Openable vehicle roof with fixed roof element

Abstract

An openable vehicle roof of a passenger car, comprising a roof module (18) with a roof frame (20), a fixed roof element (14) attached to the roof frame, which has a circumferential plastic edge foam (32) by means of which it is connected to the roof frame (20), and an adjustable cover element (16) which is adjustable by means of an adjustment kinematic between a closed position closing a roof opening (17) and an open position at least partially releasing the roof opening (17), located at least partially above the fixed roof element (14), characterized in that the plastic edge foam (32) of the fixed roof element (14) has a one-piece insert (44) on its transverse leg (34) facing away from the cover element (16), which extends in the transverse direction of the roof, forming a connecting plate.which protrudes from the plastic edge foam (32) in the rear direction and which is connected to a roof structure (42) and the roof frame (20) and whose width in the transverse direction of the roof corresponds at most to the width of the fixed roof element (14).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an openable vehicle roof of a passenger car having the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] Such a vehicle roof is known in practice and is designed, in particular, as a panoramic roof of a passenger car. It comprises a roof module with a transparent fixed roof element and a transparent, adjustable cover element that can be adjusted by means of an adjustment mechanism between an opening position that closes a roof opening and an opening position that at least partially exposes the roof opening and is located at least partially above the fixed roof element. The roof module is provided with a roof frame, via which it can be connected to a roof shell structure of the vehicle.The adjustment kinematics for operating the cover element comprise a deployment and sliding mechanism on both sides relative to a vertical longitudinal roof center plane. When moving the cover element from the closed position to the open position located above the fixed roof element, this mechanism moves through a respective guide channel that is delimited internally by the fixed roof element relative to the longitudinal roof center plane. Both the adjustable cover element and the fixed roof element include a surrounding plastic edge foam made of a polyurethane material. Inserts, such as fastening tabs, are embedded in the respective plastic edge foam, by means of which the fixed roof element or the cover element can be connected to the roof frame.

[0003] A panoramic roof of the type described above has the problem that the vehicle's rigidity is reduced due to the large roof area covered by the fixed roof element and the cover element. To counteract this, additional stiffening plates are used. The stiffening plates, which must be connected in particular to the rear, shell-mounted fixed roof element, represent additional components that must be integrated during assembly of the roof module, often also referred to as a roof cassette. For this purpose, production facilities for the roof module must be appropriately equipped. Connecting the stiffening plates using screws may only be possible under difficult conditions due to space constraints. There is also a risk that surrounding components could be scratched during installation of the stiffening plates.The risk of damage to adjacent components also exists during maintenance when the screw connections for the stiffening plate have to be loosened. Furthermore, the additional installation of the stiffening plates increases the assembly time and thus the manufacturing costs of the roof module. The screws required to create the screw connections also contribute to the overall cost of the roof module.

[0004] The invention is based on the object of creating a vehicle roof of the type mentioned in the introduction which can be installed with little effort compared to the prior art described above.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention by the vehicle roof having the features of patent claim 1.

[0006] In the vehicle roof according to the invention, the fixed roof element is connected to the roof frame and the roof shell structure via a connecting plate, which is arranged on the transverse leg of a plastic edge foam of the fixed roof element facing away from the roof opening as an insert of the plastic edge foam. The connecting plate protrudes from the plastic edge foam in the rear direction, i.e., the areas of the connecting plate via which it is connected to the roof shell structure and the roof frame are located, in a plan view relative to the longitudinal direction of the roof, particularly at the rear of the panel-like fixed roof element.The connecting plate, which is designed as an insert of the plastic edge foam, offers no obstacle for kinematic elements of the adjustment kinematics, which are moved laterally next to the fixed roof element when adjusting the adjustable cover element, due to its width, which is equal to or less than the width of the fixed roof element.

[0007] The connecting plate, which is an insert in the plastic edge foam, also conveniently serves as a stiffening plate for the fixed roof element and thus for the entire vehicle roof. Stiffening is also achieved by folding the connecting plate and / or bending it at least once in the area where it is embedded in the plastic edge foam.

[0008] By integrating the connecting plate into the plastic edge foam that is usually already present and connected to the fixed roof element, it is no longer necessary to screw additional connecting and / or stiffening plates to the roof module when assembling the vehicle roof or roof module with respect to the fixed roof element. The assembly effort can therefore be reduced by the connecting plate embedded in the manner according to the invention. This, in turn, reduces logistical requirements, as no additional stiffening plates or additional screws need to be kept in stock to connect a stiffening plate to the fixed roof element. The assembly time for the roof module is also reduced. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to equip production facilities for the roof module with a station for connecting stiffening plates to the fixed roof element.If necessary, the connecting plate connected to the fixed roof element in the manner according to the invention can also achieve weight savings compared to previous solutions, as no additional sheet metal flanges or additional screws are required. The absence of an assembly step for connecting the connecting plate to the fixed roof element also reduces the risk of damaging other roof elements, such as roller blind bows, glass covers, or the like, during installation of the roof module. This also applies during maintenance.

[0009] To provide the connecting plate of the vehicle roof according to the invention with multiple functions, it can, together with the roof frame, define a receiving space for a roll of a roof blind. For this purpose, the connecting plate can be bent in the corresponding area so that it follows the roll formed by the blind when the blind is rolled up.

[0010] The plastic edge foam of the fixed roof element can be provided with an integrally formed water channel, which runs along the leg of the plastic edge foam facing away from the roof opening and extending in the transverse direction of the roof. To increase the dimensional stability of the plastic edge foam in the area of ​​the water channel, the connecting plate within the plastic edge foam can follow the bottom of the water channel.

[0011] The assembly effort for the vehicle roof according to the invention can also be kept to a minimum by connecting the connecting plate to the roof shell structure and the roof frame via at least one common screw connection. Preferably, the connecting plate is arranged between the roof shell structure and the roof frame.

[0012] The vehicle roof according to the invention can be a panoramic roof. In this case, the fixed roof element comprises, in particular, a glass panel provided with the plastic edge foam. Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the fixed roof element to be made of a transparent plastic material, in particular polycarbonate, or even to be opaque.

[0013] The connection of the fixed roof element according to the invention via the connecting plate, which is designed as an insert of the plastic edge foam, is particularly suitable for a vehicle roof equipped with an externally running sliding roof (ASD), in which the adjustable cover element can be adjusted by means of the adjustment kinematics into an open position located above the fixed roof element, with deployment levers of the adjustment kinematics being moved laterally on both sides next to the fixed roof element. In this case, the fixed roof element, with its edges arranged on both sides relative to a vertical longitudinal roof center plane, each defines a guide channel for at least one deployment lever of the adjustment kinematics.

[0014] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of the invention can be found in the description, the drawings and the patent claims.

[0015] An embodiment of an openable vehicle roof according to the invention is shown schematically in the drawing and is explained in more detail in the following description. It shows: Fig. 1 a perspective top view of a vehicle roof equipped with a panoramic roof; Fig. 2 a perspective top view of a roof module of the vehicle roof according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a Fig. 2 corresponding view of the roof module, but without rear connecting plate; Fig. 4 a plan view of the roof module; and Fig. 5 a section through the roof module along the line VV in Fig. 4, but mounted on the vehicle roof.

[0016] In Fig. 1 shows a vehicle roof 10 designed as a panoramic roof and having a roof cutout 12, which is closed by a fixed roof element 14 fixed to the vehicle and by an adjustable cover element 16. The cover element 16 can be adjusted rearward into an open position, which is located at least partially above the fixed roof element 14, to partially expose a roof opening 17.

[0017] The fixed roof element 14 and the cover element 16 are part of a Fig. 2 to 5, which is often also referred to as a roof cassette. The roof module 18 comprises a roof frame 20, which has a longitudinal leg 22A and 22B on each side relative to a vertical roof longitudinal center plane, a front frame part 24 arranged at the front, and a rear frame part 26 arranged at the rear. The roof frame 20 follows the edge of the roof cutout 12 and also defines the roof opening 17.

[0018] For adjustment, the cover element 16 is designed with an adjustment kinematics, which has on both sides deployment levers 28, which can be moved in the vehicle's longitudinal direction in a guide rail formed on the respective frame longitudinal leg 22A or 22B. Fig. In the opening position shown in Figures 2 to 4, the deployment levers 28 are each moved rearward into a guide channel 30 which, with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the vehicle, is delimited on the inside by a lateral edge of the fixed roof element 14.

[0019] The fixed roof element 14, which has a substantially rectangular footprint, is provided with a surrounding, frame-like plastic edge foam 32 for connection to the roof frame 20 and thus to the shell structure of the vehicle roof 10. The plastic edge foam 32, which is made of a polyurethane material, comprises, in addition to a front-side transverse leg and two lateral longitudinal legs, a rear-side transverse leg 34, which delimits the rear edge of the fixed roof element 14. In the Fig. In the installation position shown in Figure 5, a seal 36 of a vehicle-mounted fixed roof section 38 borders the transverse leg 34. The seal 36 and a bow-side edge of the fixed roof section 38 are engaged beneath a water channel 40, which is formed in one piece, i.e., integrally, by the transverse leg 34 of the plastic edge foam 32. The water channel 40 is therefore also formed from the polyurethane material of the plastic edge foam 32.

[0020] To connect the fixed roof element 14 to the roof frame rear section 26 of the roof frame 20 and to a roof shell structure 42 located below the fixed roof section 38, the transverse leg 34 of the plastic edge foam 32 has an insert 44, which represents a connecting and stiffening plate that protrudes in the rear direction from the transverse leg 34 of the plastic edge foam 32 in the manner of a fastening tab. The insert 44, whose width in the transverse roof direction is slightly less than the width of the fixed roof element 14 and which extends exclusively over the rear transverse leg 34 of the plastic edge foam 32, has, in the illustrated embodiment, four fixing holes 46, through which it is screwed to the roof shell structure 42 and the frame rear section 26 of the roof frame 20 by means of screws 50 in the installed position. Fig. 5, the connecting plate formed from the insert 44 lies in the installed position between the roof shell structure 42 and the frame rear part 26.

[0021] The insert 44 is bent several times within the plastic edge foam 32. In particular, the bend of the insert 44 in the longitudinal direction of the roof follows the bottom of the water gutter 40. In the area of ​​a rear boundary wall of the water gutter 40, the insert 44 emerges from the plastic edge foam 32.

[0022] Like the Fig. 3 and Fig.5, the frame rear part 26 has a receiving recess 52 for a roll 54 of a roller blind 56, which is part of an extendable shading system of the roof module 18. The receiving space formed by the receiving recess 52 for the roll 54 is delimited at the top by the insert part 44, which is bent in the longitudinal direction of the roof in accordance with the roll 54, i.e., has a curvature that enables the roll 54 of the roller blind 56 to be received in its receiving space. List of reference symbols 10 Vehicle roof 12 roof cutout 14 Fixed roof element 16 Cover element 17 Roof opening 18 roof module 20 roof frames 22A, B Longitudinal leg 24 Front frame part 26 Rear frame part 28 release lever 30 guide channel 32 Plastic edge foam 34 cross legs 36 Seal 38 fixed roof section 40 water channel 42 Roof shell structure 44 insert 46 fixing holes 50 screw 52 receiving trough 54 wraps 56 roller blinds

Claims

[1] Openable vehicle roof of a passenger car, comprising a roof module (18) with a roof frame (20), a fixed roof element (14) fastened to the roof frame, which fixed roof element has a circumferential plastic edge foam (32) by means of which it is connected to the roof frame (20), and an adjustable cover element (16) which is adjustable by means of an adjustment kinematics between a closed position closing a roof opening (17) and an open position at least partially releasing the roof opening (17) and lying at least partially above the fixed roof element (14), characterized byin that the plastic edge foam (32) of the fixed roof element (14) has, on its transverse leg (34) facing away from the cover element (16) and extending in the transverse direction of the roof, a one-piece insert (44) which forms a connecting plate which emerges from the plastic edge foam (32) in the rear direction and which is connected to a roof shell structure (42) and the roof frame (20) and whose width in the transverse direction of the roof corresponds at most to the width of the fixed roof element (14). [2] Openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, characterized by that the insert (44) forms a stiffening plate for the fixed roof element (14). [3] Openable vehicle roof according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the insert part (44) and the roof frame (20) delimit a receiving space for a roll (54) of a roof blind. [4] Openable vehicle roof according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat the insert part (44) follows within the plastic edge foam (32) a bottom of a water channel (40) which is formed in one piece by the plastic edge foam (32). [5] Openable vehicle roof according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the insert part (44) is connected to the roof shell structure (42) and the roof frame (20) via at least one common screw connection (50). [6] Openable vehicle roof according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the fixed roof element (14) comprises a glass panel. [7] Openable vehicle roof according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the fixed roof element (14) with its edges arranged on both sides with respect to a vertical longitudinal roof center plane each delimits a guide channel (30) for a deployment lever (28) of the adjustment kinematics.

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