Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Let-down type top
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-23
2004-05-18
Patel, Kiran (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Let-down type top
C296S107010, C296S136060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06736443
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a cover arrangement for a vehicle with a removable vehicle roof, wherein the cover is movable between a cover position assumed in an end position of the vehicle roof and a release position which is assumed for the transfer of the vehicle roof between its two end positions.
EP 0 302 963 B1 discloses a tripartite storage space cover including a center part and two side flaps which are pivotally connected to the center part by pivot joints. In the closed position and in the storage position of the vehicles roof, the center part of the cover is in a horizontal position and the side flaps are sidewardly extended from the center part. For the transfer of the vehicle roof between the closed and the storage positions, the center part is pivoted about an axis extending transverse to the vehicle, whereby a storage space disposed below the cover becomes accessible. At the same time, the side flaps are pivoted about their pivot joints inwardly onto the center part whereby also the side areas of the storage space are accessible and sufficient space is made available for passing the vehicle roof.
In addition to being joined to the center part by way of the pivot joints, the side flaps are pivotally connected to parts of the vehicle body by way of two additional joints. The pivot movements of the three pivot joints of each side flap must be adjusted to each other with high precision since otherwise the movement of the side flaps may be blocked. Because of aging, changing elasticity and play, jamming of the side flaps is possible however. Another disadvantage is the fact that the arrangement with three connecting joints of the side flaps with the center part and parts of the vehicle body is relatively expensive.
A tripartite cover consisting of a center part and two side flaps is furthermore known from DE 197 12 967 A1. The side flaps are pivotally connected exclusively to the center part by way of a lift pivot joint. For their transfer into the inwardly pivoted position, they are first lowered from the plane of the center part and then pivoted inwardly. The movement of the side flaps relative to the center part is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder. No coordinated movement of the center part and the side flaps is provided for in DE 197 12 967 A1.
It is the object of the present invention to provide in a convertible vehicle a tripartite cover arrangement with a center cover part and two side parts such that with simple design measures the movement of the side parts is force-coupled with the movement of the center part of the cover, in such a way that the side parts in an inwardly pivoted position, are adaptable with large play to the respective surrounding components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a cover arrangement for a storage compartment for a removable vehicle roof with a storage compartment cover which is movable between a closed position and a clearing position, and wherein the storage compartment cover includes a center part and two side parts with an operating mechanism for the center part and actuating mechanisms for the side parts, the center part and the side parts are supported on the vehicle body in a common plane when the storage compartment is closed but are movable to a clearing position for the movement of the roof into, and out of, the storage compartment, the side part actuating mechanisms being inter-linked with the center part operating mechanism for moving the side parts together with the center part.
There are no other connections between the side parts and the center part. In this way, the freedom of kinematic movement of the side parts with respect to the center part is increased since the side parts are not directly connected to the center part, but only by way of a kinematic actuating mechanism. In the area of the respective actuating mechanism, there is in principle, any number of coupling possibilities whereby the movement of the side parts can be achieved in a predetermined way by a coupling of the movement of the center part with the movement of the side parts. The side parts are connected by the kinematic operating mechanism directly to the vehicle body or a component connected to the vehicle body. The degrees of freedom which are provided for the side parts by the side part actuating mechanism are determined by the coupling link between the side part actuating mechanism and the center part operating mechanism. Since no other coupling structures exist between the side parts and other components, the danger of jamming of the side parts is reduced in comparison with the state of the art. With the coupling of the actuating mechanism and the operating mechanism there is for each position of the center part exactly one position of the side parts so that no special drive for the side parts is needed that is the drive for the operation of the center part is sufficient.
In an advantageous embodiment, the center part operating mechanism is connected to the vehicle body by two main arms which are pivotally connected to the vehicle body and which are each coupled with the center part by an intermediate link. The two main arms are also linked each with the actuating mechanism for one of the side parts. The two main arms may be interconnected by a connecting rod, which synchronizes the movement of the two main arms so that, basically, only one of the two main arms needs to be operated for moving the center part as well as the side parts. Such movement may be initiated by an actuator, but it may also be coupled with the roof operating mechanism by way of which the movable vehicle roof is moved between the closed position and the open position in which it is deposited in a storage compartment.
The side part actuating mechanism comprises in a preferred embodiment a support arm, which is pivotally connected to the vehicle body and to a side part, particularly by pivot joints, which permit a spatial pivot movement. Furthermore, a side part control arm may be provided which is also pivotally connected to the vehicle body and to the side part preferably by ball joints, for permitting a spatial pivot movement. By the relative arrangement of the side part support arm and the side part control arm, a spatial pivot movement of the side parts can be achieved by which the side parts are moved below the center part.
In this arrangement, the coupling arm is expediently connected to the support arm of the side part actuating mechanism which can be made stronger that the control arm and which can accommodate most of the weight of the side part whereas the control arm is responsible mainly for the control of the pivot movement of the side part.
The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description thereof on the basis of the accompanying drawings.
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Halbweiss Thomas
Hasselgruber Andreas
Holst Christian
Roesler Matthias
Bach Klaus J.
CTS Fahrzeug-Dachsysteme GmbH
Patel Kiran
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