Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-19
2004-12-14
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S216050, C296S220010, C296S146150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06830290
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motor vehicle, especially a limousine, sedan or a coupe, with a vehicle roof having body-mounted side roof members, a movable cover which adjoins the front window for closing and clearing a roof opening which is formed in the vehicle roof, and with a rear window which borders the roof opening.
2. Description of Related Art
German Patent DE 197 13 347 C1 discloses a motor vehicle with a vehicle roof which has a roof opening which extends between the two opposing side roof members. A movable cover, with which the roof opening can be selectively closed or cleared, is movably supported, on each side in the area of its front edge, by means of a respective carriage on guide rails which are located on the inner sides of the side roof members. The cover is supported by means of support levers which are coupled laterally in the area of the rear roof edge and which can be moved to the rear in guides located below the level of the fixed roof skin along the rear fixed roof part and upon upwardly emerging, partially displace a flexible sealing element which is located between the side roof members and the rear fixed roof part. When the cover is opened, the support levers which move with the cover form a stable support of the rear section of the cover. Since the cover can move solely over the fixed roof part, for a comparatively short vehicle roof, the roof opening can likewise have only a comparatively short length.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to devise an improved roof structure for a motor vehicle of the initially mentioned type.
This object is achieved by a motor vehicle, especially a limousine or a coupe, with a vehicle roof with body-mounted side roof members, with a movable cover which adjoins the front window for closing and clearing a roof opening which is formed in the vehicle roof, and with a rear window which borders the roof opening, in which the cover is movably guided by a front bearing means and a rear bearing means on front and rear roof-mounted longitudinal guides and is raised, at least at its rear edge, for clearing the roof opening and for being pushed over the rear window, the front and the rear roof-mounted longitudinal guides being located countersunk in the area of the two roof side members with respect to the roof surface and the rear longitudinal guides running along the side edges of the rear window.
Since in the vehicle roof in accordance with the invention which can be opened by means of a movable cover the rear longitudinal guides run along the side edges of the rear window, the cover which is additionally supported securely in the area of its rear edge can be moved to the rear over the rear window so that a large roof opening can be cleared. In this way a vehicle roof can be easily built with only one large roof opening and a rear window and with few separation points. According to the continuous run of the side roof members from the A columns to the rear into the C columns or the body on the trunk the closed over passes continuously into the rear window.
The rear longitudinal guides can run along the entire length of the rear window or can end in front of the back end of the rear window, in this case the rear window feasibly bordering the rear longitudinal guides and the sections of the side roof members, which sections lie behind the longitudinal guides, so that a continuous roof surface is formed.
If the vehicle roof is tapered, the distance between the rear longitudinal guides parallel to one another and the respective side roof member is feasibly covered by a screen. Thus, the side roof member can be formed over its length with an essentially unchanged cross sectional profile.
Preferably, each side roof member contains a bearing flange which is located on the inside, i.e., toward the center longitudinal plane of the vehicle, and on which the rear longitudinal guide is located. In addition, the bearing flange, further inward of the longitudinal guide, can have a support for supporting the rear window so that the rear window can be mounted without any adverse affect by the longitudinal guides.
One embodiment of the vehicle is explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5709426 (1998-01-01), De Rees et al.
patent: 6158803 (2000-12-01), Reihl et al.
patent: 6672658 (2004-01-01), De Gaillard
patent: 2002/0125743 (2002-09-01), Bohm et al.
patent: 197 13 347 (1999-05-01), None
patent: 198 45 734 (2000-04-01), None
patent: 199 07 333 (2000-05-01), None
patent: 865948 (1998-01-01), None
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Pedder Dennis H.
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicles Systems International GmbH
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