TOP FOR A CONVERTIBLE VEHICLE

• US 20040108747A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto-Edscha Cabrio GmbH (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Edscha Cabrio-Dachsysteme GmbH
• Inventors: Obendiek, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 6,764,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/107.09
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1234 characterised by arches, e.g. shape or material
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1265 characterised by kinematic movements, e.g. using parallelogram linkages B60J7/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1851 for locking the foldable soft- or hard-top to the windshield header

Abstract

A top for a convertible vehicle includes a lateral roof frame having at least one front roof frame part (1) and one rear roof frame part (2), a front bow (3) held in a longitudinally displaceable manner on the front roof frame part (1), a bow element (3) held on the front roof frame part (1), and a front frame (8) of the convertible vehicle, to which the front roof frame part (1) can be releasably locked. A movement of the front bow (3) from a first opening position into a second opening position and unlocking of the front roof frame part (1) from the front frame (8) are coupled by a positive control.

Claims

1. A top for a convertible vehicle, comprising

a lateral roof frame (10) having at least one front roof frame part (1) and

one rear roof frame part (2);

a front bow (3) held in a longitudinally displaceable manner on the front roof frame part (1),

a bow element (3) held on the front roof frame part (1), and

a front frame (8) of the convertible vehicle, to which the front roof frame part (1) can be releasably locked,

wherein a movement of the front bow (3) from a first opening position into a second opening position and unlocking of the front roof frame part (1) from the front frame (8) are coupled by a positive control.

2. The top as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positive control comprises a hoop element (20) connected to the front bow (3) and a catch element (21) which is held displaceably on the front roof frame part (1) and has a rocking lever (22).

3. The top as claimed in claim 2, wherein the front bow (3) and the hoop element (20) can be moved in a drivable manner via a driven cable (23).

4. The top as claimed in claim 2, wherein the catch element (21) is operatively connected to a locking element (25) of the front roof frame part (1) via a connecting element (24) preferably designed as a driven cable.

5. The top as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking element (25) comprises a hook (25a) articulated pivotably on the front roof frame part, and a hook link (25b) articulated on the hook (25a) and on the front roof frame part.

6. The top as claimed in claim 5, wherein the hook (25a) interacts with a hoop roller (8a) formed on the front frame (8), with the hook (25a), in a closed state, being in a position beyond the dead center with regard to the hook link (25b).

7. The top as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front roof frame part (1) can be pivoted, with its orientation being retained, over the rear roof frame part (2).

8. The top as claimed in claim 7, wherein the front roof frame part (1) and the rear roof frame part (2) are connected in an articulated manner by means of a first link (1a) and a second link (1b), the front roof frame part (1), the rear roof frame part (2), the first link (1a) and the second link (1b) together forming a four bar linkage (1c).

9. The top as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rear roof frame part (2) is mounted pivotably on a pillar element (5) articulated on the vehicle body, with pivoting of the rear roof frame part (2) with respect to the pillar element (5) being controlled by means of a main link (6) articulated on the vehicle body and on the rear roof frame part (2).

10. The top as claimed in claim 9, wherein pivoting of the front roof frame part (1) is positively controlled via a control link (7) articulated on the main link (6).

11. The top as claimed in claim 7, wherein the front roof frame part (1) and the rear roof frame part (2) are part of a linkage chain which is positively controlled in its entirety.

12. The top as claimed in claim 7, wherein a complete opening of the top can be driven by means of a driving device (7).

13. A top for a convertible vehicle, comprising

a lateral roof frame (10) having at least one front roof frame part (1) and

one rear roof frame part (2);

a front bow (3) held in a longitudinally displaceable manner on the front roof frame part (1),

a bow element (3) held on the front roof frame part (1), and

a front frame (8) of the convertible vehicle, to which the front roof frame part (1) can be releasably locked,

wherein the longitudinally displaceable holder for the front bow (3) on the front roof frame part (1) comprises a linear guide (40) and a link mechanism, and

wherein the front bow (3) can be pivoted upward by means of the link mechanism during an opening operation.

14. The top as claimed in claim 13, wherein the link mechanism comprises a supporting link (31) fixed on the front bow (3) and a pivoting hook (33) which can be brought into connection with a hoop (30) of the front frame (8).

15. The top as claimed in claim 14, wherein a drivable, first slider (34), a second slider (35) and a third slider (36) are held in a longitudinally displaceable manner in the linear guide (40), with the supporting link (31) and an intermediate link (37) being connected in an articulated manner to the second slider (35) via a link plate (38), with the intermediate link (37) being connected in an articulated manner to the pivoting hook (33) and the pivoting hook (33) being connected in an articulated manner to the second slider (36), and with the pivoting hook (33) being connected to the drivable, first slider (34) via a control link (32).

16. The top as claimed in claim 13, wherein the front roof frame part (1) can be pivoted, with its orientation being retained, over the rear roof frame part (2).

17. The top as claimed in claim 13, wherein the front roof frame part (1) and the rear roof frame part (2) are connected in an articulated manner by means of a first link (1a) and a second link (1b), the front roof frame part (1), the rear roof frame part (2), the first link (1a) and the second link (1b) together forming a four bar linkage (1c).

18. The top as claimed in claim 13, wherein the rear roof frame part (2) is mounted pivotably on a pillar element (5) articulated on the vehicle body, with pivoting of the rear roof frame part (2) with respect to the pillar element (5) being controlled by means of a main link (6) articulated on the vehicle body and on the rear roof frame part (2).

19. The top as claimed in claim 18, wherein pivoting of the front roof frame part (1) is positively controlled via a control link (7) articulated on the main link (6).

20. The top as claimed in claim 13, wherein the front roof frame part (1) and the rear roof frame part (2) are part of a linkage chain which is positively controlled in its entirety.

21. The top as claimed in claim 13, wherein a complete opening of the top can be driven by means of a driving device (7).