Vehicle canopy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016023544-A1
Application number	US-201514620041-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 11, 2015
Priority date	Jul 22, 2014
Publication date	Jan 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle canopy includes a vehicle body defining a roof opening. A roof is connected to the vehicle body across the roof opening. A headliner is supported by at least one of the vehicle body and the roof. A frame is supported by the vehicle body. A fabric partition is engaged with the frame and extends across the roof opening between the headliner and the roof. The fabric partition may assist in preventing occupant test dummies and/or other objects from moving through the roof opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle canopy comprising:
a vehicle body defining a roof opening; a roof connected to the vehicle body across the roof opening; a headliner supported by at least one of the vehicle body and the roof; a frame supported by the vehicle body; and a fabric partition engaged with the frame and extending across the roof opening between the headliner and the roof.

2 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame includes an elongated rail and the fabric partition defines a cavity receiving the rail.

3 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 2 wherein the fabric partition includes an upper portion and a lower portion defining the cavity and enveloping the rail.

4 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame includes an elongated rail extending along a perimeter of the roof opening.

5 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame includes an elongated rail including portions extending transversely to each other to define a frame opening aligned with the roof opening, the fabric partition extending across the frame opening between the portions of the elongated rail to cover the frame opening.

6 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame is disposed between the headliner and the roof.

7 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 6 wherein the fabric partition is spaced from the roof.

8 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame includes brackets spaced from each other and engaged with the vehicle body.

9 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 8 wherein the frame includes an elongated rail fixed to the brackets.

10 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 9 wherein the fabric partition defines a cavity receiving the rail.

11 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 10 wherein the fabric partition defines gaps and the brackets extend from the cavity through the gaps.

12 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 9 wherein the fabric partition includes an upper portion and a lower portion defining the cavity and enveloping the rail.

13 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a rotatable mechanism engaged with the headliner, the fabric partition retractably extendable from the rotatable mechanism.

14 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 13 wherein the rotatable mechanism is spring loaded for automatically retracting the fabric partition as the headliner is installed to the at least one of the vehicle body and the roof.

15 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fabric partition is formed from woven nylon.

16 . The vehicle canopy as set forth in claim 15 wherein the frame is formed of metal.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Donabedian Edgar Edward
• Wagner Darrin Neil
• Keller Mark
• Barthelemy Bruno M

Classifications

• B60J7/0015 Primary

  roller blind · CPC title

• B62D25/06 Primary

  Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) · CPC title

• B60R13/0212 Primary

  Roof or head liners (movable head-liners B60J7/0007) · CPC title

• B60J7/08 Primary

  of non-sliding type, i.e. movable or removable roofs or panels, e.g. let-down tops or roofs capable of being easily detached or of assuming a collapsed or inoperative position · CPC title