Control apparatus for opening or closing roof of a vehicle

Abstract

A roof panel connected to a vehicle body through at least a pair of front pillars and a pair of rear pillars is provided with a large aperture on the roof with a front header and a pair of roof side rails. A rear window glass panel is fixed to the rear pillars and the rear header. A flexible top is contractible or expandable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and disposed so as to uncover or cover the roof aperture. When the flexible top closes the roof aperture, it is abutted at its front end portion with the front header, at its side end portions with the roof side rails, and at its rear end portion with the rear header. When the top is in a folded state, it is located in a second posture nearby the trunk lid. The top can be transferred up to its third posture in a position nearby a lower end portion of the rear window glass panel. Vertical movement of the top at least between the second and third postures can automatically be performed by a control unit in condition where the vehicle halts. The vertical movement of the top can be continued when the vehicle is shifted to its running state in the course of a transfer thereof between the second and third postures, thereby ensuring a transfer to the second posture or to the third posture.