Vehicle sun roof apparatus

A vehicle roof apparatus includes an overhead console that is slidably supported with respect to guide rails disposed along opposite sides of the opening in the vehicle roof. In one embodiment, the console is supported on the guide rails by frames, and sunshades are slidably supported in the frames. The sunshades are thus able to move with sliding movement of the overhead console, but are able to slidably move independent of the console. In another embodiment, the overhead console is slidably supported on the guide rails by the sunshades, with the console and the sunshades being movable together as a unit. In a further embodiment, the overhead console is supported on the guide rails by a supporting member, and the sunshades are slidably mounted on the console and the guide rails so that the console and the sunshades can be moved independently of one another.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle sun roof apparatus. 
More particularly, the present invention pertains to a vehicle sun roof 
apparatus which is equipped with a sliding panel, paired sunshades and an 
overhead console. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Up to the present time, a typical vehicle sun roof has consisted of an 
opening in the roof of a vehicle, a movable sliding panel for opening and 
closing the opening in the roof and a movable sunshade to expose and cover 
the sliding panel. In these sun roofs, the sliding panel and the sunshade 
are slidably guided upon guide rails disposed on the side edges of the 
opening in the roof of the vehicle. Examples of this type of sun roof are 
disclosed in Unexamined Published Japanese Utility Model Application No. 
3-33712 and Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 6-166327. 
In the latter example, a rail on which the sunshade is slidably mounted 
extends from a rail for slidably mounting the slide panel. These rails are 
mounted in parallel fashion along opposite sides of the edge of a roof 
opening positioned towards a center of the vehicle roof, whereby the 
sliding panel and the sunshade are able to slide independently along the 
rails. 
In certain types of vehicles, for instance sports utility vehicles, an 
overhead console is oftentimes mounted on the ceiling of the vehicle. 
Extreme difficulties arise, however, when attempting to equip the vehicle 
with an overhead console and a sun roof simultaneously, because the 
overhead console imposes a significant limitation on the range of movement 
of the sliding panel of the sun roof. For this reason, as in the case of 
the Ford Explorer for example, a small-sized overhead console is fixed at 
a forward position of the ceiling while the sliding panel of the sun roof 
is positioned immediately behind the overhead console. 
Thus, in those vehicles where the overhead console has been mounted on the 
ceiling together with the sun roof, as in the Ford Explorer, the overhead 
console that can be mounted is limited to one which is relatively small in 
length. As a result, it is difficult to utilize such arrangement in a 
variety of different types of vehicles. 
It would therefore be desirable to provide a sun roof apparatus and an 
overhead console that can be mounted in a variety of different types of 
vehicles and that would not limit the size of a relatively large sun roof 
and the overhead console. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a vehicle roof apparatus 
incorporates both a vehicle sun roof and an overhead console. The console 
slides back and forth integrally with frame elements, as an incorporated 
component of the vehicle roof apparatus. The frame elements are slidably 
supported on guide rails which are disposed adjacent the longitudinally 
extending opposite sides of the opening in the vehicle roof. A slidably 
movable sliding panel allows the roof opening to be open or closed. 
Additionally, sunshades are slidably supported in the frame elements on 
opposite sides of the overhead console. 
This construction enables independent movements of the slide panel and the 
sunshades, and also allows each of the sunshades to be moved independently 
of each other and independently of the overhead console. The forward and 
backward movements of the overhead console cause concurrent movement of 
the frame elements containing each of the sunshades. Because the sunshade 
for use on the driver's side and that for use on the passenger's side are 
made independent from each other, they can be moved by the driver or the 
passenger independently. 
Because the overhead console has the ability to move backward, this allows 
the vehicle roof opening to be made longer, despite even a relatively long 
overhead console being mounted thereon. Also, because the overhead console 
is supported by the frame elements, both strength and safety of the 
console mounting are enhanced. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle roof 
apparatus includes a pair of guide rails disposed along longitudinally 
extending sides of the opening in the roof of a vehicle, a pair of 
sunshades each slidably mounted on one of the guide rails, and an overhead 
console positioned between the sunshades and fixed to the sunshades for 
slidable movement with respect to the guide rails. 
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle roof 
apparatus includes a pair of guide rails disposed adjacent longitudinally 
extending sides of the opening in the roof of a vehicle, a supporting 
member supported on the guide rails for sliding movement along the guide 
rails, an overhead console supported by the supporting member for sliding 
movement relative to the guide rails, and a pair of sunshades each 
slidably mounted between the overhead console and one of the guide rails 
for slidably moving independently of the overhead console. 
A further aspect of the present invention involves a vehicle roof apparatus 
that includes a pair of guide rails disposed along opposite longitudinally 
extending sides of the opening in the roof of a vehicle, and an overhead 
console slidably supported with respect to the guide rails for sliding 
movement in a forward and backward directions with respect to the guide 
rails.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference to FIG. 1, the roof 2 of a vehicle is provided with an 
opening 3 that is adapted to receive a sun roof apparatus in accordance 
with the present invention. The vehicle sun roof apparatus includes a sun 
roof 1 and an overhead console 5. The overhead console 5 is disposed in 
the central part of the roof. The overhead console 5 can include openable 
and closable compartments in a known manner. 
The sun roof 1 comprises a slide panel 4, and a pair of sunshades 6, 6 
disposed on opposite sides of the overhead console 5. The slide panel 4 is 
positioned above the sunshades 6, 6 and is freely slidable in the 
back-and-forth directions of the vehicle by known means. The sliding panel 
4 is made of glass or synthetic resin and is transparent for allowing 
sunshine to pass through the slide panel into the vehicle interior. The 
sunshades 6 are positioned interiorly of the sliding panel 4 towards the 
interior of the vehicle and are movable between opened and closed 
positions to uncover and cover the sliding panel 4 to alternatively permit 
and prevent sunshine from entering the vehicle interior through the 
sliding panel 4. The overhead console 5, which extends downwardly below 
the surface of the sunshades 6, 6 is also freely slidable in the 
back-and-forth directions as illustrated in FIG. 2. The sunshades 6, 6 are 
able to move together with the overhead console 5 when the overhead 
console 5 is moved. However, the sunshades 6, 6 are able to be slidably 
moved back and forth independently from the overhead console 5. 
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, as noted above, the sliding panel 4 is adapted 
to be moved back and forth by known means. A pair of drive rails 7 is 
disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle opening 3, specifically on the 
opposite inner sides of the head lining 8, for permitting sliding movement 
of the sliding panel 4. The sliding panel 4 is slidably positioned on the 
drive rails 7. A shoe is integrally associated with the sliding panel 4. 
The shoe is connected to a cable 9 so that the forward or backward 
movement of cable 9 causes corresponding forward or backward movement of 
the sliding panel 4. The movement of the cable 9 for achieving movement of 
the sliding panel 4 is effected in a known manner. 
The inner side surface of the drive rails 7 is provided with a groove 10 
that is open inward. These grooves 10 define guide rails 11 that extend 
longitudinally along the opposite sides of the opening in the roof. 
A pair of frame members 12 that are generally rectangular in configuration 
support the overhead console 5 on opposite sides of the console 5. The 
frame members 12 together define a frame. The frame members 12, which can 
be constructed of an extruded aluminum alloy, possess a generally U-shaped 
cross-section section as seen in FIG. 3. Each of the frame members 12 is 
freely slidably assembled in one of the grooves 10 of the guide rails 11. 
Because the frame members 12 are fixed to the overhead console 5, the 
frame members 12 and the console 5 move together as a unit. 
By this construction, the overhead console 5 can be moved back and forth by 
moving the integral frame members 12 back and forth along the guide rails 
11. 
Externally oriented grooves 13 are provided on both side surfaces of the 
overhead console 5. These grooves 13 each receive one of the sides of the 
respective sunshades 6 and allow the sunshades 6 to move relative to the 
overhead console 5. The opposite side of each respective sunshade 6 is 
received in a groove formed in one of the frame members 12 as seen in FIG. 
3. The sunshades 6 are able to slide along the grooves 13 in the overhead 
console 5 and the grooves in the frame members 12. As a result, the 
sunshades 6, 6 are movable back and forth independently from the overhead 
console 5. 
Thus, in accordance with the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, it is 
possible to slide the overhead console 5 and the sunshades 6, 6 together 
because the frame members 12 are connected to the overhead console 5 and 
the sunshades 6, 6 are mounted in the frame members 12. Further, it is 
possible to slide the sunshade 6, 6 relative to the overhead console 5 
because the sunshades 6, 6 are slidably mounted in the frame members 12. 
By virtue of this construction, the vehicle roof is provided with an 
overhead console and a sun roof, but the size of the overhead console 5 is 
not limited. 
In FIGS. 5 and 6 there is illustrated another embodiment of the sun roof 
apparatus of the present invention. In this embodiment, a sunshade 6 is 
positioned on each of the opposite sides of a centrally located overhead 
console 5. One side of each sunshade 6 is connected to the overhead 
console 5 and the opposite side of each sunshade is disposed in one of the 
guide rails 11 disposed along longitudinally extending opposite sides of 
the opening 3 in the roof of the vehicle. The sunshades 6, with the 
overhead console 5, are able to freely slide on the guide rails 11. 
In addition, a pair of rails 14 are fixed to the head lining 8. A plurality 
of shoes 15 are fixed to and extended outwardly from the sides of the 
overhead console 5. These shoes 5 are positioned in the rails 14 that are 
fixed to the head lining 8 to thereby facilitate smooth movement of the 
overhead console 5. In this embodiment, by moving or sliding the overhead 
console 5 backward, the sunshades 6 are also moved or slid simultaneously. 
In other words, the overhead console 5 and the sunshades 6 are moved or 
slid back and forth as a unit. In the illustration of FIG. 5, the 
sunshades 6 are shown as being in a partially open position. 
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the vehicle is once again 
provided with an overhead console 5 and a sun roof, yet the size of the 
overhead console is not limited by the presence of the sunshades. 
As illustrated in FIG. 7 which depicts a further embodiment of the 
invention, a supporting member 16 is freely slidably disposed on the guide 
rails 11 that are positioned along the longitudinally extending opposite 
sides of the opening in the vehicle roof. A forward end portion of the 
overhead console box 5 is fixed to a central part of this supporting 
member 16. Positioned on either side of the overhead console 5 is a pair 
of sunshades 6, 6 each of which is movable or slidable independently of 
one another. In addition, the sunshades 6, 6 are movable or slidable with 
respect to the overhead console 5. 
One side of each sunshade 6 is freely slidably supported by the 
corresponding guide rail 11 while the opposite side of each sunshade 6 is 
freely slidably supported in respective grooves provided on opposite sides 
of the overhead console box 5. As a result, the paired sunshades 6 can 
each be moved or slid independent from the overhead console box 5 and can 
also be moved or slid independently of one another. Further, the overhead 
console 5 can be moved or slid longitudinally along the rails 11. 
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, with the overhead console 5 in the 
forwardmost position (i.e., to the left in FIG. 7) and the sunshades 6, 6 
in the fully closed position, the overhead console 5 can be moved or slid 
backward (i.e., to the right in FIG. 7) and this causes the sunshades 6, 6 
to also move or slide backward to the open position at which the overlying 
sliding panel (i.e., glass or plastic panel) is exposed. Thereafter, the 
overhead console 5 can be moved or slid forward towards the closed 
position. This forward sliding movement of the overhead console 5 does not 
result in corresponding movement of the sunshades 6, 6, and so the 
sunshades 6, 6 can be moved forward independently of the overhead console 
5. 
The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 7 advantageously 
allows a sun roof arrangement to be provided in conjunction with an 
overhead console, without the need for significantly limiting the size of 
the overhead console. 
It is to be understood that although the illustrations in FIGS. 5-7 do not 
depict the transparent sliding panel that opens and closes the opening in 
the vehicle roof, such a movable sliding panel similar to the sliding 
panel 4 shown in FIGS. 1-4 is provided at a position above the sunshades 
6. 
In each of the embodiments, the overhead console is slidably supported by 
and movable with respect to guide rails extending longitudinally adjacent 
the roof opening 3. This way, the sun roof, including the sunshades, can 
be provided along with the overhead console without having to use an 
overhead console of limited size and without restricting the location of 
the sun roof. 
The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the present 
invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the 
invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as 
limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments 
described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than 
restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents 
employed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes 
and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the present 
invention as defined in the claims, be embraced thereby.