Patent Publication Number: US-2023145556-A1

Title: Bidirectional window screen for a vehicle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0151534, filed on Nov. 5, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates to a bidirectional window screen for a vehicle that can be independently deployed forward and backward, respectively, while moving in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle. 
     Description of Related Art 
     A vehicle traveling outdoors is equipped with various devices for blocking some or all of sunlight. 
     For example, as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , a door curtain  121  or a window screen  122  may be installed on the window in a bus on which many passengers board, and the passengers deploy the door curtain  121  or the window screen  122  to block the sunlight. 
     The door curtain  121  shown in  FIG.  1    has one end of the door curtain  121  fixed to a pillar  112  of the vehicle and the other end of the door curtain  121  installed to be deployed away from the pillar  112 . In some cases, an interval or location of a seat  111  does not match with a location of the pillar  112 , and therefore, an operation of the door curtain  121  may be inconvenient depending upon the seat  111 . For example, in  FIG.  1   , a passenger on the No. {circle around (2)} seat is far away from the pillar  112  and therefore, it may be inconvenient for the passenger to operate the door curtain  121 . In addition, the distinction between a particular seat and the door curtain  121  is ambiguous, thereby causing inconvenience between front passengers and rear passengers. A passenger on the No. {circle around (1)} seat of  FIG.  1    should deploy all of the door curtains  121  of the front passenger&#39;s seat and the rear passenger&#39;s seat to fully block the sunlight. However, since the front passenger or rear passenger with respect to the No. {circle around (1)} seat may not want to do it (i.e., may not want the door curtains  121  to be deployed), he/she can be dissatisfied with the use of the door curtain  121 . 
       FIG.  2    shows an example in which a window screen  122  is installed. The window screen  122  is installed on a window between two pillars  112  and is deployed from an upper end to a lower end of the window. Since a width of the window screen  122  corresponds to the interval between the pillars  112 , there may be an inconvenience in that the passengers who share one window cannot individually operate the window screen (or even individually decide whether or not to operate the window screen). In other words, in  FIG.  2   , the passengers on the No. {circle around (1)} seat and the No. {circle around (2)} seat share the window screen  122 , and therefore, the passengers on the No. {circle around (1)} seat and the No. {circle around (2)} seat cannot individually operate the window screen  122 . In addition, the interval between the seats and the location of the pillar  112  do not match with each other, thereby causing an inconvenience between the front and rear passengers. In  FIG.  2   , if the passenger on the No. {circle around (1)} seat fully blocks the sunlight using the window screen  122 , the front passenger of the No. {circle around (1)} seat and the passenger on the No. {circle around (2)} seat may have discomfort that the window screen  122  is deployed regardless of their intentions. 
     In particular, to secure beautiful sight and openness, a bus, for example, may have a larger interval between the pillars  112 , and therefore, the aforementioned inconvenience may be increased when the door curtain  121  and the window screen  122  are used. 
     The contents described in the above Description of Related Art are to help the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and may include what is not previously known to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure has been invented to solve the above problems. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a bidirectional window screen for a vehicle, which can be moved in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and independently block light for each seat without any influence on other seats while being individually operated for each seat. 
     A bidirectional window screen for a vehicle according to the present disclosure for achieving this object includes a guide having upper and lower ends installed on a frame and a roll screen wound around the inside of the guide to be withdrawn from the guide or stored in the guide, in which the guide is slidable in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle. 
     The roll screen is withdrawn in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     The bidirectional window screen further includes: an upper rail installed on an upper end of the frame in a sliding direction of the guide; a lower rail installed on a lower end of the frame in the sliding direction of the guide; and moving blocks provided in the upper rail and the lower rail to be slidable. The upper and lower ends of the guide are coupled to the moving blocks, respectively, such that the guide is slidable. 
     The moving blocks are each formed with a bolt part protruding toward the guide. The upper and lower ends of the guide are formed with fixing grooves through which the bolt parts pass, respectively, and a fixing nut is fastened to the bolt parts passing through the fixing grooves. Therefore, the upper and lower ends of the guide are fixed to the moving blocks. 
     The guide is formed with a roll screen accommodation part configured to accommodate the roll screen wound in a height direction of the vehicle. One side of the guide is formed with a withdrawal slit through which the roll screen is withdrawn. 
     An end of the roll screen is formed with a shade bar configured to prevent the end of the roll screen from being accommodated in the roll screen accommodation part through the withdrawal slit, and to allow the end of the roll screen to maintain a constant form. 
     The shade bar is formed with a knob for operation of the roll screen. 
     A pillar of the vehicle is formed with an accommodation groove, and the knob is formed with a hook configured to lock to the accommodation groove when the roll screen is deployed. 
     The bidirectional window screen further includes a shaft rotatably installed on the roll screen accommodation part and having the roll screen wound thereon and a spring configured to provide an elastic force of winding the roll screen to the shaft. 
     The guide is formed with a plurality of roll screen accommodation parts in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle configured to accommodate a plurality of roll screens. Each of the plurality of roll screens is independently withdrawn toward the front and rear of the vehicle from the guide. 
     The bidirectional window screen further includes a cover configured to cover the guide on the indoor side of the vehicle side of the guide. 
     The guide has the upper and lower ends installed on the frame on which a window is installed. 
     According to the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure having the above configuration, the installation interval of the window screen and the installation interval of the seat can match with each other, thereby allowing individual use of the window screen for each seat. 
     In addition, it is possible to individually use the window screen, thereby not affecting the front and rear seats when the window screen is used. 
     In addition, if the interval between the seats is changed, the window screen can be rearranged depending upon the interval of the seats. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram showing a state where a door curtain is installed on a window according to the related art. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram showing a state where a window screen is installed on the window according to the related art. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective diagram showing a state where a roll screen is deployed from a bidirectional window screen for a vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective diagram showing a state where the roll screen is stored in the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective diagram showing a state where a cover is separated from the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional diagram of the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is an exploded perspective diagram showing a state where the roll screen is installed on a shaft in the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional diagram showing a state where the roll screen is withdrawn from the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective diagram showing a state where a moving block is installed on an upper rail and a lower rail in the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  10    is a schematic diagram showing a state where the moving block and a guide are assembled in the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  11    is a schematic diagram showing a use state of the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a bidirectional window screen for a vehicle according to the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     As shown in at least  FIGS.  3 - 6   , a bidirectional window screen for a vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a guide  30  having upper and lower ends installed on a frame, and a roll screen  41  wound around the inside of the guide  30  to be withdrawn from the guide  30  or stored in the guide  30 . The guide  30  is slidable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     The guide  30  is installed to have the upper and lower ends connected to the frame on which a window is installed. The guide  30  is formed in a height direction of the vehicle and formed to connect the upper and lower ends of the frame. 
     The roll screen  41  for blocking sunlight is accommodated in the guide  30 , and withdrawn and deployed if necessary, thereby blocking the light. 
     The guide  30  is installed to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     To be slidable, the guide  30  has an upper rail  21  and a lower rail  22  configured to guide the sliding of the guide  30  installed on the upper and lower ends of the frame, respectively. 
     Referring to  FIG.  9   , the inside of the upper rail  21  is formed in a hollow shape, and the upper rail  21  is formed with a slit  21   a  having an opened lower end. The upper rail  21  and the lower rail  22  have the same forms and are installed in a vertically inverted form (i.e., symmetrical with respect to each other). Therefore, the inside of the lower rail  22  is also formed in a hollow shape in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and formed with a slit  22   a  having an opened upper end. 
     Moving blocks  36  sliding along the upper rail  21  and the lower rail  22  are installed on the upper rail  21  and the lower rail  22 . The moving blocks  36  are fixed to the upper and lower ends of the guide  30 , respectively, allowing the guide  30  to slide on the upper rail  21  and the lower rail  22 . 
     The moving blocks  36  have a main body accommodated in the upper rail  21  and the lower rail  22 , i.e., in the slits  21   a ,  22   a . Additional moving blocks  36  may also be accommodated in the slit  21   a  or the slit  22   a.    
     The moving blocks  36  are fastened to the upper and lower ends of the guide  30 , so that the guide  30  is slidable on the window. 
     The moving blocks  36  are formed with a bolt part  36   a  to pass through the slits  21   a ,  22   a . The bolt parts  36   a  of respective moving blocks  36  are fastened to corresponding upper and lower ends of the guide  30 . In this way, the guide  30  can slide with the moving blocks  36 . As shown in  FIG.  10   , the upper and lower ends of the guide  30  are formed with a fixing groove  33  so that the bolt part  36   a  can pass through it. A fixing nut  37  is fastened to the bolt part  36   a  passing through the fixing groove  33  in a screw-coupling manner, and therefore, the moving blocks  36  are installed on the upper and lower ends of the guide  30 , respectively. As described above, since the moving blocks  36  are fastened to the upper and lower ends of the guide  30 , respectively, the guide  30  becomes slidable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , a roll screen unit  40 , including the roll screen  41 , a shaft  42 , and a spring  43 , is withdrawn and deployed when accommodated in the guide  30 , thereby covering the window. 
     To this end, as shown in  FIG.  6   , the roll screen  41  is accommodated when wound around the inside of a roll screen accommodation part  31  formed on the guide  30 . The roll screen  41  is accommodated in the roll screen accommodation part  31  when wound to be easily deployed when used, while having a minimum volume when not used. 
     The roll screen accommodation part  31  is formed in a vertical direction of the vehicle. 
     Referring to  FIG.  8   , one side of the roll screen accommodation part  31  is formed with a withdrawal slit  32  through which the roll screen  41  is withdrawn in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The roll screen  41  accommodated in the roll screen accommodation part  31  is withdrawn to the outside of the guide  30  through the withdrawal slit  32  while being sequentially released. Of course, when not using the roll screen  41 , the roll screen  41  is stored in the roll screen accommodation part  31  through the withdrawal slit  32 . 
     The roll screen  41  has a structure of a rollback screen type, and therefore, is automatically wound when stored. In other words, referring back to  FIG.  7   , the roll screen accommodation part  31  is provided with the rotatable shaft  42  around which the roll screen  41  is wound, and the spring  43  is configured to provide an elastic force in a direction in which the shaft  42  winds the roll screen  41 . Therefore, to use the roll screen  41 , the passenger withdraws the roll screen  41  at an operation force larger than the elastic force. In addition, to store the roll screen  41 , the roll screen  41  is automatically wound by the elastic force of the spring  43  if the passenger releases the roll screen  41 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  5 - 7   , an end of the roll screen  41  is formed with a shade bar  44  configured to suppress the end of the roll screen  41  from entering the roll screen accommodation part  31  through the withdrawal slit  32 . Thus, the end of the roll screen  41  maintains a constant form when the roll screen  41  is used. The shade bar  44  is formed at a thickness larger than a width of the withdrawal slit  32 . Therefore, the end of the roll screen  41  maintains a state of being locked to the withdrawal slit  32  when the roll screen  41  is not used and may be easily withdrawn when the roll screen  41  is used. 
     In addition, the shade bar  44  is formed with a knob  44   a  configured to allow the passenger to perform an operation of grabbing the shade bar  44  and withdrawing the roll screen  41 . The knob  44   a  may be a flange or any other type of projection or protuberance extending outward from the shade bar  44 . 
     In addition, the shade bar  44  can be coupled to a pillar  12  or a member of the vehicle, which can be coupled to the shade bar  44  of another roll screen  41 , such that both shade bars  44  may be withdrawn to face each other to maintain the state where the roll screens  41  are withdrawn. For example, as shown in  FIG.  11   , an end of the knob  44   a  may be formed with a hook  44   b , and the pillar  12  may be formed with an accommodation groove  12   a  accommodating the hook  44   b  so that the hook  44   b  is locked to the accommodation groove  12   a , thereby maintaining the state where the roll screens  41  are deployed. 
     Alternatively, the respective shade bars  44  of the respective roll screens  41  that are withdrawn to face each other may each be formed with the hooks fastened to each other, respectively, or each may be formed with the hook and the accommodation groove, respectively, to be locked to each other when the roll screens  41  are deployed, thereby maintaining the state where the roll screens  41  are deployed. 
     Referring to  FIG.  5   , the guide  30 , on the indoor side of the vehicle, may be coupled with a cover  35  configured to cover one side of the guide  30 . In other words, the cover  35  is configured to cover the guide  30  on the indoor side of the vehicle side of the guide  30  (i.e., the side of the guide  30  facing the inside of the vehicle). 
     The operation of the bidirectional window screen for the vehicle according to the present disclosure having the above configuration is described as follows. 
     According to the present disclosure, since the guide  30  is installed to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the guide  30  is adjusted to fit a location of a seat  11  in the vehicle such as a bus, so that the passenger withdraws and uses the roll screen  41  when necessary. 
     The guide  30  may be configured to be located on a boundary portion of each seat  11 . Since the roll screen  41  can be independently withdrawn to the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively, from the guide  30 , a passenger on a seat  11  in front of the guide  30  and a passenger on a seat  11  in the rear of (i.e., behind) the guide  30  can freely deploy and use the roll screen  41  when the guide  30  is located on the boundary portion of each seat. 
     In  FIG.  11   , the guide  30  is located adjacent to a backrest of the No. {circle around (3)} seat  11 . Since the roll screens  41  are independently withdrawn to the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively, from the guide  30 , even if a passenger on the No. {circle around (3)} seat withdraws and uses the roll screen  41 , it does not affect passengers on the No. {circle around (2)} and No. {circle around (4)} seats located to the front and rear thereof. 
     In such a manner, the passengers on the No. {circle around (1)} to {circle around (5)} seats can freely withdraw and use the roll screens  41  while not affecting each other. 
     In addition, since the guide  30  can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the roll screen  41  can be withdrawn, deployed, and used at the optimal location by moving forward or backward the guide  30  from the current location in an incident direction of sunlight. 
     In addition, if the interval between the seats  11  is changed, the guide  30  can be moved in response thereto so that the roll screen  41  can be deployed at the optimal location.