Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-08-14
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S901010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273500
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a panel assembly for an open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening in its fixed roof, said panel assembly comprising a panel of plastic material, a stiffening frame extending along the circumference of the panel assembly and connecting means for connecting said panel and said stiffening frame to each other, said connecting means consisting of an encapsulation formed at least externally around said panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A panel assembly of this kind is for example known from international patent application WO-A-97/003855. With the panel which is known therefrom, special arrangements have been made to accommodate the relatively great thermal expansion of the plastic material, in particular polycarbonate. A circumferential stiffening frame is provided under the panel, which stiffening frame supports a circumferential seal and which is connected to the panel via pin-slot connections, whereby pins formed on the underside of the panel by moulding are capable of movement in slotted holes in the frame extending in the direction of expansion. In this manner it is possible to accommodate the difference in the degree of expansion between the panel and the stiffening frame via movement of the pins of the panel in the slotted holes of the stiffening frame. The stiffening frame has an coefficient of expansion which at least approximately equals that of the vehicle roof, so that the circumferential seal is hardly influenced, if at all, by the temperature expansion.
A panel assembly according to the introduction is known from EP-A-0 771 684. This panel assembly includes a panel, a frame extending around the panel and an encapsulation between the panel and the frame. The frame has a horizontal portion extending partially below the panel and a vertical part to which the seal is attached. Between the vertical part of the frame and the panel is a weakened flexible portion of the encapsulation to absorb the deformation of the panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to further improve a panel assembly of the kind referred to in the introduction.
In order to accomplish that objective, the panel assembly according to the invention is characterized in that said stiffening frame is positioned substantially externally of the plastic panel, and in that the upper side of the encapsulation is preferably substantially flush with the upper side of the panel.
This panel assembly according to the invention has a number of advantages. In the first place, the encapsulation is formed around the panel, as a result of which the dimensions of the panel itself will be smaller with unchanged circumferential dimensions, as a result of which the absolute thermal expansion will decrease, too. According to the invention, the difference in thermal expansion between the plastic panel and the stiffening frame can be accommodated by the softer encapsulation, which takes up the expansion of the panel relative to the stiffening frame through deformation in the part between the inner side of the frame and the outer side of the panel. Preferably, the shape of the circumferential edge of the panel, the encapsulation and/or the stiffening will be so selected that said deformation will take place in downward direction, so that said deformation will not be visible from the outside of the vehicle.
Preferably, the stiffening frame is so embedded in said encapsulation that the stiffening frame partially overlaps the panel, seen in vertical direction.
In this way more headroom will be available, whilst the panel will be subjected to less flexural strain upon thermal expansion of the panel.
It is advantageous when the stiffening frame consists at least partially of a closed hollow section, preferably extending entirely circumferentially at some distance from the outer circumference of the panel.
The use of a hollow section for the stiffening frame will save encapsulation material, whilst a stiffening frame extending along the entire circumference will provide maximum strength and maximum resistance against deformation upon thermal expansion of the panel.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, which shows an embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4925237 (1990-05-01), Bohn et al.
patent: 5073012 (1991-12-01), Lynam
patent: 5154481 (1992-10-01), Paetz et al.
patent: 5344603 (1994-09-01), Jardin et al.
patent: 5507547 (1996-04-01), Hattass et al.
patent: 5992928 (1999-11-01), Kato et al.
patent: 6076886 (2000-06-01), Petri et al.
patent: 6079771 (2000-06-01), Brandner et al.
patent: 195 01 389 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 0 771 684 (1997-05-01), None
patent: WO-A-97/03855 (1997-02-01), None
Boersma Egbert
Hendricus Schrans Wilhelm Maria Theresia
Inalfa Industries B.V.
Pedder Dennis H.
Westman Champlin & Kelly P.A.
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