US3603636A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mounting arrangement for a vehicle body roof panel
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
•
Filing: 1970-02-24
•
Granted: 1971-09-07
•
Expires: 1990-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A mounting arrangement for a vehicle body roof panel for closing a roof opening in a vehicle body. A pair of hinge assemblies pivotally support the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions. Each hinge assembly includes a body mounted hinge member and a panel mounted hinge member which are locked to each other by a ball detent when the roof panel is in the closed position. When the roof panel is in the open position, each panel mounted hinge member is detachable from its respective body mounted hinge member and the roof panel is thus removable from the vehicle. A pair of latch assemblies include latch members pivotally supported on the roof panel for movement between latching positions and unlatching positions. When the latch members are in the latching positions, they are engageable with respective body mounted pins to retain the roof panel in the closed position. When the latch members are in the unlatching positions, the roof panel is free to move between the open and closed positions. The latch members are associated with respective sleeve detents movable between locking positions and unlocking positions. In the locking positions, the sleeve detents lock the latch members in the latching positions. A pair of release levers are pivotally supported on the roof panel and each is connected by a Bowden cable to each of the sleeve detents. Actuation of either of the release levers moves the sleeve detents to the unlocking positions. The latch members are also associated with respective pin detents located within the sleeve detents and movable between locking positions and unlocking positions. When the sleeve detents are in the unlocking positions and the pin detents are in the locking positions, the pin detents lock the latch members in the latching positions. A pair of solenoids are mounted on the roof panel and respectively connected to the pin detents to move the pin detents from the locking positions to the unlocking positions. The solenoids are responsive to actuation of either of the release levers and to the position of a transmission selector lever such that actuation of either of the release levers when the transmission selector lever is in a ''''park'''' position causes the solenoids to move the pin detents to the unlocking positions. When the sleeve detents and the pin detents are in the unlocking positions, the latch members are free to move to the unlatching positions and the roof panel is free to move between the open and closed positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard F Carella
- 👤 James J Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 00:55
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60J; B60J7/00; B60J7/185; B60J7/19; B60J7/194
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
311 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; latch means operable between the roof panel and the body and movable between a latching position and an unlatching position, said latch means retaining the roof panel in the closed position when said latch means is in the latching position, said latch means allowing the roof panel to move between the open and closed positions when said latch means is in the unlatching position; a first latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said first latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the first latch detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a first release means connected to the first latch detent to move the first latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon actuation of the first release means; a second latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said second latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the second latch detent is in the locking position and the first latch detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and a second release means connected to the second latch detent to move the second latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said second release means being responsive to actuation of the first release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the second latch detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
311 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; latch means operable between the roof panel and the body and movable between a latching position and an unlatching position, said latch means retaining the roof panel in the closed position when said latch means is in the latching position, said latch means allowing the roof panel to move between the open and closed positions when said latch means is in the unlatching position; a first latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said first latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the first latch detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a first release means connected to the first latch detent to move the first latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon actuation of the first release means; a second latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said second latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the second latch detent is in the locking position and the first latch detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and a second release means connected to the second latch detent to move the second latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said second release means being responsive to actuation of the first release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the second latch detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
372 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means including a body mounted hinge member and a panel mounted hinge member, said hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; a hinge detent locking the hinge members to each other when the roof panel is in the closed position and releasing the hinge members from each other when the roof panel is in the open position to allow removal of the roof panel from the vehicle; latch means operable between the roof panel and the body and movable between a latching Position and an unlatching position, said latch means retaining the roof panel in the closed position when said latch means is in the latching position, said latch means allowing the roof panel to move between the open and closed positions when said latch means is in the unlatching position; a first latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said first latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the first latch detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a first release means connected to the first latch detent to move the first latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon actuation of the first release means; a second latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said second latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the second latch detent is in the locking position and the first latch detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and a second release means connected to the second latch detent to move the second latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said second release means being responsive to actuation of the first release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the second latch detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
372 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means including a body mounted hinge member and a panel mounted hinge member, said hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; a hinge detent locking the hinge members to each other when the roof panel is in the closed position and releasing the hinge members from each other when the roof panel is in the open position to allow removal of the roof panel from the vehicle; latch means operable between the roof panel and the body and movable between a latching Position and an unlatching position, said latch means retaining the roof panel in the closed position when said latch means is in the latching position, said latch means allowing the roof panel to move between the open and closed positions when said latch means is in the unlatching position; a first latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said first latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the first latch detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a first release means connected to the first latch detent to move the first latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon actuation of the first release means; a second latch detent movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said second latch detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the second latch detent is in the locking position and the first latch detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and a second release means connected to the second latch detent to move the second latch detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said second release means being responsive to actuation of the first release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the second latch detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
317 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; latch means operable between the roof panel and the body and movable between a latching position and an unlatching position, said latch means retaining the roof panel in the closed position when said latch means is in the latching position, said latch means allowing the roof panel to move between the open and closed positions when said latch means is in the unlatching position; a sleeve detent axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said sleeve detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the sleeve detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a manually actuated release means connected to the sleeve detent to move the sleeve detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon manual actuation of the release means; a pin detent located within the sleeve detent in a relationship concentric therewith, said pin detent being axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said pin detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the pin detent is in the locking position and the sleeve detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and an electromechanical release means connected to the pin detent to move the pin detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said electromechanical release means being responsive to actuation of the manually actuated release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the pin detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
317 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; latch means operable between the roof panel and the body and movable between a latching position and an unlatching position, said latch means retaining the roof panel in the closed position when said latch means is in the latching position, said latch means allowing the roof panel to move between the open and closed positions when said latch means is in the unlatching position; a sleeve detent axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said sleeve detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the sleeve detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a manually actuated release means connected to the sleeve detent to move the sleeve detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon manual actuation of the release means; a pin detent located within the sleeve detent in a relationship concentric therewith, said pin detent being axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said pin detent locking the latch means in the latching position when the pin detent is in the locking position and the sleeve detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and an electromechanical release means connected to the pin detent to move the pin detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said electromechanical release means being responsive to actuation of the manually actuated release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the pin detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
325 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; a latch member pivotally supported on the roof panel for movement between latching position and an unlatching position, said latch member being operatively associated with the body to retain the roof panel in the closed position when the latch member is in a latching latching position and to allow the roof panel To move between the open and closed positions when the latch member is in the unlatching position; a sleeve detent slidably mounted on the roof panel and axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, a said sleeve detent locking the latch member in the latching position when the sleeve detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a manually actuated release means connected to the sleeve detent to move the sleeve detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon manual actuation of the release means; a pin detent located within the sleeve detent, said pin detent being axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said pin detent locking the latch member in the latching position when the pin detent is in the locking position and the sleeve detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and an electromechanical release means connected to the pin detent to move the pin detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said electromechanical release means being responsive to actuation of the manually actuated release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the pin detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
325 words
In a vehicle including a body having a roof panel opening therein and a roof panel for closing the opening, a mounting arrangement comprising: hinge means pivotally supporting the roof panel on the body for movement between open and closed positions; a latch member pivotally supported on the roof panel for movement between latching position and an unlatching position, said latch member being operatively associated with the body to retain the roof panel in the closed position when the latch member is in a latching latching position and to allow the roof panel To move between the open and closed positions when the latch member is in the unlatching position; a sleeve detent slidably mounted on the roof panel and axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, a said sleeve detent locking the latch member in the latching position when the sleeve detent is in the locking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; a manually actuated release means connected to the sleeve detent to move the sleeve detent from the locking position to the unlocking position upon manual actuation of the release means; a pin detent located within the sleeve detent, said pin detent being axially movable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said pin detent locking the latch member in the latching position when the pin detent is in the locking position and the sleeve detent is in the unlocking position to thereby retain the roof panel in the closed position; and an electromechanical release means connected to the pin detent to move the pin detent from the locking position to the unlocking position, said electromechanical release means being responsive to actuation of the manually actuated release means only during nonoperation of the vehicle to move the pin detent to the unlocking position only during nonoperation of the vehicle so that the roof panel remains in the closed position during operation of the vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2947567A
Cited
US3373835A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |