GB2188595A - Convertible hatchback car - Google Patents

Abstract

A convertible hatchback car (11) has at least two interlocking roof panels (10) which are slidable on guide rails (9) linearly into a compartment 14 pivoted to the hinged rear door (12) of the car when that door is in an upward-swung position. The guide rails (9) can be extended beyond the rear edge of the car roof for the sliding operation and then retracted into the flange 7. The compartment is then swung against the rear door and the rear window 16 of the vehicle pivoted to lie flush with the compartment 14 to provide an open top arrangement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Convertible hatchback car The present invention is a car of the hatchbacktype, that is ofthe type having a rear door hinged at the top. The car of the present invention is convertible to a condition in which the top ofthe car may be largely open to the surrounding air.

Cars ofthe convertible type have always been popular and, with few exceptions, have relied upon the provision of a fabric hood which can be collapsed and stowed to open up the carto its surroundings. In spite of the more recent development of improved designs, convertible cars ofthis type are in general more noisy and often less draughtproofthan saloon cars.

The considerably increased popularity of hatchback cars in recentyears has made it impossible to provide a satisfactory convertible version of the more conventional type. However, attempts to compensate for this by providing hinged or siding sun-roofsfall farshort of achieving an adequate alternative to the open-top convertible car.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hatchback car which may readily and satisfactorily be converted to an open form.

The convertible hatchback car of the present invention is characterised by having at least two inter-locking roof panels which are slidable on guide rails linearly into the hinged reardoorofthecar when the latter is in an upward-swung position.

Thus, by means of the present invention, a major partofthe roof area ofthe car may be opened upto the surrounding air.

The roof panels are intended to be so fitted together, in their roof-closing position, as to cover the roof area which is intended to be opened. While in some cases it may be desired to have just two such roof panels or in some cases more than three, I have found that an optimum arrangementformost purposes is achieved using three panels. Preferably the panels are a close edge-to-edge fit in their roof-closing position although, less desirably, they may overlap ifthe particulardesign orsealing considerations require it.

Rails are provided within the roof area to allowthe panelsto be slid rearwards into the rear door.

Advantageously the rails may be extendible beyond the rear of the roof to provide a link between the roof and the part of the rear doorwherein the panels are to be stowed when not in use. To permit the rails to be extended in this way, the rear door is preferably so hinged that it can be swung upwards to assume a generally horizontal position in line with the roof or slightly above it.

The panels may be stowed within the thickness of the rear door but preferably a stowage compartment for this purpose is provided on the innerface ofthe door. Preferably the door has a window in its upper half, in which case the stowage compartment may be located on the innerface of the lower half of the door.

In a particularly preferred form of the invention, a window in the rear door is pivotable or slidable directly into the panel stowage compartment with the roof panels. Since the panels will normally be somewhat narrower than the width of the car roof and similarly ofthe rear door, such a pivoted window is preferably itself somewhat narrowerthan the door and may therefore usefully be supplemented by additional fixed windows, located in the rear door to each side of the pivoted window.

Transfer ofthe panels along the rails from the roof of the car into the panel stowage compartment may be assisted by pivoting the compartment at its lower end to permit itto align with the roof when the rear door is in its uppermost position.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure lisa perspective view illustrating, in their respective functioning positions, the components which are mounted upon the roof in one embodiment of the convertible hatchback car according to the present invention: Figure2 illustrates in side elevation the transfer of the roof panels into the rear door; Figure3 illustrates a subsequent stage in the conversion of the car to its open condition; and Figure 4 is a partial perspective view from the rear of the car after conversion to its open condition.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, an open rectangular frame 5 is secured in place on the outside of a car roof by bolts (not shown) passing through the roof and engaging a matching rectangularframe 6 on the inside of the roof. Upstandingfromtheupperfaceof theframe 5 and extending alongthreesidesofthe frame is a continuous flange 7, which is L- shaped in cross-section and defines a guide-rail in the form of an open channel 8. Slidablewithin the channel 8 isa matching three-sided guide-rail defining an open channel 9, of slightly smal ler cross-sectional dimensions than the channel 8.Three flat panels 10, omitted from Figure 1 in the interests of clarity, lie edge-to-edge within the channel 9 so as secu rely to close the rectangular space defined bythethree sides ofthe channel.

Thus, when the channel 9 and the panels 10 are slid fully within the channel 8,the roof of the car is closed by the panels 10. The structure so closed extends by about4 cm abovethecarroof.

Referring now to Figure 2, when it is desired to open upthetop ofthe car, indicated generally by the numeral 1 1,the rear door 12 is swung upwardly about an extended hinge 13 into a generally horizontal position as shown. A panel stowage box 14, pivoted at its lower end to the bottom of the door by a pivot 15, is swung donwards away from the door 12 until it is aligned with the car roof as shown in Figure 2. The channel 9 is now slid out rearwards from within the channel 8 until it extends to engage the end of the panel stowage box 14. The panels 10 are nowslidfrom thechannel 9, inthe direction of the arrow, into the box 14, wherein they lie on top of each other.

The channel 9 may now be retracted again into the channel 8 and the stowage box 14 may be swung aboutthe pivot 15 into contact with the inside face of the rear door 12, as shown in Figure 3. The rear window 16 is pivoted to the door 12 at 17 and may therefore now be swung, in the direction ofthe arrow, until it lies flush with the box 14. The door 12 may now be swung downwards into its closed position and the car convertion is complete. Both the roofandthe rearwindoware nowfullyopen.

In Figure 4, the car is shown after conversion, the panel stowage box 14 being accommodated in a housing 18. It can be seen that the rear window area is necessarily somewhat narrower than usual, to allow the window to be accommodated with the panels 10. Auxiliarywindows 19 are provided to compensate for the loss of rearwindowwidth.

If desired a spoiler may be fitted across the upper edge ofthe housing 18.Thismaythencombinethe conventional function of a spoiler of modifying the airflow to assist in keeping the rearwheelsfirmly againstthe ground, with thefurtherfunction of diverting exhaust fumes away from the rear window space.

The convertible hatchback car according to the present invention may be manufactured as such or produced by modifying an existing hatchback car. In either case, the rail structure mounted upon the roof will itself impart structural strength to compensate for any loss of strength arising from cutting outthe open portion ofthe roof area. The modified rear door may conveniently be formed as a unitaryshell in glass-fibre-reinforced synthetic plastics material.

Claims (10)

1. A convertible hatchback car having at least two interlocking roof panels which are slidable on guide rails linearly into the hinged rear door ofthe car whenthatdooris in an upward-swung position.

2. A convertible hatch back car as claimed in claim 1, having three said roof panels.

3. A convertible hatchbaciccar as claimed in claim 1 or2, wherein said roof panels are a close edge-to-edge fit in their roof-closing position.

4. A convertible hatchbackcarasclaimed in any ofthe preceding claims, wherein said guide rails are extendible beyond the rear edge of the car roof.

5. A convertible hatchback car as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said rear door is so hinged as to be able to be swung upwards into a generally horizontal position in line with the car roof orslightly above it.

6. Aconvertiblehatchbackcarasclaimed in any of the preceding claims, having a stowage compartmentforsaid panels on the innerface ofsaid rear door.

7. Aconvertiblehatchbackcarasclaimed in claim 6, wherein said panel stowage compartment is located on the innerface ofthe lowerhalf ofthedoor.

8. A convertible hatchback car as claimed in claim 7, having in said rear door a window which is pivotable or slidable directly into said panel stowage compartment.

9. A convertible hatchback car as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, wherein said panel stowage compartment is pivoted at its lower edge to permit it to align with the car roof when the rear door is in its uppermost position.

10. A convertible hatchback car substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.