IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,722,712
Granted Patent B2
US 12,722,712 · App. 18/325,546 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Roof structure for vehicle

Inventors: Chan Woong Jeon (Incheon, KR); Youngrock Kim (Gwangmyeong-si, KR); HaeHoon Lee (Seoul, KR); ChangHak Kang (Hwaseong-si, KR); Sang Kyoung Han (Gunpo-si, KR); Kwangok Han (Seoul, KR)
Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
B62D25/07B62D27/026B62D27/065
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,722,712
App. No.
18/325,546
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An embodiment roof structure for a vehicle includes a plurality of roof rail assemblies disposed along a vehicle width direction of a vehicle body and connected to a pair of side structures that are disposed on each side of the vehicle body along a front to rear direction of the vehicle body and a roof module connected to the plurality of roof rail assemblies.

Claims (48)

1 . A roof structure for a vehicle, the roof structure comprising:

a plurality of roof rail assemblies each comprising an upper rail panel and a lower rail panel, wherein each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies is disposed along a vehicle width direction of a vehicle body and connected to a pair of side structures that are disposed on each side of the vehicle body along a front to rear direction of the vehicle body;

a roof module connected to the plurality of roof rail assemblies; and

an adhesive sealer between a lower edge portion of a base provided in the roof module and a roof side of one of the side structures and between the lower edge portion of the base provided in the roof module and the upper rail panels of the plurality of roof rail assemblies,

wherein a drainage path is defined along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body between the adhesive sealers adjacent to each other on upper surfaces of the upper rail panels.

2 . The roof structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies comprises the upper rail panel and the lower rail panel, of each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies, are connected together to define a closed cross-section.

3 . The roof structure of claim 2 , wherein:

the upper rail panel, of each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies, comprises upper flange portions disposed on both edge portions along the front to rear direction of the vehicle body and an upper rail portion disposed between the upper flange portions; and

the lower rail panel, of each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies, comprises lower flange portions disposed on both edge portions along the front to rear direction of the vehicle body and a lower rail portion disposed between the lower flange portions.

4 . The roof structure of claim 3 , wherein:

the upper flange portions and the lower flange portions are connected to each other; and

a closed space is defined between the upper rail portions and the lower rail portions.

5 . The roof structure of claim 1 , wherein the roof module comprises a sensor roof module, an air conditioning roof module, or a glass roof module.

6 . The roof structure of claim 1 , wherein the roof module comprises a sensor roof module, an air conditioning roof module, and a glass roof module disposed adjacent to each other along the front to rear direction of the vehicle body.

7 . The roof structure of claim 1 , further comprising a path extension on the adhesive sealer configured to extend the drainage path to a pillar of one of the side structures.

8 . A roof structure for a vehicle, the roof structure comprising:

a plurality of roof rail assemblies each comprising an upper rail panel and a lower rail panel connected to each other, each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies extending along a vehicle width direction of a vehicle body with each end respectively being connected to one of a pair of side structures extending along each side of the vehicle body in a front to rear direction of the vehicle body;

a roof module connected to the plurality of roof rail assemblies;

a module mounting unit coupling the roof module and the plurality of roof rail assemblies along a vertical direction; and

an adhesive sealer between a lower edge portion of a base provided in the roof module and a roof side of one of the side structures and between the lower edge portion of the base provided in the roof module and the upper rail panels of of the plurality of roof rail assemblies,

wherein a drainage path is defined along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body between the adhesive sealers adjacent to each other on upper surfaces of the upper rail panels.

9 . The roof structure of claim 8 , wherein:

the upper rail panel, of each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies, comprises an upper flange portion disposed on both edge portions along the front to rear direction of the vehicle body and an upper rail portion disposed between the upper flange portions; and

the lower rail panel, of each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies, comprises a lower flange portion disposed on both edge portions along the front to rear direction of the vehicle body and a lower rail portion disposed between the lower flange portions.

10 . The roof structure of claim 9 , wherein:

the upper flange portion and the lower flange portion are connected to each other; and

a closed space is defined between the upper rail portion and the lower rail portion.

11 . The roof structure of claim 9 , wherein the module mounting unit comprises:

a mounting bracket connected to a lower surface of the base provided in the roof module;

an engage bolt fixed to the mounting bracket so as to pass through the upper flange portion and the lower flange portion connected together in the vertical direction; and

a fastening nut engaged with the engage bolt.

12 . The roof structure of claim 9 , wherein the module mounting unit comprises:

a mounting bracket connected to a lower surface of the base provided in the roof module;

an engage bolt fixed to the mounting bracket to pass through the upper rail portion along the vertical direction; and

a fastening nut penetrating the lower rail portion and engaged with the engage bolt.

13 . The roof structure of claim 8 , wherein the roof module comprises a plurality of roof modules, and wherein the roof structure further comprises a weather strip provided between the roof modules that are disposed adjacent to each other.

14 . A roof structure for a vehicle, the roof structure comprising:

a plurality of roof rail assemblies each comprising an upper rail panel and a lower rail panel connected to each other, each of the plurality of roof rail assemblies extending along a vehicle width direction of a vehicle body with each end respectively being connected to one of a pair of side structures extending along each side of the vehicle body in a front to rear direction of the vehicle body;

a plurality of roof modules disposed in the front to rear direction of the vehicle body and connected to respective ones of the plurality of roof rail assemblies;

a plurality of module mounting units coupling the roof modules and the roof rail assemblies along a vertical direction; and

an adhesive sealer between lower edge portions of bases provided in the roof modules and roof sides of the side structures and between the lower edge portions of the bases provided in the roof modules and the upper rail panels,

wherein a drainage path is defined along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body between the adhesive sealers adjacent to each other on upper surfaces of the upper rail panels.

15 . The roof structure of claim 14 , wherein each of the upper rail panels comprises a drainage channel along the drainage path.

16 . The roof structure of claim 15 , further comprising a path extension on one of the adhesive sealers to extend the drainage path to a pillar of one of the side structures.

17 . The roof structure of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of roof modules comprises a sensor roof module, an air conditioning roof module, and a glass roof module disposed adjacent to each other along the front to rear direction of the vehicle body.

18 . The roof structure of claim 14 , wherein the roof structure further comprises a weather strip provided between the roof modules that are disposed adjacent to each other.

19 . The roof structure of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of module mounting units comprises a mounting bracket connected to a lower surface of the base of a respective roof module, an engage bolt fixed to the mounting bracket, and a fastening nut engaged with the engage bolt.

20 . The roof structure of claim 14 , wherein an upper rail portion of each of the upper rail panels is formed in a convex shape from lower to upper directions.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2023
From: JEON, CHAN WOONG; KIM, YOUNGROCK; LEE, HAEHOON; KANG, CHANGHAK; HAN, SANG KYOUNG; HAN, KWANGOK
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063796/0666 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0125959 · Oct 4, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240109596A1 · Apr 4, 2024
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