Abstract:
In order to improve a drive unit for a wind stop device for convertible vehicles, comprising a base part which can be mounted on a vehicle body and a wind blocker which can be pivoted relative to the base part between an active upright position and an inactive position folded towards the back, wherein the drive unit serves the purpose of pivoting the wind blocker between the active position and the inactive position, in such a manner that it can be fitted to the wind stop device without any alteration to the constructional design of the wind stop device it is suggested that the drive unit comprise a displacing device and a displacing element which is tensilely rigid in its direction of extension and movable transversely to the direction of extension and which couples the displacing device to the wind blocker for pivoting the wind blocker between the active position and the inactive position and, for this purpose, has a section extending in a curved manner at least in one position of the wind blocker.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of German application No. 10 2009 035 335.6, filed Jul. 21, 2009, the teachings and disclosure of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference thereto. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a drive unit for a wind stop device for convertible vehicles, comprising a base part which can be mounted on a vehicle body and a wind blocker which can be pivoted relative to the base part between an active upright position and an inactive position folded towards the back, wherein the drive unit serves the purpose of pivoting the wind blocker between the active and the inactive position. 
         [0003]    Drive units of this type are known from the state of the art; they are, for example, integrated into the base part in accordance with, for example, EP 1 621 386 A. 
         [0004]    Such a drive unit has the disadvantage that it cannot be fitted at a later date and also the additional disadvantage that it makes an alteration in the construction of the wind stop device necessary. 
         [0005]    The object underlying the invention is, therefore, to improve a drive unit of the generic type in such a manner that it can be fitted to the wind stop device without any alteration to the constructional design of the wind stop device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a drive unit of the type described at the outset, in that the drive unit comprises a displacing device and a displacing element which is tensilely rigid in its direction of extension and can be moved transversely to the direction of extension and which couples the displacing device to the wind blocker for pivoting the wind blocker between the active and the inactive position and for this purpose has a section extending in a curved manner at least in one position of the wind blocker. 
         [0007]    The advantage of the solution according to the invention is to be seen in the fact that, with it, it is possible to mount the drive unit in a simple manner since the displacing element can extend in a straight alignment or in a curved manner transversely to its direction of extension and, therefore, can engage on the wind blocker in a manner which makes an alteration in the course of the displacing element necessary during the transition from one position to the other. 
         [0008]    As a result, the drive unit according to the invention can be mounted with the displacing element such that this can adapt to the movement of the wind blocker during its pivoting from the one position into the other position. 
         [0009]    The displacing element can, in principle, be designed as an element which can be moved transversely to its direction of extension in a flexurally slack manner. 
         [0010]    However, only pulling forces can be transferred with such a displacing element. 
         [0011]    For this reason, it is particularly advantageous when the displacing element is designed as an element which can be moved transversely to its direction of extension in a spring elastic manner, wherein the displacing element has a limited inherent rigidity which can be overcome in a spring elastic manner so that pushing forces can also be transferred with the displacing element, at least to a limited extent. 
         [0012]    In principle, the displacing element could be designed from the most varied of materials. 
         [0013]    One particularly advantageous solution provides for the displacing element to be designed as a strand of metal, for example, as a strip of spring steel since, in this case, a large tensile rigidity is linked to an adequately large inherent rigidity and spring elasticity transversely to the direction of extension, which is required for the transfer of pulling and pushing forces. 
         [0014]    For example, the drive unit could be designed such that the displacing element does not engage directly on the wind blocker but rather, for example, on an intermediate element which can be mounted on the wind blocker and could act on the wind blocker in the manner of a lever. 
         [0015]    For reasons of as optimum an optical appearance as possible, it has, however, proven to be advantageous when the displacing element can be connected directly to the wind blocker. 
         [0016]    It is particularly favorable in this case when the displacing element can be connected to a lower frame bar of a wind blocker frame of the wind blocker. 
         [0017]    With respect to the course of the displacing element from the displacing device to the wind blocker, no further details have so far been given. 
         [0018]    In principle, it could be provided for the displacing element to extend between the displacing device and the wind blocker frame in an exposed manner. 
         [0019]    However, in order to be able to determine the forces acting on the wind blocker element by the displacing element by way of a suitable course of the displacing element at least in a certain area, it is preferably provided for the section of the displacing element extending in a curved manner to be guided by means of a guide. 
         [0020]    Such a guide accommodating the curved section of the displacing element allows, on the one hand, the curved section of the displacing element to be designed such that it acts in a pulling manner on the wind blocker in a suitable manner when pulling forces are to be applied to the wind blocker and/or alternatively thereto that pushing forces may also be applied to the wind blocker with the displacing element over and beyond the curved section. 
         [0021]    The section of the displacing element extending in a curved manner is guided in a simple manner by the guide in that this has a guide channel extending in a curved manner. 
         [0022]    The guide channel could be designed, for example, such that it guides the displacing element exactly and, therefore, predetermines the curved course exactly. 
         [0023]    However, in order to be able to utilize the advantages of a displacing element which can be moved transversely to its direction of extension and can be moved, in particular, in a spring elastic manner, it is preferably provided for the guide channel to permit varying curvatures of the section of the displacing element guided in it. 
         [0024]    This means that the guide channel allows the movements of the displacing element transversely to its direction of extension which are necessary to follow the movements of the wind blocker during its pivoting from the one position into the other position. 
         [0025]    In this respect, it is favorable, in particular, when the guide channel has a funnel-shaped area which permits movement of the displacing element transversely to its direction of extension. 
         [0026]    Such a funnel-shaped area of the guide channel is preferably located close to an opening of the guide, from which the displacing element guided to the wind blocker exits. 
         [0027]    Furthermore, it is of advantage for the guidance of the displacing element when the guide channel has a curved guiding surface on at least one side since such a curved guiding surface offers the possibility, in a simple manner, of guiding the displacing element in the form of a section extending in a curved manner. 
         [0028]    In this respect, it is favorable, in particular, when the displacing element abuts on the curved guiding surface over a greater length when the wind blocker is in the one position than in the other position of the wind blocker, i.e., when the displacing element can abut selectively on the curved guiding surface over different lengths so that the guiding element can, as a result, follow the kinematic movements of the wind blocker during its pivoting from the one position into the other position in a simple manner. 
         [0029]    One particularly favorable solution provides for the guide channel to have a curved outer guiding surface and a curved inner guiding surface, between which the displacing element is located. 
         [0030]    In this respect, the curved inner guiding surface and the curved outer guiding surface are preferably designed such that they have different courses and so a free space is formed between these curved inner and outer guiding surfaces which results in the displacing element being able to abut selectively on the one curved guiding surface or the other curved guiding surface. 
         [0031]    The funnel-like area of the guide channel is preferably located between the two curved guiding surfaces. 
         [0032]    Such a design of the guide channel allows the displacing element to be guided, on the one hand, such that it can transfer pulling forces in an optimum manner and, in this respect, abuts on one of the guiding surfaces and can also transfer pushing forces in an optimum manner, at least within the scope of its inherent rigidity, wherein, in this case, the guiding element preferably abuts on the other guiding surface located opposite. 
         [0033]    An “inner guiding surface” is to be understood as the guiding surface which is located on an inner side of the arc in the curved section of the displacing element while an outer guiding surface is to be understood as the guiding surface which is located on an outer side of the arc in the curved section. 
         [0034]    In order to be able to accommodate the displacing element, in particular, exactly proceeding from the displacing device, it is preferably provided for the guide to have a guide channel with an area guiding the displacing element free from transverse movement. 
         [0035]    With respect to the design of the displacing device itself, no further details have so far been given. 
         [0036]    For example, the displacing device could be designed as a displacing device which can be driven linearly, wherein this would make a motor drive more difficult. 
         [0037]    For this reason, it is preferably provided for the displacing device to comprise a displacing unit which can be driven for rotation and is, therefore, in a position to displace the displacing element with a rotating drive movement. 
         [0038]    One advantageous solution provides for the displacing unit which can be driven for rotation to act linearly on the displacing element. 
         [0039]    Such a linear action on the displacing element may be realized particularly favorably when the displacing unit comprises a threaded spindle and a spindle nut. 
         [0040]    For example, the threaded spindle could be drivable manually. 
         [0041]    It is, however, particularly favorable when the threaded spindle can be driven by a drive motor. 
         [0042]    In this case, the spindle nut is then arranged so as to be non-rotatable but linearly displaceable. 
         [0043]    However, the kinematic reversal is also conceivable, namely that the spindle nut can be driven for rotation and the threaded spindle is arranged so as to be non-rotatable but linearly displaceable. 
         [0044]    With respect to the mounting of the drive unit according to the invention, no further details have been given in conjunction with the preceding description of the individual embodiments. 
         [0045]    In principle, it could be conceivable to arrange or mount the drive unit on the body of the vehicle. 
         [0046]    One particularly advantageous solution provides, however, for the drive unit to be mountable on the base part. 
         [0047]    In this respect, it is particularly expedient when the drive unit has a housing which can be mounted on the base part, wherein the housing is preferably mounted such that the housing is adapted to the base part and does not require any alterations to the geometric shape of the base part. 
         [0048]    In this respect, it is particularly advantageous when the housing can be mounted on a front part of the base part. 
         [0049]    Since the position of the guide relative to the wind stop device and the base part is of significance, it is preferably provided for the housing to be mounted on the base part with a part accommodating the guide so that the part of the housing accommodating the guide is fixed securely to the base part and, therefore, is also in a position to transfer the forces acting primarily on it to the base part. 
         [0050]    One particularly favorable solution provides for the housing to engage partially around a front bar of the base part and, therefore, to be fixed to it with this area partially engaging around the bar. 
         [0051]    With respect to the arrangement of the guide in the housing relative to the base part, it is particularly favorable when the guide guides the displacing element partially around the front bar of the base part so that, as a result, the displacing element can be guided from the displacing device to the wind blocker in a simple manner, in particular in an optically inconspicuous manner. 
         [0052]    With respect to the way, in which the drive unit is mounted on the base part, no further details have likewise been given thus far. 
         [0053]    One advantageous solution, for example, provides for the drive unit to be mountable on an underside of the base part. 
         [0054]    This solution has the advantage that, as a result, the drive unit is inconspicuous optically for anyone looking at the wind stop device since the drive unit is arranged on the underside of the base part, i.e., on the side of the base part facing the vehicle body and, therefore, is not noticeable optically. 
         [0055]    It is particularly favorable when the housing can be mounted on a front bar of the base part from below. 
         [0056]    In addition, the invention also relates to a wind stop device for convertible vehicles, comprising a base part which can be mounted on a vehicle body, a wind blocker which can be pivoted relative to the base part between an active upright position and an inactive position folded towards the back as well as a drive unit for pivoting the wind blocker between the active position and the inactive position, wherein, in accordance with the invention, the drive unit is designed in accordance with one or several of the features described above. 
         [0057]    Such a wind stop device has the advantages already explained above in conjunction with the drive unit. 
         [0058]    Additional features and advantages of the invention are the subject matter of the following drawings as well as the description of one embodiment of a wind stop device according to the invention with a drive unit mounted thereon. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0059]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic side view of a convertible vehicle with a wind stop device according to the invention; 
           [0060]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective illustration of the wind stop device according to  FIG. 1  with a drive unit according to the invention; 
           [0061]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the wind stop device according to the invention in an inactive position of the wind blocker; 
           [0062]      FIG. 4  shows a section along line  4 - 4  with a wind blocker partially illustrated by solid lines in the inactive position and a wind blocker partially illustrated by dashed lines in the active position and 
           [0063]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective illustration of the wind blocker according to  FIG. 2  with a schematic allocation of operating possibilities for operating the drive unit according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0064]    A convertible vehicle, which is illustrated in  FIG. 1  and designated as a whole as  10 , comprises a vehicle body  12 , on which a wind stop device, which is designated as a whole as  16 , can be mounted at the level of a belt line  14 , namely behind a passenger compartment  18  which is arranged, for its part, behind a windshield  20  of the vehicle body  12 . 
         [0065]    The wind stop device  16  comprises a base part  22  which can be fixed in position on the vehicle body  12  approximately at the level of the belt line  14  as well as a wind blocker  24  which extends transversely to the belt line  14  of the vehicle body  12  in its active position, illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and is upwardly erect and can be pivoted from the active position illustrated in  FIG. 1  by solid lines into an inactive position illustrated in  FIG. 1  by dashed lines. 
         [0066]    For this purpose, the wind blocker  24  is mounted on a front part  23  of the base part  22  facing the passenger compartment  18  so as to be pivotable about an axis  25 . 
         [0067]    Such a wind stop device  16  can, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , be mounted on the vehicle body  12  with the base part  22  via fixing elements  26  and  28  and, as a result, also be fixed to it. 
         [0068]    The base part  22  is designed, for example, as a cover and comprises a cover frame which is designated as a whole as  30  and is formed, for example, from two cover frame parts  32  and  34 , wherein the cover frame parts  32  and  34  can be folded relative to one another and can be fixed relative to one another in an outspread position illustrated in  FIG. 2  so that front bars  36  thereof are essentially aligned to as to be flush with one another. 
         [0069]    The wind blocker designated as a whole as  24  is held on the base part  22  and has a wind blocker frame  40  which is likewise formed from two wind blocker frame parts  42  and  44  which can be folded relative to one another about an axis  46 . 
         [0070]    The wind blocker frame parts  42  and  44  can also be fixed relative to one another in the outspread position illustrated in  FIG. 2  and form a continuous lower frame bar  48 . 
         [0071]    In order to be able to pivot the wind blocker  24  with the wind blocker frame  40  from the active position illustrated in  FIG. 2  by solid lines into the inactive position illustrated in  FIG. 2  by dashed lines, a drive unit  50  is held on the base part  22 , for example, the cover frame part  32  and acts on the wind blocker frame  40  with a displacing element  52 , which is tensilely rigid but bendable in a direction transverse to its direction of extension in a spring elastic manner and is, therefore, inherently rigid only to a limited extent, in that, for example, the displacing element  52 , for example, a strip consisting of spring steel engages on the lower frame bar  48 , namely on an upper side  49  of the lower frame bar  48  which faces away from the vehicle body  12  in the active position of the wind blocker frame  40 . 
         [0072]    The drive unit  50  comprises, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a guide  54  for the displacing element  52  which is arranged in a front area and is arranged in a part  56  of the housing  60  of the drive unit  50 , wherein the guide  54  has a guide channel  62  which extends on a side of the front bar  36  of the cover frame  30  which faces the vehicle body  12  and is then bent away from the vehicle body  12  upwards in the direction of the wind blocker  24 , namely from an interior space  64  of the housing  60  as far as an exit opening  66  which is located on a side facing away from the vehicle body  12  and from which the displacing element  52  exits. The guide channel  62  has, proceeding from the exit opening  66 , a funnel-shaped area  68  which is followed by an area  70  which is adapted to a shape of the displacing element  52  and leads as far as the interior space  64 . 
         [0073]    In the guide  54 , the displacing element  52  is deflected in such a manner that it has a section  58  extending in a curved manner and at the same this section  58  of the displacing element  52  which extends in a curved manner is guided and supported in such a manner that the displacing element can act on the wind blocker  24  not only with pulling forces but also with pressure forces in order to pivot it. 
         [0074]    An inner arched guiding surface  72  extends on a side of the funnel-shaped area  68  facing the front bar  36  of the cover frame  30  and the displacing element  52  abuts on this guiding surface when the wind blocker frame  40  is in its inactive position and is intended to be moved from this position into the active position by way of pulling forces acting on the displacing element  52 , wherein as a result of the guiding surface  72  as a whole the displacing element  52  is guided around an angle of more than 90°, preferably around an angle of more then 140°. 
         [0075]    An outer guiding surface  73  is arranged opposite the inner guiding surface  72  and this supports the displacing element  52  when the wind blocker  24  is intended to be moved from the active position into the inactive position as a result of pushing forces acting on the displacing element  52 . 
         [0076]    The part  56  of the housing  60  accommodating the guide  54  engages around the front bar  36  of the cover frame  30 , for example, in the area of its front side  74 , its underside  76  and its rear side  78  and so, as a result, the guide  54  can be fixed in a form locking manner on the front bar  36 . 
         [0077]    The displacing element  52  entering the interior space  64  of the housing  60  via the guide channel  62  is connected in the interior space  64  of the housing  60  to a displacing unit, which is designated as a whole as  80 , of a displacing device  90  which is arranged in the housing  60  and comprises, in addition to the displacing unit  80 , a drive motor  92  with a gear unit  94 . 
         [0078]    The gear unit  94  with its driven shaft  96  drives the displacing unit  80  which, for its part, comprises a threaded spindle  82  driven by the driven shaft  96  as well as a spindle nut sleeve  84 , wherein the threaded spindle  82  can be screwed into the spindle nut sleeve  84  so that the spindle nut sleeve  84  can be displaced along an axis of rotation  86  of the threaded spindle  82 . 
         [0079]    The displacing element  52  is connected to the spindle nut sleeve  84  on a side facing away from the threaded spindle  82  and so displacement of the spindle nut sleeve  84  away from the guide  54  leads to the displacing element  52  being drawn into the interior space  64  of the housing  60 , wherein the displacing element  52  will be drawn through the guide  54  and is, in this case, in a position to pull the wind blocker frame  40  upright from the inactive position illustrated in  FIG. 4  by solid lines into the active position illustrated in  FIG. 4  by dashed lines. 
         [0080]    For the guidance of the spindle nut sleeve  84  in a manner non-rotatable but displaceable in the direction of the axis of rotation  86  of the threaded spindle  82 , the sleeve is provided, for example, with an non-round outer contour, for example, with flat sides  102  and  104  which are located opposite one another and abut on strips  106  and  108  of the housing  60  which are located opposite one another and therefore prevent the spindle nut sleeve  84  from rotating about the axis of rotation  86  with the threaded spindle  82 . 
         [0081]    As a result, the spindle nut sleeve  84  is mounted so as to be non-rotatable but displaceable in the direction of the axis of rotation  86 . 
         [0082]    The forces acting on the threaded spindle  82  when the threaded spindle  82  is screwed into the spindle nut sleeve  84  and, therefore, when the displacing element  52  is drawn into the interior space  64  of the housing  60  are preferably transferred from it via the driven shaft to the gear unit  94  which is supported with a gear unit housing  110  on supporting strips  112  and  114  of the housing  60  against any movement in the direction of the spindle nut sleeve  84  and, therefore, transfers to the housing  60  the forces acting on the displacing unit  80  when the displacing element  52  is drawn in. 
         [0083]    If the threaded spindle  82  is, however, turned such that it is screwed out of the spindle nut sleeve  84 , the spindle nut sleeve  84  migrates in the direction of the guide  54  and, therefore, pushes the displacing element  52 , supported on the guiding surface  73 , through the guide channel  62  in the direction of the lower bar  46  of the wind blocker frame  40  and so, on account of the limited inherent rigidity of the displacing element  52  and the support thereof on the guiding surface  73  of the guide  54 , the upright wind blocker frame  40  illustrated in  FIG. 4  by dashed lines experiences a pushing force exerted by the displacing element  52  at the upper side  49  of the frame bar  48  in the direction of a movement into the inactive position and this force pivots the wind blocker frame again from the active position illustrated by dashed lines in the direction towards the inactive position illustrated in  FIG. 4  by solid lines so that the wind blocker  24  again reaches the inactive position. 
         [0084]    The housing  60  of the drive unit  50  is located, for example, within the cover frame part  32  and is fixed by means of the part  56  accommodating the guide  54  not only on the front bar  36  of the cover frame  30  but also, for example, in addition, to a central bar  38  of the cover frame part  32 . 
         [0085]    Furthermore, the housing  60  is preferably located beneath a flat material  120  which closes the cover frame parts  32  and  34  in the area of a frame opening  122  so that the housing  60  is covered by the flat material  120  in a plan view of the cover frame  30  from a side facing away from the vehicle body  12 . 
         [0086]    The flat material  120  is preferably partially permeable to air, in the same way as a flat material  130  which closes a frame opening  132  of the wind blocker frame  40 . 
         [0087]    The activation of the electric drive motor  92  of the drive unit  50  is preferably brought about via a control circuit  140  which is integrated in the housing  60  and, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , can either be activated, for example, in a line conducted manner by switch elements  142  on an instrument panel  144  of the vehicle body  12  or wirelessly by way of an operating unit  146  which can be taken along and actuated by an operator. 
         [0088]    The various ways for activating the drive unit  50  are described in German patent application DE 10 2006 043 004 A, to which reference is made in full in this connection. 
         [0089]    In addition, various types of current supply to the drive unit  50  are possible and are described in German patent application DE 10 2006 043 626 A, to which reference is likewise made in full.