U.S. patent application number 09/748122 was filed with the patent office on 2001-09-06 for motor vehicle sunroof.
Invention is credited to Hertel, Johann, Staltmayer, Thomas, Tanaka, Hiroshi, Ueki, Shigeru.
Application Number | 20010019217 09/748122 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18498613 |
Filed Date | 2001-09-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010019217 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hertel, Johann ; et
al. |
September 6, 2001 |
Motor vehicle sunroof
Abstract
A sunroof for a motor vehicle having roof with an opening, the
sunroof including a cover panel for closing the roof opening, a
pair of guide rails for supporting the cover panel, a drive device
for moving the cover panel vertically and horizontally with
relative to the roof in a open and closed position. The sunroof
also includes a shade device which can be pulled vertically to
cover panel the drive device from the inside while the cover panel
is in the open position. The shade device is mounted such that it
is fixed with respect to a respective guide rail in a lengthwise
direction relative to the roof, while the cover panel is mounted
such that it can be moved in the lengthwise direction with respect
to the shade device.
Inventors: |
Hertel, Johann; (Neuried,
DE) ; Staltmayer, Thomas; (Gauting, DE) ;
Ueki, Shigeru; (Higashi-Hiroshima-shi, JP) ; Tanaka,
Hiroshi; (Higashi-Hiroshima-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON PEABODY, LLP
8180 GREENSBORO DRIVE
SUITE 800
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Family ID: |
18498613 |
Appl. No.: |
09/748122 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/217 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J 7/0046 20130101;
B60J 7/0435 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/217 |
International
Class: |
B60J 007/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 27, 1999 |
JP |
11-371378 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A sunroof for a motor vehicle having a roof with an opening,
said sunroof comprising: a cover panel for opening and closing the
opening; a left guide rail and a right guide rail for supporting
said cover panel; drive means for moving said cover panel in at
least one of a vertical and horizontal manner relative to the roof
to place said cover panel in at least one of an opened position and
a closed position; and cover member for covering said drive means
when said cover panel is placed in said opened position and thereby
prevent air from flowing into the motor vehicle, wherein said cover
member is mounted such that in operation it is vertically
compressed and expanded, and is fixed with respect to a respective
guide rail in a lengthwise direction and said cover panel is
mounted such that it can be moved in a lengthwise direction with
respect to said cover member.
2. The sunroof as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a left
raising lever and a right raising lever connected to said cover
panel, said left raising lever and said right raising lever each
having a front section which is respectfully pivotally mounted on
said left guide rail and said right guide rail in a lengthwise
direction.
3. The sunroof as claimed in claim 2, wherein in operation said
drive means operates so as to vertically and horizontally move said
left raising lever and said right raising lever with respect to
said left guide rail and said right guide rail.
4. The sunroof as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cover member
includes a shade which operates so as to expand in a vertical
direction with respect to said cover panel, said shade having a
bottom section which is rigidly attached to each of said left guide
rail and said right guide rail so as not to move in a lengthwise
direction with respect to said cover panel.
5. The sunroof as claimed in claim 4, further comprising stretching
means for moving a top section of said shade into contact with said
cover panel in a manner such that said shade in operation is moved
relative to said cover panel in a lengthwise direction with respect
to said cover panel.
6. The sunroof as claimed in claim 5, wherein the stretching means
moves the top section of the shade into contact with said cover
panel even in cases in which said cover panel is in a raised
position.
7. The sunroof as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cover member is
formed as a bellows.
8. The sunroof as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover member
includes a spring device for pressing a rear top section of cover
member against said cover panel.
9. The sunroof as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cover member
includes an engagement element mounted on said rear top section of
said shade, and wherein said cover panel is provided with a crank
guide for engaging said engagement element when said cover panel is
moved into said opened position.
10. The sunroof as claimed in claim 9, wherein during operation
said engagement element is raised when said cover panel is placed
into a raised position, and wherein said engagement element is
lowered when said cover panel is placed into said closed
position.
11. The sunroof as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sun
shade for closing the opening of the roof, said sun shade having an
engagement projection and a front section being movably supported
on said left guide rail and said right guide rail in a lengthwise
direction relative to said cover panel, and wherein said sunshade
is supported on the front bottom section on said left guide rail
and said right guide rail so as to swivel around a transverse
axis.
12. The sunroof as claimed in claim 11, wherein said sunshade on a
bottom section includes an engagement slot which is engaged by said
engagement projection so as to move said shade in a lengthwise
direction with respect to said cover panel.
13. The sunroof as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a holding
device mounted underneath said cover panel at a point which
corresponds to a rear section of said cover panel when said cover
panel is in said closed position.
14. The sunroof as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a rear
shade attached on a bottom end to said holding part so as in
operation is moved relative to said cover panel, wherein said rear
shade has a top end located proximal to said cover panel and
includes at least one ventilation opening.
15. The sunroof as claimed in claim 14, wherein said rear shade is
formed integrally with side shades mounted to a left and a right
section of said rear shade.
16. The sunroof as claimed in claim 4, wherein said shade includes
a bottom section of said shade fixedly attached to the roof and a
top section movably supported on said cover panel.
17. The sunroof as claimed in claim 16, wherein said top section is
supported on a front end by a bearing means mounted on the roof,
said bearing means in operation allowing said front end to move
vertically.
18. The sunroof as claimed in claim 17, wherein said top section
includes a holding device which is supported in a receiver of said
bearing means.
19. The sunroof as claimed in claim 18, wherein said bottom section
includes a first front end section connected to a second front end
section via an elastic device.
20. The sunroof as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means
moves said cover panel such that said cover panel is raised from
said closed position and first lowered and then horizontally moved
with respect to the roof into said opened position.
21. A sunroof for a motor vehicle having a roof with an opening,
said sunroof comprising: a cover panel for opening and closing the
opening; a pair of guide rails for supporting said cover panel;
drive means for moving said cover panel in at least one of a
vertical and horizontal manner relative to the opening to place
said cover panel in at least one of an opened position and a closed
position; and a cover member for covering said drive means when
said cover panel is placed in an open position and thereby prevent
air from flowing into the motor vehicle, wherein said cover member
includes a top section and a bottom section which are connected to
one another and which can be moved relative to one another in a
lengthwise direction relative to the roof, and said top section is
fixedly attached to said cover panel and said bottom section is
fixedly attached to the roof.
22. The sunroof as claimed in claim 21, wherein said drive means
moves said cover panel such that said cover panel can be raised
from said closed position and lowered and horizontally moved with
respect to the roof into said opened position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates generally to a sunroof for a motor
vehicle. More particularly, the invention is directed to a sunroof
for preventing wind from flowing into a compartment of the vehicle
while hiding a cover panel driving device and which also covers the
drive device from the inside once the cover panel is place in a
raised position.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] One such sunroof is conventionally formed as an inner or
internally guided sliding and lifting roof in which the cover panel
can be pivoted up out of its position to completely close the roof
opening, and is pivoted downward before displacement which is
pointed to the rear and is pushed to the rear from its lowered
position underneath the roof skin. Another conventional sunroof
includes an outer or externally guided sliding and lifting roof
whereby its cover panel is pivoted upward and is pushed to the rear
running on the outside. German Patent DE 33 08 065 discloses an
internally guided sliding and lifting roof which has a cover panel
for closing or clearing the roof opening, on both sides of the
cover panel there being a shade which is mounted either on the
cover panel or on the roof frame. A similar sunroof is described in
Japanese Utility Model Disclosure Document No. 139320 and contains
a shade of the bellows type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a
sunroof for a motor vehicle which includes a cover member having
improved mobility during opening and closing process of the cover
panel and also in the different types of sunroofs. This object is
achieved by a sunroof with a cover member that can be pulled apart
vertically, such a cover member being defined as a shade of any
type which can be stretched or expanded in the vertical direction,
for example an accordion or fan shade, a fabric shade or a bellows
shade. The cover panel serves to cover the drive mechanism so that
it is not visible from the inside of the vehicle while the cover
panel is pivoted in an upward raised position. While the cover
panel is in its raised position, the cover member is pulled apart
to cover the drive means and is used at the same time as protection
against wind flow from outside the motor vehicle and also when the
cover panel is pushed to the rear, the shade retains a protective
function.
[0006] In one preferred embodiment, a bottom section of the cover
member is fixed on the vehicle roof while a top section is movably
supported on the cover panel and is held on its front end by a
roof-mounted bearing means which allows vertical compensation
motion for the front end of the top section of the cover member. As
a result, the cover member can be better adapted to the pivoted-out
positions of the cover panel. Accordingly, the cover member is
divided into a top section and a bottom section which are connected
to one another and which can be moved against one another in the
lengthwise direction, and the top section of the cover member being
fixed on the cover panel and the bottom section being fixed on the
solid roof, the shade function is preserved even when the
displacement of the raised cover panel is directed backwards.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic cross sectional side view a
first embodiment of the invention;
[0008] FIGS. 2(a)-2(c) shows side views of the operation of a cover
panel and the cover member of the sunroof according to the first
embodiment of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 shows in an top perspective view of the cover panel
in a raised position according to the first embodiment of the
invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 shows in top perspective view the cover panel in a
completely opened position according to the first embodiment of the
invention;
[0011] FIG. 5 shows in a perspective exploded view the cover member
and a wind deflector;
[0012] FIG. 6 shows in a side cross sectional view the cover
member;
[0013] FIG. 7 shows in a side cross sectional view a second
embodiment of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 shows in a perspective exploded view a raising device
and a cover member according to the second embodiment of the
invention;
[0015] FIGS. 9(a)-9(c) shows side views of the operation of the
cover panel and the cover member according to the second embodiment
of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 10 shows in a schematic lengthwise cross sectional view
a third embodiment of the invention;
[0017] FIGS. 11(a)-11(c) shows side views of the operation of the
cover panel and the cover member according to the third embodiment
of this invention;
[0018] FIG. 12 shows in a perspective view the cover member and a
stretching element;
[0019] FIG. 13 shows in a perspective view a cover member and a
stretching element according to a fourth embodiment of the
invention;
[0020] FIGS. 14(a)-14(d) shows side views of the operation of the
cover panel and the cover member according to the fourth embodiment
of this invention;
[0021] FIG. 15 shows in a lengthwise sectional view a fifth
embodiment of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 16 shows in a perspective exploded view a raising lever
and a cover member according to the fifth embodiment of the
invention;
[0023] FIG. 17 shows in a schematic lengthwise sectional view a
sixth embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 18 shows in a cross sectional view the rear section of
the sixth embodiment of this invention;
[0025] FIG. 19 shows in a top perspective view the motor vehicle
roof in a raised position according to the sixth embodiment of this
invention;
[0026] FIG. 20 shows in a perspective view the cover member
according to the sixth embodiment of this invention;
[0027] FIGS. 21(a)-21(c) shows perspective views of another
embodiment of the shade;
[0028] FIG. 22 shows in a side sectional view an embodiment of a
shade;
[0029] FIGS. 23(a)-23(c) shows in perspective views another
embodiment of the shade;
[0030] FIG. 24 shows in a side overhead view another embodiment of
a shade for a vertically-pivotable and horizontally-movable sunroof
in the closed position of the cover panel;
[0031] FIG. 25 shows in a side overhead view the shade shown in
FIG. 24 with the cover panel raised; and
[0032] FIG. 26 shows in a side overhead view the shade shown in
FIG. 24 with the cover panel raised and pushed to the rear.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0033] With reference now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-6 show a first
embodiment of a raisable sliding sunroof 1A mounted on a solid roof
2 of a motor vehicle such as a passenger car having a roof. The
sunroof 1A includes a cover panel 4 for clearing or closing an the
opening 3 formed in the solid roof 2, the cover panel 4 in a raised
position having the ability to be moved to the rear of the sunroof
1A. The sunroof 1A further includes a left and a right raising
lever 5 which are located on the bottom of the cover panel 4 on the
left and the right side, a guide rail 6 for movable supporting the
front section of the left and the right raising lever 5 in the
lengthwise direction, a drive 8 for at least one of lifting and
lowering the raising lever 5 and pushing back the raising lever 5
while in a raised position by moving a slider 7 supported on a
guide rail 6 in the lengthwise direction. A cover member 9 is
located between the guide rail 6 and the cover panel 4, the cover
member 9 is provided including a sliding head lining or sun shade
11 for clearing or closing an inside opening 10 located underneath
the opening 3 of the roof 2, and a wind deflector 12 aligned in the
front section of the opening 3 when the opening 3 is cleared.
[0034] Preferably, the cover panel 4 is made of transparent or
translucent glass or plastic and includes a protective frame and a
seal which is mounted on the bottom on the periphery of the cover
panel 4. The protective frame is mounted on the left and the right
raising lever 5 by means of pins. The left and the right raising
lever 5 in their front section each contain a sliding block 15
which move in the guide rail 6 by sliding and in its middle section
a crank slot 17 which descends to the rear and engages a pin 16 on
the slider 7. The crank slot 17 is formed by mounting a crank plate
on the raising lever 5 or directly on the raising lever 5. The pin
16 and the crank slot 17 together form with the raising lever 5
components of the drive means 8.
[0035] The cover panel 4 is raised from a closing position which
completely closes the opening 3 (partially shown in FIG. 1 with a
dot-dash line) into a raised position (shown in FIG. 1 with the
solid line) by pushing the pin 16 in the lengthwise direction of
the crank slot 17 using the slider 7, this is accomplished by
sliding. The cover panel 4 is pushed to the rear of the roof 2 into
a position in which the opening 3 is completely open (shown in FIG.
1 by a line which is dot-dashed with two dots) by moving the pin 16
farther to the rear away from the position which corresponds to the
raised position of the cover panel 4. The cover panel 4 can also be
moved out of its completely opened position into its completely
closed position by moving the slider 7 forward.
[0036] A drive cable (not shown) is connected to each of the left
and right slider 7 and is driven via a drive gear by a motor. The
left and the right guide rail 6 are connected to one another by a
front frame part 20 and a middle frame part 21 and these parts in
addition to the guide rails 6 form a support frame 22 for the
sunroof 1A. The inner area of the support frame 22 corresponds
essentially to the inner opening 10 and a gutter section is formed
along the left and the right guide rail 6 and the front frame part
20 so that rain can drain through the front or back end of the
respective guide rail 6. The support frame 22 can be configured
such that the front frame part 20 and the middle frame part 21 are
connected to the left and the right lengthwise part and that the
guide rails 6 are connected to the left and the right part.
[0037] Instead of a sliding head liner 11 formed from a single
plate, according to this embodiment a sun shade composed of linen
or the like can be used and includes a length of cloth 23 which can
be rolled on a roller shaft 24, the roller shaft 24 being attached
behind an inner opening 10 and being supported on the left and the
right guide rail 6. The length of cloth 23 on its front end
includes a front extraction rod 25 movably supported on the left
and right guide rail 6 in the lengthwise direction. The roller
shaft 24 has a helical spring to apply a return force to the length
23 of fabric.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2(a)-2(c), the cover member 9 is provided
for preventing an air swirl from flowing into the motor vehicle
interior through the inner opening 10 and prevents the drive 8
including the raising lever 5 of the slider 7 or the like from
being visible from the motor vehicle interior when the cover panel
4 is in the raised position. The cover member 9 includes a shade 28
which can be vertically compressed or expanded using a tensioning
or stretching means 29. The shade 28 is synchronized with the
upward and downward motion of the cover panel 4. The wind deflector
12 is attached on the left and right end to the respective front
section of the left and the right shade 28. The shade 28 can be
composed of fabric, paper, plastic or the like and is shaped like
an accordion or a bellows so that it can be vertically compressed
or expanded. A lower section of the shade 28 is located on the top
of the guide rail 6 on the side facing the inner opening 10, and
the top of the top section of the shade 28 is brought into contact
with the essentially horizontal section 5a of the raising lever 5.
The shade 28 has plate parts or hardened sections for reinforcing
the top and bottom section so that the bottom section can be
attached to a component of the frame 22 which is not formed by the
guide rail 6 and/or the top section of the cover member 28 can be
brought directly into contact with the cover panel 4.
[0039] The stretching means 29 is made as a spring part 30 which
may be formed in an arc-shaped or a substantially U-shape and which
on its middle section is attached to the bottom section of the
shade 28 or together with the shade 28 to the guide rail 6. The
front and back end of the stretching means 29 are brought into
contact with the bottom of the top section of the shade 28 so that
the front end and the back end of the shade 28 are pretensioned to
the top. As shown in FIG. 5, the wind deflector 12 includes a wind
deflector base body 12a having a front surface with a shape which
designed for deflecting the airstream, and a right and a left
holding part 12b which are connected to the left and to the right
end of the base body 12a and also attached to the top section of
the shade 28 which is used as a bearing part or bearing arm for
attachment of the wind deflector 12 to the frame 22 so that it can
be vertically expanded relative to it.
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), the sunroof 1A is in a
completely closed position in which the opening 3 is completely
closed by the cover panel 4 and the pin 16 of the slider 7 is
located on the front end of the crank slot 17. If the slider 7 is
moved to the rear out of this position by actuation of the drive 8,
the raising lever 5 is pivoted around a sliding block 15, by which
its back end is raised as soon as the pin 16 is moved back along
the crank slot 17, and finally the cover panel 4 is raised into its
raised position which is shown in FIG. 1 with the solid line or in
FIG. 2(b). The raising of the back end of the cover panel 4 enables
ventilation of the vehicle interior and the cover panel 4 is raised
if the top section of the contracted shade 28 which is in contact
with the bottom of the cover panel 4 is also raised.
[0041] The shade 28 being connected to the cover panel 4 by the
rear tensioning force of the spring element 30 so that the shade 28
is spread apart in the shape of a circle sector which opens
backward. As a result, the shade 28 which is opened in the shape of
a sector, air is prevented from flowing in through the gap between
the solid roof 2 and the cover panel 4 and through the inner
opening 10. At the same time the shade 28 is also used as an inner
cover for covering the raising lever 5 and the slider 7 so that
they are not visible from the interior of the vehicle since the
shade 28 is located on the inside. When the slider 7 continues to
be moved backwards from the position in which the cover panel 4 is
completely raised, the pin 16 engages the back lower end of the
crank slot 17 and it continues to be moved backward while it is
being accompanied by the raising lever 5 in order to move the cover
panel 4 to the rear into its completely opened position which is
shown in FIG. 1 by a line with two dots and a dash or in FIG. 2(c).
Since the shade 28 is attached to the side of the guide rail 6, it
remains at this time stationary in its lengthwise position and only
the cover panel 4 is moved to the rear with its raised back end,
while its front end which is located in the lowermost position (or
the front section of the raising lever 5) is kept in contact with
the top of the top section of the shade 28.
[0042] While the cover panel 4 is being moved back, one contact
point between the front end of the cover panel 4 and the top
section of the shade 28 which has been converted into a sector
shape which is flared to the rear is moved backwards and in this
way the rear section of the shade 28 is compressed from its spread
position into its compressed position. In this way the cover panel
4 can be moved to the rear. Since the contact point between the
shade 28 and the cover panel 4 is moved back, at the same time the
front section of the shade 28 which was initially compressed by the
front end of the cover panel 4 can be stretched upward as a result
of the tensioning force which is applied by the front end of the
spring element 30 of the stretching means 29 so that the shade 28
is changed into a sector shape which is flared forward and at the
same time the wind deflector 12 is raised on the front section of
the opening 3. Consequently the top section of the shade 28
executes a pendulum motion in which the shade function or the
spread shade section is displaced from back to front.
[0043] The wind deflector 12 in its raised position (as shown in
FIG. 1 by the dotted line and a dash or in FIG. 2(c)) smoothes the
air flow streaming along the front surface of the solid roof 2 so
that it is deflected upward and the air flow which could stream
from the left and the right side of the wind deflector base body
12a into the opening 3 is prevented from flowing in by the shade 28
in its sector-shaped arrangement which is flared forward. The shade
28, which is located in its forward-flared sector shape, not only
prevents air from flowing into the passenger compartment, but it
also covers a clearly visible intermediate space between the
opening 3 of the roof 2 and the inside opening 10 from the inside
of the vehicle interior. To close the cover panel 4, the slider 7
is moved forward in the opposite sequence of motions relative to
that sequence of motions which was described above when the cover
panel 4 is opened.
[0044] Furthermore, the shade 11 can be opened or closed depending
on whether the cover panel 4 is open or closed. Even if the sunroof
1A is an external lifting and sliding roof, or one which is guided
to the outside, it can also be formed as an internal lifting and
sliding roof or one which is guided to the inside, in which the
cover panel 4 is pivoted upward out of its position which
completely closes the opening 3, then is moved down and can be
moved backward from its lowered position by some modifications
being made, for example the one in which the crank slot 17 is made
in a V-shape and the distance between the middle frame part 21 and
the solid roof 2 is made larger. In this case the shade 28 and the
wind deflector 12 can execute the same movements as described
above. The sunroof 1A can also be converted without any
modification into a spoiler-like sunroof in which the cover panel 4
is raised, but not moved backward.
[0045] As shown in FIGS. 7-9, in the second embodiment, a sunroof
1B does not have a wind deflector 12 and the spring element 30 of
the stretching means 29 is attached on its front section to the
bottom section of the shade 28 and on the rear section is in
contact with the bottom of the top section of the shade 28. Each
top section of the left and the right shade 28 is in contact with
the bottom of the cover panel 4 on the inside of the left and right
raising lever 5 and a bearing tongue is formed on the rear top
section of the shade 28 and projects against the raising lever 5,
and corresponding thereto a bearing section 41 is formed on the
raising lever 5 which holds the bearing tongue 40 from the bottom.
Thus, an auxiliary means 42 is formed from the bearing tongue 40
and the bearing section 41 which supports the raising motion.
[0046] When the cover panel 4 is in its completely closed position
(FIG. 9(a)) or in its raised position (FIG. 9(b)) the bearing
section 41 of the raising lever 5 from the bottom engages the
bearing tongue 40 of the shade 28 so that the rear section of the
shade 28 follows the upward motion of the cover panel 4 to which it
is coupled. In this way the shade 28, even if strong air swirls
occur on the shade 29 when the cover panel 4 is in its raised
position, can withstand the air swirls and retain its position.
When the cover panel 4 is moved to the rear while it maintains its
raised position, the bearing section 41 is separated from the
bearing tongue 40 so that the rear section of the shade 28 can be
pulled together. Since the shade 28 is pulled together when the
cover panel 4 is moved to the rear, the shade 28 need not be
supported on the rear top section (FIG. 9(c)).
[0047] As shown in FIGS. 10-12, a sunroof 1C in a third embodiment
includes a stretching means 29 having an engagement element 31
which is provided on the back top section of the shade 28 and has a
crank guide 32 which is made on the cover panel 4 or on the raising
lever 5, and may also include a spring element 30. The engagement
element 31 includes a pin which is inserted into the crank guide 32
and is in contact with the top and bottom of the crank guide 32,
the crank guide 32 being formed by a slot on a strip part 43 which
is mounted on the cover panel 4 or on the raising lever 5.
Alternatively, the crank guide 32 can be formed directly on the
raising lever 5. The crank guide 32 has a front section which is
lowered towards the front.
[0048] When the cover panel 4 is raised out of its completely
closed position in the sunroof 1C (FIG. 11(a)), the rear section of
the shade 28, as a result of the engagement between the crank guide
32 and the engagement part or the pin 31, is raised so that the
shade 28 is stretched into a sector shape which flares to the rear.
When the cover panel 4 is moved to the rear out of its raised
position (FIG. 11(b)), the engagement part 31 is moved by sliding
relative to the crank guide 32 in it such that the cover panel 4
can be moved to the rear while the shade 28 remains stationary in
its lengthwise position (FIG. 11(c)), but it is drawn together by
controlling the vertical position of the engagement element 31 via
the shape of the crank guide 32. The engagement part 31 on the back
top section of the shade 28 is in contact with the top and the
bottom of the crank guide 32 and is movably guided thereon, the top
section of the shade 28 being kept in contact with the cover panel
4. Furthermore, the sunroof 1C of the third embodiment can be
modified such that the spring element is mounted on the shade 28
and can pretension the rear top section upward and the crank guide
32 has only one surface which engages the engagement part 31 from
the top, so that the shade 28 can be pulled apart only by the
spring element and the compression motion can be controlled only by
the crank guide 32.
[0049] The sunroof 1D of a fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and
14 is made such that the lower section of the shade 28 of the
sunroof 1D can be controlled by way of the cover member 11. In the
sunroof 1D, the shade 28 is kept stationary in the lengthwise
direction and is supported to be able to pivot around a transverse
axis on the front lower section so that the rear section can be
raised, and an engagement slot 34 is formed over roughly the entire
length of the bottom section of the shade 28 and engages an
engagement projection 33 which is attached to the front bearing
axis 25 of the cover member 11. Both the engagement projection 33
and also the engagement slot 34 are components of the stretching
means 29. When the cover panel 4 is raised from its completely
closed position (shown as a solid line in FIG. 13 or in FIG. 14(a)
and 14(b)) while the cover member 11 is held in its closed
position, the rear section of the shade 28 as a result of the
engagement between the crank guide 32 and the engagement part 31 is
raised. In doing so, the shade 28 on its rear section is raised in
the state compressed over its entire length, and when the cover
panel 4 is moved back from the raised position the engagement part
31 is pushed to the rear relative to the crank guide 32 so that the
cover panel 4 can be moved to the rear, while the shade 28 remains
stationary in its lengthwise position while the rear section of the
shade 28 is pulled down by controlling the vertical position of the
engagement part 31 by means of the shape of the crank guide 32.
[0050] When the front bearing axis 25 is moved backwards to open
the cover member 11, while the cover panel 4 is in its raised
position (from the position in FIG. 14(b)to the position shown in
FIG. 14(c)), the engagement projection 33 in the engagement slot 34
is moved while it retains a constant vertical position with respect
to the guide rail 6. so that the bottom of the shade 28 is pulled
rapidly down with its raised rear section such that it extends
along the guide rail 6 in order to expand the shade 28 into a
sector shape which flares to the rear. In the sunroof 1D, the shade
28 is made such that it is not pulled apart when the cover member
11 is closed since the shade function is not necessary under this
condition, while the shade 28 is pulled apart in order to execute
its own shade function when the cover member 11 is located between
a slightly opened position and a completely opened position. When
the cover panel 4 is raised, after the cover member 11 has been
opened, i.e. after the engagement projection 33 has been moved
back, the entire length of the lower section of the shade 28 is
held stationary on the guide rail 6, and, similarly to each of the
previous embodiments, the rear section of the shade 28 begins to
pull apart with the initial raising of the cover panel 4.
[0051] The sunroof 1E of a fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 15 and
16 differs from the sunroof of the second embodiment by its driver
8. The driver 8 of the sunroof 1E includes a lifting joint 45
between the raising lever 5 and the slider 7. The lifting joint 45
has three pins 46, 47, and 48, the two lower pins 46 and 47 each
engaging the guide slots 7a and 7b, which are formed on the slider
7, and the upper pin 48 engaging a crank slot 17 which is formed on
the raising lever 5, and with one opening 49 which is formed on the
top section of the shade 28. Since the tensioning or stretching
means 29 is configured such that it has a top pin 48 and an opening
49 instead of the engagement element 39 and the crank slot 17
instead of the crank guide 32, there need not necessarily be a
spring element 30. Since the opening 49 of the shade 28 engages the
upper pin 48, which in turn engages and is in contract with the
crank slot 17, the top section of the shade 28 is in contact with
the cover panel 4, by which relative sliding motion between the
shade 28 and the cover panel 4 in the lengthwise direction is
possible.
[0052] When the slider 7 is moved forward while the cover panel 4
is in its completely closed position, the lifting joint 45 rises up
to lift the rear section of the cover panel 4 and to pull the shade
28 apart and when the raising lever 5 is moved to the rear while
the cover panel 4 is kept in its raised position, the pin 48 is
moved relative to the crank slot 17 and guided by it and the cover
panel 4 is moved to the rear while the shade 28 remains stationary
in the lengthwise direction and at the same time the lifting joint
45 is lowered to pull together the rear section of the shade 28. In
a manner comparable to the first embodiment the second to the fifth
embodiments can be configured also as an internally guided sliding
and lifting roof by modification of the driver 8.
[0053] The sunroof 1F of a sixth embodiment shown in FIGS. 17-20
differs from the sunroof of the second embodiment by the cover
member 9, which includes a gutter 35 as the water-receiving support
part above the middle frame part 21. The cover member 9 contains
not only the left and the right shade 28, but also a rear shade 37
with a lower section attached to the front section of the gutter
35, with a top section adjacent to the cover panel 4, and with a
middle section which has at least one ventilation opening 36 formed
therein. Even if the rear shade 37 can be produced separately from
the left and the right shade 28 and can be connected to it, the
rear shade 37 of this embodiment is formed integrally with them by
bending a single layer of the vertical bellows part roughly in a C
shape (in an overhead view) and by at least one ventilation opening
36 being formed on the back. Finally, the rear shade 37 is
connected to the left and right shade 28.
[0054] The cover member 9 also has a rear shade 37, which makes it
possible for the cover panel 4 to be moved to the front or rear as
in the above described first to fifth embodiments, and it ensures
ventilation of the vehicle interior when the cover panel 4 is in
its raised position and as a result of the rear shade 37 it
furthermore prevents rain which drips from the solid roof 2 onto
the gutter 35 from spraying into the inner opening 10. Since the
top end of the rear shade 37 is located above the surface of solid
roof 2, when the cover panel 4 is raised the spray water stopping
function of the rear shade 37 compared to the conventional shade is
improved, in which there is a rib-shaped spray water stopping means
on the front section of the gutter 35.
[0055] When the cover panel 4 is an externally guided lifting and
sliding roof, the gutter 35 is attached to the guide rail 6 or to
the bottom of the solid roof 2 while in the case of the internally
guided lifting and sliding roof, the gutter 35 is supported on the
guide rail 6 so that it can be moved forward and backward by the
slider 7. The bottom section of the rear shade 37 can be attached
to a bearing part, for example a clamp, which can be attached by
the frame 22, the solid roof 2 or the roller protective part of the
linen 23 of the cover member 11 in a position in which the rear
section of the cover panel 4 is located in its completely closed
position, and in this case, when the gutter 35 is provided
separately, the middle section of the rear shade 37 can be arranged
adjacent to the front top of the gutter 35 so that the rain is
prevented from spraying into the vehicle interior. When the rear
shade 37 is made integral with the left and the right shade 28 and
is connected on its lower section to the frame 22, the shade 28 has
a higher strength.
[0056] In accordance with the present invention, if the cover panel
4 is raised by the raising lever 5, the bellows-like shade 28 is
pulled apart by the stretching means 29 and in doing so the shade
28 conceals the driver 8 and is therefore used as protection
against an air draft from the outside so that an air draft cannot
penetrate into the passenger compartment. When the cover panel 4 is
pushed back, the shade 28 is pushed together, but it remains in its
lengthwise position in order to retain a certain degree of the
protective function, and finally this system can be used not only
for inner or internally guided sliding and lifting grooves, but
also for outer or externally guided sliding and lifting
grooves.
[0057] As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, in another embodiment of the
invention which is a modification of the first embodiment, a shade
arrangement 50 having a top part 51, a bottom part 52, and a
bellows 53 located between the top 51 and bottom 52 parts (see FIG.
21(a)) and is permanently connected to the top part 51 and the
bottom part 52 of the shade. The bottom part 52 of the shade is
securely mounted on a section of the solid roof 2, for example, the
guide rail 6 or a roof frame. The top part 51 of the shade is
supported for movement lengthwise on a guide rail 54, the guide
rail 54 being mounted on the cover panel 4 (see FIG. 21(c)). The
top part 51 of the shade on its front end 55 is supported in a
roof-mounted bearing 56 (see FIG. 21(c)) such that in the vertical
direction it can be moved over a fixed compensation path to execute
matching motion in the vertical direction when the cover panel 4 is
raised. The front end 55 of the top part 51 of the shade is
pretensioned upward by a spring 57. The spring 57 can be formed as
a bent leaf spring which flexibly connects the front end 55 of the
top part 51 of the shade to the front end 58 of the bottom part 52
of the shade (see FIG. 21(b)).
[0058] FIG. 22 shows an embodiment in which the bearing 56 has a
receiving space 59 which is opened to the top for the holding part
60 which projects downward from the front end 55 of the top part 51
of the shade. The holding part 60 contains a thickened holding head
61 which is securely held between the two walls 62 and 63 of the
bearing 56 in the lengthwise direction, but can moved in the
vertical direction within a fixed path. Furthermore, the holding
head 61 can be pivoted around the transverse axis (perpendicular to
the plane of the figure) in order to enable matching motion of the
top part 51 of the shade in this way.
[0059] FIGS. 23(a)-(c) show an embodiment of a shade 64 shaped as
an accordion or fan with a top part 65 which can be moved to the
top and a roof-mounted bottom part 66. The top part 65 of the shade
64 contains a rigid upper edge which is pressed by a spring means
67 with at least one spring against the bottom of the cover panel
4. When the raised cover panel 4 is pushed to the rear it slides
along the top part 65 of the shade 64. The top part 65 of the shade
64 can be pivoted in its front end 68 and is movably supported by a
fixed path in the vertical direction so that when the cover panel 4
is raised it can execute the required matching motion and thus
adjoins the bottom of the cover panel 4 over its entire length. The
front support of the top part 65 of the shade 64 is formed as a
vertical slot 69 in the top part 65 in which a roof-mounted journal
70 is held.
[0060] As shown in FIGS. 24-26, In another embodiment, the sunroof
contains a split shade 71 with a top part 72 and a bottom part 73
each having a top bellows part 74 and a bottom bellows part 75. The
top and the bottom bellows part 74, 75 are connected to one another
to be able to move lengthwise, for example via two rails 76, 77
which are guided on one another and which are made or mounted on
the top and the bottom bellows part 74, 75. The top part 72 of the
shade and the bottom part 73 of the shade are securely mounted on
the cover panel 4 or the roof-mounted guide rail 6. As shown in
FIG. 25, when the cover panel 4 is raised the two
elastically-compressed bellows parts 74, 75 on the rear edge 78 of
the cover panel 4, expand as a result of their tensioning force
such that the two rails 76, 77 which are connected to one another
are raised over the front edge 79 of the rear roof skin 80. When
the cover panel 4 is moved to the rear in its raised position (FIG.
26), it entrains the upper bellows part 74, its lower edge or the
rail 76 which is formed thereon being pushed to the rear guided on
the rail 77 of the lower bellows part 75.
[0061] The rear roof skin 80 can also be the second cover of the
roof 2. The bellows parts 74, 75 are preferably made of a
spring-elastic material such as rubber or plastic. Preferably, the
rails 76, 77 can be integrally made by injection onto the lower
bellows part 73 or the upper bellows part 74. By way of the elastic
tension of the material, the two bellows parts 73, 74 execute a
uniform raising motion. A mechanism for raising the two rails which
are supported on one another with the cover panel 4 raised is not
necessary.
[0062] The shade can be an accordion-type or fan-type shade and can
be made of fabric or another material without spring-elastic
properties. In this case there is a means for lifting and raising
the two rails which are supported on one another, for example a
mechanism which is entrained when the cover panel 4 is raised. It
is noted that this invention is not limited to the described
embodiments, but can be changed and modified. For example the
combination of the respective sections of the various embodiment
can be changed and a teflon strip can be attached to a slide
contact surface between the cover panel 4 and the shade 28 in order
to reduce the frictional resistance.
* * * * *