Vehicle roof with support frame and bonded window element

Abstract

A vehicle roof is proposed, comprising a one-piece support frame (18) having a fixing surface (62) on its underside, by means of which it can be placed onto a roof substructure from above, and which includes two longitudinal frame legs (20) and three transverse frame legs (22, 24, 26), which connect the two longitudinal frame legs (20) to each other, and of which a front transverse frame leg (22) and a middle transverse frame leg (24) define a first frame window (28), and the middle transverse frame leg (24) and a rear transverse frame leg (26) define a second frame window (32), which is provided with a glazing element (34), wherein the glazing element (34) is provided with a continuous edge foam (36) at its edges and is attached to the middle transverse frame leg (24), the rear transverse frame leg (26) and the two is attached to the frame longitudinal leg (20),wherein the pane element (34) is provided at its edge area facing the first frame window (28) with an adapter plate (46) which is attached to the middle frame cross leg (24) via the adhesive system (48).

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle roof comprising a carrier frame which comprises two longitudinal frame legs and transverse frame legs and which has two frame windows, at least one of which is provided with a pane element.Such a vehicle roof is known from the publication DE 10 2021 111 972 A1 and comprises a carrier frame which is designed in a circumferential manner and is provided with a rear-side glass fixed element or pane element and a front-side cover element which can be adjusted by means of a corresponding adjusting kinematics between a closed position closing a roof opening and a release position at least partially releasing the roof opening. This vehicle roof, which has to be connected to a vehicle body shell from below, i.e. after a so-called bottom load process, comprises two longitudinal frame legs, which are connected to one another via a front transverse frame leg and a rear transverse frame leg. The glass-fixed element is rigidly fixed to the carrier frame. The cover element is part of a roof opening system and is designed as an externally running sliding roof, the adjusting kinematics of which can be moved in the open position of the cover element in guide rails which are arranged laterally next to the glass fixed element in the transverse direction of the roof. Between the glass-fixed element and the regions of the vehicle body shell adjoining the vehicle roof, a channel is therefore formed which has to be covered by panel elements which can be formed by seals.The object of the invention is to create a vehicle roof which is designed as a so-called top load roof, that is to say which can be mounted from above on a vehicle body shell, which comprises a fixed pane element and an adjustable cover element and which can satisfy high aesthetic demands in a state in which it is installed on the vehicle body shell.This object is achieved according to the invention by the vehicle roof having the features of claim 1.According to the invention, a vehicle roof is thus proposed which comprises a one-piece carrier frame which has a fixing surface on the underside, via which it can be placed from above onto a roof substructure, and which comprises two longitudinal frame legs and three transverse frame legs, which connect the two longitudinal frame legs to one another in each case, and of which a front transverse frame leg and a middle transverse frame leg delimit a first frame window, and the middle transverse frame leg and a rear transverse frame leg delimit a second frame window, which is provided with a pane element. The edges of the pane element are provided with peripheral foam and are connected to the central transverse frame leg, the rear transverse frame leg and the two longitudinal frame legs via a peripheral adhesive system. The edge region of the pane element facing the first frame window is provided with an adapter plate which is fastened to the central frame transverse limb via the adhesive system.In the vehicle roof according to the invention, an adapter plate is therefore arranged on the pane element, which adapter plate extends along the central frame transverse limb in the roof transverse direction and is fixed to the carrier frame in the region of the central frame transverse limb, which bounds the first frame window at the rear and the second frame window at the front. The adapter plate, which is made in particular of a metallic material, but alternatively can also be formed from a suitable plastic material, can be connected to the central frame transverse limb in a captive manner via the adhesive system. In particular, in the case of an adapter plate made of a metallic material, advantageous adhesive properties result. In addition, the adapter plate contributes to stiffening of the vehicle roof in the region of the central frame transverse limb. In addition, the pane element which is adhesively bonded circumferentially to the carrier frame, including its peripheral foam, can be guided far outwards to the rear in the transverse direction of the vehicle and in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, with the result that, in the assembled state of the vehicle roof, no visible gap is formed between the circumferential shaped portion and the body shell or body sections adjoining in the region of the longitudinal frame legs and the rear transverse frame leg, which gap would have to be closed by means of an additional panel. The vehicle roof according to the invention can thus satisfy high aesthetic requirements, in particular even in the assembled state.The longitudinal frame legs of the carrier frame extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the installed state of the vehicle roof. The roof longitudinal direction coincides with the vehicle longitudinal direction. The frame transverse legs each extend in the vehicle transverse direction or roof transverse direction, i.e. at least substantially at right angles to the frame longitudinal legs.The adhesive system represents the connection structure between the pane element and the carrier frame. Due to the adapter plate, a dimensionally stable connection is also ensured in the region of the central frame transverse limb of the carrier frame.In an embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention which is particularly preferred from the manufacturing standpoint, the carrier frame is a component which is produced in one piece or from one piece and which comprises the two longitudinal frame legs and the three transverse frame legs and which can be a stamped and bent part produced from a suitable metallic material.In an alternative embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the one-piece carrier frame is composed of a plurality of leg elements which are rigidly connected to one another, for example welded to one another, and thus form the one-piece carrier frame.The fixing surface of the carrier frame, via which the vehicle roof can be connected to a vehicle body shell after a top load process, i.e. from above, forms in particular an adhesive surface which is configured frame-like and circumferentially. Alternatively or additionally, the vehicle roof according to the invention can also rest on the roof substructure via the fixing surface and be connected to the latter via a screw connection and / or a rivet connection.In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the first frame window can be closed by means of an adjustable cover element. The cover element is in particular a component of a roof opening system which is designed in the manner of a spoiler roof. In this roof opening system, the cover element is thus displaced for opening the first frame window via the pane element of the rear frame window rigidly connected to the carrier frame. The roof opening system of a spoiler roof has an adjustment kinematics, the guide rails of which are arranged only laterally with respect to the first frame window. The guide rails thus end, as viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, in front of the pane element which is assigned to the second or rear frame window.In an embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention which is particularly simple from a manufacturing point of view, the adapter plate is an insert part of the edge foam and is thus fastened to the pane element via the edge foam. The adapter plate is thus fixed to the pane element in the process during the shaping of the edge foam in a suitable shaping tool. The edge foam is manufactured in particular from a polyurethane material.In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the adhesive system has a thin-film adhesive bed for attaching the adapter plate to the central frame transverse limb, which bed is preferably formed from a first adhesive. The thin-film adhesive bed represents a flat adhesive region between the adapter sheet and the central transverse frame leg of the carrier frame. The first adhesive is, for example, a high-strength epoxy resin adhesive or another suitable adhesive, which is suitable in particular for connecting metal components.Furthermore, in a special embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the adhesive system for connecting the pane element to the rear frame transverse leg and to the frame longitudinal legs comprises an adhesive bead, which is preferably formed from a second adhesive. The second adhesive is, for example, a polyurethane adhesive.In order to be able to realize the thin-film adhesive bed and the adhesive bead in each case in a process-safe manner, in a further specific embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the thin-film adhesive bed and the adapter plate are preferably bounded on both sides in the roof transverse direction on a sealing element at which the adhesive bead ends. The sealing element thus at least partially defines an edge of the thin-film adhesive bed and also an end boundary of the adhesive bead. In addition, the sealing element can fill a cavity of the vehicle roof and thus form a transition between the adhesive bead and the thin-film adhesive bed.In a further specific embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, a shaped portion is formed on the underside of the carrier frame, and in particular preferably in such a way that a shaped portion engages under the central transverse limb on its underside, in particular completely. The shaped section can thus represent a lower-side veneer of the central frame transverse limb of the carrier frame. An additional inner lining in the region of the central frame transverse limb can thus be dispensed with, since the shaped portion can form part of the inner lining. The molding section, which can be produced by a foaming process or injection molding process, can ensure an appealing appearance of the vehicle roof toward the interior without additional components. The material of the shaped portion can be selected such that the given requirements with regard to interior safety, for example with regard to a head impact, are fulfilled. The shaped section can overlap a rear edge of the central frame transverse limb and extend as far as the underside or inner side of the pane element. In particular, the shaped portion then also encompasses the adapter plate at its edge facing away from the first frame window.In order to avoid direct contact between the molded portion and the peripheral foaming of the pane element, a sealing tape can be arranged between the adapter plate and the pane element. The sealing strip preferably adjoins the edge foam of the pane element on the one hand and the shaped portion, on the other hand, which engages under the transverse frame leg on its underside.The central frame transverse leg preferably also forms a carrier section, which extends in the frame transverse direction, for a cover seal, which interacts with an adjustable cover element, by means of which the first frame window can be closed.In order to be able to close an edge gap between a rear edge of the cover element and the edge foam in the closed position of the cover element, the edge foam preferably has a cover seal on its transverse limb facing the first frame window in a preferred embodiment. The cover seal is preferably inserted into a sealing groove of the edge foam formed in the process.As already explained above, the pane element can be guided far outwards in the transverse direction of the roof and towards the rear, i.e. in the longitudinal direction of the roof, with respect to the second frame window. In particular, it can then, together with its peripheral foam, overlap a channel between the roof substructure and the longitudinal frame legs and / or a channel between the roof substructure and the rear transverse frame leg.In order to minimize water penetration into the roof structure and in particular also to be able to provide water management, the peripheral foam of the pane element can be provided with a sealing device which abuts against a sealing surface of the roof substructure and is preferably designed in the manner of a sealing lip. The sealing device can be formed integrally on the edge foam in the process, i.e. can be formed from the material of the edge foam, or can also be formed by a sealing profile which is fastened in a sealing groove of the edge foam or is also glued to the edge foam.The vehicle roof according to the invention preferably represents a construction module which can be placed as a structural unit on a roof substructure which can be a component of a vehicle body shell. The vehicle can be a passenger car, but also a commercial vehicle.Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle which comprises a roof substructure, which is preferably part of a vehicle body shell, and a vehicle roof of the type described above, which is placed on the roof substructure from above. The fixing surface of the vehicle roof is preferably an adhesive surface which is formed on the underside so as to run circumferentially on the carrier frame, with the result that the vehicle roof is fixed or fixable to the roof substructure via a running circumferential adhesive bead.Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of the invention can be derived from the description, the drawing and the patent claims. All combinations of at least two features disclosed in the description, the claims and / or the figures fall within the scope of the invention, i.e. each feature mentioned in the description can be part of the claimed subject matter separately from the further features and / or concreteizations mentioned in the respective context.Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are schematically shown in simplified form in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description. It shows: FIG. 1 shows a perspective top view of a roof region of a motor vehicle, comprising a vehicle roof according to the invention without showing an adjustable cover element; FIG. 2 shows the vehicle roof alone; FIG. 3 shows a section through the roof region according to FIG. 1 along the line III-III in FIG. 1, but with the representation of the adjustable cover element; FIG. 4 is a section through the roof region according to FIG. 1 along the line IV--IV in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 shows a section through the roof region according to FIG. 1 along the line V-V in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 6 shows a section through the roof region according to FIG. 1 along the line VI-VI in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a pane element of the vehicle roof together with an adapter plate; and FIG. 8 shows a carrier frame of the vehicle roof in isolation and adhesive zones formed thereon.FIG. 1 shows a roof region of a motor vehicle 10 which is designed as a passenger car and is equipped with a vehicle roof 12 which is placed as a modular structural unit from above onto a vehicle superstructure 14. The vehicle body shell 14 comprises, inter alia, on both sides, with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, a respective longitudinal roof rail 16 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and laterally delimits the vehicle roof 12. The longitudinal roof rails 16 are assigned to a roof substructure or part of the roof substructure.The vehicle roof 12, which is illustrated in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 8, comprises a carrier frame 18 which forms an interface of the vehicle roof 12 with the vehicle body 14 or the roof substructure. The support frame is a one-piece stamped and bent piece of sheet metal. Geometrically, the support frame 18 comprises two longitudinal frame legs 20, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle or the longitudinal direction of the roof, respectively, a front transverse frame leg 22, a middle transverse frame leg 24 and a rear transverse frame leg 26.The front frame transverse leg 22, the middle frame transverse leg 24 and the two lateral frame longitudinal legs 20 delimit a first frame window 28, which is front with respect to the vehicle orientation and which can be adjusted by means of an adjustable cover element 30, which is a component of a roof opening system designed as a spoiler roof, and by means of a suitable adjustment kinematics of the roof opening system between a closed position closing the frame window 28 and an open position at least partially releasing the frame window 28. The frame window 28 thus forms a releasable roof opening of the motor vehicle 10.The central frame transverse leg 24 and the rear frame transverse leg 26 together with the two frame longitudinal legs 20 delimit a second frame window 32, which is rear with respect to the vehicle orientation and is provided with a pane element 34, which is a glass-fixed element and is formed in the present case from a laminated glass. It is of course also conceivable for the pane element 34 to be a fixed element made of a transparent plastic pane.The pane element 34 is provided circumferentially with a peripheral foam 36 which is formed on its rear leg extending in the transverse direction of the frame and on its two lateral legs extending in the longitudinal direction of the roof in each case on the outside with a sealing lip 38 formed in one piece, which lip bears against an adjoining sealing surface of the longitudinal roof rail 16 or of a rear transverse roof rail, not shown in more detail, and thus against sealing surfaces of the roof substructure or of the vehicle body shell. On its front transverse leg extending in the transverse direction of the roof, the peripheral foam comprises a stepped surface 40 on which a sealing groove 42 is formed, in which a sealing profile 44 is fastened, which, in the closed position of the cover element 30, closes a gap between the cover element 30 and the peripheral foam 36.An adapter plate 46 is arranged on the edge foam 36 in the region of the front transverse limb, on which the sealing profile 44 is also arranged. The adapter plate 46 extending in the roof transverse direction represents an insert part of the edge foam 36 and runs on the edge of the pane element 34 facing the first frame window 28. The peripheral foam 36 thus represents the fixing means for the adapter plate 46.The pane element 34 is fixed to the carrier frame 18 via an adhesive system 48. The adhesive system 48 comprises a thin-film adhesive bed 50, which connects the adapter plate 46 to the central frame transverse limb 24 of the carrier frame 18 and is therefore formed between the adapter plate 46 and the central frame transverse limb 24. The thin film bonding bed 50 is formed of an epoxy resin adhesive or the like, which is a first adhesive of the adhesive system 48.In the region of the longitudinal frame legs 20 and the rear transverse frame leg 26 of the carrier frame 18, the pane element 34 is bonded to the carrier frame 18 via an adhesive bead 52. The adhesive bead 52 is formed of a polyurethane adhesive which is a second adhesive.In the transition regions between the longitudinal frame legs 20 and the central transverse frame leg 24, a sealing element 54 is arranged between the adhesive bead 52 and the thin-film adhesive bed 50 or the adapter plate 46, which sealing element at least partially fills a cavity of the superstructure of the vehicle roof 12 and at which the encircling adhesive bead 52 ends on the corresponding side. The adhesive system 48, which comprises the thin-film adhesive bed 50, the adhesive bead 52 and also the sealing element 54, ensures circumferential adhesion between the pane element 34 and the carrier frame 18.As can be seen from the drawing, the central frame transverse limb 24 of the carrier frame 18 carries on the front side of the peripheral foam 36 a further cover seal 56, which encloses the front frame window 28 of the carrier frame 18 in a frame-like manner and interacts with the underside of the latter in the closed position of the cover element 30. The central frame transverse leg 24 is thus a carrier section for the cover seal 50, which extends in the transverse direction of the frame.The underside of the frame transverse limb 24 of the carrier frame 18 is under-engaged by a further shaped portion 58, which is likewise formed from a polyurethane material and forms an inner visible surface of the vehicle roof 12 in the region of the central frame transverse limb 24. The shaped portion 58 extends over the rear edge of the frame cross limb 24 and also over the rear edge of the adapter plate 46 as far as the underside of the pane element 34. In the interspace between the adapter plate 46 and the pane element 34, a sealing strip 60 is also arranged, which extends over the length of the adapter plate 46 in the roof transverse direction and at which the shaped portion 58 ends.The carrier frame 18 has on its underside a completely encircling fixing surface 62, which extends over the two longitudinal frame legs 20, the front transverse frame leg 22 and the rear transverse frame leg 26 and via which the vehicle roof 12 is fastened to the roof substructure by means of a likewise completely encircling adhesive bead 64, which also comprises the longitudinal roof beams 16.List of reference characters10 Motor vehicle 12 vehicle roof 14 vehicle body shell 16 roof longitudinal member 18 carrier frame 20 frame longitudinal member 22 frame transverse member 24 frame transverse member 26 frame transverse member 28 frame window 30 cover element 32 frame window 34 pane element 36 edge foam 38 sealing lip 40 step surface 42 sealing groove 44 sealing profile 46 adapter plate 48 adhesive system 50 thin-film adhesive bed 52 adhesive bead 54 sealing element 56 cover seal 58 molded section 60 sealing strip 62 fixing surface 64 adhesive bead

Claims

Vehicle roof, comprising a one-piece carrier frame (18) which has a fixing surface (62) on the underside, via which it can be placed from above onto a roof substructure, and which comprises two longitudinal frame legs (20) and three transverse frame legs (22, 24, 26) which connect the two longitudinal frame legs (20) to one another in each case, and of which a front transverse frame leg (22) and a middle transverse frame leg (24) delimit a first frame window (28), and the middle transverse frame leg (24) and a rear transverse frame leg (26) delimit a second frame window (32) which is provided with a pane element (34), wherein the pane element (34) is provided at its edges completely circumferentially with an edge foam (36) and, via a circumferential adhesive system (48), to the middle transverse frame leg (24), the rear transverse frame leg (26) and the two longitudinal frame legs (20) are connected, wherein the disc element (34) is provided on its edge region facing the first transverse frame window (28) with an adapter plate (46) which is fastened to the central transverse frame leg (24) via the adhesive system (48).Vehicle roof according to Claim 1, characterized in that the adapter plate (46) is an insert part of the edge foam (36) and is thus fastened to the pane element (34) via the edge foam (36).Vehicle roof according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adhesive system (48) for connecting the adapter plate (46) to the central transverse frame limb (24) comprises a thin-film adhesive bed (50) which is preferably formed from a first adhesive.Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the adhesive system (48) for connecting the pane element (34) to the rear transverse frame limb (26) and to the longitudinal frame limbs (20) comprises an adhesive bead (52), which is preferably formed from a second adhesive.Vehicle roof according to Claim 4 in conjunction with Claim 3, characterized in that the thin-film adhesive bed (50) and the adapter plate (46) are bounded on both sides by a sealing element (54) at which the adhesive bead (52) ends.Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a sealing strip (60) is arranged between the adapter plate (46) and the pane element (34).Vehicle roof according to Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the central transverse frame limb (24) is provided on its underside with a shaped portion (58).Vehicle roof according to Claim 7, characterized in that the shaped portion (58) engages over the adapter plate (46) at its edge facing away from the first frame window (28) and preferably bears against the pane element (34).Vehicle roof according to Claim 1, characterized in that the carrier frame (18) is a stamped and bent part which is produced in one piece and comprises the two longitudinal frame legs (20) and the three transverse frame legs (22, 24, 26).Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the edge foam (36) has a sealing profile (44) on its transverse limb facing the first frame window (28).Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the pane element (34), together with its peripheral foam (36), engages over a channel between the roof substructure and the longitudinal frame legs (20) and / or over a channel between the roof substructure and the rear transverse frame leg (26).Vehicle roof according to Claim 11, characterized in that the edge foam (36) is provided with a sealing device which bears against a sealing surface of the roof substructure and is preferably designed in the manner of a sealing lip (38).Vehicle roof according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it is of modular design and can be placed as a structural unit on the roof substructure.Motor vehicle, comprising a roof substructure, which is preferably part of a vehicle bodyshell (14), and a vehicle roof (12) according to one of Claims 1 to 13, which is placed on the roof substructure from above.Motor vehicle according to Claim 14, characterized in that the vehicle roof (12) is fixed to the roof substructure by means of a peripheral adhesive bead (64) and / or a screw connection and / or by means of a rivet connection.

Images