BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a vehicle roof structure. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle roof structure that includes a roof bow that includes a vibration dampening plate.

Background Information

Large sports utility vehicles (SUVs), vans and panel trucks typically have large cavernous interior spaces that may or may not be part of a passenger compartment of the vehicle. Due the large nature of such interior spaces, the rearward areas of the structure that defines the large interior space can often amplify noises, in particular in the rearward area of the interior space.

SUMMARY

One object of the present disclosure is to provide a rearward roof bow of a roof structure of a vehicle with a large interior space with a vibration dampening plate that improves and/or attenuates resonance frequency of the roof structure thereby reducing propagation of unwanted noises.

In view of the state of the known technology, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle roof structure that includes a roof bow, a vibration dampening plate and a weighted member. The roof bow is configured and dimension to install to opposing roof rails of a vehicle body structure. The roof bow has a first end and a second end. A first overall length of the roof bow is measured from the first end to the second end and a first overall width being measured perpendicular to the first overall length. The roof bow has a forward flange section, a rearward flange section and a central section that extend in a lengthwise direction of the roof bow between the first end and the second end. The forward and rearward directions are defined relative to a forward and rearward directions of the vehicle body structure. The central section defines a recessed area having an upper surface that is lower that respective upper surfaces of the forward and rearward flange sections. The vibration dampening plate is installed to an upper surface of the roof bow proximate the central section of the roof bow spaced apart from the first end and the second end of the roof bow. The weighted member is fixedly attached to a lower surface of the vibration dampening plate such that the weighted member is at a level above the upper surface of the recessed area of the roof bow with a non-contacting relationship with the roof bow.

