Cover of a motor vehicle roof with a plastic frame and an edge gap seal and a process for producing one such cover

• US 6,375,254 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
• Original Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
• Inventors: Pätz, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US09/655,772
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 296/215, 296/216-6-2, 296/221-223, 296/146.15, 296/218, 494/801, 494/981
• US Class Current: 296/216.09
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/16 consisting of two or more plastic materials having different physical or chemical properties B60J10/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/82 for movable panels in roofs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

A cover for a motor vehicle roof has a cover plate, a plastic frame which is foamed or injected around the edge of the cover plate, and that forms an edge gap seal on the outside edge of the plastic frame. The plastic frame on the outside edge has a groove which is open to the bottom and which is bordered to the outside by a lip which forms the edge gap seal and in which there is a plastic insert of a material which is softer than the material of the plastic frame. Further, it is a process for producing one such cover in which the plastic frame is injected or foamed on the edge of the cover plate, optionally with inclusion of the edge area of the reinforcing frame, and in which in the course of injection or foaming the plastic frame or in a subsequent step the plastic insert is placed in the groove of the plastic frame.

Claims

1. A cover for a motor vehicle roof, said cover comprising:

a cover plate;

a frame around the edge of said cover plate; and

a prefabricated insert made of a material which is softer than the frame material

wherein said frame has a lip on the outside edge of said frame that defines a groove that is open to the bottom side of said frame, wherein said lip is adapted to form an edge gap seal with said motor vehicle roof, and wherein said insert is positioned in said groove and is held therein by the inside surface of said groove having a shape which is complementary to a major portion of an outside surface of said insert.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein said frame is a plastic frame.

3. The cover of claim 1, wherein said lip has a raised, convex outside contour.

6. The cover of claim 1, wherein said inside surface of said groove is circular in cross-section at least in a partial area thereof.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein said insert substantially fills the cross-section of said groove.

8. The cover of claim 1, wherein said insert only partially fills the cross-section of said groove.

9. The cover of claim 1, wherein said insert is annular in cross-section.

10. The cover of claim 1, wherein said insert is U-shaped in cross-section.

11. The cover of claim 1, wherein said insert is a foam insert.

12. The cover of claim 11, wherein said foam insert is a microcellular rubber insert.

13. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a hinge that connects said lip to said frame.

14. The cover of claim 1, wherein said lip includes a tapered drip end.

15. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing frame supporting said cover plate.

16. The cover of claim 15, wherein said frame surrounds an edge of said reinforcing frame.

17. The cover of claim 15, wherein said reinforcing frame is cemented to said cover plate.

4. A cover for an openable motor vehicle roof, said cover comprising:

a cover plate for movably mounting in a vehicle roof;

a frame around the edge of said cover plate; and

a prefabricated insert made of a material which is softer than the frame material;

wherein said frame has a lip on the outside edge of said frame that defines a groove that is open to the bottom side of said frame, wherein said lip is adapted to form a disengageable edge gap seal with said openable motor vehicle roof; and

wherein said insert is positioned in said groove and is held therein by an inside surface of said groove having a shape which is complementary to a major portion of an outside surface of said insert.

5. An immovable cover for a motor vehicle roof, said cover comprising:

a cover plate;

a frame around the edge of said cover plate;

means immovably fixing the cover plate relative to said roof; and

a prefabricated insert made of a material which is softer than the frame material;

wherein said frame has a lip on the outside edge of said frame that defines a groove that is open to the bottom side of said frame, wherein said lip is adapted to form an edge gap seal with said motor vehicle roof; and

wherein said insert is positioned in said groove and is held therein by an inside surface of said groove having a shape which is complementary to a major portion of an outside surface of said insert.

18. The cover of claim 5, wherein said frame includes a spacer that provides a predetermined alignment of said cover to said vehicle roof.

19. The cover of claim 5, wherein said means immovably fixing the cover plate relative to said roof comprises said cover being cemented to said roof.

20. The cover of claim 5, wherein said means immovably fixing the cover plate relative to said roof comprises a threaded fastener that fastens said cover to said roof.