FR2467723A1 - OPENING ROOF FOR MOTOR VEHICLES - Google Patents

Abstract

Sunroof, the panel of which first assumes, when opening, a maximum oblique position and then moves backwards above the fixed roof, reducing its inclination as much as possible. In the closed position, the panel 1 rests in the frame 7. When opened, it first rises to the maximum under the action of the screw jack 29. The shoe 11 which carries the axis of the panel 1, is then moves to the right on the rail 12, driving the panel 1, and at the same time the height of the jack 29 decreases.

Description

The present invention relates to a sunroof for

  motor vehicles, with a movable panel on side guides

  in the opening of the roof, which panel can be raised by

  driving means acting on it, moves after lifting.

  with a simultaneous modification of its inclination with respect to the opening of the roof and is presented, during its displacement, so that its rear part is above the rear surface

fixed roof.

  Sunroofs of this type are possibly referred to as "sliding roof panels". In a known sunroof of this type (patent of the Federal Republic of Germany 958 620), the panel is equipped with sliding or rolling elements on each side or in the vicinity of the front edge, which elements are supported by Fixed lateral guiding, of curved shape, in the opening of the roof. The curved guideways have the effect, during the opening of the panel, that the rear end thereof is raised above the roof and that it is brought gradually backwards into a position more and more

  oblique. As a result, as and when

  of the opening between the front edge of the roof opening and the front edge of the panel, the latter protrudes more and more above the fixed surface of the roof of the vehicle, so that the wind resistance of the panel believes at the same time as the opening. But this also increases the vehicle's air resistance, which acts directly on fuel consumption. In addition, the known panel tends to vibrate for a strongly output position,

  which causes, during the movement of the vehicle, significant noise

wind.

  The driving means acting on the known sunroof panel consist of a threaded rod located at

  center of the vehicle and able to rotate, but not to move axially-

  This rod corresponding with a nut fixed to the panel and can be driven by a hose. Because of the central position of the threaded rod, the mobile panel is only supported in its median plane, so that it does not have sufficient stability. In

  In addition, the central threaded rod is freely visible in the opening.

  roof. It is the same for the hose which, in case of setting up a crank near the dashboard, separates in

  two the windshield, to a certain extent.

  The object of the invention is to present a construction

  sunroof which, even for the widest possible opening of the panel, does not cause any noticeable deterioration of the air resistance, allows a rigid position without oscillation of the open panel, has a low noise in operation, the

  medium of training does not present troublesome way.

  The means of achieving this object according to the invention, from the type described at the beginning, consists in that (a) the panel is articulated in a known manner in the vicinity of its front edge; (b) displacement members are fixed in a known manner near the rear edge of the roof opening; (c) the panel is movable along the displacement members; and (d) the displacement elements, on both sides of the roof opening, are connected to the drive means by the action of

  forces and, during the movement of the panel, they change in.

  continuous its position in height so that the oblique position of the panel decreases during its opening and increases during

its closure.

  In the sunroof of the invention, the displacement elements, because of their establishment and their constitution, are used so that the panel, in each of its positionr exceeds above the fixed roof of the vehicle that of the amount that is required for relative non-contact movement between the lower portion of the panel and the fixed rear surface of the roof. Due to the arrangement of the displacement elements near the rear edge of the roof opening, the panel acquires a rigid state in each of its positions. As the panel, in all its positions, barely exceeds the surface of the roof, it hardly influences the air resistance of the vehicle and causes only

  low noise due to wind during the movement. The means of training

  placed on both sides of the roof opening are not visibly disturbed from the outside. As the panel is guided at its front edge and furthermore it is articulated in the vicinity of its front edge, the panel performs only in the vicinity of its edge before a hinge movement, while the control

  forced oblique positions of the panel is carried out by the ele-

uprising.

  In a known device for aeration of a motor vehicle (published patent application of the Federal Republic of Germany 10 50 676), in which provision has been made for feature (b), it is an embodiment which does not correspond to the type described at the beginning and in which the displacement elements are constituted

  by pivoting levers. In this case, even for a maximum offset

  backwards, only one air opening is released.

  front relatively narrow between the front edge of the roof opening and the front edge of the panel. In addition, the elements of

  uprising consisting of oscillating levers serve to increase

  the oblique position of the panel during the first part of its opening movement and to reduce it only later, while in the sunroof of the invention, the oblique position decreases

  continuously from the beginning of the opening movement.

  The expression "oblique position" must be taken,

  in the context of the present description, in the sense of a posi-

  the panel, in which it forms with the reference plan.

  the plane of movement, an acute angle plus or

less tall.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention,

  According to the invention, the lifting elements are known screw jacks, the inner ends of which are fixed on both sides of the roof opening to integral parts of the roof and whose outer ends are attached to the joints. which are guided on rails on the panel. In

  this arrangement, the telescopic screw jacks make the com-

  ask for the oblique position of the panel during its movement.

  The guide rails on the panel and the hinges attached to the outer ends of the telescopic jack are used to

  a forced command of the oblique positions of the panel with, aiming

  nement, a rigid state of the panel in each of its open positions. Still according to the invention, there is provided as drive means helical threaded cables known per se, resistant to traction and pressure, engaged with a drive gear, flexible and each guided on one side of the roof , these cables being each engaged by their working winding, before

  the beginning of the movement of movement until the posi-

  oblique the largest possible of the panel, with an output pinion fixed to a portion integral with the roof adjacent the rear edge of the opening, this pinion meshing with the associated screw jack. As a result of this arrangement, in the case of manual or mechanical action on the drive means, the panel, starting from its closed position in which it is in contiguous position with the opening of the roof, begins by lifting its rear edge. above the roof surface with simultaneous hinge effect from its front edge to its maximum oblique position. When this position is reached, the meshing between the cables and the output gear is interrupted automatically, so that, if we continue to maneuver the drive means, it no longer acts on

the telescopic cylinder.

  In the spirit of the invention, it is also provided that, for the movement of movement of the panel, each of the drive cables has a clip which, when the position

  oblique angle of the panel is reached in the closed position

  ture, engages with a coupling part connected to the panel, and there are provided two flexible helicoidal threaded adjustment cables and guided to resist the traction and the pressure, each of these cables being placed against a side of the roof, parallel to the driving beam therein, said adjustment cable having its front end attached to a workpiece connected to the front panel and having its working winding which engages with the output gear neighbor at the time of getting the biggest

  oblique position of the panel in the closed position thereof.

  Thanks to this mode of construction, when the operation of the lifting means continues after obtaining the most

  large possible oblique position of the panel, there is a displacement

  for opening with simultaneous reduction of the oblique position of the panel due to the action of the adjusting cable in connection with the output gears. Thus, the screw jacks unscrewed by the drive cable for the prior exit of the panel

  are driven in the opposite direction by the control cables, ie

  to say that they are screwed. The arrangement is such that the catch between the cleat and the coupling part exists even during the closing movement of the panel and it stops only at the end of the closing movement of the panel and at the largest oblique position of that -this. From this position of the panel, following the operation of the drive means of the panel already in its closed position lowers the panel in the position of

  departure in which it is joined with the opening of the roof.

  Preferably, the arrangement is such that the output pinion is rotationally fixed and of the same axis as a right toothed wheel which meshes with a smaller toothed wheel, which is integral in rotation and of the same axis as the associated telescopic jack, This provides a transmission of meshing between the output gear and the cylinder. By a suitable choice of screw threads on the jack and / or the transmission ratio between the two straight gears, it is possible to determine the stroke of the jacks with respect to the length of displacement of the panel, so that

  it is raised in each of its positions sufficiently

  to ensure no contact between the lower edge of the panel and the fixed rear surface of the roof. To ensure that the engagement between the cleat and the coupling part only ceases in the closed position of the panel, it is advantageous to have on the coupling part, for the engagement between the cleat and the coupling part, an elastic tongue releasing the cleat

  only in the closed position of the panel. Preferably, the

  position is such that the elastic tongue, in the closed position of the panel, is opposite a corresponding housing in the lateral guide rail of the panel. To disengage the cleat and the coupling piece, the elastic tongue can thus penetrate into the housing while, in all other positions of the panel, it is supported on the guide rail so that the cleat

  can not escape the grip with the coupling piece.

  Other features and advantages of the invention

  will be better understood by reading the following description

  of an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows the side view of the

  upper part of a passenger car body with repre-

  schematic representation of a panel raised to the maximum from its closed position; - Figure 2 shows a similar side view

  to that of Figure 1, but in which the panel takes a posi-

  intermediate displacement; - Figure 3 shows a similar side view

  to those of Figures 1 and 2, and in which the panel is

  felt in its rear position; - Figure 4 shows a top view of a detail of the left front corner of the sunroof; - Figure 5 shows a section along the line V-V of Figure 4; - Figure 6 shows a detail taken in the direction of the arrow VI of Figure 4; - Figure 7 shows a top view of a detail of the left side of the sunroof; - Figure 8 shows a longitudinal section through the sunroof when the panel is closed;

  FIG. 9 represents a view from above of a por-

  cutaway the object of Figure 8, in which the panel was removed to show the drive parts; - Figure 10 shows a longitudinal section similar to Figure 8 and in which the panel, raised to the maximum, is not moved yet; FIG. 11 represents a view from above similar to that of FIG. 9, to show the position of the driving pieces in the position of the panel represented in FIG. 10; - Figure 12 shows a longitudinal section

  similar to those of Figures 8 and 10 for an intermediate position

  diary of movement of the panel; FIG. 13 represents a view from above similar to that of FIGS. 9 and 11 for showing the position of the driving parts in the position shown in FIG. 12; Fig. 14 shows a section along line XIV-XIV of Fig. 7; FIG. 15 represents a section along the line XV-XV of FIG. 7; and - Figure 16 shows a section along the

line XVI-XVI of Figure 9.

  As apparent from the side views shown in Figures 1 to 3, the panel 1 has various inclinations in its different positions. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the panel 1 is still in the position corresponding to the closure in the roof opening 2. However, the rear edge of the panel is raised upwards to the maximum, so that takes its steepest inclination, as needed just before the start of the sliding movement. In the position shown in Figure 2, the panel is already shifted rearward about the roof of his race, so that the opening 2 is released in its front part. In this position, the panel already has a lower inclination which decreases further in the course of the movement, while the lower part of the panel 1 approaches the fixed rear surface 3 of the roof. In the maximum open position shown in FIG. 3, the panel has reached its minimum inclination in which it only protrudes slightly above the fixed surface 3. The motion characteristic thus described is reversed for the movement of closing the panel. A construction suitable for obtaining this desired motion characteristic will be described hereinafter with reference to the other figures. In the figures

  1 to 3, the mark 4 designates the windshield to materialize the direction-

the movement of the vehicle.

  In the state of the parts shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the panel 1 is in the closed position on the inside

  of the opening 2 of the roof. It is delimited by a perimeter edge

  5 of the roof of the vehicle generally designated 6. A sunroof current frame 7 is rigidly connected to the roof of the vehicle3 it is connected to the rim 5 and its side bands are wider than its front and rear bands. The profile of the side bands

of the frame 7 spring of Figure 16.

  The sunroof is constructed symmetrically with respect to its longitudinal median axis, so that, in what follows, in correspondence with the drawings, only one side will be described.

  roof, although the elements described still exist in pairs.

  The panel 1 is hinged close to its front edge by means of hinged devices, each of which has parts 8

  is attached to the panel, while the hinge portion 10 corre-

  dante, which is consequently connected via the axis 9, is fixed to the front guide shoe 11, as can be seen for example from FIG. 9. At the lateral band of the frame 7, a rail of guided in the direction of travel and generally designated 12. The profile of this guide rail is

  given in FIG. 16. The front guide pad 11 is guided longitudinally

  tudinalement on the guide bar 13 directed inwards

  relative to the roof opening 2.

  On the front band of the frame 7, there is fixed a retaining plate 14 to which is attached a tube holder 15 for holding the drive means. These consist of cables 16 and 17 to helicoidal thread guided rigidly to traction and pressure and with which cooperate a drive gear 18 rotating on the plate 14. The pinion 18 can be connected in a known manner

  by its shaft 19 to a crank device or an electric motor

  cudgel. In the front zone of the roof, the cables 16 and 17 are guided in tubes 20 and 21, the tube 21 of the left zone being connected to a guide channel 22 in the rail 12, while the tube 20 on the right side of the roof connects to a corresponding channel of the guide rail therein. In the left zone of the roof, the tube 20 serving to receive the free end of the drive cable is rectilinear. Similarly, on the right side of the roof, the tube 21

  serving to receive the free end of the cable 17

  line. The rotations of the pinion 18 in one direction or the other cause the cables 16 and 17 to move in the tubes 20 and 21 in the channels of the guide rails connected to them. The helical threaded cables are connected, in the manner described below, with the locally attached lifting elements in the vicinity of the

  rear edge of the opening 2 of the roof.

  To explain the meshing of the drive cables

  With the associated lifting element, namely for the left side of the cable arrangement 17, FIGS. 8 and 9 will first be considered. As shown in FIG. 9, a guide tube 23 for the cable 17 is connected to the guide channel 22 at the rear end of the guide rail 12. The tube 23 passes through a housing 24 in two parts, in which the target 17 is engaged, through a cutting 25 of the tube 23, with an output gear 26 which rotates in the housing 24 and which is integral in rotation and

  same axis as a right gear 27 also in the housing 24.

  This is rigidly connected to the roof of the vehicle by attachment to the

sunroof frame (Figure 8).

  The toothed wheel 27 meshes with a toothed wheel

  straight lower 28 which is connected in a concentric and

  The jack constitutes the lifting element of the panel 1 and is associated for this purpose with an inner rod 30, an intermediate sleeve 31 and an outer sleeve 32. to which is attached the toothed root 28. These parts of the telescopic iris are connected

  together by threaded threads, as shown in Figure 14.

  The rod 30 carries an external screw thread, the intermediate sleeve 31 of the inner and outer screw threads, and the outer sleeve 32, an internal thread. As the rod 30 is fixed in rotation to a hinge generally indicated by the reference numeral 33, the rotations

  of the bushing 32, caused by the toothed wheels 27 and 28,

  depending on the direction of rotation, a return to or exit from

  telescopic cylinder consisting of parts 30, 31 and 32.

  As Figures 14 and 7 show, articula-

  33 consists of two lateral guide pieces 34 and 35 which are rigidly supported one against the other by connecting struts 36. In the guide pieces 34 and 35 penetrate opposite hinge pins 37 and the like. axis, which are attached to a U-shaped shaft support 38. With this axis support 18,

  the rod 30 of the telescopic jack 29 is fixed rigidly.

  The inclination axis formed by the parts 37 allows the articulation to be adapted to the different inclinations of the panel for a constant vertical orientation of the jack. The guide pieces 34 and 35 of the hinge 33 serve to guide the jack 29 on the panel 1. For this, as also shown in Figure i in conjunction with Figure 14, it is attached to a reinforcement 39 of the panel two opposite guide rails and 41 on which are guided longitudinally parts 34 and 35. For the sake of clarity of the drawing, rails 40 and 41 are not shown. For the same reasons, FIG. 7 has omitted a representation of rail 12 and parts which

  are connected to it. As can be seen from Figures 11 and 13, the winding

  helicoidal 42 on the cable 17, establishing the meshing in the manner of a rack with the pinion 18 or the pinion 26 is interrupted, that is to say that this net is not performed on any

  the length of the cable 17. In the maximum output position

  10 and 11 of the panel 1 still being in the non-shifted position, the winding 42 is released from the pinion 26, so that the following longitudinal movement of the cfble 17 to the right no longer causes rotation of the cylinder fully extended in this position. From the position of

  panel shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the displacement of

  Panel 1 is realized as follows.

  As shown in Figure 4 in connection with the

  FIG. 6 has been fixed on the cable 17 a cleat 43 which passes

  towards a slot 44 of the tube 21. During the output movement of the jack 29, the catch 43 moves freely in the slot 44 on the rail 12. In the position of the panel shown in FIGS. to say in the most oblique possible position of the panel, the stopper 43 abuts against a coupling part generally indicated by 45 and fixed to the guide shoe 11. During the subsequent training, that is to say during the following the movement of the cable 17 to the right, the cleat 43 enters

  a housing 46 of the coupling piece 45, and an elastic tongue

  47, delimiting housing 46 downwards, inclines elastically

  downwardly in a recess 48 of the rail 12. As soon as, during the continuation of the training, the cleat 43 stops against

  the inside wall of the room 45, following the movement of

  This leads to the movement of the raised panel 1. The movement of

  is limited near the rear edge of the roof opening by a stop 49 (Figure 13), which is fixed to the frame 7 and which is in the path of the pad 11. During the closing movement, the cable of drive 17 is moved to the left. The latch 43 then rests on a protrusion 50 of the tongue 47 which, because of its position against the rail 12 during the entire displacement stroke, can not deviate downwards, so that the coupling between the latch 43 and the piece 45 is maintained during the closing movement. It is only when the position of the panel shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is reached that the resilient tongue can deviate into the recess 48 during the rest of the workouts.

  that is, if the stop 43 continues to move to the left.

  The cleat 43 then passes over the projection 50 and lowers the

  tongue 47. It abuts against the front wall of the di-

  48 (Figure 10) and thus marks the end of the

ture of the panel 1.

  The continuous modification of the height position of the panel 1 during its entire displacement is carried out using the cylinder 29, as follows. In the rail 12 is, in front of the guide channel 22, a second guide channel 51 in which

  is guided longitudinally, rigidly in tension and in

  sion, an adjusting cable 52 with helical winding. The cable 52 moving parallel to the cable 17 is fixed at its front end, by a catch 53 which is fixed thereto, to the guide shoe 11, so that it moves in the channel 51 at the same time as the panel, during all the movements of it. The adjustment target 52 moves in a guide tube 54 which, similarly to the guide tube 23, passes through the housing 24 and is connected, by its

246772!

  front end, to the guide channel 51 of the rail 12. Inside the housing, at the location of the output gear 26, the guide tube 54 also has a cut portion 55 through which the cable 52 can mesh with 26. As can be seen from FIG. 9, the free end of the adjustment cable 52 does not have a helicoidal winding either, so that in the position

  parts shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, there is no connection

  its adhesion between the cable 52 and the pinion 26. At the beginning of the displacement for the opening of the panel, the helical winding of the

  cable 52 engages the pinion 26 which, at this moment, does not

  grene plus with the winding of the cable 17. The cable 52 can thus, through its meshing with the pinion 26, drive the gear 27, 28 and, consequently, the cylinder 29. The displacement thus achieved of the cylinder 29 is that at the opening of the panel out, the cylinder is shortened, so that the oblique position of the panel with gradual opening becomes smaller. On the other hand, during the moving movement of the panel, the jack 29 operates in the direction of an elongation, so that the oblique position of the panel

  increases again when the closing of the roof opening increases.

  Instead of the cable 52, which performs substantially

  a rectilinear movement, one could also use a cremail-

  fixed route for the guidance of which a second channel would be required

  in the guide rail. In this case, the rack would surely not follow a curved path through the housing 24, as the

  represents for example Figure 11, but a straight path.

  The symmetrical configuration of the casing 24, shown in the drawings,

  allows use right and left.

  Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to the devices or processes which have just been described as non-limiting examples.

  without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

R E V E N D I C AT! I 0 N S CLAIMS   1 - Sunroof for motor vehicles, with a movable panel on lateral guides in the opening of the roof,   which panel may be lifted by driving means   on it, moves after lifting with simultaneous modification of its inclination with respect to the opening of the roof and is presented, during its displacement, so that its rear part is above the fixed rear surface of the roof, characterized in that:   (a) the panel (1) is articulated in a known manner (8, 9, 10) in the vicinity   swim from its front edge; (b) displacement members (29) are fixed in a known manner near the rear edge of the roof opening (2); (c) the panel is movable along the displacement members (29); and   (d) the displacement elements (29) on both sides of the opening   roof (2), are connected to the drive means (16, 17, 52) by the action of forces and, during the movement of the panel, they   continuously change its height position so that the posi-   oblique angle of the panel decreases during opening and increases during its closure.   2 - Sunroof according to claim 1, characterized   in that the spacers of the panel constitute   vortex screw (29) corms in themselves, which are fixed on both sides of the opening   ture {2j of the roof, by their inner ends to the pieces (12)   attached to the roof and at their outer ends to joints   tons (33) which are guided in their movement by rails (40, 41) on the panel at).   3 - Sunroof according to any one of the   1 or 2, characterized in that provision has been made for training   two cables (16, 17) with helical winding guides in a manner known in a rigid manner in tension and pressure, but flexible on each side of the roof, these cables being engaged by their working winding (42), until obtaining the maximum inclination position of the panel, and before the beginning of the translational movement, with an output gear (26) housed on a part (24) secured to the roof near the rear edge of the opening (2) of the roof,   which pinion (26) meshes with the parts (27, 28) with the jack (29).   4 - Sunroof according to any one of the   cations 1 to 3, characterized in that, for the translational movement of the panel (1), each of the training cables has been fixed on each   (16, 17) a cleat (43) which, when the most oblique position pos-   When the panel is reached in the closed position thereof, it engages with a coupling part (45) connected to the panel, and in that two flexible adjustment cables are provided. (52) rigidly guided in tension and pressure and each disposed on one side of the roof, parallel to the driving target therein, each cable (52) engaging with its forward end a piece (11) connected to the front to the panel, and engaging with its work winding with the neighboring output gear (26) when the oblique position as large as possible of the panel   is reached in the closed position thereof.   - Sunroof according to claim 4, characterized in that the cooperation between the cleat (43) and the workpiece   coupling (45) also exists during the movement of   the panel (l) -and that it stops only when the final position of the closure movement of the panel   the most oblique possible position of it.   6 - Sunroof according to claim 3, characterized   in that the output pinion (26) is coaxial and solidary   in rotation with respect to a toothed wheel (27) which meshes with a -   smaller toothed wheel (28), the latter being connected in such a way   coaxial and integral in rotation with the corresponding jack <29).   7 - Sunroof according to any one of the   4 or 5, characterized in that, for meshing between the cleat (43) and the coupling piece (45), the coupling piece is provided with an elastic tongue (47) which does not   the cleat in the closed position of the panel.   8 - Sunroof according to the resale; . -   risé in that, in the closed position of the pre.-; *.   elastic band (47) is opposite a corresponding recess (48) in   the lateral guide rail (12) of the panel.