Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article – To produce composite – plural part or multilayered article
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-12
2003-09-16
Lee, Edmund H. (Department: 1732)
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article
To produce composite, plural part or multilayered article
C264S263000, C264S273000, C264S274000, C264S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06620365
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a convertible top assembly for a convertible automobile, which is installed at the upper rear of an automobile, and a manufacturing method and apparatus for the same.
A convertible automobile is defined as an automobile provided with a detachable hard top or a foldable top roof above the automobile in place of a fixed roof. A convertible top assembly is provided with a transparent window plate in a foldable sheet, which is a top. When in use, it forms a top roof above the vehicle body to cover the front and/or rear seat with a roof, and when not in use, the sheet is folded to the rear to open the roof.
The prior art relating to such a convertible top assembly have been disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,727, U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,332, U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,265, and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-26010.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,727, when a convertible top is stored in the vehicle body, two window plates are connected by a resin-made flexible hinge and capable of being folded so that the window plate provided in the sheet is not a hindrance to folding the top. However, in this prior art patent, a connecting element that connects the two window plates and the outer peripheral end portion of window plate is inserted into a portion of a U-shaped cross section and fixed, so that it cannot be used for a window plate or sheet of various thicknesses.
Next, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,265, and related U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,390 a window plate and a sheet are connected to each other and integrated. The convertible top assembly comprises a window plate provided with first fixing means, a sheet provided with second fixing means, and a connecting element of a synthetic resin extrusion molded into a long material, having a predetermined cross sectional shape, and the connecting element and the sheet are fixed to each other by high frequency welding. However, in this prior art patent, the work involved in connecting the connecting element to the window plate or sheet is troublesome, and also the bonding force between the connecting element and the sheet is weak because the end portion of the connecting element and the end portion of the sheet are high frequency welded partially with these end portions being lapped.
Also, high frequency welding is performed by holding the connecting element and the sheet between a pair of electrodes and by applying pressure, so that a trace of electrode remains on the surface of the sheet or the connecting element and the appearance is sometimes impaired. When the connecting element is of a flat plate shape, there is scarcely a technical problem. However, when the connecting element has a deformed shape cross section of thick wall, it is difficult to fix with a sufficient strength. Further, the manufacturing method requires relatively many steps.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,332, when a window plate is replaced, a window plate and a sheet are connected to each other and integrated. A connection frame having a thermal resistance wire is provided, and by heating the thermal resistance wire provided in the connection frame, a sheet and the connection frame are bonded by softening a hot metal adhesive between them. However, this prior art has the same problem as in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,265.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-26010 discloses a convertible top of a similar construction. In this prior art, a window plate and a sheet are joined via a seal material to enhance the sealing property.
The present invention was made in view of the above situation, and accordingly an object thereof is to provide a convertible top assembly in which a window plate or a sheet is fixed via a connecting element with a sufficient fixing strength and the connecting strength is not affected by the cross-sectional shape of the connecting element, and a manufacturing method and apparatus capable of manufacturing the assembly easily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above object, the present invention, as set forth in the appended claims and not limited by this description, provides a convertible top assembly that comprises a window plate made of a transparent material that has top and back surfaces and a predetermined outer peripheral edge shape. The top includes a foldable sheet material having an opening edge of substantially the same or similar shape to the outer peripheral edge shape of the window plate and made of a material softer than the window plate. A connecting element made of a synthetic resin is formed in an elongated form along the outer peripheral edge of the window plate with a transverse deformed shape between the vicinity of outer peripheral edge of the window plate and the vicinity of the opening edge of the sheet material to integrate the window plate and the sheet material.
The top also includes first fixing means for fixing the vicinity of outer peripheral edge of the window plate and the connecting element to each other, as well as second fixing means for fixing the vicinity of the opening edge of the sheet material and the connecting element to each other. The connecting element is formed of a synthetic resin which is placed in a cavity of a die in a compressed state and then solidified, and is fixed to the vicinity of outer peripheral edge of the window plate in the cavity by the first fixing means.
In this application, the term “solidification” includes not only solidification caused by cooling of thermoplastic synthetic resin but also may include solidification (hardening) caused by chemical reaction in the so-called reaction injection molding (RIM) method and solidification (hardening) of sol-form liquid resin by energy such as heat.
In this application, in one embodiment, the connecting element is formed by a synthetic resin which fills the cavity of the die in a compressed state and then solidified and is fixed to the vicinity of outer peripheral edge of the window plate by the first fixing means. Therefore, the strength of the bond or fixing force between the window plate and the connecting element can be increased, and the sealing property or seal created between the window plate and the connecting element is improved. Moreover, since the connecting element is placed or filled into the cavity in a compressed state, even if the connecting element has a asymmetric cross section of a complicated shape, it can be securely attached or fixed to the window plate with sufficient strength. In addition, since the connecting element is a solidified synthetic resin, the forming range of the first fixing means can be selected considering the pulling force that will be applied to the connecting element and the strength of the bond necessary to resist that force.
In one of its presently preferred embodiments, the connecting element is fixed integrally with, or in the vicinity of, an opening edge of the sheet material in the cavity by the second fixing means. The vicinity of the opening edge of the sheet material may be fixed integrally with the connecting element by the second fixing means in a series of laminations over the contact portion. Alternatively, the vicinity of opening edge of the sheet material may be buried in the connecting element and integrated.
In another embodiment, the connecting element is fixed to the vicinity of opening edge of the sheet material outside the cavity by the second fixing means, and the fixing is accomplished over the contact portion with the connecting element. In this manner, the effect of fixing the sheet material to the connecting element is superior than that of the prior art in which the sheet material is fixed to the surface of the connecting element at a part of contact portion with the connecting element. Also, this configuration is effective when the sheet material is difficult to form integrally with a synthetic resin.
The window plate is preferably made of a transparent material and has top and back surfaces and a predetermined outer peripheral edge shape. The top includes a foldable sheet material that has an opening edge of substant
Akatsu Akira
Mimura Hirotoshi
Odoi Kozo
Sekimoto Shoji
Tamura Tatsuya
Lee Edmund H.
Mazda Motor Corporation
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
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