US 6,578,909 B1 · Vehicle roof structure

Abstract

A vehicle roof structure including a front header, a pillar support member, a side roof rail, and a roof rail outer front member. The front header has a substantially box-shaped cross-section. The pillar support member has an elongated member extending between a windshield opening and a door opening, a short first member at one end of the elongated member extending along the windshield opening, and a short second member at the end extending along the door opening. The first member includes a first edge adjoining an end of the front header. The side roof rail has a substantially box-shaped cross-section and adjoins a second edge of the pillar support second member. The roof rail outer front member is affixed to the pillar support member. The roof rail outer front member adjoins the end of the front header in a region of the first edge, adjoins the side roof rail in a region of the second edge, and extends along at least a portion of the elongated member of the pillar support member. The roof rail outer front member and the pillar support member form a substantially box-shaped cross-section extending between the first, second and elongated members such that a continuous substantially box-shaped cross-section exists throughout the joint defined by the vehicle roof structure.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A vehicle roof structure comprising:

a front header having a substantially box-shaped cross-section;
a pillar support member having an elongated member extending between a windshield opening and a door opening, a short first member at one end of said elongated member extending along said windshield opening, and a short second member at a second said end extending along said door opening, said first member having a first edge adjoining an end of the front header;
a side roof rail having a substantially box-shaped cross-section adjoining a second edge of said pillar support second member;
and
a roof rail outer front member affixed to said pillar support member and adjoining said end of said front header in a region of said first edge, adjoining said side roof rail in a region of said second edge, and extending along at least a portion of said elongated member of said pillar support member, said roof rail outer front member and said pillar support member forming a substantially box-shaped cross-section extending between said first, second and elongated members such that a continuous substantially box-shaped cross-section exists throughout a joint defined by said vehicle roof structure.

2 more elements

A vehicle roof structure comprising:

a front header comprising an inner front header and an outer front header joined together along a respective windshield flange and a respective roof flange, an end of said inner front header being offset with respect to an end of said outer front header, said front header having a substantially box-shaped cross-section;
a side roof rail comprising a roof rail inner rear member and a roof rail outer rear member joined together along a respective door opening flange and a respective roof flange, an end of said roof rail inner rear member being offset with respect to an end of said roof rail outer rear member, said side roof rail having a substantially box-shaped cross-section;
a pillar support member adjoining said end of said inner front header and said end of said roof rail inner rear member and having an elongated member extending between a windshield opening and a door opening;
and
a roof rail outer front member affixed to said pillar support member, said outer front header and said roof rail outer rear member, said roof rail outer front member extending along at least a portion of said elongated member, said roof rail outer front member and said pillar support member forming a substantially box-shaped cross-section extending between said ends of said inner and outer front headers and said ends of said roof rail inner and outer rear members and extending along said elongated member such that a continuous substantially box-shaped cross-section exists throughout a joint defined by said vehicle roof structure.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle roof structure

Life of this patent

Vehicle roof structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19