Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Let-down type top
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-13
2004-11-09
Engle, Patricia L. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Let-down type top
C296S107180, C296S107200, C296S220010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06814391
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a convertible motor vehicle roof with a roof part, with a rear part which adjoins the roof part, and with side roof members which are pivotally coupled on both sides to the roof part, and to open the motor vehicle roof the rear part together with the roof part and the side roof members can be lowered into a stowage space located in the rear and the side roof members can be swung to the outside before or during lowering into the storage space.
2. Description of Related Art
One such motor vehicle roof is disclosed in German Patent DE 198 07 327 C1 which, however, is not concerned in detail with the configuration of the pivot support of the side roof member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the invention is to form a motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type with an articulated coupling of the side roof members to the roof part, which coupling provides a durable mechanism with a simple structure for executing the desired motion.
The above object is achieved in the aforementioned motor vehicle roof in accordance with the invention in that a swivel bearing means supports the respective side roof members on the roof part and has at least two connecting rods or a connecting rod and a guide slot. This configuration allows implementation of a plurality of embodiments which have a durable and reliable structure.
Feasibly, the swivel bearing means contains a front connecting rod and a rear connecting rod which for in a planar four-joint linkage in which all axes of the four-joint linkage are perpendicular to a slanted plane. The plane is, for example, a lengthwise plane which is tilted downwardly and outwardly relative to horizontal. According to the structural localization of the location of the plane, the pivoting behavior of the side roof member can be set. The planar four-joint linkage has a simple and durable structure.
According to another preferred embodiment, the swivel bearing means contains a front connecting rod and a rear connecting rod which form a spherical four-joint linkage in which all axes of the four-joint linkage meet at an intersection point. The joints of the connecting rods, for example hinge joints, contain a pivot axle and the joints on the side roof members move on a spherical surface. The swivelling behavior of the side roof members is fixed by the structural localization of the intersection point.
According to another preferred embodiment, the swivel bearing means contains a front connecting rod, a middle connecting rod and a rear connecting rod which form a three-dimensional, seven-joint linkage, the joints located on the side roof members being socket joints and the socket joint of the middle connecting rod being located outside the connecting line between the socket joints of the front and the rear connecting rod. The three-dimensional, seven-joint linkage offers diverse possibilities for implementation of the swivelling motions of the side roof member. Driving of the swivel bearing means can proceed on the front connecting rod or on the rear connecting rod. Functionally the middle connecting rod controls the tilting motion of the side roof member via a lever arm.
Another preferred embodiment calls for the swivel bearing means to have a front connecting rod and a rear guide slot which is located on the side roof member and on which the swivel bearing of the roof part is movably supported. Driving of the swivel bearing means takes place preferably on the connecting rod and the side roof member moves on the circular path of the connecting rod and along the guide slot.
Driving of the swivel bearing means takes place preferably, for example, via a drive means which is moved by the motion of the bearing means which supports the roof part on the body, for example, the motion of a four joint linkage arrangement with the main column and the main connecting rod pivotally supported on the body. Thus, a special drive is not necessary.
Embodiments of the invention are explain in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2434711 (1948-01-01), Mobbs et al.
patent: 5558388 (1996-09-01), Furst et al.
patent: 6390531 (2002-05-01), Schutt
patent: 6412860 (2002-07-01), Reinsch
patent: 6419295 (2002-07-01), Neubrand
patent: 6497448 (2002-12-01), Curtis et al.
patent: 198 07 327 (1999-09-01), None
patent: 05544694 (1993-08-01), None
patent: 0 704 330 (1996-04-01), None
Biecker Peter
Lauterbach Marco
Reinsch Burkhard
Schwarz Gerhard
Wegener Fritz
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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