Patent ID: 8297692

Claim:
A vehicle sun roof device comprising: a panel for covering an opening in a roof of the vehicle, the panel including front and rear end sections, and being tiltable to raise the rear end section from a closed position to at least one venting position, and a drive system for tilting the panel comprising: a force-applying mechanism for tilting the panel by selectively applying an upward force or a downward force to the rear end section of the panel to raise or lower, respectively, the rear end section relative to the front end section, a support disposed on the roof adjacent the front end section of the panel and including an upwardly facing support surface and a downwardly facing support surface, a bracket fixed to the panel and extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, the bracket including an upwardly facing bearing surface and a downwardly facing bearing surface arranged to slidably engage the downwardly facing support surface and the upwardly facing support surface, respectively, for defining a virtual pivot axis for the panel as the panel tilts, a pin-and-slot connection between a first shoe and the bracket for guiding the bracket as it tilts, and wherein the location of the virtual pivot axis remains stationary as the panel tilts.