Patent ID: 8272683

Claim:
A vehicle roof assembly comprising: a vehicle roof structure including a first roof section with one of a mounting slot and a mounting flange and a second roof section with a mounting structure; an accessory frame including a first frame end and a second frame end that is opposite the first frame end, the first frame end including the other of the mounting slot and the mounting flange, and the second frame end including a complementary mounting structure, the mounting flange engaging the mounting slot to couple the accessory frame to the vehicle roof structure and to enable the accessory frame to pivot relative to the vehicle roof structure between a pre-installation position and an installed position where the complementary mounting structure engages the mounting structure of the second roof section; and a movable member coupled to the accessory frame that moves between a first position proximate to one of the first frame end and the second frame end, and a second position proximate to the other of the first frame end and the second frame end; the mounting flange contacting a portion of one of the first roof section and the first frame end that defines the mounting slot while the accessory frame is in the pre-installation position and being removed from contact with the portion defining the mounting slot while the accessory frame is in the installed position.