BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of a top according to the invention for a convertible in a raised state;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, sectional view through the top in a partially lowered (open) state; and
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic, sectional view of the top in the fully lowered state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a top 1 according to the invention of a convertible (otherwise not illustrated). The top 1 has a rear window frame 2 and three roof sections 3, 3′, 3″ placed in front of it in the direction of travel 5 when the top 1 is closed. When the top 1 is closed (fully raised), the individual roof sections 3, 3′, 3″ and the rear window frame 2 form a continuous roof contour and are usually covered by a covering 4, preferably a water-repelling covering 4. Of course, the covering 4 only covers the rear window frame 2 in a region surrounding a non-illustrated rear window. A longitudinal extent of the individual roof sections 3, 3′, 3″ and of the rear window frame 2 in a longitudinal direction 5 of the vehicle can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The longitudinal direction 5 of the vehicle is usually also the direction of travel 5 of the convertible. Furthermore, the frontmost roof section 3 in the direction of travel 5 is also referred to as the integral roof frame 3, the roof frame 3′ situated directly behind it is referred to as the first surface bow 3′, and the roof section 3″ situated directly behind the roof section 3′ is referred to as the second surface bow 3″. The integral roof frame 3 and the two surface bows 3, 3″ have the task, in particular, of clamping the covering 4 when the top 1 is raised and, as a result, of forming a uniform roof contour.
As can be seen in FIG. 2, the top 1 has a lateral top linkage 6 which is configured at the same time as a driving linkage and, during an lowering (opening) and raising (closing) operation of the top 1, brings about the relative displacement of the individual roof sections 3, 3′, 3″ and of the rear window frame 2. For this purpose, the top linkage 6 on each side of the vehicle has a roof link 7 and a main link 8 placed behind it in the direction of travel 5. Usually, only the roof link 7 is driven. The roof link 7 and the main link 8 together form a first four-bar linkage 9, also called the main four-bar linkage, with both the roof link 7 and the main link 8 each being mounted in an articulated manner at one end on a non-illustrated bracket fixed on the vehicle and at the other end on the roof section 3′, i.e. the first surface bow 3′, disposed directly behind the frontmost roof section 3, i.e. the integral roof frame 3. An extension 10 of the roof link 7 forms a link of a second four-bar linkage 11, a further link 12 of which is mounted in an articulated manner firstly on the integral roof frame 3 and secondly on the first surface bow 3′.
In addition, the roof section 3″, i.e. the second surface bow 3″, is mounted in an articulated manner on the roof link 7, the second surface bow 3″ being positively guided at the other end in a guide 13 on the rear window frame 2. During a displacement movement of the top 1, the roof link 7 therefore not only drives the main link 8 and the first surface bow 3′ via the first four-bar linkage 9, and the integral roof frame 3 via the second four-bar linkage 11, but also brings about a displacement movement of the second surface bow 3″. The second surface bow 3″ is therefore also driven by the roof link 7.
By contrast, the main link 8 is connected in an articulated manner directly or indirectly to a clamping bow 14 and the rear window frame 2. The clamping bow 14 forms a rear end of the top 1. In general, the top linkage 6 is configured in such a manner that when the top 1 is lowered, i.e. put away (see FIG. 3), the second surface bow 3″ is put away below the rear window frame 2 while the first surface bow 3′ and the integral roof frame 3 are put away above the rear window frame 2. This permits a particularly compact storage position of the top 1 in the lowered state, thus enabling a particularly esthetic overall impression to be obtained.
It can likewise be seen in FIG. 2 that a displacement device 15 is provided on the second surface bow 3″, which displacement device, at the beginning of an lowering movement of the closed top 1, brings about a downward movement of the second surface bow 3′ out of the roof contour and, as a result, only permits the lowering of the top 1.
As mentioned at the beginning, the top 1 has a flexible covering 4 which at least partially covers it and is connected to the individual roof sections 3, 3′, 3″, and to the rear window frame 2 and the clamping bow 14 in the following manner. Along a front edge 19 of the frontmost roof section 3, i.e. the integral roof frame 3, which front edge runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle, the covering 4 is connected linearly to the integral roof frame 3, which is illustrated according to FIG. 1 by a corresponding solid line and, according to FIG. 2, by a circle with a border. The covering 4 is also connected to the frontmost roof section 3 along a rear edge 20 of the same that runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle. However, the connection between the covering 4 and the rear edge 20 of the frontmost roof section 3 takes place via a pull strip 16 (see FIG. 3), as a result of which a tensioning of the covering 4 in the region of the integral roof frame 3 can be produced. A pull strip 16 of this type can extend over the entire width of the integral roof frame 3. Furthermore, the covering 4 is connected linearly to the integral roof frame 3 along two lateral edges 17 of the same.
With regard to the first surface bow 3′, it is to be noted that the covering 4 is connected linearly to the first surface bow 3′ along a rear edge 20′ of the same that runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle, to be precise is likewise connected thereto via a “pull strip” 16. In the region of the front edge 19′ of the first surface bow 3′, the covering 4 is connected via an elastic pull band 18 (see FIG. 3) to the first surface bow 3′ which enforces a predefined folding of the covering 4 during opening of the top 1.
In the region of the rear window frame 2, the covering 4 is fixedly connected to the rear window frame 2 in the transverse direction of the vehicle, at a rear and at a front edge region of the rear window frame 2, more precisely in the region between the rear window and the rear window frame 2. Furthermore, the covering 4 is also connected to the rear window frame 2 linearly along the line 21 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle adjacent to the rear window (see FIG. 1). The covering 4 is likewise connected linearly to the clamping bow 14 along the latter in the transverse direction of the vehicle. An elastic pull band 18 is likewise provided on a front edge 19″ of the rear window frame 2, the pull band bringing about an elastic connection between the covering 4 and the front edge 19″ of the rear window frame 2 and likewise enforcing a predefined folding of the covering 4, as illustrated in FIG. 3, during the opening of the top 1. It remains to emphasize that the covering 4 is not connected at any point to the second surface bow 3″, and therefore the latter, during the opening of the top 1, can be detached from the covering 4 and displaced under the rear window frame 2.
By the configuration and connection of the individual roof sections 3, 3′ and of the rear window frame 2 to the covering 4, it is possible, as mentioned at the beginning, to obtain a continuous roof contour when the top 1 is raised, with the connection of the covering 4 to the individual roof sections 3, 3′ and the rear window frame 2, in particular the connection via the pull strip 16 or the pull bands 18, enforcing a consistently identical, predefined folding of the top 1 during the lowering of the top 1.
Patent Application
20080061593
