Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-11
2003-02-04
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S213000, C296S214000, C296S216060, C296S216080, C296S222000, C296S216020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06513865
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a motor vehicle roof with a roof opening and a body-mounted carrier frame to which a roof module, which fills the roof opening, is attached, the roof module having a module frame by means of which it is attached to the carrier frame, a cover which can be pushed in the module frame in the lengthwise direction of the roof, and a rear window which directly adjoins the cover to the rear in the closed position of the cover, and in which the module frame is made such that the cover and the rear window in their closed state adjoin the module frame, forming a seal, and a process for installation of such a motor vehicle roof.
2. Description of Related Art
A motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type is known from published German Patent Application No. DE 197 02 336 A1, in which the roof module comprises a sliding cover which consists, for example, of a pane of glass and a transparent rear window, and the sliding cover can be lowered from out of its closed position and can be moved to the rear to under the rear window. The module frame comprises an outside frame which is T-shaped in section and which is screwed to a guide rail of the module frame. The inner top edge of the outside frame is made such that the sliding cover, in its closed position, with a seal which is provided on its outer periphery adjoins from the bottom and the inside the inner edge of the outside frame to form a seal. The outer edge of the outside frame adjoins the side member of the roof, forming a seal. The defect in this known motor vehicle roof is that the ventilation possibilities and head room in the area of the rear window are limited.
German Patent Application No. DE 41 13 872 A1 discloses a motor vehicle roof in which the actual roof area and the rear window are combined into a single component which can be raised at its rear edge, and the rear window can also be raised with respect to the fixed roof part of the raisable component.
German Patent DE 196 34 853 C1 discloses a motor vehicle roof in which a roof module comprises a sliding cover which can be moved to the rear and a rear window which adjoins the sliding cover in the closed position to the rear. The sliding cover can be pushed to under the rear window or the rear window can be pushed forward to over the sliding cover. In the position on top of one another, the sliding cover and the rear window can also be pushed together as a package in the roof opening.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of this invention is to devise a motor vehicle roof which can be easily installed in an aesthetically pleasing manner and still offers good ventilation possibilities and head room. Furthermore, it is also an object of this invention to devise a corresponding installation process.
These objects achieved in accordance with the invention by a motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type being provided with a rear window which can be raised at its rear edge, and a process for installing a motor vehicle roof in which the roof module is centered with respect to the roof opening, the roof module is attached by means of the module frame to a body-mounted carrier frame, a gap remaining between the roof module and the edge of the roof opening, and a cover element being attached to the module frame and/or the edge of the roof opening such that it covers the module frame and the gap between the module frame and the edge of the roof opening from overhead and in the closed position of the cover and the rear window provides for sealing between the module frame and the edge of the roof opening.
In the motor vehicle roof in accordance with the invention, it is advantageous that the ability of the rear window to be raised enables good ventilation of the area of the rear window and better head room in the area of the rear window and moreover enables simple installation in that the roof module can be installed as a unit which is itself sealed.
The installation process according to the invention enables simple installation and effective sealing of the roof module with respect to the edge of the roof opening.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention there is a peripheral cover element which covers, from above, the module frame and the gap between the module frame and the edge of the roof opening, and in the closed position of the cover, the rear window provides for sealing between the module frame and the edge of the roof opening. This facilitates the installation of the roof module.
The cover element is preferably made or attached such that it can equalize tolerances with respect to the relative position of the cover and the rear window. Preferably, the cover element rests on the edge of the cover from overhead in its closed position.
The module frame comprises, preferably, a base frame and an intermediate frame which is attached thereto and which forms the contact area of the cover and the rear window. The base frame preferably comprises a gutter and a guide rail for the cover.
The cover and the rear window are preferably transparent.
In another embodiment of the invention, an opaque headliner can be attached to the module frame by the fact that the headliner can be pushed outward onto the module frame from the center of the roof, and in the end position, can be locked to the module frame.
Preferably, the roof module can be installed by pushing it through the front window opening.
To facilitate installation, in the middle of the front area of the module frame which runs crosswise, there can be a centering cone which interacts with a body-mounted counterpart in order to center the roof module in installation forward. Preferably, in the side edge area of the rear area of the module frame which runs crosswise, there is a centering element which interacts with a body-mounted counterpart in order to center the roof module during installation to the rear, the centering elements being preferably centering pins and the counterparts preferably being centering forks which are used for fixing the roof module in the lengthwise direction of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the module frame and the carrier frame can be made such that tolerances can be compensated in the installation by lengthwise holes or length-compensating screw elements.
Two embodiments of the invention are explained below by way of example using the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2122712 (1938-07-01), Bishop
patent: 3016263 (1962-01-01), Rehmann
patent: 5540478 (1996-07-01), Schuch
patent: 5803534 (1998-09-01), Murkett et al.
patent: 6213542 (2001-04-01), Clift
patent: 6279989 (2001-08-01), Marchart et al.
patent: 3725807 (1988-02-01), None
patent: 41 13 872 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 196 34 853 (1997-09-01), None
patent: 197 02 336 (1998-07-01), None
patent: 529288 (1993-03-01), None
patent: 0128885 (1987-06-01), None
Automotive Engineering Internatinal, p. 80, “Roof Modules: present and future”, Apr. 2000.
Lutz Alfons
Ulbrich Thomas
Wolfrum Stephan
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Pedder Dennis H.
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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