Patent ID: 8246109
Filing Date: 2012-08-21
Classification: B60J,B62D

Abstract:
1. A vehicle roof module comprising: a front member having a hollow structure, a flange extending lengthwise along the hollow structure, and at least one raised area extending internally into the hollow structure; a first pair of nodes, each node having a body portion with a flange extending therefrom, each node received in an end region of the front member; a first side rail and a second side rail, each having a hollow structure, a flange extending lengthwise along the hollow structure, a track for a sunshade extending lengthwise along the hollow structure and generally opposed to the flange, and at least one raised area extending from the first side rail internally into the hollow structure, a first end region of each of the side rails receiving one of the first pair of nodes; a second pair of nodes, each node having a body portion with a flange extending therefrom, each node received in the second end region of each of the first and second side rails; a rear member having a hollow structure, a flange extending lengthwise along the hollow structure, and at least one raised area extending from the second side rail internally into the hollow structure, each end region of the rear member receiving one of the second pair of nodes; an intermediate member having a hollow structure, a first flange extending lengthwise along the hollow structure, a second flange extending lengthwise along the hollow structure and generally opposed to the first flange, the intermediate member extending between the first and second side rail; and a panel supported by the front member, rear member, and first and second side rail; wherein each node has a first tab extending from the body portion, the first tab received within the hollow structure of one of the side rails to cooperate with the at least one raised area of one of the side rails to provide a gap between the first tab and the interior surface of the hollow structure when the first tab of the node is inserted into one of the side rails; and wherein each node has a second tab extending from the body portion, a longitudinal axis of the second tab oriented generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the first tab, an upper surface of the second tab canted relative to an upper surface of the first tab, the second tab sized the same as the first tab and received within the hollow structure of one of the front and rear members to cooperate with the at least one raised areas of one of the front and rear members to provide a gap between the second tab and the interior surface of the hollow structure when the second tab of the node is inserted into one of the front and rear members.