Abstract:
For a convertible vehicle with a top, which can be locked to the windshield frame, for which at least one movable handle is provided for carrying out the locking and unlocking, the handle can be transferred from its operating position, in which it is accessible to a movement, which brings about the locking or unlocking of the top, into an inoperative position, which is located essentially vertically upwards from the operating position, in which it is in an area, which does not limit the head freedom. When the handle in the inoperative position is lowered into a recess formed between lining parts, a flush closure of the handle with the lining parts can be attained.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a convertible vehicle with a top, which can be locked at a windshield frame, one movable handle being provided for actuating the locking and unlocking. 
     For convertible vehicles of this type, one central handle, for example, is provided which, by means of, for example, a swiveling motion about a vertical or horizontal axis, moves locking elements of the top into or out of engagement with corresponding counter pieces of the windshield frame. Such handles, so that they can be operated well and transfer sufficient mechanical force, usually are constructed relatively large and, for actuation, can be grasped by the whole hand. During non-use, such a handle frequently is visually disturbing and constricts the space close to the windshield frame. Moreover, there is the danger of collision with the head during an accident and there is no assurance against malfunctioning while the vehicle is being driven. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to improve a convertible vehicle of the type named above so that the disadvantages names are eliminated. 
     By transferring the handle from its operating position into a vertically upwards located inoperative position, the handle can be brought into a region, where it does not disturb visually nor limit the freedom of the head. 
     When the handle in the inoperative position is countersunk into a recess between the lining parts, a flush closure of the handle with the lining parts can be reached in the inoperative position. 
     Further advantages and distinguishing features arise out of the following description of examples of the object of the invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a cross section through an inventive handle in the operating position, 
     FIG. 2 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 1 in the inoperative position of the handle, 
     FIG. 3 shows guiding parts for the travel movement provided with connecting link guides in partial cross-sectional view with the handle in the extended position, 
     FIG. 4 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 3 with the handle in the inoperative position, 
     FIG. 5 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 4, a vertically upward directed force being exerted on the handle, which previously was in the inoperative position, 
     FIG. 6 shows an exploded representation of the handle and of a driving disk, which is supported on the handle and actuates the locking device, and 
     FIG. 7 shows an exploded representation of the support of the handle and of the sleeve having a connecting link guide. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The handle  1 , shown in the operating position in FIG. 1, can be swiveled about a vertical axis  2  and, due to this swiveling motion, the driving disk  3 , which is held positively on the shaft  4  of the handle  1 , is swiveled with the handle  1 . Consequently, trunnions  5  and  6 , on which a push-pull linkage  7 ,  8  is supported, also attain a pivoting motion and provide an inwardly or outwardly directed pulling or pushing movement of the linkage  7 ,  8  along the transverse axis of the vehicle. As a result, locking devices, which are fastened, for example, at the edge of the windshield frame, can be brought out of or into engagement with corresponding counter pieces of the windshield frame. 
     The positive connection between the shaft  4  of the handle  1  and the driving disk  3  can be reached, for example, owing to the fact that the shaft  4  has a hexagon insert bit and that the driving disk  3  has a central borehole  9  with a corresponding hexagon socket. Of course, other positive connections are also possible here. 
     The handle  1  is disposed in the front roof peak  10  of the convertible top, this region  10  of the roof being closed off on the underside by lining parts  11 , which leave a recess  12  in the region of the handle  1 . In the inoperative position, the handle  1  is countersunk into this recess  12 , the transfer between the operating position (FIG. 1) and inoperative position (FIG. 2) representing a vertically upwards directed pressure movement. 
     Guiding parts  13  and  14  guide this lifting movement of the handle  1 , guide part  13  forming a sleeve and guide part  14  a cylindrical lifting part, which can be moved in this sleeve. Guide part  14  is formed by the upper region of the shaft  4  of the handle  1 . 
     The lifting part  14  as well as the sleeve  13  are each provided with a connecting link guide  15  and  16  respectively. According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the connecting link guide  15  of sleeve  13  of the example forms a heart-shaped connecting link with vertically extending portions—other shapes of connecting links are, of course, possible—and the connecting link  16  of the lifting part  14  forms a peripheral ring connecting link. In the representation of FIGS. 3 to  5 , the relationships are reversed. 
     In the connecting link guides  15 ,  16 , there is a guide body  17 , which can be constructed, for example, as a ball—also as a wedge or roller—and the movement space of which is limited to the region, in which the connecting link guides  15  of the sleeve  13  and  16  of the lifting part  14  are opposite one another. 
     The sleeve  13  is held by a cup-shaped accommodating part  18 , which is disposed in a stationary manner at the front roof part  10  and embraces the sleeve  13 . Instead of being constructed in one piece, the sleeve  13 , as well as the accommodating parts  18  surrounding it, can also be formed, for example, of two half shells. 
     The accommodating part  18  has a central, vertically downwards directed cross member  19  which, in the assembled state of the parts, engages a central borehole  20 , which is disposed in the shaft  4  of the handle  1 . As a result, the shaft  4 , which also embraces the lifting part  14 , is guided vertically from the outside by the sleeve  13  as well as, over the borehole  20 , from the inside by the cross member  19 , in order effectively thus to prevent any tilting of the handle  1  during the vertical upwards and downwards movements. Moreover, between the lower edge of the cross member  19  and the end of the blind borehole  20 , a spring element, in this case a helical spring  21 , is disposed, which is under tension in the inoperative position and therefore exerts a downward force on the handle  1  acting in the direction of the operating position. 
     FIGS. 3 to  5  shown an alternative construction, in which the lifting part  14   b  is stationary and the sleeve  13   b  can be moved vertically relative to the lifting part  14   b , the sleeve  13   b  being connected with the handle  1 . The spring action is therefore such that the sleeve  13   b  in FIGS. 3 to  5  is under tension vertically downward in the direction of arrow  23  and the adjoining handle  1  consequently is pressed in the direction of its operating position. 
     In FIG. 3, the handle  1  is in the operating position and the movable guiding body  17 , which is held in the annular connecting link  15   b  of the sleeve  13   b  as well as in the heart-shaped connecting link  16   b  of the cylindrical lifting part  14   b  is in an equilibrium position  22 . On the one hand, the force of the spring  23  acts vertically downwards over the annular connecting link  15   b  onto the ball  17 . On the other, the lower curvature  22  of the heart-shaped connecting link  16   b  provides a restricted guidance, so that the ball  17  cannot move further downwards and the handle  1  accordingly cannot move downward beyond the position shown in FIG.  3 . 
     By pressing the handle  1  and the sleeve  13  attached thereto in a vertically upwards directed motion against the force of the spring  23 , the ball  17  moves over the vertical section  24  of the connecting link  16   b  up to an upper stop curvature  25 , which prevents further upward movement of the sleeve  13  and the ball  17  held therein over the connecting link guide  15   b . By stopping the vertically upwardly directed pressure movement, exerted by hand, the ball  17  then falls into the equilibrium position  26 , since then the sleeve  13  and the connecting link guide  15  are acted upon once again in a determining manner by the force of the spring  23 , so that the ball  17 , accommodated therein, is acted upon with force in the sense of a vertical downward movement. This downward movement is then prevented by the stop curvature  26  of the heart-shaped connecting link  16   b , so that a stable equilibrium position of the ball  17  is formed here also and therefore the extended position of FIG. 3 as well as the retracted position of the handle  1  of FIG. 4 are determined by an equilibrium position of the ball  17  in the heart-shaped connecting link  16   b.    
     In order to reach the operating position from the inoperative position of the handle  1  of FIG. 4, initially a vertically upwards directed compressive force is exerted on the handle  1 , so that the ball  17  in the heart-shaped connecting link  16   b  is guided by the curvature  27 , located essentially vertically above the equilibrium position  26 , into the stop curvature  28 , from which it then, when the vertically upward directed compression is stopped, glides downward into the equilibrium position  22  due to the force of the spring  23 , so that the pulled-out operating position of the handle  1  of FIG. 3 is restored once again then. To loosen the handle  1  out of its inoperative position, only a vertically upwards directed pressure need be exerted, for which the handle  1  need not be embraced and pulled. The handle  1  can therefore be lowered completely into the lining parts  11  without having to leave a handle gap between the handle  1  and the lining parts  11 . 
     Since the guiding body  17  is in an equilibrium position in the inoperative and operating positions, a malfunctioning is precluded and a stable intermediate position of the handle  1  between the inoperative and operating positions is not possible because of the action of the spring. 
     Due to the construction of the two connecting link guides  15 ,  16  and  15   b ,  16   b , it is possible to do without stop shoulders or similar mechanical parts, which are subject to the danger of breaking. The transfer of the handle  1  from the operating position into the inoperative position as well as the reverse transfer into the operating position are to be carried out in the same way by the user by a vertically upward directed pressure on the handle  1 , so that the operating relationships for the user are very simple.