The present invention claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 102004017459.8, filed Apr. 8, 2004.
The invention relates to a window blind for a sliding roof system, and more particularly to a window blind having a flexible material and two guide elements extending along the longitudinal edges of the window blind to engage in a corresponding guide.
Window blinds are commonly used in sliding roof systems to expose and hide an opening in a vehicle roof. The window blind is usually made of a flexible material that may be attached underneath the vehicle roof opening in order to cover the opening to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the choice of the vehicle occupants. If the opening is to be exposed, the window blind is wound on a winding shaft. If the opening is to be hidden, the window blind can be uncoiled so that it covers the opening. The longitudinal edges of the window blind are received in a guide so that the window blind can be held taut transverse to the shifting direction. This prevents the window blind from sagging into the vehicle interior space when lying underneath the opening in the vehicle roof.
The longitudinal edges of the window blind are usually angled and inserted in guide grooves of a guide rail. This allows application of a desired tension in the transverse direction. One disadvantage of this configuration, however, is that the window blind occupies a large overall height due to the angled longitudinal edges of the guide rail. This reduces the amount of available headroom in the vehicle interior space. Moreover, the transition area from the winding shaft to the entrance in the guide grooves needs to be covered by a facing, causing the facing to be wider than desirable.
There is a desire for a window blind that can be received in a guide and that can be held taut in a transverse direction while keeping manufacturing costs low. There is also a desire for a window blind that occupies a small amount of space.
The invention is directed to a window blind having a guide element in the form of a flat strip fastened to a corresponding longitudinal edge of the window blind so that both the flat strip and the window blind can be wound up together. The flat strip eliminates the need to provide a lateral bend in the longitudinal edge for inserting into a guide and holding the window blind taut. Instead, the guide elements are applied to the longitudinal edges of the window blind and run straight into a guide associated with the corresponding longitudinal edges without the need to configure the guide elements to include an angle. The guide elements are received in the guide so that a desired pretension can be obtained in the transverse direction.
In one embodiment, the guide element in the initial state has a first cross-sectional shape for insertion in the guide and can be transferred to a second cross-sectional shape that allows the window blind to wind up in a space-saving manner. Altering the cross-sectional shape of the guide element allows the guide element to be suitably received in the associated guide while still being able to be wound up flat on a winding shaft together with the window blind. Advantageous embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the sub-claims.
The invention will now be explained with the aid of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings in which:
Generally, the invention is directed to a window blind having a guide element in the form of a flat strip that is fastened to a corresponding longitudinal edge of the window blind so that the flat strip and the window blind can be wound up together. The invention is based on the fact that the window blind no longer incorporates a lateral bend for inserting the window blind into a guide so that the window blind can be held taut. Instead, applying guide elements in the form of flat strips on the longitudinal edges of the window blind allows the guide elements to run straight into a guide associated with the corresponding longitudinal edges without configuring the guide elements to be angled. The guide elements are received in the guide so that a desired pretension can be obtained in the transverse direction.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the guide element in the initial state has a first cross-sectional shape that allows the guide element to be received in the guide. The guide element can also be transferred to a second cross-sectional shape that allows the guide element and the attached window blind to wind up in a space-saving manner. This embodiment alters the shape of the guide element to allow the guide element to be suitably received in its associated guide while still allowing the guide element to be wound up flat on a winding shaft together with the window blind.
A curved cross-sectional shape in the guide element is particularly suitable for the above functions. When the guide element is curved, it has a comparably large height, which securely anchors the guide element in the interior of its corresponding guide. If the guide element instead is pressed flat, it has a comparably small height corresponding essentially to the thickness of the flexible material used to form the window blind. This allows the guide element, together with the window blind, to be wound up in a space-saving manner.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the guide element is configured as a flat strip having a rectangular cross-sectional shape. This guide element can also be used to securely anchor in the guide, particularly if it is connected with the window blind only in sections.
Referring to the Figures,
The window blind 10 can be made from any flexible material, such as cloth or plastic film. A handle 12 is disposed on the front edge of the window blind 10, which can be gripped by a vehicle occupant in order to displace the window blind 10 toward the front or the rear of the vehicle. Two guides 14 extend laterally along the opening 7 and receive the two longitudinal edges of the window blind 10 (i.e., the right and left edges of the window blind 10 as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle). At the rear end of the opening 7, a winding shaft 16 is attached to the rear edge of the window blind 10. The winding shaft 16 may be biased by a spring so that the window blind 10 will be automatically received on the winding shaft 16 when the handle 12 is pushed toward the rear.
Each window blind 10 has a guide element 18 disposed along each of its longitudinal edges. That is, in the area associated with the guides 14, the guide element 18 is configured in the embodiment of
As shown in the section view of
To wind the window blind 10 on the winding shaft 16, the guide element 18 is transferred from the first cross-sectional shape shown in
In addition to its curvature in the transverse direction, the guide element 18 can also be curved in the longitudinal direction so that it rolls up automatically. In this configuration, the usually customary roll-up spring on the winding shaft 16 may be eliminated. At the same time, the guide element 18 provides a constant tensile force and also increases the shifting force to obtain a self-locking effect in the window blind 10. Thus, the window blind 10 will remain in any intermediate position when actuated by hand without the need of an additional window blind brake.
The difference in this embodiment with respect to the embodiment illustrated in
If the window blind 10 is being wound on the winding shaft 16, the edge portion of the window blind 10 is slightly turned so that the guide element 18 lies flat against the window blind 10. In this state, it will then be wound up on the winding shaft 16 together with the window blind 10.
It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2004 017 459 | Apr 2004 | DE | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4707018 | Gavagan | Nov 1987 | A |
4825921 | Rigter | May 1989 | A |
6047762 | Anderson | Apr 2000 | A |
6309076 | McVicker | Oct 2001 | B1 |
20040075304 | Cocaign | Apr 2004 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20050225123 A1 | Oct 2005 | US |