Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-24
2001-11-20
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S214000, C296S039100, C296S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318797
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a motor vehicle roof.
Modular, ready to install, pre-fabricated vehicle roofs of this kind are manufactured separately from the vehicle body and are only united with the vehicle body on the assembly line at the motor vehicle manufacturer's factory. Such vehicle roof modules are gaining in importance, especially owing to the considerably reduced assembly-line.
For a known vehicle roof (DE 197 09 016 A1), the areas of the inner shell which can be bent downwards are provided at the places suitable for the purpose with at least one pre-assembled element from the group consisting of sunblinds, handles, ventilation grilles, interior lights, shock absorbing safety elements, airbags etc. or with prepared places for attaching at least one of these elements. In so far as, due to their functions, these elements are to be fitted in the area of the outer edges of the inner shell and/or are to be secured on the body frame, as is the case for sunblinds and handles for example, these places for attachment already exist on the inner shell. Pre-assembly of the elements can be made more difficult due to the easily bendable and initially rather unstable bottom layer and/or due to the weight and the dimensions of the elements.
This invention is based on the problems of facilitating this pre-assembly while at least largely retaining pre-assembly of all the functional elements on the vehicle roof module.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle roof module of sandwich construction, having an inner shell molded of plastic foam, which forms a roof liner, manufactured separately from the vehicle body, which can be supported on a body frame by its outer edges and can be securely connected to this, the inner shell being divided into two layers in an area defining outer edges intended for placement on the body frame, there being a top layer that can be laid on the body frame and there being a bottom layer that can be bent downwards and is designed as a cladding for the body frame; wherein pre-assembled functional elements are also attached on the inner shell at suitable locations and wherein the roof module has an area of the inner shell which is not divided into two layers in which recesses are formed emerging from the roof liner into which functional elements can be placed so as to be detachable.
According to the basic idea of the invention, the inner shell is incorporated in the pre-assembly of functional elements in its fixed area which is not divided into two layers. At the same time, during the process of applying the foam which forms the inner shell, recesses are formed which are open downwards (in relation to the built-in roof module), the dimensions of which are adapted to the functional element to be mounted. In this way certain functional elements such as lamps, switches etc. can be attached in user friendly fashion to all points of the fixed inner shell. Even functional elements which in themselves are heavy, such as loudspeakers, can be pre-assembled in this way.
Incorporation of the fixed area of the inner shell as a place for attaching the pre-assembled functional elements is particularly beneficial for pre-assembled functional elements which are normally provided with a protective housing or cover on their rear side facing away from the visible and/or the operating side. Functional elements of this kind can be manufactured without a housing and/or can be placed in the shaped recesses without a housing, because the recesses themselves form the housing after assembly. Not only is assembly facilitated in this way, but weight can also be saved.
If the functional element to be pre-assembled is a lamp, a part of the lamp which basically consists of a reflector and lamp holder can be molded securely into the foam plastic of the fixed inner part of the vehicle roof when the foam is applied, while only a transparent cover panel need be placed in the molded-in recess as a separate part, and therefore forms the only detachable functional element installed.
To facilitate assembly, it is an advantage if the functional elements are provided with catches, which can engage in and are detachable from the opposing elements which are molded in or on the shaped recesses preferably when the inner shell is formed. Secure engagement is easily achieved if the catches are formed as hooks, while the opposing elements are step-type projections or similar on the inner shell formed during foam molding of the shell.
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Becher Thomas
Bohm Horst
Grimm Rainer
Carlson & Gaskey & Olds
Meritor Automotive GmbH
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
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