Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
  • B60J7/00—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs
  • B60J7/20—Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts or for collapsible flexible tops
  • B60J7/208—Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts or for collapsible flexible tops with improved trunk access by moving the folded roof package when opening the trunk lid for loading or unloading luggage
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
  • B60J7/00—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs
  • B60J7/20—Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts or for collapsible flexible tops
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
  • B60J7/00—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs
  • B60J7/02—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes
  • B60J7/026—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes with rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. for convertible vehicles
  • B60J7/028—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes with rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. for convertible vehicles the sliding movement being combined with a pivoting movement

Definitions

• the invention relates to a retractable roof for a vehicle comprising several rigid roof elements movable between a position in which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a position in which they are stored in the rear boot of the vehicle.
• Such a retractable roof makes it possible to transform a vehicle of the sedan or coupe type into a vehicle of the convertible type.
• the roof elements when stored inside the rear trunk of the vehicle are superimposed on each other and extend substantially horizontally under the trunk lid.
• the access threshold inside the trunk that is to say the distance between the rear edge of the lower roof element and the rear edge of the trunk access opening, is limited, which hinders the introduction of luggage inside the trunk.
• the rear roof element which is the lower element when the roof elements are superimposed, comprises on its rear part a finger engaged in a slide which allows the storage of the roof elements inside the trunk .
• the object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks.
• the invention thus relates to a retractable roof for a vehicle, comprising several rigid roof elements movable between a position in which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a position in which they are stored inside the rear boot of the vehicle, so superimposed substantially horizontally under the hood of the rear trunk, all the roof elements, stored inside the rear trunk, being pivotally mounted along an axis located inside the trunk, so that one can lift this assembly upwards when opening or after opening the boot lid from rear to front; said rigid roof elements comprising at least one rear element, the movement towards the trunk is guided by a slide extending inside the trunk in which is engaged a finger secured to the rear of the rear element.
• said slide comprises a lifting portion from its end forming a limit switch for said finger when the roof elements are stored inside the boot of the vehicle, and an actuating device integral with the chassis of the vehicle is arranged to move said finger between its end position and a position in which it is disposed in said lifting portion of the slide.
• said actuating device comprises a lever mounted pivoting about an axis relative to the slide, said actuating device also comprising a jack secured to the chassis of the vehicle and capable of moving said lever between a position where it is substantially in the extension of the slide and a position where the lever maintains the finger in the lifting portion of the slide.
• Said lever can have a hook shape at its end opposite to its pivot axis so as to drive the finger up or down.
• the hook-shaped part of said lever may also be able to control the movement of said finger from the lifting portion to its position at the end of the travel of the slide.
• the movement of all of the superimposed roof elements towards the boot can be controlled by an arm pivoting articulated at a fixed point on the body and at a point located near the front of the rear element, all of the roof elements stored inside the boot being then pivotally mounted around the point of articulation of the said element arm located near the front of the rear element.
• the slide comprises a first portion intended to cooperate with said finger during storage of the roof elements in the trunk, as well as a second portion forming said lifting portion, this second portion extending in the same plane and substantially at right angles from one end of said first portion.
• Said lifting portion of the slide can describe an arc of a circle whose center is the pivot axis of the roof elements.
• the control of said cylinder can be carried out simultaneously with the opening of the boot lid, when the roof elements are in the stowed position in the boot.
• FIG. 1 is a partial schematic view of a vehicle equipped with a retractable roof in the closed position
• FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the trunk of the vehicle of Figure 1, the movable roof elements being stored in the trunk;
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 in which the roof elements are stored inside the trunk;
• FIG. 4 shows the rear trunk of a vehicle equipped with a retractable roof according to the invention in the stowed position in the trunk;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the slide extending into the trunk shown in Figure 4;
• FIG. 6 is a side view of the actuator visible in Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a front view of the device of Figure 6.
• Figures 1 to 3 illustrate the operation of a retractable roof for a motor vehicle.
• the roof comprises at least two rigid elements.
• the roof comprises three rigid elements: a front element 1, an intermediate element 2 and a rear element 3 as well as sliding and / or pivoting means allowing these three elements to overlap and store in the rear trunk 4.
• Figure 1 shows the roof in the closed position, that is to say covering the passenger compartment 5, allowing the vehicle to behave like a conventional vehicle with a fixed roof.
• FIG. 2 shows the movable roof elements 1, 2, 3 being stacked and stored in the boot 4, this maneuver leading to the stowed position visible in FIG. 3.
• Figure 4 shows the retractable roof according to the invention comprising the three elements 1, 2, 3 in the stowed position.
• the movement of the elements 1, 2, 3 during their storage in the trunk is controlled by a pivoting arm 6 articulated at a fixed point 7 of the bodywork and pivotally connected to an axis 8 integral with the rear roof element 3 .
• Said axis 8 forms an axis of rotation allowing the roof elements, when they are superimposed and form an assembly stored in the boot 4, to pivot between a low position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 4) and a high position ( shown in dotted lines).
• All of the elements 1, 2, 3 are able to assume the high position when the cover 4a of the boot 4 is open.
• a hook 12 is mounted rotating about an axis 13 on the slide 9, at the end of the latter corresponding to the end of travel of the finger 10 when the rear element is in the stowed position.
• the hook 12 is on the other hand controlled by a jack 15 attached by a fixing 16 to the slide 9. This jack 15 allows the hook 12 to move between the two positions shown in FIG. 6.
• the slide 9 further comprises a lifting portion 14 constituted by a curved extension of said slide 9 from its end mentioned above, this lifting portion 14 describing an arc of a circle whose center is the axis 8.
• the jack 15 maintains the hook 12 in the extension of the slide 9, as shown in FIG. 5.
• the finger 10 is then housed in the curved part of the hook 12 and all the roof elements 1, 2, 3 are in the low position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 4. This position also corresponds to that of the hook 12 in the extension of the slide 9, visible in FIG. 6.
• the jack 15 is actuated to control the movement of the curved portion of the hook 12 towards the lifting portion 14 of the slide 9 and, consequently, to place the finger 10 in this lifting portion 14.
• This configuration is shown in Figure 6, the cylinder 15 being in the position indicated by dotted lines.
• the path of the finger 10 is substantially straight.
• the hook 12 describes an arc of a circle.
• This high position of the roof elements 1, 2, 3 makes it possible to obtain a space D ′ between the rear of the boot opening 4 and the rear part of the rear roof element 3, in place of the space D corresponding to the initial position and thus allows easier introduction of the luggage into the trunk 4.
• the jack 15 can be actuated to control the return of the assembly 1, 2, 3 from its high position to its low position.
• the jack 15 is controlled to bring the hook 12 back to the initial position in which it is substantially in the extension of the slide 9, the shape of the hook allowing the drive of the finger 10 downwards.
• the jack 15 can be actuated for lifting the assembly 1, 2, 3 simultaneously with the opening of the cover 4a of the trunk 4.
• a handle controlling the jack 15 can be located under the rear roof element 3, so as to be accessible to the user.
• the movable roof elements 1, 2, 3 thus have no on-board device, the lifting of these elements when they are superimposed being effected by the jack 15 and hook 12 assembly cooperating with the lifting portion 14 of the slide 9.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)
• Vehicle Step Arrangements And Article Storage (AREA)
• Superstructure Of Vehicle (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=27676130

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (11)

Family Cites Families (26)

• 2002
  • 2002-02-27 FR FR0202484A patent/FR2836423B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-02-20 AU AU2003224207A patent/AU2003224207A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-02-20 EP EP03720627A patent/EP1478535A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-02-20 WO PCT/FR2003/000566 patent/WO2003072382A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2003-02-20 JP JP2003571104A patent/JP4262096B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-02-20 KR KR1020047013339A patent/KR100963699B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2003-02-20 US US10/505,989 patent/US7000973B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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