Roof structure for vehicle

Abstract

Roof structure for a motor vehicle, comprising: a front roof (6), a rear roof (7) and a glass unit (9) with a rear window glass (8), each configured to openably cover a part of an upper side of a cabin; a rear roof support member (RO) which openably supports the rear roof (7) on a vehicle body; a front roof support member mechanism (F0) openably supporting the front roof (6), the front roof support member mechanism (F0) being connected to the rear roof support member (R0) such that the closed states of both the front roof (6) and the rear roof (7) are achieved by means of the rear roof support member (R0) and the front roof support member mechanism (F0); a glass unit support member mechanism (U0) connected to the rear roof support member (R0) and configured to support the glass unit (9) in a closed position; and a rear cover (10) configured to cover a part of the upper side of the cabin and having an opening (10a) for the glass unit (9), further provided behind the rear roof (7) while being spaced from the rear roof (7), wherein the rear cover (10) is openable to a non-interference position where the rear cover (10) does not interfere with the front roof (6) and / or the rear roof (7) while the front roof (6) and / or the rear roof (7) are opened or closed, and the glass unit support link mechanism (U0) is configured to close the opening (10a) of the rear cover (10) with the glass unit (9) when the front roof (6) and the rear roof (7) are closed and the rear cover (10) covers the part of the upper side of the cabin.

Description

The present invention relates to a roof structure for an automobile including a front roof, a rear roof, and a glass unit including a rear window glass.Conventionally, a structure disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2010 / 0 283 286 A1 is known as the roof structure for the automobile described above. That is, this is the roof structure for the motor vehicle, which includes roof members including a front roof and a rear roof equipped with a rear roof and a rear window glass, and a link mechanism configured to change a position of the roof members between the use position (a closed roof position) and the stowed position (an open roof position), the rear roof being pivotally connected to the front roof and a vehicle body side link to serve as a first link of a four-bar link including first and second links.In the conventional structure of the above-described patent document, since the front roof, the rear roof, and the glass unit can be closed at the same time, the rear window glass does not become unstable, and therefore, there are no problems in the conventional structure itself.DE 699 16 788 T2 describes a retractable roof for vehicles of the delivery vehicle or mini-transporter or wagon type, having a roof of two parts which extends between the upper edge of the windshield and the upper edge of a bow which is raised above the front region of the rear trunk and an at least partially windowed rear region which extends between the bow and the rear region of the rear trunk.DE 10 2015 011 361 A1 describes a flap cover which is provided for a movement for covering an opening portion of a roof storage space in a closed roof state in which an openable roof covers a passenger compartment from above and in an open roof state in which a portion of the openable roof is stored in the roof storage space and for opening the opening portion of the roof storage space in a transition state between the closed roof state and the open roof state.JP H05-169 978 A describes a roof in which the front end made of a highly rigid material is brought into contact with a front roof rail to be supported, and a support frame fixed to the rear end of the roof.DE 10 2008 030 240 A1 describes a folding top for a convertible with a multi-membered and / or foldable roof body which, in a closed position of the folding top, has a roof frame on each vehicle side for delimiting side panes of the vehicle in the closed position thereof.U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,464 A describes convertible top for automobile bodies and, in particular, for hard tops which can be converted between a closed roof sedan configuration and an open sunroof sedan configuration.US 2010 / 0 283 286 A1 describes a retractable roof having a roof element with a front roof panel, a rear roof panel and a connecting mechanism for alternately chaining the position of the roof element between an operating position and a storage position.However, a structure may be considered in which the glass unit including the rear window glass and the rear roof are connected to each other by a link, and the front roof is connected to the rear roof via a link mechanism. In this case, the glass unit is required to have a substantially solid state when the front roof is closed. If the glass unit does not have the substantially solid state when the front roof is closed, it may become unstable, so that the front roof may also be unstable due to the load of the glass unit.Therefore, in the structure in which the glass unit including the rear window glass and the rear roof are connected to each other by a link and the front roof is connected to the rear roof via a link mechanism, it may become difficult to achieve the layout flexibility and the link design flexibility in a compatible manner.It is an object of the present invention to provide a roof structure of an automobile, which includes the front roof, the rear roof, and the glass unit with the rear window glass, can easily stabilize respective closed states of the front and rear roof and the glass unit, and can also integrally move the front and rear roof and the glass unit via the link and the link mechanism.This object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are subject of the dependent claims.The present invention is a roof structure for an automobile, comprising a front roof, a rear roof, and a glass unit having a rear window glass configured to openably cover a part of an upper side of a cabin, respectively, a rear roof support member openably supporting the rear roof on a vehicle body, a front roof support member mechanism openly supporting the front roof, wherein the front roof support member mechanism is connected to the rear roof support member such that the closed states of both the front roof and the rear roof are achieved by means of the rear roof support member and the front roof support member mechanism, and a glass unit support member mechanism connected to the rear roof support member and configured to support the glass unit in a closed position.According to the present invention, since the closed states of both the front roof and the rear roof are achieved by the rear roof support member and the front roof support member mechanism in the structure in which the roofs are opened or closed by simultaneously moving three members of the front roof, the rear roof and the glass unit, respective closed states of the front roof and the rear roof can be stabilized and, in addition, the three members of the front roof, the rear roof and the glass unit can be integrally moved by the rear roof support member, the front roof support member mechanism and the glass unit support member mechanism.According to the present invention, a deck cover configured to cover a part of the upper side of the cabin and having an opening for the glass unit is provided behind the rear roof spaced apart from the rear roof, the rear cover being openable to a non-meeting position where the rear cover does not meet the front roof and / or the rear roof while the front roof and / or the rear roof are opened or closed, and the glass unit support link mechanism is configured to close the above-described opening of the rear cover with the glass unit when the front roof and the rear roof are closed and the rear cover covers the part of the upper side of the cabin.A back cover where an opening for the glass unit is formed is provided behind the rear roof while being spaced apart from the rear roof, the back cover being openable to a non-meeting position where the back cover does not meet with the front roof and / or the rear roof while the front roof and / or the rear roof are opened or closed, and the glass unit support link mechanism is configured to cover the opening formed on the back cover with the glass unit when the front roof and the rear roof are closed.According to this embodiment, while the glass unit may be unstable at a moment immediately before the front roof and the rear roof have been closed, since the glass unit is spaced rearward from a rear portion of the rear roof, the above-described opening is closed by the glass unit when the front roof and the rear roof are closed, thereby providing the stable state. Accordingly, this embodiment becomes particularly effective in a case where it is required to move the front roof forward to a position where the front roof is fully closed, for example, when a hook provided at a front end of the front roof engages with a latch provided at a vehicle body side (see a front header) or the like.In another embodiment of the present invention, the front roof support link mechanism includes an intermediate rotating link, and a link connecting the intermediate rotating link and the glass unit support link mechanism is provided, wherein the link is configured to apply a component force in a direction substantially perpendicular to a rotational direction of the intermediate rotating link.According to this embodiment, since any undesired rotation of the intermediate rotating member is suppressed by the load of the glass unit input to the intermediate rotating member by the glass unit supporting member mechanism and the link due to the connection structure of the link to the intermediate rotating member, the glass unit can be moved by utilizing the movement of the front roof supporting member mechanism, thereby suppressing any undue load influence from the glass unit.In another embodiment of the present invention, the glass unit support link mechanism is supported at an upper side rear portion of the rear roof support link in a suspended manner.According to this embodiment, the load influence of the glass unit on the front roof support member mechanism is reduced so that the opening / closing movement of the front roof can be stabilized.According to another aspect, there is provided a method of providing an openable roof for a vehicle, comprising the steps of:providing a front roof, a rear roof, and a glass unit having a rear window glass configured to openly cover a part of an upper side of a cabin, respectively;openable support of the rear roof on a vehicle body by means of a rear roof support member;connecting the front roof support member mechanism to the rear roof support member such that closed states of both the front roof and the rear roof are achieved by the rear roof support member and the front roof support member mechanism (FO); andconnecting a glass unit support member mechanism to the rear roof support member such that the glass unit support member mechanism supports the glass unit in a closed position.Preferably, the method further comprises the step of providing a deck cover configured to cover a portion of the upper side of the cabin and having an opening for the glass unit behind the rear roof, wherein the rear cover is openable to a non-meeting position where the rear cover does not meet the front roof and / or the rear roof while the front roof and / or the rear roof are opened or closed, and / or wherein the glass unit support link mechanism is formed to cover the above-described opening of the rear cover with the glass unit when the front roof and the rear roof are closed and the rear cover covers the portion of the upper side of the cabin.According to yet another aspect, there is provided a vehicle having a roof structure as described above.Other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which refers to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of an automobile equipped with a roof structure of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a locking structure of a roof. FIG. 3 is a side view of the roof structure of the vehicle as viewed from an inner side, in a vehicle width direction, of the vehicle. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a main part of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a support structure of a rear cover. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a structure in which the roof shown in FIG. 3 is fully closed. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has a half-open position. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has the half-opened position. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has the half-opened position. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has the half-opened position. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has a position immediately before the roof is stored. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has a position when the roof has been stowed.An embodiment of the present invention will be described with particular reference to the drawings. The drawings show a roof structure of an automobile, and FIG. 1 is a side view of an automobile having the roof structure of the automobile. In FIG. 1, a pair of right and left front pillars 1, 1 (only the right side front pillar is shown in the figures) is provided, and a front header 2 connecting respective upper end portions of the pair of right and left front pillars 1, 1 to each other is provided.A front window glass 3 is attached to a portion enclosed by the above-described pair of right and left front pillars 1, 1 and the front header 2. A cabin 5 is provided behind the front pillar 1 so as to be continuous to right and left passenger entrance / exit door opening portions 4 (only a right side door opening portion is shown in the figures), an upper side of the cabin 5 is openable with a front roof 6, a rear roof 7, a glass unit 9 having rear window glass 8, and a rear cover 10 having an opening (a portion denoted by reference numeral 10 ain FIG. 3 ). Further, a roof storage portion 11 where the front roof 6, the rear roof 7, and the glass unit 9 are stored is provided behind the cabin 5 on the vehicle body side.FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a locking structure of the roof (particularly, the front roof 6) for the front header 2. The front header 2 includes an outer header plate 2 aand an inner header plate 2 bfixedly connected to each other, and has a closed header cross section 2 cextending in a vehicle width direction. A downwardly shaped recess latch 12 is attached to a lower portion of the inner header plate 2b. Further, the front roof 6 includes an upper roof plate 6 aand an inner roof plate 6 bintegrally formed by hemming processing, and a locking device unit 13 is attached to a lower portion of the inner roof plate 6 b.The lock device unit 13 includes a work gear 15 engaged with a gear shaft 14 driven forward / backward by a motor, not shown, a crank 17 attached to the work gear 15 via a pin 16, a link 19 attached to a front end portion of the crank 17 via a pin 18, a hook 21 connected to the link 19 via a pin 20, and a guide groove 23 guiding a guide pin 22 provided so as to protrude on the hook 21.When the front roof 6 is closed, the crank 17 moves forward, the guide pin 22 descends along the guide groove 23, a front portion of the hook 21 is downwardly moved as shown by an imaginary line (two-dot chain line) in FIG. 2, and then the crank 17 moves rearward, so that the guide pin 22 is raised along the guide groove 22 and causes a front portion of the hook 21 to hook to the latch 12 as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2. Thereby, the front roof 6 is locked to the front head part 2 of a vehicle body side member.FIG. 3 is a side view of the roof structure of the automobile as viewed from an inner side, in the vehicle width direction, of the vehicle, and FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a main part of FIG. 3. Further, the above-described rear roof 7 includes an upper roof panel 7 aand an inner roof panel 7 bintegrally formed.The above-described glass unit 9 includes a front plate 9 aand a rear plate 9 bwhich are frame members. As shown in FIG. 3, the rear window glass 8 is fixed to a rear surface of the rear plate 9 busing an adhesive, and a unit support bracket 25 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the bracket 25) is attached to a center of a front surface of the front plate 9 ausing an attachment member such as a clip. The above-described rear cover 10 is provided behind the rear roof 7 and has an opening 10a for the glass unit 9. That is, the glass unit 9 is provided so as to be spaced rearward from a rear portion of the rear roof 7.As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a rear roof support member R 0 for openably supporting the rear roof 7 is provided on the vehicle body. This rear roof support member R 0 includes a member (longitudinal member) R 1 (drive member) extending substantially in a vehicle front-rear direction and a member (vertical member) R 2 extending substantially in a vehicle vertical direction integrally connected in an approximately T-shape in the vehicle side view. A work gear 26 is integrally formed at a lower portion of the rear roof support member R0, and a shaft 27 (a driving member base end shaft) positioned at a lower portion of the vertical member R2 is pivotally supported at a body side portion 28 of the vehicle body side member via a bracket 29. Further, a drive gear 31 is mounted on the body side portion 28 via a gear shaft 30, and the drive gear 31 engages with the work gear 26. At this time, the drive gear 31 is driven forward / backward by a motor, not shown.As shown in FIG. 3, the longitudinal member R 1 of the rear roof support member R 0 extends substantially in the vehicle front-rear direction from a position corresponding to the rear roof 7, and a mounting portion 32 is integrally formed at a portion of the longitudinal member R 1 corresponding to the rear roof 7. This attachment portion 32 is attached to a lower portion of the inner roof panel 7 busing an attachment member 33 such as a bolt. A front end portion of the above-described longitudinal link R1 is pivotally supported to a front portion of the bracket 24 via a pin 34.As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a front roof support member mechanism F 0 for openably supporting the front roof 6 is provided. This front roof support link mechanism F 0 is connected to the rear roof support link R 0.As shown in FIG. 4, the above-described front roof support link mechanism F 0 includes a first link F 1 (a first control link) extending substantially in the vertical direction, a second link F 2 (a second control link) formed in an approximately triangular shape, and a third link F 3 (a front roof panel control link) extending substantially in the vehicle front-rear direction.As shown in FIG. 3, a lower portion of the above-described first link F 1 is pivotally connected to a body side portion 28 at a position located above and below the transmission shaft 30 via a shaft 35 (base end shaft), and an upper portion of the first link F 1 is pivotally connected to a lower vertex of three vertices of the second link F 2 via a pin 36.A rear portion of the third link F 3 is pivotally connected to a rear vertex of three vertices of the second link F 2 via a pin 37, and a front portion of the third link F 3 is pivotally connected to a rear portion of the bracket via a pin 38.Further, an upper vertex, which is the rest of the three vertices of the second link F 2, is pivotally connected to an upper portion of the vertical link R 2 via a pin 38 (tip axis). The respective closed roof states (so-called full closed states) of the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 are maintained by both the rear roof support member R 0 and the front roof support member mechanism F 0 as shown in FIG. 3.As further shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a glass unit support member mechanism U 0 is provided which is connected to the rear roof support member R 0 and supports the glass unit 9 at a closed position (a position where the opening 10 ais closed). This glass unit support link mechanism U 0 is configured to close the above-described opening 10 aby the glass unit 9 when the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 are closed, as shown in FIG. 3.As shown in FIG. 3, the above-described glass unit support link mechanism U 0 is supported at a rear portion of the longitudinal link R 1 of the rear roof support link R 0, in other words, at an upper-side rear portion of the rear roof support link R 0, in a suspended manner.That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the glass unit support link mechanism U 0 includes a front link U 1 positioned substantially forward and a rear link U 2 positioned substantially rearward, and an upper end portion of the front link U 1 is pivotally connected to a rear portion of the longitudinal link R 1 via a pin 40, and a lower end portion of the front link U 1 is pivotally connected directly above the bracket 25 via a pin 41. Further, an upper end portion of the rear link U 2 is pivotally connected to a rear portion of the longitudinal link R 1 via a pin 42, and a lower end portion of the rear link U 2 is pivotally connected directly below the bracket 25 via a pin 43. The front link U 1, the rear link U 2, the pins 40- 43, a portion of the longitudinal link R 1, and a portion of the bracket 25 constitute a four-joint link.The above-described front roof support link mechanism F 0 includes the second link F 2 as an intermediate rotating link, and a link C 1 connecting the second link F 2 and the front link U 1 of the glass unit support link mechanism U 0 is provided. The link C 1 is configured to apply a component force in a direction substantially perpendicular to a rotational direction of the second link F 2 (in a direction that does not rotate the second link F 2).That is, a rear end portion of the link C 1 is pivotally connected to a central portion, in the vertical direction, of the front link U 1 via a pin 44, and a front end portion of the link C 1 is pivotally connected to a portion of the second link F 2 located near the pin 36 via a pin 45 such that a downward extension line connecting the pins 44, 45 passes through the pin 36 or passes near the pin 36.Thus, any undesired rotation of the second link F 2 by a load of the glass unit 9 input to the second link F 2 is suppressed by the glass unit support link mechanism U 0 and the link C 1 due to the connection structure of the link C 1 to the second link F 2, so that the glass unit 9 is moved by utilizing the movement of the front roof support link mechanism F 0, thereby suppressing any inappropriate load influence from the glass unit 9.Here, relationships of the glass unit support link mechanism U 0 and the glass unit 9 are set as follows. That is, a center of gravity of the glass unit 9 is positioned behind the rear link U 2 of the glass unit supporting link mechanism U 0, and the pin 41 is positioned in front of and above the pin 43, so that a stress derived from the load of the glass unit 9 acts in a drawing direction of the front link U 1, thereby reducing a load for the link C 1 and the second link F 2 (see FIG. 3 ).<Control of Rear Roof 7>An opening / closing operation of the rear roof 7 is directly controlled by the rear roof support member R 0 where the longitudinal member R 1 and the vertical member R 2 are integrally formed (see FIGS. 6 to 12 ).<Control of Front Roof 6>An opening / closing operation of the front roof 6 is controlled by a first four-joint link that includes the shaft 27 (the driving link base end shaft), the pin 39 (front end axis) of the second link F 2, the pin 36, and the shaft 35 (base end shaft) of the first link F 1, and in which the pin 36 is positioned forward relative to a line L 1 connecting the shaft 35 and the pin 39, and the respective shafts 27, 35 are fixed to the vehicle body, and a second four-joint link that includes the pin 34 provided at a tip of the longitudinal link R 1 and the shaft 27, the pin 38 provided at a tip of the third link F 3, and the pin 37, provided at a rear end of the second link F 2, and wherein the pin 38 is positioned via a line L 2 connecting the pins 37, 34.Specifically, as the longitudinal member R 1 leans rearward for storage, the pin 39 approaches the shaft 35 and the pin 36 rotates forward relative to the pin 39 in the first four-joint member (see FIG. 7 ). A pin (shaft) distance is set such that as the pin 36 rotates forward, the pin 37 of the second four-bar link rotates forward relative to the pin 39, the pin 34 approaches the pin 37, and the pin 38 rotates upward relative to the pin 34. As a result, the front roof 6 moves rearward approximately in parallel, and approaches a horizontal position at its closed position (see FIG. 6 ) and its storage position (see FIG. 12 ).<Control of Glass Unit 9>An opening / closing operation of the glass unit 9 is controlled by the above-described first four-joint link, a third four-joint link that includes the front link U 1 and the rear link U 2 (parallel link) supported at the rear portion of the longitudinal link R 1 spaced apart from each other, and the link C 1 that connects the front link U 1 and the second link F 2 that constitute the parallel link. Specifically, as the longitudinal member R 1 leans rearward for storage, the pin 39 approaches the shaft 35 and the pin 36 moves forward in the first four-joint member (see FIG. 7 ).When the pin 36 rotates forward relative to the pin 39, the lateral link (see the links U 1, U 2) is pulled forward relative to the longitudinal link R 1 via the link C 1, and the glass unit 9 is slightly pulled forward relative to the longitudinal link R 1 like a pendulum swing and leans forward so that the rear roof 7 covers the glass unit 9 (see FIG. 9 ). After the forward movement of the pin 45 of the link C 1 of the second link F 2 slows down, the rear roof 7 and the glass unit 9 integrally swing from bottom to front about the shaft 27, thereby being turned over (see FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 ).The closing operation of the roof is achieved by the drive in the opposite direction to the opening operation. The front roof 6 is stably moved to the closed position by the first four-bar link and the second four-bar link (see FIG. 6 ), and the glass unit 9 is moved in accordance with the movement of the front roof 6.Even in the storage type roof in which the glass unit 9 is provided separately from the rear roof 7 and is unstable according to its configuration until the glass unit 9 has fully closed the opening 10 a, the present structure is configured to suppress any influence of interference such as swing of the glass unit 9 on the positioning accuracy for the front roof 6.FIG. 5 is a side view showing a support structure of the rear cover 10 as viewed from an inner side of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5, the rear cover 10 includes an upper plate 10 band a lower plate 10 cthat together form a frame structure, and includes the opening 10 afor the glass unit 9 as described above. Further, the rear cover 10 has a rear cover support bracket 50 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the bracket 50) at its lower portion.Further, two base end shafts 51, 52 are provided on the body side portion 28 spaced apart from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction, and links 53, 54 constituting a parallel link are respectively attached to the base end shafts 51, 52.A front end portion of the link 53 which is a driving side is pivotally connected directly below the bracket 50 via a pin 55, and a front end portion of the link 54 which is a driven side is pivotally connected to a lower portion of the center, in the longitudinal direction, of the bracket 50 via a pin 56. The above-described base end shaft 51 is driven forward / backward by a specific drive motor for the rear cover 10 which is different from the roof side drive motor.When the drive motor rotates forward, the respective parallel link members 53, 54 rotate in an ascending direction (a clockwise direction in FIG. 5 ) to elevate the rear cover 10 upward and rearward as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 5 via the bracket 50, so that the rear cover 10 is opened to a non-coincident position where the rear cover 10 does not interfere with the front roof 6 or the rear roof 7 when the roofs 6, 7 are opened or closed.FIGS. 6-12 are schematic diagrams schematically showing the positions of the roof from the fully closed position to the fully open position in order. FIG. 6 is the schematic diagram schematically showing a structure in which the roof shown in FIG. 3 is fully closed, FIG. 7 is the schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has a half open position, FIG. 8 is the schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has the half open position (a roof opening angle of about 50 degrees), FIG. 9 is the schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has the half open position (roof opening angle of about 70 degrees), FIG. 10 is the schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has the half open position (roof opening angle of about 100 degrees), FIG. 11 is the schematic diagram of the roof structure, In which the roof has a position immediately before the roof has been stowed (roof opening angle of about 130 degrees), and FIG. 12 is the schematic diagram of the roof structure in which the roof has a position when the roof has been stowed (roof opening angle of about 137 degrees). The above-described numbers (orders of magnitude) of the roof opening angle are merely examples, and the roof opening angle is not intended to be limited to these numbers (orders of magnitude). Here, in FIGS. 6 to 12, a line connecting the shaft 27 and the pin 34 is shown by a broken line α, and a line perpendicularly connecting the pin 39 and the broken line α is shown by a broken line β.In a case where the front roof 6, the rear roof 7, the glass unit 9, and the rear cover 10 positioned at the fully closed roof state in FIGS. 3 and 6 are stored in the fully open state (full storage state) as shown in FIG. 12, the rear cover is raised to the non-meeting position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 5 where the rear cover 10 does not meet the roofs 6, 7 by the links 53, 54 as shown in FIG. 5.When the rear roof support member R 0 is caused to lean rearward from the state shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the pin 39 approaches the above-described shaft 35, the distance between the two 39, 35 is shortened, the pin 37 rotates about the pin 39, and the third member F 3 is pushed upward. Thereby, the front roof 6 is moved rearward, thereby suppressing rearward reclining thereof, as compared with the rear roof support member R 0 (see FIG. 7 ).When the rear roof support member R0 is further rotated rearward, the front roof 6, the rear roof 7 and the glass unit 9 are all stored in the roof storing portion 11 as shown in FIG. 1, passing through the states shown in FIGS. 8-11 from the state shown in FIG. 7. In this case, although the rear roof 7 and the glass unit 9 are turned over from the fully closed roof state (see FIG. 6 ), the front roof 6 is not turned over and conceals the rear roof 7 and the glass unit 9 that have been stored. In the figures, an arrow Fr shows the vehicle front side, an arrow Re shows the vehicle rear side, and an arrow UP shows the vehicle upward side.The roof structure of the motor vehicle of the above-described embodiment includes the front roof 6, the rear roof 7, the glass unit 9 having the rear window glass 8, the rear roof support member R 0 openably supporting the rear roof 7 on the vehicle body, the front roof support member mechanism F 0 openly supporting the front roof 6, the front roof support member mechanism F 0 being connected to the rear roof support member R 0 such that the closed states of both the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 are achieved by means of the rear roof support member R 0 and the front roof support member mechanism F 0, and the glass unit support member mechanism U 0, which is connected to the rear roof support member R 0 and is configured to support the glass unit 9 in the closed position (see FIG. 3 ).According to the present structure, since the closed states of the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 are achieved by the rear roof support member R 0 and the front roof support member mechanism F 0 in the structure in which the roofs are opened or closed by moving simultaneously the three members of the front roof 6, the rear roof 7 and the glass unit 9, respective closed states of the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 can be stabilized, and further, the three members of the front roof 6, the rear roof 7 and the glass unit 9 can be integrally moved by the rear roof support member R 0, the front roof support member mechanism F 0 and the glass unit support member mechanism U 0. Further, since the position of the front roof 6 can be controlled, the opening / closing of the front roof 6 can be made compact by maintaining its position horizontally or maintaining its position that can properly reduce wind resistance.Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the rear cover 10 configured to cover a part of the upper side of the cabin 5 and having the opening 10 afor the glass unit 9 is provided behind the rear roof 7 spaced apart from the rear roof 7, the rear cover 10 is openable to the non-meeting position where the rear cover 10 does not meet the front roof 6 or the rear roof 7 while the front roof 6 or the rear roof 7 is opened or closed, and the glass unit support link mechanism U 0 is configured to close the opening 10 aformed on the rear cover 10 by the glass unit 9, when the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 are closed and the rear cover 10 covers the part of the cabin 5 (see FIGS. 3 and 5 ).According to this structure, while the glass unit 9 may be unstable at a moment immediately before the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 have been closed, since the glass unit 9 is spaced rearward from a rear portion of the rear roof 7, the above-described opening 10 ais closed by the glass unit 9 when the front roof 6 and the rear roof 7 are closed, thereby providing the properly stable state. Accordingly, this structure becomes particularly effective in a case where it is required to move the front roof 6 forward to a position where the front roof 6 is fully closed, for example, when the hook 21 provided at the front end of the front roof 6 engages with the latch 12 provided at the vehicle body side (see the front head part 2 shown in FIG. 2 ) or the like.In the embodiment of the present invention, the front roof support link mechanism R 0 includes the intermediate rotating link (see the second link F 2), and the link C 1 connecting the intermediate rotating link (the second link F 2) and the glass unit support link mechanism U 0 is provided, wherein the link C 1 is configured to apply a component force in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational direction of the intermediate rotating link (the second link F 2) (see FIG. 3 ).According to this structure, since any undesired rotation of the intermediate rotating member (the second member F 2) by a load of the glass unit 9 input to the intermediate rotating member (the second member F 2) is suppressed by the glass unit support member mechanism U 0 and the link C 1 due to the connection structure of the link C 1 to the intermediate rotating member (the second member F 2), the glass unit 9 can be moved by utilizing the movement of the front roof support member mechanism F 0, thereby suppressing any improper load influence from the glass unit 9. Further, the position adjustment between the roofs can be easily performed and the positioning accuracy and the sealing performance can be improved.In the embodiment of the present invention, the glass unit support link mechanism U 0 is supported on the upper-side rear portion of the rear roof support link R 0 in a suspended manner (see FIG. 3 ).According to this structure, the load influence of the glass unit 9 on the front roof support member mechanism F 0 is reduced so that the opening / closing movement of the front roof 6 can be stabilized.According to the present invention and the above-described embodiment, the intermediate rotating member of the present invention corresponds to the second member F 2 of the embodiment. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment described above, and any other modifications or improvements may be made within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. While the longitudinal member R 1 and the vertical member R 2 are integrally combined in the above-described embodiment in punching to form the rear roof support member R 0 for yield enhancement, the rear roof support member R 0 may be formed of a single sheet of material.

Claims

A roof structure for an automobile, comprising: a front roof (6), a rear roof (7) and a glass unit (9) having a rear window glass (8) configured to openly cover a part of an upper side of a cabin, respectively; a rear roof support member (RO) openably supporting the rear roof (7) on a vehicle body; a front roof support link mechanism (F0) openably supporting the front roof (6), the front roof support link mechanism (F0) being connected to the rear roof support link (R0) such that closed states of both the front roof (6) and the rear roof (7) are achieved by means of the rear roof support link (R0) and the front roof support link mechanism (F0); a glass unit support link mechanism (U0) connected to the rear roof support link (R0) and configured to support the glass unit (9) in a closed position; and a rear cover (10) configured to cover a part of the upper side of the cabin, An opening (10a) for the glass unit (9), further provided behind the rear roof (7) being spaced apart from the rear roof (7), wherein the rear cover (10) is openable to a non-meeting position where the rear cover (10) does not meet the front roof (6) and / or the rear roof (7) while the front roof (6) and / or the rear roof (7) are opened or closed, and the glass unit support link mechanism (U0) is configured to close the opening (10a) of the rear cover (10) with the glass unit (9) when the front roof (6) and the rear roof (7) are closed and the rear cover (10) covers the part of the upper side of the cabin.The roof structure of the motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear cover (10) is configured to openably cover a part of the upper side of the cabin (5) such that the rear cover (10) is raised upward and rearward relative to the front roof (6) and the rear roof (7) by a support structure of the rear cover (10) to be opened to a non-coincident position, wherein the rear cover (10) does not interfere with the front roof (6) or the rear roof (7) in the non-coincident position while the front roof (6) or the rear roof (7) is opened or closed.The roof structure of the motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support structure of the rear cover (10) comprises two links (53, 54) constituting a parallel link, the two links (53, 54) are respectively attached to two base end shafts (51, 52) provided on a side portion of the vehicle body and spaced apart from each other in a vehicle front-rear direction, a front end portion of one of the two links (53) is a driving side, the front end portion of one of the two links (53) is pivotally connected to a front lower portion of the rear cover (10), a front end portion of the other of the two links (54) is a driving side, and the front end portion of the other of the two links (54) is pivotally connected to a lower portion of the center, in the front-rear direction, of the rear cover (10).

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