The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 02, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 22, 1997
Michael E. Hilliard, Plymouth, MI (US);
Louis D. DeLellis, South Lyon, MI (US);
William A. Grabowski, Northville, MI (US);
Leonard Bores, Livonia, MI (US);
Robert D. Worley, Fenton, MI (US);
Mark A. Hickey, Howell, MI (US);
Stephen K. Tebbutt, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method for attaching a soft top to a motor vehicle body tensions the soft top without a separate tensioning device. The method includes the general steps of attaching a support member to the motor vehicle for pivotal movement about a transverse pivot axis, supporting an upper rear corner of the top with the support member, and tensioning the top by upwardly and rearwardly biasing the upper rear corner of the top with the support member. The support member functions to provide a spring load for tensioning the top. In the preferred method, the support member is elastically deformed for tensioning the top.