Sliding roof for a motor vehicle

• US 6,666,571 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2002
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROOF SYSTEMS GERMANY GmbH (CIE Automotive SA)
• Original Assignee: ArvinMeritor GmbH (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Böhm, Horst, Roeren, Erik, Hinterwäller, Dieter, Sommer, Volker, Röder, Joachim, Becher, Thomas, Stehning, Kai, Imgram, Bardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Laura K.
• Application Number:
  US10/197,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20030026105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 362/493, 362/490, 362/511, 362/84
• US Class Current: 362/490
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/00 Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels , e.g. rotary sunroofsB60J10/00 takes precedence; window aspects B60J1/00; fixed roofs B62D25/06; mechanisms for operating wings E05F11/00, E05F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/208 Sun roofs; Windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats

Abstract

A sliding roof for a motor vehicle comprises a shiftable cover arranged for opening and closing a vehicle roof and at least one electrical light source attached to the cover.

Claims

1. A sliding roof for a motor vehicle having an outer skin, said sliding roof comprising:

a shiftable cover that opens and fully closes an opening in the outer skin of said sliding roof; and

at least one electrical light source being attached to said cover,

said outer skin of said sliding roof defining a part of said outer skin of said motor vehicle.

2. The sliding roof according to claim 1, wherein said light source is a sheet-shaped light source.

3. The sliding roof according to claim 2, wherein said sheet-shaped light source is an electroluminescence light source.

4. The sliding roof for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a shiftable cover arranged for opening and closing a vehicle roof; and

at least one electrical light source being attached to said cover, wherein said light source is one of a filament bulb, an LED and a gas discharge lamp.

5. The sliding roof according to claim 4, wherein a lightwave component is provided that extends along at least a portion of an edge of said cover.

6. The sliding roof according to claim 5, wherein said lightwave component is one of an optical waveguide and a plexiglass body.

7. The sliding roof according to claim 5, wherein said cover has an inner side where one of a foamed backing and an injection-molded backing is provided on said edge of said cover.

8. The sliding roof according to claim 7, wherein one of said foamed backing and said injection-molded backing forms a bead-like frame on said inner side, said frame having a lateral surface area facing inwards and comprising a light exit surface area.

9. The sliding roof according to claim 8, wherein said light exit surface area is configured as a surrounding light band.

10. The sliding roof according to claim 9, wherein said light band is constituted by a lightwave component.

11. The sliding roof according to claim 7, wherein said light source is embedded in one of said foamed backing and said injection-molded backing.

12. The sliding roof according to claim 7, wherein said lightwave component is embedded in one of said foamed backing and said injection-molded backing.

13. The sliding roof for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a shiftable glass cover arranged for opening and closing a vehicle roof; and

at least one electrical light source being attached to said cover.

14. The sliding roof according to claim 13, wherein said cover includes an external glass plate that is coated to have an enhanced reflectivity for light from said light source.

15. The sliding roof according to claim 13, wherein said cover includes an external glass plate that is roughened on an inner side to have an enhanced reflectivity for light from said light source.