OPEN ROOF CONSTRUCTION FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract: An open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening in its fixed roof, comprises a frame adapted to be fitted to the vehicle and a panel (4) supported by the frame and having a front and rear side. The panel (4) closes the opening in the fixed roof in its closed position and is adapted to be set from the closed position into upwardly and rearwardly inclined positions in which the panel (4) is displaced rearwardly above the fixed roof. A set-­ out mechanism (19-21) for moving the panel (4) is provided between the panel (4) and the frame and being adjustable by a drive means (5); Rear locking means (23-26) are provided near the rear side of the panel (4) for urging the rear side of the panel vertically into the closed position where it is locked. Means (6, 8, 27-30) between the rear locking means (23-26) and the drive means (5) are adapted to effect a positive and forced operation of the locking means (23-26) by the drive means (5).

Description: The invention relates to an open roof construction for a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. Open roof constructions are known in various embodiments, particularly for passenger cars. A requirement for these open roof constructions, which become more and more important, is a tight locking of the panel in its closed position. This locking serves as protection against burglary on the one hand and for urging the panel tightly into the sealing rubbers in order to obtain a very good sealing action on the other hand. EP-A-0 154 759 discloses an open roof construction showing the features of the preamble of claim 1. It includes a catching device at the rear of the panel for assisting the set-out mechanism in the lower part of the pivoting movement of the panel. For this purpose the open roof construction according to the invention is characterized by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. Further developments of the invention are defined in claims 2-6. This latter feature guarantees a faultless operation of the locking means, while springs and the like, which can give rise to failures, are not required since especially the operation of the front locking means is effective in a positive forced manner. The invention will hereafter be elucidated with reference to the drawing showing an embodiment of the open roof construction according to the invention by way of example. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an open roof construction according to the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged exploded view of a part of the open roof construction of fig. 1, wherein the operating mechanism is shown. Fig. 3-6 are very schematic longitudinal sectional views of the open roof construction of fig. 1 on an enlarged scale and in several positions. The drawing and first of all fig. 1, shows an embodiment of the open roof construction for a vehicle, in particular a truck, having an opening 2 provided in the fixed roof 1. The open roof construction comprises a frame 3 attached to the fixed roof 1 of the vehicle, the frame 3 movably supporting a rigid panel 4 in a manner to be discribed in further detail. The panel 4 closes the opening 2 in the fixed roof 1 in its closed position and is movable from this closed position (fig. 3) in a backwardly and upwardly inclined position partially above fixed roof 1, such as shown in fig. 1. From this completely or partially opened position the panel 4 may, of course, be moved in reversed sense to the closed position. Fig. 2 shows the operation mechanism of the open roof construction according to the invention. This operation mechanism which is in principle, provided on both longitudinal sides of the roof opening 2, comprises a flexible pull and push cable 5 serving as drive means and being driven in a usual way by a manual or electric drive. On the free end of the pull and push cable 5 as shown there is fixed a slide piece 6 slidably guided in longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a guide section 7 formed on the frame 3. The slide piece 6 is provided with a transverse horizontal pin 8 projecting outwardly and being guided through an intermediate part 9 in a horizontal closed longitudinal slot 10 formed to the stationary frame 3. The longitudinal slot 10 determines the end positions of the pull and push cable 5 and thereby of the panel 4. Said intermediate part 9 is formed as an arm being pivotable at the upper end about the pin 8 of the slide piece 6. For this purpose the arm 9 has at its upper end a hole 11 for rotatably receiving the pin 8 on the one hand and a slide pin 12 aligned with the hole 11 and projecting into the longitudinal slot 10 on the other hand. At the lower end of the arm 9 there is provided a round hole 13 through which a transverse pin 14 is passed. This transverse pin 14 is connected to a section part 15 being attached to the lower side of the panel 4 in the neighbourhood of the longitudinal edge thereof. The arm 9 is pivotable about the transverse pin 14 projecting into a guide slot 16 after having passed through the hole 13 in the arm 9. This guide slot 16 which is formed under the longitudinal slot 10 of the frame 3, extends substantially horizontal and parallel to the longitudinal slot 10 that has at its front end a downwardly curved portion 16′ joining the horizontal portion 16″. The guide slot 16 terminates on the front end substantially at the same point as the longitudinal slot 10. The arm 9 has at its upper end concentrically around the hole 11 a cam 17 which is passed with play through a slot 18 being formed in the section 15 and having the shape of a circular section, the center of curvature coinciding with the axis of the transverse pin 14 on the section 15 in order to permit pivoting movements of the arm 9. As part of the set out mechanism for the panel 4 there is provided a guide slot 19 in the section 15 of the panel 4, a transverse stationary guide pin 21, which is attached to a support 20 of the frame 3, engaging rotatably and slidably into said guide slot 19. The guide slot 19 includes, as seen in the fully opened position of the panel 4, a horizontal front portion 19′, a backwardly and upwardly inclined portion 19″ joining to the rear end thereof and a short locking portion 19‴ joining to the rear end of the second portion. This short locking portion 19‴ of the guide slot 19 extends vertically when the panel 4 is in its closed position (see fig. 3). Substantially aligned with the locking portion 19‴ of the guide slot 19, but on the other side of the section 15 of the panel 4 there is provided a pivot pin 22. This pivot pin 22 projects into a hole 23 in a locking means 24 thereby being permitted to pivot about the pivot pin 22. A locking means 24 has in its lower portion facing away from the hole 23 a curved locking slot 25 being open at its front end and with which a stationary locking pin 26 rigidly connected to the frame 3 can come into engagement through the open front end thereof. The center of curvature of the locking slot 25 does not coïncide with the axis of the hole 23 of the locking means serving as pivot. Contrary thereto, the distance between the locking slot 25 and the hole 23 decreases from the open end of the locking slot 25. In the portion of the locking means between the hole 23 and locking slot 25 there is further formed a transverse pin 27 projecting pivotally into a hole 28 near the rear end of a connection rod 29. At the front end the connection rod 29 engages with a hole 30 about the slide pin 12 of the arm 9 so that the connection rod 29 actually connects the pull and push cable 5 with the locking means 24. The operation of the open roof construction according to the invention will now be elucidated with reference to fig. 3-6. Fig. 3 shows the open roof construction in the closed position of the panel 4, in which the panel 4 is tightly locked. The pull and push cable 5 (not shown) is in the foremost position wherein the slide pin 12 abuts the front end of the longitudinal slot 10. The transverse pin 14 engages the lower front end of the front slot portion 16′ and is kept in engagement through the arm 9 between the pins 8 and 12 and the transverse pin 14. The vertical distance between the front end of the longitudinal slot 10 and the lower front end of the slot portion 16′ is such that, in the foremost position of the slide pin 12 in the longitudinal slot 10, the arm 9 extends substantially vertically. The transverse pin 14 and thereby the section part 15 and the front part of the panel 4 are, as a consequence thereof, locked in horizontal direction as well as in vertical direction. Near the rear end of the panel 4 the locking means 24 is in its maximally forwardly pivoted position wherein the locking pin 26 is in engagement with the rear end of the locking slot 25. The guide pin 21 connected to the frame 3 abuts the upper end of the locking portion 19‴ of the guide slot 19. In this manner the rear portion of the panel 4 is locked in horizontal and vertical direction in the closed position. In fig. 4 the pull and push cable 5 (not shown) and consequently the pin 8 and the slide pin 12 are moved a small distance backwardly. The section part 15 and the panel 4 are not displaced in horizontal direction as a result of the horizontal locking by the locking pin 21 in the locking portion 19‴ of the guide slot 19 and the transverse pin 14 in the front portion 16′ of the guide slot 16. Because the pin 8 is moved backwardly, the upper end of the arm 9 is carried along thereby causing the arm 9 to pivot about the transverse pin 14 and releasing the downward pressure of the arm 9 onto the transverse pin 14. Thereafter the transverse pin 14 starts to move upwardly into the slot portion 16′ and to displace the front edge of the panel 4 upwardly. The locking means 24 near the rear edge of the panel 4 is pivoted backwardly about the pivot pin 2 by the connection rod 29 connected to the pin 8. As a consequence of the fact that the center of curvature of the locking slot 25 does not coïncide with the axis of the pivot pin 22, the rear edge of the panel 4 is caused to move in vertical direction, that is upwardly, upon a relative displacement of the locking pin 26 through the locking slot 25. In fig. 4, the rear edge of the panel 4 is moved upwardly to such an extent that the guide pin 21 has reached the transition between the slot portions 19‴ and 19″ of the guide slot 19. The locking pin 26 has just left the locking slot 25 in the locking means 24. Fig. 5 illustrates the position of the panel 4 in which the pull and push cable 5 and consequently the pins 8 and 12 are moved a substantial distance backwardly. Upon this horizontal backward displacement of the pin 8 the transverse pin 14 is pulled out of the downwardly curved front portion 16′ of the guide slot 16 by the pivotable arm 9, thereby moving the front edge of the panel 4 upwardly. The position of the pins 8, 12 and 14 with respect to each other is determined and retained by the ratio of the effective length of the arm 9 and the center distance between the horizontal slot 10 and 16′. As a result thereof the pull and push cable 5 and the panel 4 are locked relative to each other in horizontal direction. Due to the backward displacement of the panel 4 and the section part 15 the guide slot 19 moves relative to the guide pin 21 so that the guide pin 21 passes through the slot portion 19″. The course of the slot portion 19″ causes the rear edge of the panel 4 to move upwardly due to the engagement of the guide pin 21 and the slot portion 19″. In the position of the panel 4 according to fig. 5 the guide pin 21 is at the transition between the slot portions 19′ and 19″. Fig. 6 shows the panel 4 in its hindmost completely opened position. There the panel 4 has been moved a distance backwardly with respect to the position of fig. 5, but has been maintained in the same tilting position, since the slots 10, 16″ and 19′ are horizontal. In the completely opened position the panel 4 extends partially above the fixed roof 1 of the vehicle (see fig. 1). The operation to move the panel 4 to the closed position is effected in the same manner as opening the panel 4 on the understanding that the movements take place in reverse sense. The panel 4 is therewith urged in vertical direction tightly into sealing rubbers (not shown) on the front and rear side and is locked there. The invention is not restricted to the embodiment described herein before and shown in the drawing by way of example, which can be varied in different ways within the scope of the invention as long as it is defined in the claims. The embodiment of the open roof construction shown by way of example is particularly adapted for use in trucks and the like since the maximum built-in height there is not of great importance and the open roof construction is therefore designed for optimal operation and locking of the panel without being limited by a small maximum built-in height.

Claims: Open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening (2) in its fixed roof, comprising a frame (3) adapted to be fitted to the vehicle; a panel (4) supported by the frame (3) and having a front and rear side, said panel closing the opening in the fixed roof in its closed position and being adapted to be set from the closed position into upwardly and rearwardly inclined positions in which the panel is displaced rearwardly above the fixed roof; a set-out mechanism (19-21) for moving the panel (4), provided between the panel and the frame and being adjustable by a drive means (5, 6); rear locking means (23-28) provided near the rear side of the panel (4) for urging the rear side of the panel (4) downwardly into the closed position where it is locked; front locking means provided near the front side of the panel (4) and being operated by the drive means (5, 6) for urging the front side of the panel (4) downwardly into the closed position where it is locked; retaining means between the panel and the front locking means preventing horizontal displacement of the panel in its closed position while allowing displacement of the drive means, and preventing a relative displacement of the drive means and the panel in more or less opened positions of the panel, characterized in that said retaining means and front locking means are combined and comprise a pivotable arm (9) linked through a first pin (8) to the horizontally displaceable drive means (6) on the one hand and linked to the panel (4) through a second pin (14) on the other hand, said second pin (14) being guided in a horizontal longitudinal slot (16) having an horizontal slot portion extending at a distance below the horizontal path of pin (8) of the drive means (6) which is smaller than the distance between said first and second pins (8) and (14) along the arm (9), the longitudinal slot (16) including at the front end a downwardly extending front portion (16′) of which the front end it at a distance from the first pin (8) of the panel (4) which is substantially equal to the distance between the first and second pins (8) and (14). Open roof construction according to claim 1, wherein the downwardly extending slot portion (16′) of the guide slot (16) is curved downwardly. Open roof construction according to claim 1 or 2, comprising means for effecting a positive and forced operation of the rear locking means (23-28) by the drive means (5, 6), including a connection rod (29), the rear end thereof engaging the locking means (23-28) and the front end thereof being connected to the drive means (5, 6). Open roof construction according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the rear locking means (24) is connected to the panel (4) in a manner pivotable about a horizontal pivot pin (22) and comprising a locking slot (25) opened at a front end, in which there can engage a stationary locking pin (26) formed on the frame (3), the locking slot (25) being configured such that the rear side of the panel (4) is moved in vertical direction upon a relative displacement of the locking pin (26) in the locking slot (25). Open roof construction according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the set-out mechanism of the panel comprises a stationary guide pin (21) attached to the frame (3, 20) and being slidably in engagement in a second guide slot (19) formed to the panel (4) and extending at least partially in vertical height. Open roof construction according to claim 5, wherein the guide slot (19) of the panel (4) comprises, as seen in the closed position of the panel, a substantially vertical locking portion (19‴) for horizontally locking the panel (4) in the closed position.

Inventors: HUYER, JOHANNES NICOLAAS
Applicants: VERMEULEN-HOLLANDIA OCTROOIEN II B.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B60J7
IPC codes: B60J7