Device for opening and closing the top of a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. Apparatus for opening and closing a convertible top for a motor vehicle of the type which includes locking means, disposed in a frame member of the top and cooperating with mounting means in a windshield frame of the motor vehicle, for locking the top in the fully closed position, comprising:
- electric drive means for operably moving the convertible top to fully open, fully closed and intermediate positions;
electric means for operably moving the locking means to fully locked, fully unlocked and intermediate positions, and position sensing means for sensing at least one of said locked, unlocked and intermediate positions;
control means, connected to the electric drive means and to the electric and position sensing means of the locking means, for controlling operation of the electric drive means and the locking means, said control means including memory means for indicating a preceding or unlocking operation of the locking means;
limit switch means, located in proximity to the locking means and connected to the control means, for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully closed position;
terminal switch means for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully open position; and
a manual operating key for initiating unlocking, locking, opening, and closing operations;
said control means including processing means for processing signals from at least one of the manual operating key, the terminal switch means, the limit switch means, the position sensing means and the memory means, to produce control signals for controlling the operation of the top;
wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that closing of the top by the electric drive means is prevented unless the manual operating key is set at "close", and the position sensing means indicates that the locking means is in the fully unlocked position, and the limit switch means indicates that the top is not in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicates a preceding unlocking motion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for opening and closing a convertible top of a motor vehicle includes an electric drive for moving the top between fully opened and fully closed position, electrically powered locking mechanisms for locking the top into the fully closed position, position sensors for sensing the locked and unlocked positions of the locking mechanisms, and a control circuit for the top drive system and locking mechanisms. The control circuit prevents the top drive system from attempting to open or close the top when the locking mechanisms are in other than a fully unlocked position. The system further includes limit switches located in the proximity of the locking mechanisms for indicating to the control circuit when the top is in the fully closed position, a terminal switch for providing a signal to the control circuit when the top is in the fully opened position, and a manually operated key for initiating unlocking/opening and closing/locking operations. The control means includes a memory element for indicating a preceding locking or unlocking operation of the locking elements, and a logic circuit for processing signals received from the manual operating key, the terminal switch, the limit switches, the position sensors and the memory mean to produce control signals for controlling the operation of the apparatus such that locking and unlocking of the locking mechanism occurs only when the top is in the fully closed position and such that opening and closing of the top occurs only when the locking mechanisms are in the fully unlocked position. Alternative embodiments of the control circuit include a hard-wired logic circuit, or a microprocessor-based system which is programmed to accomplish the control functions implemented by the hard-wired system.
43 Citations
37 Claims
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1. Apparatus for opening and closing a convertible top for a motor vehicle of the type which includes locking means, disposed in a frame member of the top and cooperating with mounting means in a windshield frame of the motor vehicle, for locking the top in the fully closed position, comprising:
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electric drive means for operably moving the convertible top to fully open, fully closed and intermediate positions; electric means for operably moving the locking means to fully locked, fully unlocked and intermediate positions, and position sensing means for sensing at least one of said locked, unlocked and intermediate positions; control means, connected to the electric drive means and to the electric and position sensing means of the locking means, for controlling operation of the electric drive means and the locking means, said control means including memory means for indicating a preceding or unlocking operation of the locking means; limit switch means, located in proximity to the locking means and connected to the control means, for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully closed position;
terminal switch means for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully open position; anda manual operating key for initiating unlocking, locking, opening, and closing operations; said control means including processing means for processing signals from at least one of the manual operating key, the terminal switch means, the limit switch means, the position sensing means and the memory means, to produce control signals for controlling the operation of the top; wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that closing of the top by the electric drive means is prevented unless the manual operating key is set at "close", and the position sensing means indicates that the locking means is in the fully unlocked position, and the limit switch means indicates that the top is not in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicates a preceding unlocking motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. Apparatus for opening and closing a convertible top for a motor vehicle of the type which includes locking means, disposed in a frame member of the top and cooperating with mounting means in a windshield frame of the motor vehicle, for locking the top in the fully closed position, comprising:
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electric drive means for operably moving the convertible top to fully open, fully closed and intermediate positions; electric means for operably moving the locking means to fully locked, fully unlocked and intermediate positions, and position sensing means for sensing at least one of said locked, unlocked and intermediate positions; control means, connected to the electric drive means and to the electric and position sensing means of the locking means, for controlling operation of the electric drive means and the locking means, said control means including memory means for indicating a preceding locking or unlocking operation of the locking means; limit switch means, located in proximity to the locking means and connected to the control means, for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully closed position; terminal switch means for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully open position; and a manual operating key for initiating unlocking, locking, opening, and closing operations; said control means including processing means for processing signals from at least one of the manual operating key, the terminal switch means, the limit switch means, the position sensing means and the memory means, to produce control signals for controlling the operation of the top; wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that locking and unlocking of the locking means is prevented when the top is not in the fully closed position, and such that operation of the electric drive means is prevented unless the locking means are in the fully unlocked position; and wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the top such that the locking and unlocking operations are interrupted when the fully locked and fully unlocked positions are reached, respectively, and such that the opening and closing of the top is interrupted when the fully open and fully closed positions are reached, respectively, and wherein said operations are interruptible and/or reversible by the operator at any time by means of the manual operating key. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification