Bestop, Inc.

Chrysler Corporation

Nancy L Brunner

Rick H Troeger

Michael E Hilliard

John F Miller

Kipp D Owen

Timothy J Gile

Michael C Stevens

John C Wainwright

Robert L Hart

Mark G Vervaeke

A retainer system for vehicle soft tops and tonneau covers. The system includes a belt attached to the edge of the fabric of the top or tonneau cover and a channel member mounted on the vehicle to selectively receive the belt. The belt is provided with a stop mechanism to positively prevent the belt from peeling out of the retaining channel member farther than desired. In the preferred embodiments, the stop mechanism is a notch or cutout in the belt. With the present retainer system, the notch will effectively stop the peel or withdrawal of the belt from the retaining channel at a predetermined location along the channel. In this manner, the belt and attached top or tonneau cover can be partially removed from engagement along the channel member to make it easier and quicker for the operator to perform a number of desirable tasks.

Retainer system for vehicle soft tops and tonneau covers

An apparatus for attaching a soft top to a motor vehicle includes a retainer member for engaging a channel located in a structural element attached to the motor vehicle. In one application, the structural element is a removable door frame having a molded-in channel which opens downwardly and is disposed above a door opening. The retainer member includes a first flange adapted to fixedly attach to a lateral edge of the top section of the soft top. The retainer member further includes a second flange for engaging the molded-in channel in an interference fit. The first flange laterally extends beyond the door of the vehicle to thereby shingle the door from condensation and rain which may gather on the soft top. In an alternative embodiment, the retainer member is configured to form a trough for carrying the condensation and rain rearward away from the door.

Apparatus for attaching a soft top to a motor vehicle

Growing community of inventors

Broomfield, CO, United States of America

Nancy L Brunner