Open roof construction for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12049166-B2
Application number	US-202117487998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2021
Priority date	Sep 30, 2020
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

An open roof construction for a vehicle comprises at least one at least semi-transparent panel for closing an opening in a fixed roof part of the vehicle. A retractable sunscreen device is capable of blocking daylight entering through the panel. The sunscreen device includes a sunscreen slidably guided in a pair of guide rails each extending below and along a longitudinal edge of the opening in a longitudinal direction. A light guiding device is attached to each of the guide rails, the light guiding device comprising at least a first light guide for guiding light from a light source to an interior space in the vehicle. The light guiding device on each of the guide rails comprises means to direct light at least in two different directions, one towards a central part of the sunscreen, the other towards an area between the respective guide rail and the panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising at least one at least semi-transparent panel for closing an opening in a fixed roof of the vehicle, a retractable sunscreen device capable of blocking daylight to an interior space below the sunscreen entering through the panel when extended and allowing the daylight to pass to the interior space of the vehicle when retracted, said sunscreen device including a sunscreen slidably guided in a pair of guide rails each extending below and along a longitudinal edge of the opening in the fixed roof in a longitudinal direction, a light guiding device attached to each of the guide rails such that the light guiding devices are closer to each other transversely across the opening than inner sides of the pair of guide rails, said light guiding device comprising at least a first light guide for guiding light from a light source to the interior space in the vehicle, wherein said light guiding device on each of the guide rails is configured to emit light at least in two different directions, one direction being towards a central part of the sunscreen, the other direction being directly towards or directly from an area between the respective guide rail and the panel.

2. The open roof construction according to claim 1 , wherein the first light guide is configured to emit light in said two different directions.

3. The open roof construction according to claim 2 , and further comprising a non-transparent shield partly surrounding the first light guide.

4. The open roof construction according to claim 3 , wherein the shield includes transparent windows at positions to emit light in said two different directions.

5. The open roof construction according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the windows of the shield is open.

6. The open roof construction according to claim 5 , wherein the shield is co-extruded with the first light guide.

7. The open roof construction according to claim 3 , wherein the shield is a part clamped around the first light guide.

8. The open roof construction according to claim 1 , wherein said light guiding device comprises light directing members on an outer circumference of the first light guide directing light out of the first light guide at a position opposite to the light directing members.

9. The open roof construction for a vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the shield of each light guiding device includes a projecting part above the window directing light towards a central part of the sunscreen.

10. The open roof construction according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light guiding device includes a second light guide emitting light to an upright cover covering at least a part of an area between the respective guide rail and the panel, and wherein the second light guide is arranged at a level above the sunscreen.

11. The open roof construction according to claim 10 and wherein the second light guide is arranged at a level above the sunscreen.

12. The open roof construction according to claim 3 , wherein the shield includes an attachment to attach the shield to the guide rail.

13. The open roof construction according to claim 12 , wherein a part of the shield forms a sliding surface for the sunscreen.

14. The open roof construction for a vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the part forms a bottom of a guide groove for guiding a lateral side edge of the sunscreen.

15. The open roof construction for a vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the first or second light guide is either a solid core or a bundle of light guiding fibres surrounded by a cladding.

16. The open roof construction according to claim 1 , wherein the light guiding device sends out light along substantially its complete length so as to illuminate the sunscreen and the panel along a length that is exposed to the interior space of the vehicle.

17. The open roof construction for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first light guide is a solid core.

18. The open roof construction for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first light guide is a bundle of light guiding fibers surrounded by a cladding.

19. An open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising at least one at least semi-transparent panel for closing an opening in a fixed roof of the vehicle, a retractable sunscreen device capable of blocking daylight entering through the panel when extended and allowing the daylight to pass to an interior space of the vehicle when retracted, said sunscreen device including a sunscreen slidably guided in a pair of guide rails each extending below and along a longitudinal edge of the opening in the fixed roof in a longitudinal direction, a light guiding device attached to each of the guide rails, said light guiding device comprising a first light guide the first light guide is configured to emit light in said two different directions, one direction being towards a central part of the sunscreen, the other direction being towards an area between the respective guide rail and the panel, wherein a non-transparent shield partly surrounds the first light guide, and wherein the shield includes windows at the positions to emit light in said two different directions.

20. An open roof construction for a vehicle, comprising at least one at least semi-transparent panel for closing an opening in a fixed roof of the vehicle, a retractable sunscreen device capable of blocking daylight entering through the panel when extended and allowing the daylight to pass to an interior space of the vehicle when retracted, said sunscreen device including a sunscreen slidably guided in a pair of guide rails each extending below and along a longitudinal edge of the opening in the fixed roof in a longitudinal direction, a light guiding device attached to each of the guide rails, said light guiding device comprising a first light guide for guiding light from a light source to the interior space in the vehicle and a second light guide emitting light to or from an upright cover covering at least a part of an area between the respective guide rail and the panel, and wherein the second light guide is arranged at a level above the sunscreen.

Assignees

• Inalfa Roof Sys Group Bv

Inventors

• Van Boxtel Eduardus Christianus Henricus

Classifications

• B60Q3/66

  for distributing light among several lighting devices · CPC title

• B60Q3/64

  for a single lighting device · CPC title

• B60J7/043

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

• B60Q3/208 Primary

  Sun roofs; Windows · CPC title