Patent ID: 7360828
Filing Date: 2008-04-22
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
1. A retractable roof system for a motor vehicle including a vehicle structure and having a front end and a rear end, the retractable roof system comprising at least a front roof panel and a rear roof panel which are movable in relation to each other along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle between: a flush position in which the roof panels are placed substantially at the same level as each other, the front roof panel thus being located in front of the rear roof panel, along said longitudinal direction; and, an off-set position in an upward direction in which the roof panels are placed at least partially one above the other; one of the front and rear roof panels bearing a group of front levers and a group of articulated rear levers, so as to tip over between: a low position in which said one of the front and rear panels is substantially flush with a surround part of the vehicle structure, and a high position in which said one of the front and rear panels is off-set in an upward direction in relation to the level of its flush position; wherein: said front and rear group of levers are pivotally mounted in relation to said roof panel which bears them; at least one of said front and rear roof panels comprises driving means for driving the lever groups and one of said roof panels, together: the lever groups engage, under the control of the driving means, guides extending essentially substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction, said guides being adapted for: the guides comprise runners provided with first grooves in which the lever groups slide, the runners locally having deflected slips extending obliquely in relation to the horizontal and in relation to said longitudinal direction, along a length adapted to receive, individually, a part of said lever groups, so that once engaged in the deflected slips, said lever groups move, by pivoting, from one of the high and low positions towards the other position, along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, said runners comprise second grooves, one of the roof panels is slidingly mounted in relation to the other roof panel along said second grooves, at least some of the levers fitted to the corresponding panel comprise a slider slidingly mounted in the first corresponding groove; and the driving means comprise a driving hook having a driving recess adapted for receiving and driving said slider along the corresponding guide, the recess extending frontwards via a driving wall adapted for driving the corresponding slider rearward, along said first groove, said recess extending rearward via a driving pin defining an inlet for the slider, via the rear of said driving hook, so that the driving pin drives the slider forward as long as it engages the first groove substantially along said longitudinal direction, but extricating from the slider when said slider engages in the deflected slip of said first groove that it encounters, said deflected slip thus being located in the extension of the groove and making an obtuse angle therewith, so that the slider can engage therein in the direction of its drive.