Modular rail for roof and windshield

A specialty vehicle is provided with first and second rails on opposite lateral sides of the vehicle that extend from the front portion of the vehicle above the passenger compartment to a rear portion of the vehicle. The first and second rails have a plurality of grooves on an inwardly facing side thereof for receiving a windshield, a sun visor and a sun shade in a sliding relationship to permit repositioning. A key hole slot is provided for receiving a seatbelt retractor, grab handle, side view mirror or other accessory on a downwardly facing side of the first and second rails. The sun shade is preferably retained on a roll. The sun shade is a flexible web reinforced by a plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs and a front roof bar. The sun visor may be formed in two parts and retained between a center track and one of the rails. A linearly driven reciprocating windshield wiper is provided on the rails.

TECHNICAL FIELD
 The present invention relates to a modular rail for a sun visor, windshield
 and sun shade or other accessories for a speciality vehicle.
 BACKGROUND ART
 Specialty vehicles such as golfcarts, small utility trucks, and courtesy
 vehicles generally are not provided with a roof or windshield. Some such
 vehicles are provided with a fixed rigid roof that is positioned generally
 over the vehicle. Such vehicles may also be provided with a fixed
 windshield or a removable windshield that may take the form of a rolled up
 plastic sheet.
 There is a need for a flexible roof and windshield structure that will
 permit the vehicle to be converted between a roof covered vehicle and a
 open top vehicle. Further, there is a need to provide a windshield that
 may be positioned for use as a windshield or repositioned to permit air to
 flow through the front of the vehicle. The roof and windshield of a
 specialty vehicle are normally fastened to simple aluminum frame members
 in a static arrangement. Frames for securing the windshield and roof of a
 specialty vehicle require substantial assembly operations that are an
 added cost in vehicle construction.
 It would also be advantageous to be able to provide a sun screen to protect
 occupants of a speciality vehicle from the sun if desired. Sun screens are
 not generally provided on specialty vehicles.
 Another area for improvement for specialty vehicles is to provide an
 effective windshield wiper.
 In the manufacture of speciality vehicles, it is important to minimize
 weight of all components included in the vehicle to maximize vehicle
 performance and range. The design of specialty vehicles may also be
 benefitted by the use of economical extrusions that eliminate
 manufacturing steps and minimize machining operations necessary to build
 the speciality vehicle.
 These and other problems and disadvantages associated with prior art
 specialty vehicles are addressed by applicants' invention as summarized
 below.
 DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
 According to the present invention, a modular rail system for a roof and
 windshield of a vehicle is provided. The modular rail system comprises
 first and second rails extending on opposite lateral sides of the vehicle
 from the front portion of the vehicle to the rear portion of the vehicle
 above the passenger compartment. The first and second rails have at least
 two groves formed on inwardly facing sides of each rail. A retractable
 roof web has a pair of side edges that are received by the first grove in
 each rail. A windshield is received by the second grove in each rail.
 The roof, or sun shade, is preferably formed of a fabric or flexible web
 and is moveable between an extended position wherein it functions as a
 roof and a retracted position wherein it is rolled on a roller and
 operates in a manner similar to a window shade. The roof has a plurality
 of ribs extending transversely across the roof from side to side. The ribs
 are received in the first grove of each rail. The ribs provide support for
 the roof when it is in its extended position. Alternatively, a roof panel
 formed from a rigid sheet of metal or plastic could be provided.
 The windshield is preferably shiftable within the track from a position in
 front of the vehicle occupants to the position wherein space is provided
 between the dashboard of the vehicle and the bottom of the windshield to
 provide airflow through the vehicle.
 The modular rail system may also include a third grove formed on the
 inwardly facing sides of each rail in which a sun screen maybe attached.
 The sun screen preferably has independently moveable right and left panels
 that permit adjustment of the sunshade within the track to the proper
 level for occupants of a vehicle who may be of different heights. The
 sunshade is preferably formed in two separate parts with each part
 extending from the side of the vehicle to the center of the vehicle. A
 track is preferably provided in the center of the sunshade so that each
 part of the sunshade may be independently adjusted.
 According to another aspect of the invention, another groove may be formed
 on a downwardly facing side of each rail that is adapted to receive
 accessories that may be attached to the rails. Examples of accessories
 that may be attached to the downwardly facing side of each rail include a
 seatbelt retractor member, a grab handle and a side mirror.
 In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the rails
 may be formed as extruded aluminum members to minimize machining and
 assembly operations.
 Another aspect of the invention relates to providing a linearly movable
 windshield wiper that is driven by an endless belt.
 These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be
 readily understood in view of the attached drawings and following detailed
 description of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
 Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, especially vehicle 10 having a first rail
 12 on the right side of the vehicle and a second rail 14 on the left side
 of the vehicle. The first and second rails 12, 14 extend from the front
 portion 16 of the vehicle 10 where they support the windshield 20. The
 first and second rails, 12, 14 extend from the front portion 16 to a rear
 portion 22 of the vehicle above the B pillar 24 located near the rear
 portion 22 of the vehicle 10 and above the passenger compartment.
 The first and second rails 12, 14 may be used to support a seatbelt
 retractor 28, a grab handle 30, and side view mirrors 32. The rails 12, 14
 also support the windshield 20, a sun visor 34 and a sun shade 36.
 Referring now to FIGS. 3-6, each rail includes a first groove 38, a second
 groove 40, and a third groove 42 on an inwardly facing side 44 of each of
 the first and second rails 12, 14. The sun shade 36 is supported in the
 first groove 38. The sun visor 34 is supported by the second groove 40 and
 the windshield 20 is supported by the third groove 42. The windshield 20
 is preferably formed of lexan, polycarbonate, or laminated glass.
 The sun shade 36 is preferably a fabric web that may be retained on a roll
 46 or extended from the roll over the passenger compartment of the vehicle
 10 in the manner of a retractable window shade as will be more fully
 described below.
 As shown best in FIGS. 4-7, a key hole slot 48 is formed in a downwardly
 facing side 50 of each of the first and second rails 12, 14. The key hole
 slot 48 is provided to mount seatbelt retractor 28, grab handle 30, or
 side view mirror 32 on the downwardly facing side 50 of the first and
 second rails 12, 14. As shown in FIG. 7, the grab handle or other
 accessory has a cylindrical anchor 51 that is received in the key hole
 slot 48 and secured by fasteners 53. A header 52, shown in FIG. 5, extends
 between the first and second rails 12, 14.
 Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, a front roof bar 54 is secured to the
 leading edge of the roof web 56. A plurality of ribs 58 extend between the
 first and second rails 12, 14 to support the roof web 56 at longitudinally
 spaced points on the roof web 56.
 Referring now to FIG. 8, the structure of the sun visor 34 of the present
 invention is shown in greater detail. The sun visor 34 may be divided into
 two parts 34a and 34b that are preferably formed of a green or gray tinted
 translucent plastic material such as lexan, polycarbonate, or laminated
 glass. A center track 62 is secured to the header 52 and extends
 perpendicularly downwardly from the header 52. The center track has first
 and second outwardly oriented slots 64, 66. Sun visor 34a is movably
 disposed within the first outwardly oriented slot 64 and the second groove
 40 so that it may be slidably repositioned. Sun visor 34b is slidably
 disposed in the second outwardly oriented slot 66 and the second groove 40
 of the second rail 14. A rearview mirror 68 may be positioned in a slot 70
 formed on the inner surface of the center track 62 or may be fixedly
 attached to the center track 62.
 Referring now to FIG. 9, the relationship of the center track 62 and two
 parts of the sun visor 34a, 34b, is shown in cross section.
 Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, a wiper 70 is retained by a wiper bar 72 for
 vertical linear movement to wipe the windshield 20. The wiper bar 72 is
 driven by a motor 74 that turns a pinion gear 76 which in turn drives a
 drive belt 78. A mounting block 80 is secured to the wiper bar 72 and is
 moved by the belt 78 in a reciprocating path as the motor 74 reverses its
 direction of rotation as the wiper 70 approaches the ends of the drive
 belt 78. A guide 80 is attached adjacent one side of the drive belt 78 to
 guide movement of the wiper 70.
 While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described in
 detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will
 recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the
 invention as defined by the following claims.