft (41) in a state where the torsion spring (43) applies the rotary force to the winding cylinder (42), the axial end portion (42a) being away in an axial direction from a position where the torsion spring (43) is connected to the winding cylinder (42), and a process of bonding the shade sheet (20) to the winding cylinder (42) in a state where the axial end portion (42a) is inhibited from rotating.
According to the aforementioned configuration, the shade sheet 20 is attached to the winding cylinder 42 in a state where the winding cylinder 42 is previously twisted in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 in the winding-up direction. As a result, even after the shade sheet 20 is wound up around the winding cylinder 42 by releasing of the rotation prevention function of the winding cylinder 42, the torsion of the winding cylinder 42 may be maintained constantly in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 in the winding-up direction, that is, a state where the additional torsion is not likely to be generated at the winding cylinder 42 may be maintained. Accordingly, the enhanced designability may be secured by the inhibition of the generation of the wrinkles at the shade sheet 20.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the process of inhibiting the axial end portion (42b) of the winding cylinder (42) from rotating includes a process of inserting a shaft-shaped member (93) for rotation prevention function into a first hole portion (91, 91B) being provided at the winding cylinder (42) and into a second hole portion (92, 92B) being provided at the fixed shaft (41).
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42 which is, in the axial direction, away from the axial end portion 42b which is connected with the torsion spring 43 may be easily inhibited from rotating relative to the fixed shaft 41 with the simple configuration in a state where the torsion spring 43 applies the rotary force in the winding-up direction to the winding cylinder 42.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the roller shade device (30) includes the fixed shaft (41), the winding cylinder (42) which has flexibility following the curved shape of the fixed shaft (41), and within which the fixed shaft (41) is inserted to be positioned so as to be rotatable therewith, the shade sheet (20) which is wound up around the winding cylinder (42), the torsion spring (43) applying a rotary force to the winding cylinder (42), the rotary force which winds up the shade sheet (20) around the winding cylinder (42), and the rotation prevention mechanism (95) inhibiting an axial end portion (42a) of the winding cylinder (42) from rotating relative to the fixed shaft (41) in a state where the torsion spring (43) applies the rotary force to the winding cylinder (42), the axial end portion (42a) being away in an axial direction from a position where the torsion spring (43) is connected to the winding cylinder (42).
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the axial end portion 42a of the winding cylinder 42 which is, in the axial direction, away from the axial end portion 42b which is connected with the torsion spring 43 may be easily inhibited from rotating relative to the fixed shaft 41 with the simple configuration in a state where the torsion spring 43 applies the rotary force in the winding-up direction to the winding cylinder 42. In this state, the shade sheet 20 is bonded to the winding cylinder 42, and thus the enhanced designability may be secured by the inhibition of the wrinkles of the shade sheet 20.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the rotation prevention mechanism (95) includes the first hole portion (91, 91B) being provided at the winding cylinder (42), the second hole portion (92, 92B) being provided at the fixed shaft (41), and the shaft-shaped member (93) for rotation prevention function being inserted into the first hole portion (91, 91B) and the second hole portion (92, 92B).
According to the aforementioned configuration, the rotation-prevention mechanism of the winding cylinder 42 may be easily provided with the simple configuration.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the winding cylinder (42) is formed by a plurality of cylinder members (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79) being connected with one another in the axial direction.
That is, the plural cylindrical members 70 that are connected with one another in the axial direction includes the winding cylinder 42, and thus the flexibility following the curved shape of the fixed shaft 41 may be applied to the winding cylinder 42 while securing the high support rigidity. In addition, in a case where the cylinder members 70 including the winding cylinder 42 rotate in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43, the cylinder members 70 rotate with the phase which is delayed by the predetermined rotary phase difference Δθ based on the connection structure of the cylinder members 70 including the flexibility as a winding cylinder 42, sequentially from the upstream to the downstream of the passage where the rotary force is transmitted in the axial direction. Thus, by employing the aforementioned configuration of (1) to the winding cylinder 42, the rotary phase difference Δθ of the cylinder members 70 which are disposed next to each other in the axial direction may be maintained constantly in response to the rotary force applied by the torsion spring 43 in the winding-up direction around the winding cylinder 42. Accordingly, after the shade sheet 20 is bonded to the winding cylinder 42, the state where the additional torsion is unlikely generated at the winding cylinder 42 may be maintained.
The principles, preferred embodiment and mode of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, be embraced thereby.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-009785 | Jan 2018 | JP | national |
