Abstract:
A sliding roof system is shown having a pair of guide rails, a slide in each guide rail, the slide being displaceably mounted therein, a functional component which is displaceably received in the guide rail and can be fixed in a raised position by means of a latching hook, the latching hook being shiftable between a release position and a latching position, the latching hook when in the latching position engaging in an opening of the guide rail, and a cover which can be opened from a closed position by displacement of the slide, a retaining member being provided which can mechanically hold the latching hook in the latching position, wherein the retaining lever is adapted to be pivoted about a pivot pin between the release position and the retaining position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to the following German Patent Application No. 10 2012 016 504.8 filed Aug. 20, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Various embodiments of the present invention relates to a sliding roof system including a pair of guide rails, a slide in each guide rail, the slide being displaceably mounted therein, a functional component which is displaceably received in the guide rail and can be fixed in a defined position by means of a latching hook, the latching hook being shiftable between a release position and a latching position, the latching hook when in the latching position engaging in an opening of the guide rail, and a cover which can be opened from a closed position by displacement of the slide, a retaining member being provided which can mechanically hold the latching hook in the latching position. 
         [0003]    The latching hook serves to releasably fix the functional component that is displaceable in the guide rail at a particular place. In this condition, the functional component can, for example, lock a raising mechanism in a defined position. When the latching hook is in its release position again, the functional component can be shifted in the guide rail again to move to an initial position, for example, or in order not to be in the way of other components during the displacement thereof. 
         [0004]    In the operation of such a sliding roof, a thrust load develops when there is a change in the direction of travel, such thrust load being directly transferred to the component to which the latching hook is mounted. This may cause a moment to be transmitted to the latching hook. While the latching hook typically is spring-loaded so that it reliably remains within its latching opening, this moment is considered to be undesirable if it acts on the latching hook. Accordingly and in one non-limiting embodiment, it is desirable to provide a sliding roof system that prevents or mitigates the aforementioned undesirable moment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One embodiment of the invention comprises providing a sliding roof system which distinguishes itself by a greater functional reliability with respect to the latching mechanism. 
         [0006]    To achieve this, provision is made in a sliding roof system of the type initially mentioned that the retaining lever is adapted to be pivoted about a pivot pin between the release position and the retaining position. Such a retaining member causes the latching hook to be mechanically retained in the latching position, so that the latching hook cannot leave the latching opening in the latched state of the sliding roof system. The pivotal mounting of the retaining lever allows the lever to be reliably mounted, requiring a small amount of space. If the pivot pin is located in the center of gravity of the retaining lever, it is furthermore ensured that any accelerations occurring do not exert a moment on the retaining lever. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the slide has an actuating member provided thereon which cooperates with the retaining member such that it can shift the retaining member between the release position and the retaining position and back. In this configuration, no additional components are necessary for actuating the retaining member, but the slide can actuate the retaining member automatically in the course of its displacement motion within the guide rail. 
         [0008]    According to at least one configuration of the invention, provision is made that the retaining member is a retaining lever which is shiftable between a release position and a retaining position. A lever is especially suitable as a retaining member since different lever arms can be used for shifting the retaining lever from the release position to the retaining position and back. 
         [0009]    Provision is made that the retaining lever includes a support arm which is associated with the latching hook and is arranged in relation to the pivot pin such that a force exerted on the support arm by the latching hook urges the retaining lever to the retaining position. This results in a self-reinforcement in the retaining position when the latching hook acts on the retaining lever in terms of a disengagement from the opening. Any additional securing measures to prevent an unintentional movement of the retaining lever from the retaining position to the release position are therefore not required. 
         [0010]    According to one configuration of the invention, provision is made that the retaining lever is acted upon by a frictional force, so that it does not unintentionally rotate from the retaining position to the release position, and vice versa. The frictional force ensures that, without further measures being required, the retaining lever remains in the position (release position or retaining position) to which it was brought, and that it cannot shift in an unintentional manner such as due to vibrations, for example. 
         [0011]    According to one embodiment of the invention, provision is made that the actuating member is a projection which can engage in a recess of the retaining lever and can leave the recess when the retaining lever is in the retaining position. In this configuration, the retaining lever is shifted in a particularly simple way by, for example, the slide, to which the projection can be mounted. 
         [0012]    According to one embodiment, provision is made that the opening in the guide rail is located on the side facing the cover. It has been found that by a sequence of motions that is reversed as compared with the prior art, i.e. a pivoting of the latching hook upward in order to bring it to the latching position, a structure can be obtained which, as a whole, is more compact. The reason for this is that irrespective of whether the latching hook is pivoted upward or downward, it is coupled to the slide that is displaceable in the guide rail in the upper half of the slide. In the lower region, the installation space available is usually not sufficient. Among other reasons, this is due to the fact that the guide formations are realized there, by means of which the slide is guided in the guide rail. In this way, a structure that is more compact in the vertical direction can be achieved if the latching hook is shifted from the release position to the latching position towards that side from which it is actuated, namely towards the upper side. Furthermore, the advantage is obtained that the guide rail can be produced with a continuous, uninterrupted bottom surface, which is a great advantage with a view to water tightness. This, too, results in a compact structure of the sliding roof system according to the invention, since no special precautions need to be taken for preventing water from penetrating into the area of the guide rail which, in the prior art, is provided with the opening. In accordance with non-limiting embodiments of the invention, it is sufficient to provide a water drain for the guide rail at a suitable location. Even with a latching hook that is adapted to be pivoted upward into a latching opening, owing to the retaining member that is provided for according to the invention there is no risk that a vehicle occupant inadvertently pushes the latching hook downward (for example if he or she places his or her hand on the edge of the roof opening when the sliding roof system is open). 
         [0013]    According to one embodiment, provision is made that the latching hook is pivotally mounted to a guide part which is displaceably received in the guide rail. The guide part is that component which is intended to be locked in place in a predetermined position in the guide rail for the desired sequence of motions when the cover is being opened. 
         [0014]    Provision may be made here that the functional component is coupled to the guide part. This allows the functional component to be shifted in the guide rail in order to produce a lifting movement in this way, for example. 
         [0015]    A connecting rod may be provided for the coupling between the functional component and the guide part. This connecting rod makes it possible to arrange the functional component, for example a raising lever, remote from the guide part, for example in the rear area of the guide rail, in order to allow the rear edge of a cover to be raised, while the guide part is arranged in the front area of the guide rail where it can be actuated by the slide arranged there. 
         [0016]    In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, a sliding roof system is provided. The sliding roof system having: a pair of guide rails; a slide in each guide rail, the slide being displaceably mounted therein; a functional component which is displaceably received in the guide rail and can be fixed in a raised position by means of a latching hook, the latching hook being shiftable between a release position and a latching position, the latching hook when in the latching position engaging in an opening of the guide rail, and a cover which can be opened from a closed position by displacement of the slide; a retaining member being provided which can mechanically hold the latching hook in the latching position, wherein the retaining lever is adapted to be pivoted about a pivot pin between the release position and the retaining position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The invention will now be described below by reference to a preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  shows, in a perspective view, a sliding roof system according to the prior art; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  shows the sliding roof system of  FIG. 1  in a state with the cover closed; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows the sliding roof system of  FIG. 1  in a state with the cover tilted outwards; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  shows the sliding roof system of  FIG. 1  with the cover tilted and displaced to the rear; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  shows, in a perspective view, the front section of a guide rail with the components of a sliding roof system according to the invention mounted therein; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  shows, in a perspective view, the front end of a connecting rod with latching hook and retaining member; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  shows, in a side view, the front end of the connecting rod with latching hook and retaining member mounted in a guide rail; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  shows a view corresponding to that of  FIG. 7 , with further components being shown; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  shows a view similar to that of  FIG. 8 , with the latching hook being in the latching position; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 10   a  to  10   d  show the slide and the connecting rod in a top view, a side view and two sectional views, the sliding roof system being in the initial position with the cover closed; 
           [0028]      FIGS. 11   a  to  11   d  show views corresponding to those of  FIG. 10  of the slide and the connecting rod, the latching hook being located at the level of the opening, associated with it, in the guide rail; 
           [0029]      FIGS. 12   a  to  12   d  show views corresponding to those of  FIG. 10  of the slide and the connecting rod, the latching hook engaging in the opening, associated with it, of the guide rail; and 
           [0030]      FIGS. 13   a  to  13   e  show views corresponding to those of  FIG. 10  of the slide and the connecting rod, the latching hook being retained in the opening, associated with it, of the guide rail by means of the retaining member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a sliding roof system as is disclosed in EP 2 072 304 A will be generally described. The contents of EP 2 072 304 A are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,859 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. This sliding roof system is only discussed here to convey the basic mode of operation. 
         [0032]    The sliding roof system serves to displace a cover  10  (see  FIG. 2 ) from a closed position, in which it closes an opening in a vehicle roof, via various intermediate positions (for instance a ventilating position) to an open position, in which the opening in the vehicle roof is essentially exposed. Mounted to the cover  10  is a cover holder  12  which is displaceably coupled to a guide rail  14  by means of various components of a raising mechanism. In practice, typically two guide rails  14  and, accordingly, two cover holders  12  are used, which both extend parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle, substantially on the left and right sides of the cover or the roof opening. 
         [0033]    For adjusting the cover holder  12  and, hence, the cover  10 , provision is made for a slide  16  which is displaceably mounted in the guide rail and can be displaced along the guide rail by a drive motor (not shown) by means of a drive cable (also not shown). In the initial position or closed position of the cover  10 , which is shown in  FIG. 2 , the slide  16  is in a forward position (in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle), in which it ensures that both a guide member  18  located at the front and a raising lever  20  located at the rear are in a lowered or initial position. The raising lever  20  here constitutes the functional component initially mentioned. 
         [0034]    When the slide, starting from the forward position, is displaced to the rear, for one thing the raising lever  20  is displaced to the rear by means of a connecting rod  22 . This causes the raising lever  20  to be displaced relative to a bearing block  24  which is firmly mounted in the guide rail and to which it is coupled by a raising slot  26 . This causes the rear end, coupled to the cover holder  12 , of the raising lever  20  to be tilted upwards (cf.  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). In addition, the guide member  18  located at the front is lifted, which can also be seen well by comparing  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0035]    At a specific point of the movement to the rear, more specifically when the raising lever  20  has been completely tilted outwards, the slide  16  is detached from the connecting rod  22 ; at the same time, the front end of the connecting rod  22  is stationarily fixed in place in the guide rail  14  by a locking mechanism  28  which contains a latching hook  29  and an opening  30 , associated with the latching hook, in the guide rail. As a result, the raising lever  20  is also stationarily fixed in place in the guide rail  14 , so that it remains in its position raised outwards. 
         [0036]    Subsequently, the slide  16  is transferred further to the rear, with the guide member  18  located at the front being entrained. The cover holder  12  is thereby displaced relative to the upper end of the raising lever  20 , so that in a position with the cover fully open, as is shown in  FIG. 4 , the guide member  18  located at the front is relatively close to the raising lever  20  located at the rear. 
         [0037]    When it is intended to close the cover again, the slide  16  is shifted to the front. In this process, at first the cover  10  is entrained forward. When the slide abuts the locking mechanism  28 , the latching hook  29  is released from the opening  30 , and the connecting rod  22  with the raising lever  20  are pulled forward until finally the closed position is reached. 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5 to 13 , the sliding roof system according to the invention will be explained. 
         [0039]    In one exemplary embodiment, a difference from the sliding roof system shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4  resides in that the opening  30  in the guide rail is no longer arranged on the bottom of the guide rail, but at the top of the guide rail, that is, on the side facing the cover. 
         [0040]    The sliding roof system according to one embodiment of the invention also differs from the prior art with regard to the configuration of the latching hook  29  and the arrangement thereof on the connecting rod  22 . 
         [0041]    As can be seen in particular in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the connecting rod  22  is guided in the guide rail  14  by means of a guide part  32 . In the region of the guide part  32 , an extension  33  of the connecting rod  22  is connected with the latter, the extension  33  being pivotally coupled to the connecting rod  22 . At its second end, the extension  33  is mounted in the guide rail  14  by means of a guide part  34 . At this end of the extension, the latching hook  29  is also pivotally fitted. The latching hook  29  can be pivoted from a release position, in which a latching member  38  arranged on it is located below the upper level of the guide rail  14  (see in particular  FIGS. 7 and 8 ), to a latching position, in which the latching member  38  engages in the opening  30  (see in particular  FIG. 9 ). 
         [0042]    Also mounted to the connecting rod  22  is a retaining member  40 , which here is in the form of a retaining lever which can be pivoted about a pivot pin  42  between a release position (see in particular  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) and a retaining position (see in particular  FIG. 9 ). The retaining lever  40  is provided with a recess  44  in which an actuating member  46  can engage which is mounted to the slide  16 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 10  shows the guide member  18 , located at the front, of the cover holder  12 , the front end of the connecting rod  22  with the latching hook mounted thereto, as well as parts of the slide  16 . 
         [0044]    In the initial position shown in  FIG. 10 , the slide is located at the front end of the guide rail, so that the cover is in its closed position and the connecting rod  22  is pulled forward to the maximum extent. The connection between the slide  16  and the connecting rod  22  is produced by a connecting projection  50  which is arranged on the latching hook  29  and engages in a slot  52  provided on the slide  16 . As can be seen in  FIG. 10   d , the slot, when viewed in the direction of travel from the front (on the left in the drawing) to the rear, is at first approximately horizontal and then slopes downward. In the initial position, the connecting projection  50  is located at the lower, rear end of the slot  50 . In order to disengage from the slot  52 , the connecting projection  50  would have to move obliquely upwards relative to the slide  16 . This, however, is not possible in the state of the system as shown in  FIG. 10  because the latching member  38  of the latching hook  29  supports itself inside the guide rail  14  (see  FIG. 10   c ), so that the latching hook  29  as a whole (and thus the latching projection  38 ) is prevented from being shifted upwards. 
         [0045]    When, starting from the state shown in  FIG. 10 , the slide  16  is shifted to the right (that is, to the rear as related to the vehicle) in the direction of the arrow P of  FIG. 10   d , the slide  16 , via the slot  52 , exerts a tensile force directed to the right on the connecting projection  50  which cannot yield upwards and thereby entrains the connecting rod  22  to the right by means of the latching lever  29 . This occurs until the latching member  38  reaches the opening  30  (see  FIG. 11   c ), so that it is possible for the latching member  38  and thus the whole latching hook  29  to pivot from the release position upwards to the latching position (see arrow R in  FIG. 11   c ). This movement is assisted, firstly, by a spring  54  which urges the latching hook to the latching position, and, secondly, by the slot  52  which, upon occurrence of a tensile force between the connecting projection  50  and the slot  52 , seeks to lift the connecting projection  50 . As a result, the latching hook  29  is shifted to its latching position (see  FIG. 12 ), in which the latching member  38  engages in the opening  30  of the guide rail  14 . As a result of this, the latching hook  29  and the connecting rod connected to it are locked in place in the guide rail in the longitudinal direction. 
         [0046]    As can be seen in  FIG. 13   d , as a result of the upward movement of the latching hook  29 , the connecting projection  50  has also traveled upward, so that it can readily leave the slot  52 . In fact, the slide  16  detaches itself from the connecting projection because the slide  16  is shifted further to the right in the guide rail. This causes the actuating member  46  to come into contact with the right-hand edge of the recess  44  of the retaining lever  40 , which is thereby pivoted clockwise about the pivot pin  42  from the release position (see  FIGS. 10   c ,  11   c , and  12   c ) to a retaining position (see  FIG. 13   c ). In this retaining position, a support arm  47  of the retaining lever  40  lies below the latching member  38 . Here, the pivot axis  42  of the retaining lever  40  is arranged in relation to the contact point B between the latching member  38  and the support arm  47  such that a lever arm H is obtained (see  FIG. 13   e ) by means of which the retaining lever  40 , in the event of a contact force of the latching hook  29  against the retaining member  40 , urges the latter to the retaining position. This reliably prevents an unintentional disengagement of the latching hook  29  from the opening  30 . The slide  16  can then be further shifted in the guide rail  14  to the right as related to the Figures while the front end of the connecting rod  22  is held reliably locked in place in the guide rail by means of the latching hook  29  and the retaining lever  40 . 
         [0047]    To close the cover again, the slide  16  is moved forward, that is, to the left as related to  FIGS. 10 to 13 . In the process, first the connecting projection  50  moves into the slot  52  while at the same time the actuating member  46  moves into the recess  44  of the retaining lever  40  and pivots the latter back to the release position. Subsequently, when the slide  16  is shifted further to the left, the connecting projection  50  is pushed downward within the slot  52 , as a result of which the latching member  38  of the latching hook  29  is shifted downward out of the opening  30 . Then the slide  16  pushes the latching hook  29  further to the left by means of the connecting projection  50 , whereby the latching hook  29  entrains the connecting rod  22  and the entire sliding roof system eventually returns to its initial condition with the cover closed. 
         [0048]    Owing to the articulated connection between the connecting rod  22  and the extension  33 , no moment can be transferred from the connecting rod  22  to the extension  33  and thus to the latching lever when there is a change in the direction of movement. In combination with the retaining member, this results in a particularly high reliability of the latching of the system in the latching opening of the guide rail. 
         [0049]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.