Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
  • B60J7/00—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs
  • B60J7/02—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes
  • B60J7/026—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes with rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. for convertible vehicles
  • B60J7/028—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes with rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. for convertible vehicles the sliding movement being combined with a pivoting movement

Definitions

• the present invention concerns a sunroof system of the retractable type, for motor vehicles.
• the invention relates to a sunroof system
• a sunroof system comprising a cover or roof element which swivels near its trailing end about a horizontal axis between two facing uprights projecting upwards above the body line of the bodywork, in the rear part of the passenger compartment, and a stowage compartment open at the top made in the motor vehicle, between and beneath the said uprights; the cover or roof element swivelling about the said axis between a closed position in which it extends at least approximately horizontally and an open intermediate position in which it extends basically vertically; the cover or roof element then being movable downwards, from the open intermediate position towards a final hidden position in which it extends substantially vertically into the stowage compartment; a rear window being fitted between the uprights.
• a sunroof system of this type is described, for example, in International patent application PCT/EP2005/056000 in the name of the same Applicant.
• the two above mentioned parallel uprights are fixed in relation to the bodywork of the vehicle and therefore protrude permanently upwards above the body line, even when the roof is hidden in the stowage compartment. These uprights being visible when the roof is stored away is not always aesthetically pleasing.
• One of the aims of the present invention is to create sunroof system that overcomes this drawback.
• This and other aims will be achieved according to the invention with a sunroof system of the type specified above, characterised in that the rear window is integral with the uprights and with them forms an assembly that swivels about a horizontal transverse axis which extends close to the motor vehicle's body line, between an extracted or raised position in which the rear window can connect with the roof in the closed position, and a retracted or lowered position in which the uprights extend at least partly below the said body line and the window lies at least approximately horizontally.
• the uprights and the window as a whole form an assembly which is basically in the shape of an upside-down U, the window being connected preferably to the rear sides of the uprights.
• the cover or sunroof element is advantageously mounted translating between the above-mentioned intermediate position and the final hidden position, along guiding means which extend partly inside the uprights and partly inside the stowage compartment.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective rear view of a motor vehicle provided with a sunroof system according to the present invention, shown in the closed configuration;
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to that shown in Figure 1 and shows the cover or roof element in various positions during its movement of passing fr om the closed condition to the stowed condition;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to the previous ones, and shows the cover or roof element in the stowed condition, and the assembly made up of the uprights and rear window in the retracted or lowered condition.
• FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle as a whole.
• the motor vehicle 1 has a passenger compartment 2 with only two places, namely one for the driver and one for a passenger.
• the motor vehicle 1 has a sunroof system of a retractable type, shown as a whole by R.
• This sunroof system comprises a cover or roof element 3, with one front side 3a and one rear side 3b.
• the cover or roof element 3 is shown swivelling about a substantially horizontal axis 4 ( Figure 2), between two parallel side uprights 5, near the rear part of the compartment 2.
• the window 6 is in particular connected to the rear sides of the uprights 5.
• a stowage compartment 7 open at the top.
• This compartment is shaped for example in the way shown in the international patent application referred to above .
• each guide 8 shows two approximately vertical guides, parallel to each other, which extend partly along the facing inner faces of the uprights 5, and partly into the stowage compartment 7.
• each guide 8 comprises in particular a top portion 8a connected to an associated upright 5, and a bottom portion 8b, which extends into the stowage compartment 7.
• portions 8a and 8b of the guides 8 are aligned and contiguous with each other.
• the cover or roof element 3 swivels about the axis 4 ( Figure 2) between a closed position ( Figure 1) in which it extends at least approximately horizontally, and an intermediate open position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, in which it extends substantially vertically.
• the said cover or roof element 3 can then be moved downwards, from the open intermediate position defined above, to a final hidden position, illustrated in Figure 3, in which it extends substantially vertically inside the stowage compartment 7.
• This assembly is moreover swivelling about a horizontal transverse axis, shown by B-B in Figure 3, near the body line BL of the motor vehicle.
• the assembly formed by the uprights 5 and the rear window 6 is capable of being made to pass from the extracted or raised position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to the retracted or lowered position in Figure 3, due to the effect of a rotation about the axis B-B.
• the uprights 5 In the retracted or lowered condition, the uprights 5 extend at least partly below the body line BL of the motor vehicle, disappearing into special seats in the bodywork or into the above-mentioned stowage compartment, and the rear window 6 lies at least approximately horizontally.
• the rear window 6 may be level with the motor vehicle's body line, or may be higher or lower than this line.
• the assembly made up the uprights 5 and the rear window 6 swivels about an axis B-B which is near to the trailing end of the uprights 5.
• this assembly may be arranged swivelling about a horizontal axis near the leading end of the uprights.
• the solution according to the invention enables the side uprights 5 to be made to disappear, at least partly, when the roof 3 is open and hidden, and the assembly made up of the rear window 6 and the uprights is in the retracted or lowered condition .
• the retractable sunroof system limits the reduction of available space in any rear luggage compartment of the motor vehicle to a minimum.
• the movement of the cover or roof element 3 and the assembly made up of the uprights 5 and the window 6 may be controlled manually or, preferably, by special actuators of a known type.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
• Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
• Window Of Vehicle (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38358043

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2006
  • 2006-02-27 IT ITTO20060141 patent/ITTO20060141A1/it unknown
• 2007
  • 2007-02-22 EP EP07713162A patent/EP1996420A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-02-22 WO PCT/IB2007/050570 patent/WO2007096829A2/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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