U.S. patent application number 11/714170 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-13 for sunshade device for motor-vehicles, with shape memory actuator.
This patent application is currently assigned to C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni. Invention is credited to Stefano Alacqua, Marco Biasiotto, Gianluca Capretti, Alessandro Zanella.
Application Number | 20070210606 11/714170 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36593097 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070210606 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Alacqua; Stefano ; et
al. |
September 13, 2007 |
Sunshade device for motor-vehicles, with shape memory actuator
Abstract
A sunshade device comprises a sunshade in the form of a roller
blind forming part of a roller-blind device, comprising a
supporting structure, a shaft for rolling of the sunshade blind,
mounted so that it can rotate on the aforesaid supporting
structure, and a shape-memory actuator device for causing
displacement of the blind from the rolled-up condition to the
distended condition.
Inventors: |
Alacqua; Stefano; (Rivoli
Cascine Vica (Torino), IT) ; Capretti; Gianluca;
(Orbassano (Torino), IT) ; Biasiotto; Marco;
(Torino, IT) ; Zanella; Alessandro; (Torino,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
901 NORTH GLEBE ROAD, 11TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Assignee: |
C.R.F. Societa Consortile per
Azioni
Orbassano (Torino)
IT
|
Family ID: |
36593097 |
Appl. No.: |
11/714170 |
Filed: |
March 6, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/97.8 ;
160/370.22; 160/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J 3/0204
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/97.8 |
International
Class: |
B60J 3/02 20060101
B60J003/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 8, 2006 |
EP |
06425155.6 |
Claims
1. A sunshade device for motor vehicles, comprising a sunshade that
can be displaced between an inoperative position and an operative
position with respect to a supporting structure, and a shape-memory
actuator for controlling displacement of the sunshade from its
inoperative position to its operative position, said device being
characterized in that said sunshade is constituted by a blind of a
roller-blind device, comprising a supporting structure and a shaft
for rolling-up of the blind, mounted so that it can rotate in the
supporting structure.
2. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein the
shape-memory actuator is provided for controlling movement of the
sunshade only from its inoperative position to its operative
position, said device further comprising: engagement means for
withholding the sunshade in its operative position once this has
been reached so as to enable de-activation of the shape-memory
actuator element; means for de-activation of the aforesaid
engagement means; and elastic means that bring back the sunshade
into its inoperative position.
3. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein a first
shape-memory actuator element and a second shape-memory actuator
element are provided for controlling movement of the sunshade into
its operative position and into its inoperative position,
respectively.
4. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein the
shape-memory actuator is of a bistable type, designed to cause at
each successive activation a movement of the sunshade from the
inoperative position to the operative position, or vice versa.
5. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein the
shape-memory actuator comprises: a shape-memory element wound
around a rotatable disk, having one end connected to said rotatable
disk and the opposite end connected to a fixed structure; means for
electrical supply of said shape-memory element, designed to cause a
heating of said shape-memory element beyond the transition
temperature so as to bring about shortening thereof, with a
consequent rotation of the aforesaid disk-like body on which the
shape-memory element is wound; and a gear transmission for
transmitting rotation of the aforesaid disk of the shape-memory
actuator element to the shaft for rolling-up of the blind.
6. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein said
shape-memory actuator comprises a pair of shape-memory wires that
can be activated for controlling rotation of two oscillating arms,
each having one end supported in a rotatable way by the supporting
structure of the roller-blind device and the opposite end connected
in an articulated way to a slider that can slide along a cross
member fixed to the free edge of the blind, in such a way that said
oscillating arms are displaceable between an aligned retracted
condition, corresponding to the rolled-up condition of the blind,
and a condition where they are rotated outwards, in which they
cause unrolling of the blind.
7. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein said blind is
made of fabric or of flexible plastic material and has two
longitudinal edges englobing two metal wires or strips sufficiently
flexible to enable rolling-up within the casing of the roller-blind
device in the rolled-up condition of the blind, but sufficiently
rigid to bestow upon the blind a rigid and self-bearing condition,
in the distended condition of the blind.
8. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting
structure of the roller blind is connected to a bracket to be
recured the structure of the motor vehicle via a ball-and-socket
joint.
9. The sunshade device according to claim 8, wherein the aforesaid
articulated joint is provided in such a way as to maintain the
casing of the roller-blind device clamped in any selected
orientation and is in particular shaped in such a way as to enable
an adjustment of the inclination of the plane of the blind in the
distended condition.
10. The sunshade device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises
means for activation of the shape-memory actuator, comprising a
control pushbutton, an electronic control unit, which activates a
circulation of electric current through the shape-memory actuator
following upon operation of the control pushbutton.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a sunshade device for motor
vehicles, comprising a sunshade that can be displaced between an
inoperative position and an operative position with respect to a
supporting structure, and a shape-memory actuator for controlling
displacement of the sunshade from its inoperative position to its
operative position.
[0002] A device of the type referred to above is described and
illustrated in the document No. JP-A-62 006824. In the case of said
known device, the sunshade is in the form of a panel guided in a
slidable way between an inoperative position where it is retracted
within a casing and an extracted operative position. On account of
the dimensions of the sunshade, the casing that receives it in the
inoperative condition has a relatively large encumbrance in the
longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. Said aspect
constitutes a drawback, particularly in the case of vehicles
equipped with sunroof with window. In this case, in fact, the front
cross member of the roof, which delimits at the front the opening
of the window, must present a dimension in the longitudinal
direction of the motor vehicle that is relatively large, which
makes it impossible for the driver and the passenger sitting in the
front seat of the motor vehicle to enjoy fully the advantages of
the window present on the roof. Said circumstance is highlighted in
FIG. 1 of the annexed plate of drawings, which shows a partial view
of a motor vehicle 1, equipped with a windscreen 2 and a roof 3
with a window 4 delimited at the front by a cross member 5. In the
case of application of the device according to the known art, the
cross member 5 has, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 1, a dimension
in the longitudinal direction A of the motor vehicle that is
relatively large, in so far as each of the sunshades 6 must be
received, in its own inoperative condition, within said cross
member 5. Consequently, the front edge 7 of the window 4 made in
the roof 3 is sensibly retracted, a fact which, as has been said,
does not enable the driver of the motor vehicle and the passenger
sitting in the front seat to enjoy fully the advantages of the
window on the roof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The main purpose of the present invention is to overcome the
aforesaid drawback.
[0004] A further purpose is to provide a sunshade device with
shape-memory actuation that is simple, has small overall
dimensions, and is efficient and quiet during operation.
[0005] With a view to achieving said purpose, the subject of the
invention is a sunshade device having the characteristics referred
to at the start of the present description and further
characterized in that the aforesaid sunshade is constituted by the
blind of a roller-blind device, comprising a supporting structure
and a shaft on which the blind is rolled up, which is mounted on
the supporting structure so that it can rotate, said shape-memory
actuator comprising at least one shape-memory element that can be
activated for controlling movement of the roller blind from the
rolled-up condition to the distended condition.
[0006] Thanks to the characteristic indicated above, in the
condition where it is installed on the motor vehicle, the device
according to the invention has small overall dimensions in the
longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, which enables sensible
reduction in the transverse dimension of the front cross member of
the roof panel with consequent advantages in the case where the
vehicle is equipped with a sun roof with window. Of course, the
invention can in any case be applied with practical advantage also
on motor vehicles not provided with sunroof with a window.
[0007] The shape-memory actuator can be of the type in which a
shape-memory actuator element controls the movement of the sunshade
only from its inoperative position to its operative position,
engagement means being provided for withholding the sunshade in its
operative position once this has been reached so as to enable
de-activation of the shape-memory element. In the case of said
solution, there are provided means for de-activating the engagement
means and elastic means that bring back the sunshade into its
inoperative position.
[0008] In a second solution, a first shape-memory actuator element
and a second shape-memory actuator element are provided for
controlling movement of the sunshade into the operative position or
into the inoperative position, respectively.
[0009] In a third solution, the shape-memory actuator is of a
bistable type, i.e., of the type in which each successive
activation of the shape-memory actuator brings about movement of
the sunshade from the inoperative position into the operative
position or vice versa, the sunshade remaining each time in the
position reached after de-activation of the actuator.
[0010] The shape-memory element is preferably of the type that can
be activated by electrical-supply means, which cause passage of an
electric current through the shape-memory element, so as to heat it
by the Joule effect beyond its transition temperature.
[0011] According to a further characteristic of the invention, the
roller blind constituting the sunshade has two longitudinal edges
provided with a stiffening element in such a way that, in the
distended condition, the sunshade has a substantially rigid and
self-bearing configuration and projects in cantilever fashion from
the roller-blind casing.
[0012] The supporting structure of the roller blind is in turn
connected to a fixing bracket by means of an articulated joint,
which enables orientation of the sunshade in any desired position,
for example in such a way as to lay it out parallel to the
windscreen or parallel to a side window of the motor vehicle or in
order adjust the angle of inclination of the blind in its distended
configuration.
[0013] In an example of embodiment, the shape-memory actuator
comprises an elongated shape-memory element wound within a casing
and made in such a way as to control rotation of the shaft for
rolling-up of the blind via a gear transmission. The wound
shape-memory device can be, for example, of the type forming the
subject of the copending European patent application No. 06425135.8
filed in the name of the present applicant.
[0014] In a variant, the shape-memory actuator can comprise one or
more shape-memory wires arranged so as to bring about rotation of
respective pulleys connected in rotation to arms for supporting the
end edge of the blind, which can oscillate between a retracted
position and an extracted position in which they cause unrolling of
the blind from the roller device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will
emerge from the ensuing description with reference to the annexed
plate of drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting
example and in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a motor vehicle
equipped with a sunshade shape-memory-actuator device according to
the known art;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to that of FIG. 1, which
shows a motor vehicle provided with a device according to the
invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the device
according to the invention, in the inoperative condition;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 2, in the
operative condition;
[0020] FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, 8 illustrate the aforesaid inoperative and
operative conditions of the device of FIGS. 3 and 4 in a front view
and in a side view, respectively;
[0021] FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views of a second embodiment
of the device according to the invention in the inoperative
condition and in the operative condition, respectively; and
[0022] FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, 14 show the aforesaid two operative
conditions of the device of FIGS. 9 and 10 in a front view and in a
side view, respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] As has already been described above, FIG. 1 shows the
application of a sunshade shape-memory-actuator device according to
the known art, for example of the type illustrated in the document
No. JP-A-62 006 824, applied to a motor vehicle equipped with a
sunroof with window. As discussed above, in said application the
disadvantage due to the encumbrance of the device in the
longitudinal direction A of the motor vehicle is evident, in that
it entails a very retracted positioning of the front edge 7 of the
window 4 of the roof.
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a similar application of a device
provided in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
In this case, the front cross member 5 of the roof panel 3 of the
motor vehicle has a very small dimension in the longitudinal
direction A, which entails a very advanced positioning of the front
edge 7 of the window 4 made in the roof 3. In this way, also the
driver and the passenger sitting in the front seat can enjoy fully
the advantages of the window 4.
[0025] As may already be seen schematically from FIG. 2, the motor
vehicle is equipped with one or more sunshade devices 8. In the
case in point, two devices are provided, designed to be used
respectively by the driver and by the passenger occupying the front
seat adjacent to the driver. There is nothing, however, to rule out
similar devices possibly being provided, for example, in areas
corresponding to the rear side windows so as to be used by the
passengers occupying the rear seats of the motor vehicle.
[0026] Each device 8 is substantially constituted by a roller blind
supported in an orientable way by a bracket fixed to the structure
of the motor vehicle.
[0027] With reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3-8,
the sunshade proper, designated by the reference number 6, is
constituted by the roller blind of a roller-blind device. The blind
6 can be made of fabric or of a synthetic material and incorporates
along its longitudinal edges two flexible-metal strips 6a, which
wind within the casing of the device in the rolled-up condition of
the blind, but have in any case a stiffness sufficient to maintain
the blind 6 substantially in tension and rigid, i.e., self-bearing,
in its distended condition in cantilever fashion outside the
roller-blind casing.
[0028] As may be seen in particular from FIGS. 5 and 6, the blind 6
rolls up on two end rollers 9 carried by a winding shaft 10, which
is supported, in such a way that it can rotate, within a
cylindrical casing 11 having a slit 12 from which the blind 6 comes
out. Rotation of the winding shaft 10 is driven by a shape-memory
actuator 13 of which the drawings show the outer casing. The
shape-memory actuator 13 is of the type designed to set in rotation
a disk 14 by means of a elongated shape-memory element, for
example, in the form of a wire or strip, wound in a spiral or else
in a helix. An actuator device of this type forms the subject of
the copending European patent application No. 06425135.8 filed in
the name of the present applicant. Basically, it envisages a wire
made of shape-memory material wound in a helix on a rotatable body
and having one end fixed on said body and the opposite end
connected to a fixed structure. The actuator device comprises
electrical-supply means that can be actuated by the driver by means
of a control pushbutton for example adjacent to the device 8, which
causes the elongated shape-memory element to be traversed by
electric current. Following upon passage of current, the elongated
shape-memory element undergoes heating by the Joule effect above
its transition temperature, so that the element tends to shorten,
thus setting the disk-like body on which it is wound in rotation.
Rotation of the disk 14 gives rise to a corresponding rotation of a
toothed sector 15, which is rigidly connected to the disk 14 and
rotates therewith around the respective axis of rotation 16. The
toothed sector 15 in turn meshes with a sprocket wheel 17 (FIGS. 7
and 8) carried by one end of the winding shaft 10.
[0029] Thanks to the arrangement described above, activation of the
shape-memory element causes rotation of the shaft for rolling-up of
the blind from the condition corresponding to the inoperative
position of the blind (FIGS. 3 and 5, 7) to the operative position
(FIGS. 5 and 6, 8).
[0030] As already mentioned above, activation of the shape-memory
actuator device 13 can be controlled by the user by operating a
pushbutton, designated as a whole by 18 in FIG. 3, which transmits
a signal to an electronic control unit 19, which provides
electrical supply to the shape-memory actuator device 13.
[0031] In one embodiment, the device can be envisaged so as to
maintain the blind 6 in the distended condition as long as the
electrical supply of the shape-memory actuator is maintained. As
said supply ceases, which can be obtained once again by actuating
the control pushbutton 18, the shape-memory element cools down and
returns into its original condition, and retraction of the blind 6
in the rolled-up condition is obtained by means of elastic-return
means, for example in the form of a spiral spring associated to the
disk 14 itself of the shape-memory actuator or to the winding
roller 10.
[0032] However, according to the invention, it is considered
advantageous to ensure that the blind 6 will remain in its
operative extracted position without requiring maintenance of the
electrical supply of the shape-memory actuator. The simplest way to
obtain this result is to use a shape-memory actuator of a bistable
type. An actuator of this type has, for example, formed the subject
of the European patent No. EP-B-1 241 351 filed in the name of the
present applicant. Basically, bistable operation is obtained by
associating to the member driven by the shape-memory element either
elastic means that tend to bring back the driven member into a
resting position or a device for clamping the driven member in the
operative condition into which it is brought when the shape-memory
element is activated, the arrangement being such that, once the
driven member has been clamped in its operative condition, a
subsequent temporary activation of the shape-memory element causes
de-activation of the aforesaid clamping device. In this way, the
driven member is normally kept in its resting position by the
aforesaid elastic means. Starting from this condition, if the
shape-memory element is activated, the driven member is displaced
into its operative condition, against the action of the aforesaid
elastic means, until it causes engagement of the clamping device,
after which the driven member remains in its operative condition
even if the shape-memory element is de-activated. A subsequent
activation of the shape-memory element causes de-activation of the
clamping device and consequent return of the driven member into its
resting position as a result of the elastic return means.
[0033] As an alternative to said solution, a first shape-memory
element may be provided for causing displacement of the driven
member from its resting position to its operative position, where
it is clamped by an engagement device so as to enable de-activation
of the first shape-memory element, as well as a second shape-memory
element, which is designed to cause de-activation of the engagement
device so as to bring about return of the driven member into its
resting position under the action of elastic return means.
[0034] To return to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3-8, the
entire structure constituted by the casing 11 and the casing 13
connected at one end of the casing 11 is connected, by means of a
ball-and-socket joint 20 located at the centre of the casing 13, to
an L-shaped supporting pin 21, projecting from a bracket 22
provided with holes 23 for screws for fixing the bracket 22 to the
structure of the motor vehicle. Moreover associated to the casing
13 is a gripping handle 13a, which enables manual orientation of
the entire structure of the device exploiting the freedom of
movement afforded by the ball-and-socket joint 20. In this way, the
user can easily position the device 8 in the most convenient way,
for example in a position corresponding to the windscreen of the
motor vehicle or of a side window. In addition, the ball-and-socket
joint 20 affords also the possibility of adjusting the angular
position of the slit 12 from which the blind 6 comes out so as to
vary, in the distended condition of the blind, the angle of
inclination of the blind itself.
[0035] A further advantage of the device according to the invention
is that it is always and in any condition manually controllable.
For example, in the case of the embodiment described above with
reference to FIGS. 3-8, at any moment the user can grip the end
edge of the blind 6, when this is extracted in the condition of
FIG. 4, and push it so as to cause it to enter within the casing.
Otherwise, the blind can also be unrolled manually outside the
casing. FIGS. 9-14 refer to a second embodiment. In said figures,
the parts that are common to the ones of FIGS. 3-8 are designated
by the same reference numbers. The main difference with respect to
the embodiment described previously lies in the way the
shape-memory actuator means are made. This embodiment does not
envisage an actuator with wound shape-memory element, but rather
two shape-memory wires 24 (see FIGS. 11 and 12) are provided, which
run within the casing 11. Each wire 24 has one end 24a fixed to the
casing 11, and the opposite end engaged around a pulley 25 mounted
so that it can rotate about an axis 26 on the structure of the
casing 11 (see also FIGS. 13 and 14). Each pulley 25 supports in
rotation a flattened metal arm 27 having one end connected in
rotation with the respective pulley 25 and the opposite end
articulated in 28 on a slider 28a which is able to slide along a
cross member 29 (see FIG. 10) fixed to the free edge of the blind
6. Activation of the two shape-memory wires 24 causes rotation of
the two pulleys 25 and consequent oscillation of the two arms 27
from the retracted and mutually aligned condition illustrated in
FIGS. 9 and 11 into the condition where they are rotated through
90.degree. of FIGS. 10 and 12.
[0036] Associated to the pulleys 25 are, for example, spiral
springs, tending to bring back the arms 27 into the retracted
condition illustrated in FIG. 9. In a way similar to what has been
described above with reference to the first embodiment, once the
shape-memory element is activated, it can be kept in said condition
by maintaining the electrical supply of the shape-memory element.
Upon ceasing of the electrical supply, the springs associated to
the pulleys 25 bring back the blind into the retracted condition.
Once again in a way similar to what has been described with
reference to the first embodiment, it is, however, possible to
provide a device for engaging the blind in the distended condition,
which enables the blind itself to be kept in said condition even
after de-activation of the shape-memory element. In this case, it
is necessary to provide means for de-activation of the engagement
device in order to bring the blind back into the retracted
condition. Said result can be obtained, for example, by providing a
further shape-memory element (not illustrated), which is activated
by the user when he presses the pushbutton 18 for governing rolling
of the blind 6.
[0037] Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the
invention, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary
widely with respect to what is described and illustrated herein
purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope
of the present invention.
* * * * *