Sun-shade assembly

Abstract

A sun-shade assembly includes two end caps disposed respectively and non-rotatably on two supporting seats. A screen unit includes two roller bases disposed respectively and rotatably on the end caps, a tubular roller member disposed between and interconnecting fixedly the roller bases, and a screen wound around the roller member. A supporting rail member extends through the roller member, and has two ends connected respectively to the end caps. A tubular stabilizing seat is fixed within a middle portion of the roller member, and is sleeved rotatably on the supporting rail member in a close-fitting manner. A winding mechanism is disposed between the stabilizing member and one of the end caps, and includes a torsion spring for biasing the roller member to rotate such that the screen is wound therearound from an unwound state.

1 . A sun-shade assembly adapted to be disposed between first and second supporting seats, said sun-shade assembly comprising: 
 first and second end caps adapted to be disposed respectively and non-rotatably on the first and second supporting seats;    a screen unit including two roller bases disposed respectively and rotatably on said first and second end caps, a tubular roller member having a pivoting-starting end and a pivoting-terminating end that are opposite to each other and that are connected respectively and fixedly to said roller bases, and a screen wound around said tubular roller member;    a supporting rail member extending through said tubular roller member and having two ends connected respectively to said first and second end caps, said supporting rail member including a plurality of interconnected rail sections disposed non-rotatably between said first and second end caps;    a tubular stabilizing seat fixed within a middle portion of said tubular roller member and sleeved rotatably on said supporting rail member in a close-fitting manner; and    a winding mechanism disposed between said stabilizing seat and one of said first and second end caps and disposed in proximity to said pivoting-starting end of said tubular roller member, said winding mechanism including a torsion spring for biasing said tubular roller member to rotate an assembly of said tubular roller member, said roller bases and said stabilizing seat about said supporting rail member, thereby winding said screen around said tubular roller member.    
   
   
       2 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a lock pin extending into a wall of said tubular roller member and said stabilizing seat so as to fix said stabilizing seat within said tubular roller member.  
   
   
       3 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , each of the first and second supporting seats being formed with a non-circular recess, wherein each of said first and second end caps has an engagement portion adapted to engage fittingly the non-circular recess in a corresponding one of the first and second supporting seats so as to prevent rotation of said first and second end caps on the first and second supporting seats, said rail sections of said supporting rail member including: 
 a first mounting rod having an outer end connected fixedly to said first end cap, and an inner end;    a second mounting rod having an outer end connected fixedly to said second end cap, and an inner end;    a middle rail unit having two opposite ends connected axially and movably to said inner ends of said first and second mounting rods, said stabilizing seat being sleeved rotatably on said middle rail unit; and    a coiled compression spring sleeved on said second mounting rod and adapted to bias said engagement portion of said second end cap to move away from said middle rail unit into the non-circular recess in the second supporting seat so that said first and second end caps are biased to move away from each other, said first and second end caps being movable toward each other so as to permit said engagement portions of said first and second end caps to separate respectively from the non-circular recesses in the first and second supporting seats;    said torsion spring being sleeved on said first mounting rod and being adapted to bias said engagement portion of said first end cap to move away from said middle rail unit into the non-circular recess in the first supporting seat.    
   
   
       4 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each of said ends of said middle rail unit has an end surface that is formed with a circular hole, and an inner surface that is formed with two aligned open-ended slots communicated with said circular hole, each of said inner ends of said first and second mounting rods having a circular rod portion that engages fittingly said circular hole in a corresponding one of said ends of said middle rail unit and that is formed with two aligned projections engaging respectively and fittingly said open-ended slots in the corresponding one of said ends of said middle rail unit so as to allow for axial movement of said first and second mounting rods relative to said middle rail unit while preventing rotation of said first and second mounting rods relative to said middle rail unit.  
   
   
       5 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said middle rail unit includes two side tubes each having two opposite open ends, and a middle shaft disposed between said side tubes and having two opposite ends extending respectively into and connected respectively and fixedly to said side tubes, said circular holes being formed respectively in said side tubes, said stabilizing seat being sleeved rotatably on said middle shaft.  
   
   
       6 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each of said roller bases is tubular, and has an inner end surface that is formed with a keyway unit, each of said first and second mounting rods extending through a corresponding one of said roller bases and being formed with a key unit that is disposed in proximity to and spaced apart from said inner end surface of the corresponding one of said roller bases when said engagement portions of said first and second end caps are disposed respectively within the non-circular recesses in the first and second supporting seats, said torsion spring and said compression spring biasing said key units on said first and second mounting rods to abut respectively against said inner end surfaces of said roller bases when said engagement portions of said first and second end caps are removed respectively from the non-circular recesses in the first and second supporting seats, after which said first and second end caps can be rotated relative to said tubular roller member so as to engage respectively said key units on said first and second mounting rods with said keyway units in said roller bases, thereby preventing rotation of said first and second end caps relative to said tubular roller member.  
   
   
       7 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said keyway unit in each of said roller bases includes four angularly equidistant radial slots formed in said inner end surface of a corresponding one of said roller bases, said key unit on each of said first and second mounting rods including two aligned radial stubs that extend respectively from two opposite sides of a corresponding one of said first and second mounting rods away from each other and that are movable to engage respectively two of said radial slots in said inner end surface of the corresponding one of said roller bases.  
   
   
       8 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 an inner spring cap fixed within said tubular roller member; and    an outer spring cap disposed movably within said tubular roller member between said inner spring cap and said stubs of said key unit on said second mounting rod, said compression spring being confined between said inner and outer spring caps and biasing said outer spring cap to press against said stubs of said key unit on said second mounting rod.    
   
   
       9 . The sun-shade assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said torsion spring has two ends fastened respectively to a corresponding one of said roller bases and said first mounting rod.