Sliding support arrangement and roof assembly for a vehicle

0001The invention relates to a sliding support arrangement according to the preamble of claims 1, 10 and 11.

0002In a known sliding support arrangement, as shown in <figref idref="f0006">Fig. 9</figref> and in <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE1630330A1"><text>DE 1630330 A1</text></patcit>, a slide shoe comprises a spring supporting and biasing the slide shoe in Z-direction. A tight fit in Y-direction should prevent rattling of the slide shoe in the guide rail in Y-direction.

0003This tight fit leads to high friction forces, while wear and tear may eventually lead to rattling after a longer period of use, especially as the closure, such as roof assembly panels, become heavier and vehicles in which they are used become higher.

0004It is one of the objects of the invention to remove or at least reduce this problem.

0005To obtain this or other objects, the invention is characterized by the features of the characterizing portion of claims 1, 10 or 11.

0006Due to the non-perpendicular angle between the spring force and the at least one of the walls of the guide rail, the spring force will be resolved in Y- and Z-directions, so that dynamic vibrations occurring in Y- and Z-directions are dampened and rattling can be prevented or at least reduced by the use of only one singular spring. Of course, more springs might be used, but this is not necessary.

0007In one embodiment, the spring exerts a force which is directed at a non-perpendicular angle to the Y- and Z-directions. The guide rail may then comprise adjacent walls which are substantially perpendicular to each other, and preferably also to the Y- and Z-direction.

0008With such orientation of the spring, it is possible to use a normal guide rail, which is easier to produce.

0009In a convenient embodiment, the spring is a leaf spring which is accommodated in the slide shoe in which the first part is rigidly supported and the second shoe part is opposite and movable or deformable with the spring in between.

0010The spring may be arranged at an angle to the Y- and Z-directions, which is an easy way to exert the desired force direction.

0011In another embodiment, the guide comprises at least one wall which is directed at a non-perpendicular angle to the Y- and Z-directions. This is another manner to obtain the non-perpendicular angle between the spring force and the at least one wall, also if the spring force is directed in the Z- or Y-direction.

0012In an embodiment, at least one upper and/or lower wall of the guide rail is at a non-perpendicular angle to the Y- and Z-directions, whereas the spring exerts a force substantially parallel to the Z-direction.

0013For example, two lower walls of the guide rail are at a non-perpendicular angle, e.g. of 45 degrees, to the Y- and Z-directions, whereas the spring exerts a force substantially parallel to the Z-direction.

0014In another embodiment, two upper walls of the guide rail are at a non-perpendicular angle, e.g. of 45 degrees, to the Y- and Z-directions, whereas the spring exerts a force substantially parallel to the Z-direction.

0015The invention also includes a roof assembly for a vehicle having an opening in its fixed roof, comprising a closure element supported by at least one operating mechanism including parts that are slidably guided with respect to a guide rail through a sliding support arrangement as described above.

0016Further details and advantages of the invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">Figs. 1 and 2</figref> are two perspective views of a vehicle roof comprising a roof assembly according to the invention, wherein the roof panel is shown in a closed and open position.</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Fig. 3</figref> is an exploded view of the main components of the operating mechanism for the roof assembly of <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> including two sliding support arrangements.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Fig. 4</figref> is a partly exploded, perspective view of a driving slide for another roof assembly comprising two sliding support arrangements.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Figs. 5a, 5b</figref> are a cross-sectional view and a view according to the lines V-V in <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 5a</figref>, respectively, on a larger scale.</li><li><figref idref="f0005">Figs. 6a, 6b</figref> are views corresponding to those of <figref idref="f0004">Figs. 5a, 5b</figref> but showing a different embodiment of the sliding support arrangement.</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Figs. 7, 8 and 9</figref> are views corresponding to that of <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 5a</figref>, but showing still other embodiments of the sliding support arrangement according to the invention and according to the prior art, respectively.</li></ul>

0017The drawings show an embodiment of an open roof construction for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle such as a passenger car. As is shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figs. 1 and 2</figref>, this vehicle is provided with an opening 1 in its fixed roof 2, whereby it is noted that said fixed roof 2 may either form part of the vehicle or of the open roof construction itself, which in that case makes up the entire roof of the vehicle. The fixed roof 2 may consist of an integral part of the vehicle or of one or more (transparent) panels, which may be removable or form a separate adjustable roof element.

0018The open roof construction comprises a stationary part, such as a frame 3, and a closure element, in this case in the form of a rigid and preferably transparent panel 4, for example made of glass or of plastic material, which is movably supported by frame 3. In this embodiment, panel 4 is movable between a closed position (<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>), in which roof opening 1 is closed and panel 4 is at least substantially coplanar with fixed roof 2, and an open position (<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 2</figref>), in which panel 4 occupies a rearward position, at least partially above fixed roof 2, in which a large part of opening 1 is cleared. In the embodiment shown, panel 4 is first tilted to a venting position in which the rear edge of panel 4 is moved upwardly, and then moved rearwardly to positions above fixed roof 2.

0019An operating mechanism is provided on each longitudinal side of panel 4 for effecting the movements of panel 4. The drawings show only the main parts on one side of the roof, but it should be kept in mind that similar parts are arranged in mirror image on the other side as well. The mechanism is driven by a drive unit including a drive element, such as a drive cable (not shown, only a cable guide 5 is shown in <figref idref="f0002">Fig. 3</figref>) and a manual actuator, such as a crank, or a motor such as an electric motor, for driving the cable. The operating mechanism supports panel 4 and is at least partially guided in a guide rail 7 (see <figref idref="f0002">Fig. 3</figref>), which forms part of or is mounted on frame 3. The guide rail 7 extends along the side edge of roof opening 1, at a lower level than fixed roof 2.

0020The guide rail 7 slidably receives a driving slide 6 which is engaged by the drive cable so as to adjust panel 4. For this purpose the driving slide is connected, at least during a part of the movements of panel 4, to a panel support 8 which supports a panel bracket 9 of panel 4 at its front side and which is slidably guided at its front end in a guide track 10 of guide rail 7 by means of a front sliding support arrangement 11. In this case guide track 10 is in the form of a slot or groove. Further details of this operating mechanism are not relevant for the present invention, but can be found in <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="US8870276B"><text>US patent 8,870,276</text></patcit>.

0021The sliding support arrangement 11 is shown in <figref idref="f0004">Figs. 5a, 5b</figref> on a larger scale. The X-, Y- and Z-directions are illustrated in the drawing. The X-direction is along the longitudinal axis of a vehicle in driving direction, Z-direction is perpendicular to X and parallel to a vertical axis, Y-direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in a transverse direction in a horizontal plane. It should be noted that the guide rails 7 may be slightly curved, or might be slightly non-parallel with respect to each other so that the expression parallel and perpendicular include slight deviations therefrom.

0022Guide track 10 of guide rail 7 is shown in a simple way here. It includes 4 perpendicular walls 12, 13, 14 and 15 extending longitudinally parallel to the X-direction and being perpendicular to the Y- and Z-direction. The sliding support arrangement includes a slide shoe 16 having a more rigid part 16a attached to a support bracket 17 of panel support 8 and a more flexible part 16b. As is shown in <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 5b</figref>, the parts are elongated in X-direction and are connected to each other at their ends in longitudinal direction, such that part 16b can move relative to part 16a at least in the central portion of the slide shoe 16. Part 16b could also be more rigid like part 16a, and being movably connected to part 16a.

0023Between parts 16a and 16b of slide shoe 16 there is arranged a spring 18, in this case a leaf spring which is curved in longitudinal direction of the slide shoe, wherein the curvature is concave such that the ends of spring 18 rest against rigid part 16a and a central part supports part 16b of slide shoe 16. Other spring types or shapes are conceivable. The spring 18 is positioned at an angle of in this case 45 degrees with respect to the Y- and Z-direction, so that it exerts a force which is also angled in this direction. The vertical support of the front panel support 8 is mainly facilitated by spring 18. Due to the spring force of spring 18, part 16a of slide shoe 16 is urged against walls 12, 15 of guide track and part 16b against walls 13, 14, so that slide shoe 16 is well positioned within guide track of guide rail in both Y- and Z-directions without any rattling noises, also in the long run. This is obtained with the use of one spring 18 with a single spring element only, and without the necessity of a tight fit, which could lead to high friction forces. Between slide shoe part 16a and walls 13, 14 there is some play, but in practice it may be kept small to prevent a large movement of panel 4 if excessive vibrations occur in panel 4. The force of spring 18 is chosen such that it will keep slide shoe parts 16a, 16b in engagement with their walls 12, 15 and 13, 14, respectively. Only in extraordinary situations with excessive vibrations, they might lose contact.

0024The slide shoe 16 can be made in one piece. If different properties of parts 16a, 16b are desired, then for example insert moulding with two or more materials may be used. On the other hand, slide shoe 16 might also have a structure including two or more pieces. Slide shoe parts 16a, 16b each has at least two sliding surfaces lying flat against the co-operating (adjacent) walls of guide track 10 of guide rail 7. Slide shoe parts 16a, 16b, on their sides facing each other, are shaped so as to hold spring 18 in position with respect to slide shoe 16. These sides may have recesses, ridges or the like to hold spring 18 in position.

0025<figref idref="f0002">Fig. 3</figref> shows that the sliding support arrangement 11a can be used in other positions of the operating mechanism as well, here in a rear support 19 of panel including a slide shoe 16 that can slide in a guide rail 20 in panel support 8.

0026<figref idref="f0003">Fig. 4</figref> shows another use of the sliding support arrangement, in this case in a driving slide 21 as used in the operating mechanism that is disclosed in <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="US7828376B"><text>US patent 7,828,376</text></patcit>. The sliding support arrangement 11 of the driving slide 21 includes two slide shoes 16 and may be of the same structure as that of <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 5a, 5b</figref>.

0027<figref idref="f0005 f0006">Figs. 6 - 8</figref> show other variations of the sliding support arrangement 11.

0028In the embodiment of <figref idref="f0005">Figs. 6a, 6b</figref>, the guide track 10 of guide rail 7 is shaped differently with two inclined lower walls 14a, 14b and three other walls 12, 13, 15 perpendicular to the Y- and Z-direction. The lower walls 14a, 14b being inclined symmetrically at 45 degrees, but other angles are conceivable of course. In this case, the spring 18 is oriented such that the spring forces are directed parallel to the Z-direction. However, due to the inclination of the two lower walls 14a, 14b, the slide shoe 16 is firmly seated in both Y- and Z-directions, despite the fact that spring 18 is positioned in a normal orientation.

0029In the variation of <figref idref="f0006">Fig. 7</figref> embodiment, the guide track of guide rail 7 again has 5 walls, but now two inclined upper walls 12a, 12b and three other walls 13, 14, 15 perpendicular to the Y- and Z-directions.

0030The variation of <figref idref="f0006">Fig. 8</figref> shows an asymmetrical wall arrangement with one upper wall 12 inclined (at 45 degrees) and the other three walls 13, 14, 15 perpendicular to the Y- and Z-directions. The spring 18 is positioned so as to exert a force substantially parallel to the Z-direction. This force in Z-direction is resolved by inclined wall 12 into the Y- and Z-directions.

0031It is of course possible to position both the spring and one or more walls of the guide track in guide rail 7 in an inclined orientation, but in view of production cost a simple embodiment having walls perpendicular to Y- and Z-directions is best. For example, guide rails are often curved around an Y-axis and it is then easier to keep perpendicular walls under control than inclined walls which might wobble. The embodiment of <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 5</figref> has the advantage that a normal guide rail can be used, so that only slide shoe 8 is adapted to obtain the desired object.

0032From the above it will be clear that the invention provides a sliding support arrangement which leads to desired sliding properties: no rattling in any direction, also after a long period of use, and a low sliding friction.

0033The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above which may be varied widely within the scope of the invention as defined by the appending claims. Also other types of roof assemblies may use the sliding support arrangements, such as folding roofs, slatted roofs and the like.