Patent Publication Number: US-2004041442-A1

Title: Integrated wire harness attachments in sunroof guide channel frame

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] This invention generally relates to a sunroof for a motor vehicle and specifically to a sunroof including a guide channel frame having integrally formed wire harness mounting features.  
       [0002] Typically, a sunroof or moonroof in a motor vehicle includes a movable panel slidable within channels between open and closed positions. Some movable panels include a fully opened position along with a vented position. In the vented position, the glass panel is pivoted upward to provide a small opening on one side of the panel. Movement of the panel is facilitated by a guide channel mounted to the motor vehicle. The guide channel typically includes a channel portion cooperating with a tab portion of the movable panel. The guide channel also includes a gutter portion that facilitates evacuation of water from the movable panel area so that water does not intrude into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.  
       [0003] Typically, an electric motor drives the movable panel between open and closed positions. A wiring harness communicates electrical energy along with control signals to the motor in order to move the movable panel to the desired position. Multiple pieces of tape or clips secure the wire harness to the sunroof guide channel or frame. As appreciated, use of multiple pieces of tape or multiple separate clips complicates and increases the difficulty of assembling the movable panel to a motor vehicle.  
       [0004] Accordingly, it is desirable to design features within the guide channel to aid in assembly and mounting of a wire harness.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] An embodiment of this invention is a movable panel assembly including a guide channel having mounting features corresponding with mounting features integrally assembled to a wire harness.  
       [0006] The movable panel assembly of this invention includes a guide channel having a plurality of tabs extending from a mounting flange that cooperates with clips mounted on the wire harness. The clips correspond with the mounting tabs extending from the mounting flange of the movable panel guide channel.  
       [0007] Accordingly, embodiments of this invention improve the manufacturability of the sunroof assembly and increase the accuracy and dependability in which the wire harness is secured to the motor vehicle. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008] The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the movable panel assembly incorporating the guide channels of this invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the movable panel assembly;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one channel of the guide channel of this assembly;  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an another embodiment of the guide channel;  
     [0013]FIG. 5 is a top view of the guide channel assembly;  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the guide channel shown in FIG. 4. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0015]FIG. 1 schematically shows a sunroof assembly  10  installed in a motor vehicle  12 . The sunroof assembly  10  includes a movable panel  14  slidable between open and closed positions within channels  16 . Referring to FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view is shown of the movable panel assembly  10 . The movable panel assembly  10  includes the movable panel  14  having guide portions  26  disposed within a guide channel  48 . The guide portions  26  extend downward from the movable panel  14  into each of the guide channel  48 . The guide channel  48  includes overlapping fingers  24  that trap the guide portion  26  of the movable panel  14 .  
     [0016] The movable panel  14  slides between open and closed positions within the guide channels  48 . Each of the channels  16  include the guide channel portion  48 , a gutter portion  28  and attachment flange  46  along with a tab  30 . The gutter portion  28  is formed by a wall  36 . The wall  36  cooperates with the flange portion  46  to form a gutter for water evacuation. The flange portion  46  provides an attachment point for each of the channels  16 .  
     [0017] The channels  16  includes the mounting flange portion  46  and a tab extending downward from the mounting flange  46 . The tab portion  30  cooperates with clips  32  that are integrally formed and attached to the wiring harness  38 . The wiring harness  38  includes multiple strands of wire  42  that communicate electrical energy and control signals to the electric motor  18 .  
     [0018] The mounting tab  30  includes a flat portion  33  and a ramped portion  31  that form a barbed configuration that cooperates with a clip  32  attached to the wiring harness  38 . The clip  32  is moved in the direction of the arrow  35  to engage the tab  30  and secure the wiring harness  38  to the channel  16 . As appreciated, securing the wire harness  30  to the channel  16  in this manner eliminates the need for external and loose attachment devices as has been used in conventional wire harness assembly. Further, the tab portion  30  is an integral portion of the channel  16  eliminating a substantial amount of assembly and manufacturing steps.  
     [0019] Referring to FIG. 3, a perspective view showing the cross-section of a single channel  16  with a wiring harness  38 . In this view, the channel  48 , gutter portion  28 , and flange portion  46  are as an end view along with the multiple tab portions disbursed along the length of the channel  16 . Note that in this embodiment each of the tab portions  30  are intermittently arranged along the length of the channel  16 . The tab portions  30  are disposed in this manner and cooperate with the specific locations of clips  32  that are assembled to the wiring harness  38 .  
     [0020] The movable panel  14  slides within the channel  48  between the open and closed positions. Assembly of the wiring harness  38  is facilitated by engaging the plurality of clip already assembled to the wiring harness  38  to corresponding tab portions  30 . Each of the clips  32  include a hook portion  37  (best shown in FIG. 2) that engages the barbed tab  30 . As appreciated, although a barbed tab  30  is shown in this embodiment, it is within the contemplation of this invention that any tab configuration or shape is as is known to a worker skilled in the art for securing a wiring harness to a support structure would be within the contemplation of this invention.  
     [0021] Referring to FIG. 4, the channel  16  includes a continuous tab portion  30  or rail extending along the entire length of the channel  16 . Such a configuration would facilitate and eliminate the need to correspond positions of the wiring harness with the discreetly located tab portions  30 .  
     [0022] Referring to FIG. 5, the channel  16  is shown in a plan view and includes the guide portion  48 , the wall portion  36  that aids in forming the gutter portion  28  along with the flange  46 . The tab portions  30  extend downward from the flange portion  46  in discreet locations along the length of the channel portions  16 .  
     [0023] Referring to FIG. 6, the channel  16  includes the guide channel portion  48  having over extending fingers  24  for mounting of the tab portion of the movable  14  and sliding of the movable panel  14  between an open and closed position. The channel  16  also includes the wall member  36  that extends upward from the channel  16  to form a gutter portion  28 . The gutter portion  28  aids in the evacuation of water and moisture away from the sunroof or movable panel assembly  14 . Next to the gutter portion  28  and extending horizontally is an attachment flange portion  46 . The attachment flange portion  46  includes an opening through which a threaded fastener  34  extends for securing and mounting of the channel  16  to a body portion  12  of the motor vehicle. The threaded fastener  34  is preferably of the self-tapping configuration as is known by a worker skilled in the art. However, it should be understood that it is within the contemplation that the threaded member  34  may be replaced with any type of fastening member known to a worker skilled in the art.  
     [0024] Extending downward from the mounting flange  46  is the tab portion  30 . The tab portion  30  includes the barbed portion or configuration that is formed by the ramped portion  31  and flat portion  33 . The tab  30  may be of any configuration known to a worker skilled in the art and the barbed configuration shown in this embodiment is just one of the many configurations that may be utilized in this invention. Many different tab formations as are known to a worker skilled in the art fall within the contemplation of this invention.  
     [0025] The foregoing description is exemplary and not just a material specification. The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and should be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications are within the scope of this invention. It is understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.