Open roof construction for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an open roof construction for a vehicle having a roof opening in a fixed roof. The fixed roof has a roof edge defining the roof opening and projecting in a downward direction. The open roof construction comprises a fixed part and at least one panel for closing at least the roof opening. The fixed part is provided with a sealing device comprising a first sealing portion forming a seal towards the panel and a second sealing portion capable of sealing the fixed part against the roof edge of the fixed roof. The sealing device is provided with an attachment structure projecting from the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion and attaching the sealing device to the fixed part. A reinforcing member is integrated in the sealing device and extends at least between the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion. The reinforcing member forms an integral part of the attachment structure of the sealing device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an open roof structure for vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Such open roof structures are known in the art, for example, from EP 3 219 530 A2. The sealing device of this prior art open roof structure includes a third sealing portion that is capable of sealing and fixing against the lower portion of the roof edge. An attachment structure is formed on the underside of the third sealing portion.

[0003] Because the third seal is deformable, the retention of the first and second seals is not very stable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide an open roof structure in which this disadvantage is eliminated or at least reduced.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the open roof structure according to the present invention is characterized in that the reinforcing member forms an integral part of the attachment structure of the sealing device.

[0006] Because the reinforcing member and the attachment structure are integrated, the first and second sealing portions maintain a very stable and precise hold relative to the fixed portion. Since the reinforcing member is integrated into the sealing device, the lateral dimension of the sealing device can be kept to a minimum, and the protruding attachment structure means that a vertical flange for the fixed portion is not required, which facilitates the processing of the fixed portion. For example, if the fixed portion is an extruded part that must be bent to conform to the curvature of the fixed roof, a vertical flange would increase the required bending force and increase the risk of scrapping, for example, due to tearing.

[0007] Preferably, the attachment structure includes hook and clamp members, and the fixed portion includes mating portions to lock the hook and clamp members to the fixed portion.

[0008] This will result in a very secure and precise attachment and positioning of the sealing device, especially if the hook and clamping members are positioned at a distance from each other and are securely clamped between the mating parts.

[0009] For example, it is possible if the reinforcing member extends substantially perpendicularly to the horizontal plane and the attachment structure has a horizontal length, specifically one of the hook and clamp members can be positioned near the bottom of the reinforcing member, and the other of the hook and clamp members can be positioned at a certain distance on the free end of the attachment structure.

[0010] The attachment structure is then locked close to the first and second sealing portions, and the horizontal extension of the attachment structure provides a stable base for the sealing device.

[0011] The hook member can be located at the free end of the attachment structure, and the clamping member can be located at the bottom of the reinforcing member, wherein the free end of the attachment structure can be positioned at its upward portion.

[0012] In one embodiment, the fixed portion is provided with hooks and / or grooves as mating portions to accommodate each of the hooks and clamping members.

[0013] The attachment structure of the sealing device is preferably attached to a portion of the guide rail of the fixed part. This guide rail is typically an extruded profile, which offers a high degree of design freedom and precise dimensions.

[0014] The reinforcing member / attachment structure is preferably made primarily of hard rubber, plastic, or metal, especially steel.

[0015] In a particular embodiment, the reinforcing member and / or the attachment structure are interrupted along the length to allow the reinforcing member to bend as it is adapted to the fixed portion.

[0016] The attachment structure may be provided with a third sealing portion, which is adapted to abut against the lower side of the fixed roof for sealing.

[0017] In one embodiment, the panel is movably supported by an operating mechanism guided in a rail of the fixed portion extending along at least one longitudinal side of the roof opening, the panel being movable relative to the roof opening in both vertical and longitudinal directions to selectively open and close the roof opening.

[0018] In another embodiment, the panel is a fixed panel attached to the fixed portion to permanently close at least a portion of the roof opening.

[0019] The fixed panel may be provided with a panel seal, which cooperates with the first sealing portion of the sealing device and seals the gap between the fixed panel and the fixed roof and / or allows the support of the movable panel to pass through the gap by deformation of at least one of the panel seal and the first sealing portion. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of an open roof structure by way of example.

[0021] Figure 1 This is an isometric perspective view of the upper part of a vehicle, which has an open roof structure.

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the main parts of the open roof structure, which is independent of the vehicle body.

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A perspective view of two panels of an open roof structure, indicating the location of the sealing device of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 According to Figure 1 Enlarged sectional view of line IV-IV in the diagram.

[0025] Figure 5 and 6 The view corresponds to Figure 3 The view shown is of the present invention, but a more extended embodiment of the sealing device is illustrated.

[0026] Figure 7 The sectional view corresponds to Figure 4 The image shows a cross-sectional view, but illustrates another embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8A and 8B A perspective view of a portion of the reinforcing component of the sealing device, wherein Figure 8A The reinforcing components are as follows Figure 7 The reinforcing member shown.

[0028] Figures 9A and 9B are respectively Figure 1 Enlarged views of details IXA and IXB. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1 The vehicle shown is, in this case, a passenger car, but could also be, for example, a multi-purpose vehicle, having a roof opening 1 in its fixed roof 2 to provide an open roof configuration including at least one panel 3. The panel 3 is movable to at least partially open and / or close the roof opening 1. The panel 3 is operated by an operating mechanism 4 (only in…) Figure 2 (Illustrated schematically, but known in the art) movably supported. The operating mechanism 4 is guided to form a fixed portion and extends along at least one of the roof openings 1, but here on both longitudinal sides ( Figure 2The panel 3 is mounted on the guide rail 5 of the frame 6. The panel 3 can move in the vertical and longitudinal directions relative to the roof opening 1. The open roof structure can be of the type where the panel 3 slides to the open position on the outside of the vehicle body, but it can also be of the type where the panel 3 slides to the open position on the inside of the body.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, a second panel 7 is present, positioned behind panel 3 (when in its closed position), and in this case, the second panel 7 is a fixed panel attached to a fixed portion and permanently closing the corresponding portion of the roof opening 1. When in the open position, panel 3 will be at least partially above panel 7. Panel 7 may also be a movable panel, or it may be used as a separate fixed panel to permanently cover the entire roof opening 1 and at least prevent light, rather than air, from entering by opening it.

[0031] Figure 2 An exploded view shows the open roof structure, including panels 3 and 7, frame 6, and related components. A sealing device 8 is shown here, which in this view is along the longitudinal side of the roof opening 1 (the main portion along the longitudinal side edge of panel 7, see also...). Figure 3 )extend.

[0032] exist Figure 4 The sealing device 8 is shown in more detail below. The sealing device 8 is responsible for sealing the frame 6 and the fixed roof 2, and also for sealing the panel 7 and the frame 6 / fixed roof 2. The panel 7 is provided with a panel seal 9, which is a spherical seal including a mounting member 10 that secures the panel seal 9 to an encapsulation 11 surrounding the glass of the panel 7. The panel seal 9 mates with a first sealing portion 12 of the sealing device 8, and together they seal the gap between the panel 7 and the frame 6. The first sealing portion 12 is also a spherical seal. The panel seal 9 and the first sealing portion 12 are located above corresponding guide rails 5, and by deformation of the panel seal 9 and / or the first sealing portion 12, the support of the operating mechanism 4 of the panel 3 is allowed to pass through the gap normally closed by the panel seal 9 and the first sealing portion 12.

[0033] The sealing device 8 includes a second sealing portion 13, which is also formed as a spherical seal and provides a seal between the frame 6 and the vertical edge 14 defining the roof opening 1 of the fixed roof 2. The first and second sealing portions 12, 13 are positioned on opposite sides of an upright wall portion 15 of the sealing device 8. This upright wall portion 15 includes a reinforcing member 16 that provides rigidity to the sealing device 8 and forms an integral part of an attachment structure 17 capable of precisely and rigidly attaching the sealing device 8 to a fixed portion (in this example, a guide rail 5 on the frame 6). The attachment structure 17 and the reinforcing member can be made of steel, hard rubber, or the like, while the sealing portions 12, 13 and any covering can be molded onto them using soft rubber. Thus, the reinforcing member 16 extends between the sealing portions 12, 13 and extends downward to reach the attachment structure 17.

[0034] The attachment structure 17, having a horizontal length or dimension, includes hook and clamping members 18, 19, and the guide rail 5 includes mating portions 20, 21 to lock the hook and clamping members to the guide rail 5. As described above, the reinforcing member 16 is upright, extending substantially vertically relative to the horizontal plane in this case, and the attachment structure 17 has a substantially horizontal extension. The hook member 18 is positioned at the free end of the attachment structure 17 spaced apart from the reinforcing member 16, while the clamping member 19 is positioned near the bottom of the reinforcing member 16, i.e., at the opposite end of the attachment structure 17. The free end of the attachment structure 17 is positioned at its upward-facing portion, and the hook member 18 can hook below the horizontal hook of the mating portion 20. The opposing clamping member 19, extending substantially horizontally, can be clamped below the horizontal hook of the mating portion 21 on the guide rail 5. The mating portions 20 and 21 form the upper walls of the gutter-like portion of the guide rail 5, which acts as a drainage device for any water leaking between the second sealing portion 13 and the edge 14 of the fixed roof 2. The mating portions 20 and 21 may also be formed by grooves in the guide rail 5.

[0035] Figure 5 and 6 As shown, the sealing device 8 (shaded area) can have a relatively large length. Figure 5 In this configuration, the sealing device 8 is disposed along the entire outer circumference at the rear and side edges of the second panel 7, wherein the sealing device 8 provides a seal between the second panel 7 and the edge 14 of the fixed roof 2. The panel seal 9 may be disposed along the length of the sealing device 8, but it is also possible that the first sealing portion 12 of the sealing device 8 seals directly to the encapsulation 11 of the second panel 7. Figure 6In this configuration, the sealing device 8 is arranged around the entire inner circumference of the roof opening 1, thereby providing a seal for the outer circumference of the assembly of panels 3 and 7. Panel 3 may or may not have an additional panel seal that seals to the first sealing portion 12 of the sealing device 8. The sealing device 8 can be identical around the entire circumference. It will be attached to a similar mating portion on the crossbeam along the longitudinal side and along the transverse side of the roof opening 1.

[0036] Figure 7 A second embodiment of the sealing device 8 is shown. It includes a third sealing portion 22. It is positioned near the free end of the attachment structure 17 (immediately adjacent to the hook member 18) and includes a lip seal, the free end of which abuts against the underside of the fixed roof 2 for sealing. The remainder of the sealing device 8 is... Figure 4 The rest of the parts are the same.

[0037] Figure 8A Show separately Figure 4 The sealing device 8 comprises a reinforcing member 16 and an attachment structure 17. The upright reinforcing member 16 is provided with a vertical groove that opens at the upper side of the reinforcing member 16 and extends from the upper side of the reinforcing member 16. This allows the reinforcing member 16 to bend with a small bending force, so that the sealing device 8, along with its reinforcing member 16 and attachment structure 17, can adapt to any curvature of the guide rail 5 about a horizontal transverse axis. Figure 8A It is also shown that the hook member 18 and the clamping member 19 are offset along the length of the sealing device 8. This also allows the sealing device 8 to... Figure 5 , 6 In one embodiment, the panels 3 and 7 are bent around the vertical axis with a small force at the corners.

[0038] Figure 8B A second embodiment of the sealing device 8, including the reinforcing member 16 and the attachment structure 17, is shown. Now, the interruption between the portions of the hook member 18 is smaller and the interruption groove is shorter. The clamping member 19 is longer for better flexibility.

[0039] Figure 9A shows Figure 2 , 3 The sealing device 8 and panel seal 9 are located at the rear end. The encapsulation 11 of the second panel 7 becomes wider and the sealing device 8 becomes smaller behind the panel seal 9. A single seal may be included, which is attached to the encapsulation 11 and seals against the edge 14 of the roof opening 1. A soft rubber molded part covers the transition from the sealing device 8 to the panel seal.

[0040] Figure 9B shows the front ends of the sealing device 8 and the panel seal 9. They terminate together with the front end of the second panel 7. The sealing device 8 and the seal can be closed by a rubber molded part.

[0041] As will be apparent from the foregoing, the present invention provides a sealing device in an open roof construction that provides accurate and stable positioning and thus provides sealing quality when constructed into a vehicle.

[0042] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and described above, and may be varied in different ways within the scope defined by the appended claims. Aspects of the various embodiments may be used in other combinations.

Claims

1. An open roof structure for a vehicle having a roof opening (1) in a fixed roof (2), the fixed roof having a roof edge (14) defining the roof opening and projecting downwards, the open roof structure comprising fixed portions (5, 6) and at least one panel (3, 7) for at least closing the roof opening, the fixed portions (5, 6) being provided with a sealing device (8), the sealing device (8) comprising a first sealing portion (12) forming a seal toward the panel (3, 7), and capable of abutting against the fixed roof (2). The roof edge (14) seals the second sealing portion (13) of the fixed portion (5, 6). The sealing device (8) is provided with an attachment structure (17) that protrudes from the first sealing portion (12) and the second sealing portion (13) and attaches the sealing device (8) to the fixed portion (5, 6). The sealing device (8) is provided with a reinforcing member (16) that is integrated into the sealing device (8) and extends at least between the first sealing portion (12) and the second sealing portion (13). The reinforcing member (16) forms an integral part of the attachment structure (17) of the sealing device (8). The attachment structure (17) includes a hook member (18) and a clamping member (19), and the fixing portions (5, 6) include mating portions (20, 21) to lock the hook member and clamping member to the fixing portions. The reinforcing member (16) extends substantially perpendicularly to the horizontal plane, and the attachment structure (17) has a horizontal length. One of the hook member (18) and the clamping member (19) is located near the bottom of the reinforcing member (16), and the other of the hook member (18) and the clamping member (19) is located at the free end of the attachment structure (17). The fixed portions (5, 6) are provided with hooks and / or grooves as mating portions (20, 21) to accommodate each of the hook member (18) and the clamping member (19). Its features are, The mating portions (20, 21) form the upper wall of the groove-shaped portion of the guide rail (5) of the fixed portion.

2. The open roof structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hook member (18) is located at the free end of the attachment structure (17) and the clamping member (19) is located at the bottom of the reinforcing member (16).

3. The open roof structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The free end of the attachment structure (17) is positioned at its upward portion.

4. The open roof structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The attachment structure (17) of the sealing device (8) is attached to a portion of the guide rail (5) on the frame (6).

5. The open roof structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing member (16) and the attachment structure (17) are made of hard rubber, plastic or metal.

6. The open roof structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing member (16) and the attachment structure (17) are made of steel.

7. The open roof structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing member (16) and / or the attachment structure (17) are interrupted along their length to allow the reinforcing member to adapt to any bending of the fixed portion (5, 6).

8. The open roof structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The attachment structure (17) is provided with a third sealing portion (22), which is adapted to abut against the lower side of the fixed roof (2) for sealing.

9. The open roof structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one panel (3, 7) includes a movable panel (3) which is movably supported by an operating mechanism (4) which is guided in a rail (5) of the fixed portion (5, 6) extending along at least one longitudinal side of the roof opening (1). The movable panel (3) is movable relative to the roof opening (1) in both vertical and longitudinal directions to selectively open and close the roof opening.

10. The open roof structure according to claim 9, characterized in that, The at least one panel (3, 7) includes a fixed panel (7) attached to the fixed portion (5, 6) to permanently close at least a portion of the roof opening (1).

11. The open roof structure according to claim 10, characterized in that, The fixed panel (7) is provided with a panel seal (9), which cooperates with the first sealing portion (12) of the sealing device (8) and seals the gap between the fixed panel and the fixed roof (2), and / or allows the support of the movable panel (3) to pass through the gap by deformation of at least one of the panel seal (9) and the first sealing portion (12).

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