Vehicle sunroof device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9511653-B2
Application number	US-201414765106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2014
Priority date	Feb 8, 2013
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle sunroof device includes a movable panel, a guide rail, a sliding member, a check mechanism, and a lock-unlock switching mechanism. The check mechanism locks the forward and backward movement of the movable panel and brings the movable panel into a tilt-up state. The check mechanism includes a rotation check member having either an engagement groove or an engagement projection. When the movable panel moves to the tilt up state, the rotation check member is in a rotation position at which the rotation check member locks movement of the movable panel. In the tilt up state, when the sliding member moves further forward and then moves backward, the rotation check member pivots to move to a pivoting position at which the rotation check member unlocks movement of the movable panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle sunroof device comprising:
a movable panel configured to open and close an opening formed in a roof of a vehicle;
a guide rail configured to be located at an edge in a vehicle width direction of the opening and extend in a vehicle front-rear direction;
a sliding member, which is coupled to an edge in the vehicle width direction of the movable panel and moved in the vehicle front-rear direction along the guide rail;
a check mechanism configured such that, when the sliding member moves toward the front of the vehicle while the movable panel is in a fully closed state, the check mechanism locks movement of the movable panel in the vehicle front-rear direction and frontward movement of the sliding member lifts a linkage between the movable panel and the sliding member so that a rear section of the movable panel with a front section of the movable panel functioning as a pivot so as to bring the movable panel into a tilt up state, and that, when the sliding member moves toward the rear of the vehicle after further moving toward the front of the vehicle while the movable panel is in the tilt up state, the check mechanism maintains the tilt up state and unlocks movement of the movable panel, wherein
the sliding member includes an engagement projection extending in the vehicle width direction,
the check mechanism includes a rotation check member, which includes an engagement groove and is pivotally coupled to the sliding member and pivotal about an axis extending in the vehicle width direction, the engagement groove having an opening that allows the engagement projection to enter the engagement groove and to disengage from the engagement groove,
the rotation check member is configured to move between a first pivoting position at which the rotation check member locks movement of the movable panel and a second pivoting position at which the rotation check member unlocks movement of the movable panel,
when the sliding member moves toward the front of the vehicle to approach the rotation check member while the rotation check member is held at the first pivoting position, the movable panel moves from the fully closed state to the tilt up state,
when the sliding member further moves toward the front of the vehicle in the tilt up state of the movable panel, the engagement projection enters the engagement groove and presses the rotation check member to move the rotation check member to the second pivoting position from the first pivoting position,
when the sliding member moves toward the rear of the vehicle after the further movement of the sliding member toward the front of the vehicle, the engagement projection is engaged with the rotation check member in the engagement groove such that the engagement projection holds the rotation check member at the second pivoting position and the sliding member and the movable panel move integrally.

2. The vehicle sunroof device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the check mechanism includes a check block, which includes an engagement recess and is located in the guide rail,
the rotation check member is pivotal about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction, and is pivotally urged in a direction that, brings the rotation check member into engagement with the engagement recess,
when the movable panel is in the fully closed state, the rotation check member is engaged with the engagement recess and locks movement of the movable panel in the vehicle front-rear direction, and
when the sliding member further moves toward the front of the vehicle while the movable panel is in the tilt up state, the engagement projection presses the engagement groove so that the rotation check member pivots to be disengaged from the engagement recess and unlock movement of the movable panel in the vehicle front-rear direction.

3. The vehicle sunroof device according to claim 2 , wherein
the check block includes a guide member,
the rotation check member is urged away from the engagement projection in the vehicle width direction and includes an insertion recess, and
when the sliding member moves toward the rear of the vehicle after further moving toward the front of the vehicle while the movable panel is in the tilt up state, the rotation check member is guided by the guide member toward the engagement projection in the vehicle width direction while being pressed by the engagement projection so that the engagement projection is inserted into the insertion recess.

Assignees

• Aisin Seiki

Inventors

• Ide Yoshitaka

Classifications

• B60J7/024

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

• B60J7/0435 Primary

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

• B60J7/0573

  power driven arrangements, e.g. electrical · CPC title