Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-01
2004-08-31
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S146800, C296S220010, C296S216030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06783172
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a roof structure of a motor vehicle with a movable front cover mechanism for closing or at least partially clearing a front roof opening and with a rear hatch or rear window which is connected to the front cover mechanism and which can be swiveled up around its front edge for clearing a rear roof opening.
2. Description of the Related Art
German Patent Publication DE 199 08 253 A1 discloses a body structure for a motor vehicle which has a motor vehicle roof with a front cover element and a rear cover element. The front cover element can be pushed over the rear cover element on roof-mounted guides to clear the front roof opening. To clear the rear roof opening, the rear cover element which is pivotally supported on its front edge can be raised with its rear edge.
German Patent Publication DE 199 49 468 A1 discloses a motor vehicle roof with a roof module on a module frame of which a transparent sliding cover is movably supported in the lengthwise direction of the roof and can be pushed to the rear under a rear window which adjoins within the module frame in order to clear the front part of the roof opening. The rear window is pivotally mounted on its front edge on the module frame so that it can be raised with its rear edge into the ventilation position. The roof module is pushed into the motor vehicle during installation through the front window opening and attached from underneath to the roof frame of the motor vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to devise the initially-mentioned roof structure which is simple to build and install, and which can be adjusted into ventilation positions and is intended for attachment to the motor vehicle roof in different versions.
This object as well as others is achieved in accordance with the present invention in the aforementioned roof structure by the front cover mechanism being supported on a module frame which is assigned to the front roof opening and which is attached to the body-mounted roof frame, and on its rear transverse frame part has a swivel bearing mechanism for a rear hatch or rear window which extends from the module frame to the rear. Since the supports and guides for the cover mechanism and the rear hatch or rear window are located on the module frame, it can be pre-mounted as a unit with the cover mechanism so that final installation on the vehicle can proceed much more quickly. The rear hatch or rear window can be either part of the pre-mounted unit or can be attached later to the support on the module frame.
Preferably a cover, especially a glass cover, forms the front cover mechanism which can be moved to the rear over the rear window in the open position in which at least its rear edge is raised.
In the situation in which the cover is especially a raisable spoiler cover which can be moved to the rear, there need be no guides for the cover on the side roof members on the outside which would otherwise be necessary when the cover is guided externally.
In one alternative embodiment, a louvered roof which encompasses at least two raisable and movable louvers forms the front cover mechanism, the louvers being feasibly glass louvers.
When the module frame contains a blocking mechanism with which swiveling-up of the rear window can be prevented or the swiveling angle of the rear window can be limited, reliable operation of the rear hatch or the rear window is ensured.
One embodiment of the roof structure is detailed below with reference to the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4801174 (1989-01-01), Hirshberg et al.
patent: 5538312 (1996-07-01), Lehmkuhl
patent: 5769481 (1998-06-01), Cooper
patent: 6279989 (2001-08-01), Marchart et al.
patent: 199 08 253 (2000-09-01), None
patent: 199 49 468 (2001-04-01), None
patent: 2 744 957 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 362265020 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 402141328 (1990-05-01), None
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Pedder Dennis H.
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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