Arrangement for moving a cover for a vehicle roof, guide rail and vehicle roof

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for moving a cover (103) for a vehicle roof (101) with a roof opening (102), wherein the cover (103) can be opened by means of a tilting mechanism (108) from a closed position in which it closes the roof opening (102) into a ventilation position and then into an open position, starting from a closed position in which it closes the roof opening (102), and is then opened into a ventilation position in the area of ​​its rear edge (106), wherein the tilting mechanism (108) comprises: - a guide rail (107) extending elongated along a longitudinal direction (X), - a slide (120) movable along the longitudinal direction (X) on the guide rail (107) for moving the cover (103), characterized in that - the guide rail (107) is made of plastic and - has a bridge (130) in which cam grooves (131, 132, 133, 134) are formed for controlling the display mechanism (108). The invention also relates to a guide rail and a vehicle roof (101).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for moving a cover for a vehicle roof. Furthermore, a guide rail for such an arrangement and a vehicle roof comprising such an arrangement are specified.

[0002] Such arrangements for vehicle roofs are widely known and serve to lift a lid, starting from a closed position to close a roof opening, first at its rear to open it using a pop-up mechanism and then slide it backward into an open position. DE 10023314 C1, for example, describes a so-called externally guided sliding roof. The pop-up mechanism is typically moved within an extruded aluminum profile. The production of aluminum profiles is associated with a high release of CO2 into the atmosphere.

[0003] An object underlying the invention is to provide an arrangement for moving a cover for a vehicle roof, a guide rail and a vehicle roof, which enable reliable operation and reduce the use of CO2.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by an arrangement for moving a cover for a vehicle roof with a roof opening, wherein the cover can be opened by means of a deployment mechanism, starting from a closed position in which it closes the roof opening, in the region of its rear edge into a ventilation position and then brought into an open position, wherein the deployment mechanism comprises: - a guide rail elongated along a longitudinal direction, - a carriage which can be moved along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail for moving the cover, - the guide rail is made of plastic - and has a web in which slotted grooves are formed to control the opening mechanism.

[0005] By making the guide rail from plastic, CO2 emissions are significantly reduced compared to extruded aluminum, as the processing of extruded aluminum is very CO2-intensive. To achieve the rigidity of a stable guide rail, it is advisable to create a relatively wide web, which in turn allows for the integration of the guide grooves for controlling the opening mechanism.

[0006] The deployment mechanism advantageously comprises a front deployment lever, a lid support, a rear deployment lever and a coupling rod between the slide and the rear deployment lever.

[0007] Advantageously, the movable slide is coupled to the front release lever, and the front release lever is pivotally connected to the lid support. The rear release lever is also advantageously connected to the lid support, and the coupling rod is pivotally mounted on the slide and pivotally mounted on the rear release lever. This mechanism couples the rear release lever to the movable slide via the coupling rod, eliminating the need for a locking mechanism altogether.

[0008] Advantageously, the web has a first link groove for controlling a first link slider of the front deployment lever and a second link groove for controlling a second link slider of the front deployment lever.

[0009] Advantageously, the rear release lever is also controlled via a third link groove for controlling a third link slider and via a fourth link groove for controlling a fourth link slider.

[0010] Advantageously, the first and second guide slides are arranged on one side of the web in the first and second guide grooves and the third and fourth guide slides are arranged on the opposite side of the web in the third and fourth guide grooves.

[0011] This design makes it possible to position the front deployment lever on one side of the web and the rear deployment lever, as well as the coupling rod and cover support, on the opposite side of the web. This allows for a compact design, as the front deployment lever is located on one side of the web and the rear deployment lever, including the cover support and coupling rod, is located on the other side of the web of the guide rail. The kinematics of the front deployment lever and the rear deployment lever are controlled via the guide sliders in the corresponding guide grooves in the web.

[0012] Another advantage is that the carriage engages the guide rail's web from above in an inverted U-shape. This allows the front release lever, which is coupled to the carriage, to be positioned on one side, while the coupling rail, which is also pivotably attached to the carriage, can be positioned on the other side of the web.

[0013] According to a further aspect of the invention, the guide rail for the arrangement described above is manufactured using a plastic injection molding process. This has the advantage that the guide rail can also be provided with reinforcements, for example, for screw connections, or with reinforcements in the form of a honeycomb structure on the underside, thereby achieving greater rigidity of the guide rail. Manufacturing using a plastic injection molding process allows the guide rail to be used in the arrangement described above without any post-processing, in particular without any machining. The plastic injection molding process allows for undercuts, such as those required for the formation of the guide grooves.

[0014] According to a further aspect of the invention, the guide rail for the above-described arrangement is manufactured using a plastic extrusion process. Production using the plastic extrusion process is more cost-effective and also results in significant savings in CO2 emissions compared to extruded aluminum profiles.

[0015] When the guide rail is manufactured using the plastic extrusion process, subsequent processing, in particular the introduction of the link grooves, is necessary.

[0016] A further aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle roof having an arrangement as described above.

[0017] Further advantages, features, and refinements will become apparent from the following example, explained in conjunction with the figures. Identical, similar, and functionally identical elements may be provided with the same reference numerals throughout the figures.

[0018] They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a vehicle according to an embodiment, Fig. 2 shows an oblique view of the guide rail with opening mechanism in the closed position, Fig. 3 the view according to Fig. 2 with the opening mechanism in the fan position, Fig. 4 the view according to Fig. 2 with the opening mechanism in the open position, Fig. 5 shows an oblique view of the guide rail with opening mechanism in the closed position, Fig. 6 shows the view according to Fig. 5 with the opening mechanism in the ventilation position, Fig. 7 shows the view according to Fig. 5 with the opening mechanism with the front side of the lid support raised and Fig. 8 shows the view according to Fig. 5 with the opening mechanism in the open position.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 100, in particular a motor vehicle, according to one exemplary embodiment. The vehicle 100 has a vehicle roof 101. A cover 103 is arranged on the vehicle roof 101. The cover 103 is movable, for example, relative to the rest of the vehicle roof 101. Thus, a roof opening 102 can be selectively closed or partially opened by the cover 103.

[0020] The vehicle has a windshield 104. The cover 103 has a front edge 105, which, in the normal operating state, faces the windshield 104. A rear edge 106 of the cover 103 faces away from the windshield 104 with respect to a longitudinal direction X.

[0021] The movement of the lid 103 is controlled by a pop-up mechanism 108 ( Fig. 2 to 7). The deployment mechanism 108 has, for example, a guide rail 107 that is connected to the vehicle roof 101. A drive cable, for example, is guided in the guide rail 107. The drive cable is, for example, in contact with an electric drive motor and other components of the deployment mechanism 108 in order to move the cover 103 relative to the rest of the vehicle roof 101.

[0022] For example, the deployment mechanism 108 is designed like a so-called externally guided sliding roof. A rear deployment lever 110, which is assigned to the rear edge 106, is displaced in the opening direction together with the cover 103 relative to the rest of the vehicle roof during operation. This may be different, for example, with so-called spoiler roofs, where the cover is displaced relative to the rear deployment lever for opening.

[0023] Location or direction information used, such as rear or front, top or bottom, left or right, vertical or horizontal, are related to a vehicle's longitudinal axis and a usual direction of travel of an operational vehicle 100. The vehicle's longitudinal axis is a horizontal axis and can be referred to as the X-axis or longitudinal direction X. The vehicle's transverse axis is also a horizontal axis and can be referred to as the Y-axis or transverse direction Y. The vehicle's vertical axis is a vertical axis and can also be referred to as the Z-axis or vertical direction Z. The vertical direction Z, the transverse direction Y, and the longitudinal direction X form a Cartesian coordinate system and are each aligned perpendicular to one another, as in Fig. 1 shown.

[0024] The opening mechanism 108 is arranged, in particular, on both sides of the roof opening 102 and is designed identically in each case. Therefore, only one side is described below, and the description, features, functions, and advantages also apply correspondingly to the opposite side.

[0025] Fig. 2 shows a guide rail 107 with a deployment mechanism 108, wherein the deployment mechanism is formed by a front deployment lever 109, a drive carriage 120, and a coupling rod 121 pivotably arranged on the drive carriage 120, which is connected to a rear deployment lever 110. The front deployment lever 109 is connected to a cover carrier 111, which is also pivotally connected to the rear deployment lever 110. The guide rail 107 is made of plastic, in this embodiment as a plastic injection-molded part, and in particular has a web 130. Next to the web 130, the guide rail forms a U-shaped recess 112 when viewed in cross-section, wherein the web 130 forms one leg of the U-shaped recess 112. The U-shaped recess 112 is followed by a substantially horizontal section 113 in which four openings 114 are formed for securing the guide rail 107 to the vehicle roof.

[0026] In the web 130, link grooves 131 to 134 are formed, in which in turn (in Fig. 2 not visible) are accommodated, which serve to move the front release lever 109 and the rear release lever 110. The release mechanism 108, as shown in Fig. 2, is in the closed position, which means that the cover 103 of the vehicle roof would be closed in this position of the opening mechanism 108.

[0027] The guide rail 107, as already stated above, is manufactured as a plastic injection-molded part, preferably using thermoplastic material such as PET, PEK, PEEK, or the like. So-called reinforcements 140 are formed on the rail, for example, around the openings 114 for attachment to the vehicle roof, or on the underside in a honeycomb structure, in order to achieve the necessary dimensional rigidity even when constructed with plastic. The carriage 120 can be moved via the shaft 150 for a tensile-compression-resistant cable over the tensile-compression-resistant cable (not shown).

[0028] The following figures describe the movement sequence from the closed position to the fan position and from the fan position to the open position.

[0029] Fig. 3 shows the view according to Fig. 2 in the fan position. For this purpose, the carriage 120 was moved slightly in the X direction, i.e. from front to back, via the tension-compression stiff cable. The coupling rod 121 is pivotally arranged on the carriage 120, which engages around the web 130 from above in an inverted U-shape, and this coupling rod is in turn pivotally connected to the rear deployment lever 110. The rear deployment lever is guided via a guide slide in the upper guide groove 133 and via another guide slide in the lower guide groove 134. The guide groove 133 is shaped by the movement of the carriage 120 from the closed position to the fan position in such a way that the rear deployment lever 112 is pivoted from the horizontal position to the essentially vertical position. For this purpose, the guide track 133 is designed to rise in the X direction in this first movement section.The cover support 111, to which the cover is attached, is thus lowered at the front in the area of ​​the first release lever 109 and raised in the area of ​​the rear release lever 110, i.e. in the fan position.

[0030] Fig. 4 shows the view according to Fig. 2, this time showing the opening mechanism in the open position. Compared to Fig. 3, the slide 120 was pushed further back in the X-direction via the tension-compression-stiff cable. The front release lever 109 is thereby Fig. Four invisible guide grooves 131 and 132 are pivoted from the inclined position into a more vertical position via respective guide slides, whereby the cover support 111, which is pivotably mounted on the front deployment lever 109, is lifted upward (second movement phase). In a third movement phase, the deployment mechanism 108 is pushed further in the X direction into the open position by the tension-compression-resistant cable.

[0031] Fig. Figure 5 also shows the deployment mechanism and guide rail 107 in an oblique view, but seen from the inside of the vehicle. This view clearly shows how the drive carriage 120 is connected to a coupling element 151, which can be moved via the tension-compression-rigid cable. The coupling element 151 engages around the guide rail on the underside of the web 130 and also engages in the first link groove 131. The front deployment lever 109 is guided in the link grooves 131 and 132 via two link sliders, with the link groove 132 being designed to rise from bottom to top, i.e. in the X direction, in the front area, which causes the front deployment lever 109 to pivot from the oblique position to a more upright position. The carriage 120 has a link groove 122, which is elongated in the X direction and ends with an arc segment.In this guide groove 122, the front release lever 109 is guided via a guide slide 123. In a first movement phase, the carriage 120 is moved in the X direction, with the guide slide 123 moving in the guide groove 122.

[0032] Fig. Figure 6 shows the state in which the guide slider 123 has reached the end of the guide groove 122, until it merges into the arcuate segment. During this movement, the front release lever 109 remains unchanged and is only moved via the coupling rod 121, as previously described. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the rear release lever 110 is pivoted and pivoted from the horizontal position into the substantially vertical position by the links 133 and 134 and the respective link sliders arranged therein.

[0033] Fig. 7 shows the view according to Fig. 6, whereby the carriage 120 has been moved so far that over the slide track 132 and the slider arranged therein (in Fig. 7), the front deployment lever 109 is pivoted upwards so that the cover carrier 111 is also raised on the front side and is located essentially parallel to the guide rail 107. The guide track 132 is designed to rise in the X direction in this second movement section, which causes the lower guide slider in the straight guide 131 and the upper guide slider in the obliquely upwardly running guide 132 to pivot the front deployment lever 109.

[0034] Fig. 8 shows the view according to Fig. 7, where Fig. 8 the carriage has been moved even further in the X-direction and thus the deployment mechanism 108 is in the open position. The design of the guide rail 107 in plastic, in particular manufactured using a plastic injection molding process, allows the link grooves 131 to 134 to be integrated into the web 130 of the guide rail 107 and the deployment mechanism can be easily formed without the need for a locking element. In particular, the coupling of the rear deployment lever via the coupling rod 121 to the carriage 120 means that a rear drive carriage is not necessary. The rear deployment lever 110 is coupled to the cover carrier via a holder 160, which allows the rear deployment lever to be pivoted and displaced in the holder 160.

[0035] In the illustrated embodiment according to Fig.2 to 8, the guide rail 107 is manufactured as a plastic rail using the plastic injection molding process.

[0036] It is also possible to manufacture the guide rail 107 using an extrusion process, in which case partial reinforcements 140 cannot be incorporated and the rail must be made thicker overall. Undercuts, such as the guide grooves 131 to 134, must also be subsequently milled.

[0037] The aim of the inventive solution is to avoid the use of extruded aluminum rails and thus significantly reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This is also achieved with an extruded plastic rail. List of reference symbols 100 vehicles 101 Vehicle roof 102 roof opening 103 lids 104 Windshield 105 leading edge 106 trailing edge 107 Guide rail 108 Opening mechanism 109 front release lever 110 rear release lever 111 lid carrier 112 U-shaped area 113 horizontal section 114 openings 120 sleds 121 coupling rod 122 Link groove on the carriage 123 scenery gliders 130 jetty 131 Link groove 132 link groove 133 Link groove 134 Link groove 140 reinforcements 150 shaft for tension-compression-resistant cable 151 coupling element 160 recording QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10023314 C1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Arrangement for moving a cover (103) for a vehicle roof (101) with a roof opening (102), wherein the cover (103) can be opened by means of a lifting mechanism (108) from a closed position in which it closes the roof opening (102) into a ventilation position in the region of its rear edge (106) and then brought into an open position, wherein the lifting mechanism (108) comprises: - a guide rail (107) elongated along a longitudinal direction (X), - a carriage (120) displaceable along the longitudinal direction (X) on the guide rail (107) for moving the cover (103), characterized by , that - the guide rail (107) is made of plastic and - has a web (130) in which link grooves (131, 132, 133, 134) are formed for controlling the opening mechanism (108). [2] The assembly of claim 1, wherein the deployment mechanism (108) further comprises: - a front release lever (109), - a cover support (111), - a rear release lever (110), and - a coupling rod (121) between the carriage (120) and the rear release lever (110). [3] Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized by , that - the movable slide (120) is coupled to the front release lever (109), - the front release lever (109) is pivotally connected to the cover support (111), - the rear release lever (110) is pivotally connected to the cover support (111) and - the coupling rod (121) is pivotably arranged on the carriage (120) and pivotably on the rear release lever (110). [4] Arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the web (130) has a first link groove (131) for controlling a first link slider of the front deployment lever (109) and a second link groove (132) for controlling a second link slider of the front deployment lever (109). [5] Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the web (130) has a third link groove (133) for controlling a third link slider of the rear deployment lever (110) and a fourth link groove (134) for controlling a fourth link slider of the rear deployment lever (110). [6] Arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the link grooves (131,132) for controlling the first and second link sliders are formed on the opposite side of the web (130) like the link grooves (133,134) for controlling the third and fourth link sliders. [7] Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized bythat the front deployment lever (109) is arranged on one side of the web (130) of the guide rail (107) and the coupling rod (121) and the rear deployment lever (110) are arranged on the opposite side of the web (130) of the guide rail (107). [8] Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the carriage (120) engages around the web (130) of the guide rail (107) in an inverted U-shape. [9] Guide rail (107) for an arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the guide rail (107) is manufactured using the plastic injection molding process. [10] Guide rail (107) according to claim 9, characterized by that the guide rail (107) has reinforcements (140). [11] Guide rail (107) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that the guide rail (107) can be used in the arrangement without reworking. [12] Guide rail (107) for an arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the guide rail (107) is manufactured using the plastic extrusion process. [13] Vehicle roof for a vehicle, comprising an arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 8.

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