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Description  |
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an externally retractable sunroof assembly for a
vehicle body roof.
BACKGROUND ART
Vehical body sunroof assemblies have been used for quite some time to
provide partial opening of vehicle body roofs in order to increase
ventilation and to also provide the roof with a somewhat convertible-like
capability of opening the vehicle occupant compartment. With some sunroof
assemblies, the sunroof has a front edge that is secured to the roof and a
rear edge that is movable upwardly from a closed position to an open
position under the control of a latch mechanism. With other sunroof
assemblies, the sunroof is mounted for longitudinal movement between a
forward position closing the roof opening and a rearwardly retracted
position below the roof to the rear of the roof opening such that the roof
opening is partially opened to the environment. Examples of these two
types of sunroof assemblies are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos: 4,005,901;
4,038,910; 4,085,,965; 4,103,962; 4,126,352; 4,350,385; 4,403,805;
4,523,785; and 4,541,665.
In some roof constructions, there is insufficient room for a sunroof
assembly of the rearwardly retractable type to have its sunroof stored
below the roof in the rearwardly retracted position. To overcome this
problem, it has previously been proposed to have the sunroof stored
externally at a location above the roof in the rearwardly retracted
position. Examples of such externally retractable sunroof assemblies are
disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,993,348; 4,005,900; 4,043,590; 4,407,541;
4,426,112; 4,463,983; and 4,475,767.
Vehicle sunroof assemblies as described above are conventionally mounted on
a vehicle roof by cutting an opening through the outer roof panel over the
front seat area that is selectively opened and closed by the sunroof. The
lateral dimension of such sunroof assemblies is limited by the fact that
the roof opening cut has to be located at each lateral side inboard from
the adjacent side rail that defines the edge of the roof. Such side rails
are conventionally defined by the adjacent side edge of the outer roof
panel and by an inner rail that cooperates with the side edge to provide a
hollow side rail for rigidifying the roof in order to provide the vehicle
with structural integrity. The limitation on lateral width of sunroof
assemblies is a particular problem with a recently introduced type of
vehicle body wherein side door window frames have outer members that
continue the contour of the outer roof panels at their side edges rather
than being located below drip rails at the side edges of the roof. With
this type of vehicle body construction, the side rails are located farther
inboard than the drip rail type of roof construction and there is thus
less lateral space for the sunroof assembly to be mounted within an
opening through the outer roof panel.
Vehicle T-roofs that have recently received commercial acceptance are
illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,120,529; 4,138,155; 4,287,654; and
4,475,766. Such T-roofs conventionally include a pair of removable roof
panels that are located on opposite sides of a central strut extending
between the windshield header and a rear roof portion. In a closed
position, the roof panels extend between the windshield header and the
rear roof portion outwardly in opposite directions from the strut and each
roof panel defines the adjacent outer side edge of the roof at which an
associated unframed side door window is sealed by a seal provided on the
roof panel. Most conventional types of T-roofs have the roof panels made
of metal or of glass that is usually tinted to reduce the transmission of
solar heat into the vehicle occupant compartment. At their inboard edges
as disclosed by the above mentioned patents, the T-roof panels are located
relatively close to each other so as to provide the general appearance of
continuity of the panels from one side door to the other, which is an
aesthetically appealing design. It has not been previously possible to
incorporate any door-to-door continuous panel appearance with sunroof
assemblies as has been done with T-roofs since the opening cut into the
roof for a sunroof assembly has to be located inboard from the side rails
as described above.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved externally
retractable sunroof assembly for a vehicle body. In carrying out this
object, the vehicle body in which the invention is incorporated includes
an outer roof panel having side edges and also has inner rails that
cooperate with the side edges of the outer roof panel to provide a pair of
hollow side rails. The vehicle body is of the type having side doors with
upper window frames including outer frame members that continue the
contour of the outer roof panel at the side edges thereof with the side
doors in a closed position.
The construction of the externally retractable roof assembly of the
invention includes a roof opening that is provided in the outer roof panel
of the vehicle body and has forward and rearward edges as well as having
side edges exposing the interior of the side rails of the roof. A pair of
tracks are respectively mounted within the pair of side rails at the
opposite lateral extremities of the roof. A sunroof of the assembly has
side edge portions extending over the side rails and respectively mounted
by the pair of tracks therein for movement between a closed position
closing the roof opening and an externally retracted position above the
outer roof panel to the rear of the roof to thereby open the roof opening.
Any conventional type of track assembly can be utilized with the sunroof
and the tracks mounted within the roof side rails to provide the sunroof
movement between the closed and externally retracted positions. The
lateral width of the sunroof assembly can be much greater than with
conventional sunroofs since the roof opening does not have to have its
lateral edges located inboard from the side rails as is necessary with
conventional types of sunroof assemblies. As such, a greater extent of
roof opening is possible than with conventional sunroof assemblies. The
side edges of the sunroof in its closed position closing the roof opening
are respectively juxtaposed with respect to the upper window frames of the
side doors to provide the roof with a continuous door-to-door appearance
that is aesthetically appealing.
In the preferred construction, the sunroof is made from metal or from glass
that will normally be tinted to reduce solar heating of the vehicle
occupant compartment.
Preferably, the roof opening and the sunroof have a longitudinal length
that is a major portion of the longitudinal length of the roof. A front
portion of the sunroof overlaps the rearward edge of the roof opening in
the retracted position where the sunroof extends rearwardly above the
outer roof panel of the roof. A rear portion of the sunroof extends to
generally adjacent the rear extremity of the roof in the externally
retracted position such that the construction of the roof and the sunroof
maximizes the opening of the roof in both lateral and longitudinal
directions. The rear portion of the sunroof in the retracted position may
also extend slightly beyond the roof panel adjacent the rear extremity
thereof in an overhanging relationship.
The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily
apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for
carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a vehicle body including an
externally retractable sunroof assembly that is constructed in accordance
with the present invention and illustrated with the sunroof thereof in a
closed position;
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the vehicle body with the
externally retractable sunroof and is similar to FIG. 1 but is shown with
the sunroof in its externally retracted position;
FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the vehicle body with the sunroof shown in
the externally retracted position;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the vehicle body showing the sunroof in the
closed position by solid line representation and in the externally
retracted position by phantom line representation;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the direction of line 5--5 in FIG. 4
to illustrate the construction of the vehicle body and its sunroof
assembly; and
FIG. 6 is a partial view showing the sunroof made of glass.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, a vehicle body generally
indicated by 10 includes a roof 12 on which an externally retractable
sunroof assembly 14 is mounted as is hereinafter more fully described. The
vehicle body 10 includes a windshield 16 whose upper edge is supported by
a windshield header 18 and whose lower edge is located rearwardly of the
hood 20 which is located between the conventional front fenders 22. A pair
of side doors 24 are located rearwardly of the front fenders 22 as also
shown in FIG. 4 on opposite sides of the externally retractable sunroof
assembly 14. While the invention is illustrated with a vehicle body of the
two door type, it should be appreciated that the externally retractable
sunroof assembly 14 can also be used with a vehicle body of the four door
type having front and rear doors at each side. Thus, rather than having
fixed rear quarter windows 26 as illustrated at the rear of each door 24,
there could also be a rear door with a rear door window if a four door
type vehicle were utilized. As illustrated, a sail panel 28 extends
upwardly from each rear fender 30 and is connected to an outer roof panel
32 of roof 12 forward of the backlite 34 shown in FIG. 4.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the outer roof panel 32 has side edges 36
(FIG. 4) and the roof 12 has inner rails 38 (FIG. 5) at its opposite
lateral sides. A distal flange 40 of the roof panel side edge 36 and a
distal flange 42 of the inner rail 38 are welded to each other such that
the inner rail cooperates with the roof panel to define an associated
hollow side rail 44 at the adjacent side of the roof. Flanges 40 and 42
support a seal 46 that seals against the side door 24 in the door closed
position. Seal 46 and the roof panel side edge 36 form the conventional
water drain area 47 which is concealed from sight with the door 24 closed.
At its inboard side, the inner rail 38 has a flange 48 that is spaced from
the outer roof panel 32 in a conventional fashion. The entire side rail 44
is also covered by the headliner 50 of the vehicle occupant compartment to
provide an aesthetically appealing appearance.
With combined reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the side doors 24 of the
vehicle body in which the sunroof 14 is incorporated have upper window
frames 52 which extend around the associated door window 54 at its front,
top, and rear extremities. In the illustrated closed position of each side
door 24 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the window frame 52 covers the front A
pillar at each lateral side of the windsheld 16 and continues the exposed
contour of the outer roof panel at the side edges thereof before
installation of the externally retractable sunroof assembly 14. As shown
in FIG. 5, each window frame 52 includes outer and inner frame members 56
and 58 secured to each other in any conventional manner to cooperate in
providing the window frame 52.
As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the externally retractable sunroof assembly
14 of the invention incorporates a roof opening 60 in the outer roof panel
32. This roof opening 60 is preferably provided by cutting the roof panel
after the completion of the vehicle manufacturing. The roof opening 60 has
a forward edge 62 along the windshield header 18 and has a rearward edge
64 that extends laterally generally in alignment with the rear edges of
the side doors 24 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Side edges 66 of the roof
opening 60 shown in FIG. 4 expose the interior of the side rails 44 as
shown in FIG. 5. The cut side edge 36 of each side rail 44 is provided
with a trim seal 67 that is secured thereto in any suitable manner. A pair
of tracks 68 are respectively mounted within the pair of side rails 44
extending longitudinally with respect to the vehicle at its opposite
lateral sides.
A sunroof 70 of sunroof assembly 14 has side edge portions 72 extending
over the side rails 44 and respectively mounted on the pair of tracks 68
therein by any conventional type of track mechanism as schematically
illustrated by 74 in FIG. 5. The sunroof 70 is movable along the tracks 68
within the side rails 44 between a closed position as illustrated in FIG.
1 closing the roof opening 60 and an externally retracted position above
the outer roof panel 32 to the rear of the roof opening as illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3 such that the roof opening is open to the environment. In
the closed position, the side edge portions 72 of the sunroof 70 engage
the trim seals 67 on the side rails 44 to provide sealing of the vehicle
occupant compartment from the environment.
In the preferred construction, the sunroof 70 is made from metal as shown
in FIG. 5 or from glass as shown by the partial sunroof 70' in FIG. 6
which is most preferably tinted so as to reduce the transmission of solar
heat into the vehicle body occupant compartment. In the closed position of
the sunroof 70 as best illustrated in FIG. 4, the side edges 72 of the
sunroof are respectively juxtaposed with respect to the upper window
frames 52 of the side doors 24 to provide the roof with a continuous
door-to-door appearance that is aesthetically appealing.
As illustrated by continuing reference to FIG. 4, the roof opening 60 and
the sunroof 70 each have a longitudinal length that is a major portion of
the longitudinal length of the roof 12 between the windshield header 18
and the backlite 34. In the externally retracted position illustrated by
phantom line representation, the sunroof 70 has a front portion 76 that
overlaps the rearward edge 64 of the roof opening 60 and also has a rear
portion 78 that extends to generally adjacent the rear extremity of the
roof. It is also possible for the rear portion 78 of sunroof 70 in the
retracted position to extend slightly beyond the roof panel 32 adjacent
the rear extremity thereof in an overhanging relationship. The track
mechanism 74 (FIG. 5) that mounts the sunroof 70 on the tracks 68 is
secured in any conventional fashion to the front portion 76 so as to
permit the rear portion 78 to move above the outer roof panel 32 as shown
in FIG. 3 to the externally retracted position.
With the construction of the sunroof assembly 14 as described above,
maximum roof opening is achieved while still permitting storage of the
sunroof 70 on the vehicle roof as opposed to removal from the vehicle roof
as is done with other types of sunroof assemblies.
As previously mentioned, the outer roof panel 32 is cut to define the roof
opening 60 and permit mounting of the sunroof 70 on the roof 12. This
cutting vehicle assembly and without any other structural removal from the
roof so as to maintain the strength of the vehicle body.
While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described in
detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will
recognize various alternative embodiments and designs for carrying out the
invention as defined by the following claims.
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