JP3014290B2 - Sunroof equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sunroof apparatus in which a slide panel is mounted on an opening provided in a roof of an automobile or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A sunroof apparatus is known in which a slide panel mounted in an opening formed in a part of a fixed roof of an automobile can be stored inside the fixed roof. In such a type of sunroof device, the outer surfaces of the fixed roof and the slide panel are generally formed as continuous surfaces when fully closed, and the inner peripheral edge of the opening and the outer surface of the slide panel are formed. Various technical devices have been devised to enable the slide panel to perform a sliding operation without causing mutual interference with the peripheral edge.

As a technique for ensuring smooth operation of the slide panel, a hook formed on a swing link constituting a lifting mechanism is provided on a cam which is movable as the slide panel is lowered by the lifting mechanism. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-270268 discloses a structure in which the sliding panel is engaged with the regulating plate so as to prevent the slide panel from rattling in the front-rear direction.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-319100 discloses that
A back-and-forth elevating mechanism is provided between the slide panel and the slider.
Provide a front elevating body that moves with the slider during the panel elevating operation between the body and the timing cam, which connects the timing member to the front elevating body and selectively engages the guide rail and the timing member. When the slide panel is in the closed position, position regulating means for regulating the forward and backward movement of the timing member is provided between the interlocking body and the timing member. A configuration is disclosed in which an interlocking means for interlocking the timing member with the slider is provided between the slider and the timing member until the slider is lowered, so that the slide panel can be moved up and down and slid in a substantially horizontal posture.

[0005]

However, with the former technique, it is not possible to suppress rattling during the lifting and lowering of the slide panel, and with the latter technique, the timing member moves back and forth when the slide panel is in the closed position. The position control means must be provided between the interlocking body and the timing member, and the position control means is released by the rearward movement of the slider, and the timing member is interlocked with the slider until the slide panel is lowered. Since the means must be provided between the slider and the timing member, the structure is complicated, the number of parts is increased, and the number of assembling steps tends to increase.

[0006] The present invention has been devised to solve such disadvantages of the prior art, and its main objects are as follows.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sunroof device capable of further smoothing up / down movement and forward / backward movement of a slide panel without complicating the structure and increasing the number of parts.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Such an object is achieved by the present invention.
According to Ming, car roof1Opening formed in2And the
Guide rails extending in the front-rear direction on both sides of the opening4
And a front slider that slides on the guide rail.17And after
Part slider24And the front side is connected to the front slider.
Slide panel3And the rear side of the slide panel and the
A rear end of the slide panel provided between the rear sliders
And move the slide panel up and down
Elevating drive mechanism that applies rearward traction19And having
The lifting drive mechanism comprises a vertical component
And components before and afterAnd its front and rear ends are virtually closedNo.
1 cam groove23ToPreparationAnd it is integral with the rear slider.
Movable cam member20And a direction generally opposite to the first cam groove.
Inclined toAt the endopenedSecond cam groove25ToPreparationAnd
Fixed cam member integral with the guide rail21When,
One end on the back side of the slide panel18aPivot and before
For movable cam membersAt the position in front of the first cam groove at
Formed longitudinal hole22To the other end18bThe pivot
Link member18And the first cam groove and the second cam groove.
Provided at a substantially intermediate portion of the link member so as to engage with the groove.
EngagementPin 26And when the slide panel is closed
And during the lift-down operation, the first cam groove and the second
With two cam groovesThe engagement pins are engaged simultaneouslyIn front of the car body
The engagement in the rearward and vertical directionsPin movement ahead
Restrained by the first and second cam grooves,The slide
When the panel is moved back and forth, the second cam groove
EngagementpinShould be able to come off
Is achieved.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF] According to this configuration, in the lift-down stroke from the closed position of the sliding panel, the engagement pin of the lifting links
The cam is surrounded by the cam groove of the movable cam member and the cam groove of the fixed cam member in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction of the vehicle body. During the forward and backward movement of the slide panel, the engagement pin of the link member is
To be restrained in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and restrained in the vertical direction by the guide groove of the guide rail. Therefore, the engagement pin of the link member is always restrained in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction of the vehicle body during the movement of the slide panel as well as during the stop of the slide panel. The rattling can be suppressed without complicating the structure.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of an automobile roof to which the present invention is applied. The fixed roof 1 is formed with an opening 2 which is substantially rectangular and has a long side in the vehicle width direction.
The opening 2 can be complementarily closed by a slide panel 3 made of, for example, a sheet glass. The slide panel 3 is opened and closed by driving a push-pull cable, which will be described later, with a motor equipped with a speed reducer. Since the members constituting the present invention are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the center line of the vehicle in the front-rear direction, hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship is based on the center of the vehicle compartment. explain.

A pair of guide rails 4 made of a drawn material of an aluminum alloy are provided at both sides of the opening 2 on the inner surface of the fixed roof 1 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. As shown in FIG. 5, the guide rail 4 has a substantially flat base portion 5, a T-shaped portion 6 erected on an inner portion on the upper surface of the base portion 5, and an inward flange on the upper surface. 7
And a C-shaped portion 8 erected outside the T-shaped portion 6
And a groove portion 9 formed adjacent to the outside of the C-shaped portion 8, and is fixed to a stiffener 10 fixed to the inner surface of the fixed roof 1.

A first guide groove 11 is formed between the inner edge of the T-shaped portion 6 of the guide rail 4 and the upper surface of the base portion. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front end of the first guide groove 11 is connected to a front cam member 13 having a cam groove 12 rising upward. A second guide groove 14 is formed between the outer edge of the T-shaped portion 6 and the upper surface of the base portion, and a third guide groove 15 is formed between the inward flange 7 and the upper surface of the base portion.
Is formed. And the channel part 9 functions as a drainage channel.

A pair of stays 16 extending in the front-rear direction are fixed to both left and right ends of the inner surface of the slide panel 3. At the front end of the stay 16, a front slider 17 that slides on the first guide groove 11 of the guide rail 4 is mounted, and at the rear end, one end of a link member 18 that constitutes a part of a lifting mechanism described later. 18a is pivoted.

The elevating mechanism 19 includes a movable cam member 20 movable back and forth along the second guide groove 14 and the third guide groove 15 of the guide rail 4, and a fixed cam member 21 fixed at a predetermined position on the guide rail 4. And the link member 18 described above.
It consists of And the other end 18b of the link member 18
Are engaged with a horizontal elongated hole 22 provided in the movable cam member 20.

The movable cam member 20 has an end on the bottom surface,
The cam groove 23 which rises vertically, curves appropriately, and extends obliquely upward and backward (corresponding to the first cam groove in claim 1).
Are formed, and a plurality of sliders 24 slidingly engaged with the second guide groove 14 and the third guide groove 15 .
(Corresponding to the rear slider) .

The fixed cam member 21 has an upper surface,
A cam groove 25 which is curved appropriately and extends obliquely downward and rearward after falling vertically (corresponding to the second cam groove in claim 1)
Are formed. The cam groove 25 of the fixed cam member 21
Is connected to the second guide groove 14 of the guide rail 4.

An engagement pin 26 is provided at an intermediate portion of the link member 18 so as to protrude in both left and right directions. Each end of the engaging pin 26 is connected to the movable cam member 20 and the fixed cam member 21.
Are engaged with the respective cam grooves 23 and 25. The engaging pin 26 may have a simple round bar shape, but it is preferable to provide a cam follower 27 made of a rotating roller at a portion to be engaged with the second guide groove 14.

On the other hand, the movable cam member 20 is
Push-pull cable connecting projection 2 protruding from the outer surface of
8 is inserted, and a push-pull cable 29 having a distal end fixed to the connecting projection 28 is inserted therethrough.
By driving the push-pull cable 29 by a motor with a speed reducer (not shown), the movable cam member 20 is driven in the front-rear direction.

Next, the operation of the apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. First, slide panel 3
From the closed state (see FIGS. 3 and 8) to the lift-down completed state (see FIG. 10), the engaging pin 26 of the link member 18 is engaged with the cam groove 23 of the movable cam member 20 and the cam of the fixed cam member 20. The groove 25 keeps the vehicle body always enclosed in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction both during stop and during operation. Therefore, when the push-pull cable 29 is pulled, the link member 18 is moved to the two cam grooves 23.2.
The tilting operation is performed without rattling while being restrained by 5. As a result, the slide panel 3 moves the front slider 17
With the fulcrum as a fulcrum, the rear end is tilted downward.

When the link member 18 becomes horizontal, the engagement pin 26 comes to a position corresponding to the second guide groove 14 while being restrained in the front-rear direction by the cam groove 23 of the movable cam member 20. Therefore, when the push-pull cable 29 is further pulled, the front slider 17 moves downward along the cam groove 12 connected to the front end of the first guide groove 11, and at the same time, the engagement pin 26 enters the second guide groove 14. Therefore, the slide panel 3 retreats while lowering its front end. At this time, the slider 24 slides into the second and third guide grooves 14 and 15 to restrict the vertical movement of the movable cam member 20, and the engaging pin 26 of the link member 18 The vertical position of the cam groove 23 is engaged and the position in the front-rear direction is restricted. Thereby, high coupling rigidity between the movable cam member 20 and the link member 18 pulled by the push-pull cable 29 is obtained, and thus the operation smoothness of the slide panel 3 is enhanced.

When the push-pull cable 29 is pressed, the slide panel 3 is turned upside down, that is, after moving forward, to close the opening.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, rattling during operation of the slide panel can be suppressed without complicating the structure of the lifting drive mechanism. Further, since the number of parts is significantly reduced as compared with the conventional rattling prevention mechanism, a great effect can be achieved in reducing the number of assembly steps.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing an outline of an automobile roof to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a left portion of the device of the present invention when viewed from a driver's seat.

FIG. 3 is an inner side view of the right side of the device of the present invention when viewed from the driver's seat.

FIG. 4 is an inner side view of a right side portion of the apparatus of the present invention in a lift-down state.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a main part side view showing the operation progress of the lifting drive mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a main part side view showing the operation progress of the lifting drive mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a main part side view showing the operation progress of the lifting drive mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fixed roof 2 Opening 3 Slide panel 4 Guide rail 5 Base part 6 T-shaped part 7 Inward flange 8 C-shaped part 9 Groove part 10 Stiffener 11 First guide groove 12 Cam groove (at front end) 13 Front cam Member 14 Second guide groove 15 Third guide groove 16 Stay 17 Front slider 18 Link member 19 Lifting mechanism 20 Movable cam member 21 Fixed cam member 22 Horizontal elongated hole 23 Cam groove (of movable cam member) 24 Slider 25 Cam groove (Of the fixed cam member) 26 engaging pin 27 cam follower 28 connecting protrusion 29 push-pull cable

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An opening formed in a roof of an automobile, a guide rail extending longitudinally on both sides of the opening, a front slider and a rear slider sliding on the guide rail, and the front slider. A slide panel having a front side connected to the slide panel; and a lifting drive provided between the rear side of the slide panel and the rear slider for vertically moving a rear end of the slide panel and applying a traction force in the front-rear direction to the slide panel. a sunroof device and a mechanism, the lift drive mechanism, the vertical component and the longitudinal component Yes perilla of
Front and rear ends substantially with the movable cam member and includes a closed first cam groove forming the rear slider integral, inclined generally in the opposite direction and the first cam groove is a rear end opened
The second fixed cam member having a and the guide rail and integrally provided with a cam groove, the front of the said in the pivoted to and movable cam member one end on the side first cam groove after sliding panel A link member having the other end pivotally connected to the longitudinal hole formed at the position, and an engagement provided at a substantially intermediate portion of the link member to engage with the first cam groove and the second cam groove. A pin for closing the slide panel and operating the lift-down operation when the slide panel is engaged with the first cam groove and the second cam groove.
The pins are simultaneously engaged and the movement of the engaging pins in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the vehicle body is moved to the first and second cam grooves.
Therefore , the sunroof device is constrained so that the engaging pin is disengaged from the second cam groove when the slide panel is moved back and forth.