Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
  • B60J1/00—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor
  • B60J1/20—Accessories, e.g. wind deflectors, blinds
  • B60J1/2011—Blinds; curtains or screens reducing heat or light intensity

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for protection from light radiation and/or from the view and a method of manufacturing such device, preferably but without limitation to a device that is adapted to be affixed to one side of a glass of a vehicle, such as a car, a van,' a trailer but also windows of houses, boats, ships . and the like, as defined in the preamble o-f claims 1 and 13 respectively.
• Devices for protection from light ' radiation and/or from the view are known in the art, ' and have a protection element that may be clear or- obscure or have apertures, and may be colored, or . have images or text thereon. These protection devices may be joined, for instance, to the interior of door- glasses and/or the rear window to -provide protection from sun rays and/or to hide passengers and/or the things contained in the car from the view.
• Such devices comprise a frame upon which the element for protection from light radiation is laid.
• the frame is, for instance, snap-locked into a groove or a gap between the glass and its seal or the frame has special coupling means for coupling the frame to the glass, the seals, the metal sheet or the plastic panels; finally, the frame is shaped to conform to the contour of the glass-, to be joined ' without the help of any coupling means.
• the protection element usually consists of a partially obscuring fabric which is joined with the frame using an adhesive layer or an interlock arrangement or by sewing.
• the present invention is based on the problem of providing a device whose protection element is securely connected to the frame with a stable and precise tension.
• the present invention provides a device for protection from light radiation and/or from the view and a method of manufacturing -it, that can ensure a more reliable and constant tension between the protection element and the frame than in prior art devices.
• Figure 1A shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device for protection from light radiation and/or from the view, that can be manufactured without - a finishing hem, according to the present invention
• Figure IB shows a front view of the frame of the device as shown in Figure 1A when it has- no protection element thereon; " -
• - Figure 1C is a sectional view of the frame of Figure IB as taken across line A-A;
• - Figure ID is another sectional, view of the frame of Figure IB as taken across line B-B;
• Figure ' 2A shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the " device for protection ' from light radiation and/or from the view, when it has a finishing hem, according to the present invention
• Figure 2B is a front view of the device of Figure 2A;
• FIG. 2C is a sectional view of the device of Figure 2B across line D-D, which highlights the plastic cover for aesthetically concealing the overlap area of the sewn hem, which cover is appropriately shaped and positioned to. be used for disengaging the device from the retention details;
• FIG. 2D is another sectional view of the device of Figure 2B as taken across line C-C, showing the hem aesthetically added to the frame;
• FIG. 3 is a view of a detail of the first or second embodiment of the ⁇ present - invention, showing a possible disengagement system
• FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the device of Figure 1, in which the protection element and the layer of thermoplastic element, are shown in interpenetrating relation.
• numeral 1 designates a device for protection from light radiation and/or from the view, which is. designed to -be installed on any type of window.
• the device 1 may be mounted -to the interior of door glasses .and/or the rear window of cars, vans-, trucks, trailers and the like, but also of aircrafts or windows of houses, boats, ships, etc.
• the device 1 comprises a frame 2 and a protection element 3 which acts as a surface for protection from light radiation and/or from the view for people and/or things that are located, for instance, in the vehicle equipped with the protection device 1.
• ⁇ light radiation shall be intended to designate, for instance, sun rays or rays from high beam headlights of a -car, i.e. radiation having a wavelength falling in - the visible spectrum and/or the ultraviolet spectrum.
• the protection element 3 may be formed from:
• Such materials may be also tinted or bear images and/or text.
• the- material for making the protection element 3 consists of ' a polyester fabric or a plastic or vinyl laminate, , ' -comprising a single layer or multiple layers joined " together.
• the protection element 3 is a PVC ⁇ fabric that may also dyed in two colors and/or have apertures of variable sizes on its surface (i.e. be " perforated).
• PVC ⁇ fabric that may also dyed in two colors and/or have apertures of variable sizes on its surface (i.e. be " perforated).
• Such fabric is known to the skilled person under the trademark Filtravedo R and will not be described in greater detail hereinafter.
• the frame 2 is partially covered by a layer of thermoplastic layer 4.
• the protection element 3 is joined thereto at the thermoplastic material 4 to form one piece with the thermoplastic material.
• the protection element 3 penetrates the thermoplastic material 4 to form one piece therewith, thereby ensuring that the protection element 3 and the thermoplastic material ' 4 are firmly and securely joined together.
• the obscuring fabric 3 is unremovably joined to the thermoplastic layer 4,' which means that it cannot be removed therefrom.
• the protection element 3 is joined to the thermoplastic material 4 in pleatless, gatherless stretched arrangement .
• the ' term partially covered is intended to designate the case in which the frame 2 has one or more portions of its outer surface covered with the thermoplastic material, 4.
• the outer surface of the frame 2 is entirely covered with the thermoplastic material 4.
• the protection element 3 and the thermoplastic material 4 are joined together by heat sealing, high-frequency welding and/or ultrasonic welding.
• the frame 2 is immersed in a tank containing the thermoplastic material 4.
• the frame 2 shall be covered with ' the thermoplastic material 4 before joining the protection element 3 thereto.
• thermoplastic material 4 may be sprayed on the frame 2 in liquid or powder form, using suitable tools.
• the layer of thermoplastic material 4 has a thickness S ranging from 0 ⁇ .1 mm to 5 mm.
• the thickness S of the layer of thermoplastic material 4 ranges from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm and more preferably the thickness S is 0.5 mm.
• thermoplastic material 4 is selected from the group comprising polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene
• terephthalate polyethylene, polyamide, PVC and/or nylon.
• the step of covering the frame 2 with the layer of thermoplastic material 4 may consist in placing a heat-shrinkable sheath (not shown) on the frame 2.
• the heat shrinkable sheath is fixed to time ⁇ frame 2 by applying heat or interposing a layer of adhesive material therebetween.
• the frame 2 is shown as a specially shaped frame, having a predetermined shape .
• the frame 2 may be shaped .to conform to the glass with which it is designed to be joined, e.g. the glass o.f a rear window of a motor vehicle.
• preferred materials should exhibit a good compromise between tensile modulus E (or Young's modulus, with values approximately ranging from 70,000 N/mm 2 to 220,000 N/mm 2 ) and the possibility of forming the required shape, as well as a proper width of the elastic portion in the stress-strain curve of metals.
• the metal profile shall be bent into a shape , (which will change through products according to the area to be covered) ; this step is preferably carried out using CNC machines which will make ' the bends and curves required to obtain the desired shape, from a two-dimensional frame -design. ⁇ ⁇ ,
• an injection molding step is provided.
• a metal core shall be maintained therein, whereby the injection molding process will be carried out by comolding of a metal frame.
• the frame 2 has a rod or tubular shape, having a circular plan shape with a diameter S' ranging from 2 mm to 6 mm.
• the diameter S' is 4 mm.
• the frame 2 is formed preferably but without limitation into a (possibly irregular) closed loop, and it can be closed by welding or clinching (i.e. using metal fasteners) 5.
• the protection element 3 is joined at the thermoplastic material 4 in the proximity of a free edge of the protection element.
• the free edge portion of the protection element 3 exceeding the perimeter defined by the frame 2 is trimmed.
• Such trimming action is performed as the protection element 3 is joined to the thermoplastic element 4 on the outer surface of .the frame 2 by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding and/or high-frequency welding.
• trimming may be performed by blanking and/or punching when the protection element 3 has already been joined to the thermoplastic material 4 that covers the frame 2 by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding and/or high- frequency welding.
• Trimming may be also performed along the welding bead when the protection element 3 has already been joined to the thermoplastic material 4 that covers the frame 2 by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding and/or high-frequency welding.
• the device 1 may be free of (see embodiment of Figures 1A and IB) or be equipped with (see embodiment of Figures 2A and 2B) a finish 6 adapted to conceal the frame 2.
• the finish 6 consists of a sheath that w.raps around the frame 2 and the portion of the protection, element 3 close to its free peripheral edge.
• This sheath consists, for instance, of a textile material, whose free ends are pressed together by sewing 7 and/or ultrasonic welding, to enclose the frame 2 and the obscuring fabric-
• the device 1 is . shown -to ' comprise a hook 8, e.g. made of plastic or textile material, which acts as a cover for aesthetically concealing the overlap- area of the sewn/welded hem.
• the. device 1 is shown to comprise a loop 9 for easy removal of the device from the glass against which it is installed.
• the ' device 1 may be joined to the interior of vehicle windows, with or without the interposition of hook means (not shown), so that the device ' is placed at a predetermined distance from the glass surface to- form a kind of gap.
• hook means if any are those that are commonly used in the field and will not be described herein.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Led Device Packages (AREA)
• Lining Or Joining Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Cited By (1)

Citations (4)

• 2012
  • 2012-01-27 WO PCT/IT2012/000024 patent/WO2013111166A1/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

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