Locking mechanism and open roof construction provided there-with

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10875388-B2
Application number	US-201916401432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2019
Priority date	May 3, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A locking mechanism is provided with a locking lever for driving a movable member in a first direction and for locking it in a predetermined position and an operating part for controlling the movement of the locking lever, with cooperating cams and guides for controlling the movement of the locking lever also in a second direction and retaining means for retaining the locking lever in a specific position after a movement in said second direction. The retaining means comprise a retaining member which is movable between a retaining position and a release position. The movement of the retaining member between the retaining and release positions and vice versa is a result of a movement of the operating part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A locking mechanism for a movable member of an open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising a stationary part which is provided with a first guide, a locking lever movable in a first direction configured to drive said movable member and for locking said movable member in a predetermined position and an operating part movable in said first direction configured to control the movement of the locking lever, wherein the locking lever comprises a first cam cooperating with the first guide, which first guide comprises a first guide part extending in a direction substantially in parallel to said first direction and a second guide part connecting to said first guide part and extending in a second direction different from the first direction and capable of receiving the first cam of the locking lever for preventing a further movement of the locking lever in said first direction, wherein the locking lever and the operating part comprise an assembly of a second cam and a second curved guide, wherein a cooperation between the second cam and the second curved guide is capable of generating a force on the locking lever in a first/second sense along the second direction when the operating part is moved in a first/second sense along said first direction, such that the first cam of the locking lever moves into/out of the second guide part of the first guide in said second direction while the second cam moves out of/into the second curved guide, such that, when the first cam is positioned in the first guide part, the locking lever moves in the first direction together with the operating part whereas, when the first cam is positioned in the second guide part and the locking lever is prevented from moving in the first direction, the operating part is capable of moving further in said first direction without the locking lever, and wherein further retaining means are provided which are capable of retaining the locking lever in the position in which the first cam is positioned in the second guide part of the first guide, wherein said retaining means comprise a retaining member which substantially in said first direction is movable relative to the locking lever between a retaining position, when the first cam is positioned in the second guide part, for preventing a movement of the first cam of the locking lever in the second sense along the second direction out of the second guide part, and a release position for allowing such a movement of the first cam, wherein the movement of the retaining member between the retaining and release positions and vice versa in the first direction is a result of a movement of the operating part in said first direction, and wherein the operating part, in the release position, engages the retaining member in such a manner that the retaining member in said release position is incapable of generating a force on the locking lever in said second direction that would prevent a movement of the first cam in the second direction.

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining member for its movement relative to the locking lever is guided in a stationary guide and in its retaining position is located at least partially alongside the locking lever, as considered in said second direction, in such a manner that the retaining member in said retaining position generates a force on the locking lever in said second direction and wherein the operating part in the release position engages the retaining member for keeping it out of engagement with the locking lever in such a manner that the retaining member in said release position cannot generate a force on the locking lever in said second direction.

3. The locking mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said stationary guide also guides the movement of the operating part in said first direction.

4. The locking mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the retaining member and the locking lever are provided with respective engagement surfaces extending substantially in said first direction and located such that these engagement surfaces only in the retaining position of the retaining member are positioned at least partially alongside each other for thus preventing a movement of the first cam of the locking lever in the second sense along the second direction out of the second guide part.

5. The locking mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the retaining member and the locking lever are provided with a stop engaging each other in the retaining position of the retaining member for defining said retaining position.

6. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining member for its movement in said first direction relative to the locking lever is guided on the locking lever by a guiding arrangement and wherein the retaining member is provided with a locking cam and the stationary part is provided with a locking cam guide, and wherein in the retaining position of the retaining member the locking cam engages the locking cam guide for generating a force on the locking lever counteracting a movement of the first cam of the locking lever in the second sense along the second direction out of the second guide part.

7. The locking mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the retaining member and the locking lever comprise an assembly of cooperating guide pin extending in said first direction and guide aperture surrounding the guide pin, which assembly defines said guiding arrangement.

8. The locking mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the guide pin is part of the locking lever and the guide aperture is part of the retaining member.

9. The locking mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the locking cam of the retaining member further is intended for, in the retaining position, directly engaging the first cam of the locking lever for generating a force on the locking lever counteracting a movement of the first cam of the locking lever in the second sense along the second direction out of the second guide part.

10. The locking mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the locking cam and the locking cam guide are provided with cooperating members for, in the retaining position of the retaining member, preventing a movement of the locking cam, and thus of the part of the retaining member connected therewith, in a direction substantially perpendicularly to both the first direction and second direction.

11. The locking mechanism according to claim 10 , wherein the locking cam is provided with a hooked edge intended for engaging behind a protruding edge of the locking cam guide.

12. The locking mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the locking lever and the second guide part are provided with cooperating members for, in the retaining position of the retaining member, preventing a movement of the locking lever in a direction substantially perpendicularly to both the first direction and second direction.

13. The locking mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein the first cam of the locking lever is provided with a protrusion extending substantially in the first direction and intended for engaging behind a protruding edge of the second guide part.

14. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is spring-loaded towards its retaining position by a spring.

15. The locking mechanism according to claim 14 wherein the spring is tension spring of which a first end is connected to the retaining member and of which a second end is connected to the locking lever.

16. The locking mechanism according to claim 15 wherein the spring is positioned in such a manner that the spring force acts substantially i

Assignees

• Inalfa Roof Sys Group Bv

Inventors

• Jungling Rainer Gerhard
• Nellen Marcel Johan Christiaan

Classifications

• B60J7/0435

  pivoting upwardly to vent mode and moving at the outside of the roof to fully open mode · CPC title

• B60J7/043

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

• B60J7/024 Primary

  characterised by the height regulating mechanism of the sliding panel (B60J7/043 - B60J7/053 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60J7/19

  for rigid panels {(B60J7/1851 - B60J7/1856 take precedence)} · 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