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US 4,541,665 AGranted
Sunroof
AssigneeCars & Concepts, Inc.
InventorsDavid L. Draper, Gerald D. McKee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle sunroof of the pop-up type which can be pivoted to a partially opened position or alternatively may be completely removed from the vehicle. The sunroof assembly has a stamped metal tray which forms a drainage channel located below the surface of the vehicle roof, the roof opening being closed by a panel which is sealed relative to the tray to form a substantially closed drainage channel from which any accumulated moisture can be drained.
Claims16
A vehicle sunroof comprising:
- an opening in a sheet metal roof panel of a vehicle, a unitary stamped metal tray formed from sheet material and having a flange supported from the top of said roof panel, said tray having an inner wall, a bottom wall, and an outer wall, said walls of the tray forming a continuous trough around the roof opening at a location below said roof panel, mounting bars secured to the outer wall of the tray and having a plurality of clamp openings spaced about the tray around the roof opening;
- a plurality of clamps respectively associated with the clamp openings of the mounting bars;
- each clamp having a lower end received within the associated clamp opening to provide mounting thereof on the tray;
- each clamp also having an upper end that is located below the roof panel and moved into an opposed relationship with the tray flange to cooperate with the flange in clamping the roof panel therebetween in order to secure the tray to the roof panel, a transparent panel covering said opening and being supported for swinging movement between open and closed positions with respect to the roof opening, a first seal acting between the inner wall of said tray and the perimeter of said transparent panel when the latter is in the closed position, a second seal acting between the outer wall of said tray and the perimeter of said transparent panel when the latter is in the closed position, and said perimeter of said transparent panel, said seals and said trough forming a substantially closed drainage channel to receive and accumulate moisture.
1 more element
A vehicle sunroof comprising:
- a vehicle roof panel defining an opening;
- a unitary metal tray formed from sheet material and having an outer flange supported on the top of the roof panel adjacent the opening;
- said tray including an inner wall, an outer wall, a bottom wall that cooperate to define a trough of an upwardly opening shape extending around the periphery of the roof opening at a location below the roof panel;
- mounting bars secured to the outer wall of the tray and having a plurality of clamp openings spaced about the tray around the roof opening;
- a plurality of clamps respectively associated with the clamp openings of the mounting bars;
- each clamp having a lower end received within the associated clamp opening to provide mounting thereof on the tray;
- each clamp also having an upper end that is located below the roof panel and moved into an opposed relationship with the tray flange to cooperate with the flange in clamping the roof panel therebetween in order to secure the tray to the roof panel;
- a closure panel for closing the roof opening;
- a hinge assembly and a latch mechanism that cooperate to support the closure panel for movement on the roof panel between open and closed positions with respect to the opening;
- a first seal that extends between the inner wall of the tray and the perimeter of the closed closure panel;
- a second seal that extends between the outer wall of the tray and the perimeter of the closed closure panel;
- and the perimeter of the closed closure panel, the seals, and the trough defining a substantially closed drainage channel for moisture.
9 more elements
A vehicle sunroof comprising:
- a vehicle roof panel defining an opening;
- a unitary metal tray formed from sheet material and having an outer flange supported on the top of the roof panel adjacent the opening;
- said tray including an inner wall, an outer wall, and a bottom wall that cooperate to define a trough of an upwardly opening shape extending around the periphery of the roof opening at a location below the roof panel;
- mounting bars secured to the outer wall of the tray and having a plurality of clamp openings spaced about the tray around the roof opening;
- a plurality of clamps respectively associated with the clamp openings of the mounting bars;
- each clamp having a lower end received within the associated clamp opening to provide mounting thereof on the tray;
- each clamp also having an upper end that is located below the roof panel and moved into an opposed relationship with the tray flange to cooperate with the flange in clamping the roof panel therebetween in order to secure the tray to the roof panel;
- a glass panel for closing the roof opening;
- a frame on the perimeter of the glass panel;
- a hinge assembly and a latch mechanism that cooperate to mount the glass panel frame to support the glass panel for movement on the roof panel between open and closed positions with respect to the opening;
- said hinge assembly and latch mechanism each having detachable components to permit removal of the glass panel from the roof panel to completely open the roof opening;
- a first seal that extends between the inner wall of the tray and the frame of the closed glass panel;
- a second seal that extends between the outer wall of the tray and the frame of the closed glass panel;
- and the perimeter of the closed glass panel and frame thereof, the seals, and the trough cooperatively defining a substantially closed drainage channel for moisture.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.