WO2013160183A1

WO2013160183A1 - Sunroof apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2013160183A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/058072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kozo Ohdoi
Original assignee: Webasto SE
Priority date: 2012-04-26
Filing date: 2013-04-18
Publication date: 2013-10-31
Also published as: JP6059881B2; JP2013226964A

Abstract

To provide a sunroof apparatus capable of simplifying a structure and improving assemblability without losing an indoor opening in the sunroof apparatus provided with a cover member covering, from an indoor side, a clearance between a lifter and a slider provided beneath each of end portion sides in a lateral direction of a panel for opening and closing a roof opening. A panel (7) is provided for closing a roof opening (4) formed in a roof (3) of a vehicle so as to freely open and close, and a lifter (61) attached to the panel (7) and a slider (63) are provided so that the slider (63) moves back and forth to thereby hoist/lower and move the panel (7) back and forth in engagement with the lifter (61), and a cover member (78) is provided for covering a clearance between the lifter (61) and the slider (63) from an indoor side, and the slider (63) is provided with a cover attachment part (79) for attaching and supporting the cover member (78).

Description

SPECIFICATION SUNROOF APPARATUS TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sunroof apparatus. BACKGROUND ART

As a sunroof apparatus, there is a sunroof apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 in the prior art.

This sunroof apparatus is provided with a panel that closes a roof opening formed in a roof of a vehicle with being openable and closable, and also on a lower side of each of lateral end part sides of the panel, provided with: a lifter that is attached to the panel; and a slider that is movable back and forth .

In the sunroof apparatus, by moving the slider backward from a fully closed state where the panel closes the roof opening, the slider engages with the lifer to tilt up the panel such that a rear part of the panel moves up. Also, by further moving the slider backward from the tilted up state, the slider pulls and moves the lifter backward to move the panel backward, and thereby the roof opening is opened.

Further, by moving the slider forward from a fully opened state where the panel fully opens the roof opening, the panel moves forward in the tilted up state, and then tilts down to close the roof opening.

The sunroof apparatus is provided with a cover member that covers a clearance between the lifter and the slider from an indoor side, and also moves back and forth along with the forward and backward movements of the panel at the time of the forward and backward movements of the panel.

Also, the sunroof apparatus is provided with a guide rail that guides the lifter and the slider in a longitudinal direction; the guide rail is provided with a cover guide part that guides the cover member; and the cover member is guided in the longitudinal direction with being fitted into and supported by the cover guide part. Further, in order to move the cover member backward at the time of the backward movement of the panel, the lifter is provided with an engaging pin that engages with the cover member, and in order to move the cover member forward at the time of the forward movement of the panel, one of the cover member and the slider is provided with an engaging part, and also the other one is provided with an engaged part that engages with the engaging part.

CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2011-213338

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

In the sunroof apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 above, the guide rail requires the dedicated guide part that guides the cover member with being movable back and forth, as well as requiring a member for giving rise to a function for moving the cover member back and forth along with the forward and backward movements of the panel, and therefore there is a problem of complicated structure. Also, in the case of providing the guide rail with the dedicated guide part that supports the cover member with being movable back and forth, a lateral width of the guide rail is widened correspondingly, and therefore there is a problem of narrowing an indoor side opening.

Further, in the case of employing structure that makes the guide rail support and guide the cover member, there is a problem of reducing a degree of freedom of layout.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to provide a sunroof apparatus that solves the problems.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM Technical means taken by the present invention in order to solve the technical problems are characterized by the following points:

A first aspect of the present invention is provided with: a panel closing a roof opening formed in a roof of a vehicle so as to freely open and close; a lifter attached to the panel; and a slider which moves back and forth to thereby hoist/lower and move the panel back and forth in engagement with the filter, the filter and the slider provided beneath each of end portion sides in a lateral direction of the panel, wherein

a cover member is provided for covering a clearance between the filter and the slider from an indoor side, and the slider is provided with a cover attachment part for attaching and supporting the cover member. A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the cover member is composed of a lower side cover member attached to the slider and an upper side cover member attached to the lower side cover member, and the upper side cover member is formed of an elastic member. A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the cover member is provided with an attached part to be attached to the cover attachment part provided in the slider from an inward side in a lateral direction.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, the flowing effects are produced.

By attaching the cover member, which covers the clearance between the lifter and the slider from the indoor side, to the slider and supporting the cover member, structure can be simplified, and also by preliminarily assembling the cover member to the slider, assembly can also be simplified.

Also, because it is not that the cover member is structured to be guided with being supported by the guide rail, layout of the cover member in the lateral direction and a height direction can be freely adopted, and also because the guide rail does not require a dedicated guide part that guides the cover member, a lateral width of the guide rail is not widened, and therefore an indoor side opening is not spoiled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle equipped with a sunroof apparatus .

Fig. 2 (a) is a side view illustrating a fully closed state of the sunroof apparatus, and Fig. 2(b) is a side view of the sunroof apparatus in a tilted up state of a front panel Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating a state where the front panel tilts up and a rear panel lifts down and slides.

Fig. 4 (a) is a side view illustrating a fully closed state of the front panel, and Fig. 4 (b) is a side view of a tilted up state of the front panel.

Fig. 5(a) is a side view of a front part of a front panel actuating device in the fully closed state of the front panel, and Fig. 5(b) is a side view of a rear part of the front panel actuating device in the closed state of the front panel.

Fig. 6(a) is a side view of the front part of the front panel actuating device in the tilted up state of the front panel, and Fig. 6 (b) is a side view of the rear part of the front panel actuating device in the tilted up state of the front panel.

Fig. 7 is a partially enlarged side view of a state where the front panel tilts up and the rear panel lifts down and slides .

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a front lifter.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a front slider and a cable fixture .

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a drawing engaging part and a drawing engaged part as viewed from a back surface side.

Fig. 11(a) is a side view of an uplift restricting part, Fig. 11(b) is a perspective view of the uplift restricting part , and Fig. 11(c) is a perspective view of an uplift restricted part .

Fig. 12(a) is an A-A line arrow cross-sectional view of Fig. 4, and Fig. 12 (b) is a B-B line arrow cross-sectional view of Fig. 13.

Fig. 13 (a) is a side view of a rear part of the sunroof apparatus as viewed from an outdoor side, and Fig. 13(b) is a side view of the rear part of the sunroof apparatus as viewed from an indoor side.

Fig. 14 (a) is a side view of a front part of a rear panel actuating device in a fully closed state of the rear panel, and Fig. 14(b) is a side view of a rear part of the rear panel actuating device in the fully closed state of the rear panel.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a rear lifter.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a rear slider.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a cover member. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of part of the cover member and part of the rear slider.

Fig. 19 is a C-C line arrow cross-sectional view of Fig.

13.

Fig. 20 is a D-D line arrow cross-sectional view of Fig.

13.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following, an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a plan view of a vehicle 1 equipped with a sunroof apparatus 2, in which on a front part side of a roof 3 of the vehicle 1, a rectangular-shaped roof opening 4 is formed, and the roof opening 4 is closed by front and rear panels 6 and 7.

The roof 3 of the vehicle 1 is formed in a gently curved shape that is convex upward in a lateral direction and in a longitudinal direction, and the front and rear panels 6 and 7 are also formed in curved shapes, respectively, so as to correspond to the curved shape of the roof. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions are in accordance with directions as viewed from a driver sitting on a driver's seat. Also, a laterally inward direction refers to a direction from any of lateral end parts of the vehicle 1 toward a laterally center part of the vehicle 1, and a laterally outward direction refers to a direction from the laterally center part of the vehicle 1 toward any of the lateral end parts. Accordingly, as viewed from a member provided at any of lateral side parts of the vehicle 1, a laterally inner side refers to a laterally center side of the vehicle 1, and a laterally outer side refers to any of sides opposite to the laterally center side of the vehicle 1.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the sunroof apparatus 2 is provided with: the front side panel 6 (referred to as a front panel) that closes a front part of the roof opening 4 with being openable and closable; the rear side panel 7 (referred to as a rear panel) that closes a rear part of the roof opening 4 with being openable and closable; a frame 8 that is attached and fixed on the lower surface side of the roof 3; panel actuating devices 9 that perform open/close actuation of the front panel 6 (referred to as front panel actuating devices) ; panel actuating devices 10 that perform open/close actuation of the rear panel 7 (referred to as rear panel actuating devices) ; a driving motor 11 that drives the panel actuating devices 9 and 10; and drive cables 12 that transmit power of the driving motor 11 to the front and rear panel actuating devices 9 and 10.

The sunroof apparatus 2 is a sunroof apparatus 2 of a type that drives the front panel actuating devices 9 (front panel 6) and the rear panel actuating devices 10 (rear panel 7) by using the one driving motor 11.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the frame 8 is provided with: a left-and-right pair of guide rails 13 that extend in the longitudinal direction; a front frame member 14 that connects front end sides of the left and right guide rails 13 to each other; and a rear frame member 15 that connects longitudinally intermediate parts of the left and right guide rails 13 to each other, and a space between the front and rear frame members 14 and 15 and between the left and right guide rails 13 is defined as a frame opening 16 (an indoor side opening of the sunroof apparatus 2 ) .

Front parts of the left and right guide rails 13 are positioned on lower sides of lateral side edge parts of the roof opening 4, respectively; the front frame member 14 is positioned on a lower side of a front edge part of the roof opening 4; and the rear frame member 15 is positioned on a lower side of a rear edge part of the roof opening 4. Accordingly, the frame opening 16 is positioned in a location corresponding to a lower side of the roof opening 4, and the frame opening 16 is adapted to be openable and closable by an unillustrated sunshade.

The driving motor 11 is attached to the front frame member 14; near the driving motor 11, a drive gear 17 that is rotationally driven by the driving motor 11 is provided; the drive gear 17 gears with the drive cables 12 ; and by rotationally driving the drive gear 17 by the driving motor 11, the drive cables 12 are configured to be pushed/pulled in a longer direction.

The front panel actuating devices 9 and the rear panel actuating devices 10 are provided as left-and-right pairs, respectively; the front panel actuating devices 9 are arranged on lower sides of lateral end part sides (lateral side edge part sides) of the front panel 6 (provided between the front panel 6 and guide rails 13) , respectively; and the rear panel actuating devices 10 are arranged on lower sides of lateral end part sides (lateral side edge part sides) of the rear panel 7 (provided between the rear panel 7 and the guide rails 13) , respectively .

Further, the drive cables 12 are also provide as a pair correspondingly to the left-and-right pairs of front and rear panel actuating devices 9 and 10.

The guide rails 13 are formed by extrusion molding in a gently curved shape that is convex upward, and as illustrated in Fig. 12, each of the guide rails 13 has: a panel guide part 18; a sunshade guide part 19 that is provided on the laterally inner side of the panel guide part 18; and a gutter part 21 that is provided on the laterally outer side of the panel guide part 18.

The panel guide part 18 is, along a longer direction of the guide rail 13, formed with: first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B that use an upper surface of a bottom wall 22 of the guide rail 13 as a sliding surface, and are present as a pair on laterally inner and outer sides, respectively; a third slide guide groove 23C that is positioned on an upper side of the second slide guide groove 23B; a timing guide groove 24 that is positioned on an upper side of the first slide guide groove 23A; a cable guide groove 25 that is positioned on a laterally outer side of the first slide guide groove 23B; and an auxiliary groove 26 that is positioned on an upper side of the timing guide groove 24.

The first slide guide groove 23A is formed in a U-shape that opens toward the laterally outer side; the second slide guide groove 23B and the third slide guide groove 23C are formed in U-shapes that open toward the laterally inner side, respectively; and the first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B are adapted to face to each other in the lateral direction. Also, between the first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B, the panel guide part 18 is formed in a shape that opens upward.

The timing guide groove 24 and the auxiliary groove 26 are formed in U-shapes that open toward the laterally outer side, respectively, and the third slide guide groove 23C and the timing guide groove 24 are adapted to face to each other in the lateral direction.

The cable guide groove 25 is communicatively connected to the second slide guide groove 23B, and also inserted with a corresponding one of the drive cables 12 from a front side.

The front panel actuating devices 9 are ones that tilt up and down (move up and down) the front panel 6 and also move the front panel 6 back and forth in a tilted up state, and as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, the front panel actuating devices 9 have lifters 28 (referred to as front lifters) and sliders 30 (referred to as front sliders) , respectively.

The front lifters 28 are formed to have a length over a range from a substantially front end part to a substantially rear end part of the front panel 6, and arranged on the lower sides of the lateral end part sides (lateral side edge sides) of the front panel 6, respectively.

Also, as illustrated in Fig. 12(a), each of the front lifters 28 is arranged so as to be movable back and forth between the first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B of the panel guide part 18. Further, the front lifter 28 is attached to an attachment bracket 31 fixed on a lower surface side of a corresponding one of the side edge sides of the front panel 6 through a bolt 29 or the like.

As illustrated in Fig. 8 and other drawings, attachment parts 27 to be attached to the attachment bracket 31 are provided in two, i.e., front and rear, locations of the front lifter 28. Also, as illustrated in Fig. 12(a), a bolt insertion hole 35 formed in the attachment bracket 31 is formed in a long hole shape that is vertically long, and enables a vertical position of the front panel 6 to be adjusted (height adjustable) . As illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 8, on a front end side of the front lifter 28, a front bracket 32 is pivotally supported and connected through a pivot 33 so as to rotatable around the lateral shaft, and on both of left and right sides of the front bracket 32, slide shoes 34 fitted into the respective, i.e., first and second, slide guide grooves 23 so as to be slidable in the longer direction are attached.

Also, in a front part of the front lifter 28, a tilt guide groove 36 (up-and-down movement engaging part) is provided so as to penetrate in the lateral direction. The tilt guide groove 36 is formed in a tilt shape that has a falling gradient backward.

The front slider 30 is arranged in a lower side of the front lifter 28, and one that is supported by a panel guide part 18 of a corresponding one of the guide rails 13 so as to be longitudinally movable (movable in the longer direction) , and by moving back and forth, drives a corresponding one of the front panel actuating devices 9 to perform open/close actuation of the front panel 6 (by moving back and forth, moves up and down and moves back and forth the front panel 6) .

The front slider 30 is, as illustrated in fig. 9, configured to mainly include a slider main body 37, and an extension member 38 that is arranged on a rear side of the slider main body 37 and extends backward from the slider main body 37. As illustrated in Fig. 9, the slider main body 37 is arranged between the first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B of the panel guide part 18 of the guide rail 13, and has a bottom wall 39 and a pair of side walls 40 that rises from both of laterally inner and outer sides of the bottom wall 39.

As illustrated in Fig. 12 (a) , in a location corresponding to a clearance between the inner and outer side walls 40 of the slider main body 37, the front lifter 28 is arranged. On a lower end side of the inner side wall 40 of the slider main body 37, slide shoes 41 that are fitted into the first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B so as to be slidable in the longer direction are provided, and by the slide shoes 41 sliding inside the slide guide grooves 23A and 23B, the front slider 30 is adapted to be movable back and forth.

Also, a lower end of the outer side wall 40 of the slider main body 37 is provided with a cable fixture 42 that is movable in the second slide guide groove 23B and cable guide groove 25 in the longer direction, and the cable fixture 42 is fixed with a corresponding one of the drive cables 12. Accordingly, the drive cable 12 is pushed and pulled in the longer direction, and thereby the front slider 30 is configured to move back and forth . A front part of the inner side wall 40 of the slider main body 37 is provided with a timing cancel part 43.

As illustrated in Fig. 9, on a front part side of the slider main body 37, a left-and-right pair of extended pieces 44 that extends upward from the inner and outer side walls 40 so as to sandwich the front lifter 28, and in upper parts of the extended pieces 44, a tilt pin 45 that penetrates through the inner and outer extended pieces 44 and is also inserted into the tilt guide groove 36 of the front lifter 28 is provided. An attachment part 46 on a rear end side of the extension member 38 is provided with a slide shoe 47 that is slidable in the third slide guide groove 23 in the longer direction.

In the front panel actuating device 9 having the configuration, as illustrated in Figs. 2(a), 4(a), and 5, in a closed state of the front panel 6 where the front panel 6 closes the front part of the roof opening 4, the tilt pin 45 is positioned on a front end side of the tilt guide groove 36. In the case of moving the front slider 30 backward from the closed state of the front panel 6, as illustrated in Figs. 2 (b) , 4 (b) , and 6, the tilt pin 45 moves backward in the tilt guide groove 36, and thereby the front panel 6 performs a tilt up operation at substantially the same location in the longitudinal direction (in a front part location of the roof opening 4) such that a rear part thereof rises (tilts backward) around the pivot 33 in the front part of the front lifter 28.

At this time, an engaging part of an unillustrated timing member provided for the front lifter 28 is locked by a locking part provided for the guide rail 13, and thereby a backward movement of the front lifter 28 (front panel 6) is restricted.

After that, when the tilt pin 45 moves to a rear end of the tilt guide groove 36, the front panel 6 comes into a fully tilted up state as illustrated in Fig. 3. When the front panel 6 comes into the fully tilted up state, the timing cancel part 43 of the front slider 30 engages with the engaging part of the timing member, and thereby the engaging part is released downward from the locking part of the guide rail 13 to come into the timing guide groove 24, which enables the front lifter 28 (front panel 6) to move backward.

In the case of moving the front slider 30 further backward from a state where the front panel 6 comes into the fully tilted up state, the front slider 30 pulls and moves the front lifter 28 backward, so that as illustrated in Fig. 3, the front panel

6 moves backward with remaining in the fully tilted up state, and opens the roof opening 4 as well as overlapping an upper side of a rear part of the roof 3.

At this time, the rear panel 7 moves down in conjunction with the backward movement of the front panel 6, and then moves backward so as to get into the lower side of the rear panel 7. The operation of getting into the lower side of the rear panel

7 will be described later.

Figs. 3 and 7 illustrate states during the backward movement of the front panel 6. Also, in Figs. 2 to 7, a cross section of the front panel 6, rear panel 7, or roof 3 is illustrated along a laterally middle of the vehicle 1. Any of lateral end part sides of the roof 3 is positioned at a lower position than a center side, and in Figs. 3 and 7, the front lifter 28 is positioned on an upper side of the roof 3. Also, in the case moving the front slider 30 forward from a fully opened state of the front panel 6 where the front panel 6 fully opens the roof opening 4, in the manner opposite to that described above, the front panel 6 moves forward with remaining in the fully tilted up state, and tilts down (the rear part of the front panel 6 moves down) at a location corresponding to the front part of the roof opening 4 to block the front part of the roof opening 4.

The front panel actuating device 9 is provided with: drawing means 48 adapted to be able to draw the front panel 6 downward at the tilt down time of the front panel 6; and uplift restriction means 49 adapted to restrict a rear end side of the front panel 6 from being uplifted in a fully closed state of the front panel 6. The drawing means 48 is, as illustrated in Figs. 5 (a) and 6 (a) , configured to include; a drawing engaging part 51 provided on the front slider 30; and a drawing engaged part 52 provided in the front lifter 28.

The drawing engaging part 51 is, as illustrated in Figs.

9 and 10, provided on a rear part side of the slider main body 37 of the front slider 30. Specifically, in a rear part of the slider main body 37 of the front slider 30, a rising piece 53 extending upward from each of the left and right side walls 40 is provided, and each of parts (referred to as drawing pins) projected in opposite directions toward opposite inner sides of pin forming members 54 fixed on upper end sides of the respective rising pieces 53 forms the drawing engaging part 51. The drawing engaged part 52 is, as illustrated in Figs.

8 and 10, provided in the front part of the front lifter 28 and on a rear side of the tile guide groove 36. Specifically, a cam forming member 55 is fixed in the front part of the front lifter 28 and on the rear side of the tilt guide groove 36, and a cam groove (referred to as a drawing groove) formed on each of both left and right sides of the cam forming member 55 forms the drawing engaged part 52.

The drawing groove 52 is formed long in the longitudinal direction, and also formed in a shape that opens backward; the drawing groove 52 on a laterally inner side is formed in a shape that opens laterally inward; and the drawing groove 52 on a laterally outer side is formed in a shape that opens laterally outward .

A groove lower surface of each of the drawing grooves 52 is formed such that a front part thereof is formed as a straight surface 56a, which is straight in the longitudinal direction, and a rear part thereof is formed as a tilted surface 56b (referred to as a drawing tilted surface) , which is tilted downward toward a rear side (has a rising gradient forward) .

The cam forming member 55 (drawing grooves 52) is positioned near a front side of a rear edge 4a of the roof opening 4 in the fully opened state of the front panel 6 where the front panel 6 fully opens the roof opening 4.

Note that the drawing engaging part may serve as the drawing grooves 52, and the drawing engaged part may serve as the drawing pin 51.

The uplift restriction means 49 is, as illustrated in

Figs . 5 (b) and 6 (b) , configured to include an uplift restricting part 57 provided on the front slider 30 and an uplift restricted part 58 provided on the front lifter 28. The uplift restricting part 57 is, as illustrated in Figs .

9, 11 (a) , and 11 (b) , provided on a rear end side of the front slider 30. Specifically, a groove (referred to as a shutting groove) formed on a groove forming member 59 fixed on the attachment part 46 on a rear end side of the extension member 38 of the front slider 30 forms the uplift restricting part 57.

The shutting groove 57 is formed as a longitudinally long and substantially straight groove, and also formed in a shape that opens frontward and laterally inward. A front end side of the shutting groove 57 (insertion side of the uplift restricted part 58) is provided with a tilted surface 60 (referred to as a lowering tilted surface) that is tilted upward toward the front side (has a falling gradient backward) . The lowering tilted surface 60 is provided in continuity with a groove upper surface 57a of the shutting groove 57.

The uplift restricted part 58 is, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 11 (c) , provided on a lower end side of a rear end side of the front lifter 28. Specifically, a lower end of a rear part side of the front lifter 28 is provided with an extended wall 61 that extends laterally outward from the lower end, and a projection part (referred to as a shutting pin) that is provided on a rear end side of the extended wall 61 so as to project laterally outward forms the uplift restricted part 58.

Note that the uplift restricting part may serve as the shutting pin 58, and the uplift restricted part may serve as the shutting groove 57.

When the front panel 6 tilts down, the front slider 30 moves forward; also the front lifter 28 moves down; and the drawing pins 51 get in the drawing groove 52 from the rear side.

Also, for example, in the case where force preventing the front panel 6 from moving down acts on the front panel 6 by wind pressure during traveling, the drawing pins 51 engage with the drawing tilted surface 56b of the drawing groove 52 to thereby give rise to a "drawing action" that draws the front lifter 28 downward, and therefore the front panel 6 can be forcibly drawn down .

When the drawing pins 51 engage with the drawing tilted surface 56b of the drawing groove 52, the lowering tilted surface 60 and the shutting groove 57 are positioned on a rear side of the shutting pin 58.

Then, when the drawing pin 51 passes the drawing tilted surface 56b of the drawing groove 52 to reach the straight surface 56a in a front part of the drawing groove 52 (after the end of the drawing action on the front panel 6 by the drawing tilted surface 56b) , the lowering tilted surface 60 engages with the shutting pin 58 to thereby draw the front lifter 28 downward, and therefore the front panel 6 can be forcibly drawn down.

When the front panel 6 moves down to come into the fully closed state of closing the front part of the roof opening 4, the lowering tilted surface 60 passes the shutting pin 58, and the shutting pin 58 gets in the shutting groove 57 to restrict the rear part of the front panel 6 from being uplifted.

In the configuration, in the case where the drawing groove 52 (drawing engaged part 52) that enables the front panel 6 to be drawn downward at the time of the tilt down of the front panel 6 is provided at a rear end of the front lifter 28, interference between the drawing groove 52 and the roof 3 should be avoided at the time of fully opening the front panel 6, which prevents a vertical total thickness of the sunroof apparatus 1 from being thinning; however, in the present embodiment, the drawing groove 52 is provided in the front part of the front lifter 28, so that it is not necessary to take into account the interference between the drawing groove 52 and the roof 3 at the time of fully opening the front panel 6, and therefore a height of the rear part of the front panel 6 (height of the rear end of the front lifter 28) at the time of the tilt up can be lowered to thin the vertical total thickness of the sunroof apparatus 1. Also, in the case where the front panel 6 is adapted to be drawn at the time of the tilt down only by the front part of the front lifter 28, the uplift restriction on the rear end side of the front panel 6 at the time of fully closing the front panel 6 becomes loose; however, in the present embodiment, the shutting groove 57 that engages with the shutting pin 58 provided for the front slider 30 to restrict the uplift of the rear end of the front panel 6 in the fully closed state of the front panel 6 is provided on the rear end side of the front lifter 28, and therefore a function of the uplift restriction on the rear end of the front panel 6 can be ensured.

In addition, in the fully closed state of the front panel 6, three locations in the longitudinal direction, i.e., an engagement part between the tilt guide groove 36 and the tilt pin 45, an engagement part between the drawing pins 51 and the drawing groove 52, and an engagement part between the shutting groove 57 and the shutting pin 58, support the front panel 6, and therefore support stiffness in the fully closed state of the front panel 6 is improved.

Also, a lowering function at the time of the tilt down of the front panel 6 is adapted to be performed with being shared by the drawing tilted surface 56b in the front part and the lowering tilted surface 60 in the rear part, and therefore a vertical size of the drawing groove 52 can be thinned to compactly form the drawing groove 52.

The rear panel actuating devices 10 are ones that move the rear panel 7 up and down and also back and forth, and as illustrated in Fig. 13, have lifters 61 (referred to as rear lifters), timing links 62, and rear sliders 63, respectively.

The rear lifters 61 are formed to have a length over a range from a substantially front end to a substantially rear end of the rear panel 7, and arranged on lower sides of lateral end part sides (lateral side edge sides) of the rear panel 7.

Also, as illustrated in Fig. 12(b), each of the rear lifters 61 is arranged in a location corresponding to a clearance between the first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B of the panel guide part 18 so as to be movable back and forth .

Also, the rear lifter 61 is, through a bolt 65 or the like, attached to an attachment bracket 64 fixed on a lower surface side of a corresponding one of the side edge sides of the rear panel 7.

As illustrated in Fig. 15 as well, attachment parts 66 to be attached to the attachment bracket 64 are provided in two, i.e., front and rear, locations. Also, as illustrated in Fig. 12 (b) , a bolt insertion hole 67 formed in the attachment bracket 64 is formed in a long hole shape that is vertically long, and enables a vertical position of the rear panel 7 to be adjusted (height adjustable) .

On both of laterally inner and outer side surfaces of the rear lifter 61, as illustrated in Figs. 12 (b) , 13, and 14, lift guide grooves 68 (cam grooves) are formed in front and rear parts, respectively.

Each of the lift guide grooves 68 is formed such that a front part thereof is formed in a straight shape in the longitudinal direction, and a part from a middle part to a rear part thereof is formed in a tilt shape that has a rising gradient backward .

As illustrated in Fig. 13, the timing link 62 is arranged on a rear side of the rear lifter 61, and a front end side thereof is pivotally supported by and connected to a rear end side of the rear lifter 61 through a pivot 69 so as to be rotationally movable around the lateral shaft. On a rear end side of the timing link 62, a slide shoe 70 that is slidably fitted into the timing guide groove 24 is provided and supported.

An intermediate part of the timing link 62 is provided with a timing member 71. The rear timing member 71 is positioned on the laterally inner side of the timing link 62, and adapted to be locked by a locking part provided for the guide rail 13 to thereby restrict the rear lifter 61 from moving back and force, and released downward from the locking part to be thereby able to move in the timing guide groove 24 in the longer direction.

The rear slider 63 is, as illustrated in Fig. 13, formed to have a length over a range from a front part to a rear part of the rear lifter 61. Also, the rear slider 63 is, as illustrated in Fig. 12 (b) , arranged on a lower side of the rear lifter 61; is supported by the panel guide part 18 of the guide rail 13 so as to be movable back and forth (movable in the longer direction); and by moving back and forth, drives a corresponding one of the rear panel actuating devices 10 to perform an open/close operation of the rear panel 7 (move the rear panel 7 up and down and also back and forth) .

The rear slider 63 has, as illustrated in Figs. 12 (b) and 16, a bottom wall 72, a pair of side walls 73 that rise from both laterally inner and outer sides of the bottom wall 72.

On a lower end side of the laterally inner and outer side walls 73 in the lateral direction of the rear slider 63, slide shoes 74 fitted into the first and second slide guide grooves 23A and 23B so as to be slidable in the longer direction are provided, and by the slide shoes 74 sliding inside the slide guide grooves 23A and 23B, the rear slider 63 is adapted to be movable back and forth. Each of a front and rear parts of the rear slider 63 is provided with a left-and-right pair of engaging shoes 75; the front side engaging shoes 75 are slidably fitted into the front side lift guide grooves 68, respectively; and the rear side engaging shoes 75 are slidably fitted into the rear side lift guide grooves 68, respectively.

The respective engaging shoes 75 are attached to upper parts of attachment pieces 76 that are provided with extending upward from front parts and rear parts of the inner and outer side walls 73 of the rear slider 63.

As illustrated in Fig. 16, a front end side of the rear slider 63 is provided with a connecting member 77 that is connected to a rear end side of a slider main body 37 of a corresponding one of the front sliders 30. The connecting member 77 engages with the guide rail 13 to restrict the rear slider 63 from moving back and forth until being connected to the slider main body 37 of the front slider 30, and after having been connected to the slider main body 37 of the front slider 30, the connecting member 77 is released from the guide rail 13 to enable the rear slider 63 to move back and forth.

In the rear panel actuating device 10 having the configuration, the front panel 6 is moved backward in the fully tilted up state, and at a position illustrated in Fig. 13 where the front panel 6 is in the middle of the backward movement, the rear end side of the slider main body 37 of the front slider 30 is connected with the connecting member 77 on the front end side of the rear slider 63. This enables the rear slider 63 to move back and forth integrally with the front slider 30.

In the case of moving the rear slider 63 backward in a fully closed state of the rear panel 7 where the rear panel 7 blocks the rear part of the roof opening 4, the front side engaging shoes 75 slide backward in the front side lift guide grooves 68, respectively, and also the rear side engaging shoes 75 slide backward in the rear side lift guide grooves 68, respectively, whereby as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7, the front and rear of the rear panel 7 move down (lift down) to enable the rear panel 7 to get into the lower side of the rear part of the roof 3.

During the downward movement of the rear panel 7, the timing member 71 in the intermediate part of the timing link 62 is locked by the locking part of the guide rail 13, whereby the rear lifter 61 is restricted from moving backward and also the timing link 62 moves down in conjunction with the rear panel 7.

Then, after the engaging shoes 75 have reached rear ends of the lift guide grooves 68 to complete the lift down of the rear panel 7, the timing member 71 is released from the engaging part to get in the timing guide groove 24, and thereby the backward movement of the rear lifter 61 (rear panel 7) is made possible.

In the case of, from this state, moving the front slider 30 and the rear slider 63 further backward, the rear panel 7 moves backward together with the front panel 6, and the rear panel 7 moves toward the lower side of the rear part of the roof 3 to achieve a sunroof full open state where the rear panel 7 is contained on the lower side of the rear part of the roof 3, and the rear part of the front panel 6 overlaps the upper side of the rear part of the roof 3.

In addition, in the case of, from the sunroof full open state, moving the front slider 30 and the rear slider 63 forward, the front panel 6 moves forward in the fully tilted up state, and then tilts down to close the front part of the roof opening 4, and the rear panel 7 moves forward, and then lifts up (moves up) to close the rear part of the roof opening 4.

The rear panel actuating device 10 is, as illustrated in Fig. 13, provided with a cover member 78 that, in order to prevent foreign matter from being sandwiched between the rear lifter 61 and the rear slider 63 or the guide rail 13 during the lift down of the rear panel 7 (during the downward movement of the rear lifter 61), covers a clearance between the rear lifter 61 and the rear slider 63 or the guide rail 13 from the indoor side.

The cover member 78 is attached to the rear slider 63 and supported by the rear slider 63. Accordingly, the cover member 78 moves in the longitudinal direction integrally with the rear slider 63.

The rear slider 63 is, as illustrated in Figs. 16 and 18, at intervals in the longitudinal direction, provided with a plurality of cover attachment parts 79 for attaching the cover member 78.

Each of the cover attachment parts 79 is, as illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19, configured to include: a rising wall 81 that rises upward from the side wall 73 on the laterally inner side of the rear slider 63; an extended wall 82 that is extended from an upper end of the rising wall 81 toward the laterally inner side; and a locking piece 84 that extends obliquely upward toward the laterally outer side from a laterally inner end side of a rectangular-shaped opening 83 formed over a range from the rising wall 81 to the extended wall 82. The locking piece is adapted to be elastically deformable. In the present embodiment, the cover attachment parts 79 are provided on front and rear end sides of the rear slider 63 and in two locations of a longitudinally halfway part of the rear slider 63, i.e., provided in the four locations in total.

The cover member 78 is, as illustrated in Figs. 13(b), 16, and 17, configured to mainly include: a lower side cover 85 that is attached to the rear slider 63; and an upper side cover 86 that is attached to the lower side cover 85.

The lower side cover 85 is formed of material having stiffness, such as metal, and as illustrated in Fig. 17, has: a lower cover main body 87 that is long in the longitudinal direction; attached parts 88 that are attached to the cover attachment parts 79 provided on the rear slider 63; and a rail engaging part 89 that engages with the guide rail 13 so as to be movable in the longer direction.

The lower cover main body 87 is, as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, in a state of being attached to the rear slider 63 and in the state where the rear panel 7 lifts up, formed to have a length over a range from a front end of the rear lifter 61 to a rear end of the rear slider 63, and positioned on the laterally inner side of the rear slider 63.

Also, as illustrated in Figs. 19 and 20, in the state where the lower cover main body 87 is attached to the rear slider 63, a lower part thereof overlaps in the lateral direction with a wall part 26a that forms a laterally inner side of the auxiliary groove 26 of the panel guide part 18.

Also, the lower cover main body 87 is, as illustrated in Figs. 18, 19, and 20, formed with a retaining groove 90, which is formed from an upper surface thereof toward a lower side thereof, from a front end to a rear end thereof.

The attached parts 88 are, as illustrated in Fig. 17, formed corresponding to the cover attachment parts 79, and in the present embodiment, provided in a front part of the lower cover main body 87, on a rear end side of the lower cover main body 87, and in two locations of a longitudinally halfway part of the lower cover main body 87, i.e., provided in the four locations in total.

Each of the attached parts 88 has: an upper wall 91 that extends laterally outward from an upper end of the lower cover main body 87; and a lower wall 92 that is arranged on a lower side of the upper wall 91 at an interval and extends laterally outward from the lower cover main body 87.

The upper wall 91 of the attached part 88 is, as illustrated in Fig. 18, formed with a locking hole 93 that is rectangular-shaped in a plan view. Also, a lower surface of the upper wall 91 on an extension end side (laterally outer side) is, as illustrated in Fig. 19, formed with a guide surface 94 that has a rising gradient laterally outward.

The lower wall 92 of the attached part 88 is, as illustrated in Fig. 18, formed to have a longitudinal width wider than that of the upper wall 91, and from front and rear end parts of the lower wall 92, vertical walls 95 are extended upward. The front and rear vertical walls 95 are connected to extension walls 96 that are provided with being extended laterally outward from the upper end of the lower cover main body 87.

The extension walls 96 are, as illustrated in Fig. 17, provided on a front side of the upper wall 91 of the front end attached part 88, between the upper walls 91 of the

longitudinally adjacent attached parts 88, and on a rear side of the upper wall 91 of the rear end attached part 88.

The lower side cover 85 is attached to the rear slider 63 by inserting the extended walls 82 of the cover attachment parts 79 of the rear slider 63 between the upper and lower walls 91 and 92 of the attached parts 88. That is, at the time of inserting the extended walls 82 of the cover attachment parts 79 between the upper and lower walls 91 and 92 of the attached parts 88, the locking pieces 84 of the cover attachment parts 79 are guided by the guide surfaces 94 of the attached parts 88 and elastically deformed, whereby the extended walls 82 of the cover attachment parts 79 are inserted between the upper and lower walls 91 and 92 of the attached parts 88, and when the locking pieces 84 of the cover attachment parts 79 reach positions corresponding to the locking holes 93 of the upper walls 91 of the attached parts 88, the elastic deformation of the locking pieces 84 is restored; then as illustrated in Fig. 19, the locking pieces 84 are locked by laterally outward edge parts of the locking holes 93 of the upper walls 91 of the attached parts 88 ; and thereby the extended walls 82 of the cover attachment parts 79 are prevented from being released from between the upper and lower walls 91 and 92 of the attached parts 88. The rail engaging part 89 is provided on a front side of the front end attached part 88. The rail engaging part 89 is fitted by the auxiliary groove 26 of the guide rail 13, and a wall part 26b forming an upper surface of the auxiliary groove 26 from the rear side, and adapted to be movable back and forth along the guide rail 13.

Also, between the rail engaging part 89 and the guide rail 13, backlash is present, and in a state where the rail engaging part 89 engages with the guide rail 13, the lower side cover 85 is swingable vertically and laterally within predetermined ranges .

The upper side cover 86 is formed of an elastic member such as rubber or resin; formed to have the same length as that of the lower cover main body 87 in the longitudinal direction; and positioned on a laterally inner side of the rear lifter 61.

The upper side cover 86 has: an upper cover main body 96 that is positioned on an upper side of the lower side cover 85; and a lower insertion part 97 that is inserted into the retaining groove 90 of the lower cover main body 87.

The upper cover main body 96 has: a bottom wall 98 that is overlapped from an upper side on an upper surface of the lower cover main body 87; and a vertical wall 99 that is provided with being extended upward from a laterally inner end of the bottom wall 98.

The insertion part 97 includes: an insertion base part 100 that is extended downward from a laterally center part of the upper cover main body 96; and release preventing parts 101 that are formed in an obliquely upward tilted shape on both of lateral surfaces of the insertion base part 100.

In the cover member 78 having the configuration, by attaching the cover member 78, which covers the clearance between the rear lifter 61 and the rear slider 63 or the guide rail 13 from the indoor side, to the rear slider 63, and supporting the cover member 78, structure can be simplified.

Also, the cover member 78 can be preliminarily assembled to the rear slider 63, and by assembling the cover member 78 to the rear slider 63, assembly can also be simplified.

Further, in the case of, in a state where the rear lifter 61 is attached and fixed to the rear panel 7 and assembled to the guide rail 13, and the rear slider 63 and the cover member 78 are assembled to the guide rail 13, in order to align the vertical position of the rear panel 7 with the roof 3, adjusting the vertical position of the rear panel 7, by keeping a state of, without attaching the cover member 78 to the rear slider 63, removing the attached parts 88 of the cover member 78 from the cover attachment parts 79 of the rear slider 63, the vertical position adjustment of the rear panel 7 can be easily made.

That is, as described above, in the state where the rail engaging part 89 engages with the guide rail 13, the cover member 78 is vertically swingable within the predetermined range, and therefor by keeping a state of lowering the cover member 78, the vertical position adjustment of the rear panel 7 can be easily made.

Also, in the state where the rail engaging part 89 engages with the guide rail 13, the cover member 78 is laterally swingable within the predetermined range, and therefore even in the state where the rail engaging part 89 engages with the guide rail 13, by moving the cover member 78 from the laterally inner side toward an approaching direction with respect to the rear slider 63, and fitting the attached parts 88 into the cover attachment parts 79 such that the extended walls 82 of the cover attachment parts 79 are inserted between the upper and lower walls 91 and 92 of the attached parts 88, the cover member 78 can be attached to the rear slider 63. Further, because it is not that the cover member 78 is structured to be supported by the guide rail 13, layout of the cover member 78 in the lateral direction and in the height direction can be freely adopted, and also because a dedicated guide part that guides the cover member 78 to the guide rail 13 is not required, a lateral width of the guide rail 13 is never widened, and the indoor side opening of the sunroof apparatus 1 is never spoiled.

In addition, the upper side cover 86 and the lower side cover 85 may be integrally formed of the same material such as metal or resin. Also, it is not necessary to provide the lower side cover 85 of the cover member 78 with the rail engaging part 89.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

3 Roof

4 Roof opening

7 Panel (rear panel)

61 Lifter (rear lifter)

63 Slider (rear slider)

78 Cover member

79 Cover attachment part

85 Lower cover

86 Upper cover

88 Attached part

Claims

1. A sunroof apparatus comprising : a panel (7) closing a roof opening (4) formed in a roof (3) of a vehicle so as to freely open and close; a lifter (61) attached to the panel (7); and a slider (63) which moves back and forth to thereby hoist/lower and move the panel (7) back and forth in engagement with said lifter (61), said lifter (61) and said slider (63) provided beneath each of end portion sides in a lateral direction of the panel (7), wherein

a cover member (78) is provided for covering a clearance between said lifter (61) and said slider (63) from an indoor side, and the slider (63) is provided with a cover attachment part (79) for attaching and supporting the cover member (78) .

2. The sunroof apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cover member (78) is composed of a lower side cover (85) attached to the slider (63) and an upper side cover (86) attached to said lower side cover (85), and wherein said upper side cover (86) is formed of an elastic member.

3. The sunroof apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cover member (78) is provided with an attached part (88) to be attached to the cover attachment part (79) provided in the slider (63) from an inward side in a lateral direction.