Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Let-down type top
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-28
2002-08-27
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Let-down type top
C296S107090, C296S121000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06439643
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present application relates to a retractable top for a vehicle, and in particular to a retractable top for the Jeep® CJ-7® or Wrangler®. These two vehicles have an open passenger compartment and an open rear compartment for carrying gear. An optional soft top is available that can be attached to the vehicle to enclose the passenger compartment, but to do so requires a number of snap fasteners to be engaged, taking several minutes. In the event of inclement weather, passengers and gear may get wet while this soft top is fastened to the vehicle.
There is a need for a retractable top for a CJ-7® or wrangle® that can be attached to the floor of the rear compartment and quickly and easily deployed over the passenger compartment.
The retractable cover must be able to rise far enough to cover the high roll bar in the rear compartment of the vehicle, yet must be compact enough in the folded state to fit within the cramped dimensions of the rear compartment. For example, the cover must rise at least twenty-nine inches to clear the roll bar, yet when folded must take up at most fourteen inches of vertical space in the rear compartment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A retractable top for a vehicle, the vehicle resting on the ground, the vehicle having an open passenger compartment with a windscreen and door openings and an open rear compartment rearward of the passenger compartment, the rear compartment having a floor, the retractable top comprising:
a) a pair of substantially horizontal support plates attachable to the floor of the rear compartment and a substantially vertical base plate attachable to each of the substantially horizontal support plates;
b) a plurality of expanding linkage arms adapted to moving the retractable top from a fully retracted position in which the retractable top is folded upon itself within the open rear compartment to a fully deployed position covering the passenger compartment; and
c) right and left windscreen brackets attachable to the vehicle's windscreen and right and left windscreen clips locking the retractable top to the respective right and left windscreen brackets.
A principal object and advantage of the present invention is that is attachable to an unmodified Jeep® CJ-7® or Wrangler®.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it can be deployed from a retracted position in a matter of seconds.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it takes up very little vertical space in the vehicle's rear compartment when the cover is retracted. Thus, it does not block the driver's rear view of the road.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it seals the passenger compartment from the sides as well as from the top.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it has sufficient vertical displacement to clear a roll bar in the rear compartment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5673959 (1997-10-01), Padlo
patent: 6295713 (2001-10-01), Hilliard et al.
Briggs and Morgan
Capes Nelson R.
Helget Gerald E.
Pape Joseph D.
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