Vehicle top structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994673-B2
Application number	US-201916540340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2019
Priority date	Aug 29, 2018
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes a roof molding made of an elastic member disposed in a groove on a roof top surface formed in a coupling portion coupling a roof panel and a right side panel. The roof molding includes a lid portion covering an upper side of an opening portion of the groove. The roof panel includes a slope face descending toward the groove between a base face and the groove. An end of the lid portion of the roof molding extends to the slope face and is in contact with the slope face.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle top structure comprising:
a groove on a top surface of a roof, the groove formed in a coupling portion coupling a roof panel and a side panel of a vehicle; and
a roof molding made of an elastic member and configured to be disposed in the groove, the roof molding including a lid portion configured to cover an upside of an opening portion of the groove, wherein
the roof panel includes a slope face between a base face of the roof panel and the groove, the slope face descending from an end of the base face toward the groove, and
when the roof molding is disposed in the groove, an end of the lid portion closer to the roof panel is in contact with the slope face.

2. The vehicle top structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the roof panel further includes, between the slope face and the groove, a lower step face extending horizontally from an end of the slope face to an open end of the groove at a height lower than the base face, the lower step face being configured to receive the lid portion of the roof molding.

3. The vehicle top structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the roof molding further comprises:
a leg portion extending along a width of the groove, the leg portion having opposite ends configured to be inserted in the groove;
a column portion coupling the lid portion and the leg portion; and
a protrusion formed on an undersurface of the lid portion to extend downward, the protrusion being configured to face the roof panel when the roof molding is disposed in the groove.

4. The vehicle top structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the roof molding further comprises:
a leg portion extending along a width of the groove, the leg portion having opposite ends being configured to press opposite side wall faces of the groove;
a column portion coupling the lid portion and the leg portion; and
a protrusion including a first wall portion disposed on an undersurface of the lid portion at a location further toward the roof panel with respect to the column portion, the first wall portion extending downward, and a second wall portion extending from the first wall portion toward the roof panel, wherein

when the roof molding is disposed within the groove, the second wall portion faces a side wall face closer to the roof panel of the opposite side wall faces of the groove.

5. The vehicle top structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the lid portion includes a brittle part between the protrusion and the column portion, and
when a portion of the lid portion close to the roof panel is lifted upward, the lid portion deforms around the brittle part.

6. The vehicle top structure according to claim 4 , wherein
the lid portion includes a brittle part between the protrusion and the column portion, and
when a portion of the lid portion close to the roof panel is lifted upward, the lid portion deforms around the brittle part.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Manjo Hiroyuki
• Tamaya Tomoharu
• Usui Koji

Classifications

• B60R13/04 Primary

  External} Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices {thereon (fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12) · CPC title

• B60J7/00

  Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels {, e.g. rotary sunroofs}(B60J10/00 takes precedence; window aspects B60J1/00; fixed roofs B62D25/06; mechanisms for operating wings E05F11/00, E05F15/00) · CPC title