Drive device for motor vehicle sliding sunroofs

A drive device for a motor vehicle sliding roof panel, comprising:

• a pinion having a plurality of teeth on an outer surface, the pinion being supported such that the pinion is rotatable;
• a plurality of drive cables, each having an exterior surface with a helical arrangement, the cables being displaceably guided in guide channels where the cables are rigid in compression, at least a portion of the cables being supported on opposite sides of the pinion;
• a flexible belt arranged between the pinion and the drive cables, the flexible belt having an inner side including a plurality of teeth having a configuration that is complimentary to the teeth on the pinion, the belt being at least partially received around the pinion so that corresponding teeth on the inner side of the belt are held in constant frictional engagement with corresponding teeth on the pinion, the belt having an outer side including an external surface contour that is complimentary to the helical arrangement of the drive cables, the flexible belt having opposing sections that are guided parallel to the drive cables such that the exterior configuration on the outer side of the belt along the opposing sections is held in constant frictional engagement with corresponding portions of the helical arrangement of the two drive cables such that rotational movement of the pinion results in opposing displacement movement of the cables.