Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-11
2004-01-27
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06682134
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a guide device for a cover of a vehicle roof to be opened. The guide device functions for raising the cover and for moving the raised cover by means of at least two guide profiles which can be moved against one another over a roof surface adjoining behind the roof opening which can be closed by the cover.
2. Description of Related Art
International Patent publication WO 00/51835 discloses one such guide device for moving a raised cover over a roof surface which adjoins to the rear. On either side of a roof opening the device contains three telescoping guide profiles or guide rails each, by means of which the raised cover can be pushed to the rear over the roof surface which adjoins to the rear in a plane which is fixed by the linearly movable guide rails. The cover which has been moved to the rear thus stands distinctly beyond the roof surface to the top, especially when the roof surface declines to the rear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a guide device which enables matching of the position of the cover, which can be moved to the rear above the roof surface, to the roof surface.
This object and other objects are achieved by providing a guide device having guide profiles wherein at least one of the guide profiles of the guide device, at least in sections, has a curvature pointed toward the roof surface, in order to lower the cover, which can be shifted to the rear by means of the guide profiles, toward the roof surface. In this way, at least one guide profile, which can be moved to the rear during its overall motion or at least during one segment of its path of motion, is moved down such that the cover is likewise lowered toward the roof surface. Since the cover is raised less over the roof surface than prior covers, the present invention results in less air resistance and wind noise.
The guide profiles or guide rails can be made such that the section which has the curvature is formed on the back end of the front guide profile and/or on the back end of a middle guide profile and/or on the front end of the rear guide profile. In a short curved section, the lowering motion of the cover approaches a swiveling motion.
In one preferred embodiment, the guide device has a front guide lever which is pivotally supported on the roof side, a middle drive rail which is movably supported thereon, and a rear carrier profile of the cover which is movably supported on the drive rail, all of which are formed with an especially coincident line of curvature for the displacement motion of the cover. The three carrier profiles for a short closing arrangement have a comparatively long displacement path which makes available an especially uniform lowering motion of the cover.
Preferably the guide lever, the drive rail and the carrier profile of the cover are supported to telescope onto one another, especially in a mutually enveloping arrangement of the three guide profiles. But at least two and also four guide profiles can also be arranged next to one another such that a nonuniform or variable radius of curvature can be formed. A uniform curvature has a radius of curvature of, for example, 300 to 350 cm. Depending on the configuration of the vehicle roof, it can even be different.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4730868 (1988-03-01), Niwa
patent: 6547319 (2003-04-01), Huyer
patent: WO 00/51835 (2000-09-01), None
patent: 362091315 (1987-04-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 006, No. 216 (M-168), Oct. 29, 1982 & JP 57 121924 A (Nissan Jidosha KK), Jul. 29, 1982—English Abstract.
De Gaillard Francois
Ettl Wofgang
Pollak Martin
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Pedder Dennis H.
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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