Patent ID: 7422274

Claim:
A roof for a vehicle, the roof comprising: a first roof element movable in a longitudinal vehicle direction along a pair of side roof frames between a closed position in which the first roof element extends in a roof line and covers a portion of a vehicle passenger compartment and an opened position in which the first roof element exposes the portion of the compartment, the first roof element having a front transverse section; and a second roof element disposed in front of the first roof element, the second roof element having a rear transverse section, the second roof element being pivotable between a lowered position in which the second roof element extends in the roof line and a raised position in which the second roof element is angularly pivoted such that the rear transverse section is raised above the roof line, wherein the rear transverse section includes a central vertically projecting area and a pair of recessed areas extending laterally in a transverse vehicle direction from respective sides of the central projecting area, wherein the central projecting area and the recessed areas extend in the roof line when the second roof element is lowered, wherein the recessed areas are shaped to provide passengers in the compartment with viewing areas above the second roof element when the second roof element is raised; wherein the shape of the front transverse section corresponds to the shape of the rear transverse section such that the transverse sections border one another in the roof line when the first roof element is closed and the second roof element is lowered; wherein the recessed areas are recessed in the longitudinal vehicle direction from a transverse structural plane between the transverse sections when the first roof element is closed and the second roof element is lowered; wherein the second roof element and the rear transverse section comprise the same transparent material with the rear transverse section being formed from the second roof element.