Sunroof apparatus

A sunroof apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle having a roof with an opening portion, the sunroof apparatus comprising:

• a movable panel opening and closing the opening portion formed on the roof of the automotive vehicle;
• a supporting mechanism supporting the movable panel movably relative to the roof;
• an actuating device generating an actuating force for actuating the movable panel;
• a transmitting mechanism transmitting the actuating force generated by the actuating device;
• the transmitting mechanism including:
• a rack belt made of resin and engaging with an actuating gear of the actuating device;
• and
• a guiding member guiding the rack belt so as to be slidable,
• wherein the rack belt includes a plurality of longitudinally disposed and alternately spaced rack teeth and grooves, each of the grooves being provided with a protruding portion bridging two adjacent rack teeth at a mid portion of each groove, and a core wire embedded within the protruding portion of the rack belt so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the rack belt.