GB2214875A

GB2214875A - Improvements in vehicle sun roofs

Info

Publication number: GB2214875A
Application number: GB8803311A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Holt Cropper
Original assignee: TKD IND Ltd
Current assignee: TKD IND Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-12
Filing date: 1988-02-12
Publication date: 1989-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-12
Also published as: GB8803311D0; GB2214875B

Abstract

A vehicle sun roof comprises an outer frame (3) which is adapted to be fitted into an aperture in the roof (1) of a vehicle having a hard head liner (2). The outer frame (3) is then clamped to the vehicle roof (1) around the periphery of the aperture by a clamping sub-frame (6) and a trim strip is fitted to the frame (3) and has an edge region (11) which to engage the hard head liner (2). The trim strip has a mapr portion (12) for covering and concealing the outer frame (3) and clamping frame (6) and is provided with an arcuate portion (14) which defines an arcuate channel and an L-shaped section (15) which clips over the end of an arcuate rib (17) provided on the outer frame (3) whereby the trim strip can be clipped in place and maintained in position without the need for additional clamping means. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE SUN ROOFS This invention relates to improvements in vehicle sun roofs and is particularly concerned with sun roofs which are adjusted to be fitted into motor vehicles having a so-called "hard" head lining by which is meant a liner for the roof which is comparatively rigid and only slightly if at all flexible.

When a motor vehicle is fitted with a soft flexible roof lining, the lining material can readily be fitted to the frame of a sun roof by means, for example, of a resilient trim strip of the type disclosed in British Patent specification No. 2129477. Such an arrangement is not, however, possible in a vehicle having a hard liner.

One attempt at solving the problem is disclosed in British Patent specification No. 2142883 in which a support member made of resilient material is fitted to the frame of the sun roof and has a top which is adjusted to engage with a hard head liner of the vehicle roof. This prior arrangement calls for the use of a strip of trimming fabric to conceal the frame and support member. This makes assembly and fitting of a sun roof into an aperture in a vehicle roof complicated and expensive.

The present invention aims to provide a sun roof, which is adapted to be fitted in the roof of a vehicle having a hard head liner, with a trim which is cheap to produce and easy to install.

According to the invention, there is provided a vehicle sun roof comprising an outer frame adapted to be fitted in an aperture in the roof of a vehicle having a hard head liner and to be clamped by clamping means to the roof around the periphery of said aperture, wherein E trim strip is adapted to be fitted to said frame to engage the hard head liner around the edge region defining an aperture therein for accommodating the frame and to cover said frame and clamping means; sad trim strip being adapted to be clipped in place by engagement with engaging means provided on the frame and to be maintained in position without the need for additional clamping means. The trim strip should desirably be made of a material having only slight resilience.

Preferably, the clamping means comprise a sub frame which is adapted to engage the edge region of the vehicle roof defining the aperture therein on the lower surface thereof, the outer frame being adapted to engage said edge region on the upper surface of the vehicle roof and means being provided to clamp and hold the outer frame and clamping sub frame together, which means may take the form of screws or other similar fastening members.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer frame is provided with an upstanding rib extending around its inner periphery and the trim strip has a channel portion which is adapted to be clipped over said rib whereby tbe trim strip is held securely in a position in which it engages the hard head liner of the vehicle and covers the frame so that said frame is not visible from within the vehicle.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a trim strip for use in a vehicle sun roof according to the invention; Fig 2 is a section taken on the line II-II in Fig 1 in the direction of the arrows and to an enlarged scale; and Fig 3 is a cross-section through part of a vehicle sun roof according to the invention fitted with the trim strip shown in Figs 1 and 2.

Reference will first be made to Fig 3 of the drawings in which the vehicle sun roof comprises an outer frame 3 which is adapted to be fitted into an opening or aperture cut into a vehicle roof part 1 of which is shown in Fig 3. The vehicle has a hard head liner 2 and an aperture, corresponding to the aperture in the roof 1, is also cut into the head liner 2.

The outer frame has an upper flange 4 which overlaps the edges of the roof opening. The outer frame is further provided, in its upper region, with a channel 5 which is adapted to receive a sealing ring or gasket (not shown) of resilient material such as rubber or polyurethane to provide a seal and support for a closure panel of the sun roof. The closure panel, which is not shown in the drawings, may be hingedly connected to the frame in any suitable manner and is desirably provided with a suitable latch mechanism.

Reference should be made to British Patent Specification No. 2129477 for details of hinges and latch mechanisms which are suitable for use in the sun roof according to the present invention.

The outer frame is secured in place in the vehicle roof opening by means of a lower clamp frame 6 which has a flange 7 arranged to engage the underneath surface of the vehicle roof 1, the roof 1 being clamped between the flanges 4 and 7 respectively on the outer frame 3 and clamp frame 6 when said frames are secured together. The frames may be secured together by any suitable fastening means such as screws or the like (not shown). A rib 8 on the clamp frame 6 engages a surface 9 on the outer frame 3 to ensure that the two frames adopt a correct and desired positional relationship to one another.The surface 9 terminates at a shoulder 10 on the frame 3 which shoulder is spaced from the end of the rib 8 as shown in Fig 3 Once the outer frame 3 and clamp frame 6 have been fixed in position in the roof opening as shown in Fig 3 of the drawings, a trim strip is fitted. As shown in Fig 1 and 2, the trim strip is substantially rectangular with rounded corners and its dimensions correspond substantially to those of the outer frame 3.

The strip has an edge region 11 which is adapted to engage the hard head liner 2 around the edges of the opening cut therein as well as a main portion 12 which is arranged to cover the clamp frame 6 and outer frame 3 when the trim strip is fitted in position as shown in Fig 3. A stiffening rib 13 is provided in the main portion 12 of the trim strip and this rib is receivable in the gap between the end of the rib 8 of the sub frame and the shoulder 10 on the outer frame.

The inner periphery of the trim strip is provided with an arcuate portion 14 to conform with an arcuate rib 17 on the outer frame 3 and an L-shaped section 15 which is arranged to clip over the end of the arcuate rib 17 whereby the trim strip is held securely in position by means of its engagement with the rib. No additional fastening means such as clips are necessary.

The vertical limb 16 of the L-shaped section of the trim strip extends upwardly almost to an inner peripheral flange 18 of the outer frame 3.

The trim strip is further provided with an enlarged region 19 to accommodate part of the latch mechanism of the sun roof.

It has been found that by using the trim strip according to the invention, an opening can be cut in a vehicle roof and in the hard head liner in a single cutting operation. This has not been possible before and prior sun roofs have required that first an opening be cut in the vehicle roof followed by a further cutting operation to form an opening in the hard head liner.

Moreover, the trim strip according to the invention can be easily fitted without the use of additional fastening means such as clips thereby making installation quick and easy and reducing costs. The trim strip is preferably made as a polystyrene moulding although other materials and manufacturing methods may be employed if desired.

The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment but modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the rib 13 may be omitted if desired.

Claims

1. A vehicle sun roof comprising an outer frame adapted to be fitted in an aperture in the roof of a vehicle having a hard head liner and to be clamped by clamping means to the roof around the periphery of said aperture, wherein a trim strip is adapted to be fitted to said frame to engage the hard head liner around the region defining an aperture therein for accommodating the frame and to cover said frame and clamping Bea2$n said trim strip b@ adapted to be clipped in place by engagement with engaging means provided on the frame and to be maintained in position without the need for additional clamping means.

2. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 1, wh-ereim the trim strip is made of a material having only slight resilience

3. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 1 or charm 2, wherein the clamping means comprise a sub- frame which is adapted to engage the edge region of the vehicle roof defining the aperture therein on the lower surface.

thereof, the outer frame being adapted to engage sE2L" edge region on the upper surface of the vehicle rca--f and means being provided to clamp and hold the outer frame and clamping sub-frame together.

4. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 3, wherein the means for clamping and holding the outer frame and sub-frame together comprise screws or other like fastening members

5. A vehicle sun roof according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer frame is provided with an upstanding rib extending around its inner periphery and wherein the trim strip has a channel portion which is adapted to be clipped over said rib whereby the trim strip can be held securely in a position in which it engages the hard head liner of the vehicle and covers the frame so that said frame is not visible from within the vehicle.

6. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 5, wherein the trim strip consists of a major portion conforming substantially to the dimensions and shape of the outer frame, an edge region adapted to engage a hard head liner and extending from the peripheral outer edge of said major portion, and an arcuate portion extending from the peripheral inner edge of said major portion, the channel portion being provided in said arcuate portion.

7. A vehicle sun roof substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

7. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 6, wherein the major portion of the trim strip is provided with a stiffening rib.

8. A vehicle sun roof substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A vehicle sun roof comprising an outer frame adapted to be fitted in an aperture in the roof of a vehicle having a hard head liner and to be clamped ItL clamping means to the roof around the periphery of said aperture, the outer frame being provided with an upstanding rib extending around its inner periphery wherein a trim strip is adapted to be fitted to said frame to engage the hard head liner around the edwe region defining an aperture therein for accommodating the frame and to cover said frame and clamping meant said trim strip having a channel portion which rs adapted to be clipped over the upstanding rib on the frame whereby the trim strip can be held securely in a position in which it engages the hard head liner of I vehicle, without the need for additional clamping means, and covers the frame so that said frame is flat visible from within the vehicle.

2. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 1, wheres the trip strip is made of a material having only slight resilience.

3. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the clamping means comprise a sub-f raiir which is adapted to engage the edge region of tbe vehicle roof defining the aperture therein on the lower surface thereof, the outer frame being adapted to engage said edge region on the upper surface of the vehicle roof and means being provided to clamp and hold the outer frame and clamping sub-frame together.

4. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 3, wherein the means for clamping and holding the outer frame and sub-frame together comprise screws or other like fastening members.

5. A vehicle sun roof according to any preceding claim, wherein the trim strip consists of a major portion conforming substantially to the dimensions and shape of the outer frame, an edge region adapted to engage a hard head liner and extending from the peripheral outer edge of said major portion, and an arcuate portion extending from the peripheral inner edge of said major portion, the channel portion being provided in said arcuate portion.

6. A vehicle sun roof according to claim 5, wherein the major portion of the trim strip is provided with a stiffening rib.