WO2009046688A2

WO2009046688A2 - Tailgate arrangement for a convertible

Info

Publication number: WO2009046688A2
Application number: PCT/DE2006/001311
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fritz Wegener; Martin Langguth
Original assignee: Webasto Ag
Priority date: 2005-07-28
Filing date: 2006-07-28
Publication date: 2009-04-16
Also published as: DE102005035435B3; WO2009046688A3

Abstract

Disclosed is a tailgate arrangement for a convertible that has a convertible roof which can be lowered into a stowage compartment. Said tailgate arrangement comprises a stowage compartment cover encompassing a front cover element (24) and a rear cover element (22). The front cover element (24) and the rear cover element (22) can be jointly swiveled in the direction of the rear of the vehicle by means of a driving mechanism (32) disposed on both sides on the stowage compartment cover (20) in order to lower the vehicle roof into the stowage compartment. The rear cover element (22) forms a trunk cover which can be swiveled relative to the front cover element (24) in order to be able to use a trunk in the closed position of the stowage compartment cover. In order to seal a dry zone from a wet zone, the rear cover element (22) cooperates with a sealing device which extends along an edge of a trunk opening, the forward edge of which is formed by the front cover element (24). In order to be able to use a light-weight and rigid hinge mechanism (53), the rear cover element (22) is hinged to the front cover element (24). The hinge mechanism (53) is arranged in the wet zone.

Description

Rear-side flap arrangement for a convertible

The invention relates to a rear-side flap arrangement for a convertible with a lowerable in a storage space, convertible roof according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a flap assembly is known in the art and is used in particular in convertibles which are provided with a rigid roof, which is generally referred to as a so-called Retractable Hardtop. The roof usually comprises two or three rigid plate-like roof sections, which in the stored state, d. H. when the roof is open, in a rear-side or kofferrauraseiti- gene storage compartment are stacked stacked.

The known rear-side flap arrangement comprises a cover formed from a front cover element and a rear cover element for the storage space, in which the individual roof sections are stored when the roof is open. To deposit the roof sections in the roof storage space, it is necessary for the flap arrangement forming a storage compartment cover to be opened. For this purpose, it is pivoted in the direction of the vehicle rear, so that an opening is formed, can be introduced through the individual roof sections in the storage compartment. For this purpose, the front and the rear cover element are pivoted together by means of a provided on both sides of the storage space cover drive mechanism. The two cover elements in this case take the same relative position to each other as in the closed state of the storage compartment cover. The rear cover element also forms a loading or boot lid, which is often used as a so-called Tonneauco to use the loading space in the lowered, ie closed state of the storage space cover. Ver designated lid member is pivotable. For sealing a dry area, which is also associated with the load compartment, with respect to a wet area, ie the area of the vehicle, the weather and thus also exposed to moisture, the rear cover element cooperates with a sealing device which runs along an edge of an opening of the cargo space, the front edge of which is formed by the front cover element and the lateral edges and the rear edge are formed body-solid.

In the rear-side flap arrangement of the aforementioned type, a drive mechanism is provided which optionally comprises hydraulically driven handlebars, which act to open the storage compartment cover and for placing the roof in the storage space, for example on a support structure on which both the front and the rear cover mounted are. At this support structure, in turn, a multi-joint mechanism is mounted, which serves to use the rear cover as Laderaum- or trunk lid, so that the rear cover optionally supported by a gas pressure spring individually against the front cover can be pivoted. In this case, both the drive mechanism for the storage compartment cover and the multi-joint mechanism, via which the rear cover element is articulated, are arranged in the dry area, ie in the region which is sealable with respect to the surroundings. In order to achieve this construction that no water dripping from front tips or the front edge of the rear cover element into the cargo compartment when opening the rear cover element or the trunk lid, it is necessary either a structurally complex and heavy, for example as Siebengelenk executed hinge mechanism or at the rear edge of the front cover element to provide a very wide gully which will guide the dripping water to a drainage system of the vehicle. The handlebars of the multi-joint mechanism must be made relatively long, so that the required paths can be achieved. The length of the handlebars leads to a heavy, expensive and not sufficiently rigid assembly, which may not even leave the required quality impression. A wide gully at the rear edge of the front cover element is often not possible for reasons of space.

Furthermore, a vehicle roof of a convertible is known, for example, from EP 1 389 551 A1, in which a rear-side flap arrangement is formed from a rear cover element forming a cargo compartment cover and a front cover element which serves to close a storage space for roof elements of a fixed convertible roof. The opening mechanism for the front cover is independent of the opening mechanism of the rear cover.

Furthermore, from DE 44 46 483 Al a convertible is known, which is also equipped with a so-called hardtop, in which for depositing two in the vehicle longitudinal direction successively arranged roof sections in a storage compartment a front cover, which consists of three mutually hinged sections to a in Vehicle transverse direction extending axis pivoted forward and a rear cover, which simultaneously represents a cargo space cover, is pivotable in the direction of the vehicle rear, so that the vehicle roof can be stored in the cargo space or storage compartment. After completion of the deposition process, both the front and the rear cover are pivoted back into the closed position. The invention has for its object to provide a rear-side flap assembly for a convertible, in which the storage compartment cover is formed from at least two folding together in the vehicle rear direction cover elements and which is provided with a connection rigid articulation of the rear cover element to the vehicle body.

This object is achieved by the rear-side flap assembly with the features of claim 1.

The essence of the invention consists in the fact that between the two cover elements of the storage compartment cover a hinge mechanism formed, for example, is provided, so that the rear, usually a luggage compartment cover or a boot lid forming lid member is pivotable against the front cover member. Due to the direct articulation of the rear cover element on the front cover element and in that the articulation mechanism is arranged in the wet region, the articulation mechanism can be made comparatively short and light with high rigidity at the same time. The hinge mechanism may in particular be laterally positioned on the front cover element and under front tips of the rear cover element. The two cover elements are pivoted to open the storage space cover as a unit in the direction of the vehicle rear, ie provided with a common drive device. Water draining from the rear portion of the convertible roof in the closed state of the vehicle roof drains directly onto the front cover member of the storage compartment cover and can be drained from there to a drainage system of the vehicle. The position information used in the present description refers to the usual orientation of a vehicle. For example, the rear cover element is closer to the rear of the vehicle than the front cover element. The front edge of the rear cover element is that edge of the rear cover element which faces away from the rear of the vehicle.

The convertible roof, which can be lowered into the storage space, is in particular a roof formed from solid or rigid sections, which consequently constitutes a so-called hard top and in which the individual sections can be received one above the other in the storage space. In particular, the roof comprises two substantially plate-shaped sections, one of which forms the sky of a vehicle interior in the closed state of the roof and the other comprises a rear window and the so-called C-pillars of the vehicle. It is also conceivable, however, to provide the rear-end flap arrangement according to the invention in a convertible with a vehicle roof designed as a so-called softtop, which is thus stored in the folded state in the storage space.

In a preferred embodiment of the flap assembly according to the invention, the hinge mechanism is formed on both sides of the front cover element arranged hinge means which are fixed in the region of front tips of the rear cover element to the rear cover element. In particular, such a design allows a space-saving and connection rigid articulation of the rear, a boot lid forming cover element on the front cover element, which represents a so-called tonneau cover. In a particular embodiment, the hinge means each comprise a plurality, preferably two handlebars of different lengths, which are articulated on the one hand on the front cover element and on the other hand on the rear cover element and in the closed position of the rear cover element, ie when the trunk lid is closed, one above the other or even side by side. Alternatively, hinging devices can be provided, each with only one pivot axis.

In order to effectively prevent water from dripping into the cargo space when the rear lid element is being opened as boot lid, it is advantageous if the length of the handlebars of the hinging devices is selected such that the front edge of the rear lid element pivots backwards with respect to the front lid element Cover element lies over the front cover element. This can be achieved in particular by the fact that the rear link of the hinge devices each have a greater overall length than the front link.

To assist the opening process of the rear cover element, the articulation mechanism can be provided with a pressure device which biases the rear cover element for use as a cargo or boot lid in the swinging. For example, the pressure device is formed by a gas spring or the like.

In order to prevent water from entering between the front cover element and the rear cover element in the storage space or loading space, a sealing element is expediently provided at the rear edge of the front cover element, which cooperates with the rear cover element. In order to be able to remove water from the front cover element, the latter preferably has, at its rear edge, a gutter extending essentially in the vehicle transverse direction, which leads water to a drainage device arranged in the vehicle side area. The gutter may also prevent rainwater or the like from being transported into the region of the articulation mechanism between the front and rear cover members.

In order to ensure a stable pivoting of the storage space cover formed from the front and the rear cover element as a unit or package, the drive mechanism for the storage space cover preferably comprises a support means for common storage of the front and the rear cover element.

Furthermore, the drive mechanism for the storage compartment cover may comprise at least two links, which are mounted on a body-mounted carrier and act on the support means for the common storage of the front and the rear cover element. On one of the links can act, for example, a hydraulic drive device.

The invention also relates to a convertible with a convertible roof, which can be lowered into a storage space, and with an inventive rear-side flap arrangement for the subject.

Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the article according to the invention are the description, the drawings and the claims removed.

An embodiment of a convertible with an invented According trained according to the tailgate assembly is shown schematically simplified in the drawing and will be explained in more detail in the following description. It shows:

Figure 1 is a highly schematic side view of a rear portion of a convertible with an inventively designed tailgate assembly.

Figure 2 shows the tailgate assembly in the closed state.

3 shows the tailgate arrangement in the closed state, but without the rear cover element;

4 shows the tailgate arrangement when the convertible roof of the convertible is laid down;

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4, but without the rear cover element; FIG.

6 shows the tailgate arrangement when using the rear cover element as trunk lid; and

7 is an enlarged view of a hinge between the rear cover element and a front cover element of the tailgate assembly.

In Fig. 1, a convertible 10 is shown that has a designed as a so-called hardtop vehicle roof 12, which includes a lying over a vehicle interior front portion 14 and a rear window receiving, rear portion 16. The sections 14 and 16 are pivotable and can be moved to open the vehicle roof 12 from a closed position shown in FIG. 1 in a arranged in the rear of the Cabriolet 10 storage compartment 18, which thus represents a convertible top compartment. In the arranged in the storage space 18 state, the roof sections 14 and 16 are superimposed, as shown in Fig. 1 by dashed lines. The vehicle roof 12 is therefore a movable, so-called hardtop with two rigid roof parts or sections 14, 16 arranged behind one another in the closed position. At the rear roof section 16, a flap assembly 20 connects at the rear, which serves to close the storage compartment 18, which can also be used as a trunk.

The flap assembly 20 has a rear, rear-side cover member 22 which also serves as a trunk lid and closes a serving for use of the storage compartment 18 as a trunk loading and unloading, along the edge of a sealing arrangement not shown here is formed. Furthermore, the flap arrangement 20 forming a cover for the storage compartment 18 comprises a front cover element 24, which adjoins the rear cover element and, in the closed position of the vehicle roof 12, delimits the foot region of the rear roof section 16. When using the storage compartment 18 as a trunk, the rear cover element 22 for releasing the loading and unloading opening relative to the front cover element 24 is pivotable. To use the storage space 18 as storage space for the vehicle roof 12, the two roof sections 14 and 16 are stored by means of a drive mechanism not shown here in the storage compartment 18 and extended to close the roof 12 from this. When placing the here two-part hardtop roof 12 of the front roof section 14 pivots under the rear roof section 16 before the two roof sections 12, 14 are lowered into the storage compartment 18.

The flap arrangement 20 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 to 7 and comprises, as already explained above, a rear rear-side cover element 22 and a forwardly adjoining front cover element 24. The two cover elements 22 and 24 adjoin one another in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The rear cover element 22 has lateral in its front edge region Tips on, of which only the right tip 26 is shown in the drawing. Overall, the flap assembly 20 is formed with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the convertible 10 mirror-symmetrical. The following description of the mechanics of the flap arrangement is therefore only for the right portion.

Between the rear cover element 22 and the front cover element 24, a seal 28 fixed to the front cover element 24 is arranged, which prevents moisture from penetrating into the deposition space 18. On its underside, the front cover element further cooperates with the seal of the storage space 18 relative to the environment with a body-mounted profile seal 72.

Furthermore, in the area of its rear edge facing the rear cover element 24, the front cover element has a water channel 30 extending in the vehicle transverse direction, which collects water draining from the front cover element 24 and leads to drainage devices not shown in detail in the vehicle side regions.

The two cover elements 22 and 24, which form a storage compartment cover, are pivotable together for the use of the storage compartment 18 as a top compartment by means of a drive mechanism constituting Ausschwenkmechanik 32 upwards and backwards, as in particular Figures 4 and 5 can be removed. In the swung-out state of the cover elements 22, 24, the vehicle roof 12 can be introduced from the front and top into the storage compartment 18, wherein the assembly consisting of the two cover elements 22 and 24 is traversed by the vehicle roof 12. The arranged in the dry area of the vehicle Ausschwenkmechanik 32 comprises two links 34 and 36, on the one hand to a body-mounted carrier 38 and on the other hand are hinged to a support or storage device 40 to which the two cover elements 22 and 24 are mounted in their respective lateral edge regions. On the handlebar 34 acts a hydraulic cylinder 42 which is mounted with its the handlebar 34 remote from the end of the carrier 38.

The carrier device 40 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and has a ribbed structure. The link 34 is articulated to a tip 44 of the support means 40. The link 36 is articulated in the transition region between the carrier device 40 and the tip 44.

Furthermore, the support means 40 has a rear end 46, which in the lowered state of the flap assembly

20 engaged on the carrier 38. The rear end 46 of the support means 40 is formed for this purpose in the manner of a plate which engages in a recess of the carrier 38, which is bounded on the rear side by a screwed-on plate. The carrier device 40 also has a latching nose 52, which in the lowered state of the flap assembly 20 on the inside of the body-mounted carrier

38 rests and thus secures the flap assembly 20 in the vehicle transverse direction.

The rear cover member 22, which is a trunk lid is hinged via two links 54 and 56 laterally to the front cover member 24 in such a way that on the underside of the lid tip 26 of the rear cover member 22, a bearing plate 58 is mounted, at which the two a Anlenkmechanik 53 forming links 54 and 56 which are arranged in the wet area of the vehicle, each supported by a bolt 60 and 62 respectively. The bolt 60 and 62 facing away from the end of the substantially straight handlebars 54 and 56 are each a further bolt 64 and 66 are pivotally mounted on a further bearing plate 68 which is fixed in the respective lateral end region of the front cover element 24. The handlebar 54, which is arranged rearward relative to the handlebar 56, is longer than the handlebar 56, so that the boot lid used as a rear lid member 22 when pivoting relative to the front cover member 24 offset to the front, ie in the direction of the vehicle front side, learns, and the front edge of the rear cover element 22 is disposed in the open state above the front cover element 24 and dripping water dripping from the front edge of the rear cover element 22 on the front cover member 24 and can drain from there into the water channel 30 arranged at the rear edge.

The opening pivoting movement of the rear cover element 22 relative to the front cover element 22 is assisted by a gas pressure spring 70, which is articulated on the one hand to the support device 40 and on the other hand to the rear cover element 22.

reference numeral

10 convertible

12 vehicle roof

14 section

16 section

18 storage space

20 flap arrangement

22 rear cover element

24 front cover element

26 tip

28 seal

30 gully

32 Ausschwenkmechanik

34 handlebars

36 handlebars

38 carriers

40 carrier device

42 hydraulic cylinders

44 tip

46 rear end

48 recess

50 plate

52 latch

53 coupling mechanism

54 handlebars

56 handlebars

58 bearing plate

60 bolts

62 bolts

64 bolts

66 bolts

68 bearing plate

70 gas spring

72 profile seal

Claims

Patent claims

A rear-end door assembly for a convertible having a convertible roof (12) lowerable in a storage compartment (18), comprising a storage compartment cover including a front cover member (24) and a rear cover member

(22), wherein the front cover element (24) and the rear cover element (22) for lowering the Fahrzeiαgdachs (12) in the storage compartment (18) by means of a provided on both sides of the storage compartment cover drive mechanism (32) are pivotable together towards the rear of the vehicle and the rear cover element (22) forms a loading compartment cover, which is pivotable relative to the front cover element (24) for use of a loading space in the closed position of the storage compartment cover (20) and cooperates with a sealing device for sealing a drying area with a sealing device which extends along one edge of a bed and the discharge opening of the loading space runs whose front edge is formed by the front cover element (24), characterized in that the rear cover element (22) via a hinge mechanism (53) is hinged to the front cover element (24) and the articulation mechanism (53 ) is in the wet area.

2. Rear-side flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulation mechanism (53) is formed on both sides of the front cover element (24) arranged hinging devices, preferably in the region of front tips (26) of the rear cover element (22) on the rear cover element ( 22) are fixed.

3. Rear-side flap arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the hinge means respectively a plurality, preferably two handlebars (54,56) of different lengths comprise, which are articulated on the one hand on the front cover element (24) and on the other hand on the rear cover element (22) and lie in the closed position of the rear cover element (22) one above the other or next to each other.

4. Rear-side flap arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the length of the links (54,56) is selected such that the front edge of the rear cover element (22) in relation to the front cover element (24) swung-out state above the front cover element (22). 24).

5. Rear-side flap arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the hinge means are each formed only one substantially in the vehicle transverse direction extending pivot axis.

6. Rear-side flap arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the articulation mechanism

(53) is provided with a pressure device (70) which biases the rear cover element (22) for use as a cargo space cover in the swinging.

7. Rear-side flap assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that the pressure device (70) is a gas pressure spring.

8. Rear-side flap arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at the rear edge of the front cover element (24) a sealing element (28) is arranged, which cooperates with the rear cover element (22).

9. Rear-side flap arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at the rear edge of the front cover element (24) is formed extending substantially in the vehicle transverse direction water channel (30), which leads water to a arranged in the vehicle side region drainage device.

10. Rear-side flap arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the drive mechanism (32) for the storage compartment cover (20) comprises a support means (40) for common storage of the front cover element (24) and the rear cover element (22).

11. Rear-side flap arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that the drive mechanism (32) comprises at least two links (34,36) which are mounted on a body-mounted carrier (40) and on the support means (40) for common storage of the front Cover element (24) and the rear cover element (22) act.

12. Convertible with a convertible roof (12) which can be placed in a storage compartment (18), and with a rear-side flap arrangement (20) according to one of claims 1 to 11.