Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Let-down type top
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-29
2004-04-20
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Let-down type top
C296S107010, C296S107070, C296S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06722724
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable hard top for a convertible vehicle and, more particularly, to a four section hardtop for a four-seat convertible.
2. Description of Related Art
Since convertibles are increasingly used as all-season vehicles, hard tops have significant advantages regarding ruggedness, resistance against snow load, susceptibility to wind, and noise pollution in the interior of the motor vehicle compared to conventional vehicle soft tops, which consist of lateral bows covered with cloth. Hard tops of this type are normally installed when the soft top is lowered in the winter, and are taken off and stored at a separate location when the weather is warmer. However, currently there is a trend toward replacing the soft top with a retractable hard top. These retractable hard tops operate in a similar manner as a soft top: are folded backwards and are retracted and extended by means of a power operator located a top storage compartment located in or adjacent the vehicle trunk. In these, the top is divided into two sections, which fold in a clamshell arrangement for storage. These tops are used in two seat convertibles and are bulky, and are unsuitable for four-seat convertibles.
A known retractable hard top is disclosed in European Patent Application EP 1 092 579 A1, and comprises three roof sections or shells. When pivoting the top from an unfolded, extended roof position into a retracted, stored position, the second, central roof section moves into the rear roof section and at the same time the first, front roof section moves over the second, central roof section, and along this roof section and subsequently between same and the rear roof section in the folded condition. The outside surfaces of the three roof sections rest upside down, with the first roof section located between the second and the third roof sections.
This three-piece hard top offers, compared to prior two-piece hard tops, a significant improvement of the convenience and the size of the passenger compartment. It is, however, only suitable to a limited extent for a four-seat convertible. The disadvantage of this arrangement is the relatively large space required in the retracted condition that is caused by the length and size of the rear roof section.
It would be desirable to provide a retractable hard top, which is suitable for large motor vehicles, in particular for four-seat convertibles and which provides a large space in the interior of the passenger compartment and still enables a trouble-free retraction process and takes relatively little space in the retracted condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a retractable hard top, which is suitable for large motor vehicles, in particular for four-seat convertibles and which provides a large space in the interior of the passenger compartment and still enables a trouble-free retraction process and takes relatively little space in the retracted condition.
In one aspect, this invention features retractable hard top which comprises a first, front section, which can be connected to the upper edge portion of the windshield, a second section, which in the closed position of the hard top adjoins the first section, a third section adjoining the second section, and a fourth, rear section adjoining the third section, wherein each section has a front, first edge portion and a rear, second edge portion. The first and the second section basically form the roof ceiling in the closed position of the hard top. The third section basically forms the C-pillar and the fourth section closes the upper portion of the passenger compartment towards the back. The sections or shells are pivotable into and out of a storage compartment in the vehicle body, and each of the sections is attached in a manner that it can be pivoted backwards downwards during the opening process, so that, in the open position of the hard top, all four sections are nested within one another with their respective first edge portion in the longitudinal vehicle direction being positioned behind the second edge portion. This provides a very compact arrangement of the four top sections in stored position.
By the use of four roof sections which fold and stack as described, it is possible to make the passenger compartment significantly larger than before because the space required for hard top storage has been significantly reduced a result of the compactness of the folded top.
It is advantageous with respect to reliability, that the first, second and third sections are connected through a plurality of pivotal connections symmetrically arranged at the two outer portions of the hard top and pivotally connected with one another.
The first, second and third sections are especially advantageously connected with one another via pivotal connections arranged in the area of the roof center between the outer portions of the hard top and pivotally connected with one another, through which a greater structural strength of the hard top against snow load, a greater stability of the mechanic drive, and also a better leverage is achieved.
Longitudinal slots are advantageously provided in the second section in the outer portions and in the area of the roof center. These slots enable the pivotal connections to pass through the roof line during opening and closing of the hard top, by facilitating the first section to movement over the second section.
In the second edge portion of the first section, longitudinal slots are arranged in the outer portions and in the area of the roof center as well as in the first edge portion of the third section in the outer portions. These slots also enable these pivotal connections to pass through the roof line during opening and closing of the hard top, which further increases compactness of the hard top in the retracted position.
The hard top advantageously comprises a flexible cloth cover, in particular made of a fabric or other conventional soft top fabric, which overlies the first, third and fourth sections in top closed condition, so that the transverse slots in the transitional area between two roof sections and the longitudinal slots in the vehicle roof area are covered in a water-proof manner and an aesthetically pleasing overall impression is created.
During the opening of the hard top, the first, front section is advantageously firstly moved over the second section and subsequently between this section and the third section, which reduces the overall height of the hard top during the opening process.
It is advantageous, in the form of the small space required by the folded hard top, that the fourth section is moved into the third section during the opening of the hard top.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6572175 (2003-06-01), Schutt et al.
patent: 6592169 (2003-07-01), Obendiek
patent: 2001/0019213 (2001-09-01), Eberle
patent: 2001/0020793 (2001-09-01), Eberle
patent: 2002/0185885 (2002-12-01), Biecker et al.
patent: 2003/0085587 (2003-05-01), Reinsch
patent: 003903358 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 004316485 (1994-11-01), None
Coletta Lori L
Greenlee David A.
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