Abstract:
A vehicle roof with a roof opening disposed within a fixed roof outer skin of a vehicle and a cover ( 10 ) to optionally close and at least partially open the roof opening. To at least partially open the roof opening, the cover can be both tilted out from a closed position at its rear edge and displaced in the driving direction to the rear. The cover has at least one locking lug ( 12   a,    12   b ) in the region of its leading edge ( 14 ) that engages, from below in a closed position of the cover, into a support element that is stiff in a direction perpendicular to the roof outer skin. Additionally, the cover is formed at its rear edge such that engagement from below under the lateral and rear areas of the roof opening does not occur in the closed position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a vehicle roof with a roof opening disposed within a fixed roof outer skin of a vehicle and a cover for optionally closing and at least partly opening the roof opening, in which the cover can be both tilted out at its rear edge and displaced in the driving direction to the rear to at least partially open the roof opening from a closed position. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Vehicle roofs according to the genre are known from prior art. For example, German Patent Application DE 195 12 342 A1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,769 describe a vehicle roof with a fixed roof outer skin in which a roof opening is disposed that can be closed with a cover. At its rear edge, the cover can be tilted out in an upward direction or the cover can be displaced alternatively in a rearward direction to clear the roof opening. In the closed position of the roof opening, the cover fits below the fixed roof skin at its leading edge and its rear edge by which means it is prevented by form locking engagement on two sides from unintentionally passing through the roof opening in an upward direction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a vehicle roof with an opening, which can be closed by a cover in which, on one hand, the cover is protected against an unintentional passing through the roof opening to the outside, but which, on the other hand, enables the movement of the cover that is necessary to open the roof opening to be simplified as compared to the approaches of the prior art. 
     This object is achieved by a vehicle roof of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,769 which has a roof opening disposed within a fixed roof outer skin of a vehicle and a cover for selectively closing and at least partly opening the roof opening, in which the cover can be both tilted out at its rear edge and displaced to the rear relative to a forward driving direction to at least partially open the roof opening from a closed position, where the cover comprises at least a locking lug in the region of its leading edge, that engages from below, in a closed position of the cover, into a support element that is stiff in a direction perpendicular to the roof outer skin and which is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent necessary to complete an understand of this invention, by the cover being formed at its rear edge such that an engagement from below under the neighboring regions of the roof opening does not occur in the closed position. 
     The advantage of a vehicle roof according to the invention is the securing of the cover in the closed position at its leading edge against lifting when the car undergoes a rattling movement or the blowing air causes a suction effect, since the cover comprises at least one locking lug in the region of its leading edge, the lug engages a rigid supporting element from below in the closed position of the cover in a direction perpendicular to the outer roof skin. As such an engagement from below does not occur in the closed position in the region of the rear edge of the cover, the cover can be tilted out in an upward direction at the rear edge without a complex movement of the cover being needed to uncover the rear edge. Furthermore, by locking the cover at its leading edge in the closed position by means of the locking edge, the application of forces on the cover mechanics that are too large for the movement or fixation of the cover in the closed position of the cover is prevented, because a large part of the forces acting on the cover is received by the locking lug of the roof skin. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover is supported to be lowerable or liftable for movement in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, to guide the cover above or below the fixed roof outer skin of the vehicle. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the supporting element is formed at a leading edge of the roof opening. In this context, the term leading edge of the roof opening is meant to denote that edge of the roof opening that due to its stability is suited to receive the typical forces acting on the roof opening because of the wind load or rattling movement. The edge can be an edge in the outer skin of the roof cutout or an attachment part mounted at such an edge, such as a seal, provided it is appropriately reinforced. Such a seal can be formed as a hollow chamber seal, for example, causing an especially good sealing efficiency. Furthermore, in an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, such a seal can be divided into a softer and a harder region, the harder region encouraging a support of the locking lug at the leading edge of the roof opening via a better traction, while the softer region improves the sealing behavior of the seal. 
     The harder region of the seal can also form the actual leading edge of the roof opening at which the locking lug is solely supported to be locked. Preferably, the harder region can be achieved by a reinforcement insert within the softer region. In an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the harder region is disposed within a hollow chamber of the seal and can by formed, for example, as a continuous cord or as single cord section. Such a seal can also be attached as a locking lug in the region of the leading edge of the cover, in which the appropriate harder region exerts a locking nose function. Further, a seal can alternatively be attached at edge areas of the cover in addition to a locking lug. In these two embodiments of the invention with seals at the cover, a counter-seal on the edge of the roof opening can be omitted, but a dampening element can be mounted on the edge of the roof opening to dampen the contact movement of a locking lug at the roof. 
     In other preferred embodiments of the invention, the roof skin comprises an essentially right-angled first downward bend in a region of the leading edge of the roof opening, followed by an essentially vertical section of the roof skin, in which the seal can be fastened to this vertical section on the side assigned to the roof opening. This offers a reinforcement of the leading edge of the roof opening in addition to the mounting area for the seal. To further strengthen the edge of the roof opening, the essentially vertical section of the roof skin can be folded additionally. Such a fold means that the free end of the roof skin is folded over by approx. 180°. A seal that is attached in this region can preferably comprise an projection with a groove in which the folded region engages. In this way, the seal can be fit to the fold region of the roof opening edge, enabling an alternative or additional fixation of the sealing at the roof skin. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the roof skin is provided with a crank to the inside in a region of the leading edge of the roof opening. This means that the roof skin is guided in a preferably essentially right-angled first bend downwards (in the direction to the interior of the vehicle) and then again to the horizontal by means of a second bend, where it limits the roof opening. Again, the seal can comprise a groove which is provided correspondingly horizontal in there, and the free end of the roof skin engages into the groove. 
     In embodiments with a sealing at the leading edge of the roof opening, the locking lug preferably engages the sealing from below at least partially in the closed position. In the closed position, the locking lug can fit in a force locking engagement at the sealing to prevent a displacement of the cover to the outside. In an alternative, the sealing and the locking lug can be arranged with a distance to each other in the closed position of the cover so that a force locking engagement only takes place when a certain displacement of the cover to the outside occurs. In this way, on the one hand, a displacement of the cover to the outside will be prevented as a certain amount of deflection occurs, and on the other hand, a desired horizontal displacement of the cover to uncover the roof opening is facilitated, because the locking lug and the sealing are separated without an outer application of force, whereby friction and wear of the sealing and the locking lug are reduced. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the supporting element is formed as a hooked member which hooks into the locking lug of the cover and which can be flexibly formed in parallel to the sliding direction of the cover. The hooked member can be formed as a bracket attached to a frame part, or it can be alternatively formed by the roof frame itself. 
     In an especially preferred embodiment of the invention the cover comprises a transparent pane, for example, made of glass, and said pane can further be provided with a peripheral foam at which the locking lug is molded. To reinforce the cover construction, the peripheral foam can be provided with a reinforcement insert, which is preferably embedded in the peripheral foam when the peripheral foam is foamed onto the cover. For improving the stability of the locking lug, in an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement insert can extend at least in part into the locking lug. In an embodiment of a cover made of a transparent pane without peripheral foam, a reinforcement element is preferably attached directly to the pane, for example, adhered, and the reinforcement element itself also forms the locking lug. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a cover edge area is formed angled in the direction of the vehicle interior, and in this way, it also forms the locking lug. Instead of a locking lug with an angled shape, the locking lug also can form a projection of the cover edge area that slopes in the direction of the vehicle interior and toward the leading edge of the roof opening in each of the discussed embodiments of the invention. 
     These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which, for purposes of illustration only, show several embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view from above on a cover of a vehicle roof according to the invention with three locking lugs at a leading edge of the cover. 
         FIG. 1   b  is a view form above on an alternative embodiment of a cover according to the invention for a vehicle roof with a continuous locking lug at a leading edge of the cover; 
         FIGS. 2   a  to  2   d  are cross-sectional views of alternative embodiments of covers according to the invention, wherein the cross section runs along the line II-II of  FIG. 1   b;    
         FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  show alternative sliding paths to open or lock a vehicle roof according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 4   a  to  4   e  show different alternative embodiments of seals and leading edges of a roof opening of a vehicle roof according to the invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows an alternative embodiment of the invention with a hook member to lock the cover at its leading edge; and 
         FIG. 6  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 4   c  with the cover tilted up out of the closed position of  FIG. 4   c.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a cover  10  of a vehicle roof according to the invention that can be displaced in a roof opening O along a direction A to cover the roof opening. In the region of a cover leading edge  14  of the cover  10 , the cover comprises three locking lugs  12   a ,  12   b , by means of which the cover is secured in a closed position against lifting off by the engagement from below under a leading edge of the roof opening. The locking lugs can be disposed directly at the leading edge  14  of the cover as is shown here for the locking lug  12   a . However, the locking lugs can also reach to a corner area  16  of the cover  10  as is shown here for the locking lug  12   b  to achieve a locking of the cover in the closed position that is as good as possible. In this regard it is important that the cover is free of locking lugs in its lateral zones as well as on the rear edge so that it can be tilted out upwards around an axis running approximately along the leading edge  14  of the cover as shown in  FIG. 6 . The embodiment of the cover  10  with three locking lugs  12   a ,  12   b  is to be understood as merely exemplarily. Of course, more than three locking lugs can also be used. Alternatively, as is shown in  FIG. 1   b , a cover  10  can also comprise only one continuous locking lug  12  extending along a leading edge  14  of the cover. 
       FIG. 2   a  shows a cross-sectional view along the line II-II of  FIG. 1   b  of a leading edge  14  of the cover or of an adjacent section of a roof skin  24 . The cover  14  comprises a transparent glass pane  18  having a peripheral foam  20  which is reinforced by a reinforcement insert  22 . At the roof skin  24 , a seal  32  is provided in a vertical section  26  of the roof skin that is bent downwardly here (toward the vehicle interior), and the seal  32  is formed as a hollow chamber seal. A locking lug  12 , which is molded to the peripheral foam  20 , is achieved as an angled continuation of the peripheral foam such that it engages from below into the seal  32  and into the vertical section  26  of the roof skin  24  in the illustrated closed position of the cover  10  and that it supports in force locking engagement at the sealing or the roof skin. In this way, a displacement of the cover  10  to the outside due to a rattling movement or a suction effect of the flowing air stream is avoided. Accordingly, cover mechanics (not shown) are correspondingly relieved of such forces in the region of the cover leading edge and the stability requirements for the cover mechanics are correspondingly lower. 
     In  FIG. 2   b  a vehicle roof is shown that is an alternative embodiment to  FIG. 2   a . The essential difference relative to the embodiment of  FIG. 2   a  is the fact that the locking lug  12  comprises a longer angle  34  in the direction of the vehicle interior thereby creating a distance  33  of the locking lug  12  relative to the seal  32  and to the vertical section  26  of the roof skin  24 , respectively, in the closed position of the cover  10 . This distance  33  ensures, on the one hand, that the movement of the cover to uncover the roof opening is facilitated, since no friction between the locking lug  12  and the seal  32  is created at a displacement of the cover  10  to the right side of the figure. On the other hand, the distance  33  is reduced by an outward force on the cover in an upward direction of the figure to such a length that, from a certain deflection, the locking lug  12  comes into contact with the seal  32  or the roof skin  24  and a further displacement of the cover  10  toward the outside is stopped at this point. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, according to  FIG. 2   c , a cover  10  also comprises a peripheral foam  20  on a transparent glass pane  18 , in which the peripheral foam is also reinforced by a reinforcement insert  22 , for example, made of metal. However, as opposed to the embodiment of  FIG. 2   b , the reinforcement insert  22  extends into the region of the locking lug  12 . In this way, it is ensured that the locking lug  12  is also reinforced by the reinforcement insert  22 . When forces are applied to the cover toward the outside (in the direction of the figure upwards), the locking lug can therefore be supported more stiffly against a seal  32  and/or a fold  30  of the roof skin  24 . 
     In  FIG. 2   d , a cover  10  of a vehicle roof according to the invention is shown which also comprises a glass pane  18  (as in the case of the embodiments of the  FIGS. 2   a  to  2   c ), but that has no peripheral foam. In this case, a reinforcement member  23  is attached directly to the glass pane  18  by means of an adhesive bonded joint  38  to reinforce the glass pane  18 . In this embodiment of the invention, a locking lug  12  is directly and solely formed by the reinforcement member  23 . 
       FIGS. 3   a  &amp;  3   b  show alternative displacement paths B and C for movement of cover  10  to uncover a roof opening in a roof skin  24 . When the cover  10  is displaced according to line B in  FIG. 3   a , the cover is first tilted out so that its rear edge is disposed above the fixed roof skin and then it is moved to the rear, until the locking lug  12  no longer engages the roof skin  24  or a seal  32  disposed at it from below. Then, the cover  10  is lifted from the roof opening in an upward direction, to displace it further rearward relative to a forward driving direction (in the figure to the right). Such a movement is used, for example, with a raisable or externally guided sunroof. 
     Different therefrom, the cover of the  FIG. 3   b  is first displaced downward toward the vehicle interior (in the figure toward the bottom) and then is moved in a rearward direction (in the picture to the right), i.e., rearward relative to a forward driving direction, when the vehicle roof is to be opened. Such a lowering of the cover to uncover the opening in the roof skin  24  for example can be used together with a tilt/slide sunroof. 
     Different embodiments of seals  32  for use at a leading edge of an opening in a roof skin  24 , where the cover is supported with its locking lug or lugs, are shown in the  FIGS. 4   a  to  4   e.    
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 4   a , the roof skin  24  is bent downwards toward the vehicle interior by a first bend  28  and therefore forms a vertical section  26   b , at which a seal  32  is fastened by means of an adhesive joint  42 . The seal  32  comprises a harder region  43   a  and a softer region  43   b . For this purpose, materials with different hardnesses can, for example, be sprayed, foamed or extruded to form a seal. The harder region  43   a  serves to ensure a better force-locking engagement of a locking lug (not shown here) from below against the seal. The soft region  43   b  improves the sealing efficiency of the seal  32  against a cover (not shown here), that presses in a closed position from the right side against the seal  32 . Furthermore, the seal  32  comprises a projection  36  with which the seal rests on an abutting face  40  of the vertical section  26  of the roof skin  24 , and is supported against it. This projection  36  is formed by the harder region  43   a  of the seal  32  and supportingly engages against the abutting face  40  to further improve the vertical traction behavior of the seal  32  with a locking lug that fits from below and engages into the sealing from below. 
       FIG. 4   b  shows an alternative embodiment of the invention in which, like in  FIG. 4   a , a roof skin also comprises a first vertical section  26 , formed by the roof skin  24  being bent downwards with a first bend  28  from its horizontal arrangement at approx. 90 degrees relative to the vehicle interior. However, in contrast to the embodiment of  FIG. 4   a , here, the roof skin  24  comprises a second bend  28   b  following the vertical region  26 , which brings the roof skin  24  again to a horizontal orientation. Therefore, a kind of angling of the roof skin  24  results in the direction of the vehicle interior (in the figure downwardly). Similar to  FIG. 4   a , a seal  32  is also disposed at the vertical section  26  of the roof skin  24  and fastened by means of an adhesive bond  39 . But here, the seal  32  comprises an projection  36  with an essentially horizontal groove  44   a , in which an essentially horizontal free end  41  of the roof skin  24  engages. Therefore, another fastening point of the sealing at the roof skin is provided in addition to the adhesive bond  39  by the form-fitting connection between the free end  41  of the roof skin  24  and the groove  44   a  of the seal  32 . The angled embodiment of the edge of the roof skin  24  provides a resulting stiffening, and thus, improves the force locking engagement of the seal  32  in an upward direction in relation to a locking lug  12  of a cover  10  with respect to forces acting in an outward direction (upward in the figure). This supporting behavior as well as the sealing behavior, here, is also additionally improved by the division of the seal  32  in a harder area  43   a  and a softer area  43   b.    
     Another alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 4   c , in a cross-sectional view that is similar to those of  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b . The difference relative to  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  is, on the one hand, the embodiment of the edge of the roof skin  24 , that forms a fold  30  after a first bend  28   a , by which the roof skin is essentially directed perpendicularly to the vehicle interior (in the figure downwards), where the end of the roof skin  24  then being folded back in an upward direction. In turn, a seal  32  is fitted onto this fold  30  by means of a groove  44   b  that is formed vertically in it. The fastening of the seal  32  can either be done by merely fitting the fold  30  into the groove  44   b , or additionally (not shown here) by an adhesive bond in a vertical region  26  of the roof skin  24 . The cover  10  shown here comprises, like the cover of  FIG. 4   b , a locking lug  12 . However, instead of the angle-type embodiment of  FIG. 4   b , here, the lug comprises a ramp shaped bevel  46  by means of which it supports itself in a closed position of the cover against the seal  32  and engages it from below. 
       FIG. 4   d  shows an embodiment of the invention, in which as an alternative to the embodiment of  FIG. 4   a , a seal  32  comprises a reinforcement insert  48  as a harder region which, for example, can be molded into the seal  32 . Here, the harder region in form of the reinforcement insert  41  serves also to improve the supporting behavior of the seal  32  in a direction vertically out of the roof opening (in the figure, in an upward direction). 
     As an alternative to the reinforcement insert  48  which can be formed, for example, as a metal cord  50 , that, in the case of using a hollow chamber seal, can be inserted into the hollow chamber of the seal  32  as is shown in  FIG. 4   e . Here, the cord  50  can extend along the full length of the seal  32  or it can be inserted only into certain sections of the seal  32  (particularly in regions to be engaged by locking lugs). The cord  50  serves here as a stiffening member of the seal  32  too. 
     In all embodiments of the figures, the locking lugs  12   a ,  12   b  and/or the seal  32  can be coated in a friction reducing manner. Such a coating can be, for example, made of a flocking or a sliding lacquer, and it also serves to minimize noises in addition to reducing friction when the cover  10  is displaced relatively to the seal  32 . 
     Another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 5 . A hook member  52  with a nose  58  that is slightly bent downwards is formed of sheet metal and forms a bracket which is fastened tightly to the roof (e.g., riveted or screwed together, welded) at a roof frame  54  by means of two fastening projections  56   a ,  56   b . Alternatively, the hook member can also be made of plastics or it can be molded directly to it as a projection of the roof frame  54 . The bracket like hook member  52  is formed such that it is stiff into a direction perpendicular to the roof skin  24 . 
     The hook member  52  and the cover  10  are arranged relative to each other such that, when the cover  10  is displaced in the direction toward the closed position (i.e., in the x axis direction), a locking lug  12  of the cover picks up the hook member and comes into engagement with the hook member, so that the cover is secured in the closed position against upward displacement (in the z axis direction). In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , this locking occurs without the hook member being moved by means of its own kinematics, but rather merely by the deformation of the hook member, which is stiff in the z-direction, but flexible and deformable in the x-direction. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the hook member can be constructed to be also movable in the z-direction in certain limits. This is particularly advantageous if the cover, shortly before reaching the closed position, still extends downwardly to a relatively large amount; that means that the cover kinematics essentially makes a z-movement before reaching the final position. The length and positioning of the hook member of  FIG. 5  are selected such that, after a displacement of the end opposite to the fastening projections  56   a ,  56   b  in the direction of the displacement of the cover, the hook member also hooks into the locking lug  12  of the cover in the x axis direction and is tensioned (in the z-direction) when the cover is further displaced to secure the cover in the region of the locking lug against a lifting off in the z axis direction in the closed position. 
     The locking lug  12  is formed in a peripheral foam  20  of the cover. The locking lug  12  releases the hook member again when the cover  10  is displaced from the closed position to the open position (opposite to the x axis direction). The release can be facilitated by a combined movement of the cover in the x and z axis directions. 
     In  FIG. 5 , a seal  32  is indicated only in dashed outline form at the leading edge of the roof opening the seal has a cut-out in the region of the hook member  52 , into which the hook member  52  is received. Due to the small thickness of the hook member  52 , a cut-out can also be omitted since the seal  32  will deform the hook member in the closed position of the cover  10  only insignificantly. Alternatively, a seal can also be attached to the edge areas of the cover, and a seal at the roof opening can be omitted. In this case, a damping element, such as a felt or rubber strip, can additionally be attached to the roof opening to dampen the attaching movement of parts of the cover against fixed roof regions. While various embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto, and is susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the details shown and described herein, and includes all such changes and modifications as encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.