# US 8,740,296 B2 · Sunroff apparatus

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- Number: US 8,740,296 B2
- Document ID: US8740296B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/991,381
- Filed: 2011-12-06
- Published: 2014-02-06
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-06
- Assignees: Webasto SE
- Applicants: Kozo Ohdoi; Osamu Yoshida
- Inventors: Kozo Ohdoi; Osamu Yoshida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740296B2

## CPC

- B60J 7/043: Sunroofs (B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedence){e.g. sliding above the roof}
- B60J 7/024: {characterised by the height regulating mechanism of the sliding panel (B60J7/043 - B60J7/053 take precedence)}
- B60J 7/0435: {pivoting upwardly to vent mode and moving at the outside of the roof to fully open mode}
- B60J 7/047: movable to overlapping or nested relationship {(B60J7/041 takes precedence)}
- B60J 7/053: sliding with final closing motion having vertical component to attain closed and sealed condition {, e.g. sliding under the roof}
- B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05)

## Abstract

To provide a sunroof apparatus including a front panel and a rear panel closing a roof opening formed in a roof of a vehicle, capable of keeping a large distance in a back-and-forth direction between the supporting portions supporting the front and rear portions of the rear panel in a fully closed state of closing the roof opening by the front panel and the rear panel. In a fully closed state of panels, a rear forward supporting portion supporting the front portion of the rear panel is provided in a rear portion of a front slider and a rear backward supporting portion supporting the rear portion of the rear panel is provided in a rear slider.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sunroof apparatus including a front panel retractably opening/closing a front portion of a roof opening formed in a roof of a vehicle and a rear panel retractably opening/closing a rear portion of said roof opening, comprising:
a front slider actuating the front panel by moving back and forth and a rear slider actuating the rear panel by moving back and forth, wherein
in a fully closed state of closing the roof opening by the front panel and rear panel, a rear forward supporting portion supporting a front portion of the rear panel is provided in a rear portion of the front slider and a rear backward supporting portion supporting a rear portion of the rear panel is provided in the rear slider.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sunroof apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of forward and backward rear lift guide grooves positioning in a rear side of the rear panel for moving the rear portion of the rear panel up and down and a slide groove sliding a rear forward supporting portion are formed in a rear lifter attached to a lower surface side of the rear panel, and wherein
the front slider is moved backward so that the rear forward supporting portion slides along said slide groove so as to be positioned in a front end side of the forward rear lift guide groove, and the front slider and the rear slider being interlocked with each other are moved backward, whereby the rear forward supporting portion is moved within the forward rear lift guide groove and the rear backward supporting portion is moved within the backward rear lift guide groove to thereby lower the rear portion of the rear panel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sunroof apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in said fully closed state, a front backward supporting portion supporting the rear portion of the front panel is provided in the front slider, and the front backward supporting portion is adapted to support the front portion of the rear panel in a way of the backward movement of said rear forward supporting portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sunroof apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said rear lifter includes a front lift guide groove positioning in the front portion of the rear panel for moving the front portion of the rear panel up and down, and in a backward movement of said front backward supporting portion, the front backward supporting portion is moved within the front lift guide groove to thereby lower the front portion of the rear panel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The sunroof apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said front backward supporting portion is engaged with a shutting cam groove formed in the rear portion of the front panel for preventing the rear portion of the front panel from being lifted up in said fully closed state, and in moving the front slider backward to lift up the rear portion of the front panel, the front backward supporting portion is disengaged from said shutting cam groove.