Hardtop vehicle roof movable between closed and open positions

• US 20040032148A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CTS Fahrzeug Dachsysteme GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CTS Fahrzeug Dachsysteme GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hasselgruber, Andreas, Wezyk, Wojciech, Laue, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 6,786,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/121
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/143 for covering the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1851 for locking the foldable soft- or hard-top to the windshield header
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/196 for locking or interconnecting rigid roof panels to each other

Abstract

In a vehicle roof which is movable between a closed position, in which the roof covers an interior vehicle space, and an open position and wherein the roof part includes a locking bolt for engagement with an adjacent vehicle part when the roof is in a closed position, the roof part and the adjacent vehicle part each has a guide tube incorporated therein and the locking bolt is movably supported in one of the adjacent guide tubes and, upon closing of the vehicle roof, is insertable into the adjacent guide tube and lockable thereto so that the guide tubes and the locking bolt form a continuous tube structure with a common axis when the vehicle roof is in the closed position.

Claims

1. A vehicle roof which is movable between a closed position and an open position, comprising roof parts which, in the closed position of the roof, form a continuous outer roof surface, at least one of said roof parts including a locking bolt for engagement with an adjacent vehicle part when the vehicle roof is in a closed position, said vehicle roof part and said adjacent vehicle part each including a guide tube incorporated therein and said locking bolt being movably supported in one of two adjacent guide tubes and, upon closing of said vehicle roof, being insertable into the other of the adjacent guide tubes so as to form a continuous tube structure with a common tube axis when the vehicle roof is in the closed position.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an actuator for operating the locking bolt is provided.

4. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism is operable by a roof operating mechanism for opening and closing the roof.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said roof part has side areas opposite a longitudinal center axis and a locking bolt is provided at each side area of said roof part.

6. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle roof is a hardtop vehicle roof and said roof parts are rigid shells.

7. A vehicle according to claim 5, wherein at least two roof parts are provided which, in the closed position of the roof, are arranged in the longitudinal vehicle direction closely adjacent one another and each of said roof parts includes in each of its opposite side areas a guide tube and the respective guide tubes of adjacent roof parts are interconnected by locking bolts when the roof is in a closed position.

8. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein a front, an intermediate and a rear roof part are provided and the front and the rear roof parts are locked by locking bolts to the intermediate roof part when the roof is in a closed position.

9. A vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said locking bolts for interlocking the roof parts are supported in said intermediate roof part and the locking bolt for engaging the front roof part and the locking bolt for engaging the rear roof part, both are operable by a common operating structure.

10. A vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said operating structure is an actuator disposed in the guide tube of said intermediate roof part between said locking bolts, said actuator having operating members extending from opposite ends of said actuator and being connected to the locking bolts at the opposite ends of said guide tube.

11. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part to which the front end of the front roof part is connected when the vehicle roof is closed, is an A-pillar of the vehicle which A-pillar is provided with an integral guide tube for receiving a locking bolt mounted to the front end of the guide tube integrated into the front roof part.

2. A vehicle roof according to claim 2, wherein said locking bolt includes a lockup projection, which in said locking position, extends into a corresponding opening in one of the guide tubes interconnected by the locking bolt.