Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-21
2002-10-29
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S221000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06471286
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening in the fixed roof, comprising a stationary part for attachment to the roof, having stationary guide rails on either side of the roof opening and slidable slides with operating mechanisms, a closure means supported by the operating mechanisms, which is adjustable between a closed position, in which it closes the roof opening, and an open position, in which it releases the roof opening at least partially, wherein each operating mechanism comprises a curve plate attached to the closure means and having a guide track with which a guide member connected to the slide is in engagement.
Open roof constructions of this kind are already known, for example from DE-A-39 30 756 and DE-A-36 03 314. These known roof constructions comprise a lifting lever which converts movement of the slide into vertical movement of the closure means. By means of said lifting lever the vertical movement of the closure means is magnified in comparison with panels wherein a fixed pin moves in a slot in the curve plate and thus adjusts the closure means in vertical direction. The lifting lever cannot support the panel independently without being loaded in flexure, which makes it sensitive to forces being exerted on the panel, which may in turn lead to play. In principle, the guide track of the curve plate on the panel itself does not contribute towards the vertical movement of the closure means.
DE-C-39 08 645 discloses an open roof construction wherein the lifting lever is guided by an additional guide pin, which is disposed between the two ends of the lifting lever. The use of such a guided lifting lever makes it possible to achieve a lower overall height of the operating mechanism.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved open roof construction of the kind mentioned in the introduction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to accomplish that objective, the open roof construction according to the invention is characterized in that the slide includes a height-adjustable part which is equipped with the guide member, and which is in engagement with a further guide track having a vertical component in a curve part connected to the stationary part.
A significant advantage of this is the fact that the electric motor will maintain a constant number of revolutions while adjusting the panel, which makes the mechanism sound reliable and which produces the least amount of noise. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the operational life of the motor. In parts of the path of movement of the panel where the resistance is relatively high, for example when the panel is moved through the closed position, a larger transmission ratio will be selected temporarily, as a result of which the panel will move more slowly through this difficult part. The occupants of the vehicle will hardly notice this.
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“The Woodworkers' Store”, 1993-94 Catalog.
Johannes Manders Peter Christiaan Leonardus
Van Rooij Theodorus Gerardus Fransiscus
Inalfa Industries B.V.
Koehler S.
Pedder Dennis H.
Westman Champlin & Kelly P.A.
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