US4659140A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle roof
Assignee: Webasto Werk W Baier GmbH and Co
•
Filing: 1986-03-27
•
Granted: 1987-04-21
•
Expires: 2006-03-27
Abstract
Abstract Vehicle having a cover arrangement which, in a closed position, covers a roof opening. The cover arrangement is movable by way of an actuating mechanism, having a minimum of two synchronized members, with differeing speed ratios, which are connected to a single primary drive. For transmitting the primary drive to the members to be moved, there is a reversible distributor gear assembly which has a plurality of gear elements. The distributor gear assembly has one input shaft and a minimum of two output shafts which, based upon the relative position of the gear elements of the distributor gear assembly can be individually actuated or jointly actuated via the gear elements with differing transmission ratios.
Inventors
- 👤 Arpad Fuerst
- 👤 Bernhard Wingen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:21
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60J; B60J7/00; B60J7/02; B60J7/04; B60J7/057; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20576; Y10T74/20732; Y10T74/20744; Y10T74/20834; Y10T74/20864
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
Vehicle roof having a cover arrangement which covers a roof opening in its closed position, the positioning of the cover arrangement being adjustable by an actuating mechanism having a minimum of two synchronized members with differing speed ratios, connected to a single primary drive, wherein a reversible distributor gear assembly operatively interconnects the primary drive with the cover arrangement, said distributor gear assembly having a plurality of gear elements, an input shaft and at least two output shafts, said distributor gear assembly being operative, via said gear elements and based upon the relative position of at least one of the gear elements of the distributor gear assembly, to drive said output shafts, either singly, or together with differing transmission ratios.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
Vehicle roof having a cover arrangement which covers a roof opening in its closed position, the positioning of the cover arrangement being adjustable by an actuating mechanism having a minimum of two synchronized members with differing speed ratios, connected to a single primary drive, wherein a reversible distributor gear assembly operatively interconnects the primary drive with the cover arrangement, said distributor gear assembly having a plurality of gear elements, an input shaft and at least two output shafts, said distributor gear assembly being operative, via said gear elements and based upon the relative position of at least one of the gear elements of the distributor gear assembly, to drive said output shafts, either singly, or together with differing transmission ratios.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein the distributor gear assembly comprises a planetary gear arrangement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 2, wherein the planetary gear arrangement of the distributor gear assembly comprises a dual epicycling gear with two coaxial sun wheels and two groups of planet pinions, each of which is freely rotatably mounted to a respective planet carrier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 3, wherein both sun wheels are positively connected with the input shaft for rotation therewith and one of the output shafts is coaxially disposed with respect to the input shaft and is connected for rotation with the planet carrier of one of the planet pinion groups.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 4, wherein the planet pinions of both planet pinion groups mesh with an inner toothing of an outer ring gear that has an inner and an outer toothing and is arranged coaxially with respect to the sun wheels; and wherein the other output shaft is driven from the outer toothing of the outer ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 3, wherein the planet pinions of both planet pinion groups mesh with an inner toothing of an outer ring gear that has an inner and an outer toothing and is arranged coaxially with respect to the sun wheels; and wherein one of the output shafts is driven from the outer toothing of the outer ring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 5, wherein a spur gear meshes with the outer toothing of the outer ring gear, said spur gear being connected with the other output shaft in a torque transmitting manner.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 6, wherein a reversing device is provided for alternatively blocking the rotation of the outer ring gear and the planet carrier of the outer planet group.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 7, wherein the reversing device has a locking device which, at predetermined rotational positions of the outer ring gear with respect to the planet pinion carrier of the other planet group is selectively engageable with locking elements of either of the outer ring gear and planet carrier of the other planet pinion group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 8, wherein operation of the distributor gear assembly is manually reversable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 4, further comprising a reversing device for automatically enabling the operation of the distributor gear assembly to be reversed, when reaching a predetermined relative gear position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 11, wherein the reversing device has two locking bolts which automatically lock in the predetermined relative gear position for blocking movement of the two output shafts; and wherein each of the locking bolts is automatically released from a locked position, by actuating the primary drive in in selective directions when the gear elements are in respective predetermined relative positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 12, wherein the locking bolts are spring biased for engaging respective arresting notches of the outer ring gear and planet carrier of the other planet pinion group.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 13, wherein the locking bolts and arresting notches have cooperating inclined planes which push the respective locking bolt out of its arresting notch against the force of the spring biasing when the gear elements are in said respective predetermined relative positions and the primary drive is actuated in a direction corresponding to a given displacement direction of the respective output shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 13, wherein a switch-lock arrangement cooperates with the locking bolts in a manner that, upon disengagement of one of the two locking bolts, prevents a release of the respective other locking bolt.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
129 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 15, wherein locking bolts are disposed in respective guide channels that extend parallel to each other and are separated from each other by a partition wall and wherein a locking member is mounted in an opening of the partition wall, said locking member being movable in a direction normal to that of the locking bolts as a function of the displacement of the locking bolts, and the size of the locking member in the direction normal to the moving direction of the locking bolts being greater than the thickness of the partition wall, and wherein both locking bolts have a recess into which the locking member can be received for blocking movement of the respective locking member and simultaneously releasing the other locking member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 16, wherein the locking member has a spherical shape.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 16, wherein the recess of each locking bolt, at a minimum, on the side closest to the gear elements, is defined by an inclined plane which pushes the locking member from the recess during the displacement of the locking bolt from the locked position toward the released position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 15, wherein the lock bolts are offset in the peripheral direction of the outer ring gear and the planet carrier of the other planet pinion group, and are coupled with respective locking levers, each of the locking levers being pivotably about a common axis after being deflected by a limited amount in the axial direction of said axis and wherein lock elements are provided which, upon deflecting of one of the two lock levers, are automatically brought into engagement with the respective other lock lever, preventing it from a pivoting movement.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
Vehicle roof, according to claim 1, having a cover which is tiltable by means of a tilting device and is slidably displaceable by way of a displacement device, wherein the tilting device is operatively connected with one of the output shafts, and the displacement device is operatively connected with another of the output shafts.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
Vehicle roof, according to claim 5, having a cover which is tiltable by means of a tilting device and is slidably displaceable by way of a displacement device, wherein the tilting device is operatively connected with one of the output shafts, and the displacement device is operatively connected with another of the output shafts.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
Vehicle roof according to claim 1, wherein one of the output shafts is operatively connected with a first cover part and another of the output shafts is operatively connected with a second cover part.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
Vehicle roof according ot claim 5, wherein one of the output shafts is operatively connected with a first cover part and another of the output shafts is operatively connected with a second cover part.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-04-20 | 1990-10-20 | 1991-04-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-04-20 | 1994-10-20 | 1995-04-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-04-20 | 1998-10-20 | 1999-04-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |