Wilhelm Karmann Gmbh

Cts Fahrzeug-dachsysteme Gmbh

Other

Ssr Roofing Systems, L.l.c.

Webasto Ag

Valmet Automotive Oy

Frank G Neubrand

Thomas Halbweiss

Berthold Klein

Wojciech Wezyk

Wolfgang Richter

Reinhard Wolfgang Quindt

Andreas Hasselgruber

Sven Hollenbeck

Holger Schramm

Markus Wulf

Stefan Eichholz

Raymond W Ninness

Siegbert Matter

Ryan Mitchell

David Connolly

Matthew Ferraiuolo

Richard Duseck

A motor vehicle with a center drive tonneau cover assembly for covering a convertible top in a stored configuration is provided. The assembly has a tonneau cover with a linkage system that pivotally couples the cover to the vehicle. The linkage system can have a center link that is located generally along a longitudinal center portion of the vehicle body. The linkage system is operable to move the tonneau cover between a closed position and the open position in which the center link occupies free space between the tonneau cover and the convertible top in the stored configuration within the storage compartment. In addition, with the center link provides free space between a side portion of the tonneau cover and an adjacent portion of a side body panel of the vehicle body.

Center driven tonneau system

A convertible top includes a linkage assembly that is movable between an extended position and a retracted position, with a mid position defined therebetween. A spring system assists movement of the linkage assembly from the extended position to the mid position and also from the retracted position to the mid position.

Torsion spring system for convertible top

A linkage of a convertible top supports a portion of a cover and provides movement of the top between an extended position extending over a passenger compartment and a retracted position. A rear bow supports a rear edge of the cover and articulates the rear edge of the cover during movement of the top between the extended and retracted positions. The top also includes a backlight assembly having a rear window and supporting a rear portion of the cover. The backlight assembly forms part of an articulating mechanism that moves the rear bow.

Convertible top having over center backlight

A convertible soft top for a motor vehicle is provided. The convertible soft top has a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion has a header element that can attach to a frame around a front window of the motor vehicle and a pair of in-folding side rails. The in-folding side rails afford for the length of the front portion to be reduced and allow for the front portion to be stored on top of the rear portion in a clam shell configuration.

Convertible top with in-folding side rails

A convertible soft top for a motor vehicle is provided. The convertible soft top has a front portion and a rear portion, the top also having and movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The top includes a fabric cover that extends across the front portion and the rear portion, the fabric cover forming a pair of spaced apart fins that extend from the front portion in a rearwardly direction when the top is in the extended position. The convertible soft top is dimensioned such that a motor vehicle with a conventional opening for heretofor convertible tops can be used with the soft top of the instant invention.

Convertible soft top with fins

A convertible top assembly for a motor vehicle includes a rear panel, a front panel and a pair of outer side panels. The front panel is movably coupled to the rear panel and movable relative to the rear panel between an extended position extending between the rear panel and a windshield header of the vehicle and a retracted position stacked with the rear panel. The outer side panels are movably coupled to the rear panel for movement between a use position extending outwardly from opposite sides of the rear panel and a stowed position disposed inwardly from the use position. The convertible top assembly further includes a linkage operatively connecting the front panel and outer side panels so as to cause movement of the outer side panels between the use position and the stowed position in response to movement of the front panel between the extended position and the retracted position, respectively.

Convertible top having movable outboard panels

A latch mechanism for releasably locking at least a portion of a convertible top of a motor vehicle in the closed position. The latch mechanism has a locked position in which the latch mechanism is lockingly engaged with the receiver to lock at least a portion of the top in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the latch mechanism is disengaged with the receiver and allows movement of the at least portion of the top between the closed and open positions. The latch mechanism has a memory metal element operative for actuating the latch mechanism between the locked and unlocked positions.

Latch mechanism for convertible tops

A decklid linkage mechanism allows movement of a decklid relative to a body of an automotive vehicle. The decklid linkage mechanism includes a frame, an actuator and a linkage mechanism. The frame supports at least a portion of the decklid. The frame is pivotally coupled to the body for movement of the frame and decklid together between a closed position concealing a storage space in the vehicle and a first open position allowing access to the storage space from a first end of the storage space. The decklid is coupled to the frame for movement of the decklid between the closed position and a second open position allowing access to the storage space from a second end of the storage space opposite the first end. The actuator drives the decklid between the closed position and the first open position. The linkage mechanism includes an overcenter arrangement that locks the decklid in the closed position.

Overcenter linkage mechanism for a decklid of an automotive vehicle

A latch assembly allows a first part and a second part of a convertible top system to be latched together. The latch assembly includes a pair of latch mechanisms disposed on the first part. Each latch mechanism has a hook movable between a locked position engaged with a receiver on the second part to latch the first and second parts together and an unlocked position disengaged from the receiver to unlatch the first and second parts from each other. The latch assembly also includes an actuating mechanism disposed on the first part between the latch mechanisms for moving the hooks between the locked and unlocked positions. The actuating mechanism includes a multi-link assembly movable to a dual overcenter position for maintaining the hooks in the locked position.

Header latch assembly for convertible tops

A widescreen deflector assembly is provided for an automotive vehicle having a passenger compartment extending between opposing side walls and a rear end, wherein the passenger compartment includes front seats and rear seats. The widescreen deflector assembly includes a membrane element. A first cross member is connected to an end of the membrane element. A second cross member is operatively coupled to the vehicle for movement between a retracted position disposed along the rear end of the passenger compartment and a use position disposed between the front and rear seats of the passenger compartment. A linkage is operatively coupled between the first and second cross members, so that the first cross member in the use position is spaced above the second cross member, such that the membrane element extends between the first and second cross members to form a substantially upright windscreen portion and further extends between the second cross member and the rear end of the passenger compartment to form a substantially horizontal cover portion covering the rear seats of the passenger compartment.

Windscreen deflector for automotive vehicles

A tonneau cover system for selectively covering a cargo area of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a roof adjacent the cargo area. The system includes a front panel, a rear panel, and an articulation mechanism. The articulation mechanism is operable to move the panels between an extended position, in which the panels are generally co-planar to cover the storage area, and a storage position, in which the panels are stacked on the roof of the vehicle to allow access to the storage area.

Tonneau cover for a vehicle with a cargo area

A retractable top for a vehicle includes a front section, a middle section and a rear section. A first embodiment includes rigid front, middle and rear sections. A second embodiment includes rigid front and rear sections and a membranous middle section. A single retracting mechanism design is utilized for both the first and second embodiments, which allows selective movement of the front, middle and rear sections of the top between an open position and a closed position.

Retracting mechanism for use with both hard and hybrid retractable tops for vehicles

A motor vehicle with a retractable roof includes front and rear rigid roof parts that are movable between a closed position covering the passenger compartment and an open position stored in a rear receiver space. An articulated connector interconnects the front and rear roof parts. The articulated connector includes two control levers, which form a four-bar linkage, and a support plate. The control levers each having one end rotatably connected to the rear roof part and another end rotatably connected to the support plate. The support plate is movably connected to the front roof part. In the open position, the front roof part is arranged below the rear roof part and the outer surfaces of the roof parts face upwardly.

Motor vehicle with a retractable roof

A retractable hardtop for use with a vehicle including a rear section pivotally coupled to the vehicle and a front section pivotally coupled to the rear section for movement of the hardtop between an extended position defining a roof over a passenger compartment in the vehicle and a retracted position at least partially stowed in a storage compartment. A balance link extends between one end pivotally coupled to the vehicle and an opposite end pivotally coupled to the front panel. A center panel opening is defined between the front and rear panels. A center panel is operatively coupled to the balance link for movement in and out of the center panel opening during movement of the hardtop between the extended and retracted positions, respectively.

Retractable hardtop with articulating center panel

A retractable top system for a vehicle includes a front section, a middle section, and a rear section. Each of the sections has an inner surface that face the passenger compartment of the vehicle when the top is in the extended position, and an opposed outer surface. The rear section is a rigid panel that extends between opposed side edges and between forward and rearward edges of the rear section. A flexible roof membrane covers at least the outer surfaces of the front section and middle section when the top is in the extended position. When the top is in the retracted position, the outer surface of the front section is directed upwardly and the outer surface of the middle section is directed downwardly.

Growing community of inventors

Auburn Hills, MI, United States of America

Frank G Neubrand