Open roof construction for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10589666-B2
Application number	US-201816213372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2018
Priority date	Dec 11, 2017
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

An open roof construction for a vehicle includes at least one cover capable of closing an opening in a fixed roof of the vehicle. The at least one cover comprises a light emitting layer capable of guiding light from a longitudinal edge of the light emitting layer, substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, towards a main surface and capable of emitting light from a main surface of the light emitting layer towards an interior space of the vehicle. The cover further comprises a light device for emitting light into the light emitting layer, the light device including at least one light source and a light guide for guiding the light from the light source to the edge of the light emitting layer, wherein in the light guide is formed by a bundle of light fibers existing of several light fibers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one cover configured to close an opening in a fixed roof of the vehicle, the at least one cover comprising:
a light emitting layer configured to guide light from a longitudinal edge of the light emitting layer, substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, towards a main surface and configured to emit light from a main surface of the light emitting layer towards an interior space of the vehicle; and
a light device configured to emit light into the light emitting layer, the light device comprising at least one light source and a light guide configured to guide light from the at least one light source to the edge of the light emitting layer, wherein the light guide is formed by a bundle of light fibers existing of several light fibers, wherein the light guide is formed by a bundle of light fibers existing of several light fibers, wherein the light fibers of the bundle of light fibers at a first end are accumulated closely together and are fixed in a first connector and wherein the first connector is positioned opposite to a light emitting surface of the at least one light source such that light from the at least one light source enters the light fibers and wherein each of the light fibers of the bundle of light fibers at a second end are fixed at distances X adjacent to each other in a second connector configured to hold the second ends of the light fibers in a perpendicular direction with regard to the longitudinal edge of the light emitting layer to enable the light from the light fibers to enter the longitudinal edge of the light emitting layer, the fibers extending in a bundle from the first connector parallel to the respective longitudinal edge and are then branched off one by one to each respective position perpendicular to the longitudinal edge in the second connector.

2. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting layer is a layer of glass or a plastic layer.

3. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting layer is either of an upper layer, an intermediate layer, or a lower layer of the at least one cover.

4. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the distances X between the light fibers lies within a range of 0.125 mm and 50 mm.

5. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the light fibers are either of glass material or of PMMA, and wherein a diameter of each fiber is in the range of larger than 0.125 mm for glass fibers or larger than 0.25 mm for PMMA.

6. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the light fibers are protected in between the first and the second end in a protective unit for avoiding the fibers to be damaged, the protective unit either being a plastic protection sleeve, a protection foil, a cover reinforcement or a protector part attached to the second connector.

7. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the second connector is connected by a double sided tape or a clip fixing to either of the light emitting layer, the cover reinforcement, a support bracket attached to the at least one cover or to another layer of the at least one cover.

8. The open roof construction according to claim 1 , wherein a circumferential edge of the at least one cover is made of encapsulation material.

9. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the bundle of light fibers in between the first end and the second end is held by clip fixings attaching the bundle of fibers at intermittent distances to the at least one cover.

10. The open roof construction according to claim 1 , wherein the light fibers extend with a radius R larger than 30 mm. between the first end and the second end.

11. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting layer further comprises a coupler configured to couple out the light such that the light emits from a main surface towards an interior space of the vehicle.

12. The open roof construction according to claim 1 wherein the open roof construction comprises two covers positioned adjacent to each other seen in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and wherein each of the covers comprises a light emitting layer configured to guide light from a longitudinal edge of the at least one cover and configured to emit light from a main surface into an interior space of the vehicle.

13. The open roof construction according to claim 6 , wherein the protector part is a protector cover connected to the second connector by a film hinge.

14. An open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one cover configured to close an opening in a fixed roof of the vehicle, the at least one cover comprising:
a light emitting layer configured to guide light from a longitudinal edge of the light emitting layer, substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, towards a main surface and configured to emit light from a main surface of the light emitting layer towards an interior space of the vehicle; and
a light device configured to emit light into the light emitting layer, the light device comprising at least one light source and a light guide configured to guide light from the at least one light source to the edge of the light emitting layer, wherein the light guide is formed by a bundle of light fibers existing of several light fibers, wherein the light fibers of the bundle of light fibers at a first end are accumulated closely together and are fixed in a first connector and wherein the first connector is positioned opposite to a light emitting surface of the at least one light source such that light from the at least one light source enters the light fibers and wherein the light fibers of the bundle of light fibers at second ends opposite the first ends are fixed in a second connector to hold the second ends of the light fibers in a spaced apart relationship along the longitudinal edge and in a perpendicular direction with regard to the longitudinal edge of the light emitting layer to enable the light from the light fibers to enter the longitudinal edge of the light emitting layer, the fibers extending in a bundle from the first connector parallel to the respective longitudinal edge and are then branched off one by one to each respective position perpendicular to the longitudinal edge in the second connector.

15. The open roof construction according to claim 14 wherein the light fibers are held in between the first ends and the second ends in a protective unit.

16. The open roof construction according to claim 14 , wherein the light fibers extend with a radius R larger than 30 mm. between the first end and the second end.

17. The open roof construction according to claim 14 wherein the light emitting layer further comprises a coupler configured to couple out the light such that the light emits from a main surface towards an interior space of the vehicle.

18. The open roof construction according to claim 14 wherein the open roof construction comprises two covers positioned adjacent to each other seen in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and wherein each of the covers comprises a light emitting layer configured to guide light from a longitudinal edge of the at least one cover and configured to emit light from a main surface into an interior space of the vehicle.

19. The open roof construction according to claim 15 wherein the bundle of light fibers in between the first end and the second end is held by clip fixings attaching the bundl

Assignees

• Inalfa Roof Sys Group Bv

Inventors

• Vervoort Stephan Christiaan
• Albers Thomas Anton Martijnszoon

Classifications

• B60Q3/208 Primary

  Sun roofs; Windows · CPC title

• B60Q3/64

  for a single lighting device · CPC title

• B60J7/04

  with rigid plate-like element or elements {, e.g. open roofs with harmonica-type folding rigid panels (B60J7/061 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60J7/043

  Sunroofs (B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedence){e.g. sliding above the roof} · CPC title

• B60Q3/62

  using light guides · CPC title