Patent ID: 7780217

Claim:
A roof assembly for a vehicle, the roof assembly comprising: a roof having a front roof element, a middle roof element, and a rear roof element which are movable between a closed position in which the roof elements extend longitudinally side-by-side and an opened position in which the roof elements lie above one another, wherein the roof elements create a shaped section of an exterior shell of a vehicle body when in the closed position; a main guide bar system having a front main guide bar and a rear main guide bar, wherein one end of the front main guide bar and one end of the rear main guide bar are connected to the front roof element and the other ends of the front main guide bar and the rear main guide bar are rotatable about respective articulated joints to move the roof elements between the closed and opened positions; and a guide bar mechanism having a first control rod rotatably connected between the front main guide bar and the middle roof element and a second control rod rotatably connected between the rear main guide bar and the middle roof element to assure a desired movement of the middle roof element when the roof elements are moved between the closed and opened positions; wherein the front roof element includes a cantilever beam, wherein the one end of the rear main guide bar is connected to the cantilever beam to connect to the front roof element.