ES2265215B1 - EXTENSIBLE PARASOL PERFECTED FOR VEHICLES. - Google Patents

Abstract

Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles. It comprises a body provided with an internal reinforcement provided with a metal profile in its upper part where a skate slides into which the contact end of a sunshade support shaft which comprises two pins is inserted. The skate can slide with respect to the body of the sun visor, said body being able to move in rotation and displacement with respect to the axle, which allows the passage of cables inside an automobile interior lighting device. The skate connects the pins of the shaft to each other when the sun visor opens and in any position of extension of the same when the skate moves in contact with metal tracks of the armor which, in turn, are connected to each other by means of a switch that It is activated by moving the sunshade mirror cover.

Description

Extensible parasol perfected for vehicles.

The present invention patent application it consists, as indicated in its statement, in an "extensible parasol perfected for vehicles ", whose new features of construction, conformation and design fulfill the mission for which specifically it has been projected, with a safety and effectiveness maximum and providing numerous advantages as detailed In the present memory.

Extensible type sun visors for vehicles that are known to date basically comprise a body of sunshade that is essentially formed by two pieces coupled to sandwich mode among which armor is arranged reinforcement. The sunshade body can rotate around an axis and move along it. The turning movement allows Open or close the sunshade for use while the movement sliding allows you to move it back when it It is open and arranged on one side of the vehicle next to the window.

Inside the top of the sunshade body armor a metal profile is arranged in whose interior is mounted said shaft. This metallic profile is usually conventionally be a closed contour profile.

The axis of the sunshade comprises an end of contact arranged inside the sunshade body and a folded end disposed outside it and which is provided with coupling means of the sun visor to the car, by example to the ceiling. This coupling is an articulated coupling. in a way that allows the parasol body to rotate around a vertical axis At the opposite end, the sunshade body it has a coupling area to a support element fixed to the car (for example to the roof of the same) which presents a configuration as a clip or clip. This allows to decouple the roof sunshade body so that it rotates and can be arranged in a lateral position, as described above.

They are also known in the state of the art parasols that activate certain devices associated with the car When they open. To do this, the body of the parasol must be adapted to allow the passage of cables in the area of the axis. This it is done conventionally by winding the cable around the outer surface of the shaft as a spiral.

Johnson Controls Patent No. DE 10017046 Interiors GmbH & Co describes one of these parasols for vehicles. This parasol is constituted by a body that can rotate around a hollow shaft and can also scroll longitudinally with respect to it. The parasol's body is equipped with at least one switching device for switching on and turn off a lighting device; a control unit remote to govern an automatic opening and closing device of doors, for example of a garage or similar, and an electric cable for the power supply that is connected to so minus a switching device and a control unit remote.

The main drawback of this parasol resides in the fact that, as indicated above, the cable is wrapped around the shaft inside the hollow body to ensure the conduction of electric current in the displacement of the body when it extends in the aforementioned lateral position next to the window of the vehicle.

Patent No. 4,328,890 to Gebr. Happich GmbH  describes a vehicle sunshade formed by a rotating body and movable on an axis on which a slider is mounted seated, with no possibility of turning but with the ability to axial displacement, in a hollow body inserted in the area of the longitudinal edge of the body. The hollow body is closed in the ends with plugs, one of which has a hole of guide for the passage of the axis, while the other plug is provided with an insertion device to prevent a unwanted axial displacement of the body out of position normal. The aforementioned locking device comprises two springs of  contact arranged in the cap and isolated from each other, attached to some electrical wires leading to a lighting device arranged in the parasol body. In addition, one of the springs of contact can be locked in an annular cavity of a socket of contact, while the other contact spring can be interlocked in an annular cavity of the final area of the axis, with two projections that adapt to the inside of the annular cavities. The axis It consists of a metal tube that acts as a ground conductor and by it is passed an insulated connection cable to which it is connected the contact socket, protruding from the end of the shaft with a part with the annular cavity and is fixed at the end of the axis with the other part with collation of a cover insulating.

This lens uses a connection device electrical of the type used in so-called audio systems "Jack". The main drawback of this connection path is the generation of electric flashes, which influences negatively in the operation of the set as far as refers to the electrical connection.

The present invention has been developed with the in order to solve the inconveniences of the parasols conventional, presenting a new extensible sun visor perfected for vehicles with which they get important advantages, especially in terms of cost reduction, as will be described below.

The sunshade object of the invention is formed basically by a sunshade body and an axis around which This one can turn. The sunshade body can also slide axis length in order to extend it.

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The sunshade axis is mounted inside of the sunshade body inserted into a metal profile, for example aluminum, which is mounted horizontally on the inside of the aforementioned sunshade body, at the top of the same.

The shaft comprises a contact end arranged inside a contact body inserted in the inside said metal profile of the sunshade body. He said shaft is adapted to allow the passage of some cables through inside intended to conduct the electric current that drives a first electrical device associated with the car, such as a lighting device Said contact element has a interior area adapted to receive the contact end of the axis.

According to the invention, said element contact comprises a sliding skate mounted inside of the sunshade body profile. Said skate can slide with respect to the body of the parasol and inside it. Bliss skate contact area is provided internally with some interior metal tabs that are arranged coinciding with respective metal pins arranged at the contact end of said axis in a certain rotation position thereof. These inner metal tabs extend according to some contact elements which are conveniently adapted to remain in permanent electrical contact by sliding on at least two metal tracks. These contact clues they are arranged apart from each other, and said electrical contact is independent of the relative longitudinal position of the skate with respect to the sunshade body armor. The slip of skate relative to the sun visor body occurs when the user Pull the sunshade body to extend it by sliding it with respect to the hollow shaft.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the said contact elements are contact tabs by way of of metallic strap that make flexible contact with two tracks metallic arranged at the bottom of the profile of the parasol.

In a second alternative embodiment, said contact elements are contact blocks, for example of cylindrical. At one end of said contact blocks they have springs that push each of said blocks contact against the surface of said two metal tracks. In this embodiment uses three metal tracks formed in a printed circuit. Two of them correspond to the cited tracks previously configured as a strapping (positive and negative current) and the third is a hint for signals from control of other devices (for example a registration box, and other additional services).

The use of a printed circuit board allows to reduce the space and make possible the inclusion of the cited third track in the sunshield mechanism described. In addition, the configuration of the contact blocks operated by spring guarantees a constant and effective electrical contact in any condition The use of springs allows to regulate, modifying the constant of the dock, the sensitivity when making slide the hood.

According to the invention, the sun visor Extensible includes a switch intended to connect or electrically disconnect the metal tracks from each other. This switch is formed, according to the invention, by a substantially V-shaped metal contact sheet which it is mounted attached by one of its ends to the bottom of one of the mentioned metal tracks. The opposite end of said switch blade is arranged separately from the part lower metal profile but with the possibility of contacting the other of the tracks when the second device associated with the automobile makes contact with said sheet metal by connecting electrically both tracks to each other.

According to the above, the connection and step disconnection the current of the cables is done in two points, corresponding, respectively, to the contact zone of the skate and said switch. This results in the fact that the first device associated with the car only remains connected if both elements close the electrical circuit, that is to say if, on the one hand, the metal tabs of the area of skate contact are arranged in contact with the pins metal of the shaft contact end (situation that occurs when the sunshade body is in an open or deployed position, that is, in a substantially vertical position), and on the other part of said switch is connected, situation that occurs when the second associated device, such as the sliding window that conceals a mirror mounted on the body of the  parasol, is arranged in open position.

Advantageously, the metal profile of the Parasol body armor features a cross section which can be open profile or closed profile.

In case of being open profile you can present  preferably an inverted U-shaped cross section with a narrowing at the bottom of its branches. The branches present, at their lower ends, respective highlights opposites intended to avoid bending the cited tracks by the action of the metal tabs of the skate. It will be understood that said opposite projections can be arranged projecting towards the inside or outside the open profile. In any case, The skate will have a complementary cross section.

As indicated, the switch is activated by the second device associated with the car to connect or disconnect the metal tracks. This switch allows, in the connection position of the contact area of the skate, the first electrical device (in an example, the light of courtesy of the interior of the vehicle) be activated.

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As stated above, of according to an embodiment of the invention, the first device electric associated with the car can be a device lighting connected to the parasol by means of the mentioned cables, while the second device (operated by the aforementioned switch) is, for example, the sliding cover of a mirror mounted on said parasol.

Among the many advantages offered by the extensible sunshade of the present invention should be highlighted especially the reduction of manufacturing costs by suppressing cable winding operation around the surface cable outside. This is very important since the body of Parasol comprises two pieces of plastic that are welded together by its peripheral edges, the armor being arranged between them reinforcement described above. The union of said two pieces It is done conventionally by high frequency welding. This operation always involves the delicate elimination of the retal of leftover plastic adhered to the edge of the welded part. The leftover scrap removal operation is normally performed pulling the retal itself out and this can be serious problems in the upper area of the parasol's body where arrange the shaft. This is so given that, in the parasols of the prior art, welding is done with the shaft already engaged in the inside of the parasol body impairing said operation of elimination of the remaining scrap. Instead with this invention, the arrangement of the cables inside the shaft it allows to inject the shaft with a plastic material based on polyamide with the cables already arranged inside and its corresponding connectors arranged at their ends. Other aspect related to cost reduction, always without losing operating effectiveness is the elimination of microswitches used in conventional parasols the which represent a considerable increase in the final cost of set. The invention replaces said microswitches with a sliding skate with a contact area with the metal plates of the contact end of the shaft in a certain turning position of the same. It is estimated that the costs derived from the manufacture of an extensible sun visor for vehicles according to the invention they can become a quarter of manufacturing costs of the parasols of the same type that have been manufactured up to now.

It should also be noted that the fact that the electric transmission of the extensible sunshade of the present invention is done through brass metal plates solves the problem of electrical flashes generated in the parasols that include "Jack" type connectors.

It is described in detail below. and by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of a Extensible sun visor perfected for cars according to the present invention, from which the results will be clearer features and advantages of it. The description that follows it is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in the which:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of a extensible sunshade according to the invention where they can appreciate some interior elements of it;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sliding skid arranged inside the aluminum profile of the parasol;

Figure 3 is a profile view of the skate slide of the sunshade body shown in figure no. 2;

Figure 4 is a profile view of the axis of the extensible parasol of the invention;

Figure 5 is a sectioned elevation view  of the contact end of the shaft which is arranged in the inside of the skate;

Figure 6 is a front elevation view of the axis of the extensible sunshade of the invention; Y

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the sliding skate of an alternative embodiment of the sun visor Extensible of the invention.

The different ones are listed below references that have been used to describe the realization Preferred device of the present invention:

(one) - body of parasol; (2) - armor inside; (3) - outer lining sun visor body; (4) - axis of sun visor body; (5) - profile of aluminum body parasol; (6) - outer layer of shaft plastic; (7) - extreme articulated clamping axis; (8) - axis longitudinal; (9) - end of shaft contact; (10) - roller skate slider (eleven) - plug;

(12) - metal pins of the end of shaft contact; (13) - tube passes shaft cables; (14) - He passed inner cylindrical axis; (fifteen) - contact area of roller skate; (16) - metal tabs interiors of roller skate; (17) - metal tabs skate exteriors; (18, 19) - metal tracks longitudinal; (twenty) - switch mobile contact; (twenty-one) - sheet metal contact switch; (22) - mirror cover of the parasol; (23, 24) - extremes of the switch; (25) - stand out longitudinal track separation metallic; (26) - narrowing side of the aluminum profile.

It is described below, by way of example, an embodiment of an extensible sunshade according to the invention with reference to the figures attached in the present memory Said sunshade is formed by a body of sun visor (1) that includes an injected inner armor (2) the which is lined externally by a plastic material (3).

The sunshade body (1) can rotate around of a hollow shaft (4) which has been represented in figures 4 and 5. The rotation of the sunshade body (1) around said axis (4) allows to arrange it in an upright or opening position and a horizontal or closing position. The parasol body (1) also can slide with respect to the axis (4) to prevent the rays of the sun hit the user in a position where the sunshade It is in an upright position next to the vehicle window.

Going back to figure 1, the armor  (2) of the parasol body (1) is formed by a rigid frame of substantially rectangular shape at the top of which It has an aluminum profile (5), which can also be seen in the perspective view of figure 2. The interior of this metal profile (5) is adapted to accommodate the shaft (4) in its inside.

The shaft (4) that supports the sunshade body (1)  It has an outer layer of over-injected polyamide (6) and is provided with a substantially inclined end (7) 902 with respect to to the longitudinal axis (8), as seen in figures 4 and 5. The end (7) is fixed in an articulated manner somewhere suitable for the vehicle, for example on the roof by means of a support (not shown). The opposite end (9) of the shaft (4) is a contact end that is arranged inside the profile (5) through a sliding skate (10). Contact end (9) of the shaft (4), which has been shown in detail in the figure No. 5, comprises a plug (11) whose interior is arranged a connection terminal provided with metal pins (12) that they protrude from the end (9) of the shaft (4). These metal pins (12) are connected to the ends of wires that pass through the inside of the shaft (4) through a tube passes cables (13). For this, the shaft (4) has an internal cylindrical passage (14) that allows the passage of the cables inside electric

The mission of these electric cables is to drive  the electric current that drives a lighting device Inside the car.

With particular reference now to figure no. 2, the sliding skate (10) is mounted with the possibility of sliding inside the metal profile (5), as see in figure 2 of the attached drawings. The skate (10) comprises a contact area (15) formed by tabs metal interiors (16) intended to receive the end of shaft contact (9) (4). The inner metal tabs (16) of said contact area (15) of the skate (10) are arranged in the inside of the skate (10) in coincidence with the metal pins (12) of the shaft (4) in a certain rotation position thereof.

The metal plates (16) inside the skate  (10) are extended externally according to metal tabs exterior (17) arranged in permanent contact by sliding on two longitudinal metal tracks (18, 19) separated between yes by a longitudinal projection (25) that avoids electrical contact between them.

The contact of the metal tabs (17) with the cited tracks (18, 19) is always continuous and independent of the relative longitudinal position of the skate (10).

The aforementioned longitudinal metal tracks (18,  19) are arranged at the bottom of the profile (5), as see figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The relative displacement between the tabs metallic (17) of the skate (10) and the metallic tracks (18, 19) of the armor (2) occurs when the user pulls the body of the lens hood (1) to extend it by sliding it relative to the axis hollow (4).

According to figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings attached herein, below the profile area (5) on which the metal tracks are arranged (18, 19), a switch (20) is mounted to connect or electrically disconnect the metal tracks (18, 19) between yes.

As can be seen in these figures nº 1  and 2 of the drawings, the switch (20) is formed by a metal foil (21) of substantially V-shaped contact the which is mounted by one of its ends (23) connected to one of said metal tracks (18, 19). The opposite end (24) of the sheet metal (21) is separated from the bottom of the profile aluminum (5) but with the possibility of being in contact electric with the other one of said tracks (18, 19) connecting them electrically with each other when the mirror cover (22) slides of the sunshade body (1) in the open position, that is, to the right according to the drawing in figure 1.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the Aluminum profile (5) has a profile cross section Open at the bottom. Said cross section is in inverted U shape with a narrowing (26) in the part inferior of its branches which present, in their ends lower, respective opposite projections intended to avoid flexion of the tracks (18, 19) by the action of the tabs metallic (17) of the skate (10). These opposite highlights can be arranged projecting inwards or outwards of the profile (5). The sliding skate (10) has a section transversal complementary to that of the profile (5) so that it can slide freely acting said metal guide profile (5) of the skate (10).

Structurally described the extensible sun visor of the first embodiment of figures 1 to 6, the Operation of it is as follows. First, be part of the disconnected position in which the sunshade body (1) It is folded towards the ceiling and the cover (22) of the mirror closed, that is, hiding the mirror.

The user opens the hood by turning it down  until arranged in an upright position. At this point, the area contact (15) of the skate (10) has rotated with respect to the end of shaft contact (9) (4) so that the inner tabs (16) remain in electrical contact with the sheets (12) of said contact end (9) of the shaft (4). However, the circuit does not it is closed since the mirror cover (22) still remains closed by hiding the mirror, that is, the tracks (18, 19) are they are disconnected from each other since the end (24) of the metal foil (21) of the switch (20) is still separated from the tracks (18, 19).

When, the body of the sun visor (1) in vertical position, the user slides the cover (22) of the mirror towards on the right according to figure 1, the switch (20) connects the cited tracks (18, 19) by contacting the end (24) of the switch (20) with any of the tracks (18, 19) putting it on electrical contact with the other of the tracks (18, 19). This allows then the current flow through the contact zone (15) of the skate (10) and by the shaft cables (4), so that it lights the vehicle's interior lighting device so that the User can see.

It should be noted especially the fact that this circumstance is maintained even if the user stretches from the body of the sun visor (1) outwards, sliding it in relation to the axis (4), thanks to the sliding contact of the skate (10) with respect to the clues (18, 19).

Making special reference to the realization alternative shown in the perspective view of figure 7 of the attached drawings, you can see the profile (5), in this case of closed configuration, and with the contact area (15) of the sliding skate (10) provided with contact elements the what are now three contact blocks (27) configuration cylindrical whose base makes flexible contact with respective tracks metallic (28) arranged on a printed circuit board (29). The contact blocks (27) are driven against said metal tracks (28) by means of springs (not shown) housed in the inside a housing (30). The drive blocks contact (27) by means of the mentioned springs guarantees a constant and effective electrical contact in any condition allowing to regulate the sensitivity at the time of sliding the parasol modifying the spring constant according to the needs

Two of the tracks (28) correspond to the pole positive and to the negative pole of the current, respectively, and the third track (28) is a track for control signals to others devices (for example a registration box, and other services additional).

The printed circuit board (29) allows reduce space and also incorporate the aforementioned third track (28) on the skate (10) of the sun visor.

Described sufficiently what the Extensible sun visor perfected for vehicles of the present invention in correspondence with the attached drawings, is will understand that any modification of detail deemed convenient, as long as the essential characteristics of the invention summarized in the following claims are not altered.

Claims (10)

1. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles comprising a sunshade body (1) provided with an inner armor (2); an axis (4) around which said sunshade body (1) can rotate and along which it can also move, said shaft (4) being mounted inside a horizontal profile (5) of said body (1) , said axis (4) comprising a contact end (9) disposed inside the body of the lens hood (1) and said axis (4) being adapted to allow the passage of cables through its interior (14) intended for conduction electric current to drive a first electric device associated with the car; and a contact element (10) which is inserted into said body profile (5) of the sunshade body (1), said contact element (10) comprising a contact area (15) adapted to receive the contact end ( 9) of said axis (4); characterized in that said contact element (10) is a sliding skate (10) mounted inside the profile (5) of the sunshade body (1) incorporating in the profile (5) a mobile contact switch (20), so that said skate (10) can slide relative to the body of the sun visor (1), said contact area (15) of the skate (10) being provided internally with inner metal tongues (16) arranged in coincidence with respective metal pins ( 12) arranged at the contact end (9) of said shaft (4) in a certain rotation position thereof, said inner metal tabs (16) being prologized according to contact elements (17) adapted to remain in permanent electrical contact by sliding on at least two metal tracks (18, 19; 28) arranged separated from each other, said contact being independent of the relative longitudinal position of the skate (10) with respect to the armature (2) of the sunshade body ( one). 2. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 11, characterized in that said contact elements are contact tabs (17). 3. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 11, characterized in that said contact elements are contact blocks (27), each of said contact blocks (27) being pushed against the surface of said at least two tracks metallic (18, 19; 28) by means of the thrust of a spring. 4. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises three metal tracks (18, 19, 28) formed in a printed circuit (29). 5. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 11, characterized in that the mobile contact switch (20) is intended to electrically connect or disconnect said metal tracks (18, 19) with each other, said switch (20) being operated by a Second device associated with the car. 6. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 11, characterized in that the profile (5) of the sunshade body (1) has an open profile cross section. 7. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 11, characterized in that the profile (5) of the sunshade body (1) has a cross section of closed profile. 8. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 64, characterized in that said profile (5) has an inverted U-shaped cross-section with a narrowing (26) in the lower part having, at its lower ends, respective opposite projections intended to avoid bending the said tracks (18, 19) by the action of the outer metal tabs (17) of the skate (10). 9. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to claim 51, characterized in that said switch (20) is formed by a metal contact sheet (21) which is mounted by one of its ends (23) to the bottom of a of the aforementioned metal tracks (18, 19) leaving the other free end (24) with the possibility of contacting the other of the tracks (18, 19) when the second device associated with the car makes contact with said metal sheet (21) by connecting electrically both tracks (18, 19) with each other. 10. Extensible sunshade perfected for vehicles according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first electrical device associated with the car is a lighting device connected to the sun visor by means of said cables and in which the second device associated with the car is a mirror provided of a sliding cover (22) which is mounted on the sunshade body (1) so that the lighting device is activated when the sunshade body (1) is folded upright and said sliding cover (22) of the mirror is in the open position.