INNER
‘US 2017028269781
cu») United States
2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2017/0282697 Al
BARBER et al. (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 5, 2017
(54) MOVEABLE PANEL SYSTEM FOR
NON-PARALLEL TRACKS
B60 71087 (2013.01); BOOT 77043
(201301)
(TL) Applicant: Tesla Motors, Ine, Palo Alto, CA (US)
(72) Inventors: Howard BARBER, Pleasanton, CA, f
(US); Steve KLOTZ, Premont, CA Cu) coashcmarns
(US); Paul CONNOLLY, San
Francisco, CA (US)
(21) Appl. No. 15/087,454 A moveable panel system for a vehicle comprises: non
parallel tracks on a body of the vehicle, the body having an
(22) Filed: Mar. 31, 2016 poate afte atta (oT tis Graal T saa ee
guide member on the panel; and compensation drive mecha-
isms that couple the panel to the respective non-parallel
(51) Inc tracks, each of the compensation drive mechanisms move-
Boos 7087 (2006.01) able along the transverse guide member and moveable in
Boos 7043 (2006.01) fone of the non-parallel tacks.
Publication ClassificationPatent Application Publication Oct. $,2017 Sheet 1 of 6 US 2017/0282697 AlPatent Application Publication Oct. 5,2017 Sheet 2 of 6 US 2017/0282697 AL
FG.2Oct. 5,2017 Sheet 3of6 US 2017/0282697 A1
Publication
Patent ApplicationPatent Application Publication Oct. 5,2017 Sheet Sof 6 US 2017/0282697 AlOct. 5, 2017 Sheet 6 of 6 US 2017/0282697 AI
Patent Application PublicationUS 2017/0282697 AI
MOVEABLE PANEL SYSTEM FOR
NON-PARALLEL TRACKS
BACKGROUND
[0001] _Veicles have a variety of openings to allow pas-
Sengers oreargo to enter anl exit the vehicle, andor to allow
ventilation and light into a passenger cabin. Such openings
are sometimes covered by a closure that can be eontolled
Using a motor or hy mechanical action by the passenger. Por
‘example, the panels that eover an opening inthe oor af the
Vehicle are usually called sunroofs or moonroofs. The com-
bination where a movable transparent panel in the roof is
Positioned adjacent’ non-moveable transparent panel is
Sometimes refered to a 2 panoramic sunroof:
0002} Traditionally, vehicle roof closures have been
based on having parallel treks in the roof. FIG. 1 shows
prior art suneoof system 100, The system hasa sunroof panel
102 positioned next another roof panel 104, The sunroot
pane] 102 is curently closed in that itis positioned atop an
‘opening in the vehicle body. The sunroof panel can be
‘opened by moving along parilel racks 106 on each side of
the panel 104,
[0003] The fact thatthe Wacks are parallel puts design
Jimitations on the vehicle body. For example, a distance 108
represents the spacing between the parallel tacks. This
sistance must necessarily be less tban the narrowest wid
fsctoss the roof the vehicle. Moreover, the opening that
becomes accessible when the sunroof s opened (sometimes
called the hands through opening) mast be positioned
between such tracks, and is therefore also constrained by the
distance 108, In other words, with parallel tracks the design
‘of the vehicle's roof has placed certain limitations on how
lange the sunroof opening can be made,
[0003] Some automobile manufacturers refer to the vi
‘les dimensions using X-, Y- and Z-coordinates in a Car-
tesian coordinate system, For example, the X dimeasion is
fore-aft in the vehile, the Y dimension is left-right in the
vehicle, and the Z dimension is up-down in the vehicle.
Existing track mechanisms that are based! on parallel tacks
‘can then be characterized a allowing the panel tack meh
nism to travel at most in the X- and Z-dimensions, and not
jn the Yalimension
SUMMARY,
10005] In first aspect, a moveable panel system for a
vehicle comprises: non-parallel tracks on a body of the
vehicle, the Body having an opening; a panel sized to cover
the opening; a transverse guide member om the panel and
‘compensation drive mechanisms that eauple the panel to the
respective non-parallel tracks, each of the compensation
‘drive mechanisms moveable along the trmsverse guide
member and moveable in one of the non-parallel tracks,
10006] Implementations can include any or all of the
following features. The opening isin roof of the vehicle
The transverse guide member and the compensation drive
mechanisms are positioned on an underside of the panel
fing the vehicle. The transverse guide member is posi-
tioned at an edge ofthe panel. The edge isa rear edge ofthe
panel on tho vehicle. The moveable panel system further
‘comprises longitudinal channels in the transverse guide
member. Fach of the compensation drive mechanisms is
‘mounted onto the trisverse guide member using the lon-
pitudinal channels. The moveable panel system further com-
Oct. 5, 2017
prives cables, each positioned in a rexpective one of the
longitudinal chanaels and attached to acomesponding one of
the compensation drive mechanisms. The moveable panel
system further comprises ng a link gear in the transverse
auice member, the link gear configured to Tink movements
fof the cables to cach other. A separation between the
‘non-parallel racks decreases in a direction of opening ofthe
pancl The transverse guide member and the compensation
‘rive mechanisms are re positioned at a rear edge of the
panel, the moveable panel system further comprising front
{rack mechanisms that couple a front edge of the panel to the
body of the vehicle. The moveable panel system further
comprises parallel tracks on the bods, wherein the front
truck mechanisms couple the panel o the respective parallel
twocks, The opening is between the parallel tracks, Fach of
the compenstion drive mechanisms comprises a compen-
sation drive slidably mounted onto the transverse guide
aad track mechanism connected tothe compen-
sation drive. The track mechanism is hinged to the compen-
Sation deve, The panel has essentially an isosceles typed
shape,
0007] In a second aspect, a moveable panel system for a
vehicle comprises: non-parallel tracks on body of the
vehicle, the body having an opening: a panel sized v0 cover
the opening; fist mans for slidably coupling the pane! t0
‘the non-parallel tacks; and secondl means for compensating
forthe non-parallel tracks in moving the pane!
[0008] Implementations ean include any or all of the
Tollowing features. The second means compensates for the
‘non-parallel tracks by slidably coupling the first means t0
the panel. The frst means comprises compensation drives
‘moveable along the second means. The second means com-
pris a transverse guide member, wherein the first means
are moveable slong the transverse guide member
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows « prior at sunroof system,
[010] FIG. 2 shows a top view of an example of a
moveable panel system,
011] FIG, 3 shows 2 hottom view ofthe moveable panel
system of FIG. 2
[0012] FIG. 4 shows an example ofa compensation dive
mechanism,
[0013] FIG, S shows an example ofa fink gear in a guide
ember
[0014] FIG. 6 shows an example of cables engaging with
a link gear
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[015] This documeot describes examples of systems and
techniques for reducing the dependencies between the size
of the sunroof opening and the width ofthe vehicle's roof
‘A moveable pane] ean be coupled to non-parallel tacks for
its movement between a closed position and any ofa variety
‘of open positions. In some implementations, the tracks
jonverge toward the eae of the vehicle's root. For example,
the tracks ean essentially conform to boat-tal narowing oF
the vehicle's body toward the reat. A compensation mecha-
nism ean be provided to allow the panel to travel along the
‘on-parilel tracks. For example, this can provide thatthe
ppancl remains centered across the tracks asi travels slong
aUS 2017/0282697 AI
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a top view of an example of @
‘moveable panel system 200, The system is installed on @
body 202 of a vehicle, more particularly in the tof of the
Vehicle so us to provide ability To open atleast a portion of
the roof ancl thereby ereate an opening into the passenger
‘compartment. Te directions toward the frat and rear ofthe
vehicle are here indicated for illustation. Most of the
‘hicle boy is here omitted for simplicity, but systems and
techniques described herein can be used with any type of
vehicle that has an opening covered by # moveable panel
This chides passenger vehicles, o name just one example.
10017] The system includes a pane] 204 that is installed so
sto be movable between a closed position and any of
various open postions. The panel can be transparent, semi-
teansparent or non-ranspareat. The panel is currently in the
closed position and therefore covers an opening in the
vehicle's rool. When te panel is partially or flly opened,
‘twill travel onto an atea 206 ofthe vehicle's roof. The area
206 is here shown empty for illustrative purposes, but is
formally covered by ne or more materials, Such material
‘ean be the same a8 the rest of the vehicle's body, or it ean
be a transparent pan! installed inthe roof so a to form @
panoramic sunroof, to name just two examples
[0018] Here, non-parallel tracks 208 are installed on the
Vehicle. The tracks are positioned on each side of the area
206, The tacks ean be non-parallel in any of various ways.
In some implementations, a separation between the »
parallel tacks decreases in # direction of opening of the
panel. The current example shows the noa-parallel tacks
‘converging toward the rear of the vehicle. A compensation
‘mechanism allows the panel 204 to travel i both directions
‘on the non-parallel tracks 208 s0 as to open of close the
sunroof. In other implementations, tracks ean be non-paral-
Jel in a different way, such as to diverge
[0019] A transverse guide member 210 is here mounted
‘onto an underside ofthe panel 204 ants therefore shown in
phantom. As such, the transverse guide member faces the
Vehicle, and canbe positioned at either the front or rear edge
‘ofthe panel. In some implementations, respective transverse
l2uide members are positioned both st the fot and rear
‘edges of the panel.
0020] | Compensation mechanisms described hercin facil-
tate that moveable panels can travel along non-parallel
tacks. This can allow the moveable panel (i, the sunroof
pane) to have a non-rectangular shape. For example, the
pane] 204 here has @ somewhat rounded shape toward the
Jront of the vehicle, but essentially has the shape of an
isosceles trapeaoid in that the front and rear edges are
(essentially) parallel, and the sie edges are oriented at equal
‘and opposing. angles relative to the front andl rear edges
Moreover, the hands-throvgh opening inthe roof ean be of
rectangular shape, or it ean have another shape, including
but not limited to, a trapezoid shape
[0021] FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the moveable panel
system 200 of FIG. 2. The roof, including the moveable
pane] 204 and the non-parallel tacks 208, is here shown
from the opposite direction than inthe previous figure. The
transverse guide member 210 is fully visible in this view as
itis positioned on the underside of the panel toward the rear
nd theo! The transverse pie member 210i part of ¢
‘compensation mechanism 300 that also incades respective
‘compensation drives 302 for cach of the on-parallel tracks
208, The compensation mechanism is here provided to allow
the pane to travel along the non-parallel racks, Each ofthe
Oct. 5, 2017
compensation drives is therefore able to move (e.g. by
sliding) at least part of the way slong the length of dhe
‘ransverse guide member, The compensation mechanism
300 also includes respective tick mechanisnss 304, each of
‘whieh js connected to one ofthe compensation drives 392 40
‘aw couple it o the comesponding non-parallel track 208.
For example, this can faeiitate thatthe mochanism (in this
‘example the rear one) that couples the panel to the non-
parallel tacks is able to move not only in the X- and
Zaliections, but also in the Y-liection. In this view, the
frock mechsnisms 304 are partially abseured by the non-
parallel ck 208.
10022] ‘That is, the compensation drives 302 can be slide
ahly mounted onto the transverse guide member 210 so as to
‘compensate for the non-parallel orientation of the tacks
208. In some implementations the compensation drives 302
fan move independently of each other. In the present
ample, however, their movements are controlled with
repard to each other by way of a link gear 306 that can be
pounted inside the transverse guide member 210. For
example, each of the compensation drives 302 can have
respoctve cable (o be described lows) attachod toi. These
cables can engage the link gear (e., on diametscally
‘opposite sides thereof) so that if one of the cables is moved,
the other eable is also moved the same distance in the
‘opposite direction. For example, this ean reduce or eliminate
binding between each of the respective compensation drive
302 and the transverse puide member 210. Thats, the cables
‘and the link gear can facilitate that the compensation drives
302 are always symmetrically positioned with regard to the
‘enter point of the transverse guide member.
[0023] The above example illustrates that the moveable
panel system 200 can include the non-parallel tacks 208
that are positioned on the body of the vehicle, and the
vehicle body hus an opening that is presently covered by the
‘moveable panel 204, The transverse guide member 210 is
positioned on the panel 204, and the compensation drive
‘mechanisms 302 are configured to each couple the panel t0
‘one of the respective non-parallel tracks. Fach ofthe com-
pensation drive mechanisms is moveable along the trans-
verse guide member and is moveable in one of the non
parallel tricks. As such, each of the track mechanisms 304
can serve 10 slidably couple the panel tthe non-parallel
‘rocks. As another example, the compensation drives 302
fand the transverse guide member 210 can compensate for
the non-parallel tracks when the panel is moved. Such
‘compensation can be done by slidably coupling the com-
pensation drives to the panel.
[0024] The system here ineludes front trock mechanisms
308 on each side of the moveable panel. Each of the front
‘wack meclsnisms ineludes a track mechanism 30 and a
front tack 312. For example, each ofthe track mechanisms
310 is mounted on the tnderside of the moveable panel
toward the front edge thereof, and is configured to be
slidably coupled to a corresponding ane of the front tracks
312, which can bo attached to the vehicle body (et
‘oof sintetre). The hands-through opening that is made
fccessible by moving the panel 208 is here positioned
between the parallel front tracks.
[0025] ‘The front tracks aren this example parallel to each
‘other and the front track mechanisms do not need fo have
fany compensation mechanism as described herein, In other
ementations, however, a compensation mechanism eanUS 2017/0282697 AI
‘of eompensetion mechanism,
10026] FIG. 4 shows aa example of a compensation drive
mechanism 400. The compensation drive mechanism i here
shown with a transverse guide member 402, The compen-
sation drive mechanism includes a compensation drive 404
‘coupled wo the tninsverse guide member, and a tick mecha
nism 406 connected to the compensation drive, The track
mechanism 406 is in tum coupled to a track 408 that is
non-parallel with rogard. 10 a corresponding. track (not
shown) at the other end ofthe teasverse guide member 42
That is, the track mechanism ean be moved along. the
non-parallel track in either direction, for exanpleby'a deve
‘cable actuated by a motor. The tack mechanism ean provide
‘camming action with regard to the compensation drive and
the transverse guide member, and therefore provide move-
‘ment of (atleast part of) the moveable panel in the Z-di-
rection. Here, this is in part accomplished by way of @
hinged connection between the trck mechanism and the
‘compensation drive. For example, the cam function can
‘allo the panel o sit Mush with the surounding roof surface
‘when closed, and can allow the pane! to be raised above the
roof sueface to facilitate movement along the tracks, In other
‘implementations, a eam ean be provided in or near the
non-parallel track sos to feilitate easing and lowering of
the panel as it moves
10027} The compensation drive 404 is here slidably
mounted onto the iransverte guide member 402 In some
implementations, the transverse guicle member has longitu-
‘inal channels 410. For example, the transverse side mem-
bers formed by extrusion and has a profile that includes the
‘channels slong is entre length, In some implementatos
‘each of the compensation drives 404 is mounted onto the
transverse guide member 402 using the longitudinal chan-
nels. For example, the compensation drive ean have one oF
‘more shoes 412 attached thereto that engage with an opening
formed by the longitudinal channel, As will be desenbed in
more detail below, the compensation drives can have
aitached thercto respective cables, each of which eables is
‘accommodated inside a corresponding one of the longitu
‘inal channels. For example, the cables attached othe shoe
“412 such that the cable and the compensation drive move
together longitudinally slong the transverse guide member.
10028] FIG. § shows an example ofa link gear 500 in @
de member $02, The guide member ean be used with any
‘rall examples of moveable panel systems deseribed hereo,
‘Only portion of the guide member is here showa, for
simplicity. The link gear ean be mounted ata centerpoint of
the guide member. The link gear is here rotatable in either