Top of a convertible vehicle having a roof cassette and a sealing arrangement

• US 20150224861A1
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto-Edscha Cabrio GmbH (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Webasto-Edscha Cabrio GmbH (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Inventors: BOWLES, Jason, HAIMERL, Alexander, KOPP, Georg, SVIBERG, Magnus
• Granted Patent: US 9,283,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/061 sliding and folding
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/20 Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts or for collapsible flexible tops

Abstract

A top for a convertible vehicle having at least one roof element, which is displaceable in relation to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, is guided slidably in the longitudinal direction of the roof on both sides at one guide rail, respectively, said guide rail being arranged at a respective lateral roof beam, a rear roof cassette being displaceable between an erected position for adjoining, in the rear, to the lateral roof beams in the longitudinal direction of the roof and a storage position that is lowered with respect to the former position and the roof cassette accommodating the roof element in the uncovering position thereof, as well as a sealing arrangement that is arranged in the region of the roof opening and seals a vehicle interior off with respect to a vehicle environment in the closed position of the roof element.

Claims

1. A top for a convertible vehicle, comprising:

at least one roof element, which is displaceable between a closed position closing a roof opening and an uncovering position for uncovering said roof opening and which, in relation to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, is guided slidably in the longitudinal direction of the roof on both sides at one guide rail, respectively, said guide rail being arranged at a respective lateral roof beam,

a rear roof cassette being displaceable between an erected position for adjoining, in the rear, to the lateral roof beams in the longitudinal direction of the roof and a storage position that is lowered with respect to the former position and the roof cassette accommodating the roof element in the uncovering position thereof, as well as a sealing arrangement that seals a vehicle interior off with respect to a vehicle environment in the closed position of the roof element and in the erected position of the roof cassette,

wherein the sealing arrangement, on both sides of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, comprises one inner beam sealing portion, respectively, which is arranged at the relevant lateral roof beam on the side of the roof opening, and, in the rear, one cassette sealing portion, respectively, which is arranged at the roof cassette, and which comprises one transverse sealing portion running in the transverse direction of the roof and one longitudinal sealing portion running in the longitudinal direction of the roof.

2. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cassette sealing portions, in the erected position of the roof cassette, abut against sealing surfaces of the respective lateral roof beam from below.

3. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal sealing portions, in the erected position of the roof cassette, are aligned with the respective inner beam sealing portions.

4. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transverse sealing portions, in the erected position of the roof cassette, limit the respective lateral roof beams in the rear.

5. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the inner beam sealing portions and the cassette sealing portions include one water channel, respectively, for discharging water.

6. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the water channels of the longitudinal sealing portions, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the roof, are limited by one outer sealing lip, respectively, which sealingly abuts against the respective lateral roof beam, and by one inner sealing lip, respectively, which sealingly abuts against the roof element.

7. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal sealing portions are designed in one piece with the respective transverse sealing portions.

8. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal sealing portions, in the rear, merge into the respective transverse sealing portion at right angles, respectively, and in that the transverse sealing portions, on the outer side, in relation to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, include one end portion, respectively, which extends towards the bottom.

9. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the inner beam sealing portions are designed in one piece with a front beam sealing portion, respectively, which, in the longitudinal direction of the roof, limits the corresponding lateral roof beam in the rear and with an outer beam sealing portion, respectively, which is arranged at the outer side of the corresponding lateral roof beam and which is embodied for abutting against a door seal.

10. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the guide rails, on both sides of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, comprise one beam guide portion, respectively, which is fixed to the relevant lateral roof beam, and one cassette guide portion, respectively, which is fixed to the roof cassette, and in that the beam guide portions, in their rear region, are respectively shorter in the longitudinal direction of the roof than the corresponding lateral roof beam .

11. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 10, wherein, in the erected position of the roof cassette, the cassette guide portions directly adjoin the respective beam guide portions in the rear.

12. A top for a convertible vehicle, comprising at least one roof element , which is displaceable between a closed position closing a roof opening and an uncovering position for uncovering said roof opening and which, in relation to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, is guided slidably in the longitudinal direction of the roof on both sides at one guide rail, respectively, said guide rail being arranged at a respective lateral roof beam, a rear roof cassette being displaceable between an erected position for adjoining, in the rear, to the lateral roof beams in the longitudinal direction of the roof and a storage position that is lowered with respect to the former position and the roof cassette accommodating the roof element in the uncovering position thereof, wherein the guide rails comprise one beam guide portion, respectively, which is fixed to the relevant lateral roof beam, and one cassette guide portion, respectively, which is fixed to the roof cassette, and in that the beam guide portions, in their rear region, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the roof, are respectively shorter than the corresponding lateral roof beam.

13. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 12, wherein, in the erected position of the roof cassette, the cassette guide portions directly adjoin the respective beam guide portions in the rear.

14. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 12, comprising a sealing arrangement that is arranged in the region of the roof opening and seals a vehicle interior off with respect to a vehicle environment in the closed position of the roof element and that, on both sides of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, comprises one inner beam sealing portion, respectively, which is arranged at the relevant lateral roof beam on the side of the roof opening, and, in the rear, one cassette sealing portion, respectively, which is arranged at the roof cassette, wherein the cassette sealing portions comprise one transverse sealing portion running in the transverse direction of the roof and one longitudinal sealing portion, respectively, running in the longitudinal direction of the roof.

15. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the cassette sealing portions, in the erected position of the roof cassette, abut against sealing surfaces of the respective lateral roof beam from below.

16. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the longitudinal sealing portions, in the erected position of the roof cassette, are aligned with the respective inner beam sealing portions.

17. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the transverse sealing portions, in the erected position of the roof cassette, limit the respective lateral beams in the rear.

18. The folding top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the inner beam sealing portions and the cassette sealing portions include one water channel, respectively, for discharging water.

19. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the water channels of the longitudinal sealing portions, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the roof, are limited by one outer sealing lip, respectively, which sealingly abuts against the respective lateral roof beam, and by one inner sealing lip, respectively, which sealingly abuts against the roof element .

20. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the longitudinal sealing portions are designed in one piece with the respective transverse sealing portions.

21. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the longitudinal sealing portions, in the rear, merge into the respective transverse sealing portion at right angles, respectively, and in that the transverse sealing portions, on the outer side, in relation to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, include one end portion, respectively, which extends towards the bottom.

22. The top for a convertible vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the inner beam sealing portions are designed in one piece with a front beam sealing portion, respectively, which, in the longitudinal direction of the roof, limits the corresponding lateral roof beam in the rear and with an outer beam sealing portion, respectively, which is arranged at the outer side of the corresponding lateral roof beam and which is embodied for abutting against a door or window seal.