Abstract: Bearing device for a telescoping tube of a sliding roof for vehicles, especially motor vehicles, said tube being displaceble lengthwise and being pivotable about a pivot axis running transversely to its lengthwise axis. The bearing device is provided with a guide traversed by the telescoping tube, said guide being fastened to a bearing member. The bearing member comprises a support for the guide which permits the pivoting of the guide by spring action.

Abstract: A roof panel assembly for vehicles, particularly for retrofitting in vehicles. The roof panel assembly features a lift-up cover which covers an opening in the roof, a frame surrounding the edge of the roof opening and lifting device connected, on the one hand, to the frame, and, on the other, to the cover, for raising and lowering the rear of the cover panel. To allow a simple change from one type of lifting device to another, the lifting devices are each installable on one of a number of mounting plates, which may be selectively and interchangeably attached to the frame in an easily replaceable manner.

Abstract: A crank drive for the control of the sliding movement and of the tilting movement of the cover of sliding-lifting roofs of motor vehicles. A crank is provided that is rotatably disposed on a support to be mounted in a stationary manner, with said support having an internal toothing that is concentric with respect to the rotating axis of the crank, a toothed ring having an external toothing being in mating engagement with said internal toothing. The toothed ring is disposed on an eccentric firmly connected with the crank, with respect to rotation, so that it can be rotated around an axis which, with respect to the rotating axis of the crank, is radially displaced by an amount that is about equal to the difference of the tooth-root circle radii.

Abstract: A side channel blower, especially for use as a combustion air blower in vehicle heaters, with a blower housing comprising at least one side channel, into which one intake opening and one exhaust opening terminate, as well as with a blower wheel disposed in the immediate vicinity of the side channel and provided with a plurality of blades. In order to reduce the noise emission of the blower, at least that edge of the intake opening, which lies to the rear in the rotational direction of the blower wheel, is made elastic.

Abstract: Vehicle heating unit comprising an air intake connection and an exhaust connection, which connections are communicable with corresponding inlet and outlet ducts through the vehicle bottom. In order to perform, in such a vehicle heater, the disassembly of the heating unit, even after several years of operation and consequently corroded coupling clamps for the exhaust manifold and the air connection pipe, a coupling unit attachable to the vehicle bottom is provided. The coupling unit comprises plug couplings or contact pressure couplings, equipped with gaskets for receiving the connections, and, associated therewith, coupling pipe sections oriented toward the outside. The exhaust manifold and the air intake manifold can be attached in the usual way to these coupling pipe sections. However, these manifolds need no longer be detached for the dismounting of the heating device. The coupling unit can be mounted within or externally of the vehicle.

Abstract: A control assembly and process for producing same wherein an operating cable having a steel wire core is connected to a drive member, especially for motor vehicle sliding tops and window raising devices, that is made of plastic and has a sleeve formed thereon in which the core is secured by ultrasonic welding. In accordance with a modified embodiment, clamping rings are pressed onto the core on both sides of the sleeve providing tension and shear resistance to the connection of the sleeve and core, torsional forces being resisted by the ultrasonic welded connection.

Abstract: A lateral-duct fan having a lateral duct approximately of the shape of a torus cut normally to its axis of symmetry, and having a coaxial impeller having axially-symmetrically lined-up blades at its front side in a ring-shaped recess that faces essentially opposite the lateral duct with an axial gap therebetween. In order to reduce the critical interdependence between the size of the axial gap and the output of the fan, and thus increase the tolerances during the adjustment of the axial gap, i.e., to improve the output values of the fan with the same axial gap, it is provided that the radius of at least one edge of the recess, measured at the front side of the impeller, is smaller than the radius of a closest edge of the lateral duct, measured at an inner surface of a housing in which the lateral duct is formed.

Abstract: A fan, especially for the conveyance of the combustion air in a motor vehicle heating system, provides for adjusting of its output, with an efficiency that is as high as possible, and little operating noise. The fan, which preferably is a ring-duct fan, has a by-pass duct connected in by-passing relationship to the exit of the fan, with the by-pass duct containing an adjustable throttling member. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the by-pass duct leads back into the intake duct of the fan.

Abstract: An operating mechanism for a tiltable sliding cover of a roof of a motor vehicle having an electric motor by means of which the sliding cover can be operated by a transmission, at least one threaded cable and a cover-adjusting unit connected with the threaded cable. Also part of the operating mechanism is a switching arrangement that is in operating connection with the cover-adjusting unit and is rendered operative as a function of the position of the cover-adjusting unit, with said switching arrangement having the purpose of permitting the switching off of the current supply to the electric motor in the position of the cover-adjusting unit that corresponds to the closed position of the sliding cover. A clutch is arranged between the cover-adjusting unit and the switching arrangement, said clutch having the purpose of permitting the interruption of the operating connection between the cover-adjusting unit and the switching arrangement.

Abstract: A preheating process and apparatus for determination and utilization of a quantity of preheating energy so as to automatically achieve a desired temperature at a given location prior to a predetermined period of usage, especially for preheating an automotive vehicle. In accordance with the process, the respective preheating times required to achieve a desired temperature for various possible actual conditions at the location of usage are determined and stored, at a predetermined point of time prior to the usage commencement time, the correct preheating time is determined from the stored preheating times based upon actual temperature conditions and application of heat to the location is automatically commenced at a time prior to the usage commencement time that corresponds to the difference between the usage commencement time and the correct preheating time determined previously.

Abstract: A vehicle roof with a roof opening and a removable cover for closing the opening of the type wherein the cover is attachable to a roof frame in the vicinity of its forward edge by means of a releasable swivel connection about an axis running at right angles to a lengthwise axis of the vehicle roof and having a rear edge pivotable out of the roof plane, upward and outward, by means of a tilting device that is releasable from the cover is improved by the provision of a safety device for releasing the tilting device from the cover only when the cover is in its closed position. In accordance with a preferred embodiment the safety device includes an unlocking element for releasing the tilting device from the cover which is constructed in the range so as only to be accessible when the cover is closed. In the closed position the unlocking element can be operated by means of a coin or like object so as to be shifted from an engaged or disengaged position.

Abstract: A drive arrangement for a motor vehicle top having an outwardly movable sliding cover driven by an electric motor through a transmission and at least one threaded cable engaging a pinion of the transmission, a manually-actuated switch and a limit switch with a contact arm being provided in a circuit of the electric motor, the contact arm cooperating with a cam of a trip gear to interrupt the current supply to the electric motor in a closed position of the sliding cover, is improved by a construction of the indexing gear transmission for changing the operation of the drive arrangement in a manner increasing the time available for actuation of the limit switch independently of the degree of mobility of the top and ambient temperature conditions when the top reaches a position near the fully closed position.

Abstract: In order to provide a controller which is readily adaptable for use with a plurality of different heaters, an arrangement is provided for storing a plurality of control and regulation programs for the operation of a plurality of different heaters. Based on selection instructions identifying a particular heater, an appropriate control and regulation program can be selected from among said plurality of programs. The controller then provides suitable control and regulation signals to said heater in accordance with the selected program.

Abstract: A burner for use with liquid fuels in heating devices, especially vehicle heaters, as a low pressure atomizer arranged at one end of a combustion chamber that includes a burner insert and a nozzle projecting into an end of the burner insert that faces away from the combustion chamber, and a supply means for feeding a fuel and a primary air stream into the nozzle, at least the quantity of primary air passing through the burner being controllable automatically by a flow control valve and arrangement in dependence upon the temperature of the burner. Additionally, in accordance with preferred embodiments the flow control valve arrangement may be either a bimetallic ring or a bimetallic strip which opens or blocks off the passage of air in dependence on the temperature. In addition to controlling the primary combustion air, controlling of secondary air is also provided.

Abstract: An automobile roof with an aperture and a closure panel that is displaceable for opening and closing the aperture by means of a crank handle mechanism or a motorized drive mechanism and a roof headliner for use therewith of the type comprised of a rigid, resilient material are constructed so that the same roof headliner can be utilized for covering the underside of the roof regardless of whether the crank handle mechanism or the motorized drive mechanism are utilized as the drive for the displaceable panel. According to a preferred embodiment, the headliner is provided with a cutout through means of which a foldable crank arm mechanism is attachable to a shaft of a gear box of the panel displacement mechanism. Furthermore, a cover shield is provided for covering the perforation when a motorized drive mechanism is utilized instead of a crank handle device.

Abstract: A sliding roof panel arrangement for opening and closing an opening in the roof of a motor vehicle is provided with a crash protection construction for preventing the unintentional closing of an open sliding cover due to the influence of high inertial forces as occur from strong deceleration during a collision. In accordance with a first embodiment, a flyweight is pivotally connected to the sliding cover and is arranged so as to engage a notched bar mounted on a fixed roof portion under the influence of said high inertial forces. According to a modified embodiment, a safety belt arrangement is secured to the sliding cover at one end and is wound upon an automatic blocking roll-up mechanism secured to a fixed roof portion at its other end.

Abstract: A heating system in which the rpm of the combustion air blower can be selectively decreased by an especially simple and economical arrangement and is achieved by selectively connecting an incandescent plug, utilized for igniting the fuel-mixture only during the starting period, as a series resistor to the electric motor driving the combustion air blower after completion of the starting period. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, connecting of the incandescent plug as a series resistor is produced by way of a relay operated contact and an actuating circuit therefor, a selectively closable switch and a contact of a combustion monitoring thermostat being located in the actuating circuit for controlling activation of the relay operated contact.

Abstract: A sliding roof for automobiles with a sliding top for closing a roof aperture in its closed position and which can be selectively lowered from its closed position and pushed underneath a fixed rearward roof section or can be swung out in an upward direction is provided with constraining or guide plates which are adjustable in the longitudinal direction of lateral guides for the sliding top. During closing of the sliding top, a guide member fixedly joined to the sliding top contacts these guide plates to direct the closed sliding top into its forward end position. Since these guide plates must be set in their proper positional relationship with the sliding top in its closed position, but can only be fixedly secured with the top in an open position, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, detent elements are provided which act to at least temporarily retain the guide plates in a position to which they have been adjusted without the securing element for the guide plates being engaged.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure such as a roof with a roof aperture surrounded by a frame, the latter defining, at least in the zone of the front edge and the lateral edges of the roof aperture, a gutter having a U-shaped cross-section, wherein the roof aperture can be closed by a sliding top as displaced via sliding blocks in guide tracks extending along the lateral edges of the roof aperture. According to a preferred embodiment, these guide tracks each have a vertical wall defining a side of the gutter that is located nearest the roof aperture that has the shape of an inverted U in cross-section, and a mounting strip is provided within a cavity of the inverted U-shape cross-section such that screws for attaching a cover (forming an upper wall of the guide track) are fastened to the top side of the vertical wall by extending therethrough into the holes in the mounting strip.

Abstract: A vehicle roof with a roof aperture of the type having a parametric frame and a displaceable closure panel for opening and closing the aperture is formed through the use of a pre-assembled installation unit which is attachable to the frame and upon which the closure panel is mounted. The installation unit comprises all of the parts necessary for guiding and displacing the closure panel operationally associated with each other in a manner enabling complete testing of the drive for the displaceable closure panel without attachment of the installation unit to the aperture frame.