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
• • 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
  • B60J7/08—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of non-sliding type, i.e. movable or removable roofs or panels, e.g. let-down tops or roofs capable of being easily detached or of assuming a collapsed or inoperative position
  • B60J7/12—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of non-sliding type, i.e. movable or removable roofs or panels, e.g. let-down tops or roofs capable of being easily detached or of assuming a collapsed or inoperative position foldable; Tensioning mechanisms therefor, e.g. struts
  • B60J7/14—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of non-sliding type, i.e. movable or removable roofs or panels, e.g. let-down tops or roofs capable of being easily detached or of assuming a collapsed or inoperative position foldable; Tensioning mechanisms therefor, e.g. struts with a plurality of rigid plate-like elements or rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. with non-slidable, but pivotable or foldable movement
  • B60J7/143—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of non-sliding type, i.e. movable or removable roofs or panels, e.g. let-down tops or roofs capable of being easily detached or of assuming a collapsed or inoperative position foldable; Tensioning mechanisms therefor, e.g. struts with a plurality of rigid plate-like elements or rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. with non-slidable, but pivotable or foldable movement for covering the passenger compartment
  • B60J7/146—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of non-sliding type, i.e. movable or removable roofs or panels, e.g. let-down tops or roofs capable of being easily detached or of assuming a collapsed or inoperative position foldable; Tensioning mechanisms therefor, e.g. struts with a plurality of rigid plate-like elements or rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. with non-slidable, but pivotable or foldable movement for covering the passenger compartment all elements being folded in same orientation and stacked fashion

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a retractable roof in at least two elements, for vehicles comprising a chassis, a passenger compartment and a rear trunk, and more particularly such a retractable roof comprising a front roof element and a rear roof element, these two elements being movable between a first position in which they cover the passenger compartment and a second position in which they are superimposed substantially horizontally in the rear trunk, the movement of the rear element towards the rear trunk being controlled by at least one articulated arm at a first of its ends to the chassis, and the front element being connected to the rear element by means of two levers each articulated at a first of these ends to said front element, these two levers forming a deformable quadrilateral.
• the front part of the rear element could come into abutment in the shock absorber of the vehicle when accessing the luggage.
• the present invention aims to overcome this drawback.
• the invention aims to provide a retractable roof of the type mentioned above which allows sufficient clearance of the front part of the rear element relative to the shock absorber when accessing the luggage.
• the subject of the invention is a retractable roof made of at least two elements for vehicles comprising a chassis, a passenger compartment and a rear trunk, said roof comprising a front roof element and a rear roof element, these two elements being movable between a first position in which they cover the passenger compartment and a second position in which they are superimposed substantially horizontally in the rear boot, the movement of the rear element towards the rear boot being controlled by at least one arm articulated at a first of its ends to the chassis, and the front element being connected to the rear element by means of two levers each articulated at a first of its ends to said front element, these two levers forming a deformable quadrilateral, characterized in that it comprises a connecting rod and a support element, said arm being articulated at its second end to said link on which the second ends of said levers are also articulated, said link being articulated to said support element carrying a cam track capable of cooperating with a cam follower integral with said arm.
• the second ends of the arms and of the levers are not articulated directly on the rear roof element. They are articulated on a first link itself articulated on a support element, the movement of the link being guided by the cooperation of the cam follower secured to the arm and the cam track secured to the support element.
• the cam follower can be mounted on said arm projecting from its second end, substantially opposite its first end.
• Said arm can be articulated to said link substantially between the points of articulation of the two said levers.
• the articulation point of said arm can be substantially equidistant from said articulation points of said levers.
• One of said levers can be articulated to said link substantially between the points of articulation of the other lever and of said support element. More particularly, the articulation point of one of said levers can be substantially equidistant from the articulation point of the other lever and from the articulation point of said support element.
• the articulation points of the lever arm and of the support element can generally be aligned on said link.
• Said cam track can be curved with its concavity generally facing downwards and / or towards the point of articulation of said arm on said link.
• the curvature of the cam path can increase from front to back.
• the present invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a roof as described above.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic view in partial longitudinal section of a vehicle equipped with a retractable roof according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, the retractable roof being in the stowed position in the trunk of the vehicle;
• FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a top view of the elements shown in Figure 3.
• the roof here comprises a rear element 1 and a front element 2.
• the rear element 1 joins the front edge 3 of the rear trunk to the rear edge of the front element 2.
• the front element 2 joins the front edge 4 of the rear element 1 at the upper edge of the vehicle windshield.
• the movement of the assembly of the two elements 1 and 2 of the roof is controlled by an arm 5 shown in FIG. 1 in solid lines in the position where the roof is retracted in the rear boot 6 of the vehicle and in phantom in the position where the roof covers the passenger compartment 7 of this vehicle.
• the arm 5 is articulated around an axis 8 on the chassis of the vehicle, the axis 8 being perpendicular to the vertical plane of symmetry of the vehicle.
• the arm 5 has its general direction oriented in the roof covering position from the axis 8 upwards and forwards (mark R). In the roof storage position, the arm 5 has its general direction oriented from the axis 8 towards the rear.
• the arm 5 is bent, its concavity being directed forward in the closed position of the roof and rearward in the roof storage position.
• All the articulation axes which will be discussed below are transverse axes, that is to say parallel to axis 8, that is to say perpendicular to the vertical plane of symmetry of the vehicle.
• the end of the arm 5 opposite the axis 8 is articulated at 9 to a link 10.
• the other ends of the two levers 13, 14 are articulated at 15 and 16 to the front element 2 of the roof.
• the two levers 13 and 14 form an articulated quadrilateral.
• the joints 11 and 12 are located substantially on either side of the joint 9 at approximately the same distance.
• the link 10 is articulated at 17 to a support element 18.
• the support element 18 is integral and fixed with respect to the rear roof element 1.
• the link 10 is articulated at 17 to the support element 18.
• the link 10 and the support element 18 are directed generally towards the front of the vehicle.
• the support element 18 comprises a cam path or groove 19 forming a cam path for a cam follower 20.
• the cam follower 20 is carried by a lug 21 integral with the arm 5 projecting from this arm substantially opposite the axis 8 so that the axis 8, the articulation 9 and the cam follower 20 are generally opposed.
• the groove 19 is curved with its concavity turned towards the articulation 9.
• the groove 19 has its curvature which increases from the front to the rear.
• the cam follower 20 is in abutment at the front end of the groove 19 when the roof is in its closed position and at the rear of the groove 19 when the roof is in its storage position in the rear boot of the vehicle .
• the entire roof can thus be tilted without the rod 10 coming into abutment against the damper 22.
• the roof comprises two elements, however the invention also applies to a retractable roof comprising more than two elements and in particular three elements.
• the third element can be placed between element 2 and the vehicle windshield.
• the third element is articulated to element 2 by one or more levers, the movement of the third element can be independent or coordinated with the movement of elements 1, 2.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
• Superstructure Of Vehicle (AREA)
• Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=28799932

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (7)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2002
  • 2002-04-25 FR FR0205211A patent/FR2839021B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-04-16 AU AU2003262792A patent/AU2003262792A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-04-16 KR KR10-2004-7017121A patent/KR20050012732A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-04-16 JP JP2003587645A patent/JP4246072B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-04-16 EP EP03740630A patent/EP1497149A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-04-16 US US10/512,534 patent/US7334832B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-04-16 WO PCT/FR2003/001225 patent/WO2003091054A1/fr active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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