Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-28
2001-01-16
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174024
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for actuating a lifting and sliding roof with a cover which is joined to a cover rocker arm which has at least one guideway and into which a raising mechanism for lifting the rear edge of the cover fits, and which can be displaced to the rear over the roof of a motor vehicle by means of a rack/pinion connection.
2. Description of Related Art
In a device for actuating a lifting and sliding roof or a spoiler roof which is known from published German patent application DE 41 01 288 A1, a pinion which is supported on a raising lever fits into a rack which is connected to the cover, by which the cover is raised in a first phase of motion, and in a second phase, the cover is pushed to the rear over the fixed roof. Because the rack and pinion form the sole engagement for guiding the cover in its rear area, such a roof tends to rattle as a result of the required play between the rack and pinion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of this invention is to devise a device for actuating a lifting and sliding roof which enables secure, rattle-free guidance of the cover.
This object is achieved in accordance with this invention by the raising mechanism having a raising lever with one end which is supported with a pivot axle to pivot on a roof-mounted part and there being two guide elements by on its other end which have a different distance from the pivot axle and which each fit into a guideway of the cover rocker arm, a guideway of varying slope.
The fitting of the two guide elements into guideways of the cover rocker arm, guideways of varying slope, guarantees secure engagement between the raising mechanism and the cover, and on the other hand, the varying incline of the guideways also enables a different raising angle of the cover into the various operating positions.
For actuation in the displacement direction, preferably at least one pinion, which is connected to a drive and which engages a rack supported on the cover, is supported on the raising lever.
For symmetrical application of force between the raising lever and the cover, it is advantageous if the raising lever is made as a forked lever with two arms which are spaced apart from one another. In this case, the guide elements are each located preferably on the outsides of the arms.
Then, preferably, the pinion or pinions are supported between the arms of the raising lever for fitting into the roof-mounted rack. Preferably, there are two pinions in a coaxial arrangement, of which each engages a rack.
Between the pinions, there is preferably an upper drive wheel which is drive-connected to them.
So that the drive need not be located on a part which pivots at the same time, as in the prior art cited initially, as in published German patent application DE 41 01 288 A1, in this invention, it is preferably provided that the upper drive wheel is connected by force-fit to a lower drive wheel which is located in the area of the pivot axle of the raising lever. Thus, the drive forces can be applied in the area of the pivot axle of the raising lever which remains stationary. The upper and lower drive wheel are connected preferably by a toothed belt.
Preferably, there is a single device with a raising mechanism in the area of the central longitudinal axis of the cover. If the drive forces must be transmitted to the rear by means of another toothed belt from a crank located in the front area of the roof to the raising mechanism, in the area of the central longitudinal axis, advantageously there is a strut of the roof frame. But, alternatively, it is also likewise equally possible to drive the raising and pushing device from the rear part of the roof, and then a center strut can be eliminated. According to another alternative, it is also possible to provide two raising mechanisms on either side of the rear edge of the cover, their having either two guide elements each for engagement with the guideways of the cover rocker arm which have differing slopes, or the raising mechanism to one side of the rear edge of the cover having only a single guide element and the cover rocker arms on either side of the cover being equipped with one guideway each of differing slope.
Finally, it is preferably provided that the cover with the guide elements is guided near its front edge in roof-mounted lateral guides which have a sunken path segment in the front area. Because the guide elements run onto the rear part of the guide which is higher relative to the sunken path segment when the cover is shifted to the rear, a flatter slope of the cover is engendered, causing less resistance to the relative wind.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5066068 (1991-11-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 3737725 (1988-12-01), None
patent: 41 01 288 (1991-07-01), None
Kronseder Robert
Miklosi Stefan
Stenvers J{umlaut over (u)}rgen
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Pedder Dennis H.
Saffran David S.
Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
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