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AssigneeInalfa Roof Systems Group B.V.
InventorsPeter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders, Chris de Jong
Estimating the term…
An open roof construction for a vehicle comprises a stationary part for attachment to the roof. It has at least one stationary guide rail on a side of the roof opening. A closure element is supported by an operating mechanism and is adjustable between a closed position, in which it closes the roof opening, and an open position. The operating mechanism comprises a driving slide and a link plate attached to the closure element and having a first guide track with which a guide member is in engagement. A curve part on the stationary part includes a second guide track having a vertical component. The guide member is also in engagement with said second guide track, wherein the driving slide is adapted to drive the guide member at least along part of the path of movement of the closure element. The driving slide has releasable first and second coupling members to couple and uncouple the driving slide with respect to the guide member and to the closure element, respectively, so as to either drive the guide member with respect to the first and second guide tracks and/or or to drive the closure element with respect to the guide member.
An open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening in the fixed roof, comprising:
A method of moving a closure element of an open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening in the fixed roof, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Sunroofs e.g. sliding above the roof: pivoting upwardly to vent mode and moving at the outside of the roof to fully open mode
Windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors, or similar devices for vehicles
Term ended 29 Apr 2023 (estimated)
The present invention relates to an open roof construction for a vehicle, as well as to a method of moving a closure element in an open roof construction.
Such an open roof construction and method are known from WO-A-00/06403 of applicant. The open roof construction disclosed therein is a so called tilt-sliding roof.
The object of the present invention is to adapt the operating mechanism of the prior art in order to enable the closure element to perform other or additional movements.
The invention will hereafter will be elucidated with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment of the open roof construction according to the invention.
FIGS. 1–5 are longitudinal sectional views of the open roof construction in four different positions thereof.
FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective exploded views from two different angles showing the parts of the operating mechanism in the open roof construction of FIGS. 1–5 from two sides.
The drawings show an embodiment of an open roof construction for a vehicle which, in the embodiment as shown, is an MPV (multi purpose vehicle) having a fixed roof 1 including a raised rear portion 1′. In front of the raised rear portion 1′, there is provided a roof opening 2 in the fixed roof 1. The fixed roof 1 of the vehicle may form part of the vehicle, but may also form part of the open roof construction assembly which is built in the vehicle as a complete roof. The dashed lines in FIGS. 1–5 illustrate the contours of a different vehicle having a different fixed roof 1 and a different roof opening 2, but using the same operating mechanism for the open roof construction.
The open roof construction comprises a closure element, here in the form of a rigid, preferably a mainly transparent glass or plastic panel 3. The closure element could also be constructed differently, or the open roof construction may include several closure elements.
The open roof construction is of the so-called spoiler type which means that the panel 3 is movable from a closed position in the roof opening (FIG. 1), preferably flush with the fixed roof 1, to a rearwardly displaced position above the roof portion 1′ behind the roof opening 2 (FIG. 5). In the embodiment shown, the panel 3 can first be moved to a venting position in which the rear edge of the panel 3 is mainly tilted and the panel 3 is kept substantially stationary in longitudinal direction of the vehicle (FIG. 2). After this tilting to the venting position according to FIG. 2, the panel is displaced rearwardly, first to the positions of FIGS. 3 and 4 and then to the end position of FIG. 5. From this position, the panel 3 may be moved in opposite direction to the closed position of FIG. 1 again.