Abstract:
A device for adjusting a crank element of a openable motor vehicle roof, with a holding element which engages the crank element such that the crank element and the holding element can be moved relative to one another along a fin-like guideway on the crank element. The fin-like guideway is surrounded by a slide element which is formed on the holding element whereby the slide element can be rotated with respect to the holding element around an axis which is perpendicular to the plane in which the crank element and the holding element move.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a device for adjusting the crank element of an openable motor vehicle roof such as a louvered roof. In particular, the invention relates to a device for adjusting the crank element of an openable motor vehicle roof and includes a holding element which engages the crank element such that the crank element and the holding element can be moved relative to one another along a fin-like guideway on the crank element. The fin-like guideway is surrounded by a slide element which is formed on the holding element whereby the slide element can be rotated with respect to the holding element around an axis which is perpendicular to the plane in which the crank element and the holding element move. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     One such generic device is known for example from Published German Patent Application DE 195 14 585 A1, wherein a crank element is attached laterally to the cover of a sliding and lifting roof, and a holding element movably guided by the crank element in the lengthwise direction of the roof in order to adjust the cover via the crank element. The guideway of the crank element is made on the bottom of the crank element and in the transverse direction of the roof projects to either side with reference to the crank element in the manner of a fin, so that the guideway overall forms a T-shaped structure which fits into the slide element with the wide end. The slide element can be moved with respect to the holding element in the crosswise direction of the roof in order to compensate for tolerances. The defect is the complex configuration of the slide element. 
     German Patent DE 44 15 235 C1 discloses a similar device in which a crank element does not end on a fin-like guideway, but extends farther down, the slide element surrounding the guideway which is formed on either side of the crank element and surrounding the area of the crank element which extends down from the guideway. The slide element is stationary with respect to the holding element which is movably guided in the lengthwise direction of the roof. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,160 the disclosure of which is hereby incorproated by reference discloses a louvered roof in which mounting elements for adjacent louvers engage one another for relative adjustment to one another by a crank pin securely mounted on one mounting element, fitting into a curved crank slot or crank channel which is made on the other mounting element. The disadvantage to this guide system is that production tolerances easily lead to bad running of the system. 
     German Patent DE 43 43 661 C1 discloses a sliding and lifting roof in which there is a raising lever for a rotary latch having a cylindrical middle part and a lengthwise slot located over it and is pivotally supported on the raising lever by means of a cylindrical middle part in a corresponding recess. The slot is provided to hold in a certain cover position a control part which is provided laterally on a cover rail mounted on the cover and in doing so projects in the transverse direction of the roof from the roof rail. The length of the control part corresponds to the length of the receiving slot of the rotary latch. 
     The disadvantage in each aforementioned device is that force is transferred only on a line-like support between the guideway and the slide element. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art by devising a device for adjusting the crank element of an openable motor vehicle roof which is insensitive in its functionality to production tolerances. 
     In accordance to an aspect of the invention, it is advantageous that production tolerances in the guideway as a result of the fin-like execution have a less dramatic effect on the smoothness of operation of the system than in a channel-like execution of the guideway, and that force is applied more uniformly overall and the holding element and the crank element at the same path thicknesses can accommodate larger forces. Overall, a stable, low-wear adjustment mechanism which is less sensitive to tolerances is enabled. 
     Preferably, the holding element and the crank element are made on two succeeding side adjustment elements for a louvered roof. The slide element is preferably supported in a circular receiver in the holding element and is provided with a slot in which the guideway is guided. Feasibly the receiver for the slide element is provided with a slot which is wider than the slot of the slide element in order to allow relative rotation of the guideway. Preferably the slide element is made of plastic which is injected into the receiver. 
     Other aspects, properties, features, and advantages of this invention follow from the brief description of preferred embodiments below which are shown in the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the adjustment mechanism and two successive mounting elements of the louvered roof which engage one another; 
     FIG. 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the holding element of one mounting element from FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the engagement area of the holding element and the guideway from FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 shows a side view corresponding to FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a view of two mounting elements  10 ,  12  which are each used as a side mounting for two louvers of a louvered roof (not shown) and which succeed one another in the lengthwise direction of the roof. The position of the mounting element  12  with respect to the lengthwise direction of the roof is located farther forward than the mounting element  10 . This view is an intermediate position in which the louvered roof is opened and whereby the two mounting elements  10 ,  12  and the louvers attached thereto are swung out of their neutral position upward and are in part pushed on top of one another in the manner of a packet. In the closed position, the holding element  16  would be located on the rear, i.e. right end of a curved guideway  14 , while in the completely opened position it would be located on the front, i.e. left end of the fin-like guideway  14 . 
     Proceeding from the closed position in which the louvers are adjacent to one another and form a flat combination, adjacent mounting elements are coupled by force-fit to one another in the open direction first of all via a driver function (not shown). The advancing opening motion, however, causes the louvers to gradually swing out upward, this proceeding from the rearmost louver. Starting from a certain relative swing angle between the adjacent louvers, the driver function is released and the front mounting element  12  can then be moved along its guideway with respect to the rear mounting element  10 . Conventionally, after the driver means (not shown) disengages, another driver function over a short section of the displacement path is maintained by the contact of the back end  18  of the front mounting element  12  with the corresponding contact surface  20  on the back end of a lock rocker  22 . The entire rear area of the mounting elements  10 ,  12  forms one crank element  24 ,  26  at a time which is provided with a curved guideway  14  which projects fin-like from the side surface  28  and has two essentially plane contact surfaces  30 ,  32  which run parallel to one another and which engage the corresponding opposing surface  34 ,  36  which are formed on one slide element  38 . The slide element  38  is pivotally mounted in the holding element  16  around an axis which is perpendicular to the plane in which both the holding element  16  and the crank element  26  move. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the slide element  38  is made essentially cylindrical and is pivotally mounted in a corresponding circular receiver in the holding element  16 . The contact surfaces  34 ,  36  are formed by a slot  40  by which the guideway or the guide fin  14  is guided to slide. The dimensions of the slot  40  are chosen such that the guide fin  14  in the vertical direction has no significant play. As shown in FIG. 4, the slot can be provided on both ends each with two opposing projections  42  which form the actual opposing surface for the contact surfaces  30 ,  32  of the guide fin  14 . The crank element  26  is made such that the lower contact surface  32  of the guide fin  14  passes into the lower boundary surface  44  of the crank element  26 , i.e. the guide fin  14  with the crank element  26  forms an L-shaped configuration, the guide fin  14  forming the short leg, i.e. the guide fin  14  is made only on one side of the crank element  26 . 
     The holding element  16 , i.e., the bearing shell for the slide element  38 , is likewise provided with a slot  46  in the lengthwise direction of the roof which is wider than the slot  40  of the slide element  38  in order to allow rotation of the slide element  38  with the guide fin  14  routed through in a certain angular area. The lateral guidance, i.e., the guidance in the transverse direction of the roof, of the crank element  26  is achieved by a corresponding contact surface on one steady  48  and on the other side by the contact of the end face  50  of the guide fin  14  with the contact surface  52  which forms the base of the slot  40  in the slide element  38 . Alternatively, the contact on the side of the transverse direction of the roof between the crank element  26  and the holding element  16  can also be achieved by the corresponding contact surfaces outside of the slot  40  and the guide fin  14  in the top half of the slide element  38 . 
     The guide fin  14 , like the entire crank element  26 , and the holding element  16  are preferably made of metal, while the slide element  38  is preferably made of plastic. Preferably, the slide element  38  is injected into the circular receiver of the holding element  16 , and by means of a shrinking process, after the slide element  38  is injected suitable play is automatically established between the receiver in the holding element  16  and the slide element  38  such that the connection between them is accurate to provide for a smooth performance. Since the guide fin  14  can be made much thinner than a corresponding guide channel, on the one hand the sensitivity of the guide to tolerances is much less and on the other hand the construction height in the vertical direction of the crank element  26  can be reduced. 
     As a result of the curvature of the guideway  14  the sliding displacement of the crank element  26  with respect to the holding element  16  causes the crank element  26  and the mounting element  12  to swing out with respect to the mounting element  10 . The resulting relative turning is balanced essentially without increasing the friction force between the slide element  38  and the guide fin  14  by turning the slide element  38  in the circular receiver in the holding element  16 . In this way, with ease of production a compact, easy and reliable adjustment mechanism insensitive to tolerances for the mounting elements of a louvered roof is formed. 
     Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing form the novel teachings and advantages which are described herein. Accordingly all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.