Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/8240751
Timestamp: 2019-09-15 20:11:14
Document Index: 11766155

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art.\n7', 'art.\n10']

US Patent for Vehicle roof system Patent (Patent # 8,240,751 issued August 14, 2012) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Roof Opening Edge StructureUS Patent for Vehicle roof system Patent (Patent # 8,240,751)
Jan 25, 2011 - Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
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The electric motor may be placed either on the front edge or rear edge of the roof opening. If the electric motor is placed on the rear edge of the roof opening, as this part lacks any stiff member, a rear frame is required to be added to the roof structure for supporting the electric motor. It is possible to do away with the rear frame by using highly stiff guide pipes for guiding the push-pull cables, but this also adds to the weight of the vehicle body, and causes some difficulty in the handling of the assembly including the electric motor and guide pipes. Based on such considerations, it is preferable to place the electric motor on the front edge of the roof opening.
It is proposed in copending application US20100181805A1 (patent document 1) to mount an electric motor on the front edge of the roof opening, and use guide pipes (drive pipes and idle pipes) made of plastic material which are firmly retained by a front frame via pipe retaining members.
Sometimes, in addition to the electric motor, onboard devices such as room lamps and electric switches are attached to the part of the roof surrounding the roof opening, and such devices are required to be placed so as not to interfere with the electric motor. In particular, a room lamp is provided adjacent to a central part of the front edge of the roof opening. To avoid the interference between the electric motor and room lamp, it was proposed in JP2001-130349A (patent document 2) to provide a sub frame below the electric motor for supporting a map lamp, a room lamp and vanity lamps, and combine the electric motor and sub frame as an assembly that can be installed in the vehicle roof as a single unit.
However, according to the vehicle roof structure disclosed in patent document 2, the room lamp and electric motor are placed one above the other in an overlapping relationship in plan view so that the thickness of the vehicle roof (as measured from the lower surface of the roof lining and the upper surface of the roof panel) inevitably increases. To avoid this problem, it is conceivable to place the room lamp at a relatively forward position, and place the electric motor between the room lamp and the front edge of the roof opening. However, this necessitates the front edge of the roof opening to be placed more rearward than desired. If the roof opening is located too far back in the roof, the viewing angle of the vehicle occupant through the roof opening is so upright that the vehicle occupant's field of view is restricted, and the benefits of the sunroof system are diminished.
In view of such problems of the prior art, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle roof system that does not require the thickness of the vehicle roof to be increased even when an onboard device is placed centrally in the part of the roof panel adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle roof system that allows the front edge of the roof opening to be brought highly close to the front end of the roof panel (or the upper edge of the windshield) even when an onboard device is placed centrally in the part of the roof panel adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening.
According to the present invention, such objects can be accomplished by providing a vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening formed in a fixed roof panel of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel, comprising: front frame secured to a lower surface of the fixed roof panel and extending laterally along a front edge of the roof opening; an electric motor attached to the front frame; a power transmitting system for transmitting an output of the electric motor to the moveable roof panel; and an onboard device attached to the fixed roof panel of the vehicle adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening; wherein the onboard device is located in a laterally central part of the fixed roof panel, and the electric motor is laterally offset from but longitudinally overlapping with the onboard device.
As the electric motor and onboard device do not overlap each other in plan view, the thickness of the roof can be minimized. As the electric motor and onboard device overlap each other in side view, the distance between the upper edge of the front windshield and the front edge of the roof opening can be minimized, and this improves the field of view of the vehicle occupants.
The stiffness and mechanical strength of the front frame can be ensured if the front frame is fixedly secured to the fixed roof panel at a plurality of mounting features provided thereon. It is important for the front frame to be adequately stiff so that the power transmitting system typically including a pair of push-pull cables is enabled to transmit the actuating force to lateral sides of the moveable roof panel in a properly synchronized manner. Thus, the front frame can be made of light-weight material such as plastic material. Preferably, the mounting features are provided adjacent to relatively heavy objects supported by the front frame. Based on such a consideration, at least one of the mounting features is located between the onboard device and electric motor.
As the electric motor is subjected to a significant reaction force, the support for the electric motor is required to be particularly stiff. Based on such a consideration, two of the mounting features may be provided adjacent to either lateral side of the electric motor.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the front frame includes a front planar part extending substantially horizontally and a groove part formed along a rear edge of the front planar part, the groove part including a bottom wall located at a lower elevation than the front planar part, and is fixedly secured to the fixed roof panel at a plurality of mounting features provided on the front planar part. Furthermore, at least a rear end of the onboard device may be located under the front planar part. Thereby, the electric motor can be mounted in a highly compact manner.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electric motor is attached to the lower surface of the front planar part, and has an output shaft passed through an opening formed in the front planar part, and the power transmitting system includes a push-pull cable guided along an upper surface of the front planar part to transmit an output power of the electric motor to the moveable roof panel.
The vehicle roof system may further comprise a roof lining secured to a lower surface of the fixed roof panel in at least partly defining a space therebetween, and the onboard device may be exposed to a passenger compartment through an opening formed in the roof lining.
A large part of this vehicle roof system is symmetric with respect to the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle body, and only one of two symmetric parts may be discussed in the following description where appropriate as the two parts are essentially identical to each other. In some places, such symmetric parts are denoted with a numeral with a suffix r or l as the case may be to indicate on which side of the vehicle body the parts in question are located. In other places, these parts are collectively denoted with the corresponding numeral without a suffix.
The sunroof frame 10 includes a pair of side frames 11l and 11r extending along either lateral side of the roof opening 2a, a front frame 12 extending between the front ends of the side frames 11l and 11r and a center frame 13 extending between intermediate parts of the side frames 11l and 11r. The front frame 12 extends along the front edge of the roof opening 2a, and the center frame 13 extends along the rear edge of the roof opening 2a. Therefore, the rear ends of the side frames 11l and 11r extend rearward beyond the rear edge of the roof opening 2a. The front frame 12 is C-shaped in plan view having an open side directed toward the roof opening 2a. In the illustrated embodiment, the side frames 11l and 11r are made of extruded aluminum alloy, and the front and center frames 12 and 13 are made of extruded plastic material.
Additionally referring to FIG. 2, a pair of panel brackets 5l and 5r extending in the fore and aft direction are attached to the lower side of the sunroof panel 4 along either lateral edge thereof. The panel brackets 5l and 5r are fitted with front sliders 61 and 6r and rear sliders 7l and 7r, respectively, by which the sunroof panel 4 is slidably supported by the side frames 11. The rear sliders 7l and 7r are connected to the corresponding panel brackets 5l and 5r via a cam mechanism that controls the sliding movement and tilting movement of the sunroof panel 4 under the actuating force of the drive unit 20.
Referring to FIG. 1, the drive unit 20 includes an electric motor 24 attached to the lower surface of the front frame 12 in a rightwardly offset position and internally incorporated with a gear reduction unit (not shown in the drawings), a drive gear 23 attached to an output end of the electric motor 24, and a pair of push-pull cables 22r and 221 each having one end connected to the corresponding rear slider 7, and defining a driven rack gear 21 formed by spirally winding a steel wire around a steel core wire and meshing with the drive gear 23. The electric motor 24 includes a main body elongated in the direction of a rotor shaft thereof (not shown in the drawings) and at an angle with respect to the lateral direction of the vehicle body. The rear and inboard end of the main body of the electric motor 24 is provided with a gear reduction mechanism which transmits the rotation of the rotor shaft of the electric motor 24 to the output shaft that supports the drive gear 23 and extends vertically.
Each push-pull cable 22 includes a drive cable section 22a extending from the drive gear 23 to the corresponding rear slider 7 to transmit the drive force of the electric motor 24 to the rear slider 7, and an idle cable section 22b extending from the drive gear 23 in the opposite direction from the drive cable section 22a without being subjected to any loading. The drive cable section 22a is linearly guided by the cable guide section 11c of the side frame 11, and guided by a drive pipe 25 secured to the front frame 12 between the drive gear 23 and the front end of the cable guide section 11c along a curved path. The drive pipe 25 may be conveniently made of plastic material that allows the drive pipe 25 to be curved as desired without any difficulty. The idle cable section 22b is likewise guided by an idle pipe 26 secured to the front frame 12 along a partly curved path (FIG. 5). As the electric motor 24 is offset in the rightward direction, a part of the idle pipe 261 (the part located to the right of the drive gear 23 in FIG. 1) for the left push-pull cable 22l extends rearward from the right end of the front frame 12, and the remaining part of the idle pipe 261 extends along the right side frame 11r (FIG. 2).
These guide pipes (drive pipes 25 and idle pipes 26) not only protect the push-pull cables 22 from moisture, dust and other foreign matters, but also control the deflection of the push-pull cable 22 as being pushed and pulled by the drive gear 23 so that the rear sliders 7 may be displaced in a prescribed relationship to the rotational angle of the drive gear 23. The two push-pull cables 22l and 22r oppose each other in a mutually parallel relationship (both extending in the lateral direction) at the drive gear 23, and are urged toward each other by spring members so that the rotational movement of the drive gear 23 may be transmitted to the rear sliders 7l and 7r in a properly synchronized relationship. In the illustrated embodiment, the push-pull cable 22 connected to the right lateral end of the sunroof panel 4 or the right rear slider 7r extends along the front side of the drive gear 23, and the push-pull cable 22 connected to the left lateral end of the sunroof panel 4 or the left rear slider 7l extends along the rear side of the drive gear 23.
The structure of the vehicle roof around the front frame 12 is now described in the following with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8. FIG. 4 shows the part of the roof 1 surrounding the front frame 12 in plan view with the roof panel 2 and sunroof panel 4 indicated by imaginary lines. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the front frame 12 includes front planar part 12a extending under and in parallel with the roof panel 2 (thereby slightly sloping downward toward the front). As shown in FIG. 4, the front planar part 12a includes two forwardly extending portions 42, 44 which are spaced apart from one another, and an open portion 46 disposed between the forwardly extending portions. The open portion 46 is recessed in a longitudinally rearward direction in relation to the forwardly extending portions 42, 44 on either side thereof, as shown, and provides an accommodation space to receive the map lamp unit 30 (onboard device) therein. The front frame 12 also includes a rear planar part 12b extending horizontally behind the front planar part 12a at a lower elevation, and a groove part 12c located between the front planar part 12a and rear planar part 12b and depressed more than these two parts. The groove part 12c includes a front wall 12d, a rear wall 12e and a bottom wall 12f, and the bottom wall 12f is lower than the front planar pat 12a or the rear planar part 12b.
The front planar part 12a is provided with a drive pipe retaining groove 161 (16r) for retaining the drive pipe 25 and an idle pipe retaining groove 17r (17l) for retaining the idle pipe 26, both opening out upward. A side wall of each pipe retaining groove 16 and 17 is provided with a plurality of clamps 18 including resilient tabs 18a resiliently clamping the drive and idle pipes 25 and 26 against the opposing side wall. The free end of each resilient tab 18a is formed with a barb that facilitates the insertion of the pipe 25, 26 into the groove 16, 17, but opposes the dislodging of the pipe from the groove. Thereby, the drive and idle pipes 25 and 26 can be easily installed and removed as required, and are additionally prevented from deflecting once installed even when the drive and idle pipes 25 and 26 are made of relatively flexible plastic material and the push-pull cables 22 received therein are subjected to tensile and compressive forces.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the front planar part 12a is formed with a through hole 15 at a part laterally offset to the right from the center for passing the drive gear 23 from below, and the two pipe retaining grooves extend along the front and rear sides of the through hole 15 both in the lateral direction (in a mutually parallel relationship). In particular, the drive pipe retaining groove 161 and the idle pipe retaining groove 171 for the left push-pull cable 221 extends along the rear side of the drive gear 23, and the drive pipe retaining groove 16r and the idle pipe retaining groove 17r for the right push-pull cable 22r extend along the front side of the drive gear 23.
The drive pipe retaining grooves 16l and 16r are provided at a substantially same elevation as the front planar part 12a over the entire lengths thereof (FIG. 5). On the other hand, the idle pipe retaining grooves 17l and 17r are at the substantial same elevation as the front planar part 12a only in the part adjacent to the through hole 15, and slope progressively downward toward the both lateral sides of the vehicle body so that the idle pipe retaining grooves 17l and 17r are enabled cross under the drive pipe retaining grooves 16l and 16r without interfering with them (FIG. 4).
The map lamp unit 30 is located between the front wall 12d of the front frame 12 and the rear wall of the front roof frame 9 without interfering with them. In particular, in side view, the map lamp unit 30 is located ahead of the front wall 12d of the front frame 12, and the rear end of the map lamp unit 30 may be located under the front planar part 12a. Because the electric motor 24 is located so as not to overlap with the map lamp unit 30 in front view, the map lamp unit 30 may overlap with the electric motor 24 in side view without interfering with each other. By positioning the map lamp unit 30 so as to be partly located under the front planar part 12a of the front frame 12 and overlap with the electric motor 24 in side view, the distance between the front frame 12 and front roof frame 9, in particular the distance between the front edge of the roof 1 to the front edge of the roof opening 2a of the roof panel 2 can be minimized so that the vehicle occupant's viewing angle of the front edge of the roof opening 2a can be minimized. The electric motor 24 is also located between the rear wall of the front roof frame 9 and the front wall 12d of the front frame 12, and about a rear half of the electric motor 24 is located under the front planar part 12a of the front frame 12. As the electric motor 24 and map lamp unit 30 do not overlap each other in plan view (FIG. 4), the thickness of the roof 1 or the distance between the lower surface of the roof lining 29 and upper surface of the roof panel 2 can be minimized.
Referring to FIG. 4, the leftmost mounting boss 14a is located between the drive pipe retaining groove 16i and idle pipe retaining groove 17r on the front planar part 12a of the front frame 12, and the second mounting boss 14b from the left is located adjacent to the left end of the map lamp unit 30. The third mounting boss 14c from the left is located adjacent to the right end of the map lamp unit 30 or between the map lamp unit 30 and electric motor 24, and the rightmost mounting boss 14d is located adjacent to the right end of the electric motor 24 and between the drive pipe retaining groove 16r and idle pipe retaining groove 17l on the front planar part 12a of the front frame 12. Therefore, two of the attaching points 14a and 14d are located between the two push-pull cables on either side of the middle crossing location. In the illustrated embodiment, the four mounting bosses 14a to 14d are arranged at an equal interval, but may also be located at irregular intervals.
1. A vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening formed in a fixed roof panel of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel, said vehicle roof system comprising:
a front frame secured to a lower surface of the fixed roof panel and extending laterally along a front edge of the roof opening, the front frame including a laterally extending groove part including a front wall, a bottom wall and a rear wall, and a front planar part extending substantially horizontally forward from an upper end of the front wall at a higher elevation than the bottom wall, and the front frame being fixedly secured to the fixed roof panel at a plurality of mounting features provided on the front planar part;
an electric motor attached to the front frame;
a power transmitting system for transmitting an output of the electric motor to the moveable roof panel; and
an onboard device operatively attached to the fixed roof panel of the vehicle adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening and located below the front planar part;
wherein the onboard device is located in a laterally central part of the fixed roof panel, and the electric motor is laterally offset from but longitudinally overlapping with the onboard device.
2. The vehicle roof system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the mounting features is located between the onboard device and electric motor.
3. The vehicle roof system according to claim 1, wherein two of the mounting features are provided adjacent to either lateral side of the electric motor.
4. The vehicle roof system according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor is attached to the lower surface of the front planar part, and has an output shaft passed through an opening formed in the front planar part, and the power transmitting system includes a pair of push-pull cables guided along an upper surface of the front planar part to transmit an output power of the electric motor to the moveable roof panel, wherein at least part of the electric motor is situated forward of the push-pull cables.
5. The vehicle roof system according to claim 4, further comprising a roof lining secured to a lower surface of the fixed roof panel and at least partly defining a space therebetween, the onboard device being exposed to a passenger compartment through an opening formed in the roof lining, wherein the onboard device has a lower surface which is substantially flush with a lower surface of the roof lining.
6. The vehicle roof system according to claim 5, wherein at least a rear end of the onboard device is located under the front planar part.
7. The vehicle roof system of claim 1, wherein the front planar part of the front frame has an open portion formed substantially centrally therein which is recessed in a longitudinally rearward direction and configured to accommodate an onboard device.
8. A vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening formed in a fixed roof panel of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel, said vehicle roof system comprising:
a front frame secured to a lower surface of the fixed roof panel and extending laterally along a front edge of the roof opening, wherein a laterally central portion of the front frame includes a front planar part extending substantially horizontally forward and having an open portion formed substantially centrally therein which is recessed in a longitudinally rearward direction and configured to accommodate an onboard device;
a power transmitting system for transmitting an output of the electric motor to the moveable roof panel;
an onboard device comprising at least one lamp for selectively illuminating an interior portion of the vehicle, and at least one switch for controlling operation of the moveable roof panel, said onboard device operatively attached to the fixed roof panel of the vehicle adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening; and
a roof lining secured to a lower surface of the fixed roof panel and at least partly defining a space therebetween, the onboard device being exposed to a passenger compartment through an opening formed in the roof lining,
wherein the onboard device is located in a laterally central part of the fixed roof panel proximate the open portion of the front frame, and the electric motor is laterally offset from, and longitudinally overlapping with the onboard device.
9. The vehicle roof system according to claim 8, wherein the front frame includes a front planar part extending substantially horizontally and a groove part formed along a rear edge of the front planar part, the groove part including a bottom wall located at a lower elevation than the front planar part, and wherein the front frame is fixedly secured to the fixed roof panel at a plurality of mounting features provided on the front planar part.
10. The vehicle roof system according to claim 8, wherein the electric motor is attached to the lower surface of the front planar part, and has an output shaft passed through an opening formed in the front planar part, and the power transmitting system includes a pair of push-pull cables guided along an upper surface of the front planar part to transmit an output power of the electric motor to the moveable roof panel, wherein at least part of the electric motor is situated forward of the push-pull cables.
11. The vehicle roof system according to claim 8, wherein the onboard device has a lower surface which is substantially flush with a lower surface of the roof lining.
12. The vehicle roof system according to claim 8, wherein the front frame is fixedly secured to the fixed roof panel at a plurality of mounting features provided thereon.
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Patent Publication Number: 20110187162
Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd. (Saitama)
Inventors: Hajime Katayama (Tochigi-ken), Ayumi Mihashi (Tochigi-ken)
Application Number: 13/013,245
Current U.S. Class: Roof Opening Edge Structure (296/216.07); At Or On Roof Or Rooflike Panel (296/37.7); Ceiling (362/490)