Patent ID: 6227601
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A motor driven sunshield for installation in an automotive vehicle having a roof, a transmission, a vehicle electrical system, a dashboard, and a windshield, for shielding the interior of the vehicle from solar radiation otherwise entering through the windshield, said sunshield comprising:a shield assembly, widthwise extensible, having an lengthwise extensible drive slat, an lengthwise extensible dashboard skirt slat, and a plurality of lengthwise extensible intermediate slats, each of said slats having a first section, said first section featuring an upper section and a lower section, and a second section, a portion thereof proximate said upper section of said first section and slidable thereunder, for providing lengthwise extensibility and compressibility of each said slat, each said first section having a first wheel edge, each said second section having a second wheel edge, each of said slats featuring at least one lengthwise crenelated edge having a plurality of crenels and merlons, the width of said crenels generally more wide than the width of said merlons, each said merlon having a merlon bore, axis of each said bore parallel to longitudinal axis of each said slat, said drive slat further having a first connection mount and a second connection mount, said skirt slat featuring a first skirt section guide pin extending from associated said first wheel edge and a second skirt section guide pin extending from associated said second wheel edge, said guide pins facilitating lengthwise extension and compression of said skirt slats, said skirt slat further having a lengthwise pliant skirt, for readily conforming, upon full sunshield deployment, to the widthwise contour of the vehicle dashboard, said shield assembly further having a plurality of first wheels and second wheels, each said first wheel connected to a first wheel extensible tubiform axle, each said second wheel connected to a second wheel extensible tubiform axle, each said first tubiform axle and said second tubiform axle axially connected with a connective axle pintle, forming an extensible dual axle assembly, each said dual axle assembly, extensibly, rotatably and slidably fitting in each said merlon bore, each said slat interconnected to at least one other of said slats, each said dual axle assembly passing through alternating said merlon bores of adjacent each of said slats, said first wheel extending beyond said first wheel edge of each said first section, said second wheel extending beyond said second wheel edge of each said second section, said shield assembly aggregatively disposed for providing essentially a wheeled, multi-hinged, widthwise extensible sun barrier, for conforming widthwise to the general trapezoidal shape of the vehicle windshield when lengthwise fully deployed, providing a sunshield thereto, said sunshield assembly capable of being lengthwise fully retracted for providing an unobstructed vision for the vehicle driver;means for maintaining cooperative operation, during widthwise extension and compression of said sunshield assembly, of each said first section and said second section, a portion thereof proximate to said first section and slidable thereunder, of each of said slats;means for urging-widthwise extension of said sunshield assembly and lengthwise extension of each of said slats during deployment of said motor driven sunshield, and urging widthwise compression of said sunshield assembly and lengthwise compression of each of said slats during retraction of said motor driven sunshield;means for urging said sunshield assembly forward from retracted position during deployment thereof and rearward from deployed position during retraction thereof; andmeans for automatically and manually controlling both deployment of said sunshield assembly across the windshield and retraction therefrom, said shield assembly and each of said means cooperatively and aggregatively linked, forming said automatically and manually operated motor driven sunshield for covering the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle, protecting the vehicle's interior from potentially harmful solar radiation otherwise passing through the windshield.