# US 8,783,763 B1 · Vehicle roof structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,763 B1 - Document ID: US8783763B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/803,839 - Filed: 2013-03-14 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Edward Bach - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783763B1 ## CPC - B62D 25/06: Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A vehicle roof structure includes a vehicle body and a vehicle roof. The vehicle body includes an outer side panel, a body stiffener and an inner side panel. The vehicle roof includes a roof panel and a roof stiffener. A connection portion between the vehicle body and vehicle roof forms a roof ditch which extends along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle roof structure. The roof ditch includes a bottom which extends laterally between the vehicle body and vehicle roof. Structural welds associated only with the vehicle body and separate attachment welds only connecting the vehicle roof to the vehicle body are provided on the bottom of the roof ditch. The two welds allow multiple sheets of material to be applied in the roof ditch for crash regulations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle roof structure comprising: a vehicle body including an outer side panel, a body stiffener and an inner side panel; and a vehicle roof including a roof panel and a roof stiffener, a connection portion between the vehicle body and vehicle roof forms a roof ditch which extends along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle roof structure, wherein the roof ditch includes a bottom which extends laterally between the vehicle body and vehicle roof, and provided on the bottom of the roof ditch is structural welds associated only with the vehicle body and separate attachment welds only connecting the vehicle roof to the vehicle body, wherein the two separate welds located in the roof ditch allow multiple sheets of material to be applied in the roof ditch for crash regulations without the need to trim any respective component of the vehicle body and vehicle roof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, wherein the structural welds are a three-metal thickness weld only between respective end portions of the outer side panel, the body stiffener and an inner side panel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle roof structure of claim 2, wherein the end portion of the outer side panel extends substantially the entire bottom of the roof ditch and is located beneath an end portion of the roof panel, and the respective end portions of the body stiffener and inner side panel are laterally spaced from the end portion of the roof panel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle roof structure of claim 2, wherein the attachment weld are a two-metal thickness weld only between the end portion of the outer side panel and an end portion of the roof panel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle roof structure of claim 4, wherein the end portion of the outer side panel is located beneath the end portion of the roof panel, and the end portion of the roof panel is laterally spaced from the respective end portions of the body stiffener and inner side panel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The vehicle roof structure of claim 2, wherein the attachment welds are a three-metal thickness weld only between the end portion of the outer side panel and respective end portions of the roof panel and roof stiffener. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle roof structure of claim 6, wherein the end portion of the outer side panel is located beneath the respective end portions of the roof panel and roof stiffener, and the respective end portions of the roof panel and roof stiffener are laterally spaced from the respective end portions of the body stiffener and inner side panel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle roof structure of claim 7, wherein a portion of the bottom of the roof ditch is only defined by a section of the end portion of the outer side panel bridging the respective end portions of the body stiffener and inner side panel and the respective end portions of the roof panel and roof stiffener. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, wherein the structural welds extend parallel to the separate attachment welds on the bottom of the roof ditch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, wherein the respective end portions of the body stiffener and roof stiffener at least partially define the bottom of the roof ditch and are laterally spaced from one another in the roof ditch. ### Claim 11 A vehicle roof structure comprising: a vehicle body including an outer side panel, a body stiffener and an inner side panel; and a vehicle roof including a roof panel and a roof stiffener, a connection portion between the vehicle body and vehicle roof forms a roof ditch which extends along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle roof structure, wherein the roof ditch includes a bottom which extends laterally between the vehicle body and vehicle roof, and provided on the bottom of the roof ditch is a structural row of welds associated only with the vehicle body and a separate attachment row of welds for only connecting the vehicle roof to the vehicle body, wherein the structural row of welds is a three-metal thickness weld only between respective overlapping end portions of the outer side panel, the body stiffener and an inner side panel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle body of claim 11, wherein the attachment row of welds is a two-metal thickness weld only between the end portion of the outer side panel and an end portion of the roof panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The vehicle roof structure of claim 11, wherein the attachment row of welds is a three-metal thickness weld only between the end portion of the outer side panel and respective end portions of the roof panel and roof stiffener. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle roof structure of claim 13, wherein the bottom of the roof ditch is separated into a first section and a second section, the first section being defined only by the respective end portions of the outer side panel, body stiffener and inner side panel, and the second portion being defined only by respective end portions of the roof panel, roof stiffener and outer side panel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The vehicle roof structure of claim 11, wherein the respective overlapping end portions of the body stiffener and inner side panel are laterally spaced from an end portion of the roof panel. ### Claim 16 A method of assembling a vehicle roof structure comprising: forming a roof ditch in a connection portion between a vehicle body and a vehicle roof, the vehicle body including an outer side panel, a body stiffener and an inner side panel, the vehicle roof including a roof panel and a roof stiffener; providing structural welds in the roof ditch by welding only respective end portions of the outer side panel, body stiffener and inner side panel in the roof ditch; and providing attachment welds in the roof ditch which are separate from the structural welds by welding an end portion of the roof panel and the end portion of the outer side panel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the attachment welds are a three-metal thickness weld only between the end portion of the outer side panel and respective end portions of the roof panel and roof stiffener. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further including separating the roof ditch into a first section and a second section, the first section formed of the respective end portions of the outer side panel, body stiffener and inner side panel, the second section formed of the respective end portions of the outer side panel, roof panel and roof stiffener. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the attachment welds are a two-metal thickness weld only between the end portion of the outer side panel and the end portion of the roof panel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further including laterally spacing the overlapping end portions of the body stiffener and inner side panel from the end portion of the roof panel such that a section of the roof ditch is defined by only the end portion of the outer side panel.