Patent Publication Number: US-2022228412-A1

Title: Sliding Cover Assembly for a Vehicle, in Particular for a Waterborne Vehicle

Description:
The invention relates to a sliding cover assembly for a vehicle, in particular for a waterborne vehicle, the sliding cover assembly comprising the features of the preamble of claim  1 . 
     A sliding cover assembly of this kind is known from practice and is in particular a sliding hatch of a ship which can be disposed on a roof of a cabin or of a cockpit of a motor yacht. This sliding cover assembly comprises a cover element configured to be displaced between a closed position, in which a roof opening is closed, and an open is position, in which the roof opening is at least partially open. In the open position, the cover element is moved in the longitudinal vehicle direction relative to the roof opening. For displacing the cover element, the known sliding cover assembly has a displacement mechanism comprising a slider on either side of a longitudinal center plane of the cover element, each slider being guided in a sliding manner in a respective guide rail attached to the roof. The cover element can be moved in the longitudinal direction by sliding the sliders in the guide rails. In order for the cover element to be shifted, it usually has to be raised first, i.e., it has to be brought into a lifted position. To this end, raising levers hinged to the sliders and connected to the cover element can be provided. Moving the cover element of the known sliding cover assembly between the lowered closed position and the raised position tends to require a lot of strength. 
     The object of the invention is to provide a sliding cover assembly that is configured in the manner described above and that can be conveniently displaced between the closed position and a raised position. 
     According to the invention, this object is attained by the sliding cover assembly having the features of claim  1 . 
     So according to the invention, a sliding cover assembly is proposed whose raising levers are each configured as an eccentric lever which is eccentrically hinged to a respective control element, which is in particular configured as a control disk. Operation of the control element, i.e., a rotation of the control element relative to the slider body, leads to a lifting motion of the cover element relative to the guide rails. By rotating the control elements in one direction, the cover element is raised out of the closed position. By rotating the control elements in the other direction, the cover element is pulled against the guide rails and preferably against a weatherstrip. 
     In order to be able to operate the control elements synchronously, they are connected to each other for co-rotation via an operating bar in a preferred embodiment of the sliding cover assembly according to the invention. Thus, the operating bar, which in particular has a cross section that is not circular in order to facilitate operation, is the handle by means of which a user can manually operate the sliding cover assembly in a comfortable manner. 
     In order to be able to also secure the cover element against movement in the longitudinal direction when in the raised open position and to therefore also be able to improve the noise behavior of the sliding cover assembly, a brake is disposed on each of the slider bodies in an advantageous embodiment of the sliding cover assembly according to the invention, each brake being operable by the respective control element and fixing the respective slider in the longitudinal guide rail direction when operated. In a certain rotated position of the control elements, they act on the brake in such a manner that the slider bodies and therefore the sliders cannot be moved in the longitudinal rail direction because of the clamping force exerted by the brakes. The brake can be activated in any displaced position of the cover element, such as a ventilation position, in which the cover element is not moved in the longitudinal rail direction compared to the closed position. 
     In a specific embodiment of the brake, at least one brake tab which can be elastically pushed against the respective guide rail by means of the respective control element is provided in each case. So the brake tabs are elastic, which means that the control elements can push the brake tabs against the guide rails and the brake tabs can spring back into a respective open position when the control force exerted by the control elements is absent. 
     A braking element, which is preferably made of rubber, can be disposed on each of the brake tabs in order to increase the braking force. The rubber, i.e., the braking element, is adapted to the material of the guide rails, which can be made of aluminum, for example, in terms of the material mixture in order to optimize the friction coefficient and therefore the braking force. 
     In order to be able to transmit the control force from the control elements to the brakes, it is advantageous if at least one control projection or a control protrusion interacting with a ramp of the brake is formed on each of the control elements. When the control projection strikes the ramp of the brake, the latter is pushed—in particular against a spring force—into the braking position, in which the brake is in full contact with the respective guide rail. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the sliding cover assembly according to the invention, the control elements can each be adjusted between a closed position, in which the cover element is lowered and the roof opening is closed, a sliding position, in which the cover element is raised and can be moved in the longitudinal rail direction, and a locked position, in which the cover element is raised and secured against being moved in the longitudinal rail direction. In the locked position, the brakes disposed on the slider bodies interact with the guide rails. 
     In order to make a user aware that the different positions have been reached, an advantageous embodiment of the sliding cover assembly according to the invention has a latch member which defines the closed position, the sliding position and the locked position. 
     For example, the latch member comprises a spring-loaded ball which interacts with corresponding recesses. The spring-loaded ball latches into one of the recesses in each of the different positions, which allows the user to recognize that the respective position has been reached. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the sliding cover assembly according to the invention, the spring-loaded ball is mounted on the slider body, whereas the recesses are disposed on the control element. 
     In the closed position, the cover element is preferably pushed against a frame, which is attached to the vehicle, via a circumferential weatherstrip member and held in position by means of the raising levers, which are configured as eccentric levers. So the closing force exerted by the eccentric levers suffices to secure the cover element against being moved when in the closed position. The weatherstrip member can be attached to the cover element and/or to the frame attached to the roof. 
     In order to ensure reliable operation of the cover element, two other sliding elements can be disposed thereon, each sliding element being guided in a guiding member. So the cover element is bilaterally supported on the sliders with the slider bodies and the control elements on one side and on one of the other sliding elements in each case on the other side. 
     The invention also relates to a waterborne vehicle comprising a sliding cover assembly of the kind described above. 
     Other advantages and advantageous configurations of the subject matter of the invention are apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. 
    
    
     
       An example of an embodiment of a sliding cover assembly according to the invention is schematically illustrated in the drawing and will be discussed in more detail in the following description. 
         FIG. 1  is a highly schematic side view of a motor yacht comprising a sliding cover assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective top view of the isolated sliding cover assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom view of the sliding cover assembly; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of area IV in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a slider and a raising lever of the sliding cover assembly for a closed position of the sliding cover assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a view of the slider and the raising lever corresponding to  FIG. 5  but for a sliding position of the sliding cover assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is another view of the slider and the raising lever corresponding to  FIG. 5  but for a locked position of the sliding cover assembly; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective front view of a slider body of the slider; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective rear view of the slider body; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective front view of a control element of the slider; and 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective rear view of the control element. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a motor yacht  10  having a ship body  12  comprising a cabin  14  in which a cockpit or the like is disposed. Cabin  14  has a cabin roof  16  provided with a sliding cover assembly  18 , which consequently forms what is referred to as a sliding hatch. 
     Sliding cover assembly  18 , which is illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 2 to 11 , comprises a cover element  20  which is made of a transparent plastic material, such as polycarbonate, and which is provided with a frame  21  and which can be displaced between the closed position illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in which a roof opening  22  is covered or closed, and an open position, in which roof opening  22  is at least partially open. 
     For displacing cover element  20 , sliding cover assembly  18  comprises a displacement mechanism  24  having an operating bar  26  which extends across roof opening  22  in the transverse direction and which is made of an aluminum profile and which has an at least approximately egg-shaped cross section. 
     Operating bar  26  connects two sliders  28  which are each guided in a displaceable manner on a guide rail  30  attached to the vehicle and extending in the longitudinal ship direction at the respective lateral edge of roof opening  22  and formed by an extruded aluminum profile. 
     Sliding cover assembly  18  is mirror-symmetrical with respect to the vertical longitudinal center roof plane, which is why only the assembly of the displacement mechanism disposed on the right with respect to the forward direction of travel of the ship will be described hereafter. The assembly of the displacement mechanism disposed on the left with respect to the forward direction of travel is configured analogously. 
     Sliders  28  each have a slider body  32 , which is a plastic injection-molded part and upper and lower grip portions  34  of which engage behind respective guide rail  30 . 
     A wheel-type control element  38  is mounted on slider body  32  via a bearing journal  36  in such a manner that it can rotate about an axis of rotation A. On its side facing away from slider body  32 , control element  38  has a ring  40  with a conical circumferential surface, ring  40  being concentric relative to bearing journal  36  and having a radially oriented protrusion  42 . Operating bar  26  is slid onto ring  40  and protrusion  42  and is thereby connected to control element  38  for co-rotation. In the case at hand, control element  38  is configured as a control disk having a circular outline. However, the control disk can also have a polygonal outline. Furthermore, the control element can also be configured in the manner of a pivotably mounted link which is connected to the raising lever via a hinge point. 
     A hinge point  44  is formed on control element  38 , which is also a plastic injection-molded part, in an eccentric manner relative to axis of rotation A, a raising lever  46  being hinged to control element  38  via hinge point  44 , raising lever  46  having a largely L-shaped outline and being attached to frame  21  of cover element  20  via attachment points  47  at its end facing away from hinge point  44 . The eccentric mounting of raising lever  46  has the effect that cover element  20  undergoes a lifting motion or a lowering motion when operating bar  26  is operated, i.e., when operating bar  26  is rotated about axis of rotation A. 
     On the side facing slider body  32 , control element  38  has a control projection  48  which is associated with a brake and which interacts with a ramp  50  formed on a brake tab  52  which is an integral part of slider body  32  and which is concentrically defined by a slot  54  and two radial slots  56  with respect to axis of rotation A. On the side facing away from ramps  50 , a braking element  58  is formed on brake tab  52 , braking element  58  being formed by a rubber element whose foot is inserted into a hole  60  of brake tab  52 . 
     Three recesses  62 ,  64  and  66  are formed on the inner side of control element  38  which interact with a latch member  68  formed by a spring-loaded ball  74  and disposed on the side of slider body  32  facing control element  38 . Recess  62  defines a closed position of control element  38 , which is associated with the closed position of cover element  20 . Recess  64  defines a sliding position, which is associated with an open position of cover element  20  and in which the cover element can be moved in the longitudinal rail direction. Recess  66  defines a locked position, in which cover element  20  is raised and secured against being moved in the longitudinal rail direction by the brake. In the locked position, control projection  48  has moved onto ramp  50  of brake tab  52  with the result that braking element  58  is pushed against guide rail  30  and slider  28  is thus secured against being moved in the longitudinal rail direction. In each of these positions, ball  74  of latch member  68  latches into one of recesses  62 ,  64  and  66  of control element  38 . 
     Cover element  20  is additionally provided with sliding elements  70  which are disposed at the rear and via which it is supported on rear guide rails  72 , which are attached to the roof, at its rear edge. 
     The sliding cover assembly described above works in the manner described below. 
     Starting from the closed position illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 , in which the cover element  20  is pulled against a frame of roof opening  22 , which is attached to the roof, via a weatherstrip member (not shown) and hinge point  44  of raising lever  46  is in an over-center position relative to axis of rotation A, operating bar  26  can be manually rotated in the counterclockwise sense with respect to the illustration in  FIGS. 5 to 7 . This causes ball  74  of latch member  68  to leave recess  62 , and cover element  20  is lifted or raised by raising levers  46 . Operating bar  26  is turned until ball  74  of latch member  68  drops into recess  64 . At this point, the sliding position of control element  38  is reached and cover element  20  can be moved rearward. The sliding position is also indicated to a user by a double arrow on slider body  32 , an arrow imprinted on control element  38  pointing at said double arrow (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     In order to be able to secure cover element  20  against being moved further or back when in the raised position, operating bar  26  can be rotated further in the counterclockwise sense until the ball of latch member  68  drops into recess  66  of control element  38 . At this point, the locked position of control element  38  is reached, in which its control projection  48  strikes ramp  50  of brake tab  52  and pushes braking element  58  against guide rail  30 . Slider  28  can then no longer be moved on guide rail  30 . In the locked position, ball  74  of latch member  68  drops into recess  66 . The arrow imprinted on control element  38  then points at an X on slider body  32  (see  FIG. 7 ). 
     Cover element is displaced from the open position into the closed position in the analogously opposite manner. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           10  motor yacht 
           12  ship body 
           14  cabin 
           16  cabin roof 
           18  sliding cover assembly 
           20  cover element 
           21  frame 
           22  roof frame 
           24  displacement mechanism 
           26  operating bar 
           28  slider 
           30  guide rail 
           32  slider body 
           34  grip portion 
           36  bearing journal 
           38  control element 
           40  ring 
           42  protrusion 
           44  hinge point 
           46  raising lever 
           47  attachment point 
           48  control projection 
           50  ramp 
           52  brake tab 
           54  slot 
           56  radial slot 
           58  braking element 
           60  hole 
           62  recess 
           64  recess 
           66  recess 
           68  latch member 
           70  sliding element 
           72  guide rail 
           74  ball