Sunshade assembly for an automobile

Abstract

A sunshade assembly includes a base unit, a spool, a flexible screen body, a driving unit, and a cover unit. The base unit has an opening. The spool is disposed rotatably in the base unit. The flexible screen body is wound on the spool, and has a free end that is movable through the opening in the base unit. The driving unit is provided on the free end of the flexible screen body. The cover unit is coupled pivotably to the base unit. When the free end of the flexible screen body moves from an extended position to a retracted position, the driving unit drives rotation of the cover unit from an open position to a closed position, where the cover unit covers the opening in the base unit.

1 . A sunshade assembly, comprising:
 a base unit defining an accommodating space therein, and an opening that is in spatial communication with said accommodating space;   a spool disposed rotatably in said accommodating space in said base unit;   a flexible screen body wound on said spool, and having a free end that is movable through said opening in said base unit between an extended position to thereby unwind said flexible screen body from said spool, and a retracted position to thereby wind said flexible screen body on said spool;   a mechanism coupled to said free end of said flexible screen body, and operable so as to drive movement of said free end of said flexible screen body;   a driving unit provided on said free end of said flexible screen body; and   a cover unit coupled pivotably to said base unit,   wherein when said free end of said flexible screen body moves from the retracted position to the extended position, said driving unit permits rotation of said cover unit relative to said base unit from a closed position, where said cover unit covers said opening in said base unit, to an open position, where said cover unit uncovers said opening in said base unit, and   wherein when said free end of said flexible screen body moves from the extended position to the retracted position, said driving unit drives rotation of said cover unit from the open position to the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The sunshade assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a driven unit provided on said cover unit,
 wherein when said free end of said flexible screen body moves from the extended position to the retracted position, said driving unit abuts against said driven unit, thereby resulting in rotation of said cover unit from the open position to the closed position.   
     
     
         3 . The sunshade assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a biasing unit for biasing said cover unit to the open position,
 wherein when said cover unit is disposed at the closed position, said driving unit abuts against said driven unit, thereby preventing rotation of said cover unit to the open position, and   wherein when said free end of said flexible screen body moves from the retracted position to the extended position, said driving unit moves away from said driven unit, thereby resulting in rotation of said cover unit to the open position.   
     
     
         4 . The sunshade assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a limiting unit provided on said cover unit,
 wherein when said cover unit is disposed at the open position, said limiting unit abuts against said base unit, thereby preventing rotation of said cover unit beyond the open position.   
     
     
         5 . The sunshade assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot joint interconnecting said base unit and said cover unit and permitting rotation of said cover unit relative to said base unit. 
     
     
         6 . The sunshade assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said driving unit is in the form of a batten, and said mechanism is coupled to said free end of said flexible screen body through said driving unit.