Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a removable sun roof panel for a vehicle
roof and more particularly to a fastener arrangement for supporting the panel
in one of a plurality of operative relationships with respect to the roof.
One prior sun roof panel arrangement includes an opening in a
vehicle roof adapted to receive a removable, transparent sun roof panel.
The panel is retained in the framed opening by a bayonet which projects from
the underside of the panel on one edge and cooperates with the adjacent
panel edge to engage the frame element, and a pivotable handle affixed to
the underside of the panel on the opposite edge. The handle may be moved
into a closed position wherein it engages the underside of the frame and
pulls the panel down against a resilient element forming part of the frame,
or an open position wherein it allows the panel to be removed from the
opening.
Other sun roof structures employ panels supported for sliding
motion between a closed position, covering an opening in the vehicle roof,
and an open position in which they are supported in a compartment affixed
to the underside of the vehicle roof, behind the opening.
In one form of such sliding sun roof the panel that closes the sun
roof opening is supported so that its rear edge may be tilted upwardly at
an angle of a few degrees allowing the passenger compartment to be ventilated
to a limited degree without moving the panel to its open position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is broadly directed towards apparatus for
retaining a removable panel within a sun roof opening which allows the panel
to either close off the opening or to be supported with its rear edge tilted
upwardly away from the rear edge of the opening so the panel is inclined
with respect to the plane of the roof.
The invention provides a sun roof for a vehicle having an opening
in its roof, comprising: a frame extending about the edge of the opening
and having a supporting surface lying substantially parallel to the vehicle
roof; a panel adapted to be supported with its perimeter in abutment to the
supporting surface of the frame; an aperture formed through the frame on the
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vehicle interior side of the frame and in a direction parallel to said
supporting surface; a bayonet member affixed to the underside of the panel
in proximity to the edge thereof, so that its free end projects in the
direction of the edge, in spaced relation to the edge, the free end being
adapted to be inserted into or removed from said aperture in the Erame and
cooperating fastener means affixed to the edge of the frame opposite the
aperture and the edge of the panel opposite the bayonet, adapted to retain
the panel with its entire perimeter abutting the supporting section of the
frame when the extending edge of the bayonet is inserted within the aperture
in the frame.
In the preferred embodiment herein disclosed, the panel, formed
of tempered glass, is curved across its width, to a greater degree than the
roof, so that it presents a concave surface to the frame. A pair of openings
are formed in the frame, below the supporting surface, at spaced points
along the forward end of the opening and a pair of mating bayonets are
affixed to the underside of the forward edge of the panel to project toward
the edge of the panel in spaced relation to the underside.
When the forward edge of the panel is supported on the frame and
the rear edge of the panel is tilted upwardly at an angle which exceeds the
normal tilt angle of the panel, the bayonet ends may be inserted into or
retracted from the frame openings and accordingly the panel may be attached
to or removed from the opening. As the panel is tilted downwardly into the
plane of the roof from this insertion angle, the bayonets and the openings
in the frame act as hinges to support the forward end of the panel. When
the panel is in its closed position
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the bayonets engage the frame to force the adjacent underside of
the panel against the resilient section.
The two part fastener which separably joins the rear
end of the panel to the rear end of the frame includes a push
button released lock member affixed to the underside of the
frame. The latch handle for the fastener is pivotably connected
to a hinge which is in turn pivotably supported on the underside
of the rear end of the panel. A tongue adapted to be retained
in the lock member and released by the push-button is also
pivotably attached to the handle. The handle, the hinge and
the tongue thus form a two element linkage which may be disposed
in either a closed position wherein the handle lies adjacent
the underside of the frame and pulls the panel down against the
frame, bending the panel against its curvature to obtain secure
engagement with the resilient element of the frame, or in an ex-
tended position wherein the handle projects upwardly from the
frame and supports the rear end of the panel above the frame
so that the panel is inclined with respect to the frame in a
ventilating position. To remove the panel the push-button is
depressed releasing the tongue from the lock member and the
panel is pivoted about the forward end to a position wherein
the bayonet may be removed from the forward frame aperture.
This fastener arrangement is relatively simple in
construction so as to be low in cost and reliable in operation
and securely support the pane~ in either its closed or its
inclined ventilating position, and allows the relatively simple
insertion and removal of the panel from the opening.
The fact that the glass panel is curved so as to
present a concave surface to the frame allows an intimate en-
gagement to be obtained between the full perimeter of the panel
and the resilient element of the frame, although the panel is
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only attached to the frame at three points. These three points
are located along the curved edges so that the relatively
straight side edges make contact with the frame before the
front and rear edges are pulled down against the frame by the
fastener.
Other objectives, advantages and applications of the
present invention will be made apparent by the following de-
tailed description of a preferred embodiment. The description
makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an automobile
incorporating a sun roof formed in accordance with the present
invention, with the panel shown in a tilted ventilating position;
FIGURE 2 is a partially sectioned perspective view of
the latch mechanism attached to the rear end of the panel and
the associated locking mechanism attached to the frame, in a
iilted position;
FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the sun roof panel
and vehicle roof, taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 showing the
front and rear attachments between the panel and the roof frame
when the panel is in its closed position, with the intermediate
section of the panel broken away;
FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the rear fastener
members for the panel and the frame with the latch handle shown
intermediate its closed and tilted positions;
FIGURE 5 is a sectional view through the forward
attachment between the panel and the roof frame when the panel
is in a tilted ventilating position;
FIGURE 6 is a sectional view through the forward
attachment between the panel and the roof frame when the panel
is tilted at an angle allowing insertion or removal of the
bayonets from the frame openings;
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FIGURE 7 is a detailed sectional view through the
catch member formed on the latch handle and the linkage, taken
along line 7-7 of FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of the tongue
associated with the roof latch, and the components of the
associated locking mechanism on the opening frame; and
FIGURE 9 is a partial perspective view of the roof of
the vehicle and sun roof panel in a removed position.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is illus-
trated as applied to an automobile, generally indicated at 10,
although it is equally applicable to trucks, vans, recreational
vehicles and the like.
The roof of the automobile is typically formed by an
outer sheet metal skin 12 and a fabric headliner 14, disposed
under the roof sheet 12 and spaced therefrom. In accordance
with the present invention, a sun roof opening 16 is formed
in the roof, usually over the front seat of the vehicle and
the perimeter of this opening is finished with a frame member ;
18. The frame is adapted to removably secure a panel 20 pre-
ferably formed of a sheet of shatterproof, tempered, tinted
glass having dimensions complementary to the opening 16.
As is best seen in FIGURE 9, the panel 20 is formed
with a gradual curvature across its width so that its concave
side faces the frame. Accordingly, the two side edges are
straight and the forward and rear edges are bowed away from the
frame. The frame may be level across its width or may have a
slight crown, but its curvature must be less than that of the
panel so that when the panel is lowered into position against
the frame its two side edges first abut the side edges of the
frame and the centers of its forward and rear edges are slightly
raised with respect to the frame. In the preferred embodiment
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of the invention the curvatures of the panel and frame are such that the
centers of the forward and rear edges of the panel are separated from the
frame by about 3/8 of an inch in this pos:ition.
The frame 18 may be formed of extruded aluminum, bent into a
closed section adapted to fit -the roof opening 16, and having its ends ~oined
by an appropriate fastening method such as rivets or welding. The frame 18
includes an extending section 22 which overlies the top of the roof 12 at
the aperture. A downwardly extending section 24 of the molding has a surface
26 inclined inwardly under the extending section 22, to form a pair of
opposed, tapered surfaces adapted to receive tapered wedges 28 which abut the
underside of the perimeter of the roof 12 to lock the frame to the roof.
The wedges 28 are fixed to the frames 22 by threaded fasteners 30. The down-
wardly extending section 24 of the frame contains a downwardly opening
groove 32 adapted to receive the edge of the fabric headliner 14 which is
secured by a plastic molding 34 (FIGURE 2).
The frame 18 also includes a section 36 cantilevered into the open-
ing 16, in the plane of the roof, and retaining a resilient molding 38 on its
upper surface. The molding 38 is adapted to receive and support the under-
side of the perimeter of the panel 20.
At two spaced points along the forward edge of the opening 16,
horizontal apertures or slots 40 are formed through the side of the downwardly
extending section 24 of the frame into the interior of the molding receiving
groove 32. These slots 40 are best seen in FIGURES 3 and 5. The slots may ex-
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tend for about one inch each ,and the moiding 34 is broken at
these two sections.
The slots 40 are adapted to cooperate with a pair of
extending bayonet members 42 affixed to the underside of the
panel 20 at two spaced points on its forward edge. The bayonets
are secured to the panel by bolts 44 extending through holes
46 formed in the panel 2Q and mating with internally threaded
bosses 48 formed on the upper surface of the bayonets 42 which
fit into the holes 46.
The bayonets project toward the edge of the panel 20,
at a slight downwardly inclined angle away from the panel and
have upwardly turned extreme end sections 50. These ends may
be fitted into the frame slots 40, or removed from the frame
slots, when the forward edge of the panel 20 is supported
against the section of the resilient molding 38 above the slots
and the panel is inclined wi.th respect to the roof 12 at an :
angle of about 30, as illustrated in FIGURE 6. When the panel
- is then rotated into closer alignment with the roof, the upper
edge of the bayonet section 50 presses against the upper edge
of the frame slot 40 and pulls the underside of the panel edge
against the resilient molding 38. At these lower angles, as
illustrated in FIGURE 5, the extending section 50 cannot be re- :
moved from the slot and the.two act as a hinge to allow pivoting
motion of the panel relative to the roof.
When the perimeter of the panel 20 is in abutment with
the resilient molding 38 all the way around the perimeter of the
opening 16, the engagement of the bayonet section 50 and the
frame 18 forces the edge of the panel into pressured engagement
with the resilient section as shown in FIGURE 3. To insert the
panel 20 into engagement with the roof, or to remove the panel
from the roof, the panel is inclined to the angle illustrated
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in FIGURE 5 and the two sections 50 of the bayone-ts 42 are
inserted to be removed from the frame slots 40.
The rear edge of the panel 20 is fastened to the
frame 18 by means of a two-part separable fastener centered about
a latch handle member 60. The handle is a flat, thin, curved,
injection molded section having a pair of side flanges 62 and
an end section 64 which extends transversely to the flanges and
to the handle section 60.
A pair of flat, slightly arcuate stamped hinges 66
are pivotably connected to the opposite sides of the latch
handle 60 at one of their ends by a pivot pin 68 journaled in
holes in the two handle flanges 62 so that its ends extend
; slightly beyond the flanges. The ends of the pin pass through
holes formed in the hinges 66 and are peened. The other ends
of the hinges 66 are pivotally supported on two ears 70 which
extend downwardly from the ends of a flat sheet metal glass
mount 72. The mount 72 is secured to the underside of the panel
20, midway along the rear edge of the panel and slightly in-
wardly from the edge, by a pair of bolts 74 which mate with
internally threaded cylindrical bosses 76 extending upwardly
from the mount 72 and passing through holes 78 in the panel.
The latch handle 60 also pivotally supports a flat,
sheet metal extending tongue 80. As illustrated in the exploded
view of FIGURE 7 the tongue has a central catch aperture 82,
carrying an extending tab 83, and a pair of ears 84 which are
bent normally to the main tongue surface and have holes 86
formed centrally therein. The tongue is pivotally connected
to the end of the latch handle 60 opposite to the flange 64
by a pivot pin 88 which extends between the latch handle flanges
62 and has its ends projecting slightly beyond these flanges.
The ends of the pin pass through the holes 86 of the tongue
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and are retained by snap rings.
The tongue 80 is adapted to be inserted and retained
within a releasable lock mechanism, generally indicated at 90,
fixed to the underside of the frame 18 at the center of the
rear of the opening 16.
The lock includes an elongated retainer member 92
having an inclined catch 94 projecting from the bottom of its
underside, and having a pair of downwardly extending push
buttons 96 extending from its end. The push buttons project
through holes 98 formed in a bottom plate 100.
The retainer 92 is supported for vertical sliding
motion in a slot 102 formed in a base member 104. The base 104
is fixed to the underside of the extending section 36 of the
edge frame 18 by a pair of screws 106. The screws extend
through holes 108 formed in the frame, pass through holes 110
formed in the retainer base, and mate with internally threaded
holes formed on a pair of cylindrical bosses 112 which extend
upwardly from the top of the bottom plate 100. The retainer 92
is thus sandwiched between the base plate 104 and the bottom
plate 100. The retainer 96 is urged downwardly, into abutment
with the bottom plate 100, by a pair of springs 114 which have
their ends retained in appropriate indentations formed in the
base 104 and the retainer 92. Thus, the catch 94 on the bottom
of the retainer 92 normally abuts the bottom plate 100. The
retainer may be lifted away from the bottom plate, against the
bias of the springs, by finger pressure on the push buttons 96
extending through the bottom plate 100. The frame section 32
behind the lock 90 is slotted as at 111, to receive the extreme
end of the tongue 80.
The tongue 80 may be inserted between the bottom
plate 100 and catch 94, as shown in FIGURE 2, so that it abuts
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the inclined surface of the catch 94 and urges the retainer
upwardly, compressing the springs 114. The catch then enters
the tongue aperture 82 and moves downwardly under the bias of
the springs to lock the tongue against removal. The push
buttons may be manually pressed to release the tongue.
When the panel is hingedly retained on the forward
edge of the frame by engagement of the bayonet ends 50 in the
frame slots 40, and the rear end of the panel is inclined a
few degrees with respect to the roof, the tongue 80 may be
inserted into the lock 90. The latch handle 60 may then be
disposed in one of two fixed positions. In the position shown
in FIGURE 2, the latch handle is inclined upwardly with respect
to the tongue. In this position, a pair of detents 120 formed
on the sides of the latch handle flanges 62 (FIGURE 6) make
frictional engagement with indentations 122 formed outwardly
on the center of each of the hinges 66. In this position the
rear end of the panel 20 is tilted upwardly with respect to the
roof, as shown in FIGURE 2, to ventilate the interior of the
vehicle.
Alternatively, the flange 64 at the end of the latch
handle may be grasped and swung downwardly, through the position
illustrated in FIGURE 4, to the locked position illustrated in
FIGURE 3. In this position the bottoms of the flanges 62 abut
the underside of the lock base 100 and the handle covers the
push buttons 96. The rear edge of the panel 20 is drawn against
the resilient molding, compressing the molding. In this posi-
tion the bayonets also press against the forward edge of the
frame at the slots 40.
As the latch is moved into its locked position, forcing
the rear edge of the panel downwardly, the panel 20 is bent into
conformity with the frame and the side edges of the panel compress
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the corresponding sections of the molding 38. This provides a
secure engagement of the edges of the panel with the molding,
along its entire perimeter, despite the fact that the fasteners
are only located on the forward and rear edges of the panel.
S When the tongue 80 is retained in the lock mechanism
90, the hinges 66 and the section of the latch handle 60 between
the pivot pins 68 and 88, act as an over-center linkage. This
linkage has a pair of stable states on both sides of the over-
center condition wherein the pivot pin 88 which supports the
tongue is aligned with the two pivotable ends of the hinges 66.
This over-center condition occurs between the closed position
of FIGURE 3 and the open position of FIGURE 4. The latch is
thus biased into intimate engagement with the frame when in
the locked position of FIGURE 3.
To remove the panel 20 the latch is first pulled back,
through its over-center condition, to the unlatched position ~ ;
of FIGURE 4. The push buttons 96 are then pressed upwardly,
releasing the tongue, and the tongue is removed from the lock.
The panel is then swung upwardly about its rear end and the
extending sections 50 of the bayonets 42 are removed from the
slots 40 freeing the panel.
Having thus described my invention, I claim:
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