DE10123424A1 - Drive unit for adjustable closing element of motor vehicle's roof has guide rail on both sides of closing element and with guide element in each guide rail to keep respective operating pull cable away from sides of guide rail - Google Patents

Abstract

The drive unit for an adjustable closing element of a motor vehicle's roof has a guide rail(20A,20B) on both sides of the closing element for the adjusting mechanism. At least one guide element(50) is provided in each guide rail to keep the respective operating pull cable(16) away from the sides of the guide rail. The pull cable is guided so that two lines run in each guide rail and which with operation of the drive unit move in opposite directions. At least one separate guide element is provided for each of the two lines.

Description

The present invention relates to a drive for an adjustable Closing element of a vehicle roof according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a drive is known from JP 7081427, which is the Closing element around a by means of two laterally attached opening lever adjustable lid. Each of the two opening levers stands over a coolie senanordnung with a pair of sliders driven by the pull cable in An drive connection. The pull cable runs single-stranded and surrounds that of the Roof opening to be closed in an approximately rectangular configuration. The pull cable is interrupted in the area of the two pairs of sliders. The Harness on the right side of the cover moves in the opposite direction Direction like the harness on the left side of the cover, so that Pair of sliders on the right side in the opposite direction to the slide piece pair on the left side is adjusted. In order to have a synchronous nevertheless To achieve the raising or lowering movement on both raising levers are the Setting slots of the setting arrangements opposite on both sides educated. The drive device for the pull cable is as from a motor driven cable drum formed, which depending on the direction of rotation one or the other cable strand is subjected to a tensile force. By reversing the The cover can be opened or lowered.  

A disadvantage of this drive system is that the fact that the pull cable in runs the guide rails for the roof mechanics, the risk of excessive ßes wear of the pull cable and thus a risk to the functi ability to exist.

Usually, covers of openable vehicle roofs are driven by pressure-resistant drive cables, such a drive being shown schematically in FIGS . 14 and 15. In this case, there is a drive pinion 3 in engagement with corresponding driving sectors 1 A and 2 A two pressure-resistant cables 1 and 2, wherein the two drive cables 1 and 2 the driving depending on the rotational direction of the pinion 3 a motor (not shown) in one direction or in the is ent opposite direction to be moved are mounted whereby a not shown lid over slider 4 and 5, on the active wire side 1 B or 2B of the drive cable 1 and 2 respectively, adjusted to close or to expose the roof opening. 6 The slider 5 is slidably guided in FIG. 15 in a guide rail 8 which is formed in one piece with a roof frame 7 . Usually, the drive cables 1 and 2 are designed as stiff and thick cables with a diameter of, for example, 5 mm, in order to meet the pulling or pushing conditions, wherein a cable duct 9 A is also provided to the active cable side 2 B of the drive cable 2 to guide, and a cable duct 9 B is seen in front to guide the idle side 1 C of the drive cable 1 , each cable duct being provided in one piece with the guide rail on its side pointing toward the roof opening 6 . The slider 4 has a structure similar to that of the slider 5 .

In this conventional design of an openable vehicle roof, it is disadvantageous that the cable ducts 9 A and 9 B must be provided on the frame 7 in addition to the guide rail 8 , as a result of which the roof opening 6 is reduced by the width L of the ducts and thereby the vehicle roof as a whole occupies larger space.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive for a vehicle roof to create the most compact design of the vehicle roof allowed and nevertheless reliable operation of the vehicle roof enables.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a drive as described in An saying 1 is defined.

In this solution according to the invention it is advantageous that on the one hand by the Training the drive cable as a pull cable for the frame or the guide rail for the adjustment mechanism can be made very compact, since none additional guide channel for a pressure-resistant drive cable is required, and on the other hand in that a guide element for the Train cable is provided with any adverse interaction of the train cable the walls of the guide rails can be prevented, on the one hand the wear is reduced and on the other hand the reliability in operation is increased can be replaced.

Preferred embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims chen.

In the following the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings explained in detail. Show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective schematic view of an openable vehicle roof with a drive according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows schematically the drive cable course of the drive from Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly in exploded view, of the cable drive device of the drive of Fig. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially in an exploded view, of a portion of the drive of FIG. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the guide rail of Figure 4 along the Li never VV.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through a guide rail with inserted guide elements for the tension cables of a drive according to Fig 4, a first embodiment of the guide elements presents Darge..;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a guide element from FIG. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side view of guide elements according to Figures 6 and 7 in a curved guide rail.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a guide member according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a guide member according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a guide member with a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a guide member with a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an example of a push-out mechanism for a roof cover;

Fig. 14 is a schematic plan view of a conventional actuator for an openable vehicle roof; and

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the drive of Fig. 14 along the line XV-XV.

Referring to FIG. 1 essentially comprises an openable vehicle roof 10 includes a lid 12, a frame 14, a pull wire 16 (which is shown in more detail in Fig. 2) and a cable drive device (or cable drive) 18th

The cover 12 is made of glass or metal, such as aluminum, and has a rectangular shape, the opposite narrow sides 12 A, 12 B being slidably guided in a guide rail 20 A, 20 B, which is in a side section 14 A , 14 B of the frame 14 is formed. When the cover 12 is slid along the guide rail 20 A, 20 B in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1, a roof opening 22 is closed by the cover 12 . On the other hand, when the cover 12 is moved in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1, the cover 12 is pulled away from the roof opening 22 , whereby the roof opening 22 is exposed. 20 B is formed integrally with the side portions 14 A, 14 B of the frame 14 if already in the example shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle roof 10, the guide rail 20 A, the guide rail can 20 A, 20 B also be formed as an independent part which during the assembly on the side sections 14 A, 14 B is attached.

Referring to FIG. 2, the pull wire 16 is formed as a continuous single cable of predetermined length, one end 17 A with a groove 26 A of a cable drum 26 is connected via a connecting piece 24 A (see FIG. 3) and the other end 17 B also with the groove 26 A of the cable drum 26 is connected via a connecting piece 24 B.

With reference to Fig. 2, the assembly method of the train cable 16 is briefly described below. After one end 17 A of the cable 16 has been connected to the cable drum 26 , the other end 17 B is inserted into a tube-shaped arrangement with a sleeve 28 A and an outer housing 30 A and passed through it and then into a first opening 33 A introduced an end cap 32 A, which is attached to the frame 14 A (see Fig. 1). One end 31 A of the outer housing 30 A is attached to the first opening 33 A opening.

Then, the pull cable 16 is moved along the guide rail 20 A and deflected by 180 ° by means of a pulley, which rail at a base portion of the guide 20 A is mounted. The pull cable 16 is then guided back along the guide rail 20 A and passed through a second opening 33 B of the end cap 32 A. Then the pull cable 16 is passed through an outer housing 38 which bridges the space between the sides 14 A and 14 B of the frame 14 . Then the train cable 16 is passed through a first opening 33 A of an attached to the frame 14 B end cap 32 B and laid along the guide rail 20 B and then by means of a deflecting roller 34 B, which is attached to the Basisab section of the guide rail 20 B , deflected by 180 °. The pull cable 16 is then returned along the guide rail 20 B and passed through a second opening of the end cap 32 B. The pull cable 16 is then passed through a further tubular arrangement which has an outer housing 30 B and a sleeve 28 B. Then the other end 17 B of the pull cable 16 is connected to the cable drum 26 . The assembly of the pull cable 16 is thus completed. One end 31 B of the outer housing 30 B is attached to the second opening 33 B of the end cap 32 B.

In the pull cable 16 arranged as described above, a slider 40 A is fixedly attached to a section of the pull cable 16 between the deflecting roller 34 A and the second opening 33 B of the end cap 32 A, a further slider 40 B correspondingly being fixed to another section of the Traction cable 16 between the pulley 34 B and the second opening 33 B of the end cap 32 B is arranged. These sliders 40 A and 40 B are attached to the cover 12 shown in FIG. 1. When the pull cable 16 is pulled by the cable drive device 18 in the direction C in FIG. 2, the sliders 40 A and 40 B move in a direction labeled B, whereby the cover 12 is pushed in the direction marked B in FIG. 1 to expose the roof opening 22 . On the other hand, when the pull cable 16 is pulled by the cable drive device 18 in the direction designated by reference character D in FIG. 2, the slides 40 A and 40 B are pushed in the direction designated A, whereby the Dec angle 12 in the direction shown in FIG . 1 designated A direction is shifted to close the roof opening 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cable drive device 18 comprises the pull cable 16 , a motor 42 , a reduction gear 44 and the cable drum 26 .

The drive shaft, not shown, of the motor 42 is operatively connected to an input shaft, not shown, of a reduction gear installed in the reduction gear box 44 in order to transmit a driving force. The tip of the output shaft 43 of the reduction gear protrudes from the reduction gear box 44 and is in operative engagement with a rotary shaft, not shown, of the cable drum 42 in order to apply a torque to it. If the cable drum 26 by means of a drive force generated by the motor 42 is rotated clockwise in Fig. 3, one end 17 A of the pull cable 16 wraps around the cable drum 26 , and the other end 17 B of the cable 16 is from the cable drum 26 processed, whereby the pull cable 16 is moved in the direction designated C in Fig. 2. As a result, the lid 12 is moved in the direction designated B in FIG. 1, whereby the roof opening 22 is exposed. If the cable drum 26 in FIG. 3 rotates counterclockwise, one end 17 A of the pull cable 16 is unwound from the cable drum 26 , while the other end 17 B of the pull cable 16 is wound on the cable drum 26 , whereby the pull cable 16 in the direction shown in Fig. 2 with D be moved. As a result, the cover 12 is moved in the direction designated A in FIG. 1, whereby the roof opening 22 is closed.

In Fig. 3, reference numeral 46 denotes a drum housing to receive the cable drum 26 therein, while reference numeral 45 denotes a housing for receiving the drive shaft of the motor 42 . As a reduction gear, for example, a worm gear can be used. The reference numeral 48 denotes a spring, and an extension member, not shown, is inserted into a space 49 of FIG. 2 between the sleeve 28 A and the outer housing 30 A, wherein the space 49 is generated in which the sleeve 28 A in the direction of the arrow is pressed against the biasing force of the spring 48 . Since in this way the total path length of the cable is extended by inserting the extension component, the pull cable 16 can thereby be subjected to a voltage.

According to FIG. 4, two strands 16 A and 16 A are 'of the tension cable 16 is driven in entge gengesetzte directions and are approximately rail in the groove portion of the Füh 20 A shown in FIG attached 5, while two strands 16 B and 16 B.' Of the tension cable 16 in accordance with Fig. 4 are also each driven in opposite directions and in a similar manner in the groove portion of the guide rail 20 B are arranged.

As described above, the vehicle roof shown in FIG. 4 uses a train cable, which allows the use of a cable with a smaller diameter and also imposes fewer restrictions on the arrangement of the cable route compared to a drive with a compression-resistant drive cable. Furthermore, the two being in the opposite direction exaggerated strands 16 A and 16 A are 'of the cable 16 in the groove portion of the Füh arranged approximately rail 20 A, the two driven in the opposite direction strands 16 B and 16 B' of the drive cable 16 in the groove portion of the Guide rail 20 B are arranged. In this way, in contrast to the conventional drive with a pressure-resistant drive cable according to FIG. 11, no cable ducts 9 A, 9 B have to be additionally formed on the frame 7 for the complete routing of the cable, the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 can be compact in roof be designed to allow a roof opening 22 of sufficient width.

The vehicle roof according to the invention further comprises a guide element, as shown by way of example in FIGS. 6 to 12, to loosen the cable strands 16 A, 16 A ', which run along the groove of the guide rail 20 A, and the cable strands 16 B, 16 B ', which run along the groove of the guide rail 20 B, to prevent.

Such a guide member 50 , as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, is made of resin or metal and generally has the shape of a rectangular parallelepipet, which is installed by insertion in the groove portion of the guide rail 20 A or 20 B. In the upward-facing surface of the guide element 50 , a guide groove 51 is formed, into which the cable strands 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B and 16 B' can be inserted. Since in this way the cable harnesses 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B and 16 B' can be guided parallel to the guide rail 20 A or 20 B by means of a corresponding guide element 50 , a loosening of the cable strands 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B and 16 B' can be prevented. As a result, premature wear of the cable strands 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B or 16 B' can be avoided, as would otherwise occur due to an interaction with the guide rails 20 A, 20 B or the walls thereof.

Although the guide element 50 according to FIG. 4 is arranged near the end cap 32 A or 32 B, this is not a fundamental restriction, but the guide element 50 can in principle be arranged at any point on the groove section of the guide rail 20 A or 20 B. For example, the guide element 50 may be arranged in the middle between the deflection roller 34 A and the end cap 32 or between the deflection roller 34 B and the end cap 32 B.

Furthermore, a plurality of guide elements 50 can be provided for each cable harness 16 A, 16 k, 16 B or 16 B '. For example, according to FIG. 8, several guide elements 50 are arranged in the groove section of the guide rail 20 A with a predetermined distance between them in order to guide the cable harness 16 A. In this way, an interaction of the cable harness 16 A with the guide rail 20 A can be prevented even if the guide rail 20 A is curved. A curved guide rail 20 A allows the design of a vehicle roof with a lower overall height.

In the guide member 60 shown in FIG. 9, the guide groove 61 is formed in a side surface thereof. The guide element 60 is cut into the groove section of the guide rail 20 A or 20 B, that the guide surface provided with the guide groove 61 faces the groove section. In this way, the guide element 60 can be installed in a simple manner, since it can be inserted into the groove section of the guide rail 20 A or 20 B after the cable harness 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B or 16 B' has been laid accordingly .

In the guide element 62 according to FIG. 10, a guide groove 63 is formed in the upward-facing side thereof, and a further groove 64 is also formed in a side surface of the guide element 62 . By the provision of additional groove 64, the guide member may be formed 62 with lighter weight and further, by means of the thin-walled by the groove 64, he testified portion 64 A mediated elasticity better An adjustment of the guide member 62 into the groove portion of the guide rails 20 A or 20 B can be achieved.

The guide element 66 according to FIG. 11 has a pair of support sections 67 which are formed in one piece with the guide element 66 in order to support a pin (not shown), a guide groove 68 being provided between the two support sections 67 .

The guide member 70 shown in FIG. 12 has a pair of projections 72 which are formed in a guide groove 71 to slip out of the Zugka to prevent bels sixteenth By abutment of the captured in the guide groove 71 harness 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B', even with the occurrence of external forces on the harness, the processing work in the out-looking out of the groove 71 Rich, slipping out of the harness be prevented from the guide groove 71 ver.

A further embodiment of guide elements is shown in FIG. 13, which shows a perspective view of the opening mechanism for a cover, not shown, of an openable vehicle roof. An opening lever 54 is pivotally mounted by means of two support members 58 via a pin 56 , a link pin 52 of a slider 40 A engaging in a link slot 55 formed in the opening lever 54 . When the slider 40 A moves together with the cable harness 16 A, the link pin 52 moves in the same direction along the link slot 55 , as a result of which the deployment lever 54 is pivoted. In this way, a ver (not shown) with the opening lever 54 connected roof cover in the roof opening with its rear edge can be pivoted or swung back.

The cable harness 16 A and the slider 40 A are connected to one another via a connecting piece 49 A, which is firmly connected to the cable harness 16 A and is inserted into a corresponding recess 41 A in the lower part of the slider 40 A, the cable harness 16 A is guided through the connecting piece 49 A. Similarly, the cable harness 16 A 'is connected to a slider 40 A' via a corresponding connector, not shown.

The support elements 58 for receiving the pin 56 are provided in the groove section of the guide rail 20 A. A guide groove 59 is provided in the upward-facing side of the support member 58 to guide the wire harness 16 A or 16 A '. In this way, the number of components required can be reduced ver, since the support elements 58 form part of the adjustment mechanism on the one hand and on the other hand act as guide elements for the cable harness 16 A or 16 A '.

Reference list

10th

Vehicle roof

12th

cover

14

frame

14

A, B side sections of

14

16

Train cable

16

A,

16

A ',

16

B,

16

B 'strands of

16

17th

A, B ends of

16

18th

Cable drive device

20th

A, B guide rail

22

Roof opening

24th

A, B connector

26

Cable drum

28

A, B cuff

30th

A, B outer housing

32

A, B end cap

33

A, B first and second openings, respectively

34

A, B pulley

38

Outer housing

40

A, B glider

42

engine

43

Output shaft

44

Reduction gear box

45

Drive shaft housing

46

Cable drum housing

48

feather

49

A connector

50

Guide element

51

Guide groove

52

Setting pin

54

Opening lever

55

Scenery slot

56

pen

58

Support elements

59

Guide groove

60

Guide element

61

Guide groove

62

Guide element

63

Guide groove

64

Groove

66

Guide element

67

Support sections

68

Guide groove

70

Guide element

71

Guide groove

72

Ledges

Claims (14)

1. Drive for an adjustable closing element ( 12 ) of a vehicle roof ( 10 ), which optionally closes a roof opening ( 22 ) or at least partially releases it, with a body-fixed frame ( 14 , 14 A, 14 B), a pull cable guided in the form of an endless loop ( 16 , 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B'), which acts on both sides of the closing element on an adjusting mechanism ( 40 A, 40 A ', 40 B, 54 ) for the closing element, and a drive device ( 18 ) for optionally driving the pull cable in two opposite directions in order to open or close the closing element, a guide rail ( 20 A, 20 B) being provided for the adjusting mechanism on both sides of the closing element, and wherein the pull cable in Each guide rail runs, characterized in that in each guide rail ( 20 A, 20 B) at least one guide element ( 50 , 58 , 60 , 62 , 66 , 70 ) for the pull cable ( 16 , 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B ') is to keep the pull cable away from the walls of the guide rails. 2. Drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the pull cable ( 16 , 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B') is guided so that in each guide rail ( 20 A, 20 B) two strands ( 16 A , 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B') of the pull cable, which move in opposite directions when the drive device ( 18 ) is actuated. 3. Drive according to claim 2, characterized in that for each of the two strands ( 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B') each have at least one Füh approximately guiding element ( 50 , 58 , 60 , 62 , 70 ) is provided . 4. Drive according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide rails ( 20 A, 20 B) are curved and a plurality of guide elements ( 50 ) for each cable harness ( 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B') are provided. 5. Drive according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide elements ( 50 , 58 , 60 , 62 , 70 ) are designed as inserts in the guide rails ( 20 A, 20 B). 6. Drive according to claim 5, characterized in that the guide elements ( 50 , 58 , 60 , 62 , 66 , 70 ) are each provided with a guide groove ( 51 , 59 , 61 , 63 , 68 , 71 ) which act as a guide for the pull cable ( 16 , 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B'). 7. Drive according to claim 6, characterized in that in the assembled state, the guide groove ( 51 , 59 , 61 , 63 ) is covered by part of the respective guide rail ( 20 A, 20 B) in order to prevent the train cable ( 16 , 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B') leaves the guide groove. 8. Drive according to claim 7, characterized in that each guide rail ( 20 A, 20 B) is formed in cross section such that a base is provided with an upwardly extending cheek since Lich, with one from the upper end each cheek a piece extends in the direction of the other leg, each cheek in interaction with the base and the respective roof serving as a receptacle for at least one of the guide elements ( 50 , 58 , 60 , 62 , 70 ). 9. Drive according to claim 8, characterized in that the roof serves to cover the guide groove ( 51 , 59 , 63 ). 10. Drive according to claim 8, characterized in that the cheek serves to cover the guide groove ( 61 ). 11. Drive according to claim 6, characterized in that the guide groove ( 71 ) with opposing web-like projections ( 72 ) is hen to the pull cable ( 16 , 16 A, 16 A ', 16 B, 16 B') in the To keep the guide groove. 12. Drive according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide elements ( 58 , 66 ) are designed as functional parts of the adjusting mechanism ( 40 A, 40 A ', 40 B, 54 ). 13. Drive according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide elements ( 50 , 58 , 60 , 62 , 66 , 70 ) each only over a relatively small section of the guide rail ( 20 A, 20 B) he stretch. 14. Drive according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closing element ( 12 ) is a cover of a sunroof, sunroof or spoiler roof.