Sliding roof panel assembly

A modular sliding roof panel assembly adapted to be mounted to the stationary roof structure of a vehicle having an opening in the roof thereof which is opened and closed by the sliding roof panel, said assembly comprising:

• an integral housing adapted to be mounted to the interior of said stationary roof structure of said vehicle, said housing having an aperture therein aligned with said opening in said roof of said vehicle;
• a movable roof panel;
• guide rails mounted to said housing and extending in the sliding direction of said movable roof panel;
• front and rear guide shoes mounted to said movable roof panel and engaging said guide rails for controlling the movement of said movable roof panel between open and closed positions, said front guide shoes being pivotally mounted to said movable roof panel;
• drive means operably connected to at least one of said front and rear guide shoes for moving said movable roof panel between open and closed positions;
• guide blocks mounted to said movable roof panel and having a cam track formed therein;
• cam follower means pivotally mounted to said rear guide shoes and engageable with said guide blocks for selectively raising the rear edge of said movable roof panel above said stationary roof structure of said vehicle and for lowering said rear edge of said movable roof panel below said stationary roof structure such that said movable roof panel can slide beneath said stationary roof opening;
• a water trough having a channel cross-section extending laterally across the rear portion of said housing;
• guide shoes mounted to said water trough and engaging said guide rails;
• means for fixedly connecting said water trough to said front guide shoes such that said water trough moves concurrently with the movement of said front guide shoes;
• and
• means for preventing movement of the movable roof panel toward the open position while it is being pivoted from a flip-up position to the closed position.

In a sliding roof assembly for a vehicle having an opening in the roof which is opened or closed by a sliding roof panel in which the assembly includes guide rails extending in the direction of the sliding of the roof panel, front and rear guide shoes connected to said roof panel and engaging said guide rails, drive means connected to one of said front and rear guide shoes for moving said roof panel between open and closed positions, the improvement comprising:

• a channel-like water trough extending laterally below the rear edge of said roof panel;
• guide shoes connected to said water trough and engaging said guide rails;
• and
• means for connecting said water trough to at least one of said front guide shoes such that said water trough moves concurrently with movement of said front guide shoes.

A roof structure for a vehicle having an opening in the roof thereof comprising:

• an integral housing mounted to the interior of said roof of said vehicle, said housing having an aperture aligned with the opening in the roof of said vehicle;
• a movable roof panel;
• guide rails mounted to said housing and extending in the sliding direction of said movable roof panel;
• front and rear guide shoes mounted to said movable roof panel and engaging said guide rails for controlling the movement of said movable roof panel between open and closed positions, said front guide shoes being pivotally mounted to said movable roof panel;
• drive means operably connected to at least one of said front and rear guide shoes for moving said movable roof panel between open and closed positions;
• guide blocks mounted to said movable roof panel and having a cam track formed therein;
• cam follower means pivotally mounted to said rear guide shoes and engageable with said guide blocks for selectively raising the rear edge of said movable roof panel above said stationary roof structure of said vehicle and for lowering said rear edge of said movable roof panel below said stationary roof structure such that said movable roof panel can slide beneath said stationary roof opening;
• a water trough having a channel cross-section extending laterally across the rear portion of said housing;
• guide shoes mounted to said water trough and engaging said guide rails;
• and
• means for fixedly connecting said water trough to said front guide shoes such that said water trough moves concurrently with the movement of said front guide shoes.

A roof structure for a vehicle having an opening in the roof thereof comprising:

• an integral housing mounted to the interior of said roof of said vehicle, said housing having an aperture aligned with the opening in the roof of said vehicle;
• a movable roof panel;
• guide rails mounted to said housing and extending in the sliding direction of said movable roof panel;
• front and rear guide shoes mounted to said movable roof panel and engaging said guide rails for controlling the movement of said movable roof panel between open and closed positions, said front guide shoes being pivotally mounted to said movable roof panel;
• drive means including thrust transmitting cables operably connected to said rear guide shoes for moving said movable roof panel between open and closed positions;
• guide blocks mounted to said movable roof panel and having a cam track formed therein;
• cam follower means pivotally mounted to said rear guide shoes and engageable with said guide blocks for selectively raising the rear edge of said movable roof panel above said stationary roof structure of said vehicle and for lowering said rear edge of said movable roof panel below said stationary roof structure such that said movable roof panel can slide beneath said stationary roof opening;
• actuator means for actuating said drive means;
• means, associated with the end of one of said cables, for detecting when said movable roof panel is in the closed position closing the roof opening;
• and
• control means, responsive to said detecting means, for connecting said actuator means to said drive means to enable said movable roof panel to be selectively moved to an open position from said closed position and to a flip-up venting position from said closed position.

A modular sliding roof panel assembly adapted to be mounted to the stationary roof structure of a vehicle having an opening in the roof thereof which is opened and closed by the sliding roof panel, said assembly comprising:

• an integral housing adapted to be mounted to the interior of said stationary roof structure of said vehicle, said housing having an aperture therein aligned with said opening in said roof of said vehicle;
• a movable roof panel;
• guide rails mounted to said housing and extending in the sliding direction of said movable roof panel;
• front and rear guide shoes mounted to said movable roof panel and engaging said guide rails for controlling the movement of said movable roof panel between open and closed positions, said front guide shoes being pivotally mounted to said movable roof panel;
• drive means operably connected to at least one of said front and rear guide shoes for moving said movable roof panel between open and closed positions;
• guide blocks mounted to said movable roof panel and having a cam track formed therein;
• cam follower means pivotally mounted to said rear guide shoes and engageable with said guide blocks for selectively raising the rear edge of said movable roof panel above said stationary roof structure of said vehicle and for lowering said rear edge of said movable roof panel below said stationary roof structure such that said movable roof panel can slide beneath said stationary roof opening;
• a water trough having a channel cross section extending laterally across the rear end of said housing;
• guide shoes connected to said water trough and engaging said guide rails for controlling the forward and rearward movement of said water trough;
• and
• means for fixedly connecting said water trough to said guide shoes such that said water trough moves concurrently with the movement of said front guide shoes.

In a sliding roof assembly for a vehicle having an opening in the roof which is selectively opened and closed by a sliding roof panel in which the assembly includes guide rails extending in the direction of sliding of said roof panel, guide shoes connected to said roof panel and engaging said guide rails, drive means including thrust transmitting cables connected to said guide shoes for selectively moving said roof panel between open and closed positions and between closed and flip-up venting positions, the improvement comprising:

• actuator means for actuating said drive means;
• means, associated with the end of one of said cables, for detecting when said movable roof panel is in the fully closed position in said roof opening;
• and
• control means, responsive to said detecting means, for operably connecting said actuator means to said actuator means to said drive means to enable said movable roof panel to be selectively moved from said fully closed position to either said open position or said flip-up position.