Abstract:
A collapsible roof assembly for a vehicle includes a collapsible roof and a sealing mechanism. The roof has a top rail with a frame element running along a longitudinal side of the roof. The sealing mechanism has a seal configured to receive and seal a window pane inserted therein, wherein the seal runs along the longitudinal side of the roof and is attached to the frame element. The seal has a similar cross-section between front, middle, and rear sections of the roof. The seal is attached to the frame element in a form-fit manner in the front section of the roof and is attached to the frame element in a force-fitted manner in the middle section of the roof.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) to DE 10 2010 027 606.5, filed Jul. 20, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a sealing mechanism for a collapsible roof of a convertible vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    EP 0 806 313 B1 describes a convertible vehicle having a folding top supported by a roof frame. A roof cap is in the front region of the roof frame. Side frames are attached to the roof cap. Each side frame supports a seal for a window pane and is in contact with the folding top through a support piece. 
         [0004]    DE 295 09 880 U1 describes a sealing profile for a collapsible roof of a convertible vehicle. The sealing profile includes a metallic support and is fastened to a roof guide. First and second lips molded onto the sealing profile cooperate with inner and outer sides of a window pane. A third lip of the sealing profile is supported on a pocket of an inner side of the cloth cover of the roof. A tensioning cable is in the pocket. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    An object of the present invention includes a sealing mechanism for a collapsible roof of a vehicle in which the sealing mechanism has a seal that is configured to pass along the upper edge zone of a closed window pane and can be integrated without difficultly into a given collapsible roof structure. 
         [0006]    In carrying out the above object and other objects, the present invention provides an assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes a collapsible roof and a sealing mechanism. The roof has a top rail with a frame element running along a longitudinal side of the roof. The seal is configured to receive and seal a window pane inserted therein. The seal runs along the longitudinal side of the roof and is attached to the frame element. The seal has a similar cross-section between front, middle, and rear sections of the roof. The seal is attached to the frame element in a form-fit manner in the front section of the roof and is attached to the frame element in a force-fitted manner in the middle section of the roof. 
         [0007]    Also, in carrying out the above object and other objects, the present invention provides a vehicle having a vehicle body, a collapsible roof, and a sealing mechanism. The vehicle body has a side door on a longitudinal side of the vehicle body and a movable window pane associated with the side door. The roof has a flexible cover and a top rail supporting the cover. The top rail is movable to a closed position in which the cover extends over a passenger compartment of the vehicle body with the top rail extending along the longitudinal side of the vehicle body. The top rail includes a frame element running along a longitudinal side of the roof. The sealing mechanism has a seal running along the longitudinal side of the roof and attached to the frame element. The seal is configured to receive and seal a window pane inserted therein when the roof is in the closed position. The seal has a similar cross-section between front, middle, and rear sections of the roof. The seal is attached to the frame element in a form-fit manner in the front section of the roof and is attached to the frame element in a force-fitted manner in the middle section of the roof. 
         [0008]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a sealing mechanism for a collapsible roof (convertible roof, folding top, etc.) of a passenger vehicle. Each seal of the sealing mechanism between the front, middle, and rear sections of the collapsible roof has the same or similar effective cross-section. This design contributes to good seal functionality and relatively advantageous seal fabrication, for example, by extrusion. The seal permits the upper edge zone of a window pane to be inserted into the collapsible roof structure. The structurally simply designed type of attachment (namely, form-fitting and/or force-fitting) of the seal to the frame element of the top rail of the collapsible roof is an aspect of embodiments of the present invention. The seal includes facing outer and inner tubing sections. The tubing sections have sealing sections of different thicknesses that furnish support on the outer and inner sides of the upper edge zone of a closed window pane inserted into the seal to thereby seal the window pane. 
         [0009]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a sealing mechanism for a collapsible roof of a vehicle. The sealing mechanism has a contiguous seal proceeding from the upper edge zone of a closed window pane. The roof includes a cloth top and is movably connected to the vehicle body to be movable between closed and opened positions. The roof includes a top rail with frame elements extending along the respective upper edge zone of the closed window pane. The appropriate seal is located between the frame elements and folding top zones of the collapsible roof and is held in position on the frame elements. The seal includes an equal and functionally similar cross section between front, middle, and rear sections of the roof and is retained on the corresponding frame element by form-fitting or force-fitting means. 
         [0010]    The above features, and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic oblique view of a collapsible roof for a passenger vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view along sectional line II-II of  FIG. 1  in a front section of the collapsible roof; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view along sectional line III-III of  FIG. 1  in a middle section of the collapsible roof; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view along sectional line IV-IV of  FIG. 1  in a rear section of the collapsible roof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a schematic oblique view of a collapsible roof  2  for a passenger vehicle  1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Vehicle  1  has a vehicle body  3  having a front end and a rear end. Roof  2  is designed as a folding top structure having a flexible cloth cover  10  and a pair of top rails  9 . Each top rail  9  is on a respective longitudinal side Ls of roof  2  and supports cover  10 . Roof  2  is movably connected to vehicle body  3  to be movable between a closed position Schst (shown in  FIG. 1 ) and an opened position. In the closed position, roof  2  arches over and covers a passenger compartment of vehicle  1 , longitudinal sides Ls of roof  2  extend along longitudinal direction A-A of vehicle  1 , and the front portion of roof  2  borders a windshield frame  13  of the front end of vehicle body  3 . In the opened position, roof  2  is rearwardly lowered into a storage compartment (e.g., trunk) in the rear end of vehicle body  3 . Cover  10  includes a rear window Hsch in a rearward region of roof  2 . 
         [0017]    Vehicle body  3  further includes one or more side doors on each longitudinal side of vehicle body  3 . Each side door has an associated window pane  5 . Each window pane  5  is movably adjustable in height between closed and opened window positions relative to the associated side door. When window pane  5  of a side door is in the closed window position, the upper edge zone  4  of the pane borders the corresponding longitudinal side Ls of collapsible roof  2 . 
         [0018]    A sealing mechanism  7  runs along each longitudinal side Ls of roof  2 . Sealing mechanism  7  is intended to seal with the upper edge zone  4  of a window pane  5  when the pane is in the closed window position and borders the corresponding longitudinal side Ls of roof  2 . Sealing mechanism  7  and a frame element  8  of top rail  9  proceed next to the upper edge zone  4  of window pane  5  when the pane is in the closed window position. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 , with continual reference to  FIG. 1 , sealing mechanism  7  will be described in greater detail. Sealing mechanism  7  includes a seal  11 . Seal  11  is held in position on frame element  8  of top rail  9 . Seal  11  acts between frame element  8  and a folding top zone  12  of roof  2 . Seal  11  is formed from rubber, plastic, or the like. 
         [0020]    Seal  11  has approximately equal and functionally similar cross-sections Q 1 , Q 2 , and Q 3  between a front section Vdv, a middle section Vdm, and a rear section Vdh of collapsible roof  2 . Roof sections Vdv, Vdm, and Vdh are defined by extended sectional lines II-II, III-III, and IV-IV shown in  FIG. 1 . Sectional lines II-II, III-III, and IV-IV are approximately radial with respect to a curved line B 1 . The curved lines B 1 , also known as E-lines, are oriented between forward windshield frame  13  and a rearward body section  14  of vehicle body  3  as seen in the longitudinal vehicle direction A-A. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view along sectional line II-II of  FIG. 1  in the front roof section Vdv and thereby illustrates cross-section Q 1  of seal  11 .  FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view along sectional line III-III of  FIG. 1  in the middle roof section Vdm and thereby illustrates cross-section Q 2  of seal  11 .  FIG. 4  illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view along sectional line IV-IV of  FIG. 1  in the rear roof section Vdh and thereby illustrates cross-section Q 3  of seal  11 . 
         [0022]    Seal  11  has an outer tubing section  15 , an inner tubing section  16 , and a transverse base  17 . Tubing sections  15  and  16  lie opposite to one another as seen in the transverse direction B-B of vehicle  1 . Tubing sections  15  and  16  hang from transverse base  17 . Transverse base  17  lies in the transverse vehicle direction B-B. 
         [0023]    Outer tubing section  15  includes a first sealing section  18  and a third sealing section  22 . Inner tubing section  16  includes a second sealing section  21  and a fourth sealing section  25 . Outer tubing section  15  cooperates through first sealing section  18  with outer side  19  of a window pane  5  when the pane is in the closed window position. Outer tubing section  15  and inner tubing section  16  cooperate with one another through first sealing section  18  of outer tubing section  15  and second sealing section  21  of inner tubing section  16 . 
         [0024]    Outer tubing section  15  is supported by third sealing section  22  on an inner side  23  of a side molding  24  of frame element  8 . As indicated, frame element  8  is a component of top rail  9 . Inner tubing section  16  is connected to fourth sealing section  25  by pressure exerted on an upright wall  26  of frame element  8  or side molding  24 . 
         [0025]    In the front roof section Vdv, shown in  FIG. 2 , seal  11  is supported by side molding  24 . Side molding  24  has a retaining region  27 . Retaining region  27  has a U-shaped cross section with a base  28  and side pieces  29  and  30 . In this embodiment, wall  26  is identical to side pieces  29  and  30 . Side piece  30  surrounds a retaining insert Hes of seal  11  at least section-wise. For this reason, a barbed hook  31  is located on side piece  30 . Hook  31  penetrates into a corresponding recess  32  of seal  11  in a form-fit manner. An extension  33  is located on side piece  29  on which a local thickening  34  of seal  11  is positively fitted. 
         [0026]    In the middle roof section Vdm, shown in  FIG. 3 , third sealing section  22  of outer tubing section  15  of seal  11  has one or more sealing lips  35  and  36 . Sealing lips  35  and  36  have at least an indirect functional connection with inner side  37  of cover  10 . A roof guide  38  of frame element  8  has a retaining section  39 . Retaining section  39  is for transverse base  17  of seal  11  and wall sections  40  and  41  of seal  11 . Transverse base  17  is attached with the aid of a removable retaining means, e.g., screws  42 , to retaining section  39 . Seal  11  is formed similarly in the region of rear roof section Vdh as in middle roof section Vdm and front roof section Vdv. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 , first sealing section  18  of outer tubing section  15  of seal  11  is convex or rounded. As described, first sealing section  18  is positioned at outer side  19  of window pane  5  when the pane is in the closed window position. In contrast to being convex or rounded, second sealing section  21  of inner tubing section  16  has the shape of a hook  43  with a lower wall  44  and an upper wall  45 . Lower and upper walls  44  and  45  respectively have bows  46  and  47 . Bows  46  and  47  are formed convexly toward the underside of the vehicle Fu and end in a point which contacts inner side  20  of window pane  5  when the pane is in the closed window position. Bows  46  and  47  are designed so that lower wall  44  lies against window pane  5  at least section-wise through the molding and upper wall  45  supports the molding of lower wall  44  through the narrowing of bow  47 . 
         [0028]    While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the present invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the present invention.