Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Patent
1998-09-18
2000-12-12
Dayoan, D. Glenn
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
296223, 29621601, B60J 7043
Patent
active
061588032
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motor vehicle roof with at least one cover [as claimed in the preamble of claim 1] for covering of roof opening in a closed position and which can be raised at its rear edge into at least one ventilation position, and which can be moved from the closed position into at least one open position. In particular, the invention relates to such a vehicle roof having device for lifting of cover, a device for moving the cover along at least one guide and a support device which engages in the area of the rear edge of the cover.
2. Description of Related Art
A motor vehicle roof of this type is known from German Patent DE-C1 42 38 946. In this roof, the cover is raised by means of a lifting mechanism, and in doing so, a pilot pin mounted on the roof is transferred to a railing-like roof guide located above the fixed roof. In this roof, with the cover closed, the guide mounted on the roof projects above the fixed roof skin so that, overall, there is not a smooth appearance. Furthermore, with the cover opened, the lifting levers which emerge forward from the cranks in the direction of travel remain in the raised state; this is also disadvantageous for the optical appearance of this vehicle roof. There is, furthermore, the danger that the lifting lever changes in its raised position due to shaking movements so that, when the cover is closed, the cover which moves forward under certain circumstances can miss the corresponding pin on the lifting lever with the cover crank opened forward.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of this invention is to devise a vehicle roof which offers a pleasing optical appearance in all cover positions and in which secure support of the cover in all phases of motion is ensured.
This object is achieved as in accordance with the invention by the support device which engages in the area of the rear edge of the cover when it moves out of the roof opening having a position that is at the level or under the level of cover in the closed position of cover.
The principal idea of this invention is to additionally support the cover in the rear area when moving out of the roof opening, the support means with the cover closed lying underneath or at least flush with the roof contour.
Because the guide element is formed preferably by a support lever, which is coupled at one end in the rear area of the cover and with its other end is supported with at least one sliding element in a guide mounted on the cover, the cover is held securely on the front edge and rear edge when the roof opening has been almost completely cleared. In contrast to known lifting and sliding roofs, in which the cover is supported only in the front third, in this way, very great stability is achieved, even at high speeds.
According to one advantageous embodiment, the support device functions actively only when the cover is moved.
For optical reasons, it is advantageous if the support device in the closed position of the cover in the vertical projection is located underneath it.
By supporting the rear edge of the cover by means of a guide element independent of the lifting lever in the form of a support lever which lies flat when the cover is closed in the area of a guide rail mounted on the cover, it is possible to have the guide mounted on the cover for this support lever to run at a level below the fixed vehicle roof, so that any guides located on the fixed vehicle skin are dispensable. The closed vehicle roof thus forms a completely smooth appearance ("flush glazing").
Especially reliable support of the cover arises when the support lever has two sliding elements, of which the first, located in the back, is permanently engaged with the guide mounted on the cover, and defines a swivelling axis for the support lever in the lifting motion of the cover, and of which the second sliding element engages the guide only during the displacement motion of the cover. Easy transfer from the raising phase into the displacement phase is ensured by permanent engage
REFERENCES:
patent: 4463983 (1984-08-01), Hellriegel
patent: 5090767 (1992-02-01), Schreiter et al.
patent: 5092651 (1992-03-01), Baldwin et al.
patent: 5335961 (1994-08-01), Reinsch et al.
patent: 5405185 (1995-04-01), Cheron et al.
patent: 5791728 (1998-08-01), Hausrath
De Gaillard Francois
Kohout Erwin
Liebhart Wolfgang
Reihl Peter
Schatzler Walter
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia
Safran David S.
Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
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