Vehicle Sun Roof Panel Tilt and Slide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sun roof apparatuses face challenges in securing a sufficient amount of movement for the movable panel to reach a fully-opened state, leading to increased load per unit operation stroke and inefficiencies in electric power source sizing due to reduced tilt operation stroke.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle sun roof apparatus featuring a guide rail along the vehicle's width direction, a sliding member driven by an electric source, a check mechanism for locking and releasing the movable panel's movement, and an engagement and disengagement switching mechanism to enhance the movable panel's opening capacity by maintaining the tilt-up state and facilitating integral movement with the sliding member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the tilt operation stroke is reduced, then the amount of opening of the movable panel can be increased, but the load per unit operation stroke increases requiring a larger electric power source
Solution Approach 1:
The opening operation is divided into two distinct phases: tilt-up phase (rotating the panel upward) and sliding phase (moving the panel outward). This segmentation allows the tilt operation stroke to be optimized for the tilt-up phase while the sliding phase provides additional opening without increasing tilt load, thus resolving the contradiction between opening amount and power source size.
Solution Approach 2:
The link mechanism dynamically transitions between tilt-up motion and sliding motion. The movable panel first tilts upward about a front supporting point, then slides outward while maintaining the tilted position. This dynamic operation mode enables the system to achieve greater total opening without requiring the electric power source to handle excessive tilt loads throughout the entire stroke.
2Power
If the tilt operation stroke is increased to reduce load per unit stroke, then the amount of opening of the movable panel becomes difficult to secure
Solution Approach 1:
The total opening operation is segmented into tilt-up stroke and sliding stroke. The tilt operation stroke can be adequately secured for the tilt-up phase without compromising total opening amount, because the sliding phase contributes additional opening. This resolves the contradiction by allowing sufficient tilt stroke while achieving required total opening through combined phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The link mechanism acts as an intermediary that couples the tilt-up motion and sliding motion. It receives drive force during tilt-up, maintains the tilted position, and then enables sliding outward. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to achieve both adequate tilt operation stroke and sufficient total opening amount without direct conflict.
3Length of moving object
If a guide rail is provided to penetrate through the front frame to increase the amount of opening, then the supporting span is widened, but the effect is insignificant and securement of opening amount remains difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the guide rail through the front frame, the invention segments the opening operation into tilt-up and sliding phases. The movable panel tilts upward first, then slides outward along a simpler guide rail arrangement. This segmentation achieves sufficient opening amount without the complexity of penetrating guide rails, resolving the contradiction between opening amount and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a vehicle sun roof apparatus comprising: a movable panel configured to open and close an opening section, a guide rail provided at an edge portion of the opening section in the vehicle width direction, a sliding member linked to an edge portion of the movable panel in the vehicle width direction and provided along the guide rail so as to be movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, a check mechanism configured to release a movement lock of the movable panel by locking the movement of the movable panel, and an engagement and disengagement switching mechanism provided with a first member supported by either the sliding member or the edge portion of the movable panel in the vehicle width direction.