BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective partial view of a rear area of a convertible vehicle with a convertible top in the closed state;
FIG. 2 shows a schematic, simplified cross-section through a clamping device of a convertible top according to the invention of FIG. 1, along line II-II in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a schematic, simplified cross-section through the convertible top of FIG. 1 and its clamping device along a line III-III in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section corresponding to FIG. 2 through the clamping device according to the invention in the stored state of the convertible top;
FIG. 5 shows a simplified perspective view of the clamping device according to the invention in the closed state of the convertible top according to FIGS. 1 through 3.
FIG. 6 shows a view of the clamping device according to FIG. 5 in a partially opened state of the convertible top;
FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the clamping device corresponding to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 in the stored state of the convertible top; and
FIG. 8 shows a partial perspective view of the top of the convertible vehicle of FIG. 1 with an alternative embodiment of the clamping device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A rear area of a convertible vehicle 1 is shown in FIG. 1, in which a convertible top 2 can be moved between a closed position lying against a roof peak of vehicle 1 and a stored position in a storage space 3 in the rear.
The convertible top 2 is designed as a so-called soft top or fabric convertible top with a flexible roof panel 4, which is attached to an arrangement of convertible-top rods 5 supporting it and causing movement of the convertible top 2, and connected with its edge region to the vehicle body 7 beneath a rear window 6.
For this purpose, the vehicle body 7 has an attachment device 9 beneath a body opening line with an auto-body closure seal 8, further shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 4. The attachment device 9 is designed in the depicted variant with a clamping strip 10 that holds the flexible roof panel 4, and connection contours 11 for joining to a clip 22 or to other body elements in the region of a body shaft 12, for example, a water-channel profile or a convertible top sheet.
For tightening of the flexible roof panel 4 in the closed state of convertible top 2, a clamping device 13 is provided, which, in the variant according to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, is designed with two brackets 14, 15 assigned to each side of the vehicle.
The side brackets 14, 15 can be moved between a first position, shown schematically in FIG. 4 through FIG. 7 with the convertible top 2 stored, and a position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5 in the closed state of the convertible top 2, whereby the brackets 14, 15 in the closed state of convertible top 2 force the roof panel 4 against the auto-body closure seal 8 arranged in the region of the body-opening line.
The body-opening line in the variant shown is formed by an upper edge of the side outer surface 16 of the auto-body, above a wheel opening 17 and by an upper edge of a rear cover 18, but in a departure from this, it can also be provided that, for example, instead of the rear cover 18, a rear body element designed in several parts also forms the body-opening line.
As can also be seen from the theoretical clamping direction 19 of the flexible roof panel 4 drawn in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the clamping direction of the flexible roof panel 4 is changed by the clamping device 13, so that in the closed state of the convertible top 2, it lies sealed against the body closure seal 8.
In the advantageous embodiment shown according to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, the side brackets 14, 15 can be pivoted on their rear ends about a pivot point 20 and 21, which is attached to the body and is arranged, in this case, on the attachment device 9 of the vehicle body 7 for the flexible roof panel 4.
The attachment device 9 in the depicted variants consists essentially of an at least roughly U-shaped clip 22 extending over the vehicle width, on which the clamping profile or strip 10 is mounted, at least in areas, to hold the flexible roof panel 4.
Depending on the application, an expert in the art will also be able to select an attachment of the flexible roof panel to clip 22 with a clamping profile deviating from the variant shown or another element attached to the auto body by means of screwing, riveting, etc., if this is more appropriate for the specific application.
In the variants shown, the clip 22 of the attachment device 9 is joined with its corresponding ends to a convertible-top main support 23 arranged in the side area of the vehicle, on which a drive device (not further shown) engages and drives the convertible-top rod 5. With respect to its dimensioning, the clip 22, in the present case, is larger than brackets 14, 15 which are arranged more inside of the vehicle than the clip 22.
The side brackets 14, 15 are articulated at their ends on the vehicle front by means of a toggle lever 24 and the convertible-top rod 5 to the main convertible-top support 23, in which the articulation is arranged at a higher point, with respect to the vehicle height, than the articulation of clip 22 of the attachment device 9.
The clamping device 13 connected to the convertible-top rod 5 and thereby to the main convertible-top support 23, in the variant according to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, is movable by means of the drive device (not further shown) that drives the convertible-top rods 5, which, is, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, and can therefore be moved with the motion of the convertible-top rods 5.
An alternative variant of a clamping device 13′ for the flexible roof panel 4 of the convertible top 2, corresponding in design to the depiction of FIG. 1 to FIG. 7, is shown in FIG. 8.
In contrast to the variant according to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, with two side brackets 14, 15, the clamping device 13′ depicted in FIG. 8 is designed with a single bracket 25, which is designed essentially U-shaped, like the clip 22 of the attachment device 9, and is joined with its ends to the corresponding side main convertible-top support 23. In its rear area, in the region of the transition between the side arms to the cross-arm of the U-shaped bracket 25, this bracket is connected on both sides by means of a toggle lever 26 and 27 to the clip 22 of the attachment device 9 and is thereby attached to the body.
Bracket 25, similar to the side brackets 14, 15 provided in the variant according to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, can be moved from a position with the stored convertible top 2, in which bracket 25 is essentially situated at the vehicle height of clip 22 of the attachment device 9, into a position that forces the flexible roof panel 4 against the auto-body closure seal 8. In contrast to the variant according to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, a separate drive for bracket 25 is provided here, which can be controlled as a function of the motion of the convertible-top rod 5.
In other variants, it can naturally be provided that a clamping device that corresponds essentially to the clamping device 13 depicted in FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, is equipped with a separate drive, or that a single clip be connected as in FIG. 8 to the convertible-top rod 5 without its own drive.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
1 Convertible vehicle
2 Convertible top
3 Storage space
4 Flexible roof panel
5 Convertible-top rod
6 Rear window
7 Vehicle body
8 Auto-body closure seal
9 Attachment device
10 Clamping profile
11 Connection contours
12 Body shaft
13 Clamping device
13′ Clamping device
14 Side bracket
15 Side bracket
16 Outer surface
17 Wheel opening
18 Rear cover
19 Theoretical clamping direction
20 Pivot point
21 Pivot point
22 Clip of the attachment device
23 Main convertible-top support
24 Toggle lever
25 Bracket
26 Toggle lever
27 Toggle lever
Patent Application
20080054671
