Modular sliding rigid panel roof system
AssigneeMagna Car Top Systems GmbH
InventorsRobert E. Fallis, III, Michael T. Willard, Robert D. Wiechowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retractable roof assembly for a vehicle is provided that includes relatively movable rigid panels that are positioned to cover a passenger/cargo compartment of the vehicle in an extended position and that are stacked one above another in a retracted position. A telescoping track is provided on opposite lateral sides of the vehicle to guide movement of the roof panels. D-pillars of the roof assembly are slidable between a position wherein they are spaced from the C-pillars to a retracted position in which the D-pillars are adjacent to the C-pillars. Side windows of the vehicle are retracted into the rear quarter panel area of the vehicle.
Claims15
A retractable roof for a vehicle for covering at least part of a passenger/cargo compartment of the vehicle, the roof comprising:
- a static roof section;
- a right side track and a left side track that extend fore-and-aft along the roof;
- a retractable roof section having a front edge and a back edge, the retractable roof section being movably attached between the right and left side tracks, the retractable roof section is moved between an extended position in which the retractable roof section is disposed rearward of the static roof section to a retracted position above the static roof section;
- and
- a retractable upper tailgate section is disposed adjacent the back edge of the retractable roof panel, the upper tailgate section having a rear closing position in which the upper tailgate section extends downwardly from the retractable roof panel and a raised/retracted position in which the upper tailgate section is behind and generally coplanar with the static roof section and the retractable roof section wherein the retractable upper tailgate section may be placed selectively in either the rear closing position or the raised/retracted position when the retractable roof section is in the retracted position.
A retractable roof for a vehicle comprising:
- a static roof section;
- right and left telescoping side tracks that extend fore-and-aft along the roof on right and left sides of the static roof section;
- a retractable roof section extending between the right and left telescoping side tracks that is moved between an extended position rearward of the static roof section to a retracted position vertically stacked above to the static roof section;
- and
- a pair of C-pillars extending below the front end of the retractable roof section when in its extended position and a pair of D-pillars extending below a rear end of the retractable roof section, wherein the D-pillars may be retracted towards the C-pillars when the retractable roof section is moved to its retracted position and being extended away from the C-pillars when the retractable roof section is moved to its extended position.
A retractable roof assembly for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, the roof assembly comprising:
- a stationary pair of lateral pillars on opposite sides of the passenger compartment;
- a movable pair of lateral pillars on opposite sides of the passenger compartment;
- a stationary roof panel that extends laterally across the vehicle and is disposed forward of the stationary pair of the pillars;
- a movable roof panel that extends laterally across the vehicle and is disposed forward of the movable pair of pillars, the movable roof panel being movable relative to the stationary roof panel in the fore-and-aft direction;
- right and left telescoping guide rails disposed above the passenger compartment on laterally spaced sides of the stationary roof panel and the movable roof panel, the movable panel guide rails each being comprised of a front rail and a rear rail that are connected for telescopic relative movement;
- a right pillar guide track and a left pillar guide track attached to an upper edge of a right quarter window and a left quarter window, a window regulator provided for each quarter window for raising and lowering the quarter windows, wherein the pillar guide tracks are disposed on laterally spaced sides of the vehicle at the vehicle belt line when the quarter windows are lowered;
- a follower being provided on each of the movable pillars and being received by the pillar guide tracks when the quarter windows are lowered to guide movement of the movable pair of pillars between an extended position and a retracted position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.