Sunroof panel and sunshade assembly system and method

• Main Authors: Tate, Jr., Elton J, Philip, Besy J, Anderson, Yusuf, Costigan, Terrence P
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.01.2023
• Subjects: CHECKS FOR WINGS; DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; KEYS; LOCKS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORVEHICLES; SAFES; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILARDEVICES FOR VEHICLES; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THEFUNCTIONING OF THE WING

A sunroof panel and sunshade assembly system includes a moveable sunroof panel operable to selectively move to a first closed position within a sunroof opening of a vehicle and a sunshade operable to selectively move to a second closed position within the sunroof opening. The sunshade includes a leading-edge portion and a spring force displacement member within the leading-edge portion of the sunshade, wherein the spring force displacement member is operable to deform when the sunshade contacts an obstruction while the sunshade is moving. The system further includes an electric machine providing motive force to the sunshade and a computerized sunroof panel and sunshade controller. The controller operates programming to monitor operation of the electric machine, determine a presence of the obstruction based upon the monitored operation, and command the electric machine to stop and reverse the sunshade based upon the determined presence.