Top having a centering pin for a roof tip

• US 10,639,977 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto SE (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Webasto SE (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Inventors: Haberl, Franz, Rudolfi, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyjak, Lori L
• Application Number:
  US15/950,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20180304729A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/12 foldable; Tensioning mechanisms therefor, e.g. struts B60J7/10, B60J7/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1204 Control devices, e.g. for compensating tolerances, for defining movement or end position of top, for tensioning the top or for switching to an emergency mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1664 of convertible vehicles foldable rear hoods for readily detachable hard-tops B60J7/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1851 for locking the foldable soft- or hard-top to the windshield header
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1853 locking mechanism arranged in windshield header

Abstract

A convertible top, having a top linkage, and a roof tip which is fixed to a front cowl of the vehicle in the closed position, and a centering arrangement which defines the position of the roof tip in relation to the cowl in the transverse direction of the vehicle and in the vertical direction of the vehicle in the closed position and which comprises a centering pin which engages into a centering recess of a centering seat. An insert can be disposed in the centering recess having a contact side with which a front end of the centering pin is in contact when in the centering position and formed by an elastic element. Alternatively, an elastic element can be disposed on the front end of the centering pin, and in contact with a ground of the centering recess when the centering pin is in the centering position.

Claims

1. A top of a convertible vehicle, comprising:

a top linkage which can be displaced between a closed position, in which an interior of the vehicle is covered, and a storage position, in which the interior is uncovered and the top is situated in a stored position, and a roof tip which is fixed to a front cowl of the vehicle in the closed position, and a centering arrangement which defines the position of the roof tip in relation to the cowl in the transverse direction of the vehicle and in the vertical direction of the vehicle in the closed position and which comprises a centering pin which engages into a centering recess of a centering seat when in a centering position, wherein an insert is disposed in the centering recess, the insert having a contact side with which a front end of the centering pin is in contact when in the centering position and which is formed by an elastic element, or wherein the centering pin has an elastic element at a centering pin front end, the elastic element being in contact with a ground of the centering recess when the centering pin is in the centering position.

2. The top according to claim 1, wherein the elastic element is made of a plastic material.

3. The top according to claim 1, wherein the contact side of the insert is corrugated.

4. The top according to claim 1, wherein the insert has at least one retaining element having a substantially hook-shaped cross-section and retaining the insert in the centering seat.

5. The top according to claim 4, wherein the retaining element is a retaining rib which is disposed on the side of the insert that faces away from the contact side.

6. The top according to claim 1, wherein the insert has a cavity on the side that faces away from the contact side.

7. The top according to claim 1, wherein the insert is made of EPDM.

8. The top according to claim 1, wherein the centering pin has a recess at a centering pin front end into which a protrusion formed on the insert engages when in the closed position, or has a protrusion that engages into a recess formed on the insert.

9. The top according to claim 8, wherein the recess is a groove running in the vertical direction of the vehicle and the protrusion is a rib extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

10. A top of a convertible vehicle, comprising a top linkage which can be displaced between a closed position, in which an interior of the vehicle is covered, and a storage position, in which the interior is uncovered and the top is stored in a storage space of the vehicle, and a roof tip, which is fixed to a front cowl of the vehicle in the closed position, and a centering arrangement, which defines the position the roof tip in relation to the cowl in the closed position and which comprises a centering pin which engages into a centering recess of a centering seat, wherein the centering pin has a recess at its front end into which a protrusion disposed in the centering recess engages when in the closed position, or wherein the centering pin has a protrusion at a centering pin front end which engages into a recess formed in the centering recess.

11. The top according to claim 10, wherein the recess is a groove and the protrusion is a rib.