GB2034254A

GB2034254A - Vehicle Sliding Roofs

Info

Publication number: GB2034254A
Application number: GB7930672A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
Priority date: 1978-09-06
Filing date: 1979-09-04
Publication date: 1980-06-04
Also published as: FR2435364A1; DE2936052A1; JPS5539219U; JPS586728Y2

Abstract

A roof panel 20, an upper side rail 21 and a lower side rail 22 are joined together to form a box-shaped structure 24 in cross-section at the sides of a roof opening 3 to thereby increase the strength and rigidity of a part of the roof which supports the weight of a slidable roof member 4. Inner and outer ends 20b, 21b, 22b and 20a, 21a, 22a of the roof panel and upper and lower side rails as viewed widthwise of the vehicle are respectively joined together. A moulding member 30 is mounted on the inner ends 20b, 21b, 22b to contact a sealing member 4a on the slidable roof member and prevent wear of any coatings on the inner ends. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roof Structure in Vehicle Sliding Roof Device Background of the Invention This invention relates to an improvement of the arrangement of a roof component in a sliding roof device in which an opening formed in the roof of a vehicle is opened and closed by a slide roof member.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a part of a vehicle provided with a sliding roof device. An opening 3 is formed in the roof 2 of the vehicle 1.

The opening 3 is opened or closed by sliding a slide roof member 4 along guide rails in the axial direction. The slide roof member 4 is made of a glass plate.

The structure, around the opening 3, of the roof 2 having the conventional sliding roof device is as shown in Figure 3. The outer ends 5a and 6a of a lower side rail 5 and an upper side rail 6 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are jointed together to the outer ends 7a of a roof panel 7 forming a part of the roof 2. Also, the inner end portions 5b and 6b of the lower and upper side rails 5 and 6 are joined together. The roof panel 7 covers the upper side rail 6 with a clearance therebetween, and is extended inwardly and is bent downwardly to form the aforementioned opening 3. The lower side rail 5 is coupled to a coupling member 8 by means of bolts and nuts 9.The other end portion of the coupling member 8 is connected to the supporting frame 11 of a guide rail 12 with bolts and nuts 10, so that the slide roof member 4 is slidably supported by the guide rail 12 through unshown guide shoes and their brackets.

Furthermore, a sealing member 4a is fitted over the periphery of the roof member 4. In Figure 3, reference numeral 1 3 designates the upper edge of a door panel.

As was described above, in the conventional sliding roof device, the side rails 5 and 6 are joined to the roof panel 7 at their first end portions 5a and 6a only, and the second end portions 5b and 6b thereof are free from the roof panel 7. That is, the weight of the slide roof member 4 is supported by the side rail member (5 and 6) which is held as a cantilever by the guide rail 12 through the supporting frame 11 and the coupling member 8.Accordingly, it is difficult to increase the width (in the lateral direction of the vehicle) of the opening; it is difficult to increase the size of the slide roof member 4, because if the size of the slide roof member 4 is increased, then the weight of the latter is also increased; and the strength of the side rail member is not strong enough to support the thus increased weight of the slide roof member 4. Thus, it is difficult to provide a sliding roof device in which the area of the opening is large and accordingly the area of the slide roof member made of a glass plate is also large.

Furthermore, the structure of the roof having the conventional sliding roof device is that the opening 3 is formed in the roof panel 7 made of a steel plate, and that the sealing member 4a is in direct contact with the roof panel. Therefore, whenever the slide roof is moved, the contact part of the roof panel is abraded to wear the coating thereof to thereby rust the part.

The inventors have conducted intensive research on the solution of the above-described problems accompanying the roof structure in a conventional sliding roof device and accomplished the present invention.

Summary of the Invention Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a roof structure in the sliding roof device of a vehicle, in which a roof panel, an upper roof side rail and a lower roof side rail are joined together at the inner and outer ends thereof as viewed in the widthwise direction to provide a box-shaped structure, which is closed in section, at the sides of the roof opening.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a roof structure with which it is possible to improve the strength and rigidity of a part of a roof at the sides of a roof opening thereby to positively support the weight of a slide roof member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roof structure with which it is possible to increase the areas of a roof opening and a slide roof member without increasing the number of components and without making the intricate structure, and in which a molding member is provided along the periphery of the roof opening to protect the latter and to eliminate difficulties such as the formation of rust due to the wearing of coating.

The foregoing objects and other objects as well as the characteristic features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a roof structure according to this invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a part of a vehicle provided with a sliding roof device; and Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a conventional roof structure.

Detailed Description of the Invention One example of a roof structure in a sliding roof device according to this invention is as shown in Figure 1.

The outer end portion of a roof panel 20 forming the roof 2 of a vehicle 1 is bent downwardly to form an L-shaped part having an end portion 20a extended outwardly. An upper side rail 21 is provided below the roof panel 20, and has an end portion 21a which is obtained by bending it similarly as in the case of the roof panel 20. A lower side rail 22 is provided below the upper side rail 21. The lower side rail 22 is bent upwardly twice to have an end portion 22a. These end portions 20a, 21 a and 22a are overlapped each other and joined together, for instance, by welding.

The inner end portion of the roof panel 20 is bent downwardly and inwardly to form another end portion 20b. The end portion 20b of the roof panel 20 is placed on the flat inner end portion 21 b of the upper side rail 21 and is then joined to the inner end portion 21 b. In the inner end portion 20b of the roof panel, a recess 23 lower than the upper surface 20c of the roof panel 20 is provided in such a manner as to surround an opening 3 which is formed inside of the inner end portion 20b. The recess 23 is formed in such a manner as to surround the entire periphery of the opening 3.

The configuration of the lower side rail 22 is substantially in the form of a channel which is opened upwardly in section. The lower side rail 22 has a wall 22d at the inner end of the bottom 22c thereof. The upper end portion of the erected wall 22d is bent inwardly to form a bent end portion 22b. The bent end portion 22b is welded to the inner end portion 21 b of the upper side rail 21. In other words, the inner end portions 20b, 21 b and 22b of the members 20, 21 and 22 are welded together as shown in Figure 1. Thus, the roof panel 20, the upper side rail 21 and the lower side rail 22 are connected together at there inner and outer end portions in the vicinity of the opening 3, thereby forming a roof side rail 24 including the roof panel 20. Accordingly, the structure of the roof side rail 24 thus formed is closed in section, as is apparent from Figure 1.

A frame 25 is extended from the lower side rail 22 of the roof side rail 24 toward the side of the opening 3, with the base portion of the frame 25 placed under the lower side rail 22. The base portion of the frame 25, and the base portion of a reinforcing member 26 are fixedly mounted on the bottom 22c of the lower side rail 22 with bolts and nuts (27). Guide rails 28 is fixedly mounted on the frame 25. A partition board 25a is provided upright between the guide rail 28 and the erected wall 22d of the lower side rail 22. A sealing member 29 is provided on the upper edge of the partition board 25a in such a manner that it is in contact with the lower surface of the end portion 22b of the lower side rail 22 to establish a sealing condition between the opening 3 and the roof side rail 24.

In the example described above, the frame 25 is made up of two members 25-1 and 25-2 joined together at the partition board 25a; however, it goes without saying that the frame 25 may be made of one member.

The opening 3 formed by the inner end portions of the roof panel 20, the upper side rail 21 and the lower side rail 22, is surrounded by a molding member 30 molded of synthetic resin or the like, while a sealing member 4a made of rubber or the like is provided on the periphery of a slide roof member 4 made of a glass plate or the like in such a manner that the sealing member 4a is in contact with the molding member 30 when roof 4 closes the opening 3. The inner wall 30a of the molding member 30, which defines the opening 3, is extended obliquely (downward and outward), and the sealing member 4a has a lip 4b along the periphery thereof, thereby to improve the sealing condition of the opening 3. In Figure 1, reference numeral 31 designates the upper edge of a side door panel.

As is apparent from the above description, the roof panel 20 constitutes a part of the roof side rail. The inner and outer end portions of the lower and upper side rails 21 and 22 are firmly joined to the inner and outer ends 20a and 20b of the roof panel, respectively, whereby the structure of the roof side rail 24 is in the shape of a closed box.

Accordingly, the strength and rigidity of the roof side rail 24 is remarkably improved when compared with those of the conventional roof side rail shown in Figure 3. Accordingly, the rail 28 can support a heavier load. Thus, even if the area of the opening 3 is increased, i.e. even if the area of the slide roof member 4 is increased with the result that its weight is also increased, the slide roof member 4 can be positively supported thereby. As is apparent from the above description, this effect can be obtained without increasing the number of components of the roof side rail and accordingly the weight thereof.

Furthermore, as the molding member 30 is provided along the periphery of the opening 3, the inner end portion of the roof panel 20 is not in contact with the sealing member of the slide roof member. Accordingly, even if the opening is repeatedly opened and closed, the coating of the roof member will never be worn, and accordingly no rust is produced.

Claims

1. In a sliding roof device for a vehicle in which an opening is formed in the roof of said vehicle, and the opening is opened and closed with a slide roof member, the improvement comprising a roof structure in which upper and lower roof side rails are joined together to a part of a roof panel located at the sides of the opening at the inner and outer ends thereof as viewed in the widthwise direction of said vehicle.

2. A roof structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said roof panel, upper side rail and lower side rail are extended together inwardly and outwardly respectively in the widthwise direction of the vehicle, and are joined together at the respective ends by being overlapped each other.

3. A roof structure as claimed in claim 1, in which a recess is provided at the inner end of said roof panel adjacent to said opening in such a manner as to surround said opening, a molding member is fitted in said recess, and a sealing member fitted over the periphery of the slide roof is brought in contact with said molding member to seal said opening when said slide roof is closed.

4. A roof structure as claimed in claim 3, in which an inner wall of said molding member, which defines said opening, is slanted downwardly and outwardly, and said sealing member has a lip at the periphery thereof.

5. A roof structure as claimed in claim 1, in which a frame is inwardly extended in the width direction of the vehicle from said lower side rail, a guide rail for guiding said slide roof member is provided on said frame, and a partition board provided with a sealing member at its upper edge is arranged between said guide rail on said frame and a portion of said lower side rail erected at the inner side thereof, thereby to separate said guide rail from said roof side rails.

6. A vehicle roof structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.