GB2186531A - Tilting and sliding vehicle roof assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

A roof panel (12) for closing an aperture in a vehicle fixed roof surface is mounted to permit tilting to raise the rear edge of the panel or depressing the said rear edge and sliding the panel back under the fixed roof surface by a direct manual sliding action; to prevent sliding of the panel when the rear edge is raised, cooperating first and second abutment means are provided by an apertured plate 23 and a height adjustable screw 21 associated with the front edge of panel 12 and the mounting means respectively which engage one another at least when the rear edge of the panel is fully raised, and are disengaged at least when the rear edge of the panel is fully depressed. The left and right hand sides of Figure 3 show slightly differing constructions of the first and second abutment means. The arrangement is intended to make allowance for height adjustment of the assembly when fitting into the fixed vehicle roof. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tilting and sliding vehicle roof assemblies The present invention relates to tilting and sliding vehicle roof assemblies and to vehicles incorporating such assemblies.

In particular, the invention relates to tilting and sliding vehicle roof assemblies of the kind having a roof panel for closing an aperture in a vehicle fixed roof surface and means mounting the roof panel so as to permit opening the roof aperture in use by tilting to raise the rear edge ofthe panel or at the users option by depressing the said rear edge and sliding the panel back under the fixed roof surface.

Roof assemblies ofthis kind often incorporate a drive mechanism which may be motorised and which typically employs cables rigid under compression to drive the roof panel both forthe tilting and for the sliding movement. However, for greater economy, it is possible to provide a roof assembly of this general type in which the roof panel is slid back under the fixed roofsurface directly by a manual sliding action by the user and not by the manual or motorised operation of a drive mechanism.

In a roof assembly of this last type, there is a dangerthatthe roof panel when tilted out may slide to some degree rearwardly due to vibration and the action of wind pressure so that itwill then notbein the correct position for closing but will abut against the outside of the fixed roof surface along its rear edge during closing.

Accordingly, the present invention includes an opening roofassemblyfor a motor vehicle comprising a roof panel for closing an aperture in a vehicle fixed roof surface and means mounting the roof panel so as to permit opening the roof aperture in use bytilting to raise the rear edge ofthe panel or by depressing the said rear edge and sliding the panel back under the fixed roof surface by a direct manual sliding action, wherein co-operating first and second abutment means are provided associated with the panel and the mounting means respectively so that the said abutment means engage one another at least when the rear edge of the panel is fully raised and so prevent sliding movement of the panel, and are disengaged at least when the rear edge of the panel is fully depressed.

Specification 1165505 E7B describes a mechanised roof assembly in which the roof panel is driven fortilting or sliding rearward movement by an appropriate drive mechanism driven by a hand-crank or motor. When the panel is swung out, the mechanism involving the hand-crank or motor and the drive cables and associated drive parts would hold the panel from sliding movement.

However, in retracting the panel from the swung out position,there would be a tendency for the panel to slide rearwardly instead of swinging back into the closed position. To prevent this, a pair of abutment means are associated fixedly respectively with the panel and with the mounting for the panel. These engage one another except when the rear edge of the panel is swung down which causes the front edge of the panel to lift slightly and thus separatesthe abutment means.

According to specification 1165505, the abutment means provided are simplyfixed stops. However, some adjustment of the height of the sliding roof panel is necessary upon installation in ordertotrim the height ofthe moveable panel to fit in flush with the fixed roof surface of the vehicle when the panel is in the closed position. The use of fixed stops as shown in specification 1165505 is then disadvantageous as the degree of tilt of the roof panel necessary in order to disengage it for rearward sliding movement is made unpredictable bythe height adjustment of the panel.

Accordingly, in a second aspect the present invention provides an opening roof assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a roof panel for closing an aperture in a vehicle fixed roof surface and means mounting the roof panel atanadjustableheightand so as to permit opening the roof aperture in use tilting to raise the rear edge of the panel or by depressing the said rear edge and sliding the panel back underthe fixed roof surface, wherein co-operating first and second abutment means are provided associated with the panel and the mounting means respectively such that said abutment means engage one another at ieast when therearedgeofthepanel isfully raised and so prevent sliding movement of the panel, and are disengaged at least when the rear edge ofthe panel is fully depressed, and wherein one or both said first and second abutment means is adjustabletovary the range of panel positions over which the said abutment means are engaged.

Preferably, the first abutment means is associated with the front edge region of the panel.

Preferably, the rear edge of the panel is raised and depressed by pivoting the panel about an axis lying rearwardly of the first abutment means.

There may be a single first and second abutment means provided. Preferably, this will be on the longitudinal mid-lineofthe roof panel.

More preferably however one or more sets of co-operating first and second abutment means may be provided on either side of the mid-line ofthe roof assembly.

Preferably, one of the first and second abutment means is constituted by a threaded peg adjustable axially by rotation in a threaded mounting for adjustment ofthe tilt position of the roof panel at which the first and second abutment means engage.

Suitably, the other of the first and second abutment means is a plate provided with a hole into which the peg is received.

Optionally, the first and second abutment means may be so arranged and shaped so asto provide a wedging action tending to force the roof panel forwardly as the first and second abutment means engage. By this means,the leading edge ofthe roof panel may be pressed against a suitable seal as the rear edge of the roof panel is raiSed,thus improving the sealing against draft and rain penetration ofthe front edge ofthe roof panel and helping particularly to reduce wind noise.

The invention includes a vehicle roof incorporating a roof assembly of the invention.

The invention also includes a motor vehicle incorporating such a roof assembly.

The invention will be illustrated by the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying dravvings in which Figure lisa perspective view of a roof assembly according to the present invention; Figure2 is an enlarged and cutaway perspective view ofthefront edge region of the roof panel of Figure 1 showing the tilting out control mechanism; Figure 3 is a sectional front elevation of the central front edge region of the panel of the roof assembly of Figure 1,showing on the right hand side of the Figure a first pair offirstand second abutment means and on the left hand side an alternative pair;; Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation on the longitudinal mid-lineofthe roof assembly and showingthetilting mechanism; and Figure 5 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 4.

As shown in Figure 1,a roof assembly 10 comprises an outer frame 11 mounting for sliding and tilting movement an outer roof panel 12. The outer roof panel 12 is mounted fortilting to raise the rear edge thereof by means including tilting open levers 13 driven to produce tilting movement by cables 17 running in cable guidesl4.Thetilting open mechanism iscontrolled bytheuserviaa hand wheel 15 (Figure 2) bearing a pinion 16 which engages with a threaded portion of the operating cable 17 in a rack and pinion manner.

The panel is also mountedforsliding movement longitudinallyoftheroofassemblyon slide pads running in guide rails 18 on either side ofthe assembly. The panel is slid along the rails 18simply by the user pulling the panel rearwardly.

The tilting ofthe roof panel occurs about an axis lying toward but behind the front edge of the roof panel and defined by the front slide pads ofthe assembly so that the front edge of the panel is depressed somewhat upon the rear edge being raised.

To prevent unwanted sliding movement ofthe panel with the rear edge raised, an anti-sliding lock is provided. This is best seen in Figures 3 and 4 and takes the form of a plate member 19 attached to the frame of the assembly and containing a pair of threaded upwardly protruding bosses 20 in each of which is received a threaded peg 21 provided at its upper end with a slotfor screwdriver engagement.

The pegs 21 cooperate with apertures 22 provided in a second plate member 23 attached to the roof panel.

As best seen in Figure 4, the leading edge of the panel 12 is covered bya rubbersealing member 24 overlying the upper and lower surface of the panel in the front edge region. Trapped between the lower part of the sealing member 24 and the panel 12 is a shaped metal carrier plate 25 which extends rearwardly between the sealing member 24 and the panel 12 and protrudes from the back of the sealing member 24 and, in section, then has a firstarm portion extending awayfromthe panel 12followed by a second arm portion extending almost parallel to the panel 12.The second arm portion has attached to its lower surface the second plate member 23 which thereby extends beneath the front edge region of the panel 12, parallel to the front edge ofthe panel 12 and in a plane which diverges somewhat in the rearward direction from the plane of the panel.

The second plate member 23 has a pair of apertures 22 and corresponding apertures 22a are provided in the carrier plate 25 above the apertures 22to allow free passage of the pegs 21.

The left hand side of Figure 3 shows an alternative construction in which, seen from the front of the roof panel, the second plate member 23 and the carrier plate 25 are both cranked upwardly toward the panel, the carrier plate 25 being cranked upwardly more steeply so that a clearance is produced between the carrier plate 25 and the second plate member 23 outsidethe central region thereofwhich allows passage of the peg 21 through the aperture 22.

By adjustment of the height of the pegs 21 by rotation thereof in the bosses 20, it may be arranged that the pegs 21 protrude into the apertures 22 when the panel is in the closed or in the outwardly tilted position but that the second plate member 23 is raised above the level ofthe pegs 21 when the rear edge of the panel is depressed preparatory to sliding movement. The forward internal edge of each aperture 22 and the forward external surface ofthe upper part of each peg 21 constitute first and second abutments which thus mutually engagewhen the panel is in the outwardlytilted position and prevent sliding movementofthe panel.

In a modification ofthe illustrated embodiment, the surface bounding the aperture 22 and/orthe outer surface of the or each peg 21 may be shaped as cooperating ramps or wedges tending to force the panel somewhatforward as the aperture 22 passes downwardly over the respective peg 21, thus serving to compress the sealing member 24 attached to the panel edge against the interior surface oftheframe.

Bythe use of the anti-sliding lock illustrated, the undesired sliding ofthe roof in the tilted open position is prevented even in the absence of any drive mechanism governing the sliding of the roof panel. Furthermore, the anti-sliding lock is easily adjustable to make allowance for adjustment of the height of the roof panel to blend in with the fixed roof surface of the vehicle during installation.

Whilstthe invention has been described with reference to particular characteristics of the illustrated embodiment, many variations and modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. An opening roof assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a roof panel for closing an aperture in a vehiclefixed roof surface and means mounting the roof panel so as to permit opening the roof aperture in use bytilting to raise the rear edge ofthe panel or by depressing the said rear edge and sliding the panel back under the fixed roofsurface by a direct manual sliding action, wherein co-operating first and second abutment means are provided associated with the panel and the mounting means respectively so that the said abutment means engage one another at leastwhen the rear edge of the panel is fully raised and so prevent sliding movementofthe panel, and are disengaged at leastwhen the rear edge of the panel is fully depressed.

2. An opening roof assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a roof panel for closing an aperture in a vehicle fixed roof surface and means mounting the roof panel at an adjustable height and so as to permit opening the roof aperture in use by tilting to raisethe rear edge of the panel or by depressing the said rear edge and sliding the panel back underthefixed roof surface, wherein co-operating first and second abutment means are provided associated with the panel and the mounting means respectively such that said abutment means engage one another at least when the rear edge ofthe panel is fully raised and so prevent sliding movement ofthe panel, and are disengaged at least when the rear edge ofthe panel isfully depressed, and wherein one or both said first and second abutment means is adjustable to vary the range of panel positions over which the said abutment means are engaged.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the first abutment means is associated with the front edge region ofthe panel.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rear edge ofthe panel is raised and depressed by pivoting the panel about an axis lying rearwardly of the first abutment means.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more sets of co-operating first and second abutment means are present on either side of the mid-line of the roof assembly.

6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one of the first and second abutment means is constituted by a threaded peg adjustable axially by rotation in a threaded mounting for adjustment of the tilt position of the roof panel at which the first and second abutment means engage.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the other ofthe first and second abutment means is a plate provided with a hole into which the peg is received.

8. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second abutment means are so arranged and shaped so asto provide a wedging action tending to force the roof panel forwardly as the first and second abutment means engage.

9. An opening roof assembly for a motor vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. Avehicle roof incorporating a roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.

11. A motor vehicle incorporating such a roof assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9.