Mazda Motor Corporation

Kenji Matsumoto

Seiichi Omoto

Satoshi Kubota

Kozo Odoi

Takahito Yokouchi

Eiichi Mizuno

Koji Kishino

Toshio Hasuike

Disclosed is a flexible top vehicle with its flexible top so disposed as to open or close both the forward portion and the rearward portion of a roof opening separately. The flexible top is disposed at the roof opening portion and it has a forward slider disposed at its forward end portion and a rearward slider disposed at its rearward end portion, thereby capable of opening the forward and/or rearward portion of the roof opening of the roof by folding or extending the flexible top from or to both end portions thereof. The forward slider is engaged with a forward stopper mounted on a member of the vehicle body, thereby closing the forward portion of the roof opening with the forward end portion of the flexible top, and vice versa. When the flexible top is extended to its maximum length and closes the entire length of the roof opening, the distance between the forward and rearward sliders is set to be smaller than the distance between the forward and rearward stoppers. This acts to maintain the flexible top at its maximum extended length, in which the flexible top is under forward and backward tension, thus keeping the flexible top from extending or otherwise loosely hanging downward due to a rise in temperature or to other causes.

Flexible top vehicle

A skylight window formed in a top roof of an automotive car body is either fully or partly opened and closed by front and rear sliding roof portions. The front and rear sliding roof portions, or roofs, each independently moves between closed and open positions. The front sliding roof is guided to its open position by front roof guide mechanisms disposed on opposite sides of the skylight window so as to locate the front sliding roof over a rear stationary roof in the open position. The rear sliding roof is guided to its open position by rear guide mechanisms disposed on opposite sides of the skylight window so as to locate the rear sliding roof under the rear stationary roof in the open position. These front and rear sliding roofs, when closed, are even with a plane including the top roof of the card body.

Power sliding sunroof

A slidable roof control device for a motor vehicle wherein a roof panel opening of a motor vehicle is covered with a slidable roof which can be opened both in forward and rearward directions of the vehicle body. The control device includes a first forwardly located ON/OFF command mechanism operable from the driver seat for commanding a drive mechanism to open or close the flexible member, a second rearwardly located ON/OFF command mechanism operable from the rear seat for commanding the drive mechanism to open or close the flexible member, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism is responsive to outputs from the first and second ON/OFF command mechanisms for controlling the activation of the drive mechanism and for restricting the closing motion of the rear portion of the slidable roof as a result of commands from the first ON/OFF command mechanism.

Slidable roof control device for a motor vehicle

A flexible top vehicle or canvas top vehicle is provided with a flexible top or canvas top made of a flexible member so as to cover its roof opening. The flexible top is so disposed as to allow both of its front end and rear end to be transferred forwards or rearwards. The front end of the flexible top is associated with a first driving motor while the rear end thereof is associated with a second driving motor. The first and second driving motors are arranged to be operated by turning a forward-moving switch or a rearward-moving switch on, thereby transferring the flexible top placed in a middle position of the roof opening in a folded state in forward and rearward directions. The flexible top maintains its folded state prior to transfer even after it has been transferred.

Vehicle with flexible top openable at its front or rear portion

A slidable roof device for a motor vehicle is provided wherein a roof panel opening of a motor vehicle is openably covered by a flexible member. A front portion of the roof panel opening can be uncovered when a front portion of the flexible member is moved in the rearward direction of the vehicle body. A tilt mechanism is provided at a rear portion of the flexible member so as to tilt up the rear portion thereof and to form at least a clearance between the rear portion of the flexible member and the vehicle roof panel, thereby making sure that rear seat passengers can enjoy more a comfortable ride in the vehicle. Further, the tilt mechanism can be made to operate when the front portion of the flexible member is moved rearwardly so as to tilt up the rear portion of the flexible member to form at least a clearance between the rear portion thereof and the vehicle roof panel when the front portion of the flexible member is opened. The rear portion of the flexible member is operatively interconnected with the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism can move the rear portion of the flexible member in the forward direction of the vehicle, thus opening the rear portion of the roof panel opening of the vehicle.

Slidable roof device for a motor vehicle

A slidable roof device for a motor vehicle wherein a roof panel opening of the vehicle body is openably and closeably covered with a flexible member. For opening both front and rear portions of the roof panel opening of the vehicle body, the device includes a first drive mechanism which is operatively interconnected with the front portion of the flexible member for moving the front portion thereof to the rearward direction of the vehicle body, and a second drive mechanism which is operatively interconnected with the rear portion of the flexible member for moving the rear portion thereof to the forward direction of the vehicle body. The first and the second drive mechanisms are provided at the rear end of the roof panel opening of the vehicle body.

In a roof panel connected to a vehicle body through at least a pair of left-hand and right-hand front pillars and a pair of left-hand and right-hand rear pillars, there is formed a roof opening large in size in such a manner as leaving a front header, a pair of left-hand and right-hand roof side rails, and a rear header and being surrounded by said four members. A foldable flexible top having a size as substantially large as the roof opening is provided. The flexible top is disposed to selectively take a first posture in which the roof opening is closed and a second posture in which it is contracted in a longitudinal direction of the body and placed in a contracted state, i.e., in a folded state, at a position nearby said rear header. Underneath the flexible top in the second posture, a board member supporting the flexible top is disposed, and the board member is movable between the second posture and a third posture rearward of the second posture by means of a guiding device consisting of a link mechanism and so on while the board member supports the flexible top. The third posture is set at a position in a vicinity of a lower end portion of the rear window glass panel.

Growing community of inventors

Hiroshima, Japan

Kenji Matsumoto