Patent Publication Number: US-2009236878-A1

Title: Openable vehicle roof

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to European Application No. 08005053.7, which was filed Mar. 18, 2008. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to an openable vehicle roof with a roof opening that can optionally be opened and closed by a movable cover. The roof opening is delimited by an opening edge of the roof, and a wind deflector, when in an open state of the movable cover, protrudes upward behind a front opening edge. The wind deflector is spring-mounted. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A vehicle roof of the type in question is known from DE 25 05 736 A1. This vehicle roof has a type of rocker below the front opening edge, on which, in turn, a pivot shaft for the wind deflector is seated. The rocker can be actuated by a spring-loaded lever. The lever, in turn, can be passed over by an extension of the cover, which results in an initiation of downward pivoting movement. The wind deflector seated on the rocker is movable via a further spring mechanism and pivots to the rear as soon as the movable cover is drawn back. At the same time, the rocker is pivoted upward via the spring loaded lever, as a result of which the wind deflector is deployed upward over the opening edge. 
     The invention relates exclusively to vehicle roofs in which, in the closed state of the roof, the wind deflectors are located below the roof skin and subsequently, during the opening of the roof, emerge over the front edge. 
     It is the object of the invention to provide a more simply constructed roof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This is achieved by a roof of the type initially mentioned in that the wind deflector can be pivoted about a fixed shaft which, in the pivoted-out position of the wind deflector, is located (as seen in top view) entirely below the front opening edge. Pivoting into the retracted position takes place by a wind deflector mechanism which (in top view) is located below the opening edge and is coupled, or can be coupled, to a movement mechanism of the cover. 
     In one example, one pivot shaft is provided, rather than a plurality of pivot shafts located one on another, and therefore it is necessary to combine a plurality of pivoting movements. This means that the wind deflector itself is coupled directly to a fixed shaft and not, for example, to a shaft seated on a rocker or another lever. This simplifies the movement sequences and the entire mechanism is therefore more robust. Furthermore, the wind deflector mechanism, by which the wind deflector is pivoted in when the cover is being closed, is also located below the opening edge. Therefore, when the vehicle roof is open, the vehicle opening is first not constricted, and second is more or less invisible to the occupant, which improves the overall aesthetic impression. The pivoting-in movement is derived from the movement mechanism of the cover, and therefore a dedicated drive is unnecessary and there is “forced coupling”. When the roof is closed, the wind deflector is inevitably pivoted downward again. 
     The wind deflector mechanism, i.e. the parts which are coupled to the wind deflector and are movable with respect thereto, are preferably designed as a linkage. A linkage can be produced in a stable and simple manner. 
     In the pivoted-out state of the wind deflector, the linkage is preferably entirely decoupled from the movement mechanism of the cover. 
     During moving of the cover into the closed position, the movement mechanism preferably moves toward the linkage and displaces the latter in order to bring about the pivoting-in movement. 
     A very simple embodiment is achieved in that the linkage has a lever which, in the pivoted-out state of the wind deflector, stands vertically (i.e. substantially vertically), and a pressure element which is coupled to the lever and is connected to the wind deflector. Very few parts are therefore required in order to ensure all of the movements of the wind deflector. 
     Of course, the entire pivoting mechanism should not be provided on one side edge, but rather symmetrically on both side edges and should therefore be present at both lateral ends of the wind deflector. 
     The previously mentioned lever can be bent laterally, as seen in the direction of the vehicle, with the pressure element lying in a bend. By this bending, the lever can be better adapted to the adjacent components, which saves on space laterally, and, in addition, the pressure element can lie in such a bend, which also reduces space problems. 
     In one example embodiment, during closing of the cover from the open position, a slotted guide of the cover strikes against the wind deflector mechanism and displaces the latter. The slotted guide can be a fixed, i.e. non-pivotable, part which is coupled rigidly to the cover. Furthermore, of course, other parts are also conceivable which are coupled or can be coupled to the cover, and either only follow the movement of the cover or execute a movement relative thereto. 
     The slotted guide can have a laterally protruding stop to strike against the wind deflector mechanism, preferably against the previously mentioned lever. 
     The movement mechanism can move under the lever and pivot the lever, wherein, in the retracted position of the wind deflector, the lever is then pressed from above against the movement mechanism and is held in a pivoted position. 
     The wind deflector mechanism should be accommodated laterally outside the slotted guide of the cover, i.e. closer toward the outside of the vehicle, and therefore at a location which is relatively protected against dirt. 
     Preferably, only the deployment spring moves the wind deflector into the pivoted-out position, i.e. a drive for raising it is otherwise not required. Of course, a respective deployment spring should be provided at both ends of the wind deflector in order not to cause any tilting of the wind deflector. 
     These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective top view of an openable vehicle roof according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal sectional view through the vehicle roof along the line II-II in  FIG. 1  in a region of a front opening edge when the cover is closed, 
         FIG. 3  shows a corresponding sectional view through the roof according to the invention when the cover is lowered, 
         FIG. 4  shows a sectional view through the vehicle roof in a ventilation position, 
         FIG. 5  shows a sectional view through the vehicle roof when the roof is virtually or completely open, and 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view through the vehicle roof in a region of a lateral opening edge. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an openable vehicle roof  10  which has a roof opening  12  that can optionally be opened and closed by a deployable and movable cover  14 . The roof opening  12  is delimited by an encircling opening edge which comprises a front opening edge  16  running transversely with respect to a direction of the vehicle, a rear opening edge  18 , and lateral opening edges  20 . 
     The cover  14 , when being moved back, is moved either over the roof  10  or under the roof  10 , with the latter being more customary. In order to optimize the noise levels, and in particular, the air flow in an interior of the vehicle, during the raising of the cover  14  a wind deflector  22  is pivoted upward over the front opening edge  16  and directly adjacent thereto. The wind deflector  22  preferably extends over an entire width of the opening  12 . 
     The construction of the wind deflector mechanism and of the wind deflector itself can be seen in  FIG. 2 . The wind deflector  22 , also called a wind deflector leaf, is attached pivotably to a fixed, i.e. spatially fixed, shaft  24 . The shaft  24  is always located, i.e. even in a pivoted-out position of the wind deflector  22 , below the front opening edge  16 , i.e. the shaft  24  cannot be seen from above. The wind deflector  22  comprises various sections, namely a continuous section running transversely with respect to the direction of the vehicle, and also comprises two arms  26  which are present on the lateral edges of the wind deflector  22  and extend with respect to the particular shaft  24 . The wind deflector  22  thus forms a two-armed lever. 
     The wind deflector mechanism is attached to the lower part of the lever. 
     In the present case, the wind deflector mechanism only comprises very few parts per side, namely a pressure element  28  in the form of a rod, and a lever  30 , in particular a single-armed lever, which is coupled pivotably to the pressure element  28 . The wind deflector  22  is coupled pivotably to the pressure element  28 , namely via a short elongated hole  32 . 
     As can be gathered from  FIG. 6 , the lever  30  is directly attached pivotably to the frame  34  of the roof. 
     It can also be gathered from  FIG. 6  that the lever  30  is bent a number of times and the pressure element  28  is seated in a bend. 
     The wind deflector mechanism is arranged laterally outside a slotted guide  36  of the “movement mechanism” of the cover  14 . At the lower end, the slotted guide  36  has a stop  38  which protrudes laterally in the direction of the lever  30  and, as  FIG. 2  shows, runs virtually over an entire lower edge of the slotted guide  36 . 
     In this region, the lever  30  also has a bend, with the lower side of which it bears against the upper side of the stop  38 , to be precise in all states except for the pivoted-out state of the wind deflector  22 . 
     As can furthermore be seen in  FIG. 2 , the pressure element  28  is mounted on the frame  34  via guides  40  in a manner such that it can be displaced in the longitudinal direction. 
     Furthermore, it should also be mentioned that a spring  42 , here a leg spring, acts directly on the wind deflector  22  and endeavors to press the wind deflector  22  into its pivoted-out position. 
     In the position illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the cover  14  is closed, the wind deflector  22  is pivoted downward, and the lever  30  rests on the stop  38 . Since the spring mounting of the wind deflector  22  endeavors to press the latter upward, the pressure element  28  also endeavors to be displaced to the right in order to pivot the lever  30  counterclockwise. Since, however, the lever  30  rests on the stop  38 , the latter keeps the wind deflector mechanism in the position illustrated. 
     For simplification in  FIG. 3 , the cover  14  and the opening edge  16  have been omitted. In the embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , the cover  14  is lowered in order to be able to be moved to the rear under the roof skin. The slotted guide  36  with its slotted guide mechanism  44 , which is responsible for the vertical movement of the cover  14 , is moved to the rear in this position. However, the lever  30  still bears against the stop  38 . 
     In the position shown in  FIG. 4 , the slotted guide  36  has been moved forward to a very great extent, since the cover (omitted here) is in the “ventilation position,” i.e. in the deployed position in which the rear edge has pivoted upward. Even in this position, the lever  30  still bears against the stop  38 , but against the outer, rear end thereof. 
     If the cover  14  is moved still further to the rear for complete opening (see  FIG. 5 ), the stop  38  under the lever  30  moves away such that the lever  30  can be pivoted counterclockwise, on account of the spring  42  which is not illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The wind deflector  22  therefore pivots into the deployed position illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     If the cover  14  is again moved to the left into the closed position, the stop  38  strikes again against the lever  30  and pivots the lever  30  in the clockwise direction such that the lever  30  finally sits on the stop  38  again. 
     As illustrated, the wind deflector linkage is decoupled in the pivoted-out position of the wind deflector  22  from the “movement mechanism” of the cover  14 , in the present case from the slotted guide  36 . 
     In the entirely open state of the cover  14 , the lever  30  stands substantially vertically. 
     The following should also be emphasized: 
     The wind deflector  22  is pivoted exclusively via the two springs  42  which act in the region of the shaft  24  and are also responsible for the position of the wind deflector mechanism. 
     In the open state of the roof, both the wind deflector mechanism and the shaft  24  are located, as seen in top view, below the opening edge, i.e. cannot be seen from above and therefore do not restrict the opening  12 . According to the preferred embodiment, even the arms  26  are located below the opening edge  16 , and the pressure elements  28  are located under the opening edges  20  and with respect to the part. 
     Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.