FR2695596A1 - Closure for vehicle sun roof - uses panel with rotation axis movable between two extremities and opening actuator to give four functional positions - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle roof closure uses a panel (1) which covers the opening (E) in the cab or structure of the vehicle. The panel can rotate about an axis (3) which is located on one edge of the panel or adjacent to it. This axis can be moved in translation between two extreme positions on an attachment and guide support (9). An opening actuator (7) is rotatably arranged between the panel and a fixing point. The panel has four fixed functional positions corresponding to the two positional extremes of the axis. ADVANTAGE - Combines the advantages of both sliding and pivoting roofs in a single unit. Can be easily manufactured and maintained.

Description

Opening shutter device, especially sunroof device. for vehicle.

 The present invention relates to improvements made to opening shutter devices, in particular to devices for a sunroof, for a vehicle body or cabin, comprising, associated with an opening made in a wall of said body or cabin, a panel. movable in rotation about an axis located on or near one side of said panel.

 Various embodiments of devices of the aforementioned type are already known, in particular of sunroofs, for vehicles. These devices fall into two categories depending on whether they are pivoting or sliding.

 In devices with a pivoting panel, the panel in principle pivots outwards and is held in an inclined (or ajar) position by locking means. These known devices certainly have a relatively simple structure and are relatively easy to handle which can possibly be assisted by auxiliary means such as fluid cylinders.

However, they have certain fundamental drawbacks.

 First of all it is frequent, for security reasons (protection against theft in particular) that the panel in the open position is locked in an inclined manner above the opening and never completely releases it: it does not It is therefore not possible for an occupant of the vehicle to be able to exit through said opening if necessary (emergency exit). In addition, the inclined panel protrudes from the wall, especially above the roof when it is a sunroof, and it risks being easily damaged, as well as its means of mounting on the wall, or even as well as the wall itself.

 There are certainly systems with total folding down by pivoting: these are, however, in general parts of canvas roofs (lifting hood) and not rigid panels; in addition, the folded part rests on the neighboring area of the roof and is therefore projecting therefrom, which increases the vertical dimension of the vehicle undesirably (increase in size).

 In devices with a sliding rigid panel, the panel can be moved in two lateral slides. If these devices overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of pivoting panel devices, their design however limits their use to equipping walls (in particular roof portions) which are approximately plane and they cannot be provided for equipping walls with several faces. mutually inclined (dihedral). In addition, with the exception of relatively expensive electric motorizations, it is not possible to add to them assistance means for opening the fluid cylinder type.

 The object of the invention is essentially to propose a device for closing the opening, in particular for a sunroof, of a vehicle which combines the respective advantages of two main types above mentioned above while eliminating their respective disadvantages, the device 1 invention further retaining a simple structure and therefore inexpensive to manufacture and assembly and maintenance.

For these purposes, an opening shutter device, in particular for a sunroof, for a vehicle as mentioned in the preamble is essentially characterized, being arranged in accordance with the invention - in that the axis of rotation of the panel is mounted mobile in
translation between two extreme locations, on
fixed support and guide means, - and in that at least one opening assistance cylinder
is interposed between the panel and a fixed point by being
secured to these, with the possibility of rotation.

Thanks to this arrangement - the panel is likely to occupy a first situa
tion in which its axis of rotation occupies its aforesaid
first extreme location on the support means and
guide and in which the panel occupies a position
closing the opening in which it is folded down
against said wall, the jack then being compressed, - the panel is capable of occupying, still in this
first situation, a half-open position in which
it is raised by rotation around its axis while remaining
inclined above the opening, the panel being
maintained in this half-opened position by the jack
relaxed and its own weight, - the panel is likely to occupy a second situation
into which it is brought by displacement of its axis of
rotation along the above support means and
guidance to the second extreme location of said axis on
the support and guiding means, the remaining panel
inclined above a part of the wall adjoining said
opening by releasing, at least for its greatest
part, plumb of said opening, the remaining panel
held in this position by the relaxed cylinder and its
own weight, - and the panel is likely to occupy, always in
this second situation, a completely retracted position
by being folded against the above portion of wall
adjoining said opening by rotation about its axis
of rotation located in its aforesaid second location
extreme on the support and guide means, the jack
then being compressed.

 Advantageously, there may be provided locking means for holding the panel in its above-mentioned closed position and / or in its above-mentioned fully released position.

 Preferably, the support and guide means comprise two substantially parallel runners along two opposite edges of said opening and in that the panel comprises two fingers defining the above-mentioned axis of rotation of the panel.

 Thus, the opening shutter device according to the invention is arranged in such a way that it offers the same possibilities as a conventional pivoting panel, with however the additional advantage that in the event of an impact on the panel ajar (while it engages the normal size of the vehicle) the panel can clear itself by sliding its axis on the slides, then folding against the support wall. It also offers the advantage of a conventional sliding panel by largely opening, if not completely opening when it is in the extreme position, the opening can then, if necessary, serve as an emergency exit. Finally, the various rotational movements undergone by the panel during its movement at the opening are assisted by a jack, which facilitates its handling. On the other hand, all the aforementioned drawbacks specific to currently known panels are eliminated. In particular, it will be noted that, in the device according to the invention, the panel can occupy extreme positions (total closure and opening) mutually inclined: thus the panel can close an opening made in a first face of a shaped wall dihedral, while in the fully open position, it is applied against another face of said wall which is inclined relative to the aforesaid first face.

 The invention will be better understood on reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, given solely by way of non-limiting example.

In this description, reference is made to FIGS. 1 to 4 which schematically show said preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, respectively in four different functional positions.

 The device shown in the figures constitutes, by way of example, a sunroof device intended to equip the roof wall or ceiling of a vehicle, in particular of a land motor vehicle. For example, this involves equipping the cabin with a machine such as an agricultural tractor, or a public works machine, or the like which may be provided, at the front, with a lifting tool mounted on an arm. (shovel or bucket for example): it is then necessary that the operator of the machine has a vision forward not horizontally and downwards, but also upwards to check the high position of the tool.

 To this end, the cabin has a dihedral-shaped roof, with an approximately horizontal main wall portion and, towards the front, a wall portion inclined towards the front and preferably transparent. This wall portion is arranged in the form of a movable panel 1 (in particular made of a transparent material) capable of closing or clearing an opening E (shown diagrammatically by its opposite transverse edges 10 and 11 in the drawing), so as to constitute a sunroof system.

 The panel 1 is provided, along or in the vicinity of one of its sides (rear side in this example), pivot means 2 which can be formed in any suitable form known to those skilled in the art, in particular under form of two fingers 3 projecting laterally and engaged in housings which will be discussed later. As shown in the figures, the fingers 3 can be supported by brackets 4 fixed to the panel 1.

 Furthermore, towards the side of the panel 1 opposite to the previous one (front side) are provided with rotation fixing means, for example two brackets 5 which are fixed to the panel on the lateral sides thereof and which respectively support two ends of 'axis of rotation 6 on which are mounted freely rotating the respective ends of two fluid cylinders 7 (for example air cylinders commonly used in the automotive field). The other end of the jacks 7 is fixed to free rotation on fixed axes 8 integral with the frame (bodywork or cabin).

 Finally the fingers 3 are received in support and guiding means constituted in the form of two lateral fixed slides 9 (shown diagrammatically by a dashed line in the figures) which are for example fixed on the side walls or on the lower surface of the roof. of the cabin, or even which can be integrated into the roof. For a purpose which will appear later, the fingers 3 are movable in translation in said slides 9 either by sliding or by rolling (the fingers then being provided with idle rollers -not shown-). To prevent the fingers 3 from escaping from the slides 9 or getting crooked in them, the axes 6 and / or 8 of articulation of the jacks 7 do not allow any other movement than a rotational movement. In particular, the yokes of the jacks can be fixedly connected to the axes 6, perpendicular to them.

 In the position shown in Figure 1, the panel 1 closes the opening E in a sealed manner (the sealing means not being shown). The fingers 3 are then located at a first location at one end (left in FIG. 1) of the slides 9 and the jack 7 is compressed. The position of the axis 6 of articulation of the jacks 7 with the panel is designated, in FIG. 1, by the reference 6-1.

 The fingers 3 being held in their first aforementioned location, the panel 1 can be raised by rotating it (arrow R in FIG. 1) around the axis materialized by the fingers 3 to bring it into an inclined half-open position shown in fig. 2. The rotational movement of the panel 1 is helped by the relaxation or elongation of the jacks 7. The new position of the axis 6 of articulation of the jacks 7 with the panel 1 is designated, in FIG. 1, by the reference 6-2, the panel 1 being maintained in this half-open position by the relaxed jacks and its own weight.

 The movement of the panel 1 can be continued by exerting on it a force parallel to the slides 9 (arrow T) to bring it into the position of FIG. 3. During this movement, the fingers 3 move in the slides 9 to the opposite end thereof and, the jacks 7 remaining in a relaxed or elongated configuration with the possibility of rotation around the axes 8, l ' axis 6 of articulation of the jacks with the panel describes a trajectory in an arc to go from position 6-2 to position 6-3. The panel is then in an inclined position above the part of the roof wall adjoining the opening E. The panel 1 being held in this position ajar by the relaxed jacks and its own weight and it releases, at least for its more large part, plumb with the opening E. The relaxed jacks 7 hold the panel 1 in this raised tilted position.

 Finally the panel 1 can be folded down by rotation about the axis defined by the fingers 3 (arrow P in fig.

3), with compression of the jacks 7, against the roof wall adjoining the opening E, the axis 6 of articulation of the jacks with the panel then describing a circular trajectory passing from position 6-3 (fig. 3) in position 6-4 (fig. 4). In this latter position, the panel 1 rests on the roof wall and, apart from its thickness, it does not increase the height of the cabin; if necessary, a special configuration of the roof can be provided with a central depression in which the folded panel 1 is retracted. It will also be noted that it is possible to arrange the entire device in such a way that, in the fully open position shown in FIG. 4, the panel 1 releases most, if not all of the opening E; the opening E thus released can constitute an emergency exit for the driver. Optionally, it is also possible to provide that the means of articulation of the jacks (6 and / or 8) can be quickly removed so that the panel 1 can be folded down freely in order to clear the entire opening E (case where the confirmation shown in fig. 4 offers insufficient clearance).

 The device can advantageously be provided with various auxiliary or accessory means, the practical implementation of which can give rise to a large number of variants.

 In particular, locking means can be provided for retaining the panel 1 in one and / or the other of the positions where it is folded down (fig. 1 and fig. 4).

Only a lock has been shown in fig. 1, the other being identical to it. This lock may conventionally include a notch 13 which can be closed or released by a pivoting latch with two stable positions (not visible), a notch 13 in which a stirrup 14 engages with the panel 1 (for example with the axis 6 spanning the entire width of the panel 1).

 In addition, it will be noted that, in said extreme positions of the panel 1, each actuator extends beyond neutral, which means that the panel 1 is positioned stably even in the presence of vibrations.

 In addition, releasable retaining means (not visible) may be provided at the ends of the slides 9 to retain the fingers 3, which allows the panel 1 to pivot (arrow R and P), but to release the fingers 3 when the panel 1 is caused to slide (arrow T and its inverse). These means can be of any type known to those skilled in the art for this purpose (simple bowl, or else a combination of a bowl and a spring, etc.).

 A handling transverse bar (not shown) can extend between the two brackets 5 and constitute a handle allowing the driver to easily move the panel whatever the starting position and the ending position thereof, and therefore whatever the movement to be given to it, it being recalled here that the rotational movements around the fingers 3 are assisted by the jacks 7.

 It will be understood that the device which has just been described has greater security: if the panel, arranged in the half-open position overhanging the opening E as shown in FIG. 2, strikes an obstacle during the movement (to the left of the drawing) of the vehicle, the panel is then automatically caused to slide backwards (fig. 3), then folded down (fig. 4) under the combined actions of its support against the obstacle and jacks 7. The destruction of the sunroof device is thus avoided, or at least lessened.

 In addition, the arrangement of the device according to the invention can be implemented whatever the configuration of the fitted cabin, and in particular when the panel undergoes a change in inclination between its two extreme positions (shaped wall dihedral) as in the example more particularly shown here (fig. 1 and fig. 4).

 As goes without saying and as it already follows from the above, the invention is in no way limited to those of its modes of application and embodiments which have been more particularly envisaged; on the contrary, it embraces all its variants.

Claims (4)

 1. Opening shutter device, in particular a sunroof device, for a vehicle body or cabin, comprising, associated with an opening (E) formed in a wall of said body or cabin, a movable panel (1) in rotation about an axis (3) located on or near one side of said panel, characterized - in that the axis (3) of rotation of the panel (1) is mounted  movable in translation between two extreme locations,  on fixed support and guide means (9), - and in that at least one jack (7) for assisting in opening  ture is interposed between the panel (1) and a fixed point  by being united to them with the possibility of failure  tion, thanks to which - the panel is likely to occupy a first situa  tion in which its axis of rotation occupies its aforesaid  first extreme location on the support means and  guide and in which the panel occupies a position  closing the opening in which it is folded down  against said wall, the jack then being compressed, - the panel is capable of occupying, still in this  first situation, a half-open position in which  it is raised by rotation around its axis while remaining  inclined above the opening, the panel being  maintained in this half-opened position by the jack  relaxed and its own weight, - the panel is likely to occupy a second situation  into which it is brought by displacement of its axis of  rotation along the above support means and  guidance to the second extreme location of said axis on  the support and guiding means, the remaining panel  inclined above a part of the wall adjoining said  opening by releasing, at least for its greatest  part, plumb of said opening, the remaining panel  held in this position by the relaxed cylinder and its  own weight, - and the panel is likely to occupy, always in  this second situation, a completely retracted position  by being folded against the above portion of wall  adjoining said opening by rotation about its axis  of rotation located in its aforesaid second location  extreme on the support and guide means, the jack  then being compressed.  2. Closable opening device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises locking means (12) to maintain the panel (1) in its above closed position and / or in its above fully released position.  3. closable opening device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support and guide means comprise two slides (9) substantially parallel along two opposite edges of said opening and in that the panel (1 ) has two projecting fingers (3) defining said axis of rotation of the panel (1).  4. Closable opening device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises two jacks (7) assisting the opening associated with two opposite sides of the panel (1).