Automobile roof structure

• US 7,393,047 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Kazuhiro, Iwamoto, Asami, Nakaura, Masaki, Hirotani, Yasunari, Kunihiro, Shingo, Sakane, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder; Dennis H
• Application Number:
  US11/417,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20060255627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 296/214, 29621606-21609, 296/215
• US Class Current: 296/214
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/003 one or more sliding rigid plate or lammellae
• 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

Disclosed is an automobile roof structure, which comprises a pair of right and left roof side rails 1, a transparent roof panel 4 attached to cover a space between the roof side rails 1, a sun shade 5 disposed slidably along a bottom surface of the transparent roof panel 4, and a shade support member 6 for supporting the sun shade 5 in a slidingly movable manner. Each of the roof side rails 1 includes a rail outer panel 7 and a rail inner panel 8 formed, respectively, with roof flanges 14, 15 which are oriented to protrude in a laterally inward direction of an automobile body and joined together. The roof flanges 14, 15, a lateral peripheral portion of the transparent roof panel 4, and the shade support member 6, are disposed within a given positioning zone where they overlap each other in top plan view. The opposite lateral peripheral portion of the transparent roof panel 4 is fixed onto an upper surface of the roof flange 14 of the rail outer panel 7, and the shade support member 6 is fixed to a wall of the rail inner panel 8 at a position outward of the automobile body relative to the roof flange 14 of the rail outer panel 7.

Claims

1. An automobile roof structure comprising:

a pair of right and left roof side rails, each having a rail outer panel and a rail inner panel which are combined together to define a closed section extending in a longitudinal direction of an automobile body;

a transparent roof panel attached to cover a space between said roof side rails;

a sun shade disposed below a bottom surface of said transparent roof panel; and

a shade support member to support said sun shade in a slidingly movable manner

wherein the rail outer panel and the rail inner panel in each of said roof side rails are formed, respectively, with first and second roof flanges which are oriented to protrude in a laterally inward direction of the automobile body and joined together,

each of the opposite lateral peripheral portions of said transparent roof panel is fixed onto an upper surface of the first roof flange of the corresponding rail outer panel,

said first and second roof flanges, a corresponding one of opposite lateral peripheral portions of said transparent roof panel, and said shade support member, are disposed within a given positioning zone where they overlap each other in top plan view,

said shade support member is fixed to a wall of the rail inner panel at a position located outward of the automobile body relative to the first roof flange of said rail outer panel,

said shade support member has an anchor portion fixed to said inner panel, and a protrusion portion protruding in an inward direction of the automobile body from said anchor portion, said protrusion portion being formed with a support groove to support an lateral edge of said sun shade in a slidingly movable manner, and

said support groove of said shade support member has an upper wall in contact with a lower surface of the second roof flange of said rail inner panel.

2. The automobile roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the second roof flange of said rail inner panel has a root edge located at a position offset in an outward direction of the automobile body relative to a root edge of the first roof flange of said roof outer panel.

3. The automobile roof structure according to claim 1, wherein said shade support member has a flange contact segment which is in contact with the second roof flange of said rail inner panel.

4. The automobile roof structure according to claim 1, further comprising a fastening bolt,

wherein said shade support member is fixed to said wall of the rail inner panel by the fastening bolt.