Roof module for a vehicle

• US 6,682,132 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
• Original Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
• Inventors: Hahn, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US09/831,747
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 290/215, 290/211, 290/210, 290/191, 264/271.1, 264/279, 522/046, 136/244
• US Class Current: 296/215
• 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: B62D 25/06 Fixed roofs non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08

Abstract

A roof module for a motor vehicle and a process of producing a roof module which includes at least two flat roof covers located adjacent to one another and which are joined to one another using a tool which disperses a peripheral foam material.

Claims

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

at least two flat roof cover panels for covering respective areas of a motor vehicle roof opening, said at least two flat roof cover panels being arranged side by side in a nonoverlapping relationship with one edge of one of the at least two cover panels being located adjacently facing the respective edge of another of the at least two cover panels,

wherein said at least two flat roof cover panels have been joined to each other by a surrounding peripheral foaming to thereby form an integral flat roof cover.

2. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral foaming is a plastic.

3. The roof module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plastic is polyurethane.

4. The roof module as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least two flat roof cover panels comprises at least one of a transparent glass pane, a glass pane provided with a plurality of solar cells, a surface-treated sheet metal, an enameled vehicle sheet metal and a plastic pane.

5. The roof module as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said at least two flat roof cover panel is a transparent flat roof cover and the other is an opaque flat roof cover.

6. The roof module as claimed in claim 5, wherein said opaque flat roof cover has a plurality of solar cells.

7. The roof module as claimed in claim 6, wherein said at least two flat roof cover panel are continuously foamed peripherally at an edge area.

8. The roof module as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a reinforcement element provided at an intermediate area between said at least two flat roof cover panels.

9. The roof module as claimed in claim 8, wherein said reinforcement element is a sheet metal insert.

10. A process for producing a roof module for a motor vehicle, said process comprising the steps of:

arranging at least two flat roof cover panels for covering respective areas of a motor vehicle roof opening such that they are arranged side by side in a nonoverlapping relationship with one edge of one of the at least two cover panels being located adjacently facing the respective edge of another of the at least two cover panels; and

joining said at least two flat roof cover panels with a surrounding peripheral foaming to thereby form an integral flat roof cover.

11. The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein said peripheral foaming is a plastic.

12. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said plastic is polyurethane.

13. The process as claimed in claim 12, wherein said at least two flat roof cover panels comprise at least one of a transparent glass pane, a glass pane provided with a plurality of solar cells, a surface-treated sheet metal, an enameled vehicle sheet metal and a plastic pane.

14. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of said at least two flat roof cover panels is a transparent flat roof cover and the other is an opaque flat roof cover.

15. The process as claimed in claim 14, wherein said opaque flat roof cover has a plurality of solar cells.

16. The process as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least two flat roof cover panels are continuously foamed peripherally at an edge area.

17. The process as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a step of foaming a reinforcement element at an intermediate area between said at least two flat roof cover panels simultaneously with the step of adjoining said at least two flat roof covers.

18. The process as claimed in claim 17, wherein said reinforcement element is a sheet metal insert.