Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-24
2003-01-14
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
C296S146800, C296S146130, C049S383000, C049S398000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06505882
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a hatchback lid for a motor vehicle with a top and a bottom hatchback lid part displaceably mounted in relation to each other.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Besides the common one-piece roof-mounted hatchback lids whose disadvantages are no doubt widely known, especially the necessary stepping-back for opening, the restricted standing height due to the limited opening angle, the problematic opening in tight parking spaces or in garages, there are also already known to be hatchback lid constructions with two parts, some of which have also been produced. One of these constructions provides a top and a bottom hatchback lid part which are mounted on the top and bottom of the hatchback opening and can be swivelled. With such a solution, the top and bottom hatchback lid parts can only be opened one after another, and usually two hands are necessary for opening.
Two-part hatchback lid parts are also known where the two hatch lid parts are laterally mounted on the hatchback opening and can be swivelled open and closed. In this case, both lid parts can also only be opened one after another and usage of the loading space in tight parking spaces is still uncomfortable. With an opening angle over 90° there is the further possibility of endangering other road-users. Also, the opening and closing can be problematic with wind load.
A hatchback lid for a motor vehicle is known from EP-A 0 774 370 which consists of a hatchback lid frame that can be swivelled from a closed to an open position. With this hatchback lid frame, at least one bottom sliding element is held in a sliding track which makes it possible to open a bottom lid area while the hatchback lid frame is closed. This construction can also contain a top sliding element for opening a top lid area which is attached to the hatchback lid frame and can be moved downwards. This is supposed to create a simply constructed hatchback lid which enables a comfortable and easy access to the bottom loading sill of the hatchback opening. However, with larger objects it is still necessary to swivel the total hatchback lid upwards in the usual manner in order to be able to use the complete hatchback opening for loading.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of this invention consists of producing a simply constructed two-part hatchback lid which does not contain the disadvantages of the known solutions and which particularly requires very little space backwards and upwards at opening. Furthermore, it should be constructible in a very simple way and also permit an ergonomically advantageous operation.
The invention solves this task by having the top hatchback lid part jointed with the bottom part in such a way that the two hatchback lid parts can be folded together into the open position.
Thus, a hatchback lid constructed according to the invention requires considerably less space for opening than the other known solutions. Concerning their mass and lever ratios, the two hatchback lid parts can be designed in such a way as to be constructed very simply and to be operated comfortably. The joint connection of the two foldable hatchback lid parts creates very good ergonomic conditions, e.g. the possibility of single-handed operation and, depending on the design, also the possibility of fully automated opening and closing.
In a preferred construction design of the invention, the top hatchback lid part as well as the bottom hatchback lid part are jointed and displaceably mounted in the lateral edge areas of the hatchback opening. This arrangement allows for a variable opening operation of the hatchback lid.
This construction form can now provide for a top resting position at the top edge of the hatchback opening area for the foldable hatchback lid parts.
Alternatively or additionally, a bottom resting position can be provided at the bottom edge of the hatchback opening for the foldable hatchback lid parts.
Both resting positions have advantages: for instance, in the top resting position, an unobstructed access to the hatchback opening for opening and closing is possible. In the bottom resting position, an additional shelf space can thus be provided. The latter is the case especially when, in the bottom resting position, the two folded-up hatchback lid parts have at least an approximate horizontal position and the top hatchback lid part can at least partially be covered by a protective carpet (or similar) which could be pulled out from the trunk.
In another simpler construction variation according to the invention, the top hatchback lid part is mounted onto the top edge area of the hatchback opening and can be swivelled.
In this case, the bottom hatchback lid part can be jointed and displaceably mounted on the lateral edge areas of the hatchback opening. This offers the advantage of a track for the bottom hatchback lid part.
Alternatively or additionally (in both construction variations), the bottom hatchback lid part can be connected to the top hatchback lid part via spring/damping elements or similar. This measure allows for a comfortable operation of the hatchback.
In order to have the hatchback opening completely available for loading and unloading and without any protruding hatchback part, it can additionally be provided to swivel the folded-up hatchback lid part in the direction of or onto the car roof.
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Hofer Carsten
Kraus Matthias
Morbach Nick
Schmidt Werner
Schutt Stephan
Clark Hill PLC
Coletta Lori L.
Dayoan D. Glenn
Magna Europa AG
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