Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Patent
1997-02-25
1999-03-23
Pape, Joseph D.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
296121, 296118, 280751, B62D 2500, B60J 712
Patent
active
058849645
ABSTRACT:
A hybrid convertible top header is formed of a transverse steel tube flattened at its ends and having end fittings for attachment to the front ends of top front side rails. In one embodiment a pair of apertured latch-mounting steel plates are welded to the tube and the entire steel structure is encapsulated in a thermoplastic shroud comprising upper and lower moldings that are bonded along front and rear flanges. The top cover is secured to the front flange, while a closed or open cell foam pad is mounted on the rear flange to provide an energy-absorbing cushion in case of occupant impact on the header. In another embodiment, the plates are not welded to the tube, and the tube and plates are molded into a closed or open cell reaction injected molded polyurethane body that has sufficient rigidity to maintain a predetermined dimensional relationship between the plates and tube. The polyurethane body is also sufficiently soft to provide sufficient energy absorption in the event of occupant impact to meet FMVSS requirements. In a variant of this embodiment, the energy-absorbing segment can be of different density than the main body.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3904223 (1975-09-01), Wilfert et al.
patent: 4099767 (1978-07-01), Kania et al.
patent: 4537440 (1985-08-01), Brockway et al.
patent: 4991904 (1991-02-01), Zweigart
patent: 5580116 (1996-12-01), Patel et al.
patent: 5779271 (1998-07-01), Dorow et al.
Carroll Dennis B.
Roeper Dieter
Dura Convertible Systems, Inc.
Greenlee David A.
Pape Joseph D.
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