GB2444046A - Folding top for a cabriolet - Google Patents

Folding top for a cabriolet Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2444046A
GB2444046A GB0623228A GB0623228A GB2444046A GB 2444046 A GB2444046 A GB 2444046A GB 0623228 A GB0623228 A GB 0623228A GB 0623228 A GB0623228 A GB 0623228A GB 2444046 A GB2444046 A GB 2444046A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
cable
tension bow
folding top
seal
rigid portion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0623228A
Other versions
GB0623228D0 (en
Inventor
Oliver Turner
William Manuel Walsh
Adrian Charles Morgan Jenkins
Andrew John Syvret
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd
Original Assignee
Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd
Ford Global Technologies LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, Ford Global Technologies LLC filed Critical Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd
Priority to GB0623228A priority Critical patent/GB2444046A/en
Publication of GB0623228D0 publication Critical patent/GB0623228D0/en
Publication of GB2444046A publication Critical patent/GB2444046A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • B60J10/00—Sealing arrangements
    • B60J10/90—Sealing arrangements specially adapted for non-fixed roofs, e.g. foldable roofs or removable hard-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
    • B60J7/1226—Soft tops for convertible vehicles

Abstract

A flexible seal 8 for sealing a side panel (6, figures 1 and 2) to a vehicle body is supported by a wire 11 which sits in a channel 10 in the seal 8 and is connected at one end to a rigid part (7) of the top's framework and at its other end to the tension bow (4) via a coil spring 13. The spring 13 holds the wire 11 taut while the top is erected. The presence of the wire enhances water leak and wind noise performance of the seal 8.

Description

Folding Top for a Cabriolet This invention relates to a folding top for
a convertible vehicle.
An example of a known folding top is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This folding top for a convertible vehicle comprises a flexible fabric cover 1 supported by a rigid framework. A rear panel 2 incorporates a backlight 3 and is supported by a rigid tension bow 4. The tension bow 4 sits on a rear rigid tonneau cover 5 and forms a seal therewith when the top 1 is erected.
Two opposing side panels 6 of the fabric cover 1 are connected between a respective end of the tension bow 4 and a respective rigid portion 7 of the framework. The rigid portions 7 are located in the "B-post" region of the vehicle.
Attached to the base of each side panel 6 is a flexible seal 8 which seals the side panel 6 to that part of the body of the vehicle between the B-post region and the tension bow 4. The seal 8 needs to be flexible so that the top 1 can be folded for stowage, e.g. into a storage area 9 in the rear of the vehicle.
It has been found that this type of sealing arrangement has poor water leak and wind noise performance compared with a rigid seal such as that made by the tension bow.
According to the present invention there is provided a folding top for a convertible vehicle, the top including, a tension bow, a rigid portion, a flexible side panel extending between an end of the tension bow and said rigid portion, and a flexible seal for sealing the side panel to the vehicle, in which the flexible seal is provided with a channel in which is located a cable, the cable being connected between the tension bow and said rigid portion and incorporating biasing means.
Preferably, the folding top includes two such flexible seals and cables on opposing sides of the top.
The biasing means may comprise a coil spring.
The biasing means ensures that the cable is held taut when the top is erected.
The cable serves to give support to the side panel and seal in the otherwise unsupported region between the B-post and tension bow. The taut cable provides an increased downward pressure thereby improving water leak and wind noise performance while still allowing the side panel to fold for storage.
The appearance of the erected top is also improved as the presence of the cable helps the seal to keep its shape and prevent it from buckling.
Some embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings of which; Fig. 1 is a plan view of a folding top for a convertible vehicle in accordance with a known design, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part of a convertible vehicle incorporating the top of Fig. 1 and illustrates deployment of the top, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a seal and cable assembly for incorporation in a top for a convertible vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, A convertible top in accordance with preferred embodiment of the invention differs from the conventional top illustrated in Fig. 1 in that the flexible seals B on either side of the top each incorporate a longitudinal channel 10 in which is located a cable 11. The cable 11 is made of steel wire.
That part of the cable 11 which emerges from the channel adjacent to tension bow 4 is crimped at its end on to a fastener 12 which in turn is attached to one end of a coil spring 13. The other end of the spring 13 is attached to the inner surface of the tension bow 4 with a screw connection.
The opposite end of the cable 11 which emerges from the seal 8 in the B-post region, is riveted to the rigid portion 7 of the top's framework.
When the top 1 is in its erected position, the coil spring 13 ensures that the cable 11 is pulled taut in the channel 10. The cable 11 then provides some support to the side panel 6 and seal 8.
When the top 1 is lowered and retracted into its storage area 9, the spring relaxes and the inherent flexibility of the cable 11 allows the side panel 6 and seal 8 to fold.
In an alternative embodiment, the spring 13 is connected to that end of the cable 11 which emerges from the channel 10 adjacent to the rigid portion, i.e. in the B-post region.
The spring's distal end is then connected to the rigid portion 7 of the framework. The end of the cable 11 emerging from the channel 10 adjacent to the tension bow 4 is connected directly thereto.

Claims (5)

  1. cLAIMs 1. A folding top for a convertible vehicle includes a tension
    bow, a rigid portion, a flexible side panel extending between an end of the tension bow and said rigid portion, and a flexible seal for sealing the flexible side panel to the vehicle, in which the flexible seal is provided with a channel in which is located a cable, the cable being connected between the tension bow and said rigid portion and incorporating biasing means.
  2. 2. A folding top for a convertible vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the biasing means is a coil spring.
  3. 3. A folding top for a convertible vehicle as claimed in claim 2 in which the coil spring is attached between an end of the cable which emerges from the flexible seal adjacent to the tension bow and an inner surface of the tension bow.
  4. 4. A folding top for a convertible vehicle as claimed in claim 2 in which the coil spring is attached between an end of the cable which emerges from the flexible seal adjacent to the rigid portion and the rigid portion.
  5. 5. A folding top for a convertible vehicle substantially hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings.
GB0623228A 2006-11-22 2006-11-22 Folding top for a cabriolet Withdrawn GB2444046A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0623228A GB2444046A (en) 2006-11-22 2006-11-22 Folding top for a cabriolet

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0623228A GB2444046A (en) 2006-11-22 2006-11-22 Folding top for a cabriolet

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0623228D0 GB0623228D0 (en) 2007-01-03
GB2444046A true GB2444046A (en) 2008-05-28

Family

ID=37636270

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0623228A Withdrawn GB2444046A (en) 2006-11-22 2006-11-22 Folding top for a cabriolet

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2444046A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2039551A1 (en) * 2007-09-21 2009-03-25 Webasto AG Collapsible roof with a fastener of the roof cover

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005039910A1 (en) * 2003-10-25 2005-05-06 Wilhelm Karmann Gmbh Convertible

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005039910A1 (en) * 2003-10-25 2005-05-06 Wilhelm Karmann Gmbh Convertible

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2039551A1 (en) * 2007-09-21 2009-03-25 Webasto AG Collapsible roof with a fastener of the roof cover

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0623228D0 (en) 2007-01-03

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
COOA Change in applicant's name or ownership of the application

Owner name: ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA LIMITED

Free format text: FORMER APPLICANT(S): FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)