Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2001-03-20
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S224000, C296S210000, C296S102000, C296S213000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203100
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the field of sport-utility vehicle tops. More particularly, it relates to a rigid full two-piece sport-utility vehicle top having a removable hard top section.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is common for sport-utility vehicles, (“SUVs”), to have removable tops. Conventionally, these tops are either rigid, i.e. “hardtop”, or constructed of a canvas or similar material, i.e. “soft top”. Conventionally hardtop vehicles have a one-piece top, in which removal of the top necessarily requires removal of the entire top. This results in an all or nothing situation for the driver that wishes some exposure to the elements of wind and sunlight. However, it is often preferable to be able to only remove a portion of the top as can be done with conventional sun-roofs or “T-top” configurations. In order to compensate for this, certain SUV manufacturers have designed SUV's with hybrid tops in which the roof panel over the driver is readily removable without the need to remove the separate rear roof portion from the vehicle.
In my previous patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,225, issued on May 24, 1994, I disclosed a sport truck top that allowed replacement of a factory installed soft top, in such a hybrid top vehicle, with a rigid shell top with out the necessity of replacing the factory installed weather seals. That invention did not provide for a two-piece top in which the roof panel could be removed while maintaining the main top shell on the vehicle.
Other known devices are those disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor Name
Issue Date
5,752,273
Vernon et al.
3/1998
4,957,326
Chiba et al.
9/1990
However, what is missing from the art is an improved rigid SUV two-piece top that can replace either a factory installed hardtop or a factory installed soft top and that has a rigid removable roof panel.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rigid two-piece top in which the roof panel alone or the entire top may be removed for a sport utility vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a top that can replace either a factory installed hard top or a factory installed soft top.
It is still another object to provide such a top that is structurally reinforced and that offers a high degree of prevention of leaking by providing a weather-tight junction between the two main components of the top.
Other objects and advantages over the prior art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description together with the drawings as described as follows.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention a rigid two-piece sport utility vehicle replacement top, in which the roof panel, alone, or the entire top may be removed is provided. The two-piece top is provided with a rigid shell member that covers the passenger area and rear cargo area of the sport utility vehicle. Further, the two-piece top is provided with a removable rigid roof panel that covers the forward passenger/driver area. The rigid roof panel is removably secured to the shell member, and, preferably, forms a weather-tight junction with the rigid shell member. Further, the rigid shell member is provided with a forward recessed region that serves as a rain gutter that channels water away from the interior of the vehicle. In the preferred embodiment, the rigid shell member is further provided with a rear lift-gate and side windows. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the two-piece top is further provided with upper door members that engage the factory-installed half-doors on certain sport utility vehicles.
The rigid shell member and the rigid roof panel are, preferably constructed of fiberglass that is reinforced with an inlaid core mat that provides structural rigidity and strength while maintaining the light-weight nature of the two-piece top.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3974753 (1976-08-01), Blomgren et al.
patent: 4120524 (1978-10-01), Buck, Jr.
patent: 4186525 (1980-02-01), Carvalho
patent: 4205875 (1980-06-01), Smoth
patent: 4257632 (1981-03-01), DeStepheno
patent: 4266824 (1981-05-01), Inamoto
patent: 4469370 (1984-09-01), Peterson
patent: 4475765 (1984-10-01), Vogt et al.
patent: 4662672 (1987-05-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 4723812 (1988-02-01), Masuda et al.
patent: 4784431 (1988-11-01), Ohhashi et al.
patent: 4957326 (1990-09-01), Chiba et al.
patent: 5035463 (1991-07-01), Kato et al.
patent: 5052743 (1991-10-01), Inada et al.
patent: 5314225 (1994-05-01), Gordon
patent: 5540478 (1996-07-01), Schiich
patent: 5725273 (1998-03-01), Vernon et al.
patent: 6003936 (1999-12-01), Gordon
patent: 3024619 (1982-01-01), None
Fleet Air Industries, Inc.
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
Pitts and Brittian, P.C.
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