Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-28
2002-04-30
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S210000, C296S216080
Reexamination Certificate
active
06378936
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a vehicle roof in particular for motor vehicles and a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle roof.
The preferred area of application of the invention is vehicle roof modules that are made separately from the vehicle body and only joined to the vehicle body in the automobile plant on the assembly line. This type of vehicle roof module is enjoying increasing significance in particular because of the considerable shortening of the assembly time on the assembly line. If these types of vehicle roof module are fitted with an integrated sliding roof, then separate manufacture allows the advantageous option of checking the functions of the pre-fitted sliding roof unit before the roof module is combined with the bodywork.
With one of this type of known vehicle roof (DE 197 09 016 A1) the headliner is either an inseparable part of the foam inside skin applied to the roof skin or is fixed to the sliding roof frame if a sliding roof unit is present. In any case in neither is there any exchangeability of the headliner, which however can be desirable on several grounds. In such a way the headliner could be made to suit different interior finishings of the vehicle, without the need to have different complete roof modules made for them. As well as this, the exchangeability of a damaged or dirty headliner is desirable without having to remove the complete roof module.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly the purpose of the invention is to provide a vehicle roof, with or without a sliding roof unit, in which the headliner is exchangeable.
The stated purpose is fulfilled by a vehicle roof in accordance with the present invention in which the headliner has interlocking elements for making a releasable connection. The headliner can be easily attached by means of interlocking fasteners and removed without causing damage by releasing the interlocking fasteners. In addition to making the exchange of the headliner possible, it also allows the roof module to be handled without the headliner, which means the attachment to the vehicle body is made easier. Subsequently, a headliner fashioned in any required style to suit the interior finishings can then be fitted to the roof assembly.
For the purpose of the present invention, the term “sliding roof” used here singly or in word combinations does not only include such types in which the cover after dropping its rear edge is slid under the fixed rear roof surface to reveal the roof opening, but also tilting sliding roofs in which in addition the cover can be swivelled about a pivoting axis near its front edge to open out over the fixed roof surface from its closed position. Front-hinged ventilation flap type opening covers and the so-called over-roof sliding roofs, in which the roof, after lifting its rear edge, partially slides over the rear fixed roof surface to reveal the roof opening are also to be included. Also included are all types in which a sliding roof frame is attached under the fixed roof surface.
The interlocking elements on the roof module or on the sliding roof frame as appropriate and on the headliner can be designed in various forms. Thus they can each be a pair comprising a location recess and an interlocking projection. To achieve this, the location recess can be undercut while the interlocking projection has a corresponding thickened portion.
The location recess can have a constant width over its height or depth if the interlocking projection has a profile which permits a frictional engagement with the recess, for example with a so-called christmas tree profile. Location recesses and interlocking projections can each have mutually interlocking profiles.
The interlocking elements can also consist of pairs of location recesses into which separately manufactured interlocking elements that fit into both location recesses are inserted to interlock with both recesses. The location recesses can be in the form of slots and the interlocking projections in the form of ribs, i.e. both are appropriately elongated. Furthermore, location recesses and interlocking projections can be positioned at points at the appropriate spacing in relation to one another and can provide an adequately secure fastening for the headliner.
It is advantageous in accordance with some embodiments for the recesses to be formed inside the plastics foam or where appropriate the inner skin and/or the headliner. Accordingly the interlocking projections can be formed of plastics foam or as appropriate from the inner skin or be formed into the inner skin and/or the plastics foam of the headliner and be formed in one piece with it. Molded location recesses and exterior formed interlocking projections render separately attached interlocking elements superfluous and make the tool-less handling of the headliner very much easier.
If the vehicle roof module has a sliding roof unit, the sliding roof frame is preferably normally manufactured from extruded aluminium sections and allows the interlocking elements on the frame side to be already molded or formed so that the headliner alone is fitted with complementary interlocking elements.
The exchangeability of the headliner created by the invention also allows a notable secondary advantage in that the roof module without the headliner can be temporarily placed on the vehicle body and can be painted together with the bodywork without the headliner becoming damaged. To allow this advantageous possibility, the inner skin of the roof module is preferably fitted with temporary foamed and later removable spacers. For a secure temporary support of the roof module on the vehicle body, it is an advantage if, in accordance with some embodiments the spacers are fitted with foamed snap-in clips for releasable attachment to the inner edges of the vehicle body frame.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3505772 (1970-04-01), De Claire
patent: 4337974 (1982-07-01), Kohlpaintner et al.
patent: 6158796 (2000-12-01), Weber
patent: 004206255 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 248240 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 0194163 (1982-11-01), None
Grimm Rainer
Mondello Carmelo
Carlson & Gaskey & Olds
Meritor Automotive GmbH
Pedder Dennis H.
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