# US 12,600,415 B2 · Motor vehicle comprising a roof module and at least two environment sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,415 B2 - Document ID: US12600415B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/201,326 - Filed: 2023-05-24 - Published: 2023-12-14 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-14 - Assignees: Webasto SE - Applicants: Webasto SE - Inventors: Magnus Sviberg; Maximilian Ehrmann; Cédric Langlais; Michael Huelsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600415B2 ## CPC - B62D 25/06: Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) - B60R 11/00: Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for - B60R 11/04: Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle - B62D 27/023: {Assembly of structural joints} - B60R 2011/004: {outside the vehicle} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A motor vehicle having a vehicle body, a windshield and/or a rear window, and a roof module disposed on the vehicle body as a structural unit and at least partially forming a vehicle roof of the motor vehicle, the roof module having a see-through area, a panel component which at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface, and at least two environment sensors for detecting a vehicle environment. One of the at least two environment sensors is attached to the roof module and configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through the windshield or the rear window in detect a vehicle environment, and another one of the at least two environment sensors is attached to the roof module and configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through the see-through area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle body, a windshield and/or a rear window, and a roof module disposed on the vehicle body as a structural unit and at least partially forming a vehicle roof of the motor vehicle, the roof module comprising a see-through area, a panel component which at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface, and at least two environment sensors for detecting a vehicle environment, wherein one of the at least two environment sensors is attached to the roof module and configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through the windshield or the rear window in order to detect a vehicle environment, and another one of the at least two environment sensors is attached to the roof module and configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through the see-through area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the see-through area is disposed on the panel component or integrated in the panel component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the another one of the at least two environment sensors is disposed in a housing, which is disposed on the roof module in such a manner that it can be retracted and deployed relative to the panel component, and the see-through area is disposed on the housing or integrated in the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two environment sensors is attached to the panel component of the roof module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises a roof module frame which is connected to the panel component and via which the roof module is attached to the vehicle body, at least one of the at least two environment sensors being disposed on the roof module frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body comprises at least one transverse and/or longitudinal roof rail to which the roof module is attached. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises at least one longitudinal and/or transverse roof rail via which the roof module is connected to the vehicle body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the roof module frame protrudes in the direction of the windshield and/or the rear window when viewed horizontally in such a manner that it forms a mounting platform for the one of the at least two environment sensors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the roof module with the at least two environment sensors is disposed on the vehicle body as a pre-assembled structural unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the windshield and/or the rear window is attached to a connecting portion of the roof module frame in a connection point, the connecting portion protruding in the direction of a line of sight of the environment sensor, and the windshield and/or the rear window is disposed on the at least one transverse roof rail of the roof module or the at least one transverse roof rail of the vehicle body, attached thereto in at least one connection point, in the area of a roof end area of the windshield and/or the rear window. ### Claim 11 A motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle body, a windshield and/or a rear window, and a roof module disposed on the vehicle body as a structural unit and at least partially forming a vehicle roof of the motor vehicle, the roof module comprising a panel component which at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface, and at least two environment sensors for detecting a vehicle environment, wherein the at least two environment sensors are attached to the roof module and are each configured to send/and or receive electromagnetic signals through the windshield and/or the rear window to detect a vehicle environment; wherein at least one of the at least two environment sensors is attached to the panel component of the roof module, and/or the roof module comprises a roof module frame which is connected to the panel component and via which the roof module is attached to the vehicle body, at least one of the at least two environment sensors being disposed on the roof module frame; wherein the windshield and/or the rear window is attached to a connecting portion of the roof module frame in a connection point, the connecting portion protruding in the direction of a line of sight of the environment sensor, and at least one of transverse rails formed by the roof module or the vehicle body is shifted in the direction of a roof center to serve as an attachment portion of the windshield and/or the rear window, which is elongated in the direction of the roof center, and the windshield and/or the rear window is disposed on the at least one transverse roof rail of the roof module or the at least one transverse roof rail of the vehicle body attached thereto in at least one connection point, in the area of a roof end area of the elongated windshield and/or the elongated rear window. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the roof module frame protrudes in the direction of the windshield and/or the rear window when viewed horizontally in such a manner that it forms a mounting platform for the one of the at least two environment sensors.