Retractable roof panel

• US 6,494,528 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Technology, LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Technology, LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Engelgau, Steven J., Tolinski, Roch J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US09/989,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20020060479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 296/216.04, 296/216.05, 296/216.07, 296/216.08, 296/222
• US Class Current: 296/216.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/1861 vertically, e.g. into lower part of rear door before opening rear door
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/101 for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/104 where lower door part optionally moves independently, or follows as component the movement of the entire door structure, e.g. by being hinged in a door frame or releasably connected to upper door part
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/043 Sunroofs B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedencee.g. sliding above the roof

Abstract

A vehicle is provided that includes a roof with a roof opening and a rear body portion with a rear opening. Spaced apart guide rails are supported on an exterior surface of the roof. A retractable roof panel is supported on the guide rails by guide members that move along the guide rails along a path. The roof opening and the roof panel extend to the rearward end where the roof panel defines a rear header. The retractable roof panel may be driven from a closed positioned forward to an open position where the roof panel is adjacent to the exterior surface of the roof. The rear gate assembly, which is arranged in the rear opening, may be opened to provide access to the rear cargo area of the vehicle. With the rear gate assembly and retractable roof panel open, large items may be slid into the cargo area and may extend above the plane of the roof.

Claims

1. A roof assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a roof having a roof opening extending to a rear of said roof, said roof having an exterior surface and forward and rearward ends;

spaced apart glide rails supported on said exterior surface defining a path;

a guide member received in each of said guide rails movable along said path, said guide member includes a roller assembly received within a channel in each of said guide rails, said roller assembly includes a first roller having a horizontal rotational axis and a second roller having a vertical rotational axis; and

a retractable roof panel with a portion supported by said guide members and movable along said path from an open roof position to a closed roof position in which said roof panel is disposed within said roof opening, said roof panel defining a rear header at said rearward end with said rear header moving toward said forward end when moving between said closed and open roof positions, respectively.

2. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roof includes a perimeter with said rear header defining a portion of said perimeter in said closed roof position.

3. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roof generally defines a U-shape around said opening.

4. The roof assembly according to claim 1, herein a motor is on said exterior surface, said motor interconnected with said roof panel driving said roof panel between said closed and open roof positions.

5. The roof assembly according to claim 1, further including a wiper mounted on said rear header.

6. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roof panel is a unitary rigid structure.

7. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein roof includes a first wall portion defining a forward portion of said roof opening, and said roof panel includes a second wall portion adjacent to said first wall portion in said closed roof position with at least one latch assembly mounted between said wall portions locking said roof panel to said roof in said closed roof position.

8. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roller assembly includes a pair of each of said first and second rollers.

9. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said guide member includes a cage supporting said rollers with a lateral member interconnecting said cage to said roof panel.

10. The roof assembly according to claim 9, wherein said lateral member includes a damper.

11. The roof assembly according to claim 9, wherein said guide member includes a bracket having an elongated generally vertical aperture with said lateral member disposed therein.

12. The roof assembly according to claim 11, wherein said guide member includes a biasing member urging said lateral member downward in said aperture.

13. The roof assembly according to claim 11, further including a drive cable attached to said bracket for moving said roof panel between closed and open roof positions.

14. The roof assembly according to claim 1, further including a luggage rack arranged between said guide rails with said roof panel interposed between said luggage rack and said exterior surface in said open roof position.

15. A roof assembly for a vehicle comprising:

roof having a roof opening extending to a rear of said roof, said roof having an exterior surface and forward and rearward ends and a trough extending below the exterior surface on either side of said roof opening defining a path;

spaced apart guide rails supported on said exterior surface;

a guide member received in each of said troughs movable along said path; and

a retractable roof panel with a rear portion supported by said guide members and movable along said path from an open roof position to a closed roof position in which said roof panel is disposed within said roof opening said roof panel defining a rear header at said rearward end with said rear header moving toward said forward end when moving between said closed and open roof positions, respectively.

16. The roof assembly according to claim 15, wherein said guide member includes at least two rollers.

17. The roof assembly according to claim 15, wherein said trough includes a recess transverse to said path defining a locked position.

18. The roof assembly according to claim 17, wherein said guide member includes an arm pivotal relative to said retractable roof panel with said arm supporting said at least two rollers, and a spring urging said arm from said closed position to an open position.