Open roof construction for a vehicle

The invention relates to an open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising a roof opening defined in a stationary roof part and a movable panel for opening and closing said roof opening, with a slide which is movable along a stationary slide guide and which is provided with panel engagement means cooperating with slide engagement means of the movable panel, wherein a movement of the slide is capable of generating a tilting and/or sliding movement of the panel . It is an object of the invention to further improve such an open roof construction.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, the panel engagement means of the slide comprise two curves and the slide engagement means of the panel comprise two cams, each for cooperation with a respective one of the curves, such that, starting from the position in which the panel closes the roof opening, moving the slide in a first direction a cooperation between a first curve and corresponding first cam will lead to lowering a first transversal edge of the panel followed by translating the panel along with the slide, whereas, starting from said position in which the panel closes the roof opening, moving the slide in an opposite second direction a cooperation between the second curve and corresponding second cam will lead to lifting said first transversal edge of the panel.

In a first embodiment of the open roof construction according to the invention the first cam of the panel is positioned closer to said first transversal edge then the second cam, and correspondingly the first curve of the slide is positioned closer to said first transversal edge then the second curve.

Further it is possible that the panel is provided with a locking cam for cooperation with a stationary locking

curve. For example, said locking curve may be provided with a vertical locking curve part in which the locking cam resides in the closed and lifted positions of the panel, and which merges into a horizontally extending locking curve part in which the locking cam resides in the lowered position of the panel.

If provided, said locking cam may be positioned at the side of the cams facing away from the first transversal edge, improving its effectivity. In another embodiment of the open roof construction according to the present invention the panel in the region of its opposite second transversal edge is provided with a slide shoe cooperating with a first horizontally extending guide channel, wherein the shape of the guide shoe allows a rotation thereof in the guide channel around an axis in parallel to a transversal edge of the panel. The guide shoe thus helps in defining the position of the panel while allowing a rotation thereof.

Further it is possible that the panel between the first cam and the first transversal edge is provided with a guide cam which during lowering said transversal edge enters a second horizontally extending guide channel and moves therein during the translational movement of the channel. This helps defining the position of the panel in its lowered position.

Then, in a special embodiment, it is possible too that the first horizontally extending guide channel defines the second horizontally guide channel too.

According to yet another embodiment of the open roof construction according to the present invention the first cam in the lowered position of the panel has entered a horizontally extending guide channel. In such a case a guide cam as mentioned above may be omitted.

It is of advantage then when the horizontally extending guide channel corresponds with the first or second horizontally extending guide channel as defined above.

The open roof construction according to the pre- sent invention offers a number of advantages, depending on its specific embodiment. It may reduce the dimensions (specifically, but not exclusively, the width and height) and cost (due to the use of less complicated and smaller parts) of such a construction. The available daylight opening pro- vided may be increased while maintaining a similar tilting height compared to known open roof constructions. Further a smaller packaging of guide rails may be achieved, adding to a cost saving and an increase of the daylight opening in a transverse direction. The use of two curve and cam assem- blies enables an increase of the support length of the panel and thus optimises the dynamic panel force behaviour (especially in a vertical direction) .

Hereinafter the invention will be elucidated while referring to the drawings, in which Figures 1-4 show, in respective schematical side elevational views, an embodiment of the open roof construction according to the present invention in four different positions, i.e. closed, dropped, slid open and tilted, and Figures 5 and 6 show perspective explosive views from different directions of parts of the open roof construction.

Before the present invention is discussed, the following is noted. The components of the open roof construction illustrated in the drawings and mentioned in the claims define mechanisms, of which more than one may be present in an open roof construction. Specifically, for example, two slides may be present at opposite longitudinal sides of a roof opening, cooperating with corresponding parts. The following discussion basically refers to components arranged at one longitudinal side of the roof opening; the components

arranged at the opposite longitudinal side of the roof opening are similar, but most times constructed as a mirror image .

Firstly referring to figure 1, an open roof con- struction for a vehicle is shown schematically and in a side elevational view, in a first closed position. The open roof construction comprises a roof opening 1 (best illustrated in figure 3) defined in a stationary roof part 2. A movable panel 3 is provided for opening and closing said roof open- ing 1. In the closed position of the panel 3 illustrated in figure 1, a first (rearward) transversal edge 4 and a second (forward) transversal edge 5 thereof engage corresponding parts of the stationary roof part 2 (for example by means of sealing means known per se) . Below the panel 3 a slide 6 is provided which is movable along a stationary slide guide 7. The slide comprises a first curve 8 for cooperation with a first cam 10 of the panel 3 and a second curve 9 for cooperation with a second cam 11 of the panel. In the region of its second transversal edge 5 the panel 3 is provided with a slide shoe 12 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is housed in the slide guide 7 in such a manner, that it not only can slide therein but also may- carry out a rotation therein around an axis (not illus- trated) in parallel to a transversal edge of the panel 3. It is noted, that it is also possible that the slide shoe 12 is housed in a separate guide channel which basically would extend in parallel to the slide guide 7.

The panel 3 further is provided with a locking cam 13 for cooperation with a stationary locking curve. Such a locking curve comprises a vertical locking curve part 14 (best illustrated in figure 3) which merges into a horizontally extending locking curve part 15. In the illustrated embodiment the locking cam 13, in a longitudinal position,

is positioned between the slide shoe 12 and second cam 11 of the panel 3.

Between the first cam 10 and the first transversal edge 4 the panel 3 is provided with a guide cam assembly comprising a guide cam 16 and an auxiliary guide cam 17, the function of which will become clear later.

When, starting from the position illustrated in figure 1 in which the panel 3 closes the roof opening 1, slide 6 is moved rearwardly (to the right in figure 1) by means of driving means not illustrated (for example a drive cable known per se) the cooperation between the first curve 8 and first cam 10 will lower the first rearward transversal edge 4 of the panel while the panel 3 rotates around its slide shoe 12. A translational movement of the panel 3 to- gether with the slide 6 will be prevented initially, because the locking cam 13 of the panel 3 still is in the vertical locking curve part 14. The rotation of the panel 3 while lowering its transversal edge 4 will lead to a disengagement between the transversal edges 4, 5 and corresponding parts of the stationary roof part 2.

Figure 2 shows the situation, in which the transversal edge 4 of the panel 3 is lowered that far, that the locking cam 13 has reached the horizontal locking curve part 15 (which in the present embodiment merges into the slide guide 7, but which in an alternative embodiment could merge into a separate guide channel) .

The guide cam 16 has entered the slide guide 7 through an opening 18 (figure 1) therein, and the auxiliary guide cam 17 now rests upon an upper part 7' of the slide guide 7. In this position of the panel 3 a further movement of the slide 6 will move the panel 3 along therewith in accordance with figure 3 (the sides of the curve 8 engaging the cam 10 and the slide shoe 12 moving along the slide guide 7). Such a movement of the slide 6 together with the panel 3 can be maintained until the panel 3 is positioned

entirely below the corresponding stationary roof part 2, in which the roof opening 1 is completely opened.

Starting from such a completely opened position of the panel 3, moving the slide forward again (to the left in the figures) will lead to a corresponding movement of the panel, until the locking cam 13 has reached the vertical locking curve part 14, after which the longitudinal movement of the panel 3 is stopped and the slide 6 moves forward relative the panel 3, thus again lifting the transversal edge 4 through the cooperation between the first cam 10 of the panel and the first curve 8 of the slide 6.

Starting from the position illustrated in figure 1 it is also possible to move the slide forwardly (to the left in the figures) while the panel does not move in the longi- tudinal direction (prevented by the locking cam 13 in vertical locking curve part 14) . As a result, first cam 10 will leave the first curve 8 and second cam 11 will enter the second curve 9. The cooperation between the second cam 11 of the panel and second curve 9 of the slide then will cause a rotation of the panel 3 around its slide shoe 12, as a result of which the transversal edge 4 is lifted (towards a so-called tilted position of the panel 3) . This situation has been illustrated in figure 4.

Starting from the position illustrated in figure 4, again moving the slide 6 in a rearward direction will cause the transversal edge 4 of the panel 3 to drop again to the closed position illustrated in figure 1.

Generally, somewhere between the positions illustrated in figure 1 and figure 4 there will be a situation, in which both the first cam 10 and second cam 11 cooperate with the respective first curve 8 and second curve 9. As a result, the position of the panel 3 always is defined in an effective manner.

It is not strictly necessary to provide a guide cam 16 in combination with an auxiliary guide cam 17. However,

such a combination offers the best results for eliminating any play.

Next, reference is made to figures 5 and 6 showing parts of the open roof construction in accordance with the present invention in a disassembled state and from different sides. These figures show a brace 19 carrying the first and second cams 10, 11, slide shoe 12, locking cam 13, guide cam 16 and auxiliary guide cam 17. This brace 19 is attached to the panel 3, for example by means of bolts or rivets 20. Further, figures 5 and 6 show a first slide part 6' and a second slide part 6" which together define slide 6. For assembling the slide parts 6' and 6" projections 21 on part β ¹ will enter holes 22 on part 6". The first curve 8 and second curve 9 are provided in the first slide part 6". The second part 6" is provided with slide shoes 23 for cooperation with the slide guide 7. Corresponding slide shoes are provided on part 6', but are not visible here.

Finally, figures 5 and 6 show a locking part 24 defining the vertical locking curve part 14 and horizontal locking curve part 15.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described before, which may be varied widely within the scope of the invention as defined by the appending claims.