JPH0434092Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a retractable roof device for a motor vehicle, which is equipped with a movable roof that can be stored from a use position covering an upper opening of the vehicle body to a storage area at the rear of the vehicle body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Motor vehicles with movable roofs are well known in the art, so that the top of the vehicle can be opened to enjoy open-air motoring. This type of vehicle is also generally referred to as a convertible vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an automobile equipped with a conventional retractable roof device 1a. The retractable roof device 1a shown here has a movable roof 4a consisting of a front roof 2a and a rear roof 3a, the front roof 2a being made of a rigid body such as a sheet metal, and the rear roof 3a being made of a flexible sheet such as a hood.
The edge of this seat is attached to a rotating arm 5a that is rotatably supported on the vehicle body 10a via a pin 11a. The rear end of the front roof 2a is pivotally connected to the rotating arm 5a via a connecting pin 6a.

When the movable roof 4a is in the use position as shown by the solid line, the roof 4a covers the opening in the upper part of the vehicle body. When opening the opening at the top of the vehicle body, move the movable roof 4 while rotating the rotating arm 5a in the direction of the arrow.
a is operated as shown by the chain line, and is finally stored in the storage section 7a located at the rear of the vehicle body as shown by the broken line. By a reverse operation, the movable roof 4a can be brought back into use position. The storage section 7a shown in FIG. 10 is located behind the rear seat 8a.

By the way, when the movable roof 4a is stored in the storage section 7a, not only is the opening at the top of the vehicle body opened, but also the movable roof 4a stored in the storage section 7a is exposed, which significantly impairs its appearance. Further, when the movable roof 4a is brought to the use position and the roof 4a is mounted on the vehicle body, the storage section 7a behind the rear seat 8a is completely visible from the interior of the vehicle, which also deteriorates the aesthetic appearance of the interior of the vehicle.

Various types of movable roofs are known, such as those where not only the front roof but also the rear roof are made of a rigid body, and those where the entire roof is made of a flexible sheet, but any type of movable roof can be used to open and close the roof. The device also suffers from the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Object The object of the invention is to provide a retractable roof device of the type mentioned at the outset, which eliminates the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks.

Configuration In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a storage outer cover and a storage inner cover that are pivotally supported on the vehicle body so as to be rotatable between a closed position that covers the upper part of the storage part and an open position that opens the upper part. When the movable roof is in the use position, the storage outer cover is located on the outer side of the vehicle than the roof and covers the upper part of the storage section, and the storage inner cover is located on the inside of the vehicle than the roof and covers the storage section. Each cover is arranged so as to cover the upper part of the storage inner cover, and when the storage inner cover turns toward the closed position, the storage inner cover is turned toward the storage outer cover immediately before or after the cover reaches the closed position. We propose a configuration that includes a shifting means.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an automobile having a retractable roof device 1 according to the present invention, and a movable roof 4 of this device 1.
The vehicle also has a front roof 2 made of a rigid body, and a rear roof 3 pivotally attached to its rear end via a connecting pin 6. The lower end of the rear roof 3 is pivotally supported to a vehicle body 10 via a pin 11. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the rear roof 3 has a wind frame 30 fixed to its outer panel and a back window 12 fixed to this, and is entirely made of a rigid body. ing.

1 and 3 show the movable roof 4 in its operating position when it covers the opening 13 in the upper part of the vehicle body. At this time, the vehicle body 10 and the movable roof 4
A front seat 14 and a rear seat 8 are located within the vehicle interior, and a storage portion 7 for the movable roof 4 is located behind the rear seat 8.

As mentioned above, when the movable roof 4 is in the use position, the upper part of the storage section 7 is covered by the storage outer cover 15 located on the outer side of the vehicle than the roof 4 and the storage inner cover 16 located on the inside of the vehicle. . At this time, the outer cover 15 has an appearance similar to the outer panel of the vehicle body 10, as shown in FIG. There is. Therefore, the exterior appearance of the vehicle and the aesthetic appearance of the interior of the vehicle when viewed from the outside of the vehicle are improved, and unlike in the past, the storage section is not completely exposed.

The storage outer cover 15 and the inner cover 16 are
They are pivotably supported via pivot pins 17 and 18 so as to be rotatable in the directions shown by the arrows, respectively, and as shown by solid lines and chain lines in FIG. It can be rotated between an open position and an open position.

Opening 13 at the top of the vehicle body by storing the movable roof 4
(Figure 3) When opening the outer cover 15
and inner cover 16 in the directions of the arrows shown in FIG. 1 to bring them to the open position.
In this state, while rotating the rear roof 3 in the direction of the arrow as in the conventional case, the rear roof 3 and the front roof 2 are folded as shown by the chain line and stored in the storage section 7 as shown in FIG. Next, turn the outer and inner covers 15, 16 again in the direction opposite to the arrow to bring them to the closed position.
As in FIG. 3, the upper part of the storage section 7 can be covered, and deterioration of its appearance can be prevented. By carrying out the reverse operation, the movable roof 4 can be brought back into use position.

When the movable roof 4 is opened and closed, both the covers 15 and 16 are located at the open position outside the movement trajectory of the roof 4, so the roof 4 can be operated without being obstructed by the covers 15 and 16.

The movable roof 4 can be operated manually or automatically by electric or other means, and its specific configuration is already known, and various configurations have already been proposed by the applicant. Explanation regarding this will be omitted (see, for example, Utility Application No. 115223/1983).

When the movable roof 4 operates to open or close, the front roof 2 passes behind the head of the occupant seated on the rear seat 8, and during this operation, the storage inner cover 16 always assumes an open position in which it stands up almost upright.
Therefore, the occupant can immediately know that the movable roof 4 is operating by the rising movement of the inner cover 16, and there is no fear that the occupant will hit his or her head against the front roof. In other words, the inner cover 16 also serves to warn the occupant by its movement and to call attention to the occupant. Furthermore, when the inner cover 16 is raised, it forms a partition wall located between the front roof 2 and the occupant's side during operation, and prevents the occupant from moving behind this partition wall. Thereby, interference between the front roof 2 and the occupant can be completely prevented.

By the way, even when the movable roof is retracted,
Also, when attached to the vehicle body 10, the outer cover 15 and the inner cover 16 can be closed to close the upper part of the storage section 7, but in this case, the inner cover 16 can simply be rotated around the pivot pin 18. If the movable roof is only supported in the storage section 7, when the covers 15 and 16 are closed, a gap will be created between them. That is, as shown in FIG. 11a, when both covers 15 and 16 are closed with the movable roof 4 installed in the operating position, the rear roof 3 is located between them, so a gap is created here. However, if both covers 15 and 16 are closed with the movable roof stored in the storage part as shown in FIG. do. In the roof opening/closing device according to the present invention, in order to eliminate such drawbacks, when the storage inner cover rotates toward the closed position, the storage inner cover is opened immediately before or after the cover reaches the closed position. Shifting means is provided for shifting the inner cover toward the outer cover. below,
A specific configuration example related to this will be explained. In addition,
In this embodiment, the inner storage cover 16 is configured to open and close in conjunction with the opening and closing operations of the outer storage cover 15, and the overall configuration including this configuration will be explained.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a damper stay 20 commonly used in automobile back door opening/closing devices is provided, and the rear end of the cylinder 21 is pivotally connected to the vehicle body 10 through a pin 22. The tip of the piston rod 23 of this stay 20 is pivotally attached to the outer cover 15. The rear end of an actuating rod 25 is pivotally connected to the cylinder 21 via a bracket 24 fixed thereto, and the rod 25 extends toward the front of the vehicle body 10.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, especially in FIG. 4, in the lower area of the storage inner cover 16,
A base 31 is fixed to the vehicle body 10, the aforementioned pivot pin 18 is fitted into a hole in the upper part of the base 31, and a pivot link 32 is rotatably supported by the pin 18.

A slide link 3 is provided at the bottom of the rotation link 32.
The front end of the slide link 33 is pivotally connected via a connecting pin 34, and the slot 3 is formed at the rear of the slide link 33.
5, a protruding pin 36 protruding from the front end of the aforementioned actuating rod 25 is slidably fitted to prevent it from coming off.

Further, a mounting piece 37 is fixed to the lower surface of the inner cover 16, and the upper part of the rotation link 32 is pivotally supported on the mounting piece 37 via a support pin 38.

A first spring 39 and a second spring 40 made of torsion coil springs are wound around the pivot pin 18 and the support pin 38, respectively.
One end of the second spring 40 is locked to the base 31, the other end is locked to the rotation link 32, one end of the second spring 40 is locked to the rotation link 32, and the other end is locked to the storage inner cover 16.
are engaged with the lower surface of each.

In FIG. 4, 41 and 42 are locking links that prevent the pivot pin 18 and the support pin 38 from coming off, and 43 is a locking link that is screwed onto the projecting pin 36 of the rod 25 to prevent the pin 36 from coming off the slot 35. It's a screw. Further, 44 is a stopper fixed to the vehicle body 10, the function of which will be explained later.

Above, one side of the vehicle body 10 (this side in Fig. 3)
Although we have explained the configuration of each element provided on the other side, similar elements are also arranged symmetrically on the other side, and Fig. 3 shows the damper stay and the rod pivotally connected to it. .

When the outer cover 15 is rotated toward the open position, the cylinder 21 of the damper stay 20 also moves to the pin 22.
The piston rod 23 rotates around the cylinder 21 and operates in the direction in which the piston rod 23 protrudes from the cylinder 21. Correspondingly, the rod 25 operates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3, thereby pulling the rotation link 32 via the slide link 33. At this time, the first spring 39 is biasing the rotation link 32 clockwise in FIG. 5, but since the link 32 is being pulled by the rod 25, the rotation link 32 is
When the inner cover 16 rotates counterclockwise against the action of the spring 39 and the outer cover 15 reaches the open position, the inner cover 16 is also shown in FIGS. 5a and 6a. to the open position.

Next, the operation when closing both covers 15 and 16 will be explained. First, the case where both covers 15 and 16 are closed with the movable roof 4 stored in the storage section 7 will be explained.

FIG. 5a shows a state in which the movable roof 4 is housed in the storage section 7 and the storage inner cover 16 is in the open position. When you start to close the outer cover 15 in this state, the rod 25 will move as shown in Figure 5a.
The force that had been pulling the rotation link 32 is gradually released. At this time, since the rotation link 32 is given a clockwise rotation habit by the first spring 39, its urging force causes the slide link 33 to move clockwise around the pivot pin 18 while pulling it to the left. Rotate. However, as the outer cover 15 is closed, the tensile force through the rod 25 is gradually released, so the rotation link 32 rotates while being restricted by the rod 25 and the slide link 33. At this time, due to the action of the second spring 40, the rotation link 3
2 is in contact with the inner cover 16, and the attitude of the inner cover 16 with respect to the rotation link 32 is shown in Fig. 5a.
maintain the condition. Therefore, as the rotation link 32 rotates, the inner cover 16 rotates clockwise around the pivot pin 18 while remaining in the state shown in FIG. 5a. In other words, it begins to close. This state continues until the tip of the inner cover 16 hits a stopper 44 provided on the vehicle body.

When the inner cover 16 hits the stopper 44 and reaches the closed position as shown in FIG. 5b, the outer cover 15 has not yet reached the closed position and continues to rotate. At this time, since the spring constant of each spring is set so that the first spring 39 generates a larger rotational force than the second spring 40, the rod 25 and the slide link 33 are further moved as shown in FIG. 5b. Even if the inner cover 16 stops rotating after moving to the left, that is, in the direction of the arrow, the rotating link 32 continues to rotate clockwise due to the action of the first spring 39, as shown in FIG. At this time, the second spring 40 is deformed. Against the elastic restoring force of the second spring 40 deformed in this way, the rotation link 32 and the inner cover 16 open and expand around the support pin 38 as shown in FIG. 5c. Along with this opening/expanding operation, the inner cover 16
moves toward the right in Fig. 5c, and the cover 1
The tip of 6 slides on the stopper 44.

When the outer cover 15 is completely closed, the rod 25 and slide link 33 stop.
The rotation link 32 also stops rotating due to the tension or restraint force. At this time, since the inner cover 16 is shifting toward the outer cover 15 as described above, the distance d between the covers 15 and 16 becomes the minimum, and it is also possible to set this to zero. In this way, the appearance when both covers 15, 16 are closed can be improved. Further, if a flexible sheet or a flexible bellows 50 as shown in the figure is provided on the inner cover 16 and the rear seat 8, and the gap between the cover 16 and the rear seat 8 is thereby hidden. , the aesthetic appearance can be further improved.

When opening both covers 15 and 16 in order to bring the movable roof 4 to the use position and attach it to the vehicle body, the operation described above is reversed as the outer cover 15 is opened, and as described above, both covers are opened. is in the open position.

As can be seen from the above, in this example, the main components are the base 31, the rotation link 32, and the pins 18, 3.
8, the springs 39, 40, the stopper 44, etc. constitute a shift means for shifting the inner cover 16 toward the outer cover 15 after reaching the closed position.

Next, the movable roof 4 is brought into use position,
With the upper opening of the vehicle body closed, remove both covers 1.
The operation when closing 5 and 16 will be explained.

FIG. 6a shows the state when the movable roof 4 is attached to the vehicle body and the inner cover 16 is in the open position. When the outer cover 15 begins to close after the movable roof 4 is attached, the pivot link 32 is regulated by the rod 25 and the slide link 33, and the pivot pin 18 is moved by the action of the first spring 39, as in the case of FIG. 5a. Rotate clockwise around the
In conjunction with this, the inner cover 16 also rotates clockwise about the pin 18.

As shown in FIG. 6b, the above-described operation is continued until the inner cover 16 hits the stopper 51 attached to the wind frame 30 of the rear roof 3. When the movable roof 4 is installed, the sixth
The state shown in FIG. b is the closed position of the inner cover 16.

As in the case of FIG. 5b, even after the inner cover 16 hits the stopper 51, the rotating link 32 continues to rotate, and as shown in FIG. 6c, the link 32 and the inner cover 16 The tip of the inner cover 16 slides on the stopper 51,
Inner cover 16 shifts toward outer cover 15.

The inner cover 16 has a stopper 51 at its tip.
The slide is stopped when it hits , and the distance D between the inner cover 16 and the rear roof 3 becomes the minimum at . Along with this, the rotation link 32
However, this stopping position is different from the stopping position shown in Fig. 5c when the movable roof is stowed, and even if the link 32 stops, the outer cover 15 continues to rotate, and the rod 25 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 6c. Move in the direction of the arrow. However, at this time, the protrusion pin 3 of the rod 25
6 moves in the slot 35 of the slide link 33, no excessive force from the rod is applied to the rotation link 32, and the link 32 moves as shown in FIG.
It can be stopped without any problem in the position.

When opening the covers 15 and 16 from the state shown in FIG. 6c, in conjunction with the opening operation of the outer cover 15,
The operation opposite to that described above is performed, and both covers 1
5 and 16 reach the open position.

7 to 9 show other embodiments of the shifting means. In this embodiment, a pivot pin 62 is held by a locking link 61 on a base 60 fixed to the vehicle body behind the rear seat 8, and an arm 63 is rotatably supported on this pin 62. . Further, a first link 65 is rotatably supported by the pivot pin 62, and second and third links 66, 67 are rotatably connected to the first link 65 by pins 68, 69, respectively. The second and third links 66 and 67 are connected to a bracket 70 fixed to the lower surface of the storage inner cover 16 by pins 7 and 70, respectively.
1 and 72, they are rotatably connected. In this way, the first to third links 65, 66, 6
Inner cover 16 including 7 and bracket 70
constitutes a four-bar link.

A slide link 33 similar to that of the previous embodiment is pivotally connected to the arm 63 via a pin 34, and the projecting pin 3 of the rod 25 is inserted into the slot 35 of the link 33.
6 is slidably fitted, and is prevented from coming off by a screw 43. The rear end side of the rod 25 is connected to the damper stay 20 (third
(see figure).

The elongated hole 73 formed at the tip of the arm 63 has a
A pin 74 protruding from the second link 66 is slidably fitted into the pivot pin 62, and a first spring 7 made of a torsion coil spring is fitted to the pivot pin 62 as in the case of FIG.
5 and a second spring 76, each end of the first spring 75 is engaged with the base 60 and the arm 63, and each end of the second spring 76 is engaged with the base 60 and the first link 65, respectively. It has been stopped. The first spring 75 is connected to the arm 63, and the second spring 76 is connected to the first spring 63.
5, each gives a clockwise rotational habit. A first stopper 78 is provided on the first link 65, and a second stopper 77 is provided on the base 60, respectively. Other configurations are the same as those of the previous embodiment. However, the stopper 44 shown in FIG. 4 is not provided.

First, the operation of closing the inner and outer covers after the movable roof 4 has been stored in the storage section will be described.

In FIG. 8a, when the outer cover 15 (FIGS. 1 to 3) begins to close, the arm 63 is regulated by the rod 25 and the slide link 33, as in the previous embodiment, and is moved by the action of the first spring 75. Therefore, it rotates clockwise around the pivot pin 62. At this time, the arm 63 and the first stopper 78 are kept in contact by the second spring 76,
The first link 65 continues to rotate around the pivot pin 62. Accordingly, the inner cover 16 rotates clockwise about the pivot pin 62. The above-mentioned rotation continues until the first link 65 hits the second stopper 77 of the base 60.

When the first link 65 hits the second stopper 77 as shown in FIG. through the second
The second link 66 is connected to the pin 6.
It starts rotating around 8. In this case, pin 7
Since the arm 63 and the second link 66 are slidably fitted in the elongated hole 73, even if the rotation center positions of the arm 63 and the second link 66 are different, the two can rotate without any problem.

The first link 65, the second link 66, the third link 67, and the storage inner cover 16 constitute a four-bar link, and since the first link 65 is fixed against the second stopper 77, Second
As the link 66 rotates around the pin 68, the inner cover 16 operates while drawing the trajectory shown in FIG. It stops rotating in response to
At this time, the inner cover 16 reaches its final closed position. That is, the inner cover 16 shifts toward the arm 18 immediately before reaching the closed position, and when it reaches the closed position, both covers 1
The gap g between 5 and 16 is minimized. In this case, it is also possible to set the gap g to 0.

As described above, this embodiment mainly includes the base 60, pivot pin 62, arm 63, and spring 7.
5, 76, link 65, 66, 67, stopper 7
7, 78, etc. constitute a shift means for shifting the inner cover toward the outer cover.

When the outer cover 15 starts to open from the state shown in FIG. 8c, the link 32 is pulled to the right in FIG. the inner cover is rotated to the open position.

Also, without providing the slide link 33, the rod 2
5 directly restricts the stop position of the arm 63, the first spring 75 can be omitted.

Next, the operation when closing both covers 15 and 16 with movable roof 4 brought to the use position will be described.

In FIG. 9a, when the outer cover 15 begins to close, the arm 63 is rotated clockwise about the pivot pin 62 by the first spring 75 while being restricted by the rod 25 and the slide link 33.
At this time, the first link 65 rotates clockwise about the pivot pin 62 while the first stopper 78 and the arm 63 are in contact with each other due to the second spring 76 . Accordingly, the inner cover 16 is attached to the pivot pin 62.
It begins to rotate around the center.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9b, the inner cover 16 is stopped by a stopper 51 provided on the wind frame 30, and the distance d between the rear roof 3 and the inner cover 16 becomes minimum. At the same time, the first link 65
hits the second stopper 77 and stops, and the arm 6
3 also does not rotate because the inner cover 16 is stopped. The position of the arm 63 at this time is different from the position when the roof is stowed, but since the projecting pin 36 slides in the slot 35 of the slide link 33, the rod 25 will move to the left in FIG. 8b until the outer cover 15 is completely closed. You can move around without any trouble.

In order to store the movable roof 4, an outer cover 15 is installed.
When activated, each component performs an operation opposite to that described above, and each cover 15, 16 rotates to the open position.

Direct rod 25 without providing slide link 33
When regulating the stopping position of the arm 63, a stopper 51 provided on the wind frame 30 is used.
It is also possible to omit.

Although two typical embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above configuration can be further modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, the outer cover side and the inner cover side are connected by the rod 25, but they may also be connected by a wire.

Furthermore, instead of manually operating the outer cover 15 as described above, it may be operated by a motor or other actuating means. for example,
A fluid pressure actuated cylinder is provided in place of the damper stay 20 shown in FIG. 4, and its operation causes the outer cover 1 to
5, and in conjunction with this, the inner cover 1
6 can be activated. Further, the inner cover and the outer cover may be operated in conjunction with the operation of the movable roof.

It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to devices having various types of movable roofs, such as a movable rear roof made of a flexible sheet, or a movable roof made entirely of a flexible sheet.

Effects According to the present invention, by providing the storage outer cover and the inner cover, it is possible to improve the aesthetic appearance of an automobile equipped with a retractable roof device that has a movable roof and its storage portion, and moreover, it is possible to improve the appearance of a vehicle that is equipped with a retractable roof device that has a movable roof and its storage portion. When the outer and inner covers are closed, the gap between them can be reduced or eliminated, and this also improves the aesthetic appearance of the automobile.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are partial cross-sectional explanatory views explaining the operating states of the movable roof, the storage outer cover, and the storage inner cover, Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the exterior of a vehicle when the movable roof is in the use position and the storage inner cover and the storage outer cover are in the closed position, Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a shifting means, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 a, b, c are explanatory views explaining the operation of the shifting means shown in Fig. 4, Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the shifting means, Fig. 8 a, b, c and Fig. 9 a, b are explanatory views explaining the operation of the configuration shown in Fig. 7, Fig. 10 is an explanatory view similar to Fig. 1 showing a conventional configuration example, and Fig. 11 a, b are explanatory views showing the reason why a gap is generated between the storage outer cover and the storage inner cover. 1 ... Opening and closing roof device, 4 ... movable roof, 7 ...
...storage section, 10...car body, 13...opening, 15...
...Storage outer cover, 16...Storage inner cover.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] An opening/closing roof device for an automobile equipped with a movable roof that can be stored from a usage position covering an upper opening of the vehicle body to a storage area at the rear of the vehicle body, comprising: a closed position covering the upper part of the storage area; The storage outer cover and the storage inner cover are pivotably supported on the vehicle body so as to be rotatable between an open position in which the upper part is opened, and when the movable roof is in the use position, the storage outer cover is closer to the vehicle than the roof. Each cover is arranged so that the storage inner cover is located on the outside and covers the upper part of the storage part, and the storage inner cover is located on the inside of the vehicle and covers the upper part of the storage part, and the storage inner cover rotates toward the closed position. 1. A retractable roof device comprising: a shift means for shifting the storage inner cover toward the storage outer cover immediately before or after the cover reaches the closed position.