Folding roof for a convertible vehicle

Details Folding roof for a convertible vehicle Folding roof for a convertible vehicle

2002-01-17

2003-07-01

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Tops

Let-down type top

C296S107010, C296S121000, C296S107170

Reexamination Certificate

active

06585310

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a folding roof for a convertible vehicle.
From French application No. 98 05 971 of May 12, 1988, there is known a folding roof for a convertible vehicle which is shown in the appended
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
Said folding roof for a convertible vehicle comprises a front element
10
hinged at
11
to a rear element
12
, the rear end
12
b
of which is hinged at
13
relative to the vehicle. The two elements
10
,
12
can be stored in the vehicle boot
14
such that the front element
10
is folded over the rear element
12
linked through its hinge
13
relative to the vehicle.
The rear element
12
comprises a center element
15
which extends to the hinge
11
between the front element
10
and the rear element
12
. This center element
15
is hinged in
19
b
relative to the rear element
12
and cooperates with means which, in the position of the roof where it is stored in the boot
14
, maintains the center element
15
at a distance above the rear element
12
.
The front element
10
is attached in an articulated manner at
17
to the end of a beam
18
arranged on each side of the vehicle, with its other end attached in an articulated manner at
19
a
to the vehicle. The beam
18
is adapted to maintain the front element
10
in a substantially horizontal position when the rear element
12
is pivoted towards the boot about its hinge
13
.
The center element
15
is connected to a beam
17
a
through an arm
19
extending from this center element, the other end of beam
17
a
being hinged to the vehicle frame in
16
. The arm
19
is arranged so as to allow the center element
15
to be pivoted about its hinge
19
b
in a direction opposite the pivoting direction of the rear element about hinge
13
.
Each arm
19
has an end attached in an articulated manner at
20
to the beam
17
a
and an end
21
which is integral with the edge of the center element
15
.
Each beam
17
a
has an end which is attached in an articulated manner at
20
to the arm
19
and another end hinged at
16
to the vehicle body.
The pivoting of the roof is controlled by an electric motor
22
driving, by means of two half-shafts
23
and a pinion
24
, a pinion or toothed sector
25
integral with the rotation axis
13
of the roof rear element
12
.
The pivoting movement of the roof can be balanced by means of a jack
26
.
When the front, rear and center elements are in the closed position of the roof, it is appropriate to lock them together and relative to the vehicle body.
This locking problem is encountered in all models of folding hard top roofs, whatever the respective paths of the various movable roof elements constituting a folding hard top roof.
Similarly, when the roof is in its folded position within the rear boot of the vehicle, it is necessary to lock at least the rear roof element to a fixed portion within the boot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide the above-mentioned locks by means of a centralized locking system, which is safe, efficient and of relatively low cost.
The present invention therefore aims at providing a folding roof for a convertible vehicle, comprising a front element and a rear element, said two elements being capable of being stored in the vehicle boot, and locks for locking together the front edge of the front element to the vehicle body, and the rear edge of the front element to the front edge of the rear element, said locks being actuated by control rods. According to this invention, the roof is characterized in that the control rods are rotating rods connected to a motor, the rotating rods and the locks being arranged such that the rotation of the motor causes the control rods to rotate simultaneously and the locks to be engaged when the roof covers the vehicle.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle boot includes a lock element cooperating with a lock element provided on the front edge of the rear element, for locking the latter when it is positioned in the vehicle boot.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2939742 (1960-06-01), Dardarian et al.
patent: 5284378 (1994-02-01), Sautter, Jr.
patent: 5328229 (1994-07-01), Brandt et al.
patent: 5490709 (1996-02-01), Rahn
patent: 5520432 (1996-05-01), Gmeiner et al.
patent: 5785375 (1998-07-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 5833300 (1998-11-01), Russke
patent: 6062625 (2000-05-01), Elelnrieder et al.
patent: 6062628 (2000-05-01), Guillez
patent: 19539085 (1997-04-01), None
patent: 0678411 (1995-10-01), None
patent: 0884208 (1998-12-01), None
patent: 713044 (1931-10-01), None

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