Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-04
2004-02-24
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06695399
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This application claims the priority of German Application No. 101 43 265.8 filed Sep. 4, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention is based on a motor vehicle with a roof arrangement, which has a sliding cover at least partially opening up and closing a roof opening, and a wind deflector device which comprises a wind deflector blade which, by way of a tilt-out lever arrangement can be displaced into an inoperative and operative position, the tilt-out lever arrangement being disposed by its first end at the vehicle in a first swivelling axis extending approximately parallel to a transverse axis of the vehicle and being connected by its second end with the wind deflector blade.
From German Patent Document DE 198 26 434 C1 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,717), a motor vehicle of the above-mentioned type is known which has a roof arrangement comprising a sliding cover, which at least partially opens up and closes a roof opening, as well as a wind deflector device having a wind deflector blade and a tilt-out lever arrangement. By way of the tilt-out lever arrangement, the wind deflector blade can be displaced into an inoperative and operative position, the tilt-out lever arrangement being disposed with its first end in a first swivelling axis extending approximately parallel to the transverse axis of the vehicle at the body of the vehicle and being connected with its second end with the wind deflector blade. In its inoperative position, the wind deflector blade is situated below the level of the fixed exterior roof skin. In the operative position, the wind deflector blade projects beyond the exterior roof skin. In the case of this vehicle, the relatively large space requirement of the wind deflector arrangement in the inoperative position is a disadvantage.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a motor vehicle of the initially mentioned type, in which the space requirement of the wind deflector device is reduced in the inoperative position or, when sufficient space is available for the wind deflector device, this wind deflector device can be deposited in the inoperative position.
This object is achieved by means of a motor vehicle of the above noted type, wherein during displacement of the wind deflector blade from an inoperative position into an operative position and vice-versa, the wind deflector blade is longitudinally displaceable approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the wind deflector blade is connected by way of a second swivelling axis extending parallel to the transverse axis of the vehicle with a second end of the tilt-out lever arrangement, and wherein the wind deflector blade can be restrictedly swivelled about this second swivelling axis by a control path. Additional advantageous characteristics further developing the invention are described below and in the claims.
Important advantages achieved by means of the invention include the feature that, when it is displaced into the inoperative position, the wind deflector blade is moved about the second swivelling axis and in the longitudinal direction and can be guided through in this manner under a roof frame surrounding the roof opening, whereby its space requirement in the inoperative position is optimized. In addition, during the longitudinal displacement of the wind deflector blade, the superimposing of the movement is possible about the second swivelling axis, so that the wind deflector blade can be moved through under the roof frame in an essentially horizontal position and can therefore be displaced under the exterior roof skin and in the direction of the windshield frame of the vehicle. After having been moved through under the frame, it can be swivelled back about the second swivelling axis by the restricted swivelling and in the process can be brought into an essentially upright position. The space required in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is therefore further reduced.
According to an advantageous feature of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the swivelling movement of the tilt-out lever arrangement about the first swivelling axis, like the swivelling movement of the wind deflector blade about the second swivelling axis, is restrictedly controlled; that is, the movement sequence of the wind deflector device is fixedly coupled with the movement of the sliding cover or takes place as a function of the sliding position of the cover. The restricted control of the swivelling movements is achieved particularly advantageously by way of the control track and curved track respectively acting upon the wind deflector blade and the tilt-out lever arrangement respectively.
According to an advantageous feature of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, for the longitudinal displacement of the wind deflector blade, a drive-type catch is provided on the sliding cover, which drive-type catch, during a closing movement of the sliding cover, takes along the wind deflector blade in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and thus the wind deflector blade can be moved through under the roof frame.
Furthermore, according to an advantageous feature of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, for the longitudinal displaceability of the wind deflector blade, it is provided to equip the tilt-out lever arrangement with sectional levers which can be telescopically slid in one another. When the wind deflector blade is taken along by the drive-type catch, the sectional levers are telescoped out, whereby the length of the tilt-out lever arrangement is enlarged which causes the longitudinal displaceability. As an alternative or in addition, the tilt-out lever arrangement may be disposed displaceably in the longitudinal direction by means of its first end on the vehicle body or module frame.
According to an advantageous feature of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the swivelling movement of the tilt-out lever arrangement is restrictedly controlled such that the latter carries out an up-and-down movement which promotes the moving-through of the wind deflector blade under the roof frame.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4738483 (1988-04-01), Boots
patent: 6164717 (2000-12-01), Haagen
patent: 1149627 (1963-05-01), None
patent: 2338797 (1975-04-01), None
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patent: 3426998 (1986-01-01), None
patent: 3823316 (1990-01-01), None
patent: 3906903 (1990-09-01), None
patent: 198 26 434 (2000-03-01), None
patent: 10062730 (2002-06-01), None
patent: 385263 (1990-09-01), None
Armbruster Reiner
Pfertner Kurt
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