CA1199661A

CA1199661A - Sunroof

Info

Publication number: CA1199661A
Application number: CA000417201A
Authority: CA
Inventors: David L. Draper; Gerald D. Mckee
Original assignee: Cars and Concepts Inc
Current assignee: Cars and Concepts Inc
Priority date: 1981-12-23
Filing date: 1982-12-07
Publication date: 1986-01-21
Also published as: GB2116487A; FR2518465B1; DE3244655C2; GB2116487B; JPH0241442B2; FR2518465A1; DE3244655A1; JPS58110324A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A vehicle sunroof of the pop-up type which call be pivoted to a partially opened position or alternatively may he completely removed from the vehicle.
The sunroof assembly has a stamped metal tray which forms a drainage channel located below the surface of the vehicle roof, the roof opening being closed by a panel which is sealed relative to the tray to form a substantially closed drainage channel from which any accumulated moisture can be drained.

Description

66~L
Cars and Concepts A-339 This invention relates to sunroofs for vehicles and more par-ticularly to pop-up sunroofs in which a panel covering an opening in the vehicle roo-f is tiltable to a partially opened position or is removable from -the vehicle.
A variety of sunroofs have been provided, many of which have disadvantages such as the requirement of a heavy frame which changes the profile and appearance of a vehicle. When a lighter duty frame is used it permits deflection relative to the relatively thin metal roof panel which leads to leakage~ In some sunroofs the panel, which is made of transparent material such as glass, is relied on to provide sealing surfaces and since glass is very deflectable the loads imposed in clamping the panel to a closed position lead to deformation and leakage.
It is an object of the invention to overcome the above mentioned and other disadvantages by the provision of an :improved pop-up sunroof comprising: an opening in a shee-t metal roof panel of a vehicle, a unitary stamped metal tray formed from sheet material and having a flange supported from -the top of said roof panel, said tray having an inner wall, a bottom wall, and an outer wall, said walls of the tray forming a continuous trough around the roof opening at a location below said roof panel, clamping means moun-ted along the outer wall at spaced locations around the opening and at a location above said bottom wall, said clamping means opposing the lower side of the tray flange at spaced loca-tions arourd the opening at the underside of the roof panel to cooperate with the flange in clarnping the roof panel therebetween in order -to secure the tray to the roof panel, a transparent panel covering said opening and being supported for swinging movement between open and closed ~',.

6~
Cars and Concepts A-339 positions with respect to the roof opening, a first seal acting between the inner wall of said tray and the perimeter of said transparent panel, a second seal actiny between the outer wall of said tray and the perimeter of said transparent panel when the latter is in -the closed position, and said perimeter of said -transparent panel, said seals and said trough forming a substantially closed drainage channel to receive and accumulate moisture.
The objects of the invention are accomplished by a vehicle sunroof supported relative -to an opening in a sheet metal roof of a vehicle and which includes a metal tray forming a moisture accumulating channel located below the level of the roof and wi-thin the opening. The me-tal tray is supported from the roo-f panel by a flange lying on top of the vehicle roof which is formed of a material having a minimum thickness. The opening including the tray is covered by a transparent panel which has a primary seal between the tray and panel to prevent the entry of moisture to the interior of the vehicle. A secondary seal is provided between the panel and -the tray to divert the majority of dirt and moisture. The tray and the panel are reinforced and the hinge and latch arrangement is so arranged that it applies a minimum of deflection to the relatively thin and flexible roof panel and to the deflectable glass panel. Provision is made for the drainage of any moisture which may accumulate in -the substantially closed drainage panel so that it is diverted directly to the ground.

The presently preferred embodiment of -the invention is disclosed in the drawings in which:

~-33~ Cars ~ncl Concepts ~9~i6~`

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional vi~w of a pop-up vehicle sunroof embodying the invention;
ri~ure 2 is an exploded view of the various components of the sunroof ~Jhich are installed in the vehicle;
~igure 3 is a cross-sectional view at a greatly enlargecl ~scale of a section taken through one of the sides of the sunroof assembly; and Figure 4 is a cro~ss-sectional view also at an enlarge~ scale o~ the hinge assembly by which the sunroof can be moved to a partiallv open position.
~ vehicle sunroof embodving the invention is designate~ generally at 10 and is sho~n in association with openin~ 12 in the roof 14 of a vehicle. In general the sunroof 10 includes a frame 16 fixed to the perimeter of the opening 12 ~hich is covered by a panel 18 which can he moved from a closed ~osition to a hinged, partially open position or ~hich can ~e completely removed from the openincJ 1~.
~he roof 14 of the vehicle typically is made up of a thin sheet metal ~anel and sunroofs 10 typicall~ are installed after the vehicle has been manu~actured and someti~es at some su~stantial period after the vehicle has gone into use on the highway~
The installation of ~he sunroof 10 of the present invention, whether in a new vehicle or one which has been in use for a period of time, requires cutting of an openinc3 12 into the met~l roof panel 14, perferably centrally of the vehicle and immedia~ely above the forward 3n sea~. The peri~eter o ~he opening 12 is surrounded ~y a I~-33~ Cars an~ ~once~ts ~9~;6~

continuous frame mer~er or tray 24 ~rhich ha.s an outwardly extending flange 26 adapte(~ to abut the to~ of the roof ~anel 1~. ~xtending do~nwardly from the flange 26 is an outer wall 2~ which extends around ~he en~ire ~erimeter of t~e o~ening 12. The outer ~-lall 28 ~er~e~ with an in~lar~-1~ slo~ing ~all 30 and a norizontal, bottom ~.~7all 32~ ~n inner ver~ical ~all 34~ extends from the bottom 7,~all 32 and its u~per end is provided ~ith an in-.7ardly directed flange 36. The entire tray 24 and particularly the flange 1~ 2~ is made u~ of relatively thin metal of substantiall~
the same thickness a~ the metal roof panel 1~. The tray me~)er 24 is stamped and orms a unitary tra~ in tlhich the structure is su~ported from the toD of the rooE panel 14 of the vehicle and in which the ~pace betl~een the outer ~7all 28 and the vertical inner wall 34 form a trough 40.
inhe trough 4~ is dis~osed inwardly of the o~ening 12 and below the line of the roof panel 14.
~s .seen in Figure 3, the trav .?4 is ri~idl~
sec~lred to the roof panel 14 by attachinc3 means ~7hich

2~ includes cli~s 42. The clip~ 42 are made of resilient, spring like ~aterial and have a curved lo~er end ~4 adap~ed to be inserted in openings 46 in mounti.ng hars 4~ rigidly attached to the exterior of tray ~4 b~ ~elding or the like~
~he up er end of the clips 42 are ~rovided ~ith an arm 50 .having a retaining tab 5~0 The tab 52 is adapted to rest in a groove 53 formed in the under~ide of a horizontal flange 54 of a reinforcinc3 ring 56. Reinforcing ring 56 is associated with the exterior ~erimeter of the opening 12 and i6 held in abut~ing rela~ion wikh the underside of tlle

3~ roof panel 1~. Both the metal panel 14 of ~he vehicle ~-339 ~ars an~ Concepts ~9~6~"

roof 14 and the tray 24 are for~ed of thin metal, to the order of .04~ inc~es in thickness and as a consequence are relatively flexible. The reinforcing ring 56 lies in abutting relationship wi~h the edges of the opening 12 and the spring li.~e cliDs 42 can be moved rom the position sho~n in ~rokenline to the full line position in which the tabs 52 are disposed in t~e groove 53. In that position the ~ra~ 24 is clam~ed in position relative to the m~tal roof ~anel 20 by means of ~he flan~e 2h on the outside of tlle roof ~anel and the arm 50 spring loaded by the curved end ~4 against the under~ide of the ring 56. A plurality o cli~s are associated with each side of the tray 24 and ring 56. .~ particular advantage of the clips 42 and the mounting system employed with the present sunroof 10 is that installation can be made by a sinyle person from either the exterior or the in~erior of the vehicle by simply placing the trav 24 in ~osit.ion in tlle opening 12 and sul~se~uently installing clips 42 and moving them into engagement ~ith the reinforcing r.inq 56 which can be temporarily held in posi-ti.on by one hand of the ins~aller ~hile the o~her-is used to swing the clips into locked position.
The tray 24 su~por~s a moldi.ng or trim member 64 ~nich can be made of plas~ic material. The ~rim member 64 is held in position relative to the tray 24 by screw fa.sten-ers 66 ~assing throuyh openings in the horizontal flange 36 and engaging to wedge in a groove 68 extending continuously aroun~ ~he trim member 6~. The ~.rim memher 64 may be used to secure a headliner 70 made of rela~ively ri~id material by clamping it b~ween a flanye 72 extending outwardly from the remainder of the txim member 6~ to en~age the underside /~-33~ ~ars an~ Concepts ~966~L

of the headliner 7~ to clamp it bet~leen the flan~e 72 and the bottor;l wall 32 of the trav 24. In the case of vehicles havina soft headliners 74 the soft material can be fol-'ed over tlle o~tside of the trim member 64 and over the top of the groove fi6 and can ~e held in position by ad~eslve.
~ith eitlner tlle hard headliner 7n or the soft headliner 74 the upper flange 36 is covered by a seal element 76.
The seal 76 is a continuous strip of elastomeric ~aterial havin~ a channel portion 78 which extends over the to~ of flan{3e 35 and enga~es the vertical wall 34 of the tra~.~ 24 and the outer perimeter of the trim member 54 and ~erves not only to hold th~ seal element in position but also to conceal the scre~.~ 66 and form a finishin~ element.
The channel 73 is provkled ~ith a li~ seal 8~ formed in-te~rallv r,lith the channel 78 and which is ada~ted to he deflected and to enga~e the underside of the panel asse~bl~
lS to ~rovide a ti~ht seal to keep out water, dirt and air.
The panel 18 is preferably tran~sparent and pre-era~1y is made of terlpered glass 82. The entire Perimeter 2~ of thc ~anel 18 is surrounded by a frame assembly 84 ~hich includes a plastic frame 8~ ~hich grips the ed~e of the glass 82 and fits over a supporting frame mem~er 88 of extru~ed metal. The ~lass 82 is held relative to the ~lastic frame ~6 and supnort frame 88 by means of trans-parent adhesive.
The frame assembly 84 is ada~ted to secure a second seal ~ ~/hich is generally L-shaped in cross section havin~ one le~ 9~ pressed into a groove 94 of the support frarne 88 and the other l~g 36 forming a flexible liP
3~ adapted to éngage and seal against the outer t~all 28 of .~-33~ Cars an~ Concepts 3966~l the tra~ 24.
In a closed ~osition of the panel 18 relative to the o~eninc~ 17, the seal element 76 is engaged with the under.~,ide of the su~ort frame 88 and the seal 90 is encJa~ed ~ith the outer ~all 2~ so that the trough.40 is.
.su:~stantially enclosed. The bulk of rainfall or moisture de~osited on the vehicle flow.s away over the surfaces of tne vehicle and smaller amounts which matt pass the seal sn are tral~ped at least tempor~rily in the substantially closed 1~ troucJh 40.
Selected portions of the tray 24 such as the corners are nrovided ~ith drain fittin~s which, as seen in Figure 2, include a threaded nipnle 97 held to the tra~ 24 ~y a nut 98 to receive a flexi~le tube 99,. A len~th of tube 9q is located ~ithin vehicle cavities to divext accumulated moisture in trough 40 to the exterior road surface.
~he panel 18 is attached to the frame 16 by a pair of hinqe asse~blies ln~ associated with a forward edge of the panel 18 and a latcn 102 associated with the rear-ward edqe of the panel 18. As seen in Figure 4, each hin~e assembly 100 includes a forwardly projecting prong lOh attached to t~e panel 18 and more specifically to the su7port frame 88 bv means of screw fasteners 1~3. The ~rong ln6 has a cylindrical ~ivot portion 110 which fi~s into a com~lemen~ar~7 ~cab~ard mem~er 112 made of resilient material and ~itted into openings 114 in the outer wall 28 o~ the tra~ 24. The scahbards 112 are open into th~ trough

4~ and receive khe ~ivot ~ortion 11~ on the pron~s 1~6.
3~ The .scal)~ard~ have diver~ing interior walls 116 which ~ermit ~-33~ Car~ an(l concepts ".':
~9966~

the panel 1~ to pivot about the pivot portion lln. The scabbard 112 of resilient material also permits su~ficient defor~ation so that the prongs 1~6 ma~ be retracted from the ~.ockets 112 so that the entire panel 18 may he removed Erom the vehicle roof 14.
The latch mechanism 1~2 which acts to hold the ~anel 18 in tiyht sealing en~agemen~ ~ith the seal element 76 is sho~n in Piqure 1 and is associated with the rear edge of thc`nan~l 18 and tray 24. In general the latch mechanism 102 is an overcenter linkage arrangement having a handle llB pivoted by a pin 119 to the panel 18 and a lin~i 12~ havin~ opposit~ ends ~ivoted to the handle 11~ by a pin 121 and to the tra~ 24 by a quick relea~e pin 122.
The over center linkage arranyement permits piv~ting of the nanel about its hinge as$emblies 1~0 from ~he full line ~Q5itiOn shown in Figure 2 to the broken line position. In that position, panel 18 is maintained in a partially onen position to permit ventilation o the passenger com~artment o the vehicle. If desired, the quick release ~in 122 can 2~ be remov~d permittin~ retraction oE the prongs 1~ from the scabl~ards 112 so ~hat the entire nanel 18 can be seyarated frorl the vehicl`e carrving with it the latch mechanism 102.
po~-up vehicle sunroof has been nrovided in ~hich an opening in the ~heet metal roof of a vehicle is provicled with a stamped metal ~ray which is su~ported from the ton of the roof by means of a thin metal flanye which minimi~es the chanye in ~npearance and nrofile of the ve}licle roof. The op~ning in ~he roof is ~overed ~v a panel ~ ich can he hin~ed to a parti~lly open position or 3~ can be completel~ removed from the vehicle. In a closed ,~-339 Cars and Concepts 9~61 position of the panel, a primary seal acts bet-r~een -the inner ed~es of the tray and panel ancl a secondary seal acts between the panel and the inner ed~e of the tray to provide a substantially closed drainage channel in ~hich any moisture ~hich accu~ulates can be diverted to the ground. Both the mounting of the frame or tray relative to the roof panel and tne coverin~ panel it.self are re-inforcecl in a manner to reduce de~lections ~hich might reduce seal effectiveness.

_

Claims

Cars and Concepts A-339 The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A vehicle sunroof comprising: an opening in a sheet metal roof panel of a vehicle, a unitary stamped metal tray formed from sheet material and having a flange supported from the top of said roof panel, said tray having an inner wall, a bottom wall, and an outer wall, said walls of the tray forming a continuous trough around the roof opening at a location below said roof panel, clamping means mounted along the outer wall at spaced locations around the opening and at a location above said bottom wall, said clamping means opposing the lower side of the tray flange at spaced locations around the opening at the underside of the roof panel to cooperate with the flange in clamping the roof panel therebetween in order to secure the tray to the roof panel, a transparent panel covering said opening and being supported for swinging movement between open and closed positions with respect to the roof opening, a first seal acting between the inner wall of said tray and the perimeter of said transparent panel, a second seal acting between the outer wall of said tray and the perimeter of said transparent panel when the latter is in the closed position, and said perimeter of said transparent panel, said seals and said trough forming a substantially closed drainage channel to receive and accumulate moisture.

2. The sunroof of claim 1 wherein said metal tray has a material thickness substantially equal to the thickness of said sheet metal roof panel.

3. The sunroof of claim 1 wherein said transparent panel has a frame around its entire perimeter, and wherein said seals extend between said frame and the walls of said trough in said tray with the transparent panel in the closed position.

Cars and Concepts A-339

4. The sunroof of claim 1 further comprising conduits extending from said trough for distributing accumulated moisture to the exterior of the vehicle.

5. The sunroof of claim 1 wherein said inner wall of said trough in the tray includes support means for attaching a headliner to said tray.

6. The sunroof of claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises a clip pivoted relative to said tray and being swingable into engagement with and to clamp against the underside of said roof panel opposite said flange of the tray.

7. The sunroof of claim 6 and further comprising a reinforcing member disposed between the underside of said roof panel and the upper side of said clip .

8. The sunroof of claim 7 wherein said reinforcing member has a groove extending longitudinally thereof and wherein said clip is provided with lock means to permit swinging movement in one direction and to prevent swinging movement in the opposite direction, said lock means being seated in the groove in said clip.

9. The sunroof of claim 1 wherein said first seal is supported on said inner wall of said tray and said second seal is supported on the perimeter of said transparent panel.

10. The vehicle sunroof of claim 1 and further comprising hinge means between said transparent panel and said tray for swinging movement of said transparent panel between the open and closed positions.

11. The vehicle sunroof of claim 10 wherein said hinge means comprise a pair of pivot members supported on said transparent panel and a pair of sockets for receiving said pivot members, said sockets being supported on said tray.

Cars and Concepts A-339

12. The vehicle sunroof of claim 10 wherein said hinge means permit detachment of said transparent panel and said tray for removal of said transparent panel from said opening.

13. The vehicle sunroof of claim 11 wherein said sockets have an opening for receiving said pivot members and wherein said opening is opened to said trough of the tray.

14. The vehicle sunroof of claim 10 and further comprising latch means on an edge of said transparent panel and tray opposite to said hinge means.

15. A vehicle sunroof comprising: a vehicle roof panel defining an opening; a unitary metal tray formed from sheet material and having an outer flange supported on the top of the roof panel adjacent the opening; said tray including an inner wall, an outer wall, a bottom wall that cooperate to define a trough of an upwardly opening shape extending around the periphery of the roof opening at a location below the roof panel;
clamping means mounted along the outer wall of the tray at spaced locations around the opening and at a location above the bottom wall; said clamping means opposing the tray flange at spaced locations around the opening at the underside of the roof panel to cooperate with the flange in clamping the roof panel therebetween in order to secure the tray to the roof panel; a closure panel for closing the roof opening; a hinge assembly and a latch mechanism that cooperate to support the closure panel for movement on the roof panel between open and closed positions with respect to the opening; a first seal that extends between the inner wall of the tray and the perimeter of the closed closure panel; a second seal that extends between the outer wall of the tray and the perimeter of the closed Cars and Concepts A-339 closure panel; and the perimeter of the closed closure panel, the seals, and the trough defining a substantially closed drainage channel for moisture.

16. A vehicle sunroof comprising: a vehicle roof panel defining an opening; a unitary metal tray formed from sheet material and having an outer flange supported on the top of the roof panel adjacent the opening; said tray including an inner wall, an outer wall, and a bottom wall that cooperate to define a trough of an upwardly opening shape extending around the periphery of the roof opening at a location below the roof panel;
clamping means mounted along the outer wall of the tray at spaced locations around the opening and at a location above the bottom wall; said clamping means opposing the tray flange at spaced locations around the opening at the underside of the roof panel to cooperate with the flange in clamping the roof panel therebetween in order to secure the tray to the roof panel; a glass panel for closing the roof opening; a frame on the perimeter of the glass panel;
a hinge assembly and a latch mechanism that cooperate to mount the glass panel frame to support the glass panel for movement on the roof panel between open and closed positions with respect to the opening; said hinge assembly and latch mechanism each having detachable components to permit removal of the glass panel from the roof panel to completely open the roof opening; a first seal that extends between the inner wall of the tray and the frame of the closed glass panel; a second seal that extends between the outer wall of the tray and the frame of the closed glass panel; and the perimeter of the closed glass panel and frame thereof, the seals, and the trough cooperatively defining a substantially closed drainage channel for moisture.