Wind deflector assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399422-B2
Application number	US-201715854399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2017
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A wind deflector assembly includes a wind deflector member which extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The wind deflector member is connected to a first end of at least one pivotable wind deflector arm of which an opposite second end is at least pivotally connected to a stationary part. A biasing device engages the wind deflector arm and urges the wind deflector arm towards the extended position. The biasing device is at least pivotally connected to the stationary part through a pivot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind deflector assembly configured for use in front of a roof opening of an open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising:
a stationary part;
at least one pivotable wind deflector arm having a first end and a second end, the second end at least pivotally connected to the stationary part;
a wind deflector member configured to extend in a transverse direction of the vehicle and which is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, which the wind deflector member is connected to the first end of said at least one pivotable wind deflector arm;
a biasing device engaging the wind deflector arm and configured to urge the wind deflector arm towards the extended position, the biasing device being at least pivotally connected to the stationary part through a pivot, wherein the biasing device comprises at least a first and second leg connected to each other at a connection, at least the first leg configured to load the wind deflector arm towards the extended position and the second leg of the biasing device being attached to the wind deflector arm, the pivot being positioned near the connection between the first and second leg, wherein the biasing device comprises a bent leaf spring.

2. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second leg of the biasing device define an angle between them, and the biasing device being positioned such that the angle decreases and therefore the spring force increases when the wind deflector arm is moved from the extended position towards the retracted position.

3. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing device comprises a third leg connected to an end of the second leg away from the pivot, the third leg being fixed to the wind deflector arm, the first, second and third leg forming part of an integral leaf spring, an angle between the second and third legs decreasing and therefore the spring force increases when the wind deflector arm is moved from the extended position towards the retracted position.

4. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot includes a bearing, and the leaf spring is bent around the bearing of the pivot.

5. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 3 , wherein an end of the first leg of the biasing device is slidingly engaging the third leg.

6. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second leg of the biasing device is pivotally connected to the wind deflector arm.

7. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the second leg of the biasing device is rigid.

8. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the second leg comprises a lever connected to the first leg through a bent extension of the first leg.

9. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second leg is connected to the pivot through a mounting member.

10. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing device is positioned and configured such that when the wind deflector arm moves the wind deflector member from the retracted position to the extended position the biasing device moves from an unlocked biasing position to a locked position in which the biasing device locks the wind deflector arm in its extended position, the biasing device being configured to be moved by a closure for a roof opening in the vehicle back towards the unlocked biasing position.

11. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the wind deflector arm is provided with a stop for the first leg of the biasing device, the stop being configured to stop the biasing device in the locked position.

12. A wind deflector assembly configured for use in front of a roof opening of an open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising:
a stationary part;
at least one pivotable wind deflector arm having a first end and a second end, the second end at least pivotally connected to the stationary part;
a wind deflector member configured to extend in a transverse direction of the vehicle and which is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, which wind deflector member is connected to the first end of said at least one pivotable wind deflector arm;
a biasing device engaging the wind deflector arm and configured to urge the wind deflector arm towards the extended position, the biasing device being at least pivotally connected to the stationary part through a pivot, wherein the biasing device comprises at least a first and second leg connected to each other at a connection, at least the first leg configured to load the wind deflector arm towards the extended position and the second leg of the biasing device being attached to the wind deflector arm, the pivot being positioned near the connection between the first and second leg; and
wherein the second end of the wind deflector arm and the pivot are slidable with respect to each other.

13. The wind deflector assembly of claim 12 wherein the second end of the wind deflector arm is slidably connected to the stationary part.

14. The wind deflector assembly of claim 5 wherein the end of the first leg is rounded.

15. A wind deflector assembly configured for use in front of a roof opening of an open roof construction for a vehicle having a closure for selectively opening and closing the roof opening, comprising:
a stationary part;
at least one pivotable wind deflector arm having a first end and a second end, the second end being configured to be pivotally connected to the vehicle;
a wind deflector member which extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle and which is movable between a retracted position when the closure is in its closed position and an extended position when the closure is in an open position, which wind deflector member is connected to the first end of said at least one pivotable wind deflector arm
a biasing device configured to support the wind deflector arm and urge the wind deflector arm towards the extended position, wherein the biasing device is positioned and configured such that when the wind deflector arm moves the wind deflector member from the retracted position to the extended position the biasing device moves from an unlocked biasing position to a locked position in which it locks the wind deflector arm in its extended position, the biasing device being configured to be moved by the closure back towards the unlocked biasing position, wherein the biasing device includes a spring member forming at least a part of a leaf spring and the wind deflector arm being provided with a fixed stop, wherein a portion of the biasing device is configured to engage with the fixed stop when the biasing device is in the locked position and wherein the portion of the biasing device is configured to be completely separated from the fixed stop when the biasing device is in the unlocked biasing position.

16. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the closure is provided with a closure part near a front end of the closure is configured to engage with the biasing device when said closure is moving to the closed position in order to move the biasing device towards the unlocked biasing position.

17. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the closure part near the front end of the closure comprises a protrusion.

18. The wind deflector assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the biasing device comprises at least a first and second leg connected to each other at a connection, at least the first leg configured to load the wind deflector arm towa

Assignees

• Inalfa Roof Sys Group Bv
• Inalfa Roof Systems Groups B V

Inventors

• Geurts Ruud
• Manders Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes
• Van Boxtel Eduardus Christianus Henricus
• Ten-Jet-Foei Suyanto Teri Wahiyu
• Rikkert Robert

Classifications

• B60J7/22 Primary

  Wind deflectors for open roofs · CPC title

• B60J7/226

  immovably attached to vehicle roof section · CPC title