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
  • B60J7/02—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes
  • B60J7/06—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes with non-rigid element or elements
  • B60J7/061—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes with non-rigid element or elements sliding and folding
  • B60J7/062—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs of sliding type, e.g. comprising guide shoes with non-rigid element or elements sliding and folding for utility vehicles
• • 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
  • B60J7/10—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 readily detachable, e.g. tarpaulins with frames, or fastenings for tarpaulins
  • B60J7/102—Readily detachable tarpaulins, e.g. for utility vehicles; Frames therefor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
  • B60P7/00—Securing or covering of load on vehicles
  • B60P7/02—Covering of load
  • B60P7/04—Covering of load by tarpaulins or like flexible members

Definitions

• the present invention relates to moving roofs, i.e. roofs which can be moved between at least two positions substantially in the plane of the roof.
• the invention primarily, but not exclusively, relates to procedures and means in connection with moving roofs on goods vehicles, especially so-called (folding) car covers.
• FIG. 1A shows a goods vehicle of the type shown in Figure 1A.
• This construction has a conventional so-called (folding) car cover 1 which is carried by a stationary stud/beam structure provided on the vehicle platform.
• the roof covering substantially consists of a plurality of spaced apart rigid cross bars or cross archs which carry the very cover and can be displaced in parallel with each other in the longitudinal direction of the goods vehicle.
• Figure 1A shows the cover in the open position, in which the cover- carrying bars have been displaced in the longitudinal direction of the goods vehicle towards the driver's cabin.
• the invention primarily aims at improving the accessibility when loading and unloading goods in covered goods spaces, especially in covered goods vehicles.
• a special object of the invention is to make it possible to rapidly, simply and efficiently load and unload goods in such spaces, both from the sides and from above.
• Other objects of the invention will appear from the subsequent description. Summary of the invention
• the stationary edge beam of conventional car coverings (see the edge beam 2 of the conventional car cover shown in Figure 1A) has, according to the inven- tion, been replaced by a movable edge beam, which is carried by the moving roof and can be moved sideways together with the same. During the very transport the edge beam can, however, be secured in the corresponding position as the edge beam 2 shown in Figure LA.
• the moving roof according to the invention comprises cross bars or cross archs which carry a foldable roof and are articula ⁇ tely connected to at least one longitudinally extending driving device, which can be lengthened and shortened, in a manner such that extension of the driving device in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle results in compression/folding of the roof in the transverse direction of the vehicle ("accordion like" folding in the transverse direction). Conversely, shortening of the driving device in the lon ⁇ gitudinal direction of the vehicle results in straightening of the roof in the transverse direction.
• the driving device is preferably hydraulic (piston/cylinder unit), but the corresponding function can also be obtained by means of other driving devices which can be lengthened and shortened, for example mechanical or electromechanical devices.
• the above mentioned "accordion-like" sideways movement of the roof is combined with a pure sideways movement of the roof (with, without or independently of said movement by compression) between at least a first and a second sideways position.
• Sai sideways movement by compression can be carried out in either or both of sai positions.
• Figure 1A is a perspective view showing a covered goods vehicle having a conventional foldable car cover in the open position.
• Figure IB is a perspective view corresponding to Figure 1A, but shows a goods vehicle having a sideways moving roof according to the invention, the arrows illustrating that the loading space is fully free for loading/unloading from above and from the sides.
• Figures 2A-2C are schematic perspective views of a goods space (the very vehicle is not shown) having a moving roof according to the invention, which is shown in a fully covered position, a partly covered position and a fully open position respectively.
• Figures 3A-3C are schematic views from above illustrating the principles for the movements of the moving roof according to a first embodiment of the invention.
• Figures A-4C are views corresponding those of Figures 3A-3C, but they illustrate the principles for the transverse movement of the moving roof according to a second embodiment of the invention. - -
• Figure 5A is a schematic view from above of a preferred embodiment of the driving device for the moving roof, the roof being in a closed starting position.
• Figure 5B is a section on a larger scale taken along a-a in Figure 5A.
• Figure 6A is a view corresponding to Figure 5A but shows the driving device activated and the roof in a partly open position.
• Figure 6B is a section on a larger scale taken along b-b in Figure 6A.
• Figure 7 schematically shows different steps during the opening (1-4) and closing (5-8) respectively of a moving roof according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 8 is sectional view of a front stem (or a rear stem) in a preferred embodiment, wherein the beam can be telescoped in the transverse direction of the vehicle. Description of preferred embodiments
• FIG 2A-2C schematically illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the sideways movement of the roof 3 is carried out in two steps.
• Figure 2A shows the roof in a closed position (transport position for goods vehicles), in which an edge beam 2a of the roof is positioned similarly to the stationary edge beam 2 of the known car cover shown in Figure 1A.
• the edge beam 2a is removably attached to the stationary structure 4.
• the roof which preferably is a foldable car cover, is carried by cross bars 5 and longitudinal rods 6 cooperating therewith. Between their ends, the cross bars 5 are articulately connected to at least one longitudinal rod 6 which is connected to an extensible driving device (not shown in Figure 2), for example a hydraulic cylinder.
• the ends of the rods 6 run in suitable gliding means such as C-profiles (see Figure 8) in the front and rear stems 7, 8, in the transverse direction of the roof, and they can be removably secured by suitable locking means, which may be e.g. hydraulic or mechanical.
• suitable locking means which may be e.g. hydraulic or mechanical.
• the gliding means can be telescoped in the transverse direction in relation to the stationary front and rear stems 7, 8 so that the moving roof can be moved sideways to a (folded) position outside one of the stationary longitudinal beams 4a, as is illustrated at 9 in Figure 2C.
• this first step of the movement of the cover may be sufficient for permitting loading and unloading of goods, but in other cases the entire loading space has to be made accessible.
• this is achieved in a simple manner by the telescoping capability of the gliding means in relation to the front and rear stems 7, 8 so that the sideways compressed roof will be moved, by a pure translational motion, to the position shown in Figure 2C, beyond the rear stationary longitudinal beam 4a.
• An alternative, but usually less preferable way of moving the roof sideways is to make the translational move- ment first and thereafter the sideways compression.
• the numeral 9 shows a telescoping device in the rear stem 7, for example a C profile or the like, which carries the folded roof outside the beam 4a.
• Corresponding sliding devices are, of course, also provided at the front stem 8.
• the telescoping motion and the locking in place can also be achieved by means of any suitable means which may be hydraulic, electromechanical or mechanical.
• Figures 3A-C show the corresponding movements of the roof as in Figure 2A-C, viewed from above and applied to a goods vehicle in which the drivers cabin in shown schematically at 10. It can be noted that the movement of the roof between Figures 3A and 3B is achieved by the folding/bending of the bars 5 while the edge beam 4a is secured and the edge beam 2a is loosened relative to the front and rear stems 7, 8. The movement of the roof between the positions shown in Figures 3B and 3C is achieved by a telescoping motion of the C profiles 9 in the front and rear stems 7, 8. The roof is closed by corresponding movement in the opposite direction (Fig. 3C to Fig. 3B to Fig. 3A).
• Fig. 4A-D show an alternative embodiment which can be especially useful for comparatively wide roofs. Corresponding details have the same reference designations as in the previously described embodiment. The differences compared to the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 are that the sideways movement of the roof by means of the driving means in done in two (or more) steps, which also may include the telescoping motion.
• a first step from Figure 4A to Figure 4B the roof is moved, as earlier described, by means of the driving means and bending of the cross bars 5.
• the edge beam 2a is secured relative to the front and rear stems 7, 8 at the points 11 and 12 respectively.
• the side beam 4a and telescoping device are loosened from the front and rear stems 7, 8.
• Shortening/withdrawal of the driving device causes the bars 5 to be straightened out and move the roof sideways to the position shown in Figure 4C; also the telescoping devices 9 are being pushed sideways from the front and rear stems 7, 8.
• the sideways movement of the roof is terminated by re-activation of the driving device to move the roof to the position shown in Fig. 4D in a manner correspond ⁇ ing to the movement between Fig. 3A and 3B.
• Fig. 5A-B and 6A-B show a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, in which the driving device consists of a preferably hydraulically driven piston/cylinder unit 13.
• Fig. 5 shows the roof in the closed position
• Fig. 6 shows an intermediate position during an ongoing opening of the roof.
• the cross bars 5, which are preferably articulated at the middle, are in this embodi- ment slidably arranged in longitudinal C profiles 14 so that the bars can run in the longitudinal direction of the C profiles, e.g. by means of ball bearing wheels on a rotating shaft pin.
• the bars 5 are preferably articulately connected to the longitudinal bars 6, as is illustrated at 15.
• the piston/cylinder unit 13 is inserted between the first and second bars 5a, 5b, and the piston rod 13 is pivotingly attached to the rear stem at 16.
• the longitudinal C profile 14 runs sideways in transversely extending C profiles 16 which constitute or are included in the front and rear stems 7, 8, suitably by means of ball bearing wheels.
• This embodiment is illus ⁇ trated in Fig. 8 showing the telescoping front and rear stems 7, 8, both of which preferably are of similar design, and their cooperation with the longitudinal C profiles 14 (2a, 4a).
• a square tube 17 is by means of ball bearing wheels 18 slidable in a first C profile 19.
• a second C profile 20 is connected to the square tube 17 and the longitudinal C profile 14 slides in the C profile 20 by means of ball bearing wheels 21. In the position shown in Fig. 6 one edge beam 4a (14) is locked relative to the transverse C profiles 19, 20, the other longitudinal edge beam 2a sliding in the transverse profiles.
• Fig. 7 diagrammatically summarizes some embodiments of the movement of the roof according to the invention to-and-fro between a closed transport position (pos. 1 and 8) and a fully open loading/unloading position (pos. 4 and 5).
• the movement of the roof can e.g. be carried out in two (or more) steps (1-2 and 3-4 on opening and 5-6 and 7-8 respectively on closing) or in a single step (directly from 1-4 on opening and from 5-8 on closing).

Landscapes

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

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20379791

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (3)

Citations (5)

• 1990
  • 1990-06-15 SE SE9002153A patent/SE9002153D0/sv unknown
• 1991
  • 1991-06-17 WO PCT/SE1991/000428 patent/WO1991019625A1/en active Application Filing
• 1992
  • 1992-12-14 SE SE9203754A patent/SE469888B/sv not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (5)

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