Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Let-down type top
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-11
2004-07-27
Morrow, Jason (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Let-down type top
C296S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06767045
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lowerable motor vehicle roof with at least one front first roof part and a following second roof part which can be displaced between a closed position which covers the motor vehicle interior and a lowered position in a rear roof storage space which exposes the motor vehicle interior, the front roof part being movably supported by means of laterally arranged multiple hinge means on the second roof part and being raisable above the second roof part during lowering.
2. Description of Related Art
Published German Patent Application DE 199 62 070 A1 discloses a motor vehicle roof in which the front roof part is coupled by a four-bar mechanism to the middle roof part of a three-part roof The two connecting rods of the four-bar mechanism are pivotally supported by hinges which are close by one another on a bracket which projects far forward from the middle roof part. The coupling to the bracket is located far forward of the middle roof part so that the connecting rods which swivel back with the front roof part do not collide with the middle roof part. The disadvantage here is that only comparatively little stability of support of the front roof part by the hinges which are close by one another is possible.
German Patent DE 199 34 673 C1 discloses a motor vehicle roof with three movable roof parts in which the middle roof part is supported on the motor vehicle by means of a main four-bar mechanism, the front roof part is supported by means of a four-bar mechanism on the middle roof part, and the rear roof part is attached to the rear main connecting rod of the main four-bar mechanism and can be swiveled with it. The roof parts are deposited on top of one another in the trunk of the motor vehicle such that the rear roof part is disposed bottom side up, while the front roof part is located over the middle roof part in the identically cambered position and is lowered so that the top side faces up. In this vehicle roof, the pivot bearings of the two connecting rods of the front four-bar mechanism are located near one another on a bracket projecting to the front from the middle roof part with the corresponding disadvantages for stability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to devise a motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type which has improved support of the first roof part on the second roof part and improved driving of the support.
This object is achieved by the invention in the aforementioned type of motor vehicle roof in that the rear connecting rod of the multiple hinge means is supported on the second roof part to be able to swing around a pivot axis which is set back from its front edge and when the roof is lowered swings up and out of the roof surface of the second roof part. By means of the set-back pivot axis, a greater bearing distance between the support of the rear connecting rod and the front connecting rod of the multiple hinge means on the second roof part is achieved without the need to support the front connecting rod on the bracket very far in front of the roof surface of the second roof part without, in turn, creating the disadvantage that the second roof part would be overly lengthened by this bracket.
Preferably, the rear connecting rod, in the closed position of the roof, is flush with the roof surface of the second roof part or is located underneath the roof surface. The connecting rod can also be integrated in a corresponding elevation of the roof surface. In any case, it emerges upward without lateral motion out of the roof surface. In this configuration, it is feasible to accommodate the rear connecting rod in an upwardly open in the second roof part in the closed position. The recess is, for example, a lengthwise channel between the middle part of the roof and the side part of the roof.
In order to form a pivot angle that is as large as possible, it can be provided that the rear connecting rod, in the open position, is lowered at least partially into the rear section of the recess. Thus, the first roof part can be lowered directly onto the second roof part.
In order to improve the visual appearance of the motor vehicle roof in the closed position, it is possible to provide a screen that covers the rear section of the recess from the rear connecting rod to the rear. The screen can be pressed down by pivoting-back the connecting rod into the recess.
The object is also achieved in the initially mentioned motor vehicle roof in that the front connecting rod of the multiple hinge means is pivotally supported by means of a pivot bearing which is located on the bracket which projects forward on the second roof part in front of the roof surface of the second roof part, and that the front connecting rod is driven via a lever gear. The lever linkage also allows a drive force to be applied even for a large pivot angles of the front connecting rod so that dead center positions in the two end positions of swinging motion can be avoided and a larger lever arm is available for applying force even in the vicinity of the end positions.
These means can be used both in hardtop motor vehicle roofs with two roof parts and also with three or more roof parts.
The motor vehicle roof is explained detail below with reference to preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3271067 (1966-09-01), Rollman
patent: 6478362 (2002-11-01), Obendiek
patent: 6572175 (2003-06-01), Schutt et al.
patent: 199 26 474 (2000-12-01), None
patent: 199 34 673 (2001-01-01), None
patent: 199 62 070 (2001-07-01), None
patent: 101 08 493 (2001-09-01), None
patent: 402306822 (1990-12-01), None
patent: WO 01/40007 (2001-06-01), None
Morrow Jason
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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