U.S. patent application number 10/026202 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-09 for device for adjusting the cover of a sunroof of an automobile.
This patent application is currently assigned to Meritor Automotive GmbH. Invention is credited to Farmont, Rolf, Kelm, Eckehard.
Application Number | 20020053817 10/026202 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8058793 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020053817 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Farmont, Rolf ; et
al. |
May 9, 2002 |
Device for adjusting the cover of a sunroof of an automobile
Abstract
An apparatus for a sunroof that contains at least one cover part
for selectively closing and at least partially opening an opening
in a rigid roof surface of an automobile. The apparatus is used in
conjunction with a roof opening that contains a base part with side
parts that lie opposite one another and define a longitudinal
direction. The sunroof includes a cover part that can be tilted as
well as slid along the longitudinal direction. The apparatus
includes a cover carrying element that is connect to the cover part
and can be pivoted about a cam pin which extends transverse to the
longitudinal direction and can slide along the longitudinal
direction.
Inventors: |
Farmont, Rolf; (Dusseldorf,
DE) ; Kelm, Eckehard; (Gilching, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROBERT V. VICKERS
VICKERS, DANIELS & YOUNG
Suite 2000
50 Public Square
Cleveland
OH
44113-2235
US
|
Assignee: |
Meritor Automotive GmbH
|
Family ID: |
8058793 |
Appl. No.: |
10/026202 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10026202 |
Dec 21, 2001 |
|
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|
09798374 |
Mar 2, 2001 |
|
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09798374 |
Mar 2, 2001 |
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09336620 |
Jun 18, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/223 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J 7/0573 20130101;
B60J 7/0435 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/223 |
International
Class: |
B60J 007/057 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 19, 1998 |
DE |
DE 298 11 016.4 |
Claims
Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:
1. An adjusting device for a sunroof that contains at least one
cover part for selectively closing and at least partially opening
an opening in a rigid roof surface of an automobile, wherein the
roof opening is limited by a base part with side parts that lie
opposite one another and define a longitudinal direction, and
wherein said cover part can be tilted as well as slid along said
longitudinal direction, said adjusting device comprising, at least
one cover carrying element that is connected to said cover part and
that can be pivoted about a first cam pin which extends transverse
to said longitudinal direction and can slide along said
longitudinal direction, at least one guide element that extends
along said longitudinal direction and that is provided on said base
part, a single carriage element that is slidably guided along each
of said guide element, wherein said carriage element moves said
cover part and said cover carrying element, an adjusting means for
tilting and sliding said cover part, wherein said adjusting means
connects said cover part to the carriage element such that they can
be moved relative to one another and can slide along said
longitudinal direction, at least one engagement means for
independently engaging said carriage element and said cover
carrying element in said longitudinal direction for entrainment of
said cover carrying element in said longitudinal direction while
sliding said cover part only in said longitudinal direction towards
its tilting position, said at least one guide element being
provided with at least one control means, such that said carriage
element and said cover carrying element are effectively engaged in
said longitudinal direction preventing movement relative to one
another, when said carriage element slides between positions
between which said cover part only slides in said longitudinal
direction in the tilted position, and, said carriage element and
said cover carrying element being disengaged from one another so
that each is able to move relative to the other in said
longitudinal direction when said carriage element slides between
positions in which said cover part is generally aligned with said
roof opening and tilted.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
09/798,374 filed Mar. 2, 2001, which in turn is a continuation of
application Ser. No. 09/336,620 filed Jun. 18, 1999, which in turn
claims priority of German Application Serial No. DE 298 11 016.4
filed Jun. 19, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention pertains to a device for adjusting a cover of
an automobile sunroof.
[0003] Sunroofs of this type contain at least one cover part for
selectively closing and at least partially opening an opening in a
rigid roof surface of an automobile, wherein said cover part can be
tilted and slid. At least one cover carrying element is connected
to the cover part and can be tilted about a first cam pin that
extends transverse to the sliding direction of the cover part,
wherein said cover carrying element can also be slid along the
sliding direction in the tilted position. Guide rails are provided
near the edges of the opening in the roof of the automobile in
order to realize said sliding, wherein a transport carriage can be
slid along said guide rails. In addition, adjustment means are
provided for tilting the cover part in such a way that the
transport carriage and the cover part carry out a movement relative
to one another along the sliding direction. If the cover part of
such sunroofs is slid above the roof surface of the automobile,
they are generally referred to as "spoiler roofs."
[0004] In such spoiler roofs, it is problematic that the same
transport carriage is used for realizing the tilting as well as the
sliding of the cover part in that the sliding is usually not
desired during the tilting process. Consequently, a so-called
switching process is required such that when opening the cover part
at the end of the tilting phase, the cover part which is initially
held and prevented from sliding can be suitably slid toward the
rear in the tilted position during the additional sliding of the
transport carriage. This process takes place in the corresponding,
reverse sequence when the sunroof is closed.
[0005] In one known spoiler roof (DE-C2 3,311,452) that was
introduced on the market quite some time ago, the cover part is
rigidly connected to a cover carrier that can be tilted and slid
along a guide rail. In this case, the cover carrier represents a
self-contained component that can be slid in the same guide rail as
the transport carriage, wherein the tilting axis of said cover
carrier is positioned a significant distance in front of the
transport carriage (as seen from the forward direction of the
automobile). Consequently, the slidable assembly unavoidably has a
significant length that limits the maximum degree of opening the
cover part. This problem is particularly evident in spoiler roofs
of this type, particularly when they are retrofitted into
automobiles. In this case, an opening lever is connected to the
transport carriage via a cam arrangement and to the cover carrier
or the cover part via a turning knuckle in tilted/articulated
fashion. The cam arrangement allows relative movement between the
opening lever and the transport carriages. In order to ensure that
the cover part is not slid during the upward tilting movement while
the transport carriage carries out its initial adjusting movement,
the opening lever contains a locking cam that, as the tilting angle
of the opening lever increases, continuously moves out of a catch
opening in the guide rail, which is stationarily fixed to the frame
and into the guide rail, until the locking cam is entirely located
in the guide rail and can be slid therein. This means that all
moving sequences must be coordinated in such a way that the cam
arrangement between the transport carriage and the opening lever
has reached the position in which the sliding of the cover part was
started at exactly the instant in which the locking cam is
completely moved into the guide rail. This switching process is
associated with a certain jolt because the guide rail of the cam
arrangement which initiates the switching process and starts the
sliding process must have a significant inclination of
approximately 40.degree. so as to not transmit excessively high
clamping forces upon the various cams during the subsequent forward
sliding of the tilted cover.
[0006] During the forward sliding of the tilted cover part, one
encounters the problem that the locking cams are guided in the same
guide rail as the tilting cam of the cover carrier and the
transport carriage, and that the locking cam must prevent a
backward tilting of the cover part into the closed position during
this sliding phase of the cover part. Consequently, the friction,
to which the locking cam is subjected in the guide rail, increases
in proportion to the flatness of the guide rail of the cam
arrangement which causes the aforementioned switching processes.
This is the reason a compromise had to be found between the
intensity of the jolt and the intensity of the friction.
[0007] The previously described problems were significantly reduced
when a spoiler roof (DE-C2 4,405,583) was introduced to the market
at a later time. In this adjusting device, a toggle lever
arrangement without guide curves is used instead of a cam
arrangement consisting of a guide curve and cams. In this case,
only one component that can be slid in a guide rail fixed to the
frame is provided. This component accommodates the transport
carriage as well as the cover carrier and makes it possible for
both of these components to move relative to one another. A locking
pin assigned to the roof carrier serves for locking the cover
carrier to the rigid roof frame of the automobile during the
tilting phase of the cover part. This locking pin cooperates with
an opening in the guide rail that is rigidly connected to the
automobile. In this known adjusting device, the length of the
movable assembly was reduced in comparison to previously known
arrangements, and the friction during the forward and backward
sliding is, significantly reduced in particular. In addition, the
jolt occurring during the switching process was practically
eliminated due to the elimination of the cam arrangement between
the opening lever and the transport carriage. However, this
adjusting device still has the disadvantage of a relatively complex
design and, specifically, a large number of components, the
assembly of which is correspondingly complicated.
[0008] A significant reduction in the required components was
achieved with the adjusting device according to WO 94/25301 which
was introduced to the market at a later time. In this case, only a
cover carrier, a transport carriage and a guide rail are required.
Even the locking of the cover part in the closed position within
the rear region of the cover part can be achieved with the
previously described components. This is essentially achieved due
to the fact that the pins for tilting the cover carrier are always
guided in guide curves that intersect, wherein one guide curve is
rigidly arranged on the automobile and the other guide curve is
arranged in the transport carriage. This also makes it possible to
eliminate locking elements for holding the cover carrier during the
tilting phase. The basic principle of guide curves that intersect
one another and serve for simultaneously accommodating the tilting
axes for a cover carrier is also known from Japanese Patent No.
1-54 208. In both of these adjusting devices for spoiler roofs, the
simplicity of which can scarcely be additionally improved, a
noticeable jolt during the transition from the tilting phase to the
sliding phase of the cover part cannot be eliminated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In a device for adjusting spoiler roofs of the initially
mentioned type, the invention is based on the objective of
minimizing the resistance, i.e. the friction during the transition
from the tilting phase to the sliding phase or from the sliding
phase to the tilting phase of the cover part despite the relatively
short length of the transport carriage and a minimization of the
required components.
[0010] This objective is attained with an adjusting device, wherein
at least one engagement means for separately engaging at least one
transport carriage and the adjusting means, e.g., a cover carrier,
is provided in order to tilt the cover part. In this case, the
guide element for the carriage element (transport carriage) is
provided with at least one control means, such that the carriage
element and the adjusting element are effectively engaged in the
sliding direction, i.e., they are unable to carry out relative
movements when the carriage element is slid between positions,
between which the cover part is merely slid along the sliding
direction in the tilted position. When the carriage element is slid
between positions when the cover part is essentially aligned with
the roof opening and merely tilted, the carriage element and the
adjusting element are not engaged, i.e., they are able to carry out
relative movements in the sliding direction.
[0011] In contrast to the state of the art according to DE-C2
3,311,452 or DE-C2 4,405,583, the cover carrier is no longer
engaged to the guide element, i.e., the guide rail that is rigidly
fixed to the roof, by means of a separate engagement arrangement,
but the separate engagement element acts between the cover carrier
or, in general, the adjusting means of the roof part and the
carriage element, i.e., the transport carriage.
[0012] Thus, the typical jolt that occurs during the transition
from the tilting phase into the subsequent sliding phase of the
cover part is eliminated. This is attained due to the fact that the
cover part is not disengaged from an initially engaged position by
the engagement means at the end of the tilting of the cover part
because the engagement means according to the invention is already
in the disengaged position during the tilting phase and
consequently does not fulfill the function of holding the cover
part with respect to the sliding direction during the tilting
phase.
[0013] In the simplest instance, the engagement means according to
the invention only fulfills the function of a driver between the
carriage and the adjusting means of the cover part when sliding the
cover part into the closing direction. Thus, frictional resistance
as described previously with reference to DE-C2 3,311,452 is
reliably prevented. Frictional resistance as it occurs with the
intersecting guide curves according to WO 94/25301 can also be
prevented with the engagement means according to the invention
because any constraints due to intersecting guide curves are
practically eliminated during this moving phase as well as during
the transition from the sliding phase into the tilting phase or
from the tilting phase into the sliding phase.
[0014] Due to the very simple means according to the invention,
excellent advantages can be realized. These advantages are
described in detail below with reference to various
embodiments.
[0015] Additional characteristics that pertain in particular to the
various options of designing the engagement means as well as
transitions between the tilting phase and the sliding phase or the
sliding phase and the tilting phase which are subject to
particularly unnoticeable jolts are disclosed.
[0016] The aforementioned components as well as the components
claimed and described in the embodiments and the components to be
utilized in accordance with the invention are not subject to any
particular restrictions regarding their size, shape, material
selection and technical concept, i.e., the selection criteria known
in the respective field of application can be applied in unlimited
fashion. Additional details, characteristics and advantages of the
invention result from the following description of the
corresponding figures which show embodiment examples of the
adjusting device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The foregoing and other objects and advantages will in part
be obvious and in part pointed out in the following description
taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0018] FIG. 1A is a (section of a) spoiler roof that can be
retrofitted and installed in the roof of a automobile, wherein the
adjusting device is located in the closed position;
[0019] FIG. 1B is a schematic horizontal section through the
spoiler roof according to FIG. 1A along line IB-IB;
[0020] FIG. 2A is the same spoiler roof in an operating position at
the end of the tilting phase;
[0021] FIG. 2B is a horizontal section through the spoiler roof
according to FIG. 2A (corresponding to the illustration in FIG.
1B);
[0022] FIG. 3A is the same spoiler roof, wherein the cover part is
tilted upward and partially slid toward the rear;
[0023] FIG. 3B is a horizontal section through the same spoiler
roof during the phase according to FIG. 3A (corresponding to the
sectional representations in FIGS. 1B and 2B);
[0024] FIG. 4A is a vertical section through the same spoiler roof
along line A-A in FIG. 1A;
[0025] FIG. 4B is a vertical section through the same spoiler roof
along line B-B according to FIG. 1A;
[0026] FIG. 4C is a vertical section through the same spoiler roof
along line C-C according to FIG. 2A;
[0027] FIG. 4D is a vertical section through the same spoiler roof
along line D-D according to FIG. 2A;
[0028] FIG. 5A is a longitudinal section through the adjusting
device of a second embodiment of a spoiler roof (sectioned along
line VA-VA according to FIG. 5B);
[0029] FIG. 5B is a top view of the same adjusting device (view E
according to FIG. 5A), wherein the upper guide rail region is also
visible in this figure;
[0030] FIG. 6A is the same adjusting device in operating position,
in which the cover carrier is tilted and slid (corresponding to the
operating position in FIG. 3), in the form of a longitudinal
section along line VIA-VIA according to FIG. 6B;
[0031] FIG. 6B is a top view of the same adjusting device (view D
according to FIG. 6A), wherein the upper guide rail region is also
visible in this figure;
[0032] FIG. 7A is a vertical section through the same spoiler roof
along line VIIA-VIIA according to FIG. 5A;
[0033] FIG. 7B is a vertical section through the same spoiler roof
along line VIIB-VIIB according to FIG. 6A;
[0034] FIG. 8A is a longitudinal section through a third embodiment
of a spoiler roof which corresponds to the representation in FIG.
5A; and,
[0035] FIG. 8B is a longitudinal section through the same adjusting
device which corresponds to the representation in FIG. 6A.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0036] In the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1A through 4D, a
separate locking arrangement between the cover carrier and the
transport carriage is realized in the form of a mechanically
controllable engagement means that can be horizontally slid
transverse to the sliding direction. This embodiment is described
in detail below:
[0037] FIG. 1A shows that an approximately rectangular roof opening
14 with conventionally rounded corner regions is arranged in the
roof surface 16 of an automobile, e.g., a passenger car (not shown
in detail). At the edge of the opening, a two-part frame 13A, 13B
surrounds the edge of the roof surface 16 near the opening in
sealed fashion, e.g., as known from retrofit sunroofs. Long
extended guide elements 32 are connected to the sunroof frame 13A,
13B on both longitudinal edges of the roof opening. These guide
elements which, for example, consist of extruded aluminum have the
function of guiding carriage elements 30, which are simply referred
to as the transport carriages in the following description, along
two parallel edges of the sunroof opening, which lie opposite one
another, with little friction and play. The transport carriages 30
respectively carry one cover carrying element 20 that is rigidly
connected to the cover part 12 which closes the sunroof opening.
The cover carrying elements 20 are guided on or in the transport
carriages 30 such that they can be longitudinally slid between two
extreme positions. The cover carrying elements 20 and the transport
carriages 30 are connected via a first front cam pin 22 provided on
the carriages element 30 which can be slid in a first guide curve
24 provided in the transport carriage 30 so as to slightly raise
the front edge of the cover (shown on the left side in FIG. 1A). A
second cam pin 26 provided on the transport carriage 30 can be slid
along a second guide curve 28 provided in the cover carrying
element 20. This second cam arrangement makes it possible to raise
the rear cover edge which is located on the right in FIG. 1A higher
than the front cover edge, i.e., to tilt or pivot the cover 12 into
the desired ventilation position above the roof surface 16. In
order to fulfill this function, the first and the second guide
curves 24 and 28 which generally extend in the same direction as
the guide elements 32 have a correspondingly curved
progression.
[0038] In addition, a (third) guide curve 40 is provided. This
guide curve is located on the front end of the guide element 32 and
initially extends obliquely upward, whereafter it transforms into a
horizontal progression. The guide curve 40 guides a part of the
first cam pin 22 which extends through the first guide curve 24.
Within the first section of the third guide curve 40 which extends
obliquely upward toward the rear, the first cam pin 22 and
consequently the cover part 12 are prevented from sliding
appreciably toward the rear. Within this section, the first cam
arrangement rather carries out an upward movement that is only
slightly oriented toward the rear, wherein said movement
subsequently transforms into a more defined movement toward the
rear with a less defined upward movement. Consequently, the
transition between the tilting of the cover into the position shown
in FIG. 2A and the subsequent cover sliding phase into the open
position shown in FIG. 3A takes place very smooth and without
jolts. This means that the cover carrying element initially moves
significantly more slowly than the transport carriage and only
gradually assumes the speed of the transport carriage. A cam
arrangement 40, 22 of this type also serves for tilting the cover
carrier independently of the carriage/ cover engaging according to
the invention and the simultaneous penetration of the additional
guide curve 24, i.e., this cam arrangement itself has inventive
merit.
[0039] To the extent described thus far, all three embodiments of
the present invention essentially correspond to the arrangement
known from WO 94/25301. The elements which are novel in comparison
to the state of the art are described in detail below.
[0040] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1A through 4D, the
transport carriage 30 has a horizontal slot in which an engagement
means 34 of practically identical cross section is guided in
low-friction fashion. The engagement means 34 consists of a
relatively short formed piece with inclined surfaces on its ends,
wherein said inclined surfaces correspond to a catch limit stop 38
on the cover carrying element 20 and a switching surface 36B of a
control means on the guide element 32 which is designated by
reference numeral 36. The control means 36 consists of a vertically
oriented inner wall region of the guide element 32 which is
oriented parallel to the sliding direction (FIG. 1B) of the
transport carriage 30 indicated by a double arrow within its entire
rear region (its right region in FIG. 1B). The control means 36
only has a different progression within its front region (its left
region in the figure), wherein this different progression is
realized in the form of a depression 36A in the guide element 32.
In this case, one end of the depression is formed by the switching
surface 36B.
[0041] When the cover part 12 is closed and in the carriage
positions, in which the cover part is tilted, i.e., in all
positions between the carriage positions shown in FIG. 1A and FIG.
2A, the engagement means 34 in the transport carriage 30 is slid
outwardly and protrudes into the aforementioned depression 36A of
the control means 36, whereby said engagement means does not engage
with the cover carrying element 20, but is rather prevented in
appropriate fashion.
[0042] The first embodiment as well as the two other embodiments
indicates that it is preferred to subject the engagement means 34
to a mechanical control based on a suitable orientation of mutual
control surfaces, when engaging as well as disengaging the
engagement means.
[0043] Once the transport carriage 30 is slid into the position
shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the additional sliding of the
transport carriage 30 toward the rear (toward the right in the
figure) causes the engagement means 34 to be moved out of its
position by means of the switching surface 36B, i.e., the
engagement means is moved out of the depression of the control
means 36 and simultaneously pressed into the engaged position
relative to the catch limit stop 38 on the cover carrying element
20. FIG. 3B shows the new position of the engagement means 34.
[0044] During the additional sliding of the transport carriage 30
toward the rear (toward the right in the figure), the engagement
means 34 is still not subjected to any stress because the first cam
pin 22 is now in contact with the front end of the first guide
curve 24 of the transport carriage 30, i.e., the transport carriage
30 drives the cover carrying element 20 toward the rear.
[0045] When the transport carriage 30 is slid forward again from
its open position shown in FIGS. 3A/3B in order to gradually close
the roof opening 14, the engagement means 34 in the transport
carriage 30 drives the cover carrying element 20 and is subjected
to stress. The engagement means 34 is only returned into its
disengaged position according to FIG. 2B shortly before the
carriage sliding position shown in FIGS. 2A/2B is reached again.
This process takes place automatically due to the forward sliding
of the transport carriage 30 (sliding toward the left in the
figure). This automation is attained due to a suitable inclination
of the catch limit stop 38 and the corresponding end region of the
engagement means 34, whereby the outer region of the first cam pin
22 is already moved into the third guide curve 40 and adjoins the
region of the guide curve which extends transversely downward in
this position. Consequently, the resistance generated between the
transport carriage 30 and the cover carrying element 20 only need
be high enough that the engagement means 34 is laterally slid into
the depression 36A of the control means 36. If the corresponding
inclined surfaces of the engaging limit stop 38 and the engagement
means 34 are suitably shaped, the force required for this lateral
sliding is so low that it can be barely noticed.
[0046] Consequently, the end of the sliding path of the cover part
12 in the closing direction and the transition into the lowering
phase of the cover part 12 are not subject to jolts. This effect is
even promoted due to the fact that the first guide curve 24 in the
transport carriage 30 has a nearly horizontal progression on its
front end 24A, i.e., a progression that extends parallel to the
guide element 32. This nearly horizontal progression not only
serves as an insertion aid into the open end of the third guide
curve 40, but also allows a completely smooth transition of the
movement of the first cam pin 22 from its raised position into the
subsequent lowering phase.
[0047] The first embodiment as well as all embodiments described
below are also suitable for several cover parts that are arranged
behind one another, i.e., so-called multi-spoiler roofs.
[0048] In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 5A through 7B,
only the design of the engagement means 34 differs from that of the
first embodiment: in this case, the engagement means 34 is no
longer arranged in slidable fashion, but rather in tilted fashion
on the transport carriage 30. An opening in the transport carriage
30 which is adapted to the cross section of the engagement means
may, in contrast to the first embodiment, be eliminated. FIGS. 5B
and 6B clearly show that the engagement means contains a pivot arm
34A that is realized in the form of a one-armed lever, carries the
engagement means 34 on its free lever end, and contains a pivot
point 34B arranged on the transport carriage 30 on its front end. A
cam arrangement 22, 24 analogous to that of the first embodiment is
also provided in the second embodiment but is not shown in the
figure because it is arranged inside the transport carriage 30.
[0049] In the third embodiment according to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the
difference in comparison to the first embodiment can be seen in the
fact that the moving direction of the engagement means 34 does not
extend horizontally, but rather vertically, whereby the control
means 36 is located on the bottom wall of the guide element 32. In
other respects, the design of the engagement means in the form of a
lever corresponds to that of the second embodiment according to
FIGS. 5A through 7B.
* * * * *