Roll-up blind with stowable guiding members for the window of a vehicle

• US 6,422,291 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BOS GMBH & CO. KG
• Original Assignee: Baumeister and Ostler GmbH and Company KG
• Inventors: Brunnert, Bernd, Ehrenberger, Marina, Seel, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M.
• Application Number:
  US09/762,374
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 160/370.22, 160/265, 296/97.4, 296/97.8, 296/97.7, 296/97.13
• US Class Current: 160/370.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2019 powered, e.g. by electric, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2044 Draw bars, including elements attached to it, e.g. sliding shoes, gripping elements or pull cords
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2055 Pivoting arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/208 for rear windows

Abstract

A roll-up window blind (5) for automobile rear windows panes (4) has two actuating levers (9, 11) with which the pullrod (13) is moved in the direction of reeling-out or reeling-in of the blind material (12). The levers (9, 11) are borne in such manner that, in the reeled-out state, the pullrod (13) is pressed with a tension force against the rear window pane (4). In order to avoid any damage to the heating wires, the pullrod (13) is provided on its ends with guide elements (41), which are mounted movably on the pullrod (13). With the blind (5) reeled out, they project over the outer contour of the pullrod (13) and, as they themselves come to lie on the rear window pane (4), they hold the pullrod (13) at a distance from the rear window pane (4). On reeling-in they are retracted behind the outer contours of the pullrod (13), so that they can be retracted into the slot (7) from which the blind material emerges, and, namely, without recesses for the guide elements being necessary on the slot edges (22).

Claims

1. A roll-up window blind for a window of a motor vehicle, the window having an associated window pane, the roll-up blind comprising:

a rotatable winding shaft,

a blind material having parallel first and second edges with the first edge being connected to the winding shaft for movement between a reeled-in position and a reeled-out position,

a first drive arrangement which pre-stresses the winding shaft in a direction corresponding to moving the blind material to the reeled-in position,

a pull rod fastened to the second edge of the blind material,

at least one deflection-resistant actuating element for transferring an associated second drive arrangement between a first position in which the pullrod is disposed adjacent the winding shaft and a second position in which the pullrod is disposed relatively further away from the winding shaft, and

two guide elements for guiding the pull rod on the window pane, the guide elements being disposed in spaced relation to each other and being supported on the pull rod by corresponding bearing arrangements for movement between a first retracted position and a second guide position, wherein in the first retracted position the guide elements are retracted with respect to a circumferential surface of the pullrod and in the second guide position the guide element project beyond the circumferential surface of the pullrod in order to guide the pull rod on the window pane as the blind material moves from the reeled-in position to the reeled-out position.

2. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein the winding shaft is supported in a housing having an outlet slot for the blind material.

3. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein the winding shaft is supported in a housing installed into a hat deposit area of the motor vehicle.

4. A roll-up window blind according to claim 3, characterized in that an outlet slot for the blind material is contained in a hat deposit area of the motor vehicle.

5. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein the first drive arrangement is a spring motor which is located inside the winding shaft.

6. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, further including an outlet slot for the blind material and wherein the pullrod and the outlet slot have complementary shapes such that when the blind material is in the reel-in position the pullrod closes the outlet slot except for an annular gap surrounding the pullrod.

7. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, further including an outlet slot for the blind material and wherein the pullrod and the outlet slot have complementary shapes such that when the blind material is in the reel-in position the pullrod closes the outlet slot.

8. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein each actuating element comprises an actuating lever pivotably supported beside the winding shaft, each actuating lever having a free end that cooperates with the pullrod and being pivotable from a first position in which the actuating lever extends about parallel to the winding shaft into a second position in which the actuating lever is at about a right angle to the winding shaft.

9. A roll-up window according to claim 1, wherein the guide elements comprise slide skids.

10. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein the guide elements comprise rotatable rollers.

11. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein each bearing arrangement includes a slide-block guide.

12. A roll-up window blind according to claim 11, wherein the side-block guide has a curved guide slot for leading the guide element along a path.

13. A roll-up window blind according to claim 12, wherein the guide slot is curved in a continuous form.

14. A roll-up window blind according to claim 12, wherein the guide slot has an L-shaped form.

15. A roll-up window blind according to claim 11, wherein each bearing arrangement includes a bearing carrier which is pivotable about a bearing axis.

16. A roll-up window blind according to claim 15, characterized in that the bearing axis extends approximately parallel to a plane defined by the blind material in the reeled-out position.

17. A roll-up window blind according to claim 15, wherein the bearing axis extends at a right angle to the pullrod.

18. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein each guide element has and associated pre-stressing device for pre-stressing the guide element toward the second guide position.

19. A roll-up window blind according to claim 11, wherein each bearing arrangement has an associated pre-stressing device for pre-stressing the guide element toward the second guide position.

20. A roll-up window blind according to claim 18, wherein the pre-stressing device includes a bending spring.

21. A roll-up window blind according to claim 1, wherein each guide element is movable along a path that curves about an axis is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pullrod between the first retracted position and the second guide position.