GB2332179A

GB2332179A - A cover for an openable vehicle roof

Info

Publication number: GB2332179A
Application number: GB9826511A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Achim Lindmeir; Werner Paetz; Bernhard Harnischfeger
Original assignee: Webasto Systemkomponenten GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Webasto Systemkomponenten GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1997-12-09
Filing date: 1998-12-02
Publication date: 1999-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-02
Also published as: GB2332179B; GB9826511D0; DE19754403C1

Abstract

A cover for an openable vehicle roof has a cover panel (3) surrounded at least partly in the edge region (3A) by a frame (5) having a seal holder (5B) in which a holding part (6A) of a seal (6) surrounding the cover in the edge region (3A) can be secured. In order to improve the appearance and simplify the securing of the seal to the frame (5), the frame (5) surrounds the edge region (3A) of the cover panel (3) only in the lower part, while the part (7) remaining free arranged thereabove is contacted by a bearing surface (6F) of the seal (6).

Description

1 A COVER FOR AN OPENABLE VEHICLE ROOF 2332179 The invention relates to a

cover for an openable vehicle roof.

Typically, a cover for an openable vehicle roof has a cover panel surrounded at least partly in the edge region by a plastics frame having a seal holder in which a holding part of a seal surrounding the cover in the edge region can be secured. A cover of this kind is known, for example, from DE-C-3506009. In the embodiments shown there, the plastics frame is provided with either a horizontal undercut groove or a vertical groove for the insertion of the seal. The plastics frame extends at least over the is entire height of the glass cover panel and in most embodiments is even situated thereon. A cover of this kind is difficult to manufacture because of the production tolerances required. Such a cover also has the disadvantage from the point of view of its appearance as there is a multiple colour transition on the visible surface of the cover as a result of the juxtaposition from the outside to the inside of the seal, plastic frames and glass pane.

According to the present invention, there is provided cover for an openable vehicle roof, the cover comprising cover panel having a first side positioned externally of vehicle in use and a second side positioned internally of vehicle in use, a frame at least partly surrounding the edge of the cover panel, and a seal at least partly surrounding the edge of the cover, the frame having a seal 2 holder in which a holding part of the seal is secured, the frame surrounding the edge of the cover panel only towards the second side, the seal having a bearing surface which contacts the cover panel on or towards the first side.

The present invention provides a cover with a simple and more attractive edge region. The part of the cover panel which remains free above the frame is contacted at least partly by the bearing surface of the seal.

In the preferred embodiment, the fact that the seal overlaps part of the frame from the top results firstly in less stringent manufacturing tolerances and secondly in an advantage from the point of view of appearance, in that the is seal bears directly against the transparent cover panel, as a result of which only the seal and the cover panel can be seen from above and not the frame.

With respect to accommodating tolerances, the seal holder is particularly advantageously in the form of a substantially horizontal or lateral slot in the frame engaged by a rib of the holding part of the seal.

So that the seal is held firmly on the frame, the rib may be provided on at least one of its bearing surfaces relative to the walls of the slot with toothing inclined in the direction of insertion of the holding part. Toothing inclined in this manner means that only low forces are required for the insertion of the seal, while this toothing being inclined in the opposite direction to the direction 3 of removal provides increased resistance to removal of the seal.

The frame preferably surrounds the edge of the cover panel over approximately half of its height. A design of this kind provides a sufficiently firm connection between the cover panel and the frame. In addition, a free space into which the bearing surface of the seal can be inserted remains free above the surrounding part of the frame.

The holding part of the seal preferably comprises a relatively rigid material, and the cover preferably comprises a relatively flexible hollow chamber part laterally outwardly of the relatively rigid material. This results in particularly effective, tolerance-compensating sealing of the cover relative to the fixed vehicle roof, with simultaneously reduced driving forces and squeaking and creaking noises.

The holding part advantageously consists of a material with a Shore-A hardness of approximately 70, followed towards the outside by a hollow chamber part with a Shore-A hardness of approximately 45. The values can fluctuate within a range of approximately 10 around the specified values. Adapting the Shore hardness of the holding part and of the hollow chamber part in this manner results in particularly effective, tolerance-compensating sealing of the cover relative to the fixed vehicle roof, with simultaneously reduced driving forces and squeaking and creaking noises.

4 To improve the strength of the seal and the durability of the connection, a sheet metal reinforcement is advantageously integrated into the holding part of the seal.

The cover panel preferably consists in a manner known per se of glass. The cover panel is preferably provided in its edge region with an arcuate C-cut. A design of this kind for the contour of the cover allows firstly for a particularly intimate connection with the frame and secondly for an advantageous bearing contour for the bearing surface of the upper sealing lip of the seal.

is The cover panel is preferably transparent.

The frame may be plastics.

The holding part of the seal preferably consists of 2o EPDM (ethylenepropylene-diene rubber).

The hollow chamber part of the seal, where provided, preferably consists of EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber).

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal section through the front region of a cover; and, Fig. 2 is an enlarged representation of the edge region of the cover or the sealing region.

A roof opening is formed in a fixed vehicle roof 1 and can be closed or at least partly opened as required by means of a cover 2. The cover can be for example the cover of a tilting roof, a sliding roof, a sliding tilting roof, a tilting sliding roof or a lamella roof. The expression "transparent cover" also includes individual fixed or movable wind deflector plates.

is The cover 2 is made up of a transparent cover panel 3 and a plastics frame 5 injection moulded around at least part of the edge region thereof. A sheet metal insert 4 for the cover 2 which serves to reinforce and hold fixing parts simultaneously is integrated therein during the injection moulding operation. The cover panel 3, which may be in the form preferably of a glass pane or a transparent plastics cover, is provided at its external edge region 3A with an arcuate C-cut. A part SA of the plastics frame 5 bears laterally against this contour in the edge region 3A of the cover panel 3 in such a manner that it extends over approximately half the height of the cover panel 3. The plastics frame 5 is provided below the edge region of the cover panel 3 with a substantially horizontal seal holder 6 5B in the form of a circumferential slot which faces laterally outwards.

is A horizontally extending rib 6B of a holding part 6A of a seal 6 is inserted into the seal holder slot 5B. The rib 6B is slightly oversized relative to the upper and lower bearing surfaces of the seal holder 5B and is additionally preferably provided on its underside and/or on its top surface (not shown) with toothing 6C, preferably inclined in the direction of insertion of the rib 6B. The toothing 6C, consisting in this embodiment of three downwardly directed teeth, ensures that when the rib 6B is inserted, the teeth can be deformed accordingly as a result of the cavities arranged therebetween. The teeth of the toothing 6C furthermore provide resistance to the removal of the seal 6 as a result of the fact that they are inclined in the opposite direction to the direction of removal, thereby resulting in firm seating. In the embodiment shown, an upwardly bent sheet metal reinforcement 6D is embedded into the holding part 6A of the seal 6 in order to increase the strength thereof.

At its upper end, the holding part 6A of the seal 6 is provided with an upper lip 6E directed towards the cover panel 3, a bearing surface 6F of the upper lip 6E bearing against an upper part 7 of the arcuate C-cut of the cover panel 3. The lateral or horizontal length of this lip 6E corresponds to approximately a quarter to a third of the lateral length of the rib 6B, thereby ensuring that the bearing surface 6F bears firmly against the cover panel 3, even in the event of large tolerances of the rib 6B or slot 7 5B. The overlapping of the plastics frame 5 from above by means of the lip 6E ensures very effective sealing against the penetration of moisture and also results in an advantage from the point of view of appearance in that only the seal 6 and the glass pane or other cover panel 3 with any colour differences will be seen from above and not also the plastics frame 5 which may be yet another colour.

on the outside, the holding part 6A, consisting for example of ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) with a Shore-A hardness of approximately 70, is followed by a softer, more flexible hollow chamber part 6G, consisting for example of EPDM with a Shore-A hardness of approximately 45. The hollow chamber part 6G is surrounded from the outside and from above by means of flocking 6K, preferably consisting of black polyester flock. The cover panel 3 and the seal 6 are connected to the plastics frame 5 in such a manner that their top surfaces are substantially flush.

The hollow chamber 6H enclosed by the hollow chamber part 6G has a crosssectional shape which is approximately a half oval rounded towards the outside, a predetermined breaking point 6L being formed on the underside by means of the shape (for example a point) and/or weakening of the material. This ensures, in the case of a cover of a sliding tilting roof closing from the open position, that the seal 6 is not squeezed towards the outside if the cover 2 is incorrectly adjusted. The interface 6M between the holding part GA and the hollow chamber part 6G is preferably inclined slightly towards the top towards the 8 outside, as a result of which no bulge is formed and which further helps to prevent unpleasant creaking noises being produced by an opening cover becoming jammed on the front edge of the fixed vehicle roof 1.

A front lip 6N on the underside of the hollow chamber part 6G shown in Fig. 1 projects downwardly and forwards to serve for additional sealing of the closed cover 2 when travelling at high speeds during which the cover is pulled lo slightly upwards as a result of the prevailing negative pressure on the outside of the cover 2.

An embodiment of the present invention has been described with particular reference to the example illustrated. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made to the example described within the scope of the present invention.

is 9

Claims

A cover for an openable vehicle roof, the cover comprising a cover panel having a first side positioned externally of a vehicle in use and a second side positioned internally of a vehicle in use, a frame at least partly surrounding the edge of the cover panel, and a seal at least partly surrounding the edge of the cover, the frame having a seal holder in which a holding part of the seal is secured, the frame surrounding the edge of the cover panel only towards the second side, the seal having a bearing surface which contacts the cover panel on or towards the first side.
A cover according to claim 1, wherein the seal holder is a substantially lateral slot in the frame which is engaged by a rib of the holding part.
3. A cover according to claim 2, wherein the rib is provided on at least one bearing surface relative to the walls of the slot with at least one tooth inclined in the direction of insertion of the holding part.
4. A cover according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the bearing surface of the seal is formed on an upper lip of the seal, the lateral length of which is in the range of approximately a quarter to a third of the length of the rib of the holding part.
A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the frame surrounds the edge of the cover panel over approximately half of the height of the cover panel.
6. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the holding part of the seal comprises a relatively rigid material, and comprising a relatively flexible hollow chamber part laterally outwardly of the relatively rigid material.
7. A cover according to claim 6, wherein the relatively rigid material has a Shore hardness of approximately 70, and the hollow chamber part has a Shore hardness of approximately 45.
8. A cover according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the hollow chamber part is EPDM.
9. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a sheet metal reinforcement is integrated into the holding part of the seal.
10. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover panel is provided at its edge region with a C-cut.

11. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover panel is transparent.
11
12. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover panel is glass.
13. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, s wherein the frame is plastics.
14. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the holding part is EPM lo
15. A cover for an openable vehicle roof substantially in accordance with the example as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.