Arvin Meritor Technology, LLC

Meritor Light Vehicle Technology, Inc.

John Paul Raasakka

Daniel Cooney

Gregory Kerwin

Michael Aneiros

A collapsible wind deflector includes two arms that rotate generally toward each other. When a panel on a vehicle roof is in an open position, resilient members fixed about pivot axes in each arm biases the arms to stand vertically in a deployed position with respect to the vehicle roof. A web attached to the arms is held taut to deflect wind away from a roof opening. When the panel is moved to a closed position, a ram on each side of the panel pushes against a corresponding cam feature of the wind deflector, causing each cam feature to push each arm against the biasing force of its corresponding resilient member, and force each arm to rotate inward toward the other arm, collapsing the web.

Collapsible wind deflector for a vehicle roof

A wind deflector for use in a vehicle sunroof is formed of a resilient member that moves between a relaxed position and a compressed position. The resilient member is formed as one-piece of spring steel, and extends upwardly in front of an opening in a vehicle roof when in the relaxed position to deflect wind. As a vehicle sunroof panel moves to a closed position, the vehicle sunroof panel contacts and compresses the resilient member to a concealed position. The wind deflector thus provides a simplified construction when compared to the prior art.

Simplified wind deflector for vehicle sunroof applications

A wind deflector assembly includes a resilient member which extends above the vehicle roof when in the deployed position so as to operate as a wind deflector. The resilient member deploys due to the flexibility of the material such that the free state is the deployed condition. Operation of the closure member collapses or folds over the resilient member from the deployed free state to a collapsed state.

Resilient wind deflector

A sunroof sunshade assembly is provided for a vehicle that include spaced apart guide rails supported by a vehicle. The sunroof sunshade includes a frame including opposing lateral portions slidingly received in the guide rail with the lateral portions having a first thickness. An interior portion is integrally formed with the frame by a plastic injection molding process. The interior portion extends between the lateral portions with a plurality of tiny holes in a desired pattern and has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness to provide a simulated fabric mesh appearance. A finger cup may be formed in the frame to provide a recess by which a vehicle occupant may move the sunshade between the open and closed positions.

Sunroof sunshade

A sunshade for a sunroof assembly includes two opposed halves which accordion fold to a collapsed position. The collapsed position of the sunshade is within a projected area of the sunroof panel. Thus, room within the roof, in addition to the room taken by the sunroof panel, is not require for the sunshade when in its open position.

Collapsible sunroof sunshade

A vehicle sunroof assembly is provided including a roof with a sunroof opening. A headliner is arranged adjacent to the roof in the vehicle occupant area. A track assembly is disposed between the roof and the headliner. The track assembly, which preferably supports the sunroof, includes lateral spaced apart guide members. A sunshade receptacle is arranged between the guide members, preferably in a lateral location near the side of the vehicle where it may accommodate the sunshade without adversely affecting headroom. A flexible sunshade is supported by the guide members and is moveable between open and closed position along the guide members with the sunshade blocking at least a portion of the opening in the closed position. The sunshade is received in the sunshade receptacle in the open position. Preferably, the flexible sunshade is constructed from a plurality of rigid members that are secured to spaced apart flexible layers.

Growing community of inventors

Howell, MI, United States of America

John Paul Raasakka