US 12,441,408 B2
Vehicle roof structure
Adam Weyrauch, Canton, MI (US); Steven Frank, Dearborn, MI (US); Jack Lashbrook, Garden City, MI (US); and Rohit Telukunta, Novi, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/880,610.
Prior Publication US 2024/0043068 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. B62D 25/06 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 25/06 (2013.01) 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle roof structure of a vehicle comprising:
an outer roof panel; and
a unitized inner roof panel separate from the outer roof panel and secured to the outer roof panel, the unitized inner roof panel comprising roof headers, a roof bow, and support braces, the roof headers spaced apart from each other and extending in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the roof bow spaced apart from and positioned between two roof headers of the roof headers and extending in the transverse direction, and each support brace being positioned between the roof bow and one of the two roof headers,
wherein each of the support braces comprises a continuous structure that extends from the roof bow to the one of the two roof headers, the support braces extend in multiple directions,
wherein the outer roof panel includes sides that are folded over respective sides of the unitized inner roof panel to mechanically interlock the outer roof panel and the unitized inner roof panel.