Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
VE:HICLE WITH A CONVERTIBLE~ TOP
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field Of The Invention:
This invention relates, in general, to au-tomobiles
and, more specifically, to automobiles having a convertible
top.
_escription Of The Prior Art:
Vehicles, such as automobiles have been provided
with a convertible top comprised of a fabric covered frame-
work formed of articulatable side rails, interconnecting cross
bows and an operating linkage typically powered by hydraulic
cylinders for raising and lowering the top betwPen an erected
position over the vehicle body and retracted or lowered posi-
tion within a storage compartment behind the rear seat of the
vehicle. Due to the lack of a rigid roof structure in such
vehicles when the convertible top is in the lowered position,
the thickness of the vehicle body panels must be increased or
additional reinforcements or braces added to the vehicle body
panels to provide the necessary structured strength for the
body.
A common reinforcement added to increase -the struc-
tural integrity of a vehicle body having a convertible top is
a rigid cross-panel member mounted within the passenger com-
partment behind the rear seat and extending between and joined
to the quarter panels of the vehicle. The cross panel is
typically solid in form and extends vertically between the
compartment floor pan and the top of the rear seat of the
vehicle. The cross panel member is spaced from the rear -trunk
support member and forms a well or storage space for the con-
vertible top when the to~ is in the lowered position. While
the cross panel member is effective in providing sufficien-t
struc-tural strength to the vehicle body, it necessarily adds
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considerable weight to the vehicle and, therefore, increases
the cost of the convertible top option.
While the additional support structure required for
a vehicle body having a convertible top can easily be provided
during the design stages of the vehicle, difficulties are
encountered when a vehicle having a rigid or hard top is to be
converted into a vehicle with a convertible top. Since the
required structural strength is not designed into the vehicle
body itself, many additional support members and reinforce-
ments are required which necessarily increases the cost andcomplexity of -the convertible top conversion.
Thus, it wou]d be desirable to provide a vehicle
having a convertible top which overcomes the problems of pre-
viously devised vehicles having convertible tops relating to
the number and size of the components needed to be added to
the vehicle to provide the requisite structural strength for
the vehicle body. It would also be desirable to provide a
convertible top which can be installed as a conversion
assembly on a vehicle initially having a rigid hard top.
SUMM~RY OF THE INVENTION
.
The present invention is a vehicle having a conver-
tible top. Reinforcement members are secured to certain inte-
rior body panels of the vehicle to provide the requisite
structural support for the vehicle body. The reinforcement
members include an upper belt line reinforcement joined to and
extending across the upper portion of the body quarter panels
and the rear upper back panel. Reinforcement members are also
secured between the vehicle quarter panels and the wheel
house. The belt line and quarter panel reinforcement members
define a box-like structure with an aperture formed therein
which provides communication be-tween the trunk and passenger
compartments of the vehicle so as to enable the elongated
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objects to be stored within the vehicle when the rear seats of
the vehicle are folded down.
A header mounted on the upper edge of the windshield
of the vehicle includes a laterally extending edge portion
recessed below the top surface of the header. First and
second seal members are mounted on the header for sealing the
front edge of the convertible top. The front edge of the
first cross bow of the convertible top is received in the
recessed edge portion of the header such that the convertible
top is mounted in a flush alignment with the top edge of the
vehicle windshield.
Latches mounted on the fron-t cross bow of the con-
vertible top releasably engages apertures formed in -the struc-
ture surrounding the windshield to lock the top in position on
the vehicle. The apertures are located at the intersection of
the header and windshield pillar.
The unique vehicle with a convertible top of the
present invention provides several features and advantages not
found with previously devised vehicles having convertible
tops. The support structure added to the interior body panels
of the vehicle provides the necessary structural integrity for
the vehicle and uniquely enables an opening to be formed
between the trunk and passenger compartments so as to enable
elo~ated articles to be disposed within the interior of the
vehicle when the rear seat of the vehicle is folded down.
Such a capability has previously not been provided in vehicles
with convertible tops due to the support panels previously
utilized to provide the necessary structural strength for the
vehicle body.
Furthermore, the unique header attached to the top
edge of the windshield en~ables the first cross bow of the con-
vertible top to be disposed in-line with the top edge of the
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header so as to provide a flush, smooth appearance to -the
fron-t edge of the convertible top. This compares favorably
with previously devised attachment methods in which the front
eclge of the convertible top overlays the upper edge of the
windshield of header mounted thereto.
The header and adjoining structure are provided with
apertures for releasably receiving la-tches mounted on the
front cross bow of the convertible top. This unique arrange-
ment eliminates the need for the costly casting tha-t was pre-
viously mounted on the top edge of the windshield for aligning
and latching the top in the raised position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
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The various features, advantages and other uses of
the present invention will become more apparent by referring
to the following detailed description and drawing, in which:-
Figure 1 is a partial, perspective view of a vehicle
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present
invention having a convertible top mounted therein;
Figure 2 is a partial, perspective view of the
vehicle shown in Figure 1 illustrating the reinforc~ment
structure added to the vehicle;
Figure 3 is an enlarged, partial, perspective view
of the reinforcement structure shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view yenerally -taken
along line 4-4 in Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view yenerally taken
along line 5-5 in Figure 2;
Figure 6 is a cross-sec-tional view generally taken
along line 6-6 in Figure 2;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view generally taken
along line 7-7 in Figure l; and
Figure 8 is a partial, perspective view of the means
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for latching the convertible top to the vehicle.
DESCRIPTION OE THE PREFERRED EMsoDIMENT
Throughout the following description and drawing, an
identical reference number is used to refer to the same compo--
nent shown in multiple Figures of the drawing.
Referring now to the drawing and to Figures l and 2
in particular, there is illustrated a vehicle 10 having a con-
vertible top 12 mounted therein which is adap-ted for movement
between an erected position over the vehicle 10 and a
retracted or lowered position in which the top 12 is stored in
a compartment or storage space formed in the vehicle 10. The
vehicle 10 may be initially designed to receive the conver-
-tible top 12 or in a preferred embodiment, the top 12 is
mounted on the vehicle 10 as a conversion. In this embodiment
the rigid roof of the vehicle 10 is removed and the top 12
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and reinforcemen-t members described hereafter mounted on the
vehicle.
The convertible top 10 includes a fabric cover 14
Eormed o~ a flexible material, such as vinyl, cloth, etc. The
fabric cover 14 is mounted on a frame work comprising a pair of
spaced articulatable side rails 16, interconnecting cross-bows,
such as front cross-bow 18, first and second cen-tral cross-
bows 20 and 22 and a rear cross-bow 24. The cross-bows 18,
20,22 and 24 extend between and are joined -to the side rails 16.
An opera-ting linkage, not shown, is connected to the
rear end of the side rails 16 and certain of the cross-bows and
disposed wi-thin the interior of the body of the vehicle 10.
Typically, as shown in U.S. Patent Numbers 3,180,675; 3,251,625
and 3,328,072, and pivotal members which are driven by a pair of
hydraulic cylinder, to ex-tend or retract the conver-tible top
framework.
As -the framework of -the convertible top 10 does not
form a par-t of the present invention and i-ts construction,
number o:E elements, etc., may vary depending upon the size of
the vehicle and shape of the top :L0, a detailed descrip-tion of
the convertible top 10 and pivotal framework will not be
included herein.
As is conventional, the vehicle 10 includes a body
hav:ing a passenger compartmen-t 28 defined by a floor pan 29. A
front end assembly comprising a front deck or hood 30 is mounted
between a pair of spaced fenders 32. A windshield
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34 is mounted above the front deck or hood 30 and is supported
between an upper frame 36 and side body pillars 37. A pair o~
opposed rocker panels 38 and 40 extend rearward from the front
end assembly and are each comprised of a box-like section
formed of interconnected members.
A pair of vertically extending lock pillars ~2 and
44 are mounted on top of the rocker panels 38 and 40, respec-
tively, and define a door opening with the rocker panels 38
and 40 and the front end assembly. Opposed quarter panels 46
extend rearward from the lock pillars 42 and 44. Wheelhouse
panels 48 are mounted interiorally of the quarter panels 46.
The vehicle 10 is also provided with a trunk com-
partment 50 which is formed by a rear compartment pan or floor
52, an upper back panel 54 extending between and connected to
the quarter panels 46 and a rear deck lid 56.
In order to provide the necessary structural
strength for vehicle 10, a plurality of reinforcement members
are mounted to the interior body panels of the vehicle 10, as
shown in Figures 2 and 3. Quarter panel rein*orcement means
including a quarter inner panel member 70 and a lock pillar
reinforcement member 72 is provided for strengthening the
vehicle quarter panels. The quarter panel inner member 70 is
mounted to the inner side of each quarter panel 46 and extends
between the body lock pillars 42 or 4~ and the wheelhouse
panels 48.
The lock pillar reinforcement member 72 is secured
to each corner panel inner member 70 and provides inboard and
outboard stability for the doors of the vehicle 10. The lock
pillar reinforcement 72 extends between each rocker panel a-t
the intersection of the rear seat riser section of -the floor
pan 2~ and the rocker panel diagonally upward to the top of
the lock pillar.
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A diagonal brace 73 extends between and is secured
to the lock pillar reinforcement member and the wheelhouse.
The interconnected quarter panel inner members 70,
-the lock pillar reinforcements 72 and braces 73 provide struc-
tural stability for the vehicle 10 and stabilize the quarter
panels 46 from lateral movement. Further, the quarter panel
inner members 70 and the body lock pillar reinforcements 72
are connected to the wheelhouse members 48 by the braces 73.
This provides increase seat width in the vehicle 10.
A belt line reinforcement means 80 is also provided
in the vehicle 10. The belt line reinforcement means 80 COI
prises a channel-shaped member which is mounted on the belt
line of the vehicle 10. In a preferred embodiment, the belt
line reinforcement assembly 80 includes first and second quar-
ter rail belt members 82 and 84 which are secured to the
inward side of the upper ends of the quarter panels 46 and
extend rearward from the lock pillars 42 and 44, respectively.
The belt line reinforcement member 86 iS secured to the for-
ward edge of the upper back panel 54 of the vehicle 10 and is
spaced above the compartment floor. As shown in Figure 4, an
upper back panel reinforcement member 86 extends between and
is secured to -the belt line reinforcement member 82 and the
upper back panel member 54.
Means are provided for attaching the belt line rein-
forcement means 80 to the quarter panel reinforcement means.
Preferably, the attaching means includes first and second side
rail reinforcement members 82 and 84 which are secured -to the
belt line member 86 and the lock pillar member 72.
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The belt line reinforcement assembly 80, the quarter
panel inner members 70 and the lock pillar reinforcemen-ts 72
cooperate to form a box-like section having an aperture 92
formed thereba-tween. The aperture 92 provides communication
between the trunk compartment 50 and the passenger compartment
28 in the vehicle 10.
Addi-tional support for the vehicle 10 is provided by a
cross panel 100 which is mounted on and extends across the rear
seat riser within -the passenger compartment 28 as shown in
Figures 3 and 5. The cross panel member 100 has the lower ends
of -the body lock pillar reinforcements 72 disposed -thereover.
The vehicle 10 is also provided with rocker panel
reinforcemen-ts. The rocker panel reinforcements comprise inner
and outer panel members, such as panel members 110 and 112 shown
in Figure 6, which are secured about the box-like rocker panels,
such as rocker panel 40. Further details concerning the con-
struction of the rocker panel reinforcements may be had by
referring to pending United Sta-tes Patent No. 4,493,506, issued
on January 1, 1985.
Referring now to Figure 7, there is depicted cons-
truction of a front header assembly 120 which is used to attach
the front edge of the front cross-bow 18 of the convertible top
12 to the upper edge of windshield 34 of -the vehicle 10. The
front header assembly 120 includes a header 122 in the form of a
bo~-like section having an upper panel 124 and a spaced, bo-ttom
panel 126. The front edge of the header 122 is mounted on the
frame 36 secured to the upper edge of the windhsield 34.
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The upper panel 124 of the header 122 has a recessed
rearward end portion 128 which forms a laterally extending
groove across the front edge of the vehicle windshield 34.
The groove 128 serves as a ledge for receiving the front end
of the front cross-bow 18 of the top 12 such that the fabric
cover 14 attached to the front cross-bow 18 is disposed in an
inline or flush arrangement with the upper panel 124 of the
header 122.
A first seal member 130 is secured to the rearward
edge of the header 122 for sealing the front cross-bow 18 on
the header 122. A second seal member 132 is secured to the
upper panel 124 of the header 122 by means of a belt 134. The
second seal 132 is engaged by the front end of the front
cross-bow 18 when the convertible top is moved to the raised
position and serves to sealingly close the front edge of the
top 10.
A front headliner portion 136 is also secured to the
header portion 122 by means of a clamping strip 138. The
clamping strip 138 is mounted about the ends of the first and
second panels 124 and 126 of the header 122 and has the first
seal 130 mounted thereon.
The convertible top 12 is also provided with a latch
mechanism for latching the forward end of the top 12 to the
vehicle 10 when the top 12 is in the raised position closing
the vehicle body. As is conventional, a pair of pivotal han-
dles are mounted on the front cross~bow 18 of the top 12 and
operate a pivotal latch member. As shown in Figure 8, the
latch member 150 includes a depending hook-like portion 152
the latch member 150 is raised or lowered upon pivotal move-
ment of the handle, not shown.
An aperture 154 is formed in the upper end of each
of the windshield side pillars 37 upward of the end of the
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header 122. The hook-like portion 152 of the latch member 150
is adapted to be releasably inserted into the aperture 154 to
engage the surrounding sheet metal of the windshield side pil-
lar 37 to latch the top 12 to the vehicle 10. The latch mem-
ber 150 may be released from engagement with the side pillar
57 to enable the top 12 to be moved to the retracted, lowered
position.
The vehicle 10 of the present invention is also pro-
vided with other features to complete the installation of the
convertible top 12 therein. A flexible headliner, not shown,
is mounted internally on the top 12 underneath the side rails
16 and the cross-bows 18,20,22 and 24. The flexible headliner
functions to cover the interior of the top 12 from the view.
Further, latch means are provided for releasably
latching the rear seat back in an upright position. The latch
means operates to retain the seat back in an upright position
or enable it to be folded down to a forward facin~ position.
The latch means includes retainers, not shown, mounted on the
outboard edges of the rear seat back. Suitable releasable
latch means mounted on the wheelhouse panels of the vehicle 10
releasably engage the retainers. Control means is utilized to
control the operation of the latching means.
Control means may comprise a cable or, preferably,
an electrically-operated celluloid which is selectively ener-
gizable to move the latching means to the unlatched position
and enable the rear seat back to be folded down.
In summary, there has been disclosed a vehicle hav-
ing a convertible top which includes many features and advan-
tages not previously provided. The vehicle of the present
invention is provided with a reinforcement structure which
provides structural stability for the vehicle, and, at the
same time, provides an aperture between the trunk and pas-
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senger compartments to enable elongated articles to be dis-
posed completely within the interior of the vehicle when the
rear seat of the vehicle is folded down. The vehicle of the
present invention is also provided with a front header which
is adapted to receive the forward end of the convertible in a
flush, aligned arrangement to provide a smooth exterior
appearance for the convertible top.
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