Openable Vehicle Roof Comprising a Weatherstrip Arrangement on a Solid Roof Element

Abstract

An openable vehicle roof having a solid roof element, a roof opening and roof opening system having a cover element openable by displacement kinematics. The solid roof having a weatherstrip arrangement at its front edge and its lateral edges disposed on either side of a vertical longitudinal center roof plane, the front edge of the cover element abutting a transverse leg of the weatherstrip arrangement when the cover element is in the closed position, and the displacement kinematics having a kinematic unit on either side of the vertical longitudinal center roof plane, each kinematic unit having a raising lever which slides on a respective longitudinal leg of the weatherstrip arrangement when the cover element is being displaced in the longitudinal roof direction. The longitudinal legs of the weatherstrip arrangement are each connected to the transverse leg via a corner piece made of an elastomer blended with a low-friction additive.

Claims

1. An openable vehicle roof comprising: a solid roof element, a roof opening disposed forward of the solid roof element, and a roof opening system having a cover element configured to be displaced between a closed position, in which the cover element closes the roof opening, and an open position, in which the roof opening is at least partially open, by displacement kinematics, the solid roof element having a weatherstrip arrangement at its front edge and at its lateral edges disposed on either side of a vertical longitudinal center roof plane, the front edge of the cover element abutting a transverse leg of the weatherstrip arrangement of the solid roof element when the cover element is in the closed position, and the displacement kinematics comprising a kinematic unit on either side of the vertical longitudinal center roof plane, each kinematic unit having a raising lever which slides on a respective longitudinal leg of the weatherstrip arrangement when the cover element is being displaced in the longitudinal roof direction, wherein that the longitudinal legs of the weatherstrip arrangement are each connected to the transverse leg via a corner piece made of an elastomer blended with a low-friction additive.

2. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer is a thermoplastic elastomer.

3. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer comprises an EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber).

4. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the low-friction additive is selected from the group consisting of graphite, PTFE, PFPE, silicone, polyurethane, polyurethane dispersions, carbon black, an oil, a polyolefin wax, a soap, and combinations thereof.

5. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal legs and the transverse leg are each formed by a weatherstrip profile.

6. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the corner pieces are each connected to one of the longitudinal legs and to the transverse leg by vulcanization.

7. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal legs are each made of an elastomer blended with a low-friction additive.

8. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the transverse leg is made of an elastomer blended with a low-friction additive.

9. The openable vehicle roof according to claim 2, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic vulcanizate.

Description

[0017] An example of an embodiment of an openable vehicle roof according to the invention is schematically illustrated in the drawing and will be discussed in more detail in the following description.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a vehicle roof equipped with a panoramic roof;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of a module-type. insert of the vehicle roof of FIG. 1 with a cover element in a closed position;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the module-type insert of FIG. 2 with the cover element in an open position;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a weatherstrip arrangement of a solid roof element of the vehicle roof; and

[0022] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an isolated corner piece of the weatherstrip arrangement.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle roof 10 which is configured as a panoramic roof and which has a roof cutout 12 fillable by a solid roof element 14 attached to the vehicle and by a displaceable cover element 16.

[0024] Solid roof element 14 and cover element 16 are parts of a module-type insert 18 of vehicle roof 10, module-type insert 18 being illustrated on its own in FIGS. 2 and 3. Insert 18 comprises a roof frame 20 via which it is attached to the vehicle structure and which is a support for solid roof element 14 and cover element 16. Additionally, roof frame 20 defines a roof opening 22 which can be closed by displaceable cover element 16.

[0025] Cover element 16 is part of a roof opening system and can be displaced between a closed position (FIG. 2), in which roof opening 22 is closed, and an open position (FIG. 3), in which roof opening 22 is at least partially open, by means of displacement kinematics 24. In the open position, cover element 16 is at least partially moved on top of solid roof element 14. In the closed position, cover element 16 is disposed forward of solid roof element 14, which means that it closes roof opening 22, which is also disposed forward of solid roof element 14, in this case, cover element 16 is flush with solid roof element 14,

[0026] Displacement kinematics 24 comprise a kinematic unit on either side of a vertical longitudinal center roof plane, each kinematic unit having a raising lever 26 which can be raised or pivoted to lift cover element 16. When cover element 16 is being displaced between the closed position and the open position, raising levers 26 are each moved in the longitudinal roof direction in a guide rail formed on respective lateral longitudinal leg 28A or 28B of roof frame 20. Raising levers 26 are each shifted along a respective lateral edge of solid roof element 14 in the process,

[0027] At its lateral edges on either side of vertical longitudinal center roof plane and at its front edge, solid roof element 14 is provided with a weatherstrip arrangement 30, which is shown on its own in FIG. 4. Weatherstrip arrangement 30 has a transverse leg 32 with which the rear edge of cover element 16 is in contact when cover element 16 is in its closed position. Additionally, weatherstrip arrangement 30 has two longitudinal legs 34A and 34B which are connected to the lateral edges of solid roof element 14 and on which respective raising levers 26 of displacement kinematics 24 slide when cover element 16 is being shifted, So weatherstrip arrangement 30 with its longitudinal legs 34A and 34B and its transverse leg 32 has a U-shape.

[0028] Longitudinal legs 34A and 34B and transverse leg 32 are each realized as an extruded profile and made of a TPV material blended with a low-friction additive, such as graphite, PTFE, PFPE, silicone, polyurethane, polyurethane dispersions, carbon black and/or the like.

[0029] Longitudinal legs 34A and 34B are connected to transverse leg 32 via corner pieces 36A and 36B, respectively. So corner pieces 36A and 36B each form a connecting element. between the respective extruded profiles.

[0030] Corner pieces 36A and 36B are connected to transverse leg 32 and longitudinal legs 34A and 34B in a form-fining and material-bonded manner by vulcanization.

[0031] In order to keep the wear of weatherstrip arrangement 30 by the forces exerted by raising levers 26 low, corner pieces 36A and 36B are each made of an elastomer—a thermoplastic vulcanizate in the case at hand—which is blended with a low-friction additive, which comprises in particular graphite, PTFE and/or a lubricating oil. The low-friction additive is dispersed in the volume of the elastomer with the result that weatherstrip arrangement 30 does not have to be additionally painted with an anti-friction coating or the like.

Reference signs

[0032] 10 vehicle roof

[0033] 12 roof cutout

[0034] 14 solid roof element

[0035] 16 cover element

[0036] 18 insert

[0037] 20 roof frame

[0038] 22 roof opening

[0039] 24 displacement kinematics

[0040] 26 raising lever

[0041] 28A, B longitudinal leg

[0042] 30 weatherstrip arrangement

[0043] 32 transverse leg

[0044] 34A, B longitudinal leg

[0045] 36A, B corner piece