Patent ID: 6945590

Claim:
An automotive vehicle roof system comprising: a pair of stationary side rails; a first roof panel being substantially rigid and movably coupled to the rails; a back window movably coupled to the rails; a storage compartment positioned adjacent to an end of each of the pair of stationary side rails, the first roof panel being slidable from a closed and functional position to an opened position located in the storage compartment, the back window being movable from a closed and functional position to an opened position located in the storage compartment; a covering panel movable from a closed position covering the storage compartment to an opened position operable to allow access of the first roof panel and the back window into the storage compartment; and at least a second roof panel movably coupled to the rails and being slidable from a closed position located between the first roof panel and the back window to an opened position located in the storage compartment; the first roof panel operably engaging the second roof panel when the first roof panel is retracted and causing the second roof panel to move into and out of the storage compartment substantially simultaneous with the first roof panel; the back window operably moving from its closed position to its opened position without requiring simultaneous movement of the first roof panel; and the covering panel being movable without requiring movement of all of the roof panels when the roof panels are in their opened positions; wherein the covering panel is an automatically movable, rigid tonneau cover located forward of a movable deck lid.