GB2135727A

GB2135727A - Latch mechanism for vehicle sun roof

Info

Publication number: GB2135727A
Application number: GB08305470A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Brian Lievesley
Original assignee: Autoroofs Ltd
Current assignee: Autoroofs Ltd
Priority date: 1983-02-28
Filing date: 1983-02-28
Publication date: 1984-09-05
Also published as: GB8305470D0; GB2135727B

Abstract

A vehicle sun roof comprises a frame (2) adapted to be fitted on the roof of a vehicle, a roof panel (1), a pair of hinge assemblies for hingedly mounting the panel on the frame along one edge of the panel and a latch mechanism connected to the panel adjacent the edge remote from the hinge assemblies. The latch mechanism comprises a handle (38) which is pivotally connected at one end to a bracket (41) secured to the panel (1) by fixing caps (9), a link member (36) which is pivotally connected at one end to the other end of the handle (38) and a latch bracket (31) which is pivotally connected to the other end of the link member (36). The latch bracket 31 is secured to the frame (2) at a location remote from the hinge assemblies and the handle (38) is provided with a hook-shaped portion which is engageable with a protrusion (33) on the latch bracket (31) to hold the panel (1) in its closed position and which is releasable from the protrusion (33) on pivoting action of the handle (38) to allow the panel (1) to be moved to an open position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Latch mechanism for vehicle sun roof This invention relates to improvements in vehicle sun roofs and is particularly concerned with latch mechanisms for such sun roofs.

According to the invention, there is provided a latch mechanism for a vehicle sun roof having aframe adapted to be fitted in the roof of a vehicle, a roof panel, and at least one hinge assembly for hingedly mounting the panel on theframe,theframe consisting oftwo sections adapted to grip between them a vehicle roofaroundtheedgesofanapertureformed therein,the upper of said sections having an arcuate surface on its lower face and a beading of resilient material applied to its upper face, and the or each hinge assembly being provided with an arcuate leaf memberwhich is detachably engageablewith said arcuate surface of the upperfra me section, wherein the latch mechanism is secured to the frame at its side remote from the or each hinge assembly and comprises a handle pivotally connected at one end, either directly or indirectly, to the roof panel, a link member pivotally connected at one end to the other end ofthe handle and a latch bracket pivotallyconnected to the other endof the link member, said latch bracket being secured to the frame and the handle and latch bracket being provided with interengaging surfaces adapted to hold the panel in its closed position and being releasable on pivoting action ofthehandletoallowthe panel to be moved to an open position.

Preferably, the interengaging surfaces comprise a hook-shaped portion provided on the handle which is engageable with a protrusion of locally corresponding shape on the latch bracket.

The latch mechanism is preferably detachable in order to permitthe panel to be removed from the frame The invention will now befurtherdescribed, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. lisa plan view of a vehicle sun roof fitted with a latch mechanism according to the invention with part of the panel cutaway to showtheframe construction; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line ll-ll in Fig. 1 in the direction ofthe arrows showing the roof panel in the open position; Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of a latch bracket forming part of the latch mechanism according to the invention;; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a bracket adapted for mounting on the movable panel of the sun roof shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and forming part ofthe latch mechanism according to the invention; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic section, corresponding to Fig. 2, ofthe latch mechanism showing the relative positions of the various components ofthe latch mechanism afterthe roof panel has been moved to the closed position but before the latch mechanism has been moved to the locked position, certain compo nents being omitted in this figure for the sake of clarity; Figs. 6 and 7 are sections, corresponding to Fig. 5, showing the operating sequence in moving the latch mechanism to the locked position; and Fig. 8 is a section, corresponding to Fig. 2, showing the relative positions of the components of the latch mechanism when said mechanism has been moved from the locked position to a latch release position.

Referring to the drawings, the vehicle sun roof according to the invention comprises a panel 1 which is hingedly mounted on a frame 2. As shown more particularly in Fig. 2, the frame consists of an upper section 3 which is adapted to fit into and to overlap the edges of an aperture formed in a vehicle roof (not shown) and a lower section 4 adapted to engage with the uppersection 3 and the underside ofthe vehicle roof. The upper section is provided with a shallow channel to receive a seal 5 of resilient material and the vehicle roof is pressed against the seal 5 by an arm 6 of the lower section 4 of the frame. The lower section 4 is secured to the upper section 3 by a series of clamp screws the head 7 of one of which is shown in Fig. 2.

The two frame sections pivot against one another, underthe action ofthe clamp screws, to create a positive clamping action on the vehicle roof. Afterthe frame 2 has been fitted to the vehicle roof, the roof headlining (not shown) is drawn overthe lower section 4 and is fixed thereto by wrapping the edge of the headlining around the inner edge ofthe section 4 and by pressing a trim strip (not shown) of resilient material between the upper section 3 and the lower section4toholdtheheadlining in position. This is entirely conventional and will be cleartothose skilled in the art. The underside ofthefitted frame is completely hidden from view and the only visible parts are the hinge assemblies and latch mechanism.

Any suitable hinge assembly may be used but it is preferred to use the hinge assembly which forms the subject of British Patent Application No.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a pair of hinge assemblies are secured to the roof panel 1 by respective fixing caps 9 (only one cap 9 shown in Fig.

1).

A beading 11 of resilient material which serves as a seal forthe panel 1 when said panel is in its closed position is fitted to the upper frame section 3. For this purpose, the upperframe section 3 is provided on its upper surface with a pairofchannels 12 and 13 disposed respectively in faces 14 and 15 of the section which extend at right angles to one another. The beading has a pair of ribs 16 and 17 which are receivable, respectively, in the channels 12 and 13 whereby the beading is securely held in the upper frame section.

The lower surface of the upperframe section 3 is provided with an arcuate portion 18 which serves as a guide surface for an arcuate leaf member 25 of a hinge assembly. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a guide member 21 having an arcuate surface 22 which faces the arcuate surface 18 to form therewith an arcuate channel is positioned between the upper frame section 3 and the lower frame section 4. The guide member 21 is provided with a groove for engagement with a rib 20 on the lowerframesection 4 and with a recess 24 one face of which is adapted to engage a ribbed edge 19 of the lowerframe section 4 whereby the guide member 21 is securely held in place against the lowerframe section 4 as shown in Fig. 2.Aguide member 21 is provided for each of the hinge assemblies so that, in the case ofthe embodi ment shown in the drawings, two guide members are provided although only one is shown.

The trimming ofthe roof headlining is completed in the area ofthe hinge guides by tucking it into the small gap between the ribbed edge 19 of the lowerframe member4 and the recess 24 in the guide member21 where it is retained by a length of resilient material 39 pressed in afterthe headlining which is not shown.

Said length of material is initially round in crosssection and the gap is narrower at its entrythan inside so that if acts as a clawto complete the retention.

Each hinge assembly consists of an arcuate leaf member 25 which is secured to the roof panel 1 by means of a respective fixing cap 9. Reference should be made to Patent Application No. for a more detailed description of the construction and operation ofthe hinge assembly.

The panel 1 can be secured in the closed position shown in Fig. 1 or retained in the open position shown in Fig 2 by means of a single latch mechanism located adjacent to the rear edge of the panel. The latch mechanism comprises a latch bracket 31 which is secured to the upper section 3 of the frame by means of a pair of bolts (not shown) which pass through bores 32 in the latch bracket31 (Fig.3) and aligned bores in the arcuate portion 18 ofthe upperframe section 3 and engage in screw-threaded bores provided in a plate 30 which is located in the channel 13 in said upper frame section. Part ofthe lower frame section 4 is cut away in this region of the frame to accommodate the latch bracket 31.The latch bracket is provided with a protrusion 33 and two sets of ears 34 provided with bores for receiving pivot pins 35. The headlining istrapped between the underside ofthe upperframe and the latch bracket 31 around its edge.

Pivotally mounted on the pins 35 are a pair of toggle arms 36, said arms being made of a resilient plastics material and each having at one end a pairofarcuate arms or claws 37 which are adapted to grip between them the pivot pins 35. One of each of said pairs of arms 37 has a substantially planar surface facing the pivot pins 35 while the other arm of each pair is claw-shaped.Theotherend of each toggle arm 36 is provided with a bore which is adapted to receive a respective pivot pin 39. A handle 38 is pivotally mounted on the pivot pins 39.

The panel 1 is provided, adjacent to its rear edge, with a pair of bores in which fixing caps 8 are located.

A bracket 41 is secured to the underside ofthe panel 1 by means of screws 42 which pass through bores in the bracket 41 and engage in screw-threaded bores in shanks 43 ofthefixing caps 8 which extend through the bores in the panel 1. The said shanks 43 are desirably provided with serrations and extend into the bores in the bracket 41, said bores being provided with a similar series of serrations which are engageable with the serrations ofthe shanks 43 to prevent relative rotation between the fixing caps 8 and the bracket 41.

In addition, the bores are provided with stepped shoulders against which the heads ofthe bolts 42 abut with the interposition of washers 44. The bracket 41 and bolts 42 thus serve to hold the fixing caps 8 in position on the panel 1. Sealing washers 45 are provided on the fixing caps 8 and seat against the upper surface of the panel 1.

Shim washers 46, of a semi-resilient material, are packed, for adjustment purposes, between the panel 1 and the bracket 41. It is thus ensured thatthefixing caps 8 and bracket 41 can beheldsecurelyand adjustable on the panel withoutthe risk ofdamageto the panel and, atthesametime, preventtheingress of water from the outside upper surface ofthe panel.

As shown in Fig. 4, the bracket 41 is also provided with a pafr.-ofears4whtch are provided with bores adapted lornceive pivot pins 48. The handle 38 is pivotably mounted onthese pins. The handle 3i further provided witha hook-shaped portion 40 (Rgo 5) which is aaaptedto errgagewith the protrusion 33Of the latch bracket 31 in-mariflerto be hereinafter described. Inaddition,,thhadle 38 has a slot 51 through which a user'sfingermay be be put to grip a plate-shaped portion 52 ofThe--handle.

In the open position of the panel 1, as shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings, the end ofth-e ,laSshaped portion 52 ofthe handle 38 bears against the toggle arms 36 to restrict further over-centre movement In orderto ciosethe panel, it is necessarytb pullthe handle 38 in the direction ofthe arrow A in Fig.2 in orderforthe pivot pin 39 to move through an arc aboutthe pivot pins 35 afterwhich the panel can balowernd to the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings in which the sides ofthe panel 1 (not shown in Fig. 5) rest on the beading 11.

Further rotation ofthe handle 38 by means of the plate-shaped portion 52, in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, is effective to pull the panel 1 more firmly against the beading 11 until the position shown in Fig. 6 is reached in which the hook-shaped portion 40 on the handle 38 engages the protrusion 33 ofthe latch bracket 31. The panel 1 is now firmly held on the beading 11 in the closed position but the panel can be locked in this position by further rotational movement ofthe handle 38 to the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. In this position, the pivot pins 39 have again moved through the arc aboutthe pivot pins 35 that the latch mechanism is effectiveto hold the panel in the closed position by an over-centre action ofthe pivot pins 39,35 and 48.In addition, the protrusion 33 ofthe latch bracket 31 engages fully in a shallow detent in the hook-shaped portion 40 of the handle 38 to lockthe handle in position.

If it is desired to remove the panel 1 from the frame 2, the handle 38 mustfirstbe moved to a position approximately as shown in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings. The toggle arms 36 can then be pulled away from the pivot pins 35 whereby the resilience of the material from which the toggle arms is made will permitthe arms or claws 37 to be deformed andforced away from the pivot pins to free the toggle arms 36. This position is shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

There is only a short range of handle movement during which disengagement is practical. Ifthe panel 1 is lifted more than a littlefromthe position shown in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings, rotation ofthe handle 318,which is limited in the anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 by contact with the panel 1, is insufficient to allow withdrawal ofthe arms orclaws37 ofthetoggle arms 36from the pivot pins 35. Considerable raising of the panel 1 will carry the toggle arms 36 above the pivot pins 35, ultimately to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, to a point at which sufficient handle movement is availableto permit withdrawal of the arms or claws 37 from the pivot pins 35 butwithdrawal isthen obstructed by contactwith the main bodyofthe latch bracket 31.

The handle 38 shown in Figs. 2 and 8 is in fact the same handle as that shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the apparent differences arising solely because the handle has been drawn along differentsection lines in the two figures.

Once the latch mechanism has been released by disengaging the arms of claws 37 from the pivot pins 35, the panel 1 can be removed from the frame 2 simplybywithdrawingthearcuate leaf members 25 of the hinge assembliesfrom the arcuate channels on the opposite side ofthe frame in order to detach the panel from the frame.

When it isdesired to re-fitthe panel, the arcuate leaf members 25 of the hinge assemblies are first reinserted into the frame 2 in the manner described in PatentApplication No. after which the panel 1 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The arms or claws 37 are then located on the pivot pins 35 and can be forced onto said pins to re-connectthetogglearms 36 simply byclosing the handle 38.

Although only one latch mechanism has been shown in the drawings it is possible to provide two or even more latch mechanisms for greater security if desired.

The resilient beading 11 may, if desired, be provided on its upper surface with one or more ribs 10 to provide an effective seal forthe panel 1 when said panel is in its closed position.

The panel 1 is preferably made of transparent or translucent material but this is not essential and the panel may, if desired, be made of opaque material.

The invention is not restricted to the abovedescribed embodiment but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention. For example, if desired, a single toggle arm may be employed instead of a pair of arms as in the above-described example.

Claims

1. A latch mechanism for a vehicle sun roof having a frame adapted to be fitted in the roof of a vehicle, a roof panel and at least one hinge assembly for hingedly mounting the panel on the frame, wherein the latch mechanism comprises a handle adapted to be pivotally connected at one end, either directly or indirectly, to the roof panel ata location remotefrom the or each hinge assembly, a link member pivotally connected at one end to the other end of the handle and a latch bracket pivotallyconnectedtothe other end ofthe link member, said latch bracket being adapted to be secured to the frame at a location remote from the or each hinge assembly and the handle and latch bracket being provided with interengaging surfaces adapted to hold the panel in its closed position and being releasable on pivoting action of the handle to allowthe panel to be moved to an open position.

2. A latch mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the handle is connected to the panel and the latch bracket is secured to the frame at the side of the panel remote from the or each hinge assembly.

3. A latch mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the said interengaging surfaces comprise a hook-shaped portion provided on the handle which is engageable with a protrusion of locally corresponding shape on the latch bracket.

4. A latch mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the latch bracket is provided with a pair of pins on which a pair of toggle arms are respectively pivotally mounted, said toggle arms constituting said link member.

5. A latch mechanism according to claim 4, wherein each toggle arm is provided at one end with a pair of arms or claws adapted to grip between them a respective pivot pin, said arms or claws being detachable from the respective pivotpinsto permit the associated toggle arms to be disengaged from the latch bracket.

6. A latch mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the other end of each toggle arm is provided with a respective pivot pin on which the said other end ofthe handle is pivotally mounted.

7. A latch mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the handle is provided at said other end with a plate-shaped portion and with a slotthroughwhich a user's fingers may be put to grip said plate-shaped portion.

8. A latch mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the end of the plate-shaped portion ofthe handle is arranged to bear against the said toggle arms in the open position ofthe panel to hold said panel in the open position.

9. A latch mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein a bracket is mounted on the panel at said location remote from the or each hinge assembly and wherein the said one end ofthe handle is pivotally mounted on at least one pivot pin provided on said bracket.

10. A latch mechanism substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

11. A vehicle sun roof comprising a frame adapted to be fitted in the roof of a vehicle, a roof panel, at least one hinge assembly for hingedly mounting the panel on the frame and a latch mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

12. Avehicle sun roof according to claim 11, wherein the frame consists of two sections adapted to grip between them a vehicle roof around the edges of an aperture formed therein.

13. Avehicle sun roof according to claim 12, wherein the upper section of the frame has an arcuate surface on its lowerface and wherein the or each hinge assembly is provided with an arcuate leaf memberwhich is engageable with said arcuate surface.

14. Avehicle sun roof according to claim 13, wherein the arcuate leaf member of the or each hinge assembly is detachably engageable with the arcuate surface of the upper frame section and wherein the latch mechanism is detachable.

15. Avehicle sun roof substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

Superseded claims 1,3 New or amended claims:

1. A latch mechanism for a vehicle sun roof having a frame adapted to be fitted in the roof of a vehicle, a roof panel and at least one hinge assembly for hingedly mounting the panel on the frame, wherein the latch mechanism comprises a handle adapted to be pivotally connected at one end, either directly or indirectly, to the roof panel at a location remote from the or each hinge assembly, a link member pivotally connected atone end to the other end ofthe handle and a latch bracket pivotally connected to the other end ofthe link member, said latch bracket being adapted to be secured to the frame at a location remotefrom the or each hinge assembly and the handle and latch bracket being provided with interengaging surfaces adapted to hold the panel in its closed position and being releasable on pivoting action of the handleto allowthe panel to be movedto an open position, the said interengaging surfaces comprising a hcok-shaped portion provided onthe handle which is engageable with a protrusion of locally corresponding shape onthe latch bracket.