Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Let-down type top
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-22
2003-11-11
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Let-down type top
C296S136070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644715
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a convertible vehicle with a roof which can be stowed in the rear part of the vehicle and which is connected to supports located underneath the windowsill line by linkage elements which are provided at least on the sides and which, when the roof is closed, extend through openings in the plane of the windowsill line, wherein the through-openings for the linkage elements can be covered by panel parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
In convertible vehicles of this type it is desirable for the through-openings for the linkage parts on the sides to be completely covered after the roof has been opened and stowed in order to avoid unattractive shaft openings, which are accessible from above. This covering of the openings is not only for the sake of appearance but also for the sake of preventing anything from intruding into the openings and into the roof mechanism behind them. In the closed state of the roof, at least some of the opening must be free to allow the linkage elements to pass through. These areas of the openings should be kept as small as possible in order to have as little negative effect on the interior space as possible. It is known for this purpose that each of the through-openings can be provided with several panel parts, all of which are in the closed position when the roof is open, but only some of which are closed when the roof is closed, while the others remain open. It is also known that at least one panel part can be mounted so that it can be pivoted upward, so that it can be shifted between the open and the closed position. To prevent friction from occurring between the panel part and roof when this panel part is being pivoted upward—friction which could damage the roof, especially a roof with an interior lining of fabric—these types of panels are not made to extend all the way to the outside longitudinal edge of vehicle, i.e., to the edge on the outside in the transverse direction of the vehicle, but are terminated instead a certain distance away from the outside edge. Immediately adjacent to the outside edge area, however, that is, immediately adjacent to the closed roof, there remains a fixed, stationary panel part, which means that the through-opening for the linkage elements is not as large as it could be. The geometry of the roof must be adapted to the situation described above, which imposes an additional burden on the design engineering.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the problem of ensuring that, after the panel parts have been opened, the opening thus made available is as large as possible and that this opening extends all the way to a point close to the interior surface of the roof.
In accordance with the present invention, at least one of the panel parts can be pivoted upwards on a pivoting parallelogram, wherein the parallelogram includes axles extending essentially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein the at least one panel part is pivoted such that an outer edge of the panel part is shifted inward and also upwards when the panel part is opened, wherein the upwards shift of the outer edge is less than that of the inner edge of the panel part.
With the configuration according to the invention, the pivoting panel part can extend all the way up to the interior surface of the closed roof, which is possibly a fabric roof covering. This also applies to the through-opening which can be covered by the panel part. This opening can therefore be made quite large and can offer a favorable geometry for the roof stowage area. As a result of the way in which the pivoting according to the invention occurs, the outside edge of the panel part which moves in this way is prevented from scraping against the material of the roof covering, because, at the same time that the outer edge of the panel is pivoting upward, the panel is also shifted inward toward a vertical, longitudinal plane passing through the center of the vehicle. In the first phase of its opening movement, therefore, the panel part is pushed inward, away from the roof or roof covering.
It is especially favorable in this case for the pivotable panel part to be made up of several parts. Thus, during the opening movement, the outer part can be shifted inward under the inner part, as a result of which the outside edge is moved away from the roof covering even more quickly.
After the panel part has been pivoted upward, furthermore, the height is still relatively low, so that, even if the elevated panel part is at a slant, the width of the through-opening is not constricted.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the descriptive matter in which there are described preferred embodiments of the invention.
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Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia
Kueffner Friedrich
Wilhelm Karmann GmbH
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