Roof module for a motor vehicle body

p0001The invention relates to a roof module for a motor vehicle body with a reinforcing frame and a roof skin attached thereto, wherein the reinforcing frame can be fastened to the motor vehicle body with screwed and adhesive connections.

p0002Roof modules for car bodies are known in various designs. A known embodiment (<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE19853820A1"><text>DE 198 53 820 A1</text></patcit>) Is introduced into the body through the front disc opening as a prefabricated component, on which various accessories are preassembled, and is placed from the inside against the roof opening and fastened there. Subsequently, the interior design of the bodywork is carried out, whereby, if necessary, the side doors of the body already inserted must be suspended temporarily.

p0003In another embodiment (<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE10048130A1"><text>DE 100 48 130 A1</text></patcit>), The roof module has foldable edge strips, which are folded over so that the roof module can be inserted into the body through a roof opening. The edge strips are then unfolded again and the roof module is placed against the body from the inside and attached there. All this is complex.

p0004The object of the invention is to provide a roof module which is prefabricated and painted with all accessories and can be placed on the vehicle body during final assembly.

p0005This object is achieved with a roof module of the type described at the outset by the reinforcing frame or the roof skin having a flange flange formed on a U-shaped profile on the edge of the edge, an edge strip of the roof skin or the reinforcing frame engages in the U-profile and engages there with the reinforcing frame or the reinforcing frame Of the roof skin is glued and that the roof module is larger in a vertical projection than a roof opening in the motor vehicle body. The roof skin and the reinforcement frame can consist of pre-treated and pre-painted sheets (coil coating) so that the supplier does not need painting equipment. Furthermore, the roof module can be provided with all desired accessories, both inside and outside. The roof module is not placed in the carcass, ie before the car body is painted, but instead is placed on an appropriately modified body in the final assembly and fastened to it in the usual manner with screwed and adhesive connections. This facilitates the assembly of the interior equipment of the bodywork and also of the instrument panel by the relatively large roof opening, and the usual intervening removal of the side doors can be dispensed with if necessary.

p0006It is recommended to seal an external joint between the seam flange and the roof skin.

p0007Additional masking and cladding elements are not required when proceeded as suggested.

p0008The U-profile can have a support for the front disk in the area of ​​a front disk on the outside. In this connection, the roof skin can be provided in the region of the front disc with a step, the height of which approximately corresponds to the thickness of the front disc.

p0009Furthermore, the U-profile in the door area can have a support for the side windows and / or a disk seal cooperating with the side windows. In this context, the roof skin in the door area can preferably have a step, the height of which approximately corresponds to the thickness of the side window and / or the disc seal.

p0010Embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawing are explained below. show it:<dl id="dl0001"><dt>FIG</dt><dd>Schematically a roof skin and a reinforcing frame not yet connected thereto, </dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A vertical section in the region of a front pane of a roof module connected to the motor vehicle body,</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>An enlarged detail of the object <figref idrefs="f0002">FIG</figref>,</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A corresponding vertical section in the door area,</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A corresponding vertical section in the region of a tailgate.</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A corresponding vertical section in the door area in another embodiment.</dd></dl>

p0011The illustrated roof module includes a roof skin 1 and a reinforcing frame 2 (<figref idrefs="f0001">FIG</figref>).

p0012In the <figref idrefs="f0002 f0003 f0004 f0005 f0006">FIGS. 2 to 6</figref> The same reference numerals designate the same parts. The reinforcing frame 2 or the roof skin 1 have a peripheral edge strip 10 or 13 and a folding flange 11 adjoining the latter. The folded flange 11 is folded over over the edge strip 10 or 13 and together forms a U-profile 12. An edge strip 10 or 13 of the roof skin 1 or of the reinforcing frame 2 engages in the U-profile 12 and is connected to the edge strip 10 and 13, respectively, by way of a structural bonding 7. The external joint between the folding flange 11 and the edge strip 10 or 13 of the roof skin 1 or of the reinforcing frame 2 is sealed with a seal 6 for protection against corrosion. A shaping step 4 of the roof skin 1 adjoins the edge strip 13 so that a support 14 adjoining the shaping step 4 is essentially aligned with the folded-over folding flange 11.

p0013The roof module is attached to a body 3 in a conventional manner with adhesive beads 5 and screw connections 8.

p0014In <figref idrefs="f0002">FIG</figref> and <figref idrefs="f0003">3</figref> The roof module attached to the body 3 is shown in the area of ​​a front window. The roof skin 1 and the reinforcing frame 2 are supported against one another at a distance from the edge region by means of an adhesive eye 9. The roof skin 1, following the support 14, has a step 15, the height of which approximately corresponds to the thickness of a front disc (not shown), so that the roof skin 1 is essentially aligned with a front disc fixed on the support 14 on the edge.

p0015In <figref idrefs="f0004">FIG</figref> A vertical section through the roof module connected to the body 3 is shown in the door area. Here too, the edge strip 13 of the roof skin 1 passes over a shaping stage into a support 16, to which a step 17 follows. The support 16 is provided for a side door disc (not shown) or the associated disc seal. The step 17 has a height which approximately corresponds to the thickness of the side door disc and / or the disc seal.

p0016<figref idrefs="f0005">FIG</figref> Shows the formation of the roof skin 1 in the region of a tailgate, not shown, wherein the step in the roof skin has been omitted.

p0017In <figref idrefs="f0006">FIG</figref> A vertical section through the roof module connected to the body 3 is shown in the door area. Here, the edge of the roof skin 1 is crimped over the edge strip of the reinforcing frame 2.

p0018By means of the described measures, the connection of the roof skin 1 to the reinforcing frame 2 is made invisible or sealed in all areas.

p0019In the course of the final assembly, the roof module can be placed on the body 3 and fastened thereto after the interior installation has been inserted into the correspondingly modified body through the existing large roof opening and installed there.

Reference list:

p0020<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>1</dt><dd>roof skin</dd><dt>2</dt><dd>Reinforcement frame</dd><dt>3</dt><dd>body</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>Mold stage to 1</dd><dt>5</dt><dd>Adhesives between 2 and 3</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>Sealing between 11 and 1</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>Structural bonding between 10 and 13</dd><dt>8th</dt><dd>Screw connections</dd><dt>9</dt><dd>Glue bead between 1 and 2</dd><dt>10</dt><dd>Edge strips of 2</dd><dt>11</dt><dd>Folding flange</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>U-profile</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>Edge strips of 1</dd><dt>14</dt><dd>edition</dd><dt>15</dt><dd>step</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>edition</dd><dt>17</dt><dd>step</dd></dl>