Inalfa Roof Systems Group B.v.

Inalfa Industries B.v.

Egbert Boersma

Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders

Martinus Wilhelmus Maria Nabuurs

Michael Cornelis Anthonius Relouw

Petrus Gerardus Marie Reivers

Peter C L J Manders

Wilhelm Maria Theresia Hendricus Schrans

Danny Wilhelmus Arend Kok

Leonardus Gerardus Maria Verbeek

Jacobus Henricus Christina Leenders

Aspects of the invention relate to a roof assembly for a vehicle having a roof opening in its fixed roof. It comprises a stationary part having longitudinal guides positioned on either side of the roof opening. A closure is movable at least between a closed position closing the roof opening and an open position in which the closure is at least partly opening the roof opening. A closure operating mechanism is provided for opening and closing the closure, and is sliding in said longitudinal guides when opening and closing the closure. The longitudinal guides each comprise at least a drain channel and a water drainage member for draining water from said longitudinal drain channel to a water drainage hose. Each water drainage member communicates with the respective drain channel on one end, and connects to the corresponding water drainage hose on its opposite end to form a drain. A sieve member for catching debris but allowing water to run through is provided in the drain upstream of said water drainage member.

Roof assembly and method of mounting a sieve member

A roof assembly for a vehicle, having an opening () in its fixed roof (), comprises a frame and a closure element () which can be adjusted by means of an adjusting mechanism () including a driving slide (). The closure element is at least movable between a closed position for closing the roof opening, and an open position, in which the roof opening is at least partially released. The frame () is fitted with at least one longitudinal guide track (). The closure element () is supported near its front side by a front support () which is movably guided by said longitudinal guide track (), and which is supported rearwards thereof by a lifting device (). The lifting device including a closure guide curve () and a track guide curve () as well as a guide member () connected to the driving slide () and slidably in engagement with said guide curves () to cause a height adjustment of the closure element () upon a sliding movement of the driving slide () and guide member () relative to the guide curves (). The front support () comprises a front closure guide curve () and a front track guide curve () as well as a front guide member () which is connected to the driving slide () and which is slidably in engagement with both front guide curves () in order to cause a height adjustment of the front side of the closure element ().

Roof assembly for a vehicle

A vehicle has a roof assembly for opening an opening in its fixed roof. The roof assembly includes a frame attached to the vehicle roof and a panel which is movably supported by said stationary part and which can be adjusted by an adjusting mechanism including a driving slide. The panel is movable between a closed position for closing the roof opening, and an open, rearward position for being at least partially above the roof behind the roof opening, in which the roof opening is at least partially released. The frame is fitted with at least one front longitudinal guide track extending at least along the roof opening, whereas a rear longitudinal guide track is mounted at least substantially rearward of the roof opening. The closure element is supported near its front side by a front support which is movably guided by said front longitudinal guide track, and which is supported rearwards thereof by a lifting device comprising a guiding device for engagement in said rear longitudinal guide track upon rearward movement of the panel. The lifting device is adapted to tilt the panel from the closed position in the roof opening to an upwardly inclined venting position on the one hand and to move the panel from the closed position rearwardly on the other hand.

Vehicle and roof assembly

An open roof construction for a vehicle having a roof opening includes a closure element for the roof opening, which is driven by a driving element. The closure element can be locked in at least one position with respect to the vehicle, whilst the driving element can be disconnected from the closure element in that position for the purpose of driving another element. A coupling arm is pivotally connected to the closure element and engages the driving element. The coupling arm, in a first pivoted position thereof, is substantially rigidly connected to the driving element, and in a second pivoted position the closure element is fixed in position with respect to the vehicle the guide, whilst on the other hand the driving element is made movable with respect to the coupling arm and the closure element.

Open roof construction for a vehicle

A panel assembly for an open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening in its fixed roof comprises a panel of plastic material, a stiffening frame extending along the circumference of the panel assembly and connecting means for connecting said panel and said stiffening frame to each other. The stiffening frame is positioned substantially externally of the plastic panel. The connecting means consist of an encapsulation formed at least externally around said panel, which consists of a non-transparent material which is softer than the panel material and whose upper side is substantially flush with the upper side of the panel.

Panel assembly for an open roof construction for a vehicle

An open roof construction for a vehicle having a roof opening in its fixed roof comprises a closing device for selectively closing or at least partially opening the roof opening. A driving element for the closing device comprises an outgoing driving wheel. At least one pull-push cable for providing the connection between the driving element and the closing device is guided in a cable guide and over the circumference of the driving wheel for adjustment of the cable by means of the driving element. The cable guide is provided with adaptation elements for adapting the course of the cable guide to the diameter of the driving wheel.

An apparatus is provided for manually moving closure an open roof construction for a vehicle between closed and opened positions. This apparatus includes an element which is removably connected to a securing element to be secured to a frame of the open roof construction and which is held in a connected position by a locking device. The locking device includes a locking member which is displaceable between locking and unlocking positions. The locking member is loaded to a locking position by a spring and displacement from the locking position to the unlocking position has the same direction as the releasing movement of the element with respect to the securing element.

Growing community of inventors

Helmond, Netherlands

Egbert Boersma