Interlocking device for the folding roof of a motor vehicle

• US 6,834,907 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
• Original Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
• Inventors: Dietl, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US10/358,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 296/121, 296/107.01, 296/128, 296/132, 296/120.1, 292/DIG.5
• US Class Current: 296/121
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1851 for locking the foldable soft- or hard-top to the windshield header
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/05 Automobile top latches

Abstract

An interlocking device for the folding roof of a motor vehicle with a locking hook (4) which is pivotally mounted on the front frame part (1) of the folding roof and which can be moved by means of a multiple connecting rod mechanism and can be interlocked in latching engagement on a vehicle-mounted abutment, the multiple connecting rod mechanism, especially a four-bar mechanism (6, 12, 14, 15), containing the locking hook (4) and being located self-locking in the closed position.

Claims

1. Interlocking device for a folding roof of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a locking hook which is adapted to be pivotally mounted on a front frame part of a folding roof and which adapted to interlock in latching engagement with a vehicle-mounted abutment;

a multiple connecting rod means for moving the locking hook;

wherein the multiple connecting rod means is coupled to a linear drive mechanism which is adapted to be movably supported on said front frame part, wherein said multiple connecting rod means comprises a four-bar mechanism, wherein the locking hook forms a part of the four-bar mechanism, and wherein the four-bar mechanism is arranged to be self-locking in the closed position.

2. Interlocking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linear drive mechanism is hinged via an intermediate lever to a pivot lever of the four-bar mechanism.

3. Interlocking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pivot lever of the four-bar mechanism has an arc-shaped drive segment and a pinion which is drive-engaged both to the drive segment and also to the linear drive mechanism.

4. Interlocking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the four-bar mechanism, in a closed position thereof, assumes a top dead center or overtop dead center position for producing said self-locking.

5. Interlocking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking hook has an eccentric surface of contact for locking on the vehicle-mounted abutment.

6. Interlocking device for a folding roof of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a locking hook which is adapted to be pivotally mounted on a front frame part of a folding roof and which adapted to interlock in latching engagement with a vehicle-mounted abutment;

a multiple connecting rod means for moving the locking hook;

wherein said multiple connecting rod means comprises a four-bar mechanism, wherein the locking hook forms a part of the four-bar mechanism, and wherein the four-bar mechanism is arranged to be self-locking in the closed position.

7. Interlocking device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the multiple connecting rod means is adapted for coupling to a linear drive mechanism which is movably supported on the front frame part.

8. Interlocking device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the locking hook has an eccentric surface of contact for locking on the vehicle-mounted abutment.

9. Interlocking device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the four-bar mechanism, in a closed position thereof, assumes a top dead center or overtop dead center position for producing said self-locking.

10. A motor vehicle, comprising:

an abutment mounted of a vehicle body part;

a folding roof having a front frame part;

a locking hook which is pivotally mounted on the front frame part of the folding roof and which is arranged for latching engagement with said vehicle-mounted abutment; and

a multiple connecting rod means for moving the locking hook;

wherein the multiple connecting rod means is coupled to a linear drive mechanism which is movably supported on said front frame part, wherein said multiple connecting rod means comprises a four-bar mechanism, wherein the locking hook forms a part of the four-bar mechanism, and wherein the four-bar mechanism is arranged to be self-locking in the closed position.

11. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the linear drive mechanism is coupled to a drive for folding of the folding roof.

12. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the front frame part is one of a roof tip, a transverse frame part and a side member of a convertible top frame.

13. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the linear drive mechanism is hinged via an intermediate lever to a pivot lever of the four-bar mechanism.

14. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein a pivot lever of the four-bar mechanism has an arc-shaped drive segment and a pinion which is drive-engaged both to the drive segment and also to the linear drive mechanism.

15. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the four-bar mechanism, in a closed position thereof, assumes a top dead center or overtop dead center position for producing said self-locking.

16. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the locking hook has an eccentric surface of contact for locking on the vehicle-mounted abutment.

17. Interlocking device for a folding roof of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a locking hook adapted to be pivotally mounted on a front frame part of a folding roof to pivot around a locking hook axis between an open position and a closed position, said locking hook adapted to interlock in latching engagement with a vehicle-mounted abutment when in said closed position, said locking hook axis being pulled toward said abutment when said locking hook pivots from said open position toward said closed position, said locking hook having an eccentric surface of contact for locking on the vehicle-mounted abutment;

a multiple connecting rod means for moving the locking hook;

wherein the multiple connecting rod means is coupled to a linear drive mechanism which is adapted to be movably supported on said front frame part.

18. A motor vehicle, comprising:

an abutment mounted of a vehicle body part;

a folding roof having a front frame part;

a locking hook which is pivotally mounted on the front frame part of the folding roof to pivot around a locking hook axis between an open position and a closed position, said locking hook being arranged for latching engagement with said vehicle-mounted abutment when in said closed position, said locking hook axis being pulled toward said abutment when said locking hook pivots from said open position toward said closed position; and

a multiple connecting rod means for moving the locking hook;

wherein the multiple connecting rod means is coupled to a linear drive mechanism which is movably supported on said front frame part;

wherein the locking hook has an eccentric surface of contact for locking on the vehicle-mounted abutment.

19. Interlocking device for a folding roof of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a locking hook which is adapted to be pivotally mounted on a front frame part of a folding roof and which adapted to interlock in latching engagement with a vehicle-mounted abutment;

a multiple connecting rod means for moving the locking hook;

wherein the multiple connecting rod means is coupled to a linear drive mechanism which is adapted to be movably supported on said front frame part;

wherein the multiple connecting rod means includes a four-bar mechanism which, in a closed position thereof, assumes a top dead center or overtop dead center position for producing self-locking.

20. A motor vehicle, comprising:

an abutment mounted of a vehicle body part;

a folding roof having a front frame part;

a locking hook which is pivotally mounted on the front frame part of the folding roof and which is arranged for latching engagement with said vehicle-mounted abutment; and

a multiple connecting rod means for moving the locking hook;

wherein the multiple connecting rod means is coupled to a linear drive mechanism which is movably supported on said front frame part;

wherein the linear drive mechanism is coupled to a drive for folding of the folding roof.