Hard support corner for a soft top

• US 10,556,489 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bestop Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bestop Incorporated
• Inventors: Lewis, Stephen J., Turney, Charles C., Moore, Jonathon, Junkin, Duane C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ivey, Dana D
• Application Number:
  US15/614,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20170349032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 29610707
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/006 characterised by fixation means such as clips, adhesive, etc. incorporated in seal B60J10/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/085 removably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/10 readily detachable, e.g. tarpaulins with frames, or fastenings for tarpaulins covering of loads on vehicles by tarpaulins B60P7/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/11 Removable panels, e.g. sunroofs
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1226 Soft tops for convertible vehicles

Abstract

A quarter window assembly for a soft top cover assembly that is removable. The quarter window assembly is connectable to the soft cover assembly. The quarter window assembly has a hard corner assembly mountable to features connected to a vehicle. The hard corner assembly is an injection molded plastic assembly. The quarter window assembly also has a panel carrying at least one window, and the panel is secured to the hard corner assembly.

Claims

1. A quarter window assembly for a vehicle, comprising;

at least one panel portion with at least one window, said at least one panel portion operably connected to a soft top cover, wherein said at least one panel portion comprises at least one upper attachment member operably selectively connected to said soft top cover, at least one bottom attachment member operably selectively connected to the vehicle, and at least one front attachment member operably selectively connected to the vehicle; and

at least one hard corner support assembly connected to the at least one panel portion, said hard corner support assembly operably connected toward a rear of the vehicle to provide support and an attachment location for the at least one panel portion;

wherein the quarter window assembly is selectively removable from the vehicle for maintenance, replacement, repair or when a more vehicle open air feel is desired.

2. The quarter window assembly of claim 1, wherein the hard corner support assembly includes at least one locking feature attachable to a retention member connected to the vehicle to selectively connect one end of the hard corner support assembly in position.

3. The quarter window assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one locking feature is a clip snap-fit into the retention member, wherein the retention member is integrally formed with or operably connected to a tailgate bar receiver mounted at the rear of the vehicle.

4. The quarter window assembly of claim 2, wherein the hard corner support assembly further includes at least one attachment feature attachable to a bracket to selectively connect the other end of the hard corner support assembly in position.

5. The quarter window assembly of claim 4, wherein the hard corner support assembly is connected substantially vertically at the rear corner of the vehicle.

6. The quarter window assembly of claim 5, wherein the at least one panel includes at least one retainer connected to the hard corner support assembly for tight fabric retention around an outward surface of the hard corner support assembly.

7. The quarter window assembly of claim 6, wherein the at least one retainer is a J-hook extrusion sewn and/or bonded to fabric of the at least one panel.

8. The quarter window assembly of claim 1, wherein the hard corner support assembly includes a first part connected to a second part by a plurality of fasteners.

9. The quarter window assembly of claim 8, wherein part of the at least one panel wraps around an outward surface of the second part of the hard corner support assembly and a rearward edge of the at least one panel is captured between the first and second parts of the hard corner support assembly.

10. The quarter window assembly of claim 9, wherein the rearward edge is connected between the first and second parts by the plurality of fasteners.

11. The quarter window assembly of claim 1, wherein the hard corner support assembly additionally provides an attachment location for a rear window assembly.

12. The quarter window assembly of claim 11, wherein a vertical edge of the rear window assembly is operably retained in a gap provided in the hard corner support assembly, said rear window assembly is selectively removable from the hard corner support assembly.

13. The quarter window assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is a P-welt retainer.

14. The quarter window assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is a carrier operable to receive a retainer on a top deck of the soft top assembly or a retainer operable to be received within a carrier of the top deck.

15. A removable quarter window assembly for a vehicle, comprising;

at least one panel portion with at least one window;

at least one hard corner support assembly comprising a first and a second injection molded part connected together by a plurality of fasteners, said at least one panel portion extending around an outward facing surface of one of the injection molded parts and having a rearward edge secured between the injection molded parts, wherein said hard corner portion provides a vertical corner support for the quarter window assembly.

16. The removable quarter window assembly of claim 15, wherein a gap is located between the first and second injection molded parts to provide an attachment location for operably selectively attaching a rear window assembly, said rear window assembly covering an outward facing surface of the other one of the injection molded parts, wherein said hard corner portion provides a vertical corner support for the rear window assembly.

17. The removable quarter window assembly of claim 15, wherein the hard corner support assembly further comprises:

at least one locking feature formed toward the bottom portion of one of the injection molded parts, said at least one locking feature selectively connected to a retention member of a tailgate bar receiver to secure the bottom of the hard corner support assembly to the vehicle;

at least one attachment feature formed toward the bottom portion of the same injection molded part as the locking feature, said at least one attachment feature selectively connected to a bow end bracket to operably secure the top of the hard corner support assembly to the vehicle.

18. A removable quarter window assembly for a soft top assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a panel of soft material operably connected to a cover of the soft top assembly and to the vehicle by a plurality of retainers;

a hard corner support assembly including a first molded part connected to a second molded part to provide a hard corner support selectively vertically mountable at the rear corners of the vehicle;

a bracket operably connected to the vehicle, one of said first or second molded parts including an attachment feature operably connected to the bracket;

a retention member operably connected toward a rear of the vehicle, one of said first or second molded parts including a locking feature operably connected to the retention member, wherein said attachment feature and locking feature selectively connect the hard corner assembly in place to provide a vertical rear corner support for the quarter window assembly; and

wherein the quarter window assembly is selectively removable from the vehicle for maintenance, replacement, or repair of quarter window assembly components or when it is desired to operate the vehicle without the quarter window assembly installed.

19. A quarter window assembly for a vehicle, comprising;

at least one panel portion with at least one window, said at least one panel portion operably connected to a soft top cover; and

at least one hard corner support assembly connected to the at least one panel portion, said hard corner support assembly operably connected toward a rear of the vehicle to provide support and an attachment location for the at least one panel portion;

wherein the quarter window assembly is selectively removable from the vehicle for maintenance, replacement, repair or when a more vehicle open air feel is desired;

and said hard corner support assembly includes at least one locking feature attachable to a retention member connected to the vehicle to selectively connect one end of the hard corner support assembly in position, wherein the at least one locking feature is a clip snap-fit into the retention member, wherein the retention member is integrally formed with or operably connected to a tailgate bar receiver mounted at the rear of the vehicle.

20. A quarter window assembly for a vehicle, comprising;

at least one panel portion with at least one window, said at least one panel portion operably connected to a soft top cover; and

at least one hard corner support assembly connected to the at least one panel portion, said hard corner support assembly operably connected toward a rear of the vehicle to provide support and an attachment location for the at least one panel portion, said hard corner support assembly includes a first part connected to a second part by a plurality of fasteners;

wherein part of the at least one panel wraps around an outward surface of the second part of the hard corner support assembly and a rearward edge of the at least one panel is captured between the first and second parts of the hard corner support assembly; and

wherein the quarter window assembly is selectively removable from the vehicle for maintenance, replacement, repair or when a more vehicle open air feel is desired.

21. A quarter window assembly for a vehicle, comprising;

at least one panel portion with at least one window, said at least one panel portion operably connected to a soft top cover; and

at least one hard corner support assembly connected to the at least one panel portion, said hard corner support assembly operably connected toward a rear of the vehicle to provide support and an attachment location for the at least one panel portion, said hard corner support assembly additionally provides an attachment location for a rear window assembly;

wherein a vertical edge of the rear window assembly is operably retained in a gap provided in the hard corner support assembly, said rear window assembly is selectively removable from the hard corner support assembly; and

wherein the quarter window assembly is selectively removable from the vehicle for maintenance, replacement, repair or when a more vehicle open air feel is desired.