Abstract: Ventilator roof for use in motor vehicles with a roof opening in a fixed roof surface which can be closed by a cover. The cover can be swung by pivoting around a pivoting axis, at, or near its rear edge, into a ventilation position in which the cover front edge is below the roof surface, while the cover rear edge is kept at the height of the roof surface, and a ventilation gap is formed between the cover front edge and the front edge of the roof opening. At least one electrically powered blower is built into a ventilation channel leading from the ventilation gap into the vehicle interior. The blower can be powered by solar cells or the on-board vehicle power unit (battery) with safeguards to prevent use when the vehicle power unit lacks sufficient charge. In some embodiments, arrangements are also provided to enable the blower to provide ventilation of the interior space of the vehicle even when the cover is closed.

Abstract: Drive device for a vehicle part that is displaceable between end positions, with an electric motor connected by a reduction gear to a driving pinion which is connected to the vehicle part so as to drive it, as well as with a switching device for controlling the motor to stop the motor in at least one predetermined position of the vehicle part. To actuate the switching device there is a switch wheel which, during displacement of the vehicle part between its end positions, is rotated less than 360.degree. by an eccentric gear train. The eccentric gear train has an external gear with an internal toothing coaxial to a common shaft of the reduction gear and the eccentric gear train, an eccentric disk that is connected to the common shaft in a manner precluding relative rotation between the eccentric disk, and an internal gear with an external toothing that meshes with the internal toothing of the external gear.

Abstract: Vehicle roof with at least one cover that, alternatively, closes or at least partially opens an opening in a fixed roof surface of the vehicle, carries a solar power source for supplying power to at least one power consuming device that is separately located from the cover, and with a contact device for producing an electrical connection between the solar power source and the consuming device. The contact device is made as a switch arrangement that incorporates the cover so that the power consuming device is connected to the solar power source in one or more predetermined cover positions and is disconnected from the solar power source in all other cover positions.

Abstract: Flexible thermoplastic rack bar for meshing with a gear wheel, particularly for the drive of displaceable vehicle elements, like roof elements, sliding windows, and the like, having a series of supported teeth and a pull-resistant reinforcement embedded essentially parallel to a pitch line of the rack bar. The rack bar teeth are supported on at each lateral side and the reinforcement is disposed only in a cross-sectional area of the rack bar which lies heightwise between the head and the root of the rack bar teeth, preferably, substantially along a central transverse plane of the rack bar.

Abstract: Vehicle roof with a cover for, alternatively closing and at least partially opening a roof opening, with a sliding inside roof headliner for, alternatively, closing and at least partially opening a framed opening lying under the roof opening, with a respective drip molding running in the longitudinal vehicle direction under each side of the roof opening, with longitudinal guide mechanisms, along which the cover is displaced by a drive device in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, extending along the drip moldings; and wherein, according to preferred embodiments of the invention, a water catching device that is located under the rear edge of the roof opening, at least when the cover is in its forwardmost position, and that catches water coming in there and diverts it into the lateral drip moldings, is formed by the sliding inside roof headliner, itself.

Abstract: A process for operating a burner fed with liquid fuel, in particular a vaporization burner of a heater in which, preferably, a motor vehicle add-on heater is involved. In this operating process, after the burner has been in steady state operation for a predetermined period, the fuel feed is briefly interrupted. The predetermined period of steady state operation of the burner is preferably about 5 to 20 minutes, while the fuel feed is interrupted for about 5 to 25 seconds. With this operating process, deposits on the burner can be reduced so that the service life of the burner can be considerably increased.

Abstract: A frame for a vehicle roof of the type having a roof opening in a fixed vehicle roof surface and a cover for closing the roof opening and a device for displacing the cover to a position at least partially opening the roof opening by at least one of sliding and lifting motions, has two lateral side parts which are made of metal and extend in transversely spaced apart relationship to each other, parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, an injection molded synthetic plastic front part to which corner parts, serving as transition areas to the lateral side parts are directly molded, and at least one cross member interconnecting said lateral side parts. The lateral side parts have guides for cover guide members which support the cover for displacement therealong and which cooperate with a drive unit at the front part via pressure-resistant drive cables. Guide tubes for the pressure-resistant drive cables are at least partially embedded into the molded material of the front part.

Abstract: A sliding roof and/or a sliding lifting roof and/or a lifting sliding roof for motor vehicles has a safety device for preventing detachment from the motor vehicle of the cover which is displaceable for closing and at least partially unblocking a roof opening and which optionally can also be vented. The safety device has at least one flexible safety element, which is connected to the cover and at least indirectly to a part which is integral with the body of the motor vehicle. The flexible safety element can be designed as a catch band or catch cloth, and with the design as a catch cloth it can, at the same time, serve as a making screen. Further the flexible safety element can be physically or operatively connected to the sliding device and/or the vent device. This means at least one end of the flexible safety element can be movably guided, optionally in separate channels, on the guide rail which is fastened to the roof frame.

Abstract: A vaporization burner for a heater operated with liquid fuel, in particular an auxiliary vehicle heater with a support that projects into a combustion chamber and on whose front side facing the combustion chamber an absorbent body is located that is supplied with fuel by a fuel feed pipe and on whose back side there is connected an ignition chamber that contains an igniter, for which a passage to the combustion chamber is provided in the support. To achieve improved combustion performance, especially in the start-up phase, with even fuel and heat distribution over the absorbent body, according to a preferred embodiment, a perforated disk is placed between the support and the absorbent body that has a through-hole in the area of a passage in the support and also has a slot-shaped notch which runs from the through-hole up the the edge of perforated disk.

Abstract: A sliding roof and/or a sliding-lifting roof for motor vehicles in which an adjustment mechanism is provided that aligns the guide blocks or the mounting mechanism coupled to it in the closed or zero position of the cover of the roof. For this purpose, a link part connected to the cover is fixed in the zero position, for example, with the help of a front hold-down device, with respect to a guide rail in the lengthwise direction, preferably, by a positively locking connection while, near the mounting mechanism or the guide block there is provided a through-opening in the link part which is associated with, for example, a fitting recess on the mounting mechanism. With the help of an adjustment part, the fitting recess is aligned flush with the through-opening on the link part and, in doing so, the mounting mechanism or the guide block is aligned in the predetermined zero position relative to the cover or to the link part of same.

Abstract: A heating device (1) is provided with a sleeve member (14) surrounding a burner element (10) of the heating device, such that a combustion air chamber (15), having a predetermined volume coordinated to the respective configuration of the burner, is obtained between the burner element (10) and the sleeve member (14). The sleeve member (14) may be radially divided into two parts (14a, 14b), which parts are tightened against each other for sealing purposes. At a front end, the combustion air chamber (15) is defined by a cover (16) having an inlet opening (17) for the combustion air, which inlet opening is sealed relative to the environment and is connected with the outlet of a combustion air blower. The sleeve member (14) may be made of a light metal, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: Ventilation roof for vehicles with a roof opening made in a roof skin, a roof opening that can be closed by a cover that is connected to an adjustment mechanism having front and rear height adjustment devices. The cover can be swung by the front height adjustment devices, starting from a closed position, around a pivot axis, lying near its rear edge, into a ventilation position in which the cover front edge lies below the height of roof skin, while the cover rear edge is kept at approximately the height of the roof skin. The rear of the cover can be lowered below the roof skin by the rear height adjustment devices, and the lowered cover can be slid rearward underneath the roof skin into an open position. The front height adjustment devices each have a positively adjustable pivoted lever that is rotatable about an axis that is fixed relative to the roof and with which the cover is detachably coupled only when it is shifted fully forward.

Abstract: A process for testing operational components in heaters, especially vehicle auxiliary heaters, in which the operational components are actuated and switched on sequentially, individually. Based on this, a corresponding evaluation is then performed. Further, a testing device for performing the process has a switching-on device with which the operational components can be started up, individually, on a sequential basis. From the process engineering viewpoint and from the device engineering viewpoint, further developments up to integration of the testing device in a heater control device are possible, and, optionally, for evaluation of the operational testing, external devices can also be used.

Abstract: A vehicle roof with a roof opening made in the stationary roof panel is described, wherein the roof opening can alternately be closed or at least partially opened by an adjustable covering that moves in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle combined with a wind deflector that includes a wind deflector plate mounted to pivot between a pushed-out position and a rest position around a transverse pivoting axis, which can be adjusted along a guide mechanism in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The wind deflector when pivoted into the rest positions can be pushed into a receiving space located below the stationary roof panel in front of the front edge of the roof opening. A catch mechanism is provided for automatic slaving the transverse pivot axis of the wind deflector plate for movement in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a part connected to the cover during at least a part of the adjustment movement of the covering that occurs in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A heater, in particular a motor vehicle heater operated with liquid fuel in which the fuel to be fed to the burner of the heater is preheated using the thermal energy of the combustion gases in the discharge area of the heater to guarantee reliable operation of the heater even at low temperatures, and to prevent paraffin separations, especially with diesel fuel in advance of filter devices in the fuel supply of the burner. For this purpose, a fuel preheating pipe section is provided that can be made in the form of a spiral-shaped pipe loop and that is placed in the flow of combustion gases, which have passed through the heat exchanger of the heater. Since the fuel is warmed in the fuel flow pipe before passage through the filter device, clogging of the filter device is avoided. In accordance with various embodiments the fuel preheating pipe section can be placed in an exhaust gas collecting chamber of the heater or in an exhaust gas discharge connection.

Abstract: A heater, in particular a motor vehicle heater, has a muffler insert in the exhaust gas outlet, a muffler insert that reduces, in particular, disturbing, low-frequency combustion noises. With the aid of the muffler insert, the exhaust gas stream in the area of the exhaust gas outlet of the heater is divided into at least two partial streams. The muffler insert can be made as a sheet metal part having hollow bodies that are made of pipe pieces. Alternatively, the muffler insert can be made as a one-piece cast part.

Abstract: A process and arrangement for the ventilation of the interior of a motor vehicle is provided, whereby the motor vehicle has a ventilating device and a roof having at least one roof opening which can be opened and closed by displacement of at least one cover by means of an actuating device, like in a sliding roof, a sliding-lifting roof, a lifting roof, a spoiler roof, a folding roof, or the like, and whereby the ventilation device and actuating device for the roof cover are operatively connected in such a way that, when the roof is at least partially opened, the ventilation device of the vehicle is automatically activated to increase ventilation of the vehicle interior, which activation can be effected in corresponding ventilation stages.

Abstract: A sliding type vehicle roof is provided having guide tubes for pressure-resistant drive cables that are positioned, in the zone of contact area between the drive cables and a drive device, in a sheathing part that is formed about the guide tubes and acts as a holding device for the guide tubes. In the sheathing part, there is provided at least one recess to accommodate a drive pinion of the drive device, and a central opening in the base of the recess for accurately locating the drive pinion. Further, the sheathing part functions as a support for the drive device, that is suitably attached to the sheathing part with the aid of screws, and a defined seat can be provided on the sheathing part to receive the top housing part of the drive device. The sheathing part with the drive thereon can be attached to the frame, which can be set into a roof opening of a vehicle roof.

Abstract: A heating device, especially a motor vehicle heating device operated by means of liquid fuel, has a vaporization burner with an absorbent body that can be acted upon by liquid fuel. To effect equalization of heat distribution and fuel pretreatment, there is provided a cover of a high temperature and corrosion resistant sheet steel. The cover has a plurality of openings and covers at least a major portion of that surface of the absorbent body which faces a combustion chamber of the heating device. When the absorbent body has a through-opening to promote vaporization of the liquid fuel, the cover likewise can have a through-opening coordinated thereto, thus exposing the through-opening.

Abstract: A frame arrangement for a vehicle roof that has a roof opening that is closable by a displaceable cover panel that, along with driving and guiding components thereof, is supported on a frame bounding the roof opening which has only the function of a support, i.e., does not form a necessary part of a fully functional installation unit, comprising a guide insert and a covering. The guide insert and the covering form the tracks for a slidable guide element and the cable guide channels for actuating cables, which interact with an appropriately suitable actuation device for displacing the cover panel. The guide insert can be made of plastic or metal, and the covering is advantageously divided into a front side section and side sections. These sections of the covering can be uniformly produced of plastic or metal or individual sections can be produced of plastic and others, in turn, of metal. Also, the guide insert as well as the covering can be produced entirely of plastic.