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
  • B60J7/202—Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts or for collapsible flexible tops being characterised by moveable cover parts for closing the gap between boot lid and rearmost seats
• • 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
  • B60J1/00—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor
  • B60J1/18—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor arranged at the vehicle rear
  • B60J1/1807—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor arranged at the vehicle rear movable for vehicles with convertible top
  • B60J1/1823—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor arranged at the vehicle rear movable for vehicles with convertible top adjustable relative to hard- or soft-top, e.g. pivotable
• • 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
  • B60J1/00—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor
  • B60J1/18—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor arranged at the vehicle rear
  • B60J1/1807—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor arranged at the vehicle rear movable for vehicles with convertible top
  • B60J1/1823—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor arranged at the vehicle rear movable for vehicles with convertible top adjustable relative to hard- or soft-top, e.g. pivotable
  • B60J1/183—Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor arranged at the vehicle rear movable for vehicles with convertible top adjustable relative to hard- or soft-top, e.g. pivotable slidable
• • 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
  • B60J7/145—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 at least two elements being folded in clamp-shell fashion

Definitions

• the present subject relates to the field of convertible vehicles, and particularly motor vehicles, thus comprising a movable roof relative to the structural frame of the vehicle, to cover or discover the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
• a convertible vehicle including a roof, a priori rigid, comprising a plurality of roof elements movable between a closed position above the passenger compartment of the vehicle and an open position in which these elements are moved away from the top of the passenger compartment, towards a space or a storage area of the vehicle.
• the roof elements comprise a first roof element, second and third roof rear side members and a fourth rear roof central element extending between the second and third side members, in the closed position.
• the first roof element is articulated, at the location of a rear part, to said lateral elements which are themselves hinged to the structural frame (that is to say to the body) of the vehicle and are spaced apart. on the other, by defining between them a space which, in the closed position, is divided into an upper part and a lower part.
• the fourth central rear roof element is articulated to the first roof element, at the location of a rear portion thereof, and being engaged with said side members, in the closed position, so as to close the upper part of said space.
• a window closes the lower part of this space, this window being advantageously retractable behind a part of the bodywork.
• the glass will even be advantageously retractable inside the relevant part of the body, especially if this part of the body is a cover (we can also use the term " hood ”) movable relative to the structural frame and adapted to occupy a position closing the rear of the storage space, which will advantageously be located towards the rear of the vehicle.
• hood movable relative to the structural frame and adapted to occupy a position closing the rear of the storage space, which will advantageously be located towards the rear of the vehicle.
• the second and third lateral roof elements will be custodes.
• a single-body vehicle or a two-body vehicle a vehicle whose silhouette does not have significant recess at the location of the above-mentioned cover (which could be called rear boot lid) whose opening allows the elements of roof to be stowed, unlike so the important setback behind the passenger compartment in a tri-body vehicle, typically between the rear window and said trunk lid.
• Figures 1,2,3 show schematically examples of silhouettes respectively bi-body, mono- body and tri-body.
• the movable cover just mentioned will have side extensions having a free end before and extending, at least in the closed position of the roof elements, towards the front of the vehicle, along the lower base respectively of the second and third lateral roof elements, these lateral extensions being articulated on the structural frame of the vehicle, towards their said free end before.
• roof elements it will be noted: - that the second and third roof side roof elements and the cover will be advantageously articulated relative to the vehicle frame around axes respective located near each other or together,
• the structural frame of the vehicle and the cover towards its front and rear ends will preferably be adapted to be releasable together by releasable joints, so that the cover can be opened from the rear towards the front of the vehicle.
• vehicle to access the storage space, and from front to rear to store the roof by folding it back into the storage space,
• control means will advantageously rotate the fourth rear roof central element to place it in the folded position against a lower face of the first element of the roof.
• roof, and / or that the first roof element will preferably be articulated to the structural frame of the vehicle via at least one arm which will control the pivoting of the fourth rear central roof element,
• the vehicle will advantageously further comprise a first connecting element articulated between said arm and said fourth rear roof central element.
• a first connecting element articulated between said arm and said fourth rear roof central element articulated between said arm and said fourth rear roof central element.
• the aforementioned arm pivoting control which manages the pivoting of a roof element located behind a roof element located further forward (in the closed position of the roof elements) , also controls the movement of a front roof element, here said “fifth roof element”, so as to place it advantageously facing, or substantially facing, a face of an intermediate roof element, here said “First roof element”, when passing these roof elements from the closed position to the open proposal.
• the present subject relates to the production of a convertible vehicle that can present, as movable roof elements for covering or uncovering the passenger compartment, only the first, fourth and fifth elements of the aforementioned roof element, the fourth roof element may or may not be bordered laterally, in the closed state of the roof, by the aforementioned rear lateral elements (called second and third roof elements), the "first" roof element being hinged to the structural frame of the vehicle via at least one arm which controls the pivoting of said "fourth" roof element, as for example in DE-A-199 62 070.
• the relative control of these three roof elements (which could be the only ones) could be more precise and more compact. It is in this context, that is proposed here, on such a vehicle and possibly independently of what preceded:
• a first connecting element is articulated between the corresponding arm and said "fourth" roof element, - said "first" and “fifth” roof elements are hinged together by at least one rod (which may belong to a deformable quadrilateral device) articulated to each of these elements, - that said rod is actuated by the movement of the arm by means of a second connecting element articulated to the arm and this rod, and that the respective hinges of the first connecting element and the second connecting element on the arm are located on an intermediate portion of said arm, the roof can therefore no longer include as roof elements as those here named one, four and five.
• the rod will be actuated to place the "fifth" roof element (frontmost) facing, or substantially facing, a face of said first roof element, when passing from the closed position to the open position roof elements.
• first and second connecting members on the arm are located close to one another, or be confused, and / or that these first and / or second connecting elements are rods.
• the present vehicle concept makes it possible to have, in the closed position of the roof, an interior volume (cockpit plus storage space) with the ability to easily switch from this last configuration to a discovery configuration (convertible ), open roof: the vehicle could thus be of the type wagon or minivan, while benefiting from a retractable hardtop.
• the short individual length of the roof elements allows the vehicle to have if necessary four or five real places because the length of all roof elements when folded is then quite low. Due to the small thickness of the assembly formed by the folded roof elements in the storage space, the loading height in the trunk remains high, when the roof is stored there.
• said body part behind which retracts the window is a movable cover adapted to occupy a position closing the rear of the interior storage space of the roof located behind a body part, it is advisable to at least start the retraction of the window inside this cover, after which the lid is opened and the roof elements are stored in accordance with step b).
• FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 schematically show thus two-body, single-body and three-body vehicles;
• FIGS. 4 and 5 show in partial perspective a convertible vehicle equipped with five movable roof elements, respectively in the closed position; and partially open,
• FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show, in an internal side view (corresponding to a longitudinal section), the same vehicle as that of FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively with the roof fully closed, the rear cover open, the roof partially open, and the roof fully open, stored at the rear of the vehicle which is then fully uncovered.
• the dual-body motor vehicle 1 of Figure 1 comprises a prominent front engine hood 3 whose line breaks with that of the windshield 5.
• roof 7 extends however in the extension of the windshield.
• the rear cover 9 incorporates, here without prominence, the rear window 11.
• This cover 9, which gives access to the trunk 12, is here a hatch.
• the vehicle 1 may in particular be a station wagon.
• the rear cover 13 of the single-body vehicle 10 of FIG. 2 does not break the general line of the vehicle which is here of the "minivan" type.
• the silhouette of this vehicle 10 extends longitudinally, along the longitudinal axis 2, in a fairly taut line between the front 13a (AV) and the rear 17a (ARR) of the roof area 17 which covers both the passenger compartment 14 and the rear storage space 16.
• the slope is more marked at the location of the windshield 15 to which the roof 17 is connected at the front.
• the rear of the vehicle plunges sharply (as is also the case for the bi-body vehicle of Figure 1), with here a slope break, without however the rear cover 13 is substantially prominent relative to the transverse window 21, often called rear window.
• the rear cover 13 may be a tailgate or articulate lower below the level of the rear transverse window 21, which could also be the case of the cover 9. 3, both the front cover 23 and the rear cover 29 are prominent, respectively with respect to the windshield 25 and the rear window or rear window 31, which characterizes a tri-body vehicle 30 where the cabin area 29 stands, with the roof 27, prominently with respect to the box 32 to which the covers 23 and 29 belong.
• the passenger compartment 24 is here defined by the windshield 25, the roof 27, the side windows (not marked), the rear window 31 and the body part 32 located between the dotted lines, marked substantially at the lower limits of the windshield, front, and rear window, aft.
• the vehicle of Figure 4 may be single-body or two-body.
• the vehicle 40 of FIG. 4 is a convertible vehicle, as can the vehicles 10, 20, 30.
• the roof 41 includes roof elements. It could include only two rigid ones, as in FR-A-2 414 402 or three, as in FR-A-2 816 248, located one behind the other, in the closed position above the cockpit and then occupying the entire width of the roof, between the side windows.
• the roof 41 comprises five movable roof elements, all rigid (unlike the hoods which are typically made of flexible fabric), namely: a roof front element 51, an intermediate roof element 53, a rear element of the roof; roof 55 and two rear roof side members, 57a, 57b. Closed ( Figures 4 and 6 for example), the front and intermediate elements 51 and 53 extend over the entire width of the roof (see Figure 4) between the side windows 59a and 59b shown in Figure 5.
• the front element 51 extends between the upper cross member 52 of the windshield 54 and the intermediate roof element 53.
• the central rear element 55 is bordered laterally, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2 of the vehicle, by the lateral rear elements 57a, 57b located on either side of it.
• the rear window 63 is movably mounted relative to the frame 45 and to the roof elements, in particular 55, 57a, 57b, so as to be placed in a sealed manner along the rear edge seals respectively 67a, 67b of the rear side members of the roof.
• the rear window 63 is retractable behind a part of the body, so that it clears the surface it occupies in the closed state of the roof, thus leaving free the access path to the storage area of the roof and releasing this lower part of space 61b allowing to fold in, or to pass, at least some of the roof elements, during their movements both opening and closing.
• slides are formed laterally inside this rear cover, in the continuity of the curvature of the rear window 63, these slides, schematized at 70a and 70b in Figure 4, also extending in the continuity other slides 72a, 72b formed along the rear edges 67a, 67b respectively of the side members 57a, 57b.
• the roof 41 is completely stowed, in a folded state, inside the storage space 69 located at the rear, in the lower part, of the passenger compartment 43, behind the seats in this cabin, in particular the seats 71 (here the rear seats since the illustrated vehicle comprises two rows of seats as shown in Figures 6 and 7).
• This storage space 69 is thus occupied, at the top, by the folded elements of the roof 41, in the open state of this roof, the lower part remaining accessible, for example for the storage of objects (bags, suitcases. .), see Figure 9.
• the rear side members 57a, 57b of the roof extend substantially vertically to, see below the lateral extensions 49c 49d of the cover 49, which then extend just above the side wings respectively 451 and 453 of the bodywork area (see also Fig. 5).
• the cover 49 closes or opens access to the space 69.
• the cover 49 which is similar to a rear trunk lid, is rotatable for example ⁇ around a rear transverse axis 49b (figures 6,7,8) located towards the low end of the vehicle, and around a front transverse axis 49a (figures 7 and 8).
• the cover 49 will here pivoted rearward (AR) of the vehicle by pivoting about its rear axis 49b, prior to any opening of the roof 41, and will be tilted forward (AVT), by pivoting around the front axle 49a, to access the rear storage space 69 ( Figure 7).
• AR rearward
• AVT tilted forward
• cover 49d (FIGS. 4 and 5) of the cover 49 line the lateral roof elements 57a, 57b, in the closed position of the latter (FIG. 4), and then give the cover a substantially "U" shaped shape, horizontally.
• Locking and articulation means schematized at 68 and 70 in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8 also allow the cover 49 to be releasably locked at the end opposite to that where it pivots relative to the frame 45. .
• this cover can in particular be equipped, near the lower rear transverse edge 49e ( Figure 5) and near the free end 490c, 49Od of the two lateral extensions 49c, 49d
• the rear side roof elements 57a, 57b are hinged about a transverse axis which here coincides with the axis 49a. It could however be an axis located near the axis 49a, parallel to him.
• roof rear side members 57a, 57b which here define the side left and right sides respectively of the vehicle, thus pivot in two planes substantially parallel to the median longitudinal plane 73 of the vehicle, on either side of it (FIG. and 5).
• the means described have their symmetry on the other side, by symmetry vis-à-vis the median longitudinal vertical plane 73.
• the rear central roof element 55 is, forwards, hinged relative to the element of roof intermediate 53, rearward thereof, about a transverse axis 75 ( Figure 5).
• the intermediate roof element 53 is further articulated to said rear lateral elements 57a, 57b, about a transverse axis 77 (FIG. 8) situated, longitudinally, in the intermediate portion of the roof element 53 and towards a high front zone. of each lateral element 57a, 57b.
• the rear roof side members are guided in articulation along two parallel axes of rotation 49a and 77 respectively (closed roof), towards their lower end before and towards their upper front end.
• the intermediate roof element 53 is articulated to the frame 45 by means of lateral arms, one of which, bent, is located 81 and is therefore hinged on one side (81a). ) on the frame 45, the other (81b) on the intermediate roof element 53 (Fig.7).
• a first connecting element here a rod, 83 hinged at each end, at 83a, 83b, respectively on the arm 81 and on the rear central roof element 55.
• the front roof element 51 it is articulated vis-à-vis the intermediate roof element 53 so as to be able to pass, for the opening of the roof, the position of Figures 4 or 7, where the roof elements are located in the longitudinal continuity one of the others and without significant shift, at a position facing the roof element 53, with an identical curvature orientation for the two elements 51, 53, following a backward tilting, as indicated by the arrow 85 of Figure 8 where the front roof element 51 passes over the intermediate roof element 53 during the tilting back of the roof elements.
• This relative articulation between the roof elements 51 and 53 is provided by means of two sets of rods 87a, 87b ( Figure 5) located laterally near the side edges of these roof elements.
• Each set of rods such as 87a in Figure 8, here comprises two rods, one before 89a, the other rear 89b.
• the intermediate roof element 53 has two longitudinal extensions 91a, 91b (see Figure 5).
• the two links 89a, 89b are hinged at one end under the front roof element 51 and, at their other end, on the corresponding extension, such as 91b, for the front link 89a, and further aft, at 92, for the rear rod 89b; see Figure 8 where it is found that the hinge links of the roof element 51 articulate to a front portion of the roof element 53.
• each articulated arm 81 also advantageously controls the movement of the front roof element 51, acting on the double systems.
• rods 87a, 87b which are each in the manner of a deformable quadrilateral device whose links (89a, 89b) are actuated to place the roof element 51 in front of the roof element 53, it being specified, however, that this state face to face with identically oriented arching elements 51 and 53 is a priori reached before the roof is fully folded.
• each arm 81 is connected to a second connecting element, identified 93 in particular in FIGS. 5 and 8.
• This second connecting element is articulated in the intermediate part of the arm 81 concerned 93a, at one end, and on the rod 89b at another end 93b, see Figure 8 in particular.
• the joints 83a, 93a are located between the joints 81a and 81b.
• rear central 57 is, in itself, interesting and can therefore be applied to other convertible vehicles than that illustrated here, such as those of publications FR-A-2,814,402 or FR-A-2,816,248.
• This control has the advantage of being easily motorized, a single actuator, for example a motorized cylinder, which can control the entire movement of the roof.
• the mobility of the sliding rear window (here 63) will no longer be indispensable or even appropriate.
• a fixed rear window on a roof element, on the structural frame or on a tailgate may be suitable.
• the rear cover (here the cover 49) will become a conventional retractable roof vehicle hood, the opening can be done from front to rear and rear to the front of the vehicle.
• the length of the rear cover can be chosen in a fairly wide range, both short and long enough.
• the rear central roof element can then incorporate a rear window or form itself the rear window.
• the cover can then open from the rear towards the front by being articulated on its said releasable joints and bolts 68 arranged forward (axis 49a).
• This opening movement can be assisted by an actuator,
• the sliding window 63 can continue to descend or be immobilized in a semi-open position.
• Access to the storage space 69 can also be performed when the roof 41 is deployed, by simply retracting (lowering) the rear window 63.
• the cover can then open from the front to the back by being articulated on its articulations and releasable locks arranged towards the rear (axis 49b); This opening movement can also be assisted by an actuator, and when opening the cover 49, the sliding window can continue to descend into the hood,
• the lateral elements 57a, 57b (here the custodes) are then pivoted towards the rear (axis 49a or near axis, parallel);
• the arms 81 rotate the intermediate element 53 of the roof around its rear articulation 77 located on the custodes to accommodate it between the side members 57a, 57b erected laterally;
• the arms 81 then advantageously control on the one hand the movement of the rear central roof element 55 around its hinge 75 with the intermediate element 53 roof, to come lodge against this roof element, and on the other hand, the movement of the front roof element 51 around the joint (preferably formed by the lateral deformable quadrilaterals 87a, 87b) located towards the front of the intermediate roof element 53 so as to place the roof element 51 facing the element 53;
• the cover 49 is pivoted from the rear towards the front and then locked on said releasable joints and locks arranged towards the front thereof (axis 49a), while remaining locked at the rear (axis 49b);
• the releasable latch joints of the rear cover may be joints with or without center of rotation. In the latter case, it may be, for example, articulations of the type with rods forming a deformable quadrilateral. This is extrapolable to other pivoting means.
• the interior space storage 69 could become a roof storage area located above a bodywork area, especially above this fixed platform.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

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• 2005
  • 2005-09-09 WO PCT/FR2005/002253 patent/WO2006045909A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2005-09-09 EP EP05802795A patent/EP1805049A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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