Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-21
2002-07-02
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S208000, C454S136000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06412858
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motor vehicle roof with a transparent roof section and at least one ventilator means which borders the roof section for clearance of a ventilator opening.
2. Description of Related Art
Published European Patent Application EP 0 362 028 B1 discloses a motor vehicle roof with a roof cutout into which a frame is inserted on which the front ventilator flap and the rear ventilator flap are pivotally mounted. Between the two ventilator flaps, a cover, for example, a glass cover, is movably mounted to pivot on the frame. In addition, another rear fixed or removable cover is attachable to the frame between the front cover and the rear ventilator flap. The front and the rear ventilator flaps are coupled to one another by an actuating means with an electric motor and with two sheathed cables. The two sheathed cables each drive one of two movable actuating carriages which are located on each side of each ventilator flap and control the raising motion of the ventilator flaps which are pre-tensioned by springs in the raising direction via crank guides. When the cables are displaced from the closed position in one direction in a sequence of motions, the rear ventilator flap is opened. Then, the front ventilator flap is opened with simultaneous closing of the rear ventilator flap, and finally again, the front ventilator flap is opened jointly with the still open rear ventilator flap. When the cables are moved from the closed position in the opposite direction, the actuation carriages break contact with the crank guides so that they are righted by spring force. Then, the actuation carriages of the front ventilator flap engage the crank guides of the front raisable cover and raise it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle roof which permits a comfortable, bright motor vehicle interior with. largely reduced draft and noise behavior.
This object is achieved by providing a motor vehicle roof where the ventilator means is contained in a front and/or rear transverse roof member which borders the transparent roof section. With the transverse roof member as the supporting part of the roof, and as a result of the dimensioning of the transverse roof member, the ventilator means and actuation means are interchangable. The bordering transparent roof section is directly connected to the transverse roof member, for example, by cementing, so that the transparent roof section, which is preferably a glass cover, may be installed on the motor vehicle roof without a frame. The glass cover may take up almost all of the motor vehicle roof, and, as a result of the large glass surface, the impression of an open roof can be obtained, yet, draft and air stream noise, which commonly occurs when the sliding roof cover is opened, is eliminated. High ventilation performance results from using only a front or a rear ventilator means. If two ventilator means are used, a ventilation behavior which corresponds to the respective requirements may be individually adjusted for the front seats and the back seats by selectively opening one or both ventilator means.
The ventilator means may contain a raisable ventilator flap which may be swivelled out, for example, around a swiveling axis which is located in the area of the front edge of the ventilator means. The rising rear edge of the ventilator flap then opens the ventilation opening.
For air guidance, it is desirable for the transverse roof member to contain air flow openings which may be covered by the ventilator flap.
For an optically pleasing appearance of the motor vehicle interior, it is advantageous for the transverse roof member to have a lower cover which is then able to be used to establish an air flow path for ventilation of the motor vehicle interior via the ventilator means. It is also advantageous for the covering to have openings or a perforation so that the inside air may flow out over a large area.
Preferably, in the front and/or the rear transverse roof member, there is provided a telescoping headliner for at least partial bottom coverage of the transparent roof section.
For individual adjustment, the front and the rear ventilator means may be actuated independently of one another by a drive means for each ventilator means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2087651 (1937-07-01), Mygland
patent: 5031959 (1991-07-01), Queveau
patent: 4034851 (1992-05-01), None
patent: 0 362 028 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 533581 (1958-05-01), None
patent: 44386 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 82628 (1991-04-01), None
Pfalzgraf Manfred
Schatzler Walter
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Pedder Dennis H.
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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