Patent ID: 6729673
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A vehicle roof with folding top movable between a closed position in which it covers a passenger compartment of a vehicle and a storage position in which the roof is lowered into a rear storage compartment, including an operating mechanism provided with a vehicle top material, said operating mechanism comprising:a main support arm (2) pivotally supported on a vehicle body part (4) a main actuator connected between said vehicle body part (4) and said main support arm (2), a tensioning rod (6) pivotally supported on said main support arm (2) and disposed in an essentially horizontal position when said vehicle roof is closed, wherein said vehicle roof including a vehicle top material is in a tensioned state and an auxiliary actuator (22) for moving the tensioning rod (6) between material tensioning and tension releasing positions, a two-part support linkage (8) by which the material tensioning rod (6) is held in a tensioning position when the vehicle roof is closed, said support linkage (8) including two support levers (9, 10) which are jointed by an intermediate joint (11) and extend between a support column (14) connected to said main support arm (2) and said tensioning rod (6), said intermediate joint being disposed essentially in a center position between the connecting joints (12, 13) of said two part linkage (8) when the vehicle roof is closed, a tensioning linkage (17) coupled with said support linkage (8) and including first and second tensioning arms (18, 19), which are pivotally joined at one of their ends, said first tensioning arm (18) being pivotally connected with its other end to said support linkage (8) and said second tensioning arm (19) being pivotally connected to said main support arm (2), said tensioning arms (18,19) being disposed in an over-center position when said vehicle roof is closed for safely holding said support levers (9, 10) with said intermediate joint (11) essentially in said center position when said vehicle roof is closed.