Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-02
2003-09-16
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S210000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06619731
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a vehicle roof, in particular for motor vehicles, where a rigid roof skin is provided, there being an inner shell of plastic material foamed onto an inner surface thereof. The roof liner is connection with the inner shell.
The preferred field of application of the invention is vehicle roof modules which are made separately from the vehicle bodywork and only connected with the vehicle bodywork on the assembly line at the automobile factory. Such vehicle roof modules are becoming increasingly popular in particular owing to a considerable reduction in assembly times on the assembly line. If such vehicle roof modules are provided with an integral sunroof unit, separate manufacture opens up the advantageous possibility of checking functioning of the pre-assembled sunroof unit before the roof module is connected with the bodywork.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
With a known vehicle roof of this type (DE 197 09 016 A1), the roof liner is either an inseparable component of the inner shell foamed onto the roof skin, if no sunroof unit is provided, or it is attached to the sunroof frame, if a sunroof unit is provided. In any case, no provision is made in either embodiment for the roof liner to be replaceable, as may however be desirable for various reasons. For instance, the roof liner could be made to match different interior vehicle trim, without different complete roof modules having to be held in stock. It may also be desirable to replace a damaged or soiled roof liner, without having to remove the complete roof module for the purpose.
According to one proposal, not a prior publication, for such a vehicle roof (DE 199 47 238.6), the roof liner preformed from foamed plastic material as a separate component is provided on its upper side with catch elements, which are locked together releasably with complementary, precisely fitting catch elements attached to the inner shell. According to this proposal, if the vehicle roof is provided with a sunroof unit, the roof liner is provided on its upper side with catch elements, which are locked together releasably with complementary, precisely fitting catch elements attached to the sunroof frame. Connection together by catch allows damage-free removal of the respective roof liner by release of the catch connection. In this way, not only is it possible to replace the roof liner, but the roof module may also initially be handled without roof liner, which simplifies the attachment thereof to the vehicle bodywork. A roof liner matching the interior trim of the vehicle in the decorative design of its lower surface may then be mounted on the roof module.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a roof liner for a vehicle roof with or without sunroof unit which may be mounted and replaced in another manner.
The term “sunroof”, used here alone or in phrases, is intended, for the purposes of the present invention, to cover not only designs in which the cover may be slid under the fixed rear roof surface to uncover the roof opening after lowering of its rear edge but also slide and lift sunroofs, in which the cover may additionally be tilted from its closed position about a tilt axis provided in the vicinity of its front edge so as to project above the fixed roof surface. Front-hinged covers which open out in the manner of ventilation shutters and sliding sunroofs in which the cover may be slid partially over the rear fixed roof surface to uncover the roof opening after lifting of its rear edge are also included. The same also applies to multi-cover roof designs. In principle, it applies to all designs, in which a sunroof frame attached beneath the fixed roof surface is present.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle roof, in particular for a motor vehicle, the vehicle roof having a rigid roof skin defining an inner surface and an inner shell of plastic material foamed onto the inner surface thereof, there being a roof liner connected with the inner shell, wherein the roof liner is preformed from foamed plastic material as a separate component and has an upper side that is provided on its upper side with rail-like first guide elements comprising undercut sliding surfaces, with which first guide elements there are associated complementarily constructed rail-like second guide elements on the inner shell, likewise comprising undercut sliding surfaces, and wherein, to attach the roof liner to the inner shell, the first guide elements are slid in parallel onto the second guide elements, with their respective undercut sliding surfaces in engagement, as far as a defined relative position of inner shell and roof liner.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle roof, in particular for a motor vehicle, the vehicle roof having a rigid roof skin and a sunroof frame of a sunroof unit that is firmly connected with the roof skin, there being a roof liner connected with the sunroof frame, wherein the roof liner is preformed from foamed plastic material as a separate component and has an upper side that is provided on its upper side with rail-like first guide elements comprising undercut sliding surfaces, with which first guide elements there are associated complementarily constructed rail-like second guide elements on the sunroof frame, likewise comprising undercut sliding surfaces, and wherein, to attach the roof liner to the sunroof frame, the first guide elements are slid in parallel onto the second guide elements, with their respective undercut sliding surfaces in engagement, as far as a defined relative position of sunroof frame and roof liner.
Common to the two configurations defined above is the fact that the respective roof liner is provided on its upper side with rail-like first guide elements, which comprise undercut sliding surfaces. Associated in complementary manner with these first guide elements are rail-like second guide elements, which likewise comprise undercut sliding surfaces. In the case of the vehicle roof in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the two guide elements are arranged on the inner shell, while in the case of the vehicle roof according to the second aspect of the invention, the second guide elements are provided on the sunroof frame. Also common to both configurations is the fact that, to attach the roof liner to the inner shell or the sunroof frame respectively, the first guide elements are slid in parallel onto the second guide elements, with their respective undercut sliding surfaces in engagement, as far as a defined relative position of inner shell or sunroof frame and roof liner. By sliding in the opposite direction, the roof liner may be detached again in equally simple manner.
The rail-like first guide elements each project upwards out of the roof liner and the second guide elements each project downwards out of the inner shell or the sunroof frame respectively and take the form of short profile portions. These are provided in pairs at each of their attachment locations, that is to say not only the first guide elements relative to one another and the second guide elements relative to one another but also the first relative to the second guide elements, i.e. the first guide elements and the second guide elements in each case form pairs at each attachment location, while each pair of first guide elements at the attachment location in question also forms a pair with the associated pair of second guide elements.
The rail-like first guide elements and the rail-like second guide elements preferably each take the form of angular profile portions, wherein the arms parallel to the roof liner of the first guide elements point in opposite directions, while the arms parallel to the inner shell or sunroof frame of the second guide elements point towards one another. In this way, the guide elements come into form-fitting engagement when the first guide elements are slid onto the second guide elements during roof liner mounting, in which form-fitting engagement the und
Audibert Bernard
Rieger Peter
Röder Joachim
ArvinMeritor GmbH
Pape Joseph D.
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