Roof cover ducts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11267324-B2
Application number	US-201916460345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2019
Priority date	Jul 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle comprising: an occupant cabin; a retractable roof configured to move between a deployed configuration where the roof covers the occupant cabin and a retracted configuration; a housing configured to house the retractable roof when the roof is in the retracted configuration; and a moveable cover configured to close the housing, the moveable cover comprising: a cover body; and two fins each extending from the cover body, the fins being located on either side of a longitudinal centreline of the vehicle, and the fins each comprising a channel running through the fin from a first side of the fin facing away from the longitudinal centreline to a second side of the fin facing towards the longitudinal centreline.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an occupant cabin;
a retractable roof configured to move between a deployed configuration where the roof covers the occupant cabin and a retracted configuration;
a housing configured to house the retractable roof when the roof is in the retracted configuration; and
a moveable cover configured to close the housing, the moveable cover comprising: a cover body; and two fins each extending from the cover body, the fins being located on either side of a longitudinal centreline of the vehicle, and the fins each comprising a channel running through the fin from a first side of the fin facing away from the longitudinal centreline to a second side of the fin facing towards the longitudinal centreline, wherein each channel originates in an outlet on the second side of the fin, and the outlet is oriented towards a rearward direction of the vehicle,
wherein the fins are constituted by multiple separate parts, the fins each comprising a first part being a projection from the cover body and a second part being a panel attached to the projection, wherein the panel is attached to the cover body rearwardly from the attachment of the panel to the projection, the channel running between the projection from the cover body and the panel.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet is oriented towards the longitudinal centreline of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein each channel originates in an inlet on the first side of the fin, the inlet being oriented towards a forward direction of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein each channel originates in an inlet on the first side of the fin, and at least a portion of the channel at the inlet continues the profile of vehicle bodywork adjacent to the inlet.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein, when rearward flowing air passes into the channel, the channel guides the airflow towards a region of the cover body in line with the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the fins project from the cover body.

7. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the retractable roof comprises a rear edge, and the fins meet the retractable roof along portions of the rear edge of the retractable roof when the retractable roof is in the deployed configuration.

8. A vehicle according to claim 1 , the vehicle comprising a rear window, the rear window being located between the two fins.

9. A vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the rear window is substantially perpendicular to a plane generally defined by the extension of the retractable roof in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when the retractable roof is in the deployed configuration.

10. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the panel is attached to the cover body, the attachment to the cover body being remote from the attachment of the panel to the projection.

11. A vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the panel of each fin comprises a transparent section.

12. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the fins each comprise a transparent section.

13. A vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the transparent section can be seen through from the occupant cabin.

14. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the moveable cover is configured to move between a closed configuration where the moveable cover closes the housing and an open configuration to permit the retractable roof to move between the deployed configuration and the retracted configuration, the cover body and two fins moving as part of the moveable cover.

15. A vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an attachment of the panel to the cover body is separate from the attachment of the panel to the projection.

Assignees

• Mclaren Automotive Ltd

Inventors

• Kay Andrew

Classifications

• B60J7/202 Primary

  being characterised by moveable cover parts for closing the gap between boot lid and rearmost seats · CPC title

• B60J7/223 Primary

  specially adapted for convertible cars · CPC title

• B62D35/007

  Rear spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J7/201

  being outside of vehicle, e.g. onto boot lid, or into a storage compartment to be closed by one of the roof panels itself · CPC title

• B60J7/20

  Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts {or for collapsible flexible tops} · CPC title