Shading device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660938-B2
Application number	US-201917257747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2019
Priority date	Jul 5, 2018
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

A shading device for a vehicle roof includes at least one shading length that can be rolled up for shading a light-permeable and/or open area of the vehicle roof, a tension bow that is movably mounted in a direction of travel (V), to which the shading length-is fastened, a drive mechanism that can be operated by a drive motor to move the tension and a control unit for activating the drive motor. The shading device includes at least one opposing force element for restricting a traveling movement of the tension bow, and the control unit is designed to activate the drive motor based on an opposing force when the tension bow reaches an end position (P1, P2) defined by the stop element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shading device for a vehicle roof, comprising:
at least one shading length that can be rolled up for shading a light-permeable and/or open area of the vehicle roof,
a tension bow that is movably mounted in a direction of travel (V), to which tension bow the shading length is fastened,
a drive mechanism that can be operated by a drive motor, said drive mechanism being designed to move the tension bow back and forth between a first end position (P 1 ) in which the shading length is rolled up, and a second end position (P 2 ) in which the shading length is unrolled at least partially,
a control unit for activating the drive motor,

wherein the shading device comprises at least one opposing force element for restricting a traveling movement of the tension bow,
wherein the control unit is designed to activate the drive motor based on a drive torque of the drive motor when the tension bow reaches an end position (P 1 , P 2 ) defined by the opposing force element, and wherein the control unit is configured to compare a determined drive torque with a predetermined limit drive torque and to switch off the drive motor or to reverse the drive direction of the drive motor if the determined drive torque exceeds the predetermined limit drive torque.

2. The shading device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the opposing force element defines the second end position (P 2 ), wherein the shading length is designed to shade the light-permeable and/or open area of the vehicle roof in the second end position (P 2 ) of the tension bow.

3. The shading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opposing force element is configured as a stop element which is arranged at one end of a lateral guide which guides the tension bow in the direction of travel (V).

4. The shading device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is designed to activate the drive motor based on a drive torque of the drive motor, in such a manner that the drive direction of the drive motor reverses when the tension bow reaches an end position (P 1 , P 2 ) defined by the opposing force element to bring about a load-relief movement of the tension bow.

5. The shading device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is designed to detect a motor current of the drive motor and to determine a drive torque of the drive motor based on the motor current detected.

6. The shading device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is designed to determine a limit drive torque from previous traveling movements of the tension bow.

7. The shading device of claim 6 , wherein the limit drive torque is smaller than, or equal to, an anti-trap protection torque for protecting a human body part from becoming trapped by the traveling movement of the tension bow.

8. The shading device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is designed to detect a travel time of the tension bow and, based on the detected travel time to calculate or estimate a position of the tension bow.

9. A roof arrangement for a vehicle roof, comprising a shading device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the roof arrangement comprises:
a roof element configured to be adjusted by a drive motor for covering a roof opening in the vehicle roof,
a roof adjustment mechanism for adjusting the roof element,

wherein the control unit is designed to activate the roof adjustment mechanism of the roof element.

10. The roof arrangement as claimed in claim 9 , wherein a drive motor for the shading device and the drive motor for the roof adjustment mechanism are connected to the control unit.

11. The roof arrangement as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the control unit has a plug-type connection by means of which said control unit can be connected to the drive motor.

12. A control method for a shading device of claim 1 or for a roof arrangement having a shading device for a vehicle roof as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the control method comprises the following steps:
operation of a drive mechanism by activating a drive motor by means of a control unit, in order to move a tension bow of a shading device back and forth between a first end position (P 1 ) and a second end position (P 2 ), wherein a shading length that can be rolled up and is fastened to the tension bow for shading a light-permeable and/or open area of the vehicle roof is rolled up in the first end position (P 1 ) and at least partially unrolled in the second end position (P 2 );
determination of a drive torque of the drive motor, when the tension bow reaches an end position (P 1 , P 2 );
activation of the drive motor by the control unit based on the determined drive torque of the drive motor.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising activation of the drive motor for reversing the drive direction of the drive motor, based on the drive force of the drive motor which has been determined, in order to bring about a load-relief movement of the tension bow.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising detection of a motor current of the drive motor when the tension bow reaches the end position (P 1 , P 2 ) defined by the opposing force element, and determination of a drive torque of the drive motor based on the motor current detected wherein the drive motor is switched off or activated in order to reverse the drive direction if the drive torque that has been determined exceeds the limit drive torque.

15. The shading of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is designed to determine a limit drive torque from recorded time profiles of the motor current and/or the drive torque.

16. The shading device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is designed to detect a travel time of the tension bow and, based on a rated speed of the drive motor, to calculate or estimate a position of the tension bow.

17. The roof arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the roof element is light-permeable roof element.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising detection of a motor current of the drive motor when the tension bow reaches the end position (P 1 , P 2 ) defined by the opposing force element, and determination of a drive torque of the drive motor based on comparison of the drive torque determined with a predetermined limit drive torque, wherein the drive motor is switched off or activated in order to reverse the drive direction if the drive torque that has been determined exceeds the limit drive torque.

19. A shading device for a vehicle roof, comprising:
at least one shading length that can be rolled up for shading a light-permeable and/or open area of the vehicle roof,
a tension bow that is movably mounted in a direction of travel (V), to which tension bow the shading length is fastened,
a drive mechanism that can be operated by a drive motor, said drive mechanism being designed to move the tension bow back and forth between a first end position (P 1 ) in which the shading length is rolled up, and a second end position (P 2 ) in which the shading length is unrolled at least partially,
a control unit for activating the drive motor,

wherein the shading device comprises at least one opposing force element for restricting a traveling movement of the tension bow,
wherein the control unit is designed to activate the drive motor based on an opposing force and/or a drive torque of the drive motor when the tension bow reaches an end position (P 1 , P 2 ) defined by the opposing force element,
wherein the tension bow or the opposing force element include a force sensor to detect the opposing force, wherein the co

Assignees

• Webasto SE

Inventors

• Appel Josef

Classifications

• E05F15/41

  Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque (E05F15/48 takes precedence); Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings · CPC title

• B60J7/0015

  roller blind · CPC title

• B60J7/0573

  power driven arrangements, e.g. electrical · CPC title

• B60J1/2016 Primary

  Control means for actuating the roller blind, e.g. using electronic control · CPC title

• B60J7/043

  Sunroofs (B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedence){e.g. sliding above the roof} · CPC title