GB2122250A

GB2122250A - Spoiler roof

Info

Publication number: GB2122250A
Application number: GB08310254A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hiroshi Sakamoto
Original assignee: Webasto Werk W Baier GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Webasto Werk W Baier GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1982-04-16
Filing date: 1983-04-15
Publication date: 1984-01-11
Also published as: FR2525160B1; ES281022U; IT8320608A0; DE3311498A1; FR2525160A1; GB2122250B; ES281022Y; IT1212728B; GB8310254D0

Abstract

Spoiler roof (1) for a motor vehicle with a top (15) permitting the closing and at least partial opening of a roof opening (2). On either side of the front area of the top (13), front guiding elements (8) are provided, which are adjustably guided along guide rails (6), which are connected to a fixed part of the roof and are laterally arranged on the roof opening. Starting from a closed position and accompanied by the raising of its trailing edge, the top (13) can be brought into a sloping position and over the fixed part of the roof is rearwardly movable into an open position. The top (13) is pivotably supported on the front guiding elements (8). A tilting lever (15) is provided, which is on the one hand pivotably supported on a rear guiding element (9) adjustably guided along the guide rail (6) and is on the other hand articulated by its rear end (18) to the top (13). The tilting lever (15) or a transfer slide (7) displaceable along the guide rail (6) carries at least one link pin (16), which engages with a link guide (17) of the transfer member (7) or the tilting lever (15) for bringing about a pivoting movement of the top (13) or for its displacement in the direction of the guide rails (6). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Spoiler roof The invention relates to a spoiler roof.

Spoiler or lifting sliding roofs are particularly suitable for motor vehicles, in which the available height is limited and such as is particularly the case with relatively small vehicles which, in order to save energy, have a low cw-value (i.e. a low streamlined shape). However, problems arise with respect to the attainable opening width and/or the stability of the guidance of the top for spoiler roofs compared with ordinary sliding roofs or sliding lifting roofs with a top which can be slid back under the fixed roof skin.

The present invention provides a spoiler roof assembly for a motor vehicle adapted to close and at least partially open a roof opening and comprising a pair of guide rails for fixed location either side of the roof opening of a vehicle, a roof member, a respective pivot member slidably mounted on each guide rail and forming a forward pivot for the roof member by pivoting movement about which the trailing edge of the roof may be raised, a tilting lever pivotally connected to the roof member and pivotally and slidably mounted on one of the said guide rails whereby pivoting movement of the tilting lever on the guide rail elevates the trailing edge of the roof member, a transfer slide mounted for sliding movement along the said one guide rail, and means for cam engagement between the transfer slide and tilting lever causing pivoting movement of the tilting lever to eievate the trailing edge of the roof member from the closed position upon initial rearward movement of the transfer slide, further rearward movement of the transfer slide causing rearward sliding movement of the said forward pivot members and the pivotal, slidable mounting of the tilting lever on the guide rails to produce a rearward, roof opening movement of the roof member.

The invention includes a motor vehicle having a roof assembly as described herein.

The invention is illustrated by the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle provided with the spoiler roof according to the invention.

Figs. 2 to 4 are longitudinal sections through the spoiler roof along line Il-Il of Fici. 1 in three different operating positions.

Fig. 5 is a section along line V-V of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section along line VI--VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a section along line VIl-VIl of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 on a larger scale shows a partial section corresponding to Figs. 3 or 4.

Fig. 9 on a larger scale shows a partial view of a modified link arrangement.

Fig. 10 is a section corresponding to Fig. 2 for a modified embodiment of the spoiler roof.

Fig. 11 a section along line Xl-Xl of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 a section along line XlI-Xll of Fig. 10.

Fig. 1 3 a partial longitudinal section of a spoile roof corresponding to another modified embodiment.

As shown, a roof opening 2 is provided in the front area of roof 1 of a vehicle A. Roof opening 2 is surrounded by a cross-sectionally substantially L-shaped seal 3. Below roof 1, there is a roof frame 4, which upwardly bounds the passenger compartment of motor vehicle A. Downwardly from the roof opening 2, roof frame 4 is spaced from roof 1 and surrounds a frame opening 5 corresponding to roof opening 2.

Rectilinear guide rails 6 are mounted on the top portion of the roof frame 4 on either side of roof opening 2. In the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the guide rails 6 run substantially parallel to the roof opening 2. A transfer slide 7, as well as front and rear adjustable guide elements 8, 9 can be moved forwards and/or backwards along guide rails 6. The transfer slide 7 has a body 1 which is connected to a drive, for example an electric motor or a crank, by means of a driving member 10, e.g. in the form of a threaded cable, which is rigid in compression. Body 11 carries two laterally projecting sliding pieces 12, which engage with guide rails 6. Sliding pieces 12 and guiding elements 8, 9 are preferably sliding shoes made from plastic or a similar material and which in side view have a substantially elliptical configuration.They engage in the preferably channel-shaped guide rail 6 and are displaceable along the latter.

For the purpose of opening or closing roof opening 2, a rigid top 13 is provided, which is made for example from glass, plastic, sheet metal or the like, i.e. from a transparent, translucent or opaque material. In the closed position, the edge of top 13 engages with seal 3, whereby in particular the underside of the top presses against the upper surface of a lower part 3a of seal 3. Top 13 is supported on two facing top brackets 14 by means of fastenings 1 4a (only shown in Fig. 11).

Each of the top brackets 14 is articulated at its front end to the particular front guide element 1 8 and is rotatable about a transversely directed axis formed by a joint 21.

A tilting lever 1 5 is provided on either side of roof opening 2. Each of the tilting levers 1 5 is pivotably supported in its central area on the particular rear guiding element 19, whilst the rear end of the tilting lever is connected by means of a joint 1 8 to the associated top bracket 14. The transfer slide 7 and tilting lever 1 5 are in engagement with one another by means of a cam or link arrangement 16, 1 7 acting in the central area of the tilting lever.In the illustrated embodiment, the link arrangement includes front and rear link pins 1 6a, 1 6b of transfer slide 7, as well as front and rear link slots 1 7a, 1 7b in tilting lever 1 5. It is obvious that conversely link pins can be provided on the tilting lever and link slots in the transfer slide. The front link slot 1 7a, essentially formed in front of the pivot of tilting lever 1 5 constituted by guiding element 9, is rectilinear, whereas the rear link slot 1 7b, positioned behind the pivot of tilting lever 15 also has a front, linear portion, which is parallel to link slot 1 7a, as well as a downwardly bent portion connected thereto at the rear. The link pins 1 spa, 1 6b are substantially at the same height.When the top is closed (Fig. 2), the front link slot 1 7a and the straight portion of the rear link slot 1 7b are essentially at the same height. When the top is closed, as can be gathered from Fig. 2, the link pins 1 spa, 1 6b are substantially symmetrical with respect to the rear guiding element 9 forming the pivot for tilting lever 1 5. The link slot 1 7a and the straight portion of link slot 1 7b are located in the vicinity of the upper edge of tilting lever 1 5, whilst the bent portion of link slot 1 7b extends close to the lower edge of tilting lever 1 5.

If, starting from the position according to Fig.

3, in which top 13 is positioned above roof opening 2 and the trailing edge of the top is opened over the fixed roof skin for ventilation purposes, the transfer slide 7 is forwardly displaced by means of driving member 10, link pins 1 6a, 1 6b slide forwards in the link slits 1 7a, 1 7b. For as long as the link pin 1 6b passes through the bent rear portion of link slot 1 7b, tilting lever 1 5 is pivoted clockwise about the pivot formed by guiding element 9 in Fig. 3. This causes a pivoting movement of top bracket 14 about joint 21, so that the trailing edge of the top is moved downwards. The roof opening 2 is closed.In the represented movement sequence, the front link pin 1 6a presses against the upper edge of the front link slot 1 7a, whilst the rear link pin 1 6b presses onto the lower edge of the rear link slot 1 7b. The transfer slide 7 continues forwards, so that link pin 1 6b passes into the front, rectilinear portion of link slot 1 7b. As a result, top 13 is locked in the closed position.

During the forward movement of link pin 16a, 1 6b in link slot 17a, 17b,top 13 is prevented from a forward adjustment movement by an appropriate stop member or through the leading edge of said top bearing against a raised part 3b of seal 3 in the vicinity of the leading edge of roof opening 2.

However, if on starting from the position according to Fig. 2, the transfer slide 7 is moved rearwards via driving member 10, the link pins 1 spa, 1 6b move rearwards in the link slots 1 7a, 1 7b, so that firstly the top locking system is released. Tilting lever 1 5 is then pivoted counterelockwise about its pivot formed by guiding element 9 in Fig. 2. As a result, top bracket 14 is swung upwards about the axis of joint 21 and top 1 3 is tilted with its trailing edge, as shown in Fig. 3.Due to the fact that the distance between the link arrangement and the joint 1 8 connecting tilting lever 1 5 to top bracket 14 is smaller than the distance between the link arrangement and the guiding element 9 forming the pivot of tilting lever 15, it is ensured that joint 1 8 is raised a relatively long way, although the perpendicular spacing between the highest and lowest positions of link pins 1 6b in link slot 1 7b is relatively small. This has the advantage that the tilting open means of the spoiler roof only takes up a relatively small space in the perpendicular height, so that little head space is lost in the passenger compartment.

The front end of tilting lever 1 5 extends over the pivot (guiding element 9) of tilting lever 1 5 in the forwards direction and carries a guiding member 1 9 which, when tilting lever 1 5 is pivoted out of the position of Fig. 2 into that of Fig. 3, passes through a cutout 20 in the upper web of guide rail 6 and can then be displaced along the guide rail. Guiding member 19, in conjunction with guiding element 9 and guide rail 6 maintains tilting lever 1 5 in the position according to Figs. 3 and 4, so that top 13 is supported. However, if the top 13 is transferred from the tilted open position (Fig. 3) into the closed position (Fig. 2), guiding member 19 passes out of guide rail 6 via cutout 20.If, starting from the position of Fig. 2, the transfer slide 7 moves rearwards, guiding member 19 engages with a stop face 20a in the vicinity of cutout 20, so that a rearward displacement of top 13 is prevented. This ensures that during a rearward movement of transfer slide 7, the top 13 is tilted open, before it is carried rearwards by the transfer slide 7.

For as long as top 13 is aligned with roof opening 2, joint 21 supporting the top bracket 14 is located on the front guiding element 8 in front of the leading edge of roof opening 2. When the top 1 3 is then brought from the closed position of Fig. 2 into the opened position of Fig. 3, the leading edge of top 13 moves gradually upwards.

The leading edge of the top does not dip under the support plane thereof formed by the lower part 3a of seal 3. This ensures that during the opening movement of top 13, seal 3 is not exposed to undesired stresses. The stability of the overall arrangement is improved as a result of the relatively long lever arms through advancing the pivot of top bracket 14.

If, starting from the position according to Fig.

3, transfer slide 7 is moved further rearwards and carries with it top 13, through the engagement of link pins 1 6a, 1 6b on the rear ends of link slots 1 7a, 1 7b, guiding element 9 and guiding member 1 9 also running in guide rail 6, cooperate in order to keep the tilting lever 1 5 in the tilted open position. Top 13 can be brought into the open position according to Fig. 4 in this way and as a result a particularly rigid and robust arrangement is obtained. This is helped by the fact that the joint 1 8 between top bracket 14 and tilting lever 1 5 is positioned in such a way that it is below the trailing edge of roof opening 2, when the top is in the open position.

The inner end of the front link pin 1 6a projects inwards from body 11 of transfer slide 7, as can be seen in Figs. 5 and 6. A helical spring 22 extends from link pin 1 6a to a holding plate 31, which projects from the inside of tilting lever 15 in the rear area thereof. In the represented embodiment, spring 22 tensions the transfer slide 7 in a rearwards direction with respect to tilting lever 1 5. As a result, spring 22 presses link pins 1 Sa, 1 Sb against the rear ends of link slots 17a. 17b, when top 13 is opened. Thus, spring 22 helps to stabilize top 1 3 in the opened position.It takes up any tolerances which could have resulted from manufacturing imprecisions, particularly in the region of the link arrangement 16, 1 7. The front end of spring 22 can alternatively be fitted to the rear link pin 16b, or to body 11 of transfer slide 7.

The dog 23 is removably fitted to the inner end of the link pin 1 6a. A sliding guide 25 extends along guide rail 6 and is held by screws 24 which additionally secure guide rail 6 on roof frame 4. A sliding cover 27 is supported on sliding guide 25 by means of a fastening 26. As required, sliding cover 27 can be moved forwards or rearwards, in order to open or close the frame opening 5. If top 13 is moved rearwards by the transfer slide 7, dog 23 engages with the fastening 26. The sliding cover 27 is moved with it and frame opening 5 is opened at the same time as roof opening 2.

One end of a leaf spring 28 is fixed by rivets 29 or the like to the top bracket 14, whilst the other free end of the spring can be resiliently pressed against the top end of holding plate 31. Thus, when top 13 is open, the spring 28 tensions the latter and tilting lever 1 5 with respect to one another, which absorbs any tolerances..

Fig. 9 shows a modified embodiment, in which the link slot 17 is constituted by a groove and not by a through slot.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 10, 11 and 12, springs 22 and 28 are omitted, whilst there is also no sliding cover. Otherwise, the construction and operation of the spoiler roof corresponds to that of Figs. 2 to 8.

Fig. 13 shows another modified embodiment, in which in the closed position of top 13, joint 21 supporting top bracket 14 on the front guiding element 8 is positioned closely below the leading edge of roof opening 2. Thus, there is a minimum spacing between the leading edge of top 1 3 and the raised part 3b of seal 3, during the opening and lowering of top 13. This is e.g. advantageous for preventing the penetration of rain water, when travelling with the top open, whilst wind noise is also greatly reduced. Top bracket 1 5 is relatively short and the tilting lever 1 5 is directly connected to top 13 via joint 18.

The link arrangement comprises a single pin 16 and a single link slot 17, there being no component corresponding to guiding member 19.

In order to secure top 1 3 when it is in the open position, spring 22 is provided and extends from link pin 16 to a point on tilting lever 1 5 behind said pin 16 and maintains the latter in engagement with the rear end of link slot 17.

An advantage of the roofs specifically described above is that they take up a limited overall height but permit a relatively iarge opening width whilst the roof member is particularly reliably and securely guided.

The spoiler roofs shown can be particularly robustly constructed from a relatively small number of components. The swivel bearing of the roof member and tilting lever in conjunction with the link arrangement, by means of which the tilting lever and transfer slides engage with one another, leads to a compact and stable construction with limited vertical space requirements.

The double link guidance system forces the tilting lever to follow the adjusting movements of the transfer member in a very accurate manner.

Undesired shaking or fluttering movements of the sliding top, e.g. under the influence of wind forces acting thereon, are effectively prevented. The latter is further aided by a reciprocal resilient pretensioning between the transfer member and the tilting lever and/or between the top and tilting lever.

Claims

1. A spoiler roof assembly for a motor vehicle adapted to close and at least partially open a roof opening and comprising a pair of guide rails for fixed location either side of the roof opening of a vehicle, a roof member, a respective pivot member slidably mounted on each guide rail and forming a forward pivot for the roof member by pivoting movement about which the trailing edge of the roof may be raised, a tilting lever pivotally connected to the roof member and pivotally and slidably mounted on one of the said guide rails whereby pivoting movement of the tilting lever on the guide rail elevates the trailing edge of the roof member, a transfer slide mounted for sliding movement along the said one guide rail, and means for cam engagement between the transfer slide and tilting lever causing pivoting movement of the tilting lever to elevate the trailing edge of the roof member from the closed position upon initial rearward movement of the transfer slide, further rearward movement of the transfer slide causing rearward sliding movement of the said forward pivot members and the pivotal, slidable mounting of the tilting lever on the guide rails to produce a rearward, roof opening movement of the roof member.

2. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the distance between the connection of the tilting lever to the roof member and the point of cam engagement of the tilting lever to the transfer slide is substantially greater than the distance from said point of cam engagement to the pivoted sliding mounting of the tilting lever on the guide rail.

3. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the cam engagement between the tilting lever and the transfer slide is provided by one or more pins provided on the tilting lever or transfer slide engaging in a corresponding slot or slots in the transfer slide on tilting lever respectively.

4. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 3 wherein there are a pair of the said pins provided on the tilting lever or the transfer slide and engaged in a slot in the other of the tilting lever and transfer slide.

5. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the two said pins are located one forwardly and one rearwardly of the pivotal and sliding mount of the tilting lever on the guides rail.

6. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein each pin is located in a slot having a linear pbrtion which lies substantially parallel to the guide rails when the roof member is in the closed position.

7. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the slot in which the said pin engages is linear over the entire range of movement of the pin in the slot whilst the slot in which the other pin engages has a downward bend therein within the range of movement of the said pin.

8. A roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the transfer member and the tilting lever are resiliently pretensioned with respect to one another.

9. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 8 wherein a tension spring is provided between the transfer slide and a rearward portion of the tilting lever.

10. A roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the top member and the tilting lever are resiliently pretensioned relative to one another.

11. A roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is a like tilting lever, transfer slide and cam engagement means provided on each guide rail.

12. A roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a slidable iriterior cover member for closing and opening movement below said roof member.

13. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 12 wherein closing and opening movement of the roof member produces a corresponding movement of the interior cover member.

14. A roof assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, Figures 1 to 8 as modified by Figure 9, Figures 10 to 1 2 or Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A motor vehicle comprising a roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.

1 6. Spoiler roof for any motor vehicles with a top for the closing and at least partial opening of a roof opening and which in the front areas carries front guiding elements on either side, which are adjustably guided along guide rails connected to a fixed part of the roof and positioned laterally of the roof opening, whereby the top, starting from a closed position and accompanied by the raising of its trailing edge, can be brought into a sloping position and rearwards over the fixed part of the roof into an open position, characterised in that the top is pivotably supported on the front guiding elenients, that a tilting lever is provided, which is on the one hand pivotably supported on a rear guiding element adjustably guided along guide rail and on the other hand is articulated by its rear end to the top, and that the tilting lever or a transfer slide displaceable along the guide rail, carries at least one link pin, which is in engagement with a link guide of the transfer member or the tilting lever for bringing about a pivoting movement of the top and for its movement in the direction of the guide rails.

17. Sooiler roof according to Claim 16, characterised In that the distance between the link arrangement formed by the link pins and the link guide and the articulated connection between the tilting lever and the top is greater than the distance between the link arrangement and the rear guiding element.

18. Spoiler roof according to Claims 16 or 17, characterised in that the tilting lever or the transfer member carries a front and a rear link pin which is in engagement with a front or a rear link guide of the transfer member or the tilting lever.

19. Spoiler roof according to Claim 18, characterised in that the two link pins in all the relative positions of tilting lever and transfer member are located on different sides of the pivot of tilting lever with respect to the longitudinal axis of guide rail.

20. Spoiler roof according to Claims 1 8 or 19, characterised in that both link slots have a linear portion which, when the top is in the closed position, is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail.

21. Spoiler roof according to Claims 19 and 20, characterised in that one link slot is linear throughout and the other link slot is bent.

22. Spoiler roof according to any one of Claims 16 to 21, characterised in that the transfer member and the tilting lever are resiliently pretensioned with respect to one another.

23. Spoiler roof according to Claim 22, characterised in that a tension spring is provided, which on the one hand engages on the transfer slide and on the other on the rear area of tilting lever.

24. Spoiler roof according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the top and the tilting lever are resiliently pretensioned relative to one another.

25. Spoiler roof according to any one of Claims 1 6 to 24, characterised by a sliding cover for closing and opening, as required, a frame opening bounded by a roof frame.

26. Spoiler roof according to Claim 25, characterised in that the transfer slide has a dog for the automatic displacement of the sliding cover on sliding back the top.