146 results about "Hardtop" patented technology

A removable top system for a vehicle having a front removable roof section and a rear removable roof section. Different removable roof coverings may be interchangeably combined to provide a complete roof for a sport utility vehicle having a permanent hoop dividing the front and rear roof sections. Soft top and hard top roof coverings are selectively provided. Different retraction mechanisms are disclosed for retracting and storing the removable roof sections.

A hard top and soft top convertible system for a Jeep-like vehicle which includes, in one embodiment, a replacement for the conventional roll-bar cage with a roll-bar frame that is aligned with the outer edges of the vehicle. The roll-bar frame is made of high strength metal, acting as a substitute for the conventional roll bar. The top includes removable outer hard top, side windows and rear window. The top includes pliable inner soft top, side windows, and rear window, each of which may be rolled into a stored position within the frame using electric motors for open air use of the vehicle. Another embodiment employs a similarly configured frame which is provided in a set of pieces which are assembled over an existing roll bar frame of the Jeep-like vehicle.

A stealth weapon module (10) including a weapon support cage (11) and a weapon (12), with the weapon module (10) able to be stowed beneath a retractable hard roof (15). The roof (15) is raised and lowered by a hydraulic motor (16), and includes a stabilizing cloth (15b) that keeps the roof (15), made of interconnected slats (15a), from pulling apart or otherwise changing shape as it is raised and lowered, even at rates of travel of several inches per second. The weapon module (10), with any of various different roof designs including the retractable hard roof (15), can be incorporated into either a transportable shell (20), able to be moved from one application to another, or can be built into (and so specially adapted to) a structure, such as the back / cab of a sports utility vehicle.

A composite tonneau cover of a pick-up truck is disclosed. The composite tonneau cover has at least one frame section and is releasably secured on a side wall of a cargo bed of the pick-up truck. Each of the frame section comprises: a flexible cover material; a rigid metal panel covered by the flexible cover material and having at least two end edges; and a plurality of outer rails covered by the flexible cover material. Each of the outer rails has an inner side formed with an installation groove, and each of the end edges of the rigid metal panel is inserted into the installation groove of one of the outer rails. Thus, the composite tonneau cover can provide dual advantages of hard-top type tonneau cover and soft-top type tonneau cover.

A removable hard top system for a convertible sport utility vehicle is described. The system comprises an adapter kit which is installed onto a vehicle and which remains in place on a semi-permanent basis. The system further comprises a removable hard top assembly which disassembles into component parts that may be fully stored in the vehicle to allow the user to install the hard top assembly on the vehicle at a time and place either at or remote from the home base of the vehicle. The system is modular so that the user can customize the coverage desired.

A retractable hardtop system with a rigid front panel and a rear portion including a pair of C-pillars and a central window panel therebetween has the window panel hingedly linked to the C-pillars and the C-pillars hingedly linked to both the vehicle body and the front panel. In a retracted position, a portion of the central window panel is articulated to an elevated position with respect to the C-pillars in order to increase usable space below the retracted system.

A hardtop convertible roof for a vehicle includes rigid panels that are interconnected to one another to selectively cover the passenger compartment. The roof panels rearward of a forwardmost roof panel are directly pivotally connected to a single pair of brackets which are fixedly connected to opposite sides of the vehicle. An interior surface of a third roof panel faces a majority of an exterior surface of a second roof panel when the roof panels are in a stowed position. The rearmost two roof panels form an at least four-bar linkage and a moveable link interconnecting the two panels is positioned between the majority of portions of the rearmost panels and the pivotal connections of these panels to a fixed location.

A convertible motor vehicle first and second storage compartments extending transversely behind a seat. A rigid roof shell has two posts defining a rear opening. The first compartment extends laterally forward past the seat. Guide rails extend laterally in the first compartment forward past the seat. Respective guide slides on the rear end posts ride on the guide rails, and the roof shell is displaceable along the guide rails between an up position wholly out of the first storage compartment and a down position wholly in the first compartment with the guide slides laterally flanking the seat. A rear windshield fits in the opening between the posts. A guide in the second storage compartment displaces the rear windshield between a lowered position in the second compartment and a raised position fitting between the rear end posts of the windshield in the up position thereof and closing the rear opening.

A roof construction for a motor vehicle having a removable roof, includes a first, front hard roof part, a main bearing fixed on the motor vehicle body, a first, articulated connection, the first, front hard roof part being connected via the first, articulated connection to the main bearing, the first, front hard roof part being pivotable from a closed position into a lowered position in a trunk by means of the first, articulated connection, a second roof part containing a rear window, a second, articulated connection, the second, articulated connection being arranged pivotably outside the first, articulated connection on the same main bearing, the second roof part being pivotable from a closed position into a lowered position in the trunk via the second, articulated connection, the first, front hard roof part being arranged in its lowered position above the second roof part, and a loading area for loading purposes remaining below the second roof part.

A foldable roof assembly having a soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side bows are attached to a first bow member, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at a pivot point created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is a wireframe and engages with seals in the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.

Disclosed is a retractable hard top for passenger cars, comprising: a first substantially rigid roof section, which forms an essentially horizontal upper roof portion of the passenger car; a second substantially rigid rear roof section which forms a substantially vertical or obliquely extending roof portion which is of hollowed shape, thereby forming an inner space, wherein the rear roof section at an upper end is pivotally connected to the first roof section via a rod assembly at both longitudinal sides of the passenger car and at a lower end is pivotally connected to the passenger car at a support at both sides of the passenger car; pivotally arranged guiding rods that link the rod assemblies and the supports of the passenger car, wherein the rod assembly and the guiding rod are formed and connected in a manner that, when an upper end of the guiding rods is pivoted towards a tail of the car, the second roof section is pivoted in the direction of the tail of the car, while simultaneously the first roof section is pivoted in the same direction, a rear end of the first roof section is lowered under the level of a front end of the second roof section, and the first roof section is moved into the inner space of the second roof section, until the second roof section is deposited upside down in an accommodation space of the car and the first roof section is deposited upside down into the inner space of the second roof section; wherein the first roof section comprises two slots extending longitudinally from the rear end at both sides of the first roof section, and wherein the rod assemblies move through the slots when the first roof section is pivoted.

A vehicle body with multiple elevation hard top has storage underneath and is capable of driving with the hardtop present or removed. A front passenger compartment has a front rooftop and a pair of rear quarter panel sides enclosing a rear of the vehicle body. A pair of removable side sections is disposed on and above respective of the two rear quarter panel sides and further enclosing the rear of the vehicle body. A hard rooftop is capable of setting upon and connecting to either one of said pair of removable side sections or the pair of rear quarter panel sides. A storage compartment is created underneath the hard rooftop and between the pair of rear quarter panel sides. The storage compartment is capable of holding at least said pair of removable side sections and also roof tops and the rear glass.

In a hardtop vehicle roof with rigid roof parts movable between a closed position in which the roof parts are disposed behind one another on a vehicle body to cover an interior vehicle space and a storage position in which they are disposed in a storage compartment behind the interior vehicle space, each of the roof parts is supported individually on the vehicle body by an operating mechanism by which it is movable between the closed and the storage position while remaining in the same orientation which it has in its closed position, the front roof parts being disposed in the storage compartment below the rear roof part.

In a hardtop vehicle roof comprising front, intermediate, and rear roof parts, which are movable between a closed position, in which they cover an interior vehicle space, and an open position, in which they are stacked in a storage compartment of the vehicle, and wherein the front and rear roof parts are supported on the intermediate roof part by a roof part operating mechanism, which is operatively connected to a support and operating mechanism by which the intermediate roof part is mounted on the body of the vehicle, the roof parts operating mechanisms for the front and rear roof parts are operatively connected to the support and operating mechanism of the intermediate part such that, when the roof is opened, the front and rear roof parts are moved on top of the intermediate roof part to form a packet in which the top sides of all roof parts face upwardly and which requires relatively little space on top of the vehicle and does not intrude in the vehicle interior during the transfer between the closed and the open positions.

A convertible roof system includes a front roof section, a rear roof section, an automatically power actuator and a linkage mechanism. In another aspect of the present invention, the front and / or rear roof sections are rigid, hard-top roofs. A further aspect of the present invention provides that the outside surfaces of the roofs have a generally vertical orientation when in their open and retracted positions.

A latching system for an automotive vehicle having a convertible roof is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, front and / or rear convertible roof sections are rigid, hard-top roofs. A further aspect of the present invention system provides a latch which secures a generally rigid tonneau cover.

In a hardtop vehicle roof comprising at least two roof parts which are movable between a closed position, in which the roof covers the interior space of the vehicle and an open position, in which the roof is in storage compartment behind the interior vehicle space, the roof parts are separated from each other along a separation line extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and are fitted, when the roof is open, into the storage compartment behind the interior space in a position transverse to the longitudinal vehicle direction.

A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and engages with the existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.

The invention relates to a weatherstrip assembly which is used particularly for sealing a folding hardtop (10) of a motor vehicle and comprises a joint consisting of sealing section (21) and fastening section (22) parts. The sealing section (21) is provided with a sealing lip (23), which is made of elastically deformable material, can be moved from the first position (I) to the second position (II) thereof and is provided with at least one restoring element (40). In order to ensure a durable, efficient and reliable restoring response of the sealing lip (23), it is provided with a tensioning element (50) in the form of a hose on the end thereof.

A retractable hard-top roof for a convertible-roof vehicle is disclosed. The roof comprises a forward roof panel and a rear roof panel. The panels fit together flush when the roof is in a top-up position. In a top-down position the panels are stowed in a roof stowage deck. A pair of roof hinge mechanisms moves the roof panels between the top-up position and the top-down position with a first linear actuator. A pair of tonneu cover mechanisms raises and then lowering a tonneu cover when the roof panels are moved from one position to the other. A roof deck lid, a front roof panel lock, and a pillar roof lock may also be included to secure the roof in either its top-up or top-down positions.

A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and engages with the existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.

In a cabriolet motor vehicle (10) with a foldable roof, especially a foldable hardtop (12), with a rigid rear window (18) which is movable between a closed position in which it covers the vehicle interior, and a stowage position in which it is held in the stowage space (54) in the vehicle (10), the hardtop (12) has a front roof part (14) which can be connected to a transverse roof support (20) which borders the windshield and a rear roof part (16) which can be moved relative to it and which is coupled to it. Furthermore, the rear window (18) is made on a rear window element (18) which can be moved relative to the vehicle body and relative to the rear roof part (16).

The apparatus attaches a carrier to a vehicle hardtop. The bottom edges of the hardtop sidewalls. The apparatus includes a support plate that conforms to the structure at the intersection of the hardtop's top and sidewall. A locking bar extends from a flange associated with the support plate, and a hook at the bottom of the locking bar engages the bottom the hardtop's sidewall. A screw attached to the locking bar can tighten the hook against the bottom of the sidewall and urge the bracket against the hardtop to secure the carrier to the hardtop.

An apparatus for use in a motor vehicle having a roof system, the motor vehicle further having a body with a passenger compartment and a trunk space, the apparatus comprising a roof system comprising any one of a rigid panel hardtop, a retractable hardtop moveable from an extended position disposed above the passenger compartment to a retracted position, or a soft convertible top movable from an extended position disposed above the passenger compartment to a retracted position, wherein any one of the rigid panel hardtop, retractable hardtop or convertible soft top includes an attachment bracket. A transverse support beam having a first end and a second end is included, the support beam carrying any one of the rigid panel top, the retractable hardtop or the soft convertible top, wherein the first end and said second end include universal adapter brackets. The universal adapter brackets are connected to the attachment brackets and to the vehicle body.

A convertible top vehicle according to the present invention advantageously utilizes a portion of the rear seating area of the vehicle to stow the roof when in the retracted position. When the convertible top is in the raised position, the rear passenger seating area is not impeded such that both the front and rear seating areas may be utilized.

In accordance with the present invention, a removable hard top roof system that can be used to replace a convertible roof for a vehicle is disclosed. The hard top roof system is offered as a module and includes a substantially rigid roof panel and a lift gate that is coupled to the roof panel. The panel and lift gate are attachable to the vehicle in place of the convertible roof. In another aspect of the present invention, the removable roof panel includes a structural support that is coupled to the roof panel. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the automotive vehicle includes a water trough that is hidden from view regardless of the positions of movable members of the automotive vehicle. In still another aspect of the present invention, a removable roof panel is attached to an automotive vehicle by the use of a bracket that is attached to a front header of the vehicle.

A roof system for a vehicle that has a roof support structure to which a hardtop roof (34) or a retractable soft top roof (62) may be latched. The roof support structure includes a transverse reel that extends transversely relative to the vehicle direction and is connected to a panel that is also connected to the rear rail. The hardtop includes a rigid panel and a frame. The soft top is supported on attached bows with which the soft top is stored in a cassette after removal.