Roof unit and basic structure of a road-bound vehicle

• US 7,243,988 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alusuisse Technology & Management AG, Olympus Holding BV
• Original Assignee: Alcan Technology & Management Ltd., Johnson Controls Headliner GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Muller, Wolfgang, Wieschermann, Jochen, Deflorin, Duri
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/037,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20050120642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 296/210, 296/214
• US Class Current: 296/210
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/06 Fixed roofs non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/00 Designing, manufacturing, e.g. assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/06 the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]

Abstract

A roof unit having an outer skin, an inward facing ceiling, whereby the outer skin and the ceiling are combined to form a unit ready for installation, a base structure having longitudinal frames. The ceiling and the outer skin along with the basic structure have joining configurations that mate the ceiling and the outer skin to the base structure at mutual places for joining. The ceiling has a sandwich structure including a middle layer of foam, at least one side of the middle layer being provided with one of a fiber mat and a glass fiber fleece and at least one of a plastic film, a cover film, a decorative overlay and a functional overlay.

Claims

1. A roof unit, comprising:

an outer skin;

an inward facing ceiling, whereby the outer skin and the ceiling are combined to form a unit ready for installation;

a base structure having longitudinal frames, the ceiling and the outer skin along with the basic structure having joining configurations that mate the ceiling and the outer skin to the base structure at mutual places of joining, the ceiling having a sandwich structure comprising a middle layer of foam, at least one side of the middle layer being provided with one of a fiber mat and a glass fiber fleece and at least one of a plastic film, a cover film, a decorative overlay and a functional overlay, the roof unit and the longitudinal frames having a groove and a bulge, respectively, the groove and the bulge being provided over an entire length of the roof unit or the longitudinal frames, the bulge being configured to correspond to and fit into the groove;

at least one fitting from the group of fittings consisting of sliding, raising, folding, lamellar and glass roofs, frame parts and drive elements for roofs;

a connecting element attached to the longitudinal frame; and

a hand grip attached to the connecting element so as to further fix together the bulge and the groove.