GB2047329A

GB2047329A - Lifting mechanism for an automobile sliding roof

Info

Publication number: GB2047329A
Application number: GB8000164A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Karosseriewerke Weinsberg GmbH
Current assignee: Karosseriewerke Weinsberg GmbH
Priority date: 1979-01-08
Filing date: 1980-01-03
Publication date: 1980-11-26
Also published as: IT1163743B; GB2040355A; IT7928179A0; FR2454923B3; FR2454923A1; GB2040355B; DE2900405A1

Abstract

A sliding roof 2 has levers 13 for lifting it into a fully closed position. Each lever is movable between a horizontal (roof lowered) position and a vertical (roof raised) position as a shaft 11 carrying the lever is pivoted under the action of a control rod 9. <IMAGE>

Description

1

GB 2 047 329 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Improved sliding roof mechanism

This invention relates to a mechanism for raising and lowering a sliding roof, particularly that 5 of an automobile.

The invention constitutes a modification of that described and claimed in the specification of our patent application No 7944155 (Serial No 2040355) filed 21 December 1979 the disclosure 10 of which is to be regarded as incorporated herein.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of 15 the underside of a sliding roof embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the upper face of the sliding roof,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III—III in 20 Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV—IV in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to Figure 4 initially, the motor vehicle incorporates a 25 box or cassette 6 having at its forward end a roof opening. A cover or roof member 1 having a frame 2 is slidable within the cassette from a rearward position in which the roof opening is unobscured to a forward intermediate position in which the 30 slideable roof member is aligned with the roof opening. With the slidable roof member in this intermediate position, at least the rearward end of the roof member is raised to bring the roof member into a fully closed position within the roof 35 opening.

The cassette 6 has a pair of guide rails 5 extending longitudinally of the vehicle, one on . each side of the roof opening. The frame 2 of the roof member is provided adjacent each of at least 40 its rearward corners with the lifting and guide mechanism shown most clearly in Figure 1. In the following, a single such mechanism will be described but it will be understood that the opposite corner of the frame 2 is equipped with a 45 similar mechanism.

This mechanism comprises a slide block 4 which engages a respective one of the guide rails 5 during sliding movement of the roof member from its fully open position to its intermediate 50 position. The slide block is carried on a support 3 having a portion which is rigidly secured to the frame 2 by means of a rivet. Two resilient tongues project from this portion and have their ends fitted within openings in the slide block. At least the 55 tongue 8 is arranged to co-operate with formations (not shown) in the guide rail 5 to enable the roof member to be secured in a partially open position.

In order to raise the roof member into its upper, 60 fully closed position, the mechanism includes a lifting lever 13 freely supported on a shaft 11 and having two lever arms 14 and 15. The shaft 11 is supported by at least one lever 12 pivoted on a shaft mounted in bearings on the frame 2 having

65 its axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle so that the shaft 11 may be swung between the two positions shown in Figure 3. The arm 14 of the lever 13 has a somewhat bulbous profile in cross-section whereas the lever arm 15 has a narrower 70 cross-section, as shown in Figure 4. The lever is acted upon by a blade portion 16 of a leafspring 20 which is secured at its end remote from the lever 15 to the frame 2 by means of a rivet 32. The leafspring passes through slits 31 formed in 75 the frame 2, the metal in the region 30 between the slits being pressed downwards to form a retainer 29. A portion of the retainer is pressed upwards to form a beading 35 which bears against the spring and serves as a knife-edge 80 rocker support for the latter.

The lever 13 occupies an almost horizontal position when its shaft 11 is in the position shown hatched in Figure 3. In this position of the lever, the roof member 1 is positioned to slide along the 85 guideway 5 between the fully open position and the intermediate position. The spring blade portion 16 is curved in an arc eccentric to the axis 18 of rotation of the lever 12. The spring blade portion 16 bears against the underside of the lever arm 14 90 and, by virtue of the connection between the spring blade portion 16 and 17 at their lower ends 19, the blade portion 16 is pre-stressed so as to tend to urge the lever 13 towards a substantially vertical position. Consequently, when the rod 9 is 95 drawn towards the centre of the roof (that is,

towards the right in Figure 1), the shaft 11 swings from the position shown in hatched and solid lines in Figure 3 into the position in chain line, and the lever 13 moves from the position shown in dashed 100 lines in figure 4, through the position shown hatched and into the position outlined in a solid line in that figure in which the end 15 of the lever 13 engages a retaining member 26 on the guide rail 5. During this movement the roof member is 105 raised into and held in its fully closed position.

When the rod 9 is moved in the opposite direction, the lever pivots in the opposite direction.

The blade portion 17 has concavely curved detent portions 21,22 opposite detent portions 110 23, 24 in the tongue 8. The blade portion 17 and tongue 8 thus act on the shaft 11, the blade portion 17 counteracting the force applied to it by the tongue 8.

Apart from the arrangement of the spring 20, 115 the embodiment described above corresponds to that described in the specification of our copending application No 7944155 (Serial No 2040355) filed 21 December 1979, to which reference should be made.

120 CLAIMS

1. A rigid sliding roof especially for an automobile including lifting mechanisms each comprising a two-armed lever freely pivoted on a shaft movable by a control device about a pivot 125 axis on the frame of the sliding roof, the lever being acted upon by a leaf spring supported on the said frame and engaging an arm of the lever.

Claims

GB 2 047 329 A

2, but with the exception of the lever being arranged as disclosed in the co-pending application referred to herein.
2. A sliding roof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.
3. A sliding roof as claimed in claim 1 or claim

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1980. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1 AY, (rom which copies may be obtained.