Sliding roof for an automobile

In a sliding roof for automobiles, comprising a non-slidable, front wind deflector, pivotal at its front edge in a roof opening, and a rear sliding lid, slidably guided in the roof opening, the roof opening is filled by the mutually adjoining surfaces of wind deflector and sliding lid when the roof is closed. For creating a ventilation gap of high effectiveness between the rear edge of the wind deflector and the front edge of the sliding lid in conjunction with an aerodynamically favourable small pivoting out angle of the wind deflector, it is provided that the sliding lid, starting from its closed position, is pivotally journalled about a pivot axis provided in the vicinity of its rear edge, in the sense of lowering its front edge. For the opening displacement, the sliding lid is also lowered at its rear edge, with the result that, with low overall depth of the roof construction, the lid is displaceable approximately in a parallel orientation to the roof surface beneath a rear roof surface. A threaded cable drive assembly can be used to provide the actuating movements both of the wind deflector and of the sliding lid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a sliding roof for an automobile. 
Such a roof is known which comprises a non-slidable, front wind deflector, 
pivotal at its forward edge in a roof opening, and a rear sliding lid, 
slidably guided in the roof opening, which sliding lid when the roof is 
closed, together with the wind deflector, the rear edge of which it then 
adjoins with its own front edge, fills the roof opening and, when the wind 
deflector is pivoted outwards, can be displaced after its rear edge has 
been lowered entirely or partly underneath the rear, fixed roof surface, 
the same threaded cable drive assembly being used for the adjusting 
movements both of the wind deflector and also of the sliding lid. 
In a known sliding roof of this type (DE 34 35 791 C2), starting from the 
closed position of the wind deflector and of the sliding lid, by means of 
a manual or electric motor drive acting via an actuating cable and 
lifting-out elements with constant rotational direction of the drive, 
firstly the wind deflector is pivoted out, and then the rear edge of the 
lid is lowered and, finally, the sliding lid is pushed in an inclined 
orientation, the wind deflector still remaining pivoted out, underneath 
the rear, fixed roof surface. The drive can be stopped when the various 
individual positions are reached. With this movement sequence, and with 
the wind deflector pivoted out and sliding lid closed, a draught-free 
ventilation of the vehicle interior can be achieved. The roof opening can 
be exposed almost completely by pushing the sliding lid underneath the 
rear roof surface. 
In order to achieve adequate ventilation of the vehicle interior when the 
sliding lid of this known sliding roof is closed, the wind deflector must 
be pivoted upwards at its rear edge through a large angle, in order to 
obtain a sufficiently large ventilation gap relative to the front edge of 
the closed sliding lid. Thus the wind deflector rear edge projects by a 
considerable amount above the lid surface, flush with the roof surface, 
and this not only leads to an increase in the air resistance of the 
vehicle but also to air current noises that decrease travelling comfort. 
Furthermore, in this known sliding roof, the sliding lid, pivoted 
downwards about a pivot axis located in the vicinity of the front edge of 
the lid, must be slid in an inclined orientation under the fixed roof 
surface during the opening displacement. For this purpose, a considerable 
distance is necessary between the fixed roof surface and the bottom of the 
lid housing box facing towards the vehicle interior. In this way the 
height of the vehicle interior is reduced and headroom is limited. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to improve the air exchange between 
the vehicle interior and the environment, while at the same time reducing 
the aerodynamic flow resistance and the overall depth of the sliding roof 
construction. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a sliding roof for an 
automobile, comprising a non-slidable, front wind deflector, pivotal at 
its front edge in a roof opening, and a rear sliding lid, slidably guided 
in the roof opening, which sliding lid, when the roof is closed, together 
with the wind deflector, fills the roof opening, wherein the sliding lid, 
in its closure position, is pivotally journalled about a pivot axis 
provided in the vicinity of its rear edge in the sense of lowering its 
front edge, with the result that a ventilation gap of adjustable height is 
formed between the rear edge of the wind deflector and the front edge of 
the sliding lid. 
Preferably, the sliding lid, after its rear edge has been lowered with the 
wind deflector pivoted out, is displaceable entirely or partly underneath 
a rear, fixed roof surface, a threaded cable drive assembly being used for 
the actuating movements both of the wind deflector and of the sliding lid. 
It thereby becomes possible to manage with a relatively small pivoting out 
angle for the wind deflector, because the lowered front edge of the 
sliding lid makes possible a relatively large ventilation gap. Since, in 
the present sliding roof, in addition to the lowerable rear edge the front 
edge can also be lowered, the sliding lid can be slid in an orientation 
which is approximately parallel to its closed orientation, underneath the 
rear, fixed roof surface during the opening displacement. In this way the 
overall height of the sliding roof construction can be kept small. 
By the smaller pivoted-out angle of the wind deflector made possible by 
this invention, the roof contour and therefore the air flow are only 
comparatively little disturbed. The ventilation opening is situated in the 
region of the highest suction of the air flow, so that even with the wind 
deflector pivoted out by only a small angle, a large air throughput is 
achieved. By the wind deflector pivoted out to a small angle, a quietening 
of the air flow and thus a reduction in noise is also achieved. 
The advantageous effects of the present sliding roof and of the air gap 
between the rear edge of the wind deflector and the front edge of the 
sliding lid are first found even when the wind deflector is still in its 
unpivoted at-rest position, but the front edge of the sliding lid has 
already been lowered. It is also possible, with good success, to lower the 
front edge of the sliding lid simultaneously with the pivoting out of the 
wind deflector. Preferably, however, the arrangement is such that the 
sliding lid can be driven for lowering its front edge only when the wind 
deflector is pivoted fully out. This leads to an increase in the free flow 
cross-section in the ventilation position of the wind deflector while 
retaining the favourable aerodynamic flow conditions. Therefore, with the 
combination of lowering the lid front edge and pivoting out the wind 
deflector, an optimum is achieved for the volume of air flow. 
Preferably, the assembly is so arranged that the rear edge of the sliding 
lid cannot be lowered, nor the fully lowered sliding lid slid underneath 
the rear fixed roof surface, until its front edge is lowered. If, 
therefore, starting from the setting of the maximum possible ventilation 
gap between the rear edge of the wind deflector and front edge of the 
sliding lid, the area of the roof opening is to be exposed, partially or 
completely, by partial or complete displacement of the sliding lid, then 
first of all the rear edge of the lid must also be lowered, before the 
opening displacement can commence. 
In an advantageous form of embodiment, it is provided that the wind 
deflector is subject to a spring force acting in the direction of outward 
pivoting and is held in its closed position by a wedge assembly, acting on 
the wind deflector or components connected therewith, this wedge assembly 
being generally horizontally displaceable by means of the threaded cable 
drive device, and when the wedge assembly is displaced in the opening 
direction the wind deflector is gradually released to pivot out and, when 
the wedge assembly is displaced in the closure direction, is caused to 
pivot in against the spring force. In this manner the stated sequence of 
movement of the wind deflector is achieved, the outward pivoting movement 
being created by spring force, while the inward pivoting movement is 
positively controlled. 
The displacement movement and the thereby controlled sliding lid movements 
can be realised in an advantageous manner if, on either side of the roof 
opening, roller trolleys or the like force-transmittingly connected to the 
cable drive assembly are displaceable generally horizontally on guide 
rails, a front and a rear control pin being fixed to each roller trolley, 
these pins engaging in slide tracks of control blocks fixed laterally on 
the sliding lid. With this arrangement, the control pins cause not only 
the vertical and horizontal lid displacement, but they also act as pivot 
bearings in the lowering of the front edge and rear edge of the sliding 
lid. When the front edge is lowered, the sliding lid pivots about the rear 
control pins and when the rear edge is lowered, the sliding lid pivots 
about the front control pins. 
A lining plate which covers the wind deflector and sliding lid in their 
closed position from below can be provided, which is mounted so as to be 
slidable and raisable relative to an opening in the lining corresponding 
to the roof opening and is force-transmittingly coupled to the roller 
trolleys or the like for the sliding movement, this lining plate being 
simultaneously lifted out of the lining opening by a control apparatus 
during the outward pivoting movement of the wind deflector and being slid 
open to form an inner ventilation opening between the front edge of the 
lining plate and the adjacent edge of the liner opening, while the sliding 
lid is still held in its closed position. In this manner it is ensured 
that the lining plate is already displaced backwards at the start to 
create a ventilation opening which is associated with the ventilation gap 
between the rear edge of the wind deflector and the front edge of the 
sliding lid. 
For the desired movement sequence of the elements of the sliding roof, 
including the lining plate, the arrangement is preferably such that the 
roller trolleys or the like are coupled to the lateral edges of the lining 
plate force-transmittingly in the horizontal direction and slidably in the 
vertical direction, and that the control apparatus comprises sliders, 
slidably mounted on either side of the lining plate, to which sliders 
control plates are fitted in guide slits of which front and rear guide 
pins fixed to the lining plate slidably engage, locking elements being 
associated with the sliders, by which the sliders, during the lifting 
movement of the lining plate and during the opening displacement of the 
lining plate forming the ventilation opening, are locked against 
displacement movements, but thereafter are unlocked by the forward guide 
pins and are released for common further opening displacement together 
with the roller trolleys. 
The invention also extends to an automobile incorporating the present 
sliding lid.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The sliding roof is illustrated largely schematically in the drawings to 
facilitate understanding, components visible in various views and sections 
having been omitted for simplification, where these components are not of 
importance in the relevant descriptive text. In the drawings, only the 
left side of the sliding roof, as seen in the forward direction of travel 
of the vehicle, is illustrated, because the right side is substantially 
the same, to opposite hand. 
As is apparent, for instance, from FIGS. 2 to 7, a U-section support frame 
1 surrounds the roof opening 2 underneath the front transverse side and 
the two longitudinal sides of the roof surface 3. The free flanges of this 
frame extend backwards beneath the fixed roof surface 3. Guide rails 5, 
along each longitudinal side of the roof opening 2 underneath the fixed 
roof surface 3, are connected to the flange 4 of the support frame 1, 
extending outwards from the roof opening 2. These guide rails 5 extend 
from the front edge 6 of the roof opening also beneath the rear fixed roof 
surface 3. 
As illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 9 and 12, each of the mirror-inverted 
guide rails 5 has, in cross-section, a fixing flange 7 and a guide flange 
8 adjoining this, the mutually opposite guide tracks 9 of which guide 
flange are concave. The guide tracks 9 enclose between them a laterally, 
inwardly open cable guide duct 10. A U-section water channel 11 is 
situated underneath the guide rails 5. It surrounds the roof opening 2 at 
front and rear and extends with its rear ends beneath the rear roof 
surface 3. Its cross-section is Z-shaped. Its outwardly situated, upwardly 
orientated wall 12 is adjoined perpendicularly and horizontally by a 
fixing flange 13, which is substantially in register with the fixing 
flange 4 of the support frame 1 and is fixed laterally to this, with the 
fixing flange 7 of guide rail 5 between them. In the vicinity of the inner 
edge of the horizontal flange 14 of the water channel 11 orientated 
towards the roof opening 2, an upwardly directed Y-section sealing profile 
15 is fitted as inner boundary to the water channel. This sealing profile 
15 extends along the entire length of the water channel 11. 
As can be seen, for instance, from FIG. 2, on each side of the roof opening 
2 front and rear guide bodies 16, 17 respectively are positioned on the 
guide rails 5. The guide bodies have a U-section, as indicated for the 
rear guide body 17 in FIG. 12. Their free flanges are continued forwards 
and backwards respectively and form bearing plates 18 for convex rollers 
19. Each two rollers 19 are rotatably journalled in the bearing plates 18 
one above the other so that they bear against the guide tracks 9 of the 
guide rail 5 above and below with small play. On each side of the roof 
opening, the front and rear guide bodies 16 and 17 are connected to a 
roller trolley 28 by a lateral web 20 in such a manner that the two front 
rollers 19 point forwards and the two rear rollers 19 backwards. Both on 
the front and on the rear guide body 16 and 17 of the roller trolley, 
inwardly orientated control pins 21, 22 respectively are fixed. The rear 
guide body 17 of the roller trolley is connected via an entraining web 23 
with a drive cable 24. 
The drive cable 24 is a flexible threaded cable having a helical working 
winding. The cable 24 is guided longitudinally slidable in the sole guide 
duct 10 of the guide rail 5 in a tension-resistant and 
compression-resistant manner. The entraining web 23 between the rear guide 
body 17 and cable 24 projects through the slit of the laterally open cable 
guide channel 10. Pipes 25 for further cable guidance are pushed into the 
front ends of the guide rails 5 into the cable guide ducts 10, as shown in 
FIGS. 2 and 8. The other ends of the pipes 25, pointing towards the centre 
of the vehicle, are seated in a drive housing 26 in such a way that the 
drive cables 24, guided in the pipes 25, run parallel to each other and 
cooperate by their working windings with the teeth of a pinion 27. When 
the pinion 27 revolves, therefore, the cables 24 are longitudinally 
displaced like toothed racks opposite to one another. The drive housing 26 
is fixed centrally to the support frame 1 in the middle of the front edge 
6 of the roof opening. The pinion 27 can be driven by a manual or electric 
motor drive. 
The front and rear control pins 21 and 22, pointing inwards on the two 
roller trolleys 28, cooperate with front and rear control blocks 29, 30 
respectively on the sliding lid 31, as can be seen especially from FIGS. 8 
to 13. One front and one rear control block 29 and 30 is fitted to each 
lateral edge of the lid. 
The sliding lid 31, in its closed position, fills the rear region of the 
roof opening 2 (FIGS. 1, 2). It is shaped in one piece from metal sheet 
and is dish-shaped so that, starting from an upper lid surface flush with 
the roof contour, vertically, downwardly pointing cranked flanges 32 are 
formed around it on all four sides, these flanges then extending 
horizontally outwards. The outer edge of the sliding lid 31 follows, at a 
distance, the form of the rear and lateral edge of the roof opening. The 
front edge of the lid 31 is moulded inwardly to form lateral projections 
33, so that the front edge of the lid has a backwardly directed, curved 
recess. The horizontal lid edges 34, adjoining the downward, vertical 
flanges 32 of the lid, extend both underneath the rear and also underneath 
the lateral, fixed roof surface 3. They are formed as water collecting 
channels 35 and engage beneath the edge of the roof opening 2. In the 
lateral region, their cross-section corresponds to that of an edge gap 
seal 36, which is pushed from below onto the downwardly cranked edge of 
the roof opening. On the rear edge of the lid, there is an edge gap 
sealing strip 37 in the water collecting channel 35. The free, upwardly 
orientated flange of the lateral water connecting channel 35 has, at its 
upper end, a horizontally outwardly directed rim 38. Onto this rim 38, 
both the front and also the rear control blocks 29 and 30 are pushed on 
and secured. Additionally, profiled, fixing plates 39, engaging beneath 
the water collecting duct 35, are fitted to the lateral edges of the lid 
31, and onto these fixing plates 39 the control blocks 29 and 30 are also 
pushed to fix them. 
A wind deflector 40 fills the front region of the roof opening. This is 
constructed as a stiff roof plate, the upper surface of which follows the 
roof contour. Its edge is cranked downwards all around. On the lateral and 
rear portions of the rim, a sealing profile 41 is pushed on from below, as 
can be seen for example from the longitudinal sections in FIGS. 3 to 7. 
The wind deflector is attached at its front edge by pivot bearings 42 to a 
support plate 43, which is secured to the front edge of the roof opening 
underneath the fixed roof surface 3 between support frame 1 and water 
channel 11 and projects towards the roof opening 2, forming a water gutter 
44. The wind deflector 40 is in active connection, via lateral, forwardly 
directed arms 45 and outwardly projecting pins 46 attached thereto, with 
wedge surfaces 47, which are formed on the forward ends of the roller 
trolleys 28, as can be seen in FIGS. 14 to 16. The release of the pivoting 
movement of the wind deflector 40 takes place by longitudinal displacement 
of the fixed ramp-like wedge surfaces 47 on the roller trolleys 28. The 
pivoting itself is caused by leaf springs 48, which are fixed laterally to 
the support plate 43 and act upon the forwardly directed arms 45 of the 
wind deflector 40. In the closed condition, the rear edge of the wind 
deflector engages, by the pushed-on sealing profile 41, into the front 
edge of the sliding lid 31, formed as a water gutter 49. 
Starting from the closed position of the sliding roof illustrated, for 
instance, in FIG. 3, in which wind deflector 40 and sliding lid 31 close 
the roof opening 2, the threaded cables 24 are longitudinally displaced in 
opposite directions in the cable guides by rotation of the drive pinion 
27. The portions of the cables in the cable guide ducts 10 of the guide 
rails 5 are attached to the roller trolleys 28. In this way the roller 
trolleys are displaced longitudinally on the guide rails when the drive is 
actuated. The front ends of the roller trolleys 28, equipped with the 
wedge surfaces 47, first facilitate the outward pivoting of the 
spring-loaded wind deflector 4 as the roller trolleys move backwards, by 
the wedge surfaces sliding underneath the laterally projecting pins 46 of 
the deflector arms 45. The wind deflector 40 pivots as far as the position 
shown in FIG. 4 about its bearing points 42 under the action of the leaf 
springs 48, forming with its rear edge a ventilation gap 85. 
As can be seen from FIGS. 8 to 10 for the forward region and 11 to 13 for 
the rear region, the control pins 21, 22 mounted on the roller trolleys 
28, cooperate with slide tracks 50, 51, respectively in the forward and 
rear control blocks 29 and 30. The shape of the slide track 50 in each 
front control block 29 (FIG. 10) commences first with a forward, 
horizontal portion 52. This is followed by a middle, upwardly ascending 
portion 53, which then leads into a rear, elongate horizontal portion. The 
slide tracks 51 in each control block 30 (FIG. 13) commence with an 
elongate horizontal front portion 55. This is followed by an upwardly 
ascending, middle portion 56, which continues into a horizontal, rear 
portion 57. 
During the backward movement of the roller trolley 28 which releases the 
pivoting motion of the wind deflector 40, the front control pin 21 moves 
in the front, horizontal portion 52 of the slide track 50 of the front 
control block 29. The rear control pin 22 moves in the front horizontal 
portion 55 of the rear control block 30. By the guidance of the two 
control pins 21, 22 in a horizontal direction, the sliding lid 31 at first 
remains in an at-rest position, i.e. closed, during the pivoting movement 
of the wind deflector. After the outward pivoting movement of the wind 
deflector 40 is completed, the first ventilation position is reached. If 
this is to be maintained unchanged, the drive is now stopped. 
If the ventilation effect is now to be strengthened, the front edge of the 
sliding lid 31 is additionally lowered, in the following manner. By 
activation of the drive, the roller trolleys 28 are moved further 
backwards. The front control pin 21 now enters the middle portion 53 of 
the slide track 50 in the front control block 29. The rear control pin 22 
moves further in the front horizontal portion 55 of the slide track 51 of 
the rear control block 30. Thus the lid front edge is lowered, while the 
rear edge of the lid remains generally in the position flush with the roof 
surface 3, as FIG. 5 shows. 
This second ventilation position can also be retained by stopping the 
drive. 
If the sliding lid 31 is to be displaced backwards underneath the fixed 
roof surface 3, for full or partial exposure of the roof opening 2, this 
is achieved by renewed operation of the drive. The roller trolleys 28 are 
moved further backwards. The front control pin 21 now moves in the rear, 
horizontal portion 54 of the slide track 50 in the front control block 29. 
The rear control pin 22 simultaneously slides in the upwardly ascending, 
middle portion 56 of the slide track 51 of the rear control block 30. In 
this way the rear edge also of the sliding lid is lowered, as FIG. 6 
shows. 
As can be seen, for example, from FIGS. 11 and 12, to each side of the lid 
a holding-down device 58 is fixed, which in this position of control pins 
and slide tracks is situated, with a downwardly pointing, hook-shaped end 
59, above a window-like opening 60 in a T-shaped member 61, which projects 
upwards from the horizontal base near the inner edge of the lateral water 
channel 11 and integral with this channel. The T-section member 61 extends 
over the entire length of the lateral water channel 11. When the rear edge 
of the lid is lowered, the hook-shaped end 59 of holding-down device 58, 
after passing through the opening 60, engages underneath the horizontal 
flange of the member 61. The sliding lid 31 is now in the horizontal 
longitudinal sliding position. The control pins 21, 22 bear against the 
ends of the slide tracks 50, 51 respectively, as soon as the rear control 
pin 22 has passed through the horizontal, rear portion 57 of the slide 
track 51 of the rear control block 30. An undesired lifting of the rear 
edge of the lid during the sliding operation is prevented by the 
engagement of the holding-down device with the T-shaped member. 
With further continuance of the rotary drive movement and thus further 
backward movement of the roller trolleys 28, the fully lowered sliding lid 
31 is pushed by the control pins 21, 22 respectively, engaging the ends of 
the slide tracks 50, 51, beneath the rear roof surface 3 (FIG. 7), the 
hook-shaped end 59 of the holding-down device 58 being guided underneath 
the horizontal transverse flange of the member 61. 
The entire movement sequence from pivoting of wind deflector to sliding of 
lid can be achieved also with uninterrupted drive operation. By 
interrupting the drive, however, any intermediate position can be set. 
The closure operation of lid and wind deflector takes place basically in 
the reverse sequence, the cooperation of the lid holding-down device 58 
and opening 60 ensuring that the lifting movement of the rear edge of the 
lid cannot commence until the lid is situated in a horizontal orientation 
exactly beneath the roof opening (FIG. 6). This position is reached when 
the opening 60 allows passage of the lid holding-down device 58. During 
the forward displacement of the lid, the hook-shaped end 59 of the 
holding-down device 58 has prevented a lifting of the rear edge of the 
lid, by its bearing from below against the transverse flange of the member 
61. 
For a more detailed explanation of the lining plate arrangement, reference 
is now made to FIGS. 17 to 27. In the roof liner 62, forming the upper 
boundary of the vehicle interior, a liner opening 63 is cut out underneath 
the roof opening 2. Its size corresponds basically to that of the roof 
opening 2. The front edge 64 and the two lateral edges 65 of the liner 
opening 63 are bounded by the inner edges of the water channel 11. The 
rear edge 66 is situated underneath the rear edge of the roof opening and 
is flush with it. The front edge 64 and lateral edges 65 of the liner 
opening 63 are bent around the flanges of the relevant edges of the water 
channel 11 and secured to them. 
A lining plate 67 is fitted into the liner opening 63 in such a manner that 
its lower face is flush with the surface of the roof liner 62. The lateral 
edges 68 of the lining plate 67 are bent upwards and then laterally 
outwards at the ends all around, so that they rest from above on the edges 
64 to 66 of the liner opening. With each of the lateral edges 68 of the 
lining plate 67, a front and a rear guide pin 69, 70 respectively is 
connected. The free ends of the guide pins 69, 70 point outwards and 
cooperate each with a lateral control plate 71, 72 respectively. The two 
control plates 71, 72 are a component of a slider 73, which is mounted 
longitudinally slidable on the T-shaped member 61 of the horizontal base 
of the lateral water channel 11 (FIG. 20). 
The upwardly orientated control plates 71, 72 comprise guide slits 74, 75 
respectively, into which the guide pins 69, 70 respectively of the lining 
plate 67 engage. The guide slits 74, 75 of the control plate 71, 72 both 
have the same shape. They are composed of a first, horizontal portion 76, 
an ascending, second portion 77 adjoining thereto, which at a vertical 
distance from the first portion 76 is then followed horizontally by a 
third portion 78. 
On the front control plate 71, in the region of the guide slits 74, there 
is a locking element 79, which engages with a downwardly orientated nose 
80 into an opening 81 on the T-section member 61 of the base of the water 
channel 11 and thereby blocks a displacement of the slider 73. The upper 
end 82 of the locking element 79 is situated in the region of the third 
horizontal portion 78 of the guide slit 74 and therefore makes possible, 
in cooperation with the front guide pin 69, a cancellation of this 
blocking. So long as a blocking of the slider 73 with the T-section member 
61 exists, the guide pins 69, 70 of the lining plate 67, and therefore the 
lining plate itself, can move only within the regions of the guide slits 
74, 75. 
The lining plate 67 is drivingly connected, by front connecting arms 83 
mounted on the roller trolleys 28, with these roller trolleys 28 and is 
synchronously moved with them, as FIG. 17 illustrates. Starting from the 
closed position of the lid, the roller trolleys 28 are in their front 
position. The lining plate 67 is now situated within the liner opening 63 
and is connected by the connecting arms 83 to the roller trolleys 28. The 
sliders 73 with their control plates 71, 72 are locked to the T-shaped 
members 61 of the base of the water channel 11 and are therefore 
stationary. The guide pins 69, 70 of the lining plate 67 are in engagement 
with the first horizontal portions 76 of the guide slits 74, 75 of the 
control plates. 
A displacement of the roller trolleys 28 backwards by actuation of the 
drive first causes a pivoting of the wind deflector 40 upwards. While the 
roller trolleys 28 traverse the distance as far as the end of the pivoting 
movement of the wind deflector 40, the lining plate 67 moved by the roller 
trolleys 28 is first raised obliquely upwards out of the liner opening 63 
by the guide pins 69, 70, because these pins 69, 70 are guided in the 
ascending guide slit portions 77 of the arrested control plates 71, 72. In 
order not to impede lifting of the lining plate 67 backwards and upwards, 
the rear edge 66 of the liner opening 63 is chamfered at an angle which is 
smaller than the angle of ascent of the upward oblique portions 77 of the 
guide slits 74, 75. 
Still during the displacement of the roller trolleys 28 for the outward 
pivoting of the wind deflector 40, the guide pins 69, 70 of the lining 
plate 67 enter the third, horizontal portion 78 of the guide slits 74, 75. 
Consequently, the now raised lining plate 67 is pushed backwards by a 
small distance relative to the still stationary slider 73, in order to 
maintain an inner ventilation opening 84 in cooperation with the 
ventilation gap 85, achieved by the outward pivoting of the wind 
deflector. This situation is illustrated in FIG. 24. 
A continuing displacement of the roller trolleys 28 backwards causes the 
already described lowering of the front edge of the sliding lid 31. While 
the roller trolleys 28 traverse the distance as far as the end of the 
descending movement of the front edge of this lid, the lining plate 67 is 
pushed backwards by its guide pins 69, 70, further into the third 
horizontal portions 78 of the guide slits 74, 75 in the still locked 
control plates 71, 72, until the front edge of the lining plate 67 is 
approximately in register with the lowered front edge of the lid (FIG. 
25). With this movement, the inner ventilation opening 84 is further 
increased and allows for the enlarged, outer ventilation gap 85. 
If the opening of the sliding roof is continued and the roller trolleys 28 
traversed further backwards, the rear edge of the lid is lowered and the 
sliding lid 31 arrives at a horizontal, displaced position (FIG. 26). The 
front guide pin 69 of the lining plate 67 has, in the third horizontal 
portion 78 of the guide slit 74 in the control plate 71, reached the upper 
end 82 (FIG. 20) of the locking element 79 and pivoted this element about 
a pivot pin 87, so that the lower nose 80 of the locking element 79 is 
moved out of the opening 81 of the T-section member 61. 
The locking is now cancelled and the sliders 73 together with control 
plates 71, 72 are pushed backwards synchronously with the sliding lid 31 
by the guide pins 69, 70 of the lining plate 67, which have now reached 
the ends of the guide slits 74, 75 respectively. In the further course of 
the displacement of the lid 31 beneath the rear roof surface 3, the lining 
plate 67 is also slid underneath the roof surface 3 by the roller trolleys 
28, via the connecting arms 83. The lining plate bears, during the 
displacement operation, on the lateral control plates 71, 72. The closure 
operation of the lining plate takes place substantially in the reverse 
sequence. 
In the unlocking pivoting movement of the locking element 79, an upwardly 
projecting cam or hump 88 (FIG. 20) arrives in the region of the 
horizontal portion 78 of the guide slit 74. This cam 88 ensures that, when 
the guide pin 69 of lining plate 67 runs onto it during the closure 
sliding of the lid 31, a pivoting-back of the locking element 79 occurs 
until the nose 80 engages in the recess 81, and thereby again assures 
locking of the slider 73.