Central Drive Sliding Sunroof with Centered Guide Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle roof designs with sliding sunroof lids face challenges such as high forces on guide elements, limited design freedom due to parallel guides, and restricted headroom and viewing area, especially when trying to accommodate sloping roof structures.
Innovation Solution
The design features guide elements attached near the center of the sunroof lid, eliminating rear guides and allowing the sunroof lid to protrude more, with guides starting closer to the center and not extending to the front or rear edges, enabling a wider opening and improved stability, while allowing the side edges to follow a sloping contour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If guide elements are arranged at the front edge of the sunroof lid to enable the lid to protrude as far back as possible, then the lid can achieve maximum rearward projection, but the guide elements have to endure large forces because the sunroof lid forms a long lever
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the guide elements from a lateral arrangement at the front edge to a longitudinal arrangement near the center of the sunroof lid. This dimensional repositioning changes the lever arm geometry, reducing the moment arm length and thereby the forces on guide elements while still allowing rearward projection.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing guide elements at the front edge to enable rearward projection (conventional approach), the patent inverts the arrangement by placing guide elements near the center of the lid, allowing the lid to protrude rearward while reducing the lever effect through centralized guidance.
2Ease of operation
If lateral arrangement of the drive is used, then the drive mechanism can be positioned on the sides, but the possible width of the viewing area is limited and headroom is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the drive mechanism with the central longitudinal structure of the sunroof lid, combining functions that were previously separated (lateral drive positioning and central guidance). This allows the drive to be positioned centrally along the longitudinal axis, freeing up lateral space for expanded viewing area and improved headroom.
3Stability of the object's composition
If guides run along the roof opening in straight and parallel lines, then the guides can provide stable guidance, but the side edges cannot follow a sloping contour of the side roof structure, significantly limiting design freedom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static parallel guides to a dynamic longitudinal guide arrangement that can adapt to different roof geometries. The guide elements positioned near the center of the lid allow the side edges to follow sloping contours while maintaining guidance stability through the central longitudinal reference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the guidance function from the edge structure, placing guide elements independently near the center of the lid rather than integrating them into the side edges. This allows the side edges to follow aesthetic sloping contours while the central guide elements provide the necessary guidance stability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle roof that can be opened, comprising a sliding sunroof cover (1), which, in a closed state, is arranged in such a way that the sliding sunroof cover closes a roof opening (25), wherein the roof opening (25) is at least partially open in an open state of the roof, in that the sliding sunroof cover (1) is arranged at least partially outside the roof opening (25), wherein a rear edge of the sliding sunroof cover (1) directed toward the vehicle rear end is flush with the exterior of the vehicle roof in the closed state and is raised out of flushness with the vehicle roof in the direction of the vehicle exterior in the open state, wherein the vehicle roof comprises two guides (2) for the sliding of the sliding sunroof cover (1), which guides cannot be slid together with the sliding sunroof cover and are arranged at least approximately parallel to each other and in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein the guides (2) are each arranged on or near one of the lateral edges of the sliding sunroof cover (1) extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein the guides (2) extend from the roof opening (25) in the direction of the vehicle rear end at least in some sections, and wherein guiding elements (6a, 6b) moved together with the sliding sunroof cover (1) can be guided along the guides (2), wherein the guiding elements (6a, 6b) are arranged near a center of the sliding sunroof cover (1) in relation to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle or in said center.