Patent ID: 6203100
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A two-piece removable top for a sport utility vehicle wherein the sport utility vehicle has a body, a windshield frame having a top edge, factory-installed half doors, a forward section, and an aft section, said two-piece top comprising:a removable rigid shell member for at least partially enclosing the aft area, wherein said removable rigid shell member includes at least a substantially horizontal planar top surface area, side panels integrally connected to and downwardly disposed from said horizontal planar top surface area, a rear panel integrally connected to said top surface area and said side panels and a forward edge disposed proximate said top surface area, wherein said forward edge is selectively configured so as to form a forward recessed region for channeling moisture away from the interior of the vehicle, wherein said forward recessed region of said removable rigid shell member includes a perimetrically disposed gasket member, and further wherein said forward recessed region extends across said horizontal planar area of said shell member and partially down said side panels terminating at lower recesses;a removable rigid roof panel removably secured to said removable rigid shell member for covering the forward passenger area of the sport utility vehicle, wherein said roof panel has a substantially horizontal planar top surface area, a forward edge disposed proximate said top surface area of said roof panel that adjoins the top of the sport utility vehicle's windshield frame, a rearward edge and downwardly angled flange members proximate said rearward edge, wherein said downwardly angled flange members proximate said rearward edge of said roof panel terminate in end portions, further wherein said rearward edge of said removable rigid roof panel overlaps said forward edge of said removable rigid shell member, and said end portions of said flange members nest within said lower recesses of said forward recessed region of said rigid shell member; andmeans for removably securing said removable rigid roof panel to said removable rigid shell member when said removable rigid roof panel is covering the forward passenger area whereby a weather-tight junction is formed between said removable rigid shell member and said removable rigid roof panel.