WO2025149157A1 - Vehicle roof cover with a contacting unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a cover (3) for a vehicle roof (1), having a pane (6), an electric device (12) provided on the pane (6), and a contacting unit (13) which is provided on the pane (6), is connected to the electric device (12), and has at least one contact (16) for contacting a terminal. According to the invention, the contacting unit (13) is provided on the lower face (14) of the pane (6), and the housing (15) of the contacting unit (13) is coated by a cover foam (25) in such a way as to leave the at least one contact (16) exposed.

Description

Vehicle roof cover with a contact unit

The invention relates to a cover of a vehicle roof, which has a pane, an electrical device arranged on the pane and a contact unit which is arranged on the pane, is connected to the electrical device and has at least one contact for contacting a terminal.

EP 0 619 691 B2 discloses a glass pane for vehicle glazing with an electrical device, which includes, for example, electrical heating resistance wires. The electrical connection or vehicle-side power supply is provided via a connecting cable plugged into a connector located on the side edge of the glass pane and protruding laterally from the side edge. The connector is encased in a foam coating attached to the side edge of the glass pane.

The invention is based on the object of creating a cover as mentioned above which is improved with regard to its electrical connection, and of specifying a method for producing such a cover.

The object is achieved according to the invention in the cover mentioned at the outset in that the contact unit is arranged on a pane underside of the pane and that a contact housing of the contact unit is surrounded by a foamed cover while keeping the at least one contact free. The object is further achieved by a method according to claim 9.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

By arranging the contact unit on the underside of the pane, the side edges of the pane and the cover are unobstructed by a plug protruding laterally from the side edge, the arrangement of which is known from the aforementioned EP 0 619 691 B2. Thus, the cover, which is arranged fixedly in a roof opening of the vehicle roof or movably as part of a sunroof, can be securely sealed at its side edges using seals. The foamed cover provides a permanent and protected attachment of the contact unit by foaming it around or encasing it, e.g. using polyurethane foam in a foaming tool. The at least one contact arranged in the contact housing is not covered by the foamed cover or is free of such foamed cover, so that it is freely accessible for contact with a contact plug of a cable or the like. The lid foam is particularly designed such that it foams around or encloses a lid frame or a reinforcing frame or a reinforcing part and holds it fixed to the lid or to the underside of the pane. Such a reinforcing lid frame is arranged, for example, along at least one side edge of the lid inward from the side edge and adjacent to the side edge and in particular circumferentially on the lid and can also have fastening points for a bearing device that supports the lid. The lid foam preferably forms a lateral edge foam around the pane or lid and can also contain or form a lateral panel. The contact unit is thus expediently arranged near the side edge of the lid in the lid foam, which in particular circumferentially extends along the edge. Preferably, one such contact unit is arranged on each of the two opposite side edges of the lid that run in the longitudinal direction of the lid. A pane is defined as a pane with only one pane or a pane with several panes or panes, such as a laminated glass pane with two or more panes or panes.

Conveniently, the at least one contact of the contact unit is designed as a contact socket, but can also be designed as a contact plug. Accordingly, the plug part to be plugged into the contact unit has contact plugs or contact sockets. However, the contact unit can also have differently designed contacts.

Preferably, a connecting cable connecting the electrical device to the contact unit is foamed into the cover foam. The connecting cable is expediently foamed all the way up to the electrical device or at least in a section extending from the contact unit. The connecting cable is thus permanently protected. By foaming the contact unit together with the connecting cable, special seals for the connecting cable, e.g., at a transition from the cover foam, are not required in the foaming tool.

The contact unit is conveniently fixed to the underside of the pane by means of an adhesive. The adhesive is designed to position and secure the contact unit to the underside of the pane while the cover foam is foamed onto the pane in the foaming tool. This ensures that the connecting cable, which is firmly connected to the contact unit, is also correctly positioned by the contact unit, which is fixed to the underside of the pane.

According to a preferred embodiment, the contact housing has, on its side opposite the underside of the disk, a contacting area comprising the at least one contact and a sealing area surrounding the contacting area. The sealing area is designed for coupling a sealing element. The sealing element is located in a sealing position on the sealing area during foaming of the cover foam. and seals the contact area against the foamed cover. The sealing element is thus a manufacturing aid that keeps the contact area clear of the foam material in the foaming tool and protects the contact area of the cover, even after the foaming of the cover and until the cover is mounted on the vehicle roof.

The sealing element is made of rubber or an elastic plastic, for example.

It is expedient for the contact housing to have a holder for detachably attaching the sealing element or to be designed as such. Such a holder enables the sealing element to be fixed to the contact housing before the disc is inserted into the foaming tool and until the foaming tool is closed. In principle, the holder can be designed such that it holds the sealing element in place by means of a positive fit or a friction fit. Alternatively, the sealing element can also be positioned or held in the open foaming tool, such as on a tool insert, and can be applied to the contact housing when the foaming tool is closed.

A preferred embodiment provides that the electrical device comprises a functional layer or an electrical film, e.g., a luminous film, arranged on the pane or between the pane and a second pane of a laminated glass pane of the cover formed by both panes. The pane or laminated glass pane thus comprises, e.g., an inner pane and an outer pane, between which the electrical film or luminous film is laminated using laminate layers. The functional layer or electrical film is, e.g., a switchable PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal) film, via which the light passage through the pane can be controlled. A further preferred embodiment provides that the electrical device, alternatively or in addition to the functional layer, has at least one light coupling element, which is preferably arranged on the underside of the pane inwards from the contact unit and is intended to radiate light into the pane.

Depending on the design and arrangement of the electrical device, the connecting cable between the electrical device and the contact unit can be provided to surround one edge of the disc and be foamed into the cover foam. Thus, the connecting cable is secured and protected in its entirety by the cover foam.

The cover is, for example, a movable roof element of a vehicle roof or a fixed roof element that cannot be opened, e.g., an FTM (Fixed Type Module). The cover is, in particular, part of an openable roof system such as a spoiler roof or a sliding roof and, in its closed position, is arranged in a roof opening of the vehicle roof. The cover is, for example, a transparent cover or a glass cover. The cover is movably mounted on the vehicle roof by means of a bearing device and can be displaced in a longitudinal opening movement over an adjacent roof surface section or under such a roof surface section.

A method according to the invention for producing a cover of a vehicle roof, which has a pane, an electrical device arranged on the pane and a contact unit which is connected to the electrical device and has at least one contact for contacting a terminal, in particular a cover according to one of claims 1 to 8, is characterized by the following steps: a) introducing the pane into a first mold half of an open foaming tool, wherein the pane is directed with its pane underside against a second mold half of the foaming tool and has the contact unit fixed to its pane underside, b) providing a sealing element which is designed to lie tightly against a sealing region of a contact housing of the contact unit, which sealing region is formed on a contact side of the contact unit facing away from the underside of the pane and surrounds a contacting region of the contact housing, wherein the sealing element is held on the sealing region of the contact housing or on the second mold half, in particular on a tool insert of the second mold half, c) closing the foaming tool, wherein the sealing element is positioned in its position sealing the contacting region against a cavity of the foaming tool, d) introducing a plastic foam material into the cavity and foaming the cover foam, wherein the contacting region of the contact housing is kept free from the cover foam, and e) opening the foaming tool to remove the cover from the foaming tool.

The sealing element can be removed from the cover to expose the contact area of the contact housing while the cover is still in the open foaming mold. Alternatively, the sealing element can remain on the cover and protect the contact area until the cover is mounted on the vehicle roof and a connector is plugged into the contact housing or contacts. In any case, the sealing element can be reused when manufacturing additional covers.

The cover according to the invention and its production offer several advantages. By sealing the contact housing from the cavity and foaming the connecting cable onto the contact housing, the need for a foam-free area surrounding the contact housing and the contacting area is eliminated when a separate sealing of the connecting cable to the contact housing using a foaming tool seal is required. The cover according to the invention reduces the installation space required for foaming the contact housing. Due to the sealing element being attached to the contact housing, a high positioning accuracy of the contact housing on the disc arranged in the foaming tool is not required, which would be necessary with a sealing element that is firmly positioned in the foaming tool and aligned towards the contact housing.

The sealing element, which is attached to the contact housing and compressed in the foaming tool to create a seal, protects the contacts of the contact unit from the penetration of foam material and creates a free space at the contact area for a plug-in connector. Damage to the connecting cable is prevented by applying pressure to the contact housing and not to the connecting cable.

The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment of a cover according to the invention with reference to the drawing. It shows:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle roof with a cover arranged in a roof opening;

Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a lateral edge region of the lid with a contact unit foamed into a lid foam;

Fig. 3 shows an isometric bottom view of a side region of the lid with the lid foam containing the contact unit;

Fig. 4 in a cross-sectional view according to Fig. 2 the lateral edge region of the cover arranged on a tool half of a foaming tool with the contact unit and with a sealing element arranged on the contact unit; Fig. 5 in an isometric view the contact unit with a connecting cable;

Fig. 6 shows an isometric view of the tool half with an adjustable tool insert which is intended to be pressed against the sealing element arranged on the contact unit;

Fig. 7 in an isometric view according to Fig. 6 the tool half showing the contact unit and the sealing element adjacent to the tool insert;

Fig. 8 shows an isometric view of a section of the lateral edge area of the lid with the sealing element covering the foamed-in contact unit;

Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view according to Fig. 2 of the foamed contact unit and the sealing element covering the contact unit; and

Fig. 10 in an isometric view according to Fig. 8 the lid edge area with the foamed contact unit with the sealing element removed.

A vehicle roof 1 of a vehicle, such as a passenger car, has a roof opening 2 and a cover 3 closing the roof opening 2. The cover 3 is movably mounted on the vehicle roof 1, so that the roof opening 2 can be selectively closed or at least partially exposed. The cover 3 is movably mounted on the vehicle roof 1, e.g., on a roof frame of the vehicle roof 1, in such a way that it can be displaced from its closed position in the vehicle's longitudinal direction to the rear over a rear roof surface 4 or under the rear roof surface 4. The cover 3 can therefore be part of an openable roof system, such as a sliding roof, an externally guided roof, or a spoiler roof. The rear roof surface 4 can also be formed by or have a second cover 5 which adjoins the rear of the front cover 3. In an alternative design, the cover 3 can be firmly attached to the vehicle roof 1 to close the roof opening 2.

The cover 3 has a pane 6 (Fig. 2), which preferably comprises an inner pane 7 and an outer pane 8, between which a functional layer 9, such as a PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) film, is laminated by means of two laminate layers 10 and 11. The pane 6 is thus formed as a laminated glass pane. The functional layer 9 represents at least part of an electrical device 12 arranged on the pane 6. Such an electrical device 12 can have further electrical or electronic components, such as solar cells, lighting, sensors, and the like. The inner pane 7 and the outer pane 8 of the pane 6 are preferably transparent panes or glass panes.

A contact unit 13 is arranged on an inner side or underside 14 of the pane 6. In this embodiment of the cover 3, an underside of the inner pane 7 represents the underside 14 of the pane 6 in an installed position of the cover 3 on the vehicle roof 1. The contact unit 13 has a contact housing 15 with at least one contact 16 arranged therein and preferably with a plurality of contacts 16. The contact housing 15 is connected to the underside 14 of the pane 6 via a base surface 17 of the contact housing 15 by means of an adhesive 18, e.g., a double-sided adhesive tape, and is positioned such that the contacts 16 are arranged on the side opposite the base surface 17 of the contact housing 15. The contacts 16 are thus accessible from below the pane 6. The contact housing 15 is positioned at a distance inwards from a side edge 19 of the cover 3, which extends on one of the two long sides 20 of the cover 3, in the direction under the cover 3 and still in an edge region of the cover 3.

A connecting cable 21 is electrically connected to the contacts 16 in the contact housing 15. The connecting cable 21, preferably a ribbon cable, runs laterally out of the contact housing 15 and towards a The pane edge 22 of the inner pane 7, encompasses the pane edge 22, and rests with an end portion 23 on an inner laminate side 24 of the inner pane 7 laminated to the laminate layer 10. The connecting line 21 is electrically connected to the functional layer 9 at the end portion 23. The pane 6, laminated to the inner pane 7 and the outer pane 8, holds the end portion 23 of the connecting line 21 firmly connected to the inner pane 7.

The lid 3 has a lid foam 25, which is preferably formed circumferentially on the lid 3 or at least on the side edge 19 on the respective long side 20 of the lid 3. The lid foam 25, e.g., a polyurethane foam, expediently forms a lateral panel 26 on the respective long side 20. A reinforcing part or a lid frame or the like (not shown) is foamed into the lid foam 25 inward of the side edge 19 or the panel 26, to which, for example, a lid bearing (not shown) is attached. Further inward in the transverse direction of the lid is the contact unit 13, which is foamed around by the lid foam 25.

The contact housing 15 has, on its side facing away from the underside 14 of the pane, a contacting area 28 comprising the contacts 16 and a sealing area 29 (Fig. 4). The sealing area 29 surrounds the contacting area 28 and is designed for the tight application or coupling of a sealing element 30. During foaming of the cover foam 25 in a foaming tool 31, the sealing element 30 is arranged in a sealing position on the sealing area 29 (Fig. 4), in which it rests with a contact surface 32 on the sealing area 29 and with a peripheral surface 33 delimits a cavity 34 of the foaming tool 31, in which the cover foam 25 is foamed onto the pane 6.

The contact housing 15 has, for example, five contacts 16 (see Fig. 5), which are arranged in a row in the central contacting area 28, which is raised relative to the surrounding sealing area 29 and has a circumferential side wall 35, against which the plugged-on sealing element 30 lies tightly. The sealing element 30 has a central elongated rectangular opening 36 of such a size that the plugged-on sealing element 30 is slightly spread open by the contact area 28 under elastic deformation and is thus held by frictional engagement on the side wall 35 of the contact area 28. The raised contact area 28 thus represents a holder for the sealing element 30.

The foaming tool 31 has a stamp-like tool insert 37, which is arranged in a recess 38 of the foaming tool 31 in association with the contact unit 13 and has a frontal support surface facing the contact unit 13 and designed to bear against a rear surface 39 of the sealing element 30. The tool insert 37 is expediently arranged so as to be height-adjustable or adjustable in the direction of the contact unit 13. As a result, the tool insert 37 can be adapted to a respective sealing element 30 to be used such that the sealing element 30 is pressed against the sealing area 29 of the contact housing 15 when the foaming tool 31 is closed and during foaming of the cover foam 25. A contact pressure is provided such that the sealing element 30 maintains its position relative to the foam material under foaming pressure in the cavity 34.

To manufacture the cover 3, the pane 6 is first prepared as a laminated glass pane, comprising the inner pane 7, the outer pane 8, the two laminate layers 10 and 11, and the interposed luminous film 9. The end section 23 of the connecting cable 21 contacting the functional layer 9 is laminated between the inner pane 7 and the outer pane 8. The connecting cable 21 is wrapped around the edge 22 of the inner pane 7 and extends inward along the pane underside 14 to the contact housing 15 of the contact unit 13, where it is electrically connected to the contacts 16. The contact housing 15 is fixed to the pane underside 14 by means of an adhesive 18, e.g., an adhesive tape. The sealing element 30 is placed on the contact housing 15 so that it lies tightly against the sealing area 29 and is held by the contact area 28 forming a holder, which engages in the opening 36 of the sealing element 30. The disc 6 is inserted into a first tool half or mold half (not shown) of the opened foaming tool 31, with the top or outer side 40 of the disc 6 resting against the first mold half and the underside 14 of the disc 6 adjacent to the cavity 34 formed in the second tool half or mold half 41 when the foaming tool 31 is closed. The second mold half 41 expediently contains the at least one reinforcing part, such as an insert or a frame part or the like (not shown), which is held by a further tool insert (not shown) mounted in the second mold half 41 and is to be foamed onto or around the cover foam 25. After the foaming tool 31 is closed, the tool insert 37 loads the sealing element 30 so that it maintains its position during foaming with the plastic foam material. The contact area 28 of the contact housing 15 is thus kept free of the plastic foam material of the cover foam 25. After opening the foaming tool 31, the cover 3 is removed from the foaming tool 31. The sealing element 30, which is still arranged on the contact housing 15 (Figs. 8 and 9), is removed and can be used in the foaming tool 31 during the production of another cover 3. The contact area 28 is thus exposed (Fig. 10) and ready for the insertion of a plug 42 (Fig. 2). The plug 42 is connected to an on-board power supply or the like or to another electrical device of the cover 3 by means of a connecting cable, such as a trailing cable.

List of reference symbols

Vehicle roof 23 end section

Roof opening 24 laminate side

Lid 25 Lid foam

Roof area 26 panel

Cover 28 contact area

Disc 29 sealing area

Inner pane 30 sealing element

Outer pane 31 foaming tool

Functional layer 32 contact surface

Laminate layer 33 peripheral surface

Laminate layer 34 Cavity electrical device 35 Side wall

Contact unit 36 opening

Disc underside 37 tool insert

Contact housing 38 recess

Contact 39 back surface

Base area 40 outside

Bonding 41 second mold half

Side edge 42 plug

long side

connecting cable

Disc edge

Claims

Patent claims 1. Cover (3) of a vehicle roof (1), which has a pane (6), an electrical device (12) arranged on the pane (6) and a contact unit (13) which is arranged on the pane (6), is connected to the electrical device (12) and has at least one contact (16) for making contact with a connection, characterized in that the contact unit (13) is arranged on a pane underside (14) of the pane (6) and that a contact housing (15) of the contact unit (13) is foamed around by a cover foam (25) while keeping the at least one contact (16) free. 2. Cover (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that a connecting line (21) which connects the electrical device (12) to the contact unit (13) is foamed into the cover foam (25). 3. Cover (3) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact unit (13) is connected to the underside of the pane (14) by means of an adhesive bond (18). 4. Cover (3) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the contact housing (15) has, on its side opposite the underside of the disc (14), a contacting area (28) comprising the contacts (16) and a sealing area (29), wherein the sealing area (29) surrounds the contacting area (28) and is used for Coupling of a sealing element (30) is formed, which is arranged in a sealing position on the sealing area (29) during foaming of the lid foam (25) and seals the contact area (28) with respect to the lid foam (25) to be foamed. 5. Cover (3) according to claim 4, characterized in that the contact housing (15) has a holder for the releasable attachment of the sealing element (30). 6. Cover (3) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the electrical device (12) has a functional layer (9) or an electrical film which is arranged on the pane (6) or between the pane and a second pane of a laminated glass pane of the cover (3) formed by both panes. 7. Cover (3) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the electrical device (12) has at least one light coupling element which is arranged on the underside (14) of the pane (6) inwards from the contact unit (13) and is intended to radiate light into the pane (6). 8. Cover (3) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the connecting line (21) between the electrical device (12) and the contact unit (13) engages around a disc edge (22) of the disc (6) and is foamed into an edge region of the cover foam (25). 9. A method for producing a cover (3) of a vehicle roof (1) comprising a pane (6), an electrical device (12) arranged on the pane (6) and a contact unit (13) connected to the electrical device (12) and having at least one contact (16) for contacting a terminal, characterized by the steps: a) introducing the disc (6) into a first mold half of an opened foaming tool (31), wherein the disc (6) is directed with its disc underside (14) towards a second mold half of the foaming tool (31) and has the contact unit (13) fixed to its disc underside (14), b) providing a sealing element (30) which is designed to bear tightly against a sealing region (29) of a contact housing (15) of the contact unit (13), which is formed on a contact side of the contact unit (13) facing away from the disc underside (14) and surrounds a contacting region (28) of the contact housing (15), wherein the sealing element (30) is held on the sealing region (29) of the contact housing (15) or on the second mold half, in particular on a tool insert (37) of the second mold half, c) closing the foaming tool (31), wherein the sealing element (30) in its position sealing the contacting area (28) against a cavity (34) of the foaming tool (31), d) introducing a plastic foam material into the cavity (34) and foaming the cover foam (25), wherein the contacting area (28) of the contact housing (15) is kept free from the cover foam (25), and e) opening the foaming tool (31) to remove the cover (3) from the foaming tool (31). 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the sealing element (30) is removed to expose the contact area (28) of the contact housing (15) and is used in particular to produce a further cover (3).