Transparent cover for a vehicle roof

• US 5,995,272 A
• Filed: 06/05/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
• Original Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
• Inventors: Patz, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US09/090,998
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/270, 359/273, 359/275, 359/894
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10009 characterized by the number, the constitution or treatment of glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10513 Electrochromic layer
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/003 one or more sliding rigid plate or lammellae

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle roof with a cover (14) having a transparent area, the transparency of which can be controlled by applying a voltage to it. The transparent area has an outwardly arched pane (16) and a flat inner pane (20) located under the outer pane and provided with an electrochromic element (22).

Claims

1. Transparent cover for a vehicle roof with electrochromic element for varying its transparency in response to an application of voltage thereto;

wherein the transparent cover comprises an outwardly arched outer pane and a flat inner pane located under the outer pane, the inner pane being provided with said electrochromic element.

2. Cover according to claim 1, wherein the outer pane is made of a single glass pane.

3. Cover according to claim 2, wherein the outer pane is made of a multilayer glass.

4. Cover according to claim 2, wherein the inner pane is made of multilayer glass.

5. Cover according to claim 1, wherein the transparency of the outer pane is about 35%.

6. Cover according to claim 5, wherein the inner pane has a transparency which is adjustable to an extent enabling the overall transparency of the transparent cover to be adjusted to under 5%.

7. Cover according to claim 1, wherein the inner pane is held by a mounting frame.

8. Cover according to claim 7, wherein the mounting frame is connected detachably to the outer pane.

9. Cover according to claim 8, wherein the mounting frame comprises a frame part that is integrally connected to the outer pane and a holding frame connected integrally with the inner pane;

and wherein the frame part and the holding frame are detachably connected to one another.

10. Cover according to claim 9, wherein the frame part and the holding frame are attached to one another by screws.

11. Cover according to claim 9, wherein the frame part is attached to the outer pane by a foamed-on polyurethane foam member.

12. Cover according to claim 11, wherein the frame part is made of a shaped sheet material.

13. Cover according to claim 9, wherein the inner pane is fitted to holding frame in a recess that is U-shaped in cross section.

14. Cover according to claim 13, wherein the holding frame is made of plastic.