Assembly for an openable sliding roof

• US 8,807,646 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: ROOF SYSTEMS GERMANY GmbH (CIE Automotive SA)
• Inventors: Grimm, Rainer, Schrader, Juergen, Demmer, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H
• Application Number:
  US13/449,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 29621601-224
• US Class Current: 296/224
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/022 Sliding roof trays or assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/024 characterised by the height regulating mechanism of the sliding panel B60J7/043 - B60J7/053 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/0435 pivoting upwardly to vent mode and moving at the outside of the roof to fully open mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/057 Driving or actuating arrangements B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedencee.g. manually operated levers or knobs

Abstract

In one embodiment, an assembly for an openable sliding roof having a cover for selectively exposing and closing a roof opening is provided, the assembly having: at least one lever for raising and lowering the cover, the at least one lever being pivotally mounted to the cover; and a height adjusting mechanism for repositioning the lever with respect to the cover, the height adjusting mechanism having an eccentric coupling the lever to the cover.

Claims

1. An assembly for an openable sliding roof having a cover for selectively exposing and closing a roof opening, the assembly comprising:

at least one lever for raising and lowering the cover, the at least one lever being pivotally mounted to the cover; and

a height adjusting mechanism for repositioning the lever with respect to the cover, the height adjusting mechanism having an eccentric coupling the lever to the cover, the eccentric being rotatably received in a bearing and rotational movement of the eccentric repositioning the lever with respect to the cover;

a releasable locking mechanism configured to prevent rotation of the eccentric relative to the bearing, and to lock the eccentric relative to the bearing in selected rotary positions;

wherein the eccentric further comprises lateral receptacles or protrusions for engagement with a locking member of the releasable locking mechanism, the locking member being laterally mounted for movement between an adjusting position and a locking position.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lateral receptacles or protrusions comprise an end-face raster provided on the eccentric.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is a U-shaped member configured to engage a pair of axially opposite end portions of the eccentric comprising said lateral receptacles or protrusions.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the eccentric includes an axle configured to be non-rotatably secured to the lever or the cover via the locking member.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the eccentric has a multi-component configuration.

6. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the eccentric includes at least one cylindrical sleeve in which the axle is eccentrically held.

7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the axle is held between a pair of sleeves located on opposite axial end faces of the axle.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the eccentric further comprises a tool engagement structure for rotating the eccentric.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the eccentric includes an axle non-rotatably secured to the lever or the cover.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the eccentric includes at least one cylindrical sleeve in which the axle is eccentrically held.

11. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the axle is held between a pair of sleeves located on opposite axial end faces of the axle.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein movement of the height adjustment mechanism repositions the lever with respect to the cover and wherein movement of the height adjustment mechanism is independent of the pivotal movement of the lever with respect to the cover.

13. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein rotational movement of the eccentric is independent of the pivotal movement of the lever with respect to the cover.

14. An assembly for an openable sliding roof having a cover for selectively exposing and closing a roof opening, the assembly comprising:

at least one lever for raising and lowering the cover, the at least one lever being pivotally mounted to the cover and a vehicle fixture; and

a height adjusting mechanism for repositioning the lever, the height adjusting mechanism having an eccentric coupling the lever to the vehicle fixture, wherein the eccentric is rotatably received in a bearing and rotational movement of the eccentric repositions the lever with respect to the vehicle fixture, and wherein the assembly further comprises a releasable locking mechanism for preventing rotation of the eccentric relative to the bearing and wherein rotational movement of the eccentric is independent of the pivotal movement of the lever with respect to the vehicle fixture.

15. An assembly for an openable sliding roof having a cover for selectively exposing and closing a roof opening, the assembly comprising:

at least one lever for raising and lowering the cover, the at least one lever being pivotally mounted to the cover and a vehicle fixture;

a height adjusting mechanism for repositioning the lever, the height adjusting mechanism having an eccentric coupling the lever to the vehicle fixture, wherein movement of the height adjustment mechanism repositions the lever with respect to the vehicle fixture and wherein movement of the height adjustment mechanism is independent of the pivotal movement of the lever with respect to the vehicle fixture.