EP0183368A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Frame for a vehicle sun roof
Assignee: Idex SA
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Filing: 1985-10-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A frame surround for an aperture in a panel e.g. for a vehicle sunroof, capable of easy rapid assembly, has a first (outer) component (1) (not shown in Figure 3) surrounding the outer margin of, and entering the aperture to present a peripheral outwardly open groove for accommodating a second (inner) component (2). The second component is surrounded by a steel cable (3) tightenable by mechanism (4), and is formed as a number of polymer parts (5a, 5b, 5c) to give a structure distortable inwards as the cable is tightened to enter the outer component groove and clamp the margin of the panel around the aperture between the two components. The groove-entering clamping portions of component (2) are toothed to minimise friction. The cable (3) runs in a restraining groove in the outer face of component (2). This groove does not lie in one plane, whereby tightening the cable tends to minimise cable length and thus distorts the structure by a predetermined amount, to correspond to panel curvature.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey Frampton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:57
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60J; B60J7/00; B60J7/02; B60J7/022; B60J7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A frame to grip the edges of and thereby fixedly surround an aperture in a panel, which comprises a first component for location around the aperture at one face of the panel and a second component for location around the aperture at the other face of the panel, and being securable to the first component, characterised in that the second component is inwardly deformable and has an edge face positively curved at all points arounds it circuit, and by comprising ;a tensioning means around the said edge face; and means for tightening said tensioning means so as to deform said second component inwardly:the first and second components being complementarily formed so that on such deformation they both grip one another within the aperture and grip the panel around the aperture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A frame to grip the edges of and thereby fixedly surround an aperture in a panel, which comprises a first component for location around the aperture at one face of the panel and a second component for location around the aperture at the other face of the panel, and being securable to the first component, characterised in that the second component is inwardly deformable and has an edge face positively curved at all points arounds it circuit, and by comprising ;a tensioning means around the said edge face; and means for tightening said tensioning means so as to deform said second component inwardly:the first and second components being complementarily formed so that on such deformation they both grip one another within the aperture and grip the panel around the aperture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
A frame as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the complementary formation of the two frame components is achieved by (a) shaping the first component with a top face to overlie the said one face of the panel, and a somewhat inclined inner face, spaced below the top face, located within the aperture and (b) shaping the second component with a similarly inclined under face so that upon tensioning and distortion of the component this under face can ride up the first component inner face to clamp the components together with the aperture-surrounding edge of the panel trapped between them.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A frame as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the second component at least is of a shape generally resembling a rectangle with radiussed corners and outwardly bowed edges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A frame as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the tensioning means is a steel cable located in a peripheral groove restraining against lateral slippage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A frame as claimed in any one preceding claim characterised in that the tightening means is a high-mechanical-advantage wind-up means, e.g. Allen keys on cooperating worm gear portions at the ends of the tensioning means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A frame as claimed in any one preceding claim characterised in that the said first component is the outer component and made of metal, and the second component is the inner component and made of polymer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A frame as claimed in claim 6 characterised in that the inner polymer component is formed as a plurality of subunits located end to end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A frame as claimed in claim 6 or 7 characterised in that the inner polymer component is toothed, serrated or segmented at that part thereof which is forced into clamping contact with the first component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
A frame as claimed in any one preceding claim characterised in that the tensioning means lies within a groove around the edge face of said second component providing lateral restraint on tensioning; the said groove not lying in a plane, whereby distortion of the component, takes place as the tensioning means is tightened, to give a desired degree of monoaxial or biaxial curvature to the frame as the tensioning means attempts to adopt a shortest path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
A frame as claimed in claim 9 characterised in that the tensioning means is a steel cable or the like. held in a groove around and in the edges of a generally rectangular frame second component so that it is nearer the first component at the (radiussed) corners than at the middle of the (bowed) sides.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A frame as claimed in any one preceding claim characterised in that it forms part of a vehicle sunroof assembly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A kit of parts characterised in that it comprises the complementarily shaped first and second frame components, the tensioning means and the tightening means as defined in any of claims 1 to 11.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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