Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-21
2002-12-17
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S221000, C296S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494529
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an open roof construction having a roof opening in a fixed roof.
Such an open roof construction is known, for example from European patent application No. 0899 140. In this prior art open roof construction, the link consists of a metal plate member at the location of the point of attachment, the hole being provided with screw thread for screwing the fixing means in the form of a fixing screw therein. The lip of the closure element is placed in abutment with the metal plate member and the lip and the metal plate member are screwed together by means of one or more shims.
The object of the present invention is to further improve the open roof construction of the kind referred to in the introduction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to accomplish that objective, the open roof construction according to the invention is characterized in that the link includes two plate members at least at the location of the point of attachment, between which the lip of the closure element is accommodated.
By accommodating the lip of the closure element between the plate members, forces from the panel are as much as possible transmitted to the center of the link, seen in a transverse direction, thus minimizing the flexural forces to which the operating mechanism is exposed, in particular when the link is positioned centrally in the operating mechanism, seen in the transverse direction. Accommodating the lip between the two plate members makes it possible to refrain from the use of additional shims when the fixing element is a fixing screw, which reduces the number of parts. Furthermore a stable and solid connection is obtained by clamping the lip between the surfaces of the plate members. If there is a possibility of adjusting the lip and the link relative to each other, in particular for adjusting the height of the panel with respect to the link, the position of the lip between the link plate members and the abutment of the link against both sides of the lip provide increased friction, as a result of which the adjustment that has already been made will not change during definitive fixation.
When the plate members form the link or an important part thereof, it is advantageous if they are bent outwards at the location of the point of attachment so as to form a receiving slot for the lip of the closure element.
In the situation wherein each operating mechanism is accommodated in a guide rail which extends in the longitudinal direction of the open roof construction, and the operating mechanism includes a slide which is capable of sliding movement in the guide rail, it is very advantageous if the length of the fixing element and its position in the transverse direction of the open roof construction is such that in a lowermost position of the closure element, the fixing element is at least partially accommodated between walls of the slide and/or of the guide rail. This design makes it possible to realise a very compact construction, thus minimizing the amount of space that is lost.
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Inalfa Industries B.V.
Koehler S.
Pedder Dennis H.
Westman Champlin & Kelly P.A.
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