GB2054031A - A power operated sliding roof for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The roof panel 4 is movable along guide rails on a frame 3 of a vehicle roof from a rearward open position to an intermediate position within a roof aperture, by means of an operating unit 5 including a telescopic linkage within a housing 9. The telescopic linkage consists of a flexible rod 6 and tubes 7 and 8 and is caused to extend and retract by an electric motor acting by way of a cable 14. Thrust rods 17 for operating devices for moving the rearward edge of the roof panel vertically are operated by levers which are caused to pivot when the telescopic assembly continues to extend following halting of the roof panel in its closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Power-operated sliding roof assembly for a vehicle This invention relates to a sliding roof assembly for a vehicle and which is of the type which includes a panel supported for movement along guides between a fully open position and an intermediate position in which the roof panel is in line with a roof opening, and from which the panel may be raised into a fully closed position within the roof opening.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sliding roof assembly of the above-mentioned type with a mechanism for moving the roof panel between its two positions which is cheap to manufacture, which can be installed easily in the frame of the sliding roof assembly during manufacture of the vehicle or subsequently which is capable of. moving the sliding roof panel at a high speed and which occupies the least possible installation space.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a sliding roof assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a panel supported for movement along guide rails between two longitudinally spaced positions and means for displacing the roof panel as aforesaid including a telescopic linkage. Such a linkage may be made cheaply and occupies the least possible space. The linkage may be arranged to be completely telescoped when the sliding roof panel is retracted into its fully closed position, so that it is possible as a result to provide a sliding roof assembly of relatively flat form because it is necessary to provide within the fixed frame of the roof only sufficient space for receiving the roof panel, the actuating mechanism following the panel as it slides and therefore occupying essentially the same space as the panel itself.

Advantageously, the telescopic linkage includes a plurality of components which may be extended successively out of a housing supported by a rear wall of the frame. The housing may penetrate partially into the space within the frame and may be angularly movable relative to the rear wall through the agency of a rubber bushing or the like.

Conveniently, the housing penetrates to about one half of its length into the space within the sliding roof frame. The rubber bushing may be received in an opening formed in the rear wall, conveniently in a portion pressed out from the plane of the wall.

Preferably, a single telescopic linkage is arranged in the vertical longitudinal plane which forms the central plane of the sliding roof panel, although of course it falls within the scope of the invention are there to be several such telescopic linkages spaced from this plane. An electric motor for extending and retracting the telescopic linkage, may be disposed immediately behind the rear wall of the frame or, alternatively, at a more remote location from where power is transmitted to the linkage by way of a teleflex cable. The linkage may include two or more rigid tubes, within the inner one of which is located a flexible rod capable of bending and following vertical movement of the roof panel. The flexible rod may therefore be joined to the rearward edge of the roof panel by a universal connection permitting relative adjustment about two mutually perpendicular axes.Devices for moving the rear edge of the roof panel vertically between the intermediate and fully closed positions may be operated by thrust rods which extend transversely of the roof panel and are connected to levers articulated to the telescopic linkage so that the rods are moved apart upon pivotal movement of the levers which takes place following engagement of the roof panel with the front end of the roof opening, the linkage being capable of further movement when this stage is reached.

The invention will now be described in greater detail but by way of example only with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a sliding roof assembly in accordance with the invention, showing a roof panel in its fully closed position, Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the roof panel in its fully opened position, and, Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan of the sliding roof assembly.

Referring to the drawings, the roof 2 of a motor vehicle includes a frame 3 having a rear wall 12 on which is provided guide rails not shown in the drawings but extending longitudinally of the roof, one on each side of an opening 1. A rigid panel 4 is arranged within the roof 2 and is provided with supports which engage with the guide rails and permit the roof panel to slide between a rearward fully opened position shown in Figure 2, and a forward intermediate position, from which the rearward end of the panel may be raised to bring the panel into a fully closed position blocking the roof opening as shown in Figure 1 by lifting devices associated with the supports. During opening, the panel is lowered into the intermediate position and made to slide into the fully open position.

In accordance with the present invention, the roof panel is moved between its forward and rearward positions by an actuating mechanism including a telescopic linkage indicated at 5 arranged in the central vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle roof. The linkage 5 comprises a tubular housing 9 mounted by means of a rubber grommet or plug 10 in an aperture 11 in a step 13 formed by pressing forward part of the rear wall 1 2. The housing projects to about half its length into the frame 3 through the wall 12 and is permitted a limited amount of angular movement.

Slidable within the housing 9 is an extensible telescopic linkage consisting of three concentric members 6, 7 and 8, the first of which is formed by a flexible rod and the others by rigid tubes.

The component of the telescopic linkage are successively extended and retracted, as required, by means of a teleflex cable 14 which extends into the housing 9 and is drivable in rotation by an electric drive motor arranged at a suitable position within the vehicle. A teleflex cable comprises a slotted housing through which extends a flexible core formed with a screw thread which engages a follower passing through the slot, so that upon rotation of the core the follower is moved in one or other direction axially of the cable depending upon the direction of rotation of the core.

The flexible rod 6 is connected at its forward end to the roof panel at a position near its rearward edge by way of a joint permitting adjustment of the panel relative to the rod 6 about a vertical axis 1 6 and a horizontal axis 1 5.

The devices for raising the rearward edge of the roof panel into its fully closed position are operated from the telescopic linkage 5 by way of thrust rods which extend transversely of the roof panel within suitable recesses, each thrust rod extending towards a respective longitudinal side of the roof panel and being connected with the lifting device disposed there, such that movement of the thrust rods away from each other actuates the devices so as to cause them to raise the roof panel, whereas movement of the thrust rods towards each other causes the devices to lower the roof panel. Extension and retraction of the thrust rods takes place under the action of two pivotal levers 1 8 which are connected to a bracket or the like 19 on the rod 6.When the linkage 5 is in its retracted position, the levers 1 8 extend obliquely forwards as shown in chain lines at the right hand side of Figure 3, and the thrust rods 1 7 pivoted to the levers 1 8 are in their retracted positions. The levers 1 8 remain in these positions as the roof panel is shifted forwardly. When the roof panel reaches its forward intermediate position, it strikes against the forward edge of the roof opening. At this instant the levers 1 8 still occupy the oblique positions shown in chain lines at the ieft hand side of Figure 3.The unit 5 is capable of further extension, and, because the roof panel is unable to move further forward, the levers 1 8 swing about their points of articulation to the bracket 1 9 as the latter continues to advance, until the bracket 19 and levers 18 occupy the positions shown at the left hand side of the Figure 3, in which the levers extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal central vertical plane of the roof.

As the levers 1 8 move into these positions, the thrust rods are moved apart to operate the lifting devices which raise the rearward edge of the roof panel into its fully closed position. As the roof panel rises, the rod 6 bends to follow the upward movement of the roof panel without special interconnecting devices being necessary. To permit the necessary lost motion to occur between the rod 6 and the roof panel, an arrangement may be provided for allowing the thrust connection between the rod and the roof panel to resile relative to the rod upon the roof panel being obstructed, or by arranging for the force needed to move the roof panel to be transmitted through the levers 18, the latter being held in the oblique positions shown by spring means which provides a force which exceeds the resistance to movement of the roof panel until the latter meets an obstruction.

Claims (11)

1. A sliding roof assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising a frame with guide rails along which a roof panel is movable between longitudinally spaced positions, and means for displacing the roof panel as aforesaid including a telescopic linkage.

2. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the telescopic linkage includes a plurality of telescopic components capable of being extended successively from a stationary housing.

3. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the housing projects through a rear wall of the frame, a part of the housing projecting into the interior of the frame, and the housing being capable of at least limited angular movement relative to the rear wall.

4. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the telescopic linkage is arranged in a plane which forms the vertical, longitudinal, central plane of the roof panel.

5. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, including an electric motor for extending the telescopic linkage.

6. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in Claim 5, including a teleflex cable for translating rotation of the motor into longitudinal movement of the telescopic linkage.

7. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the telescopic linkage is capable of extending by an amount greater than the maximum distance by which the roof panel is capable of moving.

8. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at least one of the components of the telescopic linkage is flexible.

9. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the flexible component is connected to the rear edge of the roof panel for adjustment relative thereto about two mutually perpendicular axes.

10. A sliding roof assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein devices for moving the rearward edge of the roof panel vertically are actuable by thrust rods extending transversely of the roof panel and arranged to be extended and retracted by levers pivoted to the thrust rods and to the telescopic linkage, the levers being arranged to extend obliquely forward when the linkage is in its retracted position, and to pivot into transversely extending positions following obstruction of movement of the roof panel.

11. A sliding roof assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with a reference to and as illustrated in the drawings.