Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Variable capacity of body
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-14
2003-02-11
Patel, Kiran (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Variable capacity of body
C296S099100, C296S026080
Reexamination Certificate
active
06517135
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a convertible passenger compartment.
2. Description of Related Art
Published German Patent Application DE 26 47 236 A1 discloses a motor vehicle which has a front window frame and a rigid section of the top part of the body, which section can be moved to the rear in the lengthwise direction of the motor vehicle, and which is guided within a fixed side wall of the lower part of the body. This movable rigid roof part allows open driving in the motor vehicle, especially a passenger car, without the roof part having to be removed from the motor vehicle.
Published German Patent Application DE 36 06 759 A1 discloses a retrofittable motor vehicle, such as a pickup truck, which has a passenger compartment which is roofed in the area of a front row of seats, and has an open rear area to which different body units can be attached, such as, for example, a pivotable roof element with pivotable side windows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to devise a motor vehicle of the initially mentioned type with functionality and utility which can be improved by simple retrofitting of the passenger compartment.
This object is achieved in accordance with the present invention in a generic motor vehicle by the passenger compartment being formed from a fixed front section which has the motor vehicle roof and a rear movable sliding module which is supported to move on the body relative to the fixed front section to vary the size of the passenger compartment between a short position and a long position. To adjust the desired size of the passenger compartment, thus, only the sliding module which is supported on the body is slid in the lengthwise direction of the motor vehicle. In doing so, the front body-mounted section of the passenger compartment including the motor vehicle roof is preserved unchanged, while the sliding module, which is formed box-like with a modular roof and with side parts and a back section, is moved relative to the body-mounted section.
The passenger compartment represents a vehicle structure which surrounds the motor vehicle interior, and for example, comprises the seat area for the passengers and the cargo or trunk area in a station wagon. This motor vehicle structure contains a fixed front section and a sliding module. The fixed front section comprises, for example, a driver's compartment with the driver's seat and the passenger seat, such as, for example, in a pick-up truck or a truckster with a cargo area or a motor vehicle interior of a two-door or four-door passenger car with one or two rows of seats.
Preferably, the sliding module can be pushed into the fixed front section so that the modular roof and the side parts are located within the fixed section. The modular roof is for example pushed to under the motor vehicle roof and is covered by a head liner towards the motor vehicle interior. The motor vehicle roof can also be a two-layer construction, the modular roof being pushed between the two layers.
The side parts of the sliding module can be fixed walls which are pushed in front of or behind the respective outside wall of the motor vehicle. However, if the sliding module is to be pushed largely into the passenger compartment, so that the fixed side walls of the sliding module would cover the side windows of the motor vehicle or especially the side doors, it is feasible for the sliding module to have, on each side, a side wall part or a side window which can be removed and re-inserted in the long position of the sliding module. When the side wall part or the side window is removed from the sliding module and the sliding module thus has open sides and especially has no front frame which extends laterally downward, the side window or the side door of the motor vehicle is not covered by the sliding module in its pushed-in short position. The rear lateral vertical frame of the sliding module remains in the short position for example in the area of a C-column of the motor vehicle and thus prevents use of the side doors or side windows of the motor vehicle.
For purposes of simple and automated, especially motorized, operation in the conversion of the passenger compartment, it is preferred that, for each side window, there is a side holding space which is provided on a side wall of the motor vehicle or on a side wall of the cargo space of the body and into which the side window can be moved down in the long position of the sliding module. In doing so, on the side holding space, there can be guides for the side window, on which the side window is supported to be able to move vertically. In the extended long position of the sliding module, a position assignment is set between the guides for the side window and the window, and a bearing or a frame on the sliding module for the side window such that the side window can be pushed between its closed position on the sliding module and its open position which is lowered in the holding space and in which it remains when the sliding module is being pushed.
In one alternative embodiment, the side windows or the side parts can be manually removed from the sliding module and then re-inserted. The manual removal and re-insertion make complex guide and actuating means unnecessary.
The sliding module which forms the rear termination of the motor vehicle interior can contain a rear window as its own rear termination. When the sliding module is displaced, the rear window can remain on the back of the sliding module or it can be removed from the sliding module in one preferred embodiment, and it can likewise be manually removed or can be lowered by a guide means into a rear component, for example, a rear hatch.
For manually removable windows, it is feasible to provide at least one storage space for the removed side windows or the rear window on the motor vehicle. One such storage space is located, for example, behind the vehicle seats, especially the back seats, and is especially a holding compartment. This holding compartment is preferably arranged essentially vertically and can be folded especially onto the bottom of the cargo space or trunk. Thus, with the back seats folded down, the entire cargo space can be used without interruption.
Preferably, the sliding module has two rear supports in the manner of C-columns or D-columns. The supports can be called D-columns when the sliding module is located in its extended long position on the motor vehicle rear and the supports assume the position of the D-columns of a motor vehicle such as a station wagon. The supports of the sliding module assume a C-column position, for example, in a pick-up truck with a short driver's compartment with one row of seats. Via the supports, the sliding module is movably supported on its rear area on the body, and it can be movably supported on side lengthwise guides via the supports. One such side lengthwise guide is, for example, located in a rear motor vehicle side wall or on the top edge of a side wall which ends at the height of the equator line. Alternatively, the sliding module can be movably supported on lengthwise guides on the side wall of the bed and/or on the cargo surface.
The sliding module can be movably supported in the area of its modular roof on the fixed motor vehicle roof for stable guidance.
For versatility of the motor vehicle, the sliding module can contain a seating means which can be moved with the sliding module, the seating means having especially a seat surface which can be folded up. If the seating means can be removed from the sliding module, with a corresponding configuration, the sliding module can be pushed largely into the fixed front section of the passenger compartment.
Depending on the version of the motor vehicle, the fixed front section of the passenger compartment can have one row of seats or two rows of seats located in succession.
The motor vehicle can be configured such that the sliding module forms a rear motor vehicle body in the manner of a station wagon in its extended long
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Patel Kiran
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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