WO2016207791A1

WO2016207791A1 - Shading device and method for reducing the overheating of a vehicle exposed to the sun

Info

Publication number: WO2016207791A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/053686
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luigi Marini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-06-22
Filing date: 2016-06-21
Publication date: 2016-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 2017-12-22

Abstract

Shading device (1,1') for automobiles, comprising: a sun shade (3) comprising a membrane (5) and a stiffening frame in turn comprising a plurality of rods (7); - a box (9) arranged for containing the sun shade (3); - an actuation system (11) comprising a hub (13) to which the plurality of rods (7) is fixed, wherein the actuation system is arranged for: - reversibly open out the sun shade (3) outside of the box (9) opening out the plurality of rods (7); and - reversibly retract the sun shade inside the box (9) curving the plurality of rods (7) around the hub.

Description

SHADING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REDUCING THE OVERHEATING OF A VEHICLE EXPOSED TO THE SUN

The present application for an international patent claims the priorities of Italian patent applications n°IT102015000026265 and IT2016000003798.

Field of the invention

[1] The present invention concerns a shading device and a method for reducing the overheating of an automobile or other vehicle exposed to the sun, and in general for protecting automobiles from atmospheric agents and dirt .

State of the art

[2] In the passenger compartment of an automobile parked in the sun and closed, very high temperatures can be reached, at least in summer in countries in the Mediterranean area: the temperature of the air can easily reach 40°C, sometimes even 50°C, and the plastic parts of the dashboard and steering wheel can even reach 70-80°C.

[3] In such situations a conventional car-covering membrane, of the type described for example in patent applications JPH0577647 or BE1005787 allows the temperature of the passenger compartment to be lowered even by a few degrees. In fact, membranes of this type are currently practically not used to protect vehicles from the sun but rather, even if rarely, to protect a vehicle that has to be parked on the street for many days from dirt, rain and acts of vandalism. [4] According to the author of the present invention this is due to the fact that membranes of this type are too cumbersome and take too long to open and apply to the vehicle, so that vehicle owners are put off from using them: to open them, extend them and place them on a vehicle it takes from many tens of seconds to more than one minute. During these operations it is also very easy to get dirty or scratch the bodywork. These drawbacks are even greater in removing the membrane from the vehicle and folding it back up.

[5] The present invention therefore proposes to protect an automobile, or other vehicle, from solar radiation, avoiding or at least reducing the drawbacks outlined above of the state of the art.

Summary of the invention

[6] In a first aspect of the present invention, such a purpose is accomplished with a shading device having the characteristics according to claim 1.

[7] In a second aspect of the present invention, such a purpose is accomplished with a method for reducing the overheating of an automobile having the characteristics according to claim 21.

[8] In a third aspect of the present invention, such a purpose is accomplished with a method for reducing the overheating of an automobile having the characteristics according to claim 22.

Further characteristics of the device are the object of the dependent claims.

[9] The advantages that can be obtained with the present invention will become clearer to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of some particular embodiments, not for limiting purposes, illustrated with reference to the following schematic figures.

List of Figures

Figure 1 shows a side view of a shading device according to a first particular embodiment of the invention, mounted on an automobile and open;

Figure 2 shows a view from above of the shading device and of the automobile of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view from above of the shading device of Figure 1, open;

Figure 4 shows a side view, partially in section according to the plane IV-IV, of the shading device of Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows a view from above of a shading device according to a second particular embodiment of the invention, mounted on an automobile and open;

Figure 6 shows a view from above of the area of the central dome of the hub of the shading devices of Figures 1 and 5;

Figure 7 shows a side view, according to a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotors, partially in section, of a shading device according to a third particular embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the hub of the shading device of Figure 7;

Figure 9 shows a view according to the rotation axis AR, of a detail of the slot and of the pin that slides along it in the shading device of Figure 7;

Figure 10 shows a view from above, according to the rotation axis AR, partially in section, of a shading device according to a fourth particular embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 shows a perspective view of a rotor of a shading device according to a fifth particular embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 shows an exploded perspective view of the hub of the shading device according to a sixth particular embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description

[10] In the present description the expressions top, bottom, lower, upper, above and below unless specified otherwise should be considered to refer to a shading device 1 mounted on the substantially horizontal portion of the roof of a car.

[11] Figures 1-4, 6 relate to a shading device according to a first particular embodiment of the invention, indicated with the overall reference numeral 1 and arranged for protecting an automobile or other vehicle AT from the sun.

According to an aspect of the invention the shading device 1 comprises:

- a sun shade 3 in turn comprising a membrane 5 and a stiffening frame in turn comprising a plurality of rods 7;

- a box 9 arranged for containing the sun shade 3; - an actuation system 11 comprising a hub 13 to which the plurality of rods 7 is fixed, wherein the actuation system is arranged for:

- reversibly opening out the sun shade 3 outside of the box 9 opening out the plurality of rods 7; and

- reversibly retract the sun shade 3 inside the box 9 curving the plurality of rods 7 around the hub 13.

[12] The membrane 5 can for example be made of a fabric consisting of natural fibres, like for example cotton, but preferably synthetic fibres, like for example nylon, possibly waterproofed to also protect the vehicle from rain.

[13] Advantageously, the membrane 5 is obtained from a fabric with suitably wide mesh, for example with a count comprised between 20-40 threads of warp or weft per linear centimetre, or comprised between 5-10 or else between 10-20 threads of warp or weft per linear centimetre so as to sufficiently protect from solar radiation and at the same time allow air to pass sufficiently through the membrane, ensuring a sufficient ventilation in the space between the membrane 5 and the surface of the vehicle AT.

[14] In some embodiments the membrane 5 can substantially also be a mesh or gauze.

For particular embodiments the membrane 5 can possibly be made of hail-protection fabric.

The box 9 can comprise a bottom portion 90 and a lid 92.

[15] The bottom portion 90 can for example be shaped substantially like a bowl, the lid 92 substantially flat, disc-shaped or dome-shaped (Figure 4); both can for example have an outer diameter of about 40-60 centimetres or 40-55 centimetres. The closed box 9 can for example have a total height of about 3-20 centimetres, or 4-20 centimetres, 5-20 centimetres or even 3-25 centimetres.

[16] Preferably when the shading device 1, 1', 1" is closed the assembly of rods 7, 7', 7" substantially forms an annular shaped bundle of average diameter preferably comprised between 30-50 centimetres.

Preferably when the shading device 1, 1', 1" is closed, the rods 7, 7', 7" are folded with a minimum bending radius preferably equal to or greater than 15 centimetres, or equal to or greater than 20 centimetres or furthermore possible equal to or greater than 30 centimetres .

[17] The bottom portion 90 can, in its lower part or in any case that intended to be located closer to the roof of the vehicle, form a bottom 900 for example substantially flat or more or less curved.

[18] The hub 13 can for example comprise a cylindrical shell 110; it can for example be made of cold-moulded metal sheet, or of plastic material (Figure 4A) .

[19] The actuation system 11 can also comprise a motor 111, preferably electric, arranged for actuating the hub 13 rotating it about an axis AR, preferably coinciding with the possible axis of symmetry if the hub has a radial symmetry or the shape of a solid of revolution .

[20] The motor can also drive the lid 92 lifting or lowering it for example through a shaft 94 (Figure 4) . The motor 111 can advantageously be housed in the cylindrical shell 110.

[21] The shading device 1 can be provided with a variable number of rods, for example between 3-10, and preferably between 4-8 rods, so as to open out the membrane 5 in a sufficiently orderly manner at the same time occupying little space inside the box 9.

[22] The rods 7 are preferably fixed radially to the dome 130. Advantageously, at least part of the rods 7, and preferably all of them, are made of fibreglass; they can for example be tubular and have a variable outer diameter, for example between 2-20 millimetres, more preferably between 2-15 millimetres and even more preferably between 2-10 millimetres.

[23] Nevertheless, good results have been obtained, in terms of reduced weight and bulk and effectiveness of opening and closing the membrane 5, with solid rods 7, for example rods made of fibreglass of diameters comprised between about 2-5 mm and more preferably between 2,5-3mm.

Such diameters of the rods also proved to be particularly advantageous for housing the wound rods in the box 9 when the membrane 5 is folded, for example housing the rods 9 in the annular space between the side walls of the membrane-holding container 14' and of the bottom portion 90'. [24] The fibreglass rods 7 be manufactured which are very cost-effective, flexible enough to be able to wind properly around the hub 13, or more precisely around its dome-shaped portion 130, and at the same time capable of straightening and opening out quickly together with the membrane 5 when not constrained by the box 9.

[25] The rods 7 preferably have circular cross sections .

[26] Advantageously, in order to facilitate the winding of the rods 7, they are fixed to the hub through suitable hinges or other articulations 15 that in some embodiments allow the rods 7 themselves to carry out rotations a [alpha] about axes substantially longitudinal or parallel to the rotation axis AR around which the star (or crown) of rods rotates during the opening out and folding up of the membrane (Figure 6); such rotations a [alpha] can have a variable size, for example between 15-90 degrees, between 30-50 degrees or even between 15-45 degrees.

[27] Such rotations a [alpha] of the rods 7 can be counteracted, limited or regulated for example through suitable springs, not shown. Alternatively or in combination with the springs, such rotations a [alpha] of the rods 7 can be limited through mechanical abutments and/or friction couplings.

[28] Advantageously, in other particular embodiments the hinges or articulations 15 substantially do not allow rotations a [alpha] about axes substantially longitudinal or parallel to the rotation axis AR, or in any case limit these rotations a [alpha] to relatively small values, for example equal to or less than 20°, more preferably equal to or less than 15°, even more preferably equal to or less than 10°, and even more preferably equal to or less than 5°.

Zero or reduced values of the rotations a [alpha] facilitate the winding up of the membrane, in particularly making it more orderly.

[29] Advantageously, in order to facilitate both the opening out and the folding up of the membrane 5, the rods 7 are fixed to the hub 13 so that when opened out their portion closest to the hub 13 is oriented slightly upwards, indicatively with an inclination β [BETA] with respect to the vertical or to the axis AR for example comprised between 5-45° or between 10-30°, so that when the membrane is opened out the rods 7 take up a parabola shape with concavity facing downwards ( Figures 1 , 4 ) .

[30] By doing so the rods 7 keep the membrane further from the bodywork of the vehicle.

[31] The inclination β [BETA] of the rods 7 with respect to the vertical or to the axis AR, when the rods are opened out and the shading device is open, can be regulated for example by resting the rods 7 on suitable areas of the side walls of the bottom portion 90', 90" (Figures 7, 10), for example on the edge of such side walls or in suitable notches made in the side walls . [32] Since such notches can be formed by simple shearing in a mould or dinking die, it is thus possible to adapt the production in series of the shading devices 1, 1', 1" to a wide variety of vehicle bodyworks with very low investments in production equipment, or the end user can himself/herself adapt the shape of the opened out membrane to the shape of his/her own vehicle or adapting it to a positioning of the box 9 in a symmetrical or asymmetrical position (Figure 5) with respect to the vertical middle plane of the vehicle.

[33] Advantageously, in order to facilitate both the opening out and the folding up of the membrane 5, the hinges or articulations 15' allow the rods 7 to rotate around rotation axes AC perpendicular to the rotation axis AR of the star (or crown) of rods, for example carrying out rotations up to the aforementioned angle width β [BETA] (Figure 11) .

[34] For this purpose, to prevent or greatly limit on the one hand the aforementioned rotations a [alpha] , at the same time allowing sufficiently wide rotations β [BETA], the articulations 15' can be made, or in any case comprise for example hinges with only one degree of rotational freedom β [BETA] , more advantageous for example with respect to ball joints.

[35] The shading device 1 is advantageously provided with a membrane-holding container 14 preferably having a conical shape, flared shape or in any case a shape that progressively widens upwards (Figure 4) . The upper part of the membrane-holding container 14 is open, ensuring that the membrane-holder 14 is substantially goblet-shaped .

[36] Like in the embodiment of Figure 4, the membrane- holding container 14 can for example be arranged above the shell 110 of the motor and/or, like the membrane- holding container 14' of the embodiment of Figures 7-9, above the two rotors 130, 132 to which the rods 7', 7" are fixed.

[37] Preferably, the more central part of the membrane 5 is fastened to the central portion of the membrane- holder 14, whereas the more outer edges of the membrane 5 are not fastened to the membrane-holder 14 but only to the ends of the rods 7 or close thereto.

[38] Advantageously, the sun shade 3, when it is arranged opened out, or in any case open, on the roof of the vehicle itself, has a shape and size such as:

- to be able to cover at least part of the windows of the car, for example at least part of one or more side windows 17, at least part of the windscreen 19, at least part of the rear window 21; and/or

- to be able to completely cover at least one window of the car;

- to be able to completely cover all of the windows of the car.

[39] The opened out membrane 5, or in any case completely open membrane, preferably has a substantially rectangular or square perimeter.

[40] A rectangular membrane 5 can for example have a maximum length comprised between 2-7 metres or between 2-4 and a maximum width comprised between 1-3 metres or between 1-2 metres, considering the extension in plan thereof. The length of the sides of the perimeter of a square membrane 5 can vary for example between 1-4 metres .

[41] Inside such a perimeter the box 9 can be arranged in substantially central position (Figure 2) or eccentrically and asymmetrically like for example in Figure 5; more specifically, the box 9 can be arranged closed to one side of the car, thus being able to be reached more easily by the user with their arm, who has less risk of getting soiled when leaning on the car itself when the shading device 1 is being arranged or removed.

[42] In order to be able to fix the box 9 on the roof or more in general on the bodywork of an automobile, the shading device 1, 1' can be provided with a suitable mechanical or magnetic fixing system 23 (Figure 4) .

[43] The mechanical fixing system can for example comprise one or more suction cups or transverse bars mounted on the longitudinal fixed bars present on the roofs of some cars.

[44] The magnetic fixing system can for example comprise one or more magnets the adhesion force of which to a metallic surface can be adjusted by acting for example on a lever or similar mechanical control.

[45] The actuation system 11 can be not only motorised by advantageously also manual, comprising for example a crank mechanism through which to drive the winding and unwinding of the rods 7 and of the membrane 5 by hand.

[46] Like for example in the embodiment of Figure 12, the opening of the membrane 5 and the unwinding of the rods 7 can be driven for example by manually pulling one of the rods 7 themselves, so as to set for example the two rotors 130, 132 in rotation.

[47] In this case the shading device 1, 1', 1" can also be provided with a return spring 112 that is loaded by the rotation of the array of rods during the opening of the membrane, is blocked in tension when the membrane is open and winds up and closes the membrane 5 thanks to the elastic return force when it is unblocked (Figure 12) .

[48] In the embodiment of Figure 12 the return spring 112 has been represented as a leaf spring wound in a spiral, similar to the one use for example in watchmaking .

[49] In other embodiments that are not shown, however, the return spring can be a helical spring with an overall cylindrical shape used as torsion bar.

[50] In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the unwinding and/or closing of the membrane 5 can be driven manually by pulling a cable or chain initially wound around a rotary shaft.

[51] If the actuation cable or chain is pulled by the user, it unwinds rotating for example the two rotors 130, 132 or in any case the array of rods 7. The manual actuation embodiments make it possible to substantially reduce the weight and the cost of the shading device 1, for example allowing it to be reduced to less than 3 kg.

[52] An example of operation of the shading device 1 will now be described.

When it is closed inside the box 9, the shading device 1 can be placed in the trunk of the car, from where the user can take it and rest in on the roof of the car itself.

[53] The membrane 5 and the rods 7 are closed in the box 9, wound, for example in a spiral around the hub 13 for example for one or two revolutions. The membrane 5 is also placed in the membrane-holding container 14.

[54] By pressing a switch located on the box 9 itself or on a remote control, the user controls the motor 110 that opens the box 9 lifting the lid 92, and then starts to rotate the hub 13 and the membrane-holding container 14 around the axis AR unwinding the rods 7; during such rotations the shaft 94 preferably does not rotate with respect to the bottom portion 90.

[55] Thanks to the elastic return the rods 7 open out tending to straighten and pulling the membrane 5 outside of the membrane-holding container 14 and thus the box 9. Once the outer edge of the bottom portion 90 has been passed, the outer edge of the membrane 5 and the outer ends of the rods 7 fall by gravity over the windows and over the bodywork of the car continuing to widen until the sun shade 3 is completely open. [56] Due to its own weight, and thanks to a suitable flexibility of the rods 7, the shade 3 can adapt to a certain extent to the geometry of the bodywork taking up a shape more or less like a bell or like a hood (Figures 1, 2) ; however, in many area the rods 7 hold the membrane 5 away from the bodywork, forming large air pockets between the latter and the membrane 5 that increase the heat insulation of the car from solar rays and the ventilation under the membrane, and the risks of scratching and dirtying the bodywork are reduced.

[57] Partially or completely covering the windows, the shade 3 reduces the solar radiation that enters into the passenger compartment of the car, substantially reducing the heating thereof; as has already been stated, by completely covering all of the windows of an automobile under the sun it is possible to lower the temperature inside it even by a few tens of degrees.

[58] In order to fold up the shade 3 the user can for example press a suitable switch, not shown, which again drives the motor 110 rotating the hub 13 in a direction opposite to the previous one, so as to wind up the membrane 5 and the rods 7 - for example in a spiral.

[59] When, while winding up, the sun shade 3 is pulled into the box 9, the motor 110 or another motor closes the box 9 for example lowering the lid 92 until its edges to not touch those of the bottom 90.

[60] The shading device 1 is therefore capable of very effectively protecting the passenger compartment of a car from the outer solar radiation, contributing very effectively to limiting the heating of the passenger compartment itself; clearly, it is very useful for protecting an automobile also from dirt and rain.

[61] The rods 7 allow the membrane 5 to be wound and unwound in a very orderly manner without the user having to intervene or get dirty: he/she can indeed simply arrange the shading device 1 on the roof of the car and command the opening and closing thereof by pressing control buttons, leaving the motor 110 the task of unwinding and winding up the membrane 5.

Once the shading device 1 has been folded up, it occupies much less space in the trunk of the car.

[62] Like for example in the embodiment of Figures 7- 10, the hub 13' can comprise a first 130 and a second rotor 132, each of which can for example be shaped like a disc or plate, or furthermore like a shell that forms a dome or other projection surrounded by a flange, like a cap .

The two dome-shaped portions 1300, 1320 can be inserted inside one another and in the innermost dome - 1320 in the embodiment of Figures 7, 8 - the motor 111 can be inserted .

[63] The two rotors 130, 132 are mounted so as to be able to rotate coaxially around the first rotation axis AR. If they are shaped like discs or flat plates, the two rotors 130, 132 lie substantially in planes perpendicular to the shared rotation axis AR. If they are shaped like flanged projections, the respective perimeter flanges 1302, 1322 lie substantially in planes perpendicular to the shared rotation axis AR.

[64] The first rotor 130, closer to the upper opening of the bottom portion 90 of the box 9, can for example have an outer diameter, apothem or maximum width that is smaller with respect to the second rotor 132 further from such an upper opening.

[65] A first plurality of rods 7' is fixed to the first rotor 130. A second plurality of rods 1" of greater length with respect to the rods 7' is fixed to the second rotor 130.

[66] Both the first 7' and the second rods 1" are also fixed, at the other end, to the outermost edges of the membrane 5.

[67] Advantageously, the shading device 1" is arranged for retracting the sun shade inside the box 9 starting to wind or in any case rotate around the rotation axis AR firstly only the second rods 7", and only afterwards also the first rods 7' . To do this the shading device 1" starts to rotate firstly only the rotor 132, and only afterwards the rotor 130.

[68] Again for this purpose, one of the two rotors 130, 132 can be provided for example with a slot shaped like an arc of circle 141, and the other rotor, 132 or 130 respectively, can be provided with a pin or other abutment 143, arranged for sliding along the slot 141 when the two rotors 130, 132 rotate with respect to one another .

The rotor on which the abutment 143 is fixed or formed is driven by the aforementioned motor 111. [69] As an alternative to the system with slot 141 and pin 143, to start to rotate firstly one and then the other of the two rotors 130, 132 the shading device l¹¹¹ can, like for example in the embodiment of Figure 10, be provided with two or more motors 145, 147, preferably electric, one of which actuates the rotor 130 and the other the rotor 132.

[70] When the membrane 5 is folded in the box 9, the abutment 143 is close to or rested against one end of the slot 141, for example against the end 1410 that constitutes a first mechanical abutment.

[71] In order to open out the membrane 5 the motor 111 is driven, which sets the rotor 132 in rotation opening out the longer rods 7". The pin or other abutment 143 slides along the slot 141 and until it has not completely run along it so as to reach the other end 1412 the second rotor 130 remains fixed without rotating, held by the friction of the membrane and of the rods 7' which press against the inner walls of the box 9, for example against the inner walls of the bottom portion 90. The second end 1412 of the slot 141 thus forms a second mechanical abutment whereas the pin 143 is an example of a third mechanical abutment.

[72] Once the abutment 143 rests against the other end of the slot 141, the rotor 132 starts to set the other rotor 130 in rotation also unwinding the shorter rods 7' with a certain delay with respect to the rods 7".

[73] In order to pull the membrane 5 into the box 9 the motor 111 is driven again, which rotates the rotor 132 in the direction opposite to the rotation of opening out, starting to wind up the longer rods 7". The pin or other mechanical abutment 143 slides along the slot 141 in the opposite direction to when the membrane has been opened out, but until the other rotor 130 reaches the other end of the slot 141.

[74] Once again, once the abutment 143 rests against the other end of the slot 141, the rotor 132 starts to set the other rotor 130 in rotation, also winding up the shorter rods 7' with a certain delay with respect to the rods 7".

[75] In this way, the time lapse is zeroed or in any case reduced, between when the winding of the shorter rods 7' is completed and when that of the longer rods 1" is completed, whilst still having the rods of the two groups even of substantially different lengths.

[76] The two rotors 130, 132 thus allow the membrane 5 to be wound in a more orderly manner and with greater reliability even when the box 9 is arranged far from the centre of the membrane 5 like for example in the embodiment of Figure 5.

[77] Again to wind up the membrane 5 in a more orderly manner and unwind it with greater ease, the shading device 1" can advantageously be provided with a screen 151 having a substantially tapered shape, for example conical, frusto-conical or ogive-shaped with the tapering facing towards the bottom of the bottom portion 90' or more generally substantially cup-shaped (Figure 7) . [78] The screen 151, conventionally also indicated as "winding screen" in the present description, is arranged coaxially to the rotation axis AR of the hub 13 and of its possible rotors 130, 132, and can be firmly fixed to one of them 13, 130, 132, preferably to the upper rotor 130.

[79] The winding screen 151 has sufficiently large cross sections as to push the membrane sufficiently towards the periphery of the box 9, thus promoting a more orderly winding and unwinding of the membrane 5.

[80] The cross sections of the winding screen are preferably circular but they can also be other shapes, for example polygonal, oval, elliptical or lobed.

[81] In order to carry out its function the winding screen 151 does not necessarily have to be a shell having continuous walls and without openings, but it can for example be shaped like a cage, or have abundantly perforated walls or even be made as a bundle or crown of mutually separated rods.

[82] Figure 10 shows a view from above of a shading device l¹¹¹ according to a fourth embodiment of the invention .

The box and in particular its bottom portion 90" seen in plan, or in any case according to the direction of the axis AR, is substantially square or rectangle shaped. Since the two rotors and the membrane 5 wound inside it form a mass with substantially circular extension, i.e. a mass that is approximately toroidal or cylindrical in shape, the square or rectangular shape of the box and/or of its bottom portion 90" make it possible to house in its corners the possible electric motors 145, 147 that actuate the two rotors 130, 132 to which the rods 7', 7" that unwind and wind up the membrane 5, similarly to what happens in the shading device 1' of Figures 6-9, are fixed.

[83] More generally, if the box and in particular its bottom portion 90" seen in plan, or in any case according to the direction of the axis AR, is substantially square, rectangular, polygonal or in any case has corners or lobes, advantageously the motor or the motors 145, 147 are each arranged at or close to such corners or lobes.

[84] Advantageously each motor 145, 147 actuates the relative rotor 130, 132 engaging with the perimeter edge thereof or with areas adjacent thereto, for example through a coupling by toothed wheels, by friction wheel or even by chain or pulley.

[85] Again in the area of the corners of the bottom portion 90" but outside of it, suction cups, magnets, fastening feet or other fixing devices 149 can possibly be arranged for fixing the shading device 1" to the roof of a car.

[86] The shape with a square or rectangular plan, or more generally parallelepiped shape, of the box or at least of the bottom portion 90" thereof also facilitates a correct positioning and orientation of the shading device 1" on the roof of the car and in the trunk, also allowing the spaces inside it to be best exploited .

[87] The embodiments described earlier can undergo different modifications and variations without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. For example, the opened out membrane 5, or in any case completely open membrane, can have a perimeter shaped not only like a rectangle or square but also for example circular, oval, elliptical, hexagonal, octagonal or more generally polygonal.

[88] The first rotor 130, closest to the upper opening of the bottom portion 90 of the box 9, can on the other hand have an outer diameter, apothem or maximum width that is greater with respect to the second rotor 132 further away from such an upper opening.

[89] Moreover, all of the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. For example, the materials used, as well as the sizes, can be whatever according to the technical requirements.

[90] For example, the rods 7 can also be made of composite materials different from fibreglass, for example composite materials reinforced with basalt or carbon fibres, or furthermore be made of simple non- composite plastic materials. The shading device 1 can be directly installed by the manufacturers of automobiles as a first assembly accessory, or be supplied as subsequently-mounted accessory.

[91] The rods 7 can be articulated with articulations or telescopic. The shading device 1 can be provided with a clutch, release device or overload detectors capable of detecting excessive stresses on the structure for example in the case of wind, and in such a case command the retraction of the membrane 5 in the box 9. The box 9 may not only be shaped like an inverted goblet or dome shown in Figure 4, but also different shapes, for example frusto-conical or variously flared.

[92] The hub can be provided not only with one or two but also with three or more rotors 130, 132, to which three or more groups of rods 7, 7' , 1" of different lengths can also be fixed.

[93] The slot 141 can more generally be replaced by two mechanical abutments against which the pin or other mechanical abutment of the other rotor 132 can rest to set the rotor 130 in rotation.

[94] Unless specified otherwise, it should be understood that an expression of the type "A comprises B, C, D" or "A is formed from B, C, D" also comprises and describes the particular case in which "A consists of B, C, D", and the expressions "A comprises an element B" and "A comprising one or more elements B" should be taken as equivalents. The examples and lists of possible variants of the present applications should be considered to be non-exhaustive lists.

Claims

1) Shading device (1, 1', 1", l¹¹¹) for automobiles, comprising :

-a sun shade (3) comprising a membrane (5) and a stiffening frame in turn comprising a plurality of rods (7, 7' , 7") ;

-a box (9) arranged for containing the sun shade (3) ; -an actuation system (11) comprising a hub (13) to which the plurality of rods (7) is fixed, where the actuation system is arranged for:

-reversibly opening out the sun shade (3) outside of the box (9) opening out the plurality of rods (7, 7' , 7"); and

-reversibly retracting the sun shade inside the box (9) curving the plurality of rods (7) around the hub.

2) Shading device ( (1, 1', 1", l¹¹¹) according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the rods (7) are made of a composite material selected from the following group: fibreglass, a carbon fibre based composite, a basalt fibre based composite.

3) Shading device ( (1, 1', 1", l¹¹¹) according to claim 1, wherein the box (9) comprises a lid (92) and a bottom portion (90, 90') arranged for being reversibly brought together and separated from one another by the actuation system (11), so that when the lid (92) and the bottom portion (90) are brought together they form an inner cavity that can contain the folded sun shade (3) .

4) Shading device ( (1, 1', 1", l¹¹¹) according to claim 1, wherein the actuation system (11) comprises at least one motor (110) arranged for rotating the hub (13) so as to unwind the membrane (5) and the rods (7) opening them outside or towards the outside of the box (5) , and wind up the membrane (5) and the rods (7) pulling them back inside or towards the inside of the box (9) .

5) Shading device (1, 1') according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rods (7) is fixed radially to the hub (13) and/or around it.

6) Shading device (1, 1') according to claim 3, comprising a membrane-holding container (14, 14') arranged for containing the folded or wound membrane (7), where the membrane-holding container (14, 14') has a shape that widens as it goes away ideally from the bottom (900) of the bottom portion (90), and is open at its end farthest from the bottom (900) of the bottom portion (90, 90 ' ) .

7) Shading device (1, 1') according to claim 6, arranged for reversibly placing the membrane (7) back in the membrane-holding container (14) and extract it from it when the membrane (5) is opened out.

8) Shading device (1, 1') according to claim 6, wherein the membrane-holding container (14) has a shape selected from the following: goblet-shaped, parabola- shaped, flared, conical, frusto-conical .

9) Shading device (1, 1') according to claim 1, wherein the actuation system (11) is arranged for rotating the hub (13) around a first rotation axis (AR) , and the shading device (1, 1') comprises a plurality of articulations (15) each of which fixes a rod (7; V , 7") to the hub (13; 130, 132) allowing them to carry out rotations (a, ALFA) with respect to the hub around a second rotation axis parallel or longitudinal to the first rotation axis (AR) .

10) Shading device (1') according to claim 1, wherein the box (9) is arranged in eccentric position or in any way asymmetrical with respect to the perimeter of the completely open membrane (5') .

11) Shading device (1') according to claim 1, wherein the rods (7) have an outer mean diameter or an outer rated value comprised between 2-10 millimetres.

12) Shading device (1") according to claim 1, wherein the hub (13') comprises a first (130) and a second rotor (132) arranged for rotating about a first rotation axis (AR) , the first rotor (130) having a first plurality of rods (7' ) fixed to it, the second rotor (132) having a second plurality of rods (7") fixed to it, the shading device (1") is arranged for starting the rotation of the first rotor (130) delayed with respect to the start of the rotation of the second rotor (132) .

13) Shading device (1") according to claim 12, wherein the second rotor (132) is arranged for starting the rotation of the first rotor (130) delayed with respect to the start of the rotation of the second rotor (132) .

14) Shading device (1") according to claim 12 or 13, wherein at least one of the rods (V ) fixed to the first rotor (130) has a substantially different length with respect to at least one of the rods (7") fixed to the second rotor (132) . 15) Shading device (1") according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the rods (V ) fixed to the first rotor (130) is substantially shorter than at least one of the rods (7") fixed to the second rotor (132) . 16) Shading device (1") according to claim 13, wherein one from the first (130) or the second rotor (132) is provided with a first (1410) and a second mechanical abutment (1412), and respectively the second (132) or the first rotor (130) is provided with a third mechanical abutment (143) arranged for resting against the first (1410) and the second mechanical abutment (1412) allowing the second rotor (132) to set the first rotor (130) in rotation making it start its rotation in a delayed manner with respect to the start of the rotation of the second rotor (132) .

17) Shading device (1") according to one or more of the previous claims, provided with a winding screen (151) arranged in central position with respect to the hub (13) and arranged for keeping the membrane (5) towards the periphery of the box (9), where the winding screen (151) has a substantially tapered shape with the tapering directed towards the bottom of the bottom portion (90) or in any case towards the base of the shading device (1") .

18) Shading device (1") according to claim 13, provided with one or more motor (147, 147) each arranged for actuating the first (130) or the second rotor (132) .

19) Shading device (1") according to claim 18, wherein at least the bottom portion (90") of the box (9) has a square, rectangular, polygonal and/or lobed shape in plan that forms one or more angles or lobes, and each of the one or more motors (147, 147) are arranged at or close to such angles or lobes.

20) Shading device (1") according to claim 18 and/or 19, wherein each motor (145, 147) actuates the relative rotor (130, 132) engaging with the perimeter edge of the relative rotor (130, 132) or with areas adjacent to such an edge, for example through a coupling comprising toothed wheels, a friction wheel or also a chain or pulley.

21) Method for reducing the overheating of an automobile exposed to the sun, comprising the following operations : -arranging the box of a shading device (1, 1') having the characteristics according to claim 1 on the roof of the automobile (AT) ;

-opening the membrane (5) so that it protects the automobile from solar radiation, covering at least part of at least one of the windows (17, 19, 21) of the automobile with the membrane (5) .

22) Method for reducing the overheating of an automobile exposed to the sun, comprising the following operations :

-arranging the box of a shading device (1, 1') having the characteristics according to claim 1 on the roof of the automobile (AT) ;

-opening the membrane (5) so that it protects the automobile from solar radiation, completely covering at least one window (17, 19, 21) of the automobile (AT), and preferably all of the windows (17, 19, 21) of the automobile (AT) with the membrane (5) .