Top of a convertible vehicle and convertible vehicle having such a top

A top for a convertible vehicle, having a top cover and a top linkage which can be displaced between a covering position, in which a vehicle interior is covered, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is open at the top, and which may have, on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, a link assembly having a four-bar linkage comprising a first main link, a second main link, and a coupling link, the first main link and the second main link each being pivotably mounted on a vehicle-attached main bearing, and a front bow which fixes the top to a front header of the vehicle in the covering position extending between the two link assemblies. The front bow is rigidly attached to the first main link of the respective four-bar assembly on either side.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from German Patent Application Number DE 10,2018/102,520.3, filed Feb. 5, 2018, and German Patent Application Number DE 10,2018/116,375.4, filed Jul. 6, 2018, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

The invention relates to a top of a convertible vehicle and to a convertible vehicle having such a top.

BACKGROUND

A top for a convertible vehicle is known from practice which comprises a top linkage which can be displaced between a closed position, in which a vehicle interior is covered, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is open at the top. The convertible vehicle has, on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, a link assembly comprising two main links which are pivotably mounted on a vehicle-attached main bearing. Via additional roof links, a front bow is articulated to the link assembly. This involves high constructive complexity and requires a large amount of installation space. Furthermore, sufficient stability of the top is difficult to achieve with the top known from the state of the art.

SUMMARY

Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a top of a convertible vehicle which is characterized by a simple mechanism, by increased stability, and by little installation space, and to provide a convertible vehicle having such a top.

According to the invention, said object is attained by the top having the features of claim1and by the convertible vehicle having the features of claim9.

Thus, a top for a convertible vehicle is proposed, said top comprising a top cover and a top linkage which can be displaced between a covering position, in which a vehicle interior is covered, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is open at the top (i.e. uncovered). The top linkage has, on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, a link assembly having a four-bar linkage. The four-bar linkage comprises a first main link, a second main link, and a coupling link. The first main link and the second main link are each pivotably mounted on a vehicle-attached main bearing. A front bow which fixes the top to a front header of the vehicle in the covering position extends between the two link assemblies. The front bow is rigidly attached to a respective main link of the four-bar linkage on either side.

In the proposed top, a main mechanism of the link assemblies that is required to displace the top linkage is, thus, preferably realized merely largely by the four-bar linkage which comprises the first link, the second link, and the coupling link. This constitutes a simple mechanism for displacing the top which requires little installation space. Additionally, owing to the simple geometrical design, the proposed top exhibits high stability, enables good fabric tension of a top cover, requires a small number of components and, thus, involves low costs and low weight.

In a specific embodiment of the top according to the invention, when the top is in the covering position, the coupling link extends substantially parallel to a leg of the first main link in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and substantially at the same height as the leg of the first main link in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Thus, small structural height of the top linkage is achieved.

In a preferred embodiment of the top according to the invention, a four-bar linkage comprising a bow link, a control link, and a coupling link is connected to each first main link. At least one transverse bow which is rigidly attached to the bow links of the link assemblies and across which the top cover is stretched (tensioned) in the covering position can extend between the link assemblies disposed on either side of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the top.

In another embodiment of the top according to the invention, at least one transverse bow is rigidly attached to the second main links. The transverse bow extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle and connects the two link assemblies disposed on either side of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the top. In the covering position, the top cover is stretched across the transverse bow, the transverse bow being pivotable in a defined manner owing to its direct connection to the second main links.

In a specific embodiment of the top according to the invention, at least one bow link is pivotably mounted on each of the link assemblies, in particular on the second main links. A transverse bow can be rigidly attached to the bow links. Said transverse bow can be a corner bow which extends in a transverse direction of the top and which, when the top linkage is in the covering position, defines an area of transition of the top cover between a roof portion and a vehicle rear.

Also, a tensioning bow can be pivotably mounted on the vehicle-attached main bearings disposed on either side of the longitudinal center plane of the top, said tensioning bow connecting the vehicle-attached main bearings and serving to stretch (tension) the top cover in the longitudinal direction of the top in the covering position.

In a preferred embodiment of the top according to the invention, the first main link is substantially L-shaped, meaning it comprises a long leg and a short leg. The long leg extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when the top linkage is in the covering position. The short leg, which is pivotably mounted on the vehicle-attached main bearing, extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle when the top linkage is in the covering position.

The long leg is a roof side beam, for example, which carries a weather strip, in particular a one-piece weather strip. When the top linkage is in the covering position, the front end of the first main link can reach the front header or come close to the front header of a vehicle body.

According to another aspect, a convertible vehicle comprising a top of the kind described above is proposed.

The convertible vehicle is an off-road vehicle or a sports utility vehicle, for example.

In the drawing, an embodiment of a convertible vehicle having a top according to the invention is illustrated in a schematically simplified manner and will be explained in more detail in the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a convertible vehicle10being an off-road vehicle and comprising a vehicle body62, which encloses a vehicle interior, and a vehicle roof in the form of a top12. In a covering position as illustrated inFIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, top12, which is a folding top, extends between a front header64, which forms an upper leg of a windshield frame extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and a rear edge extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle and forming an area of transition to a vehicle rear66.

Top12comprises a top cover14which can be displaced by means of a top linkage18. Top linkage18can be displaced between the covering position, which is illustrated inFIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, and a storage position, which is shown inFIGS. 4 and 8. When top linkage18is in the storage position, the vehicle interior is open at the top and top12is stored in a rear storage space of vehicle body62.

Top linkage18comprises a link assembly20on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top. Link assemblies20are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle, which is why, for the sake of clarity, only link assembly20on the left with respect to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle will be described below.

Link assemblies20each comprise a four-bar linkage having a first main link22, a second main link24, and a coupling link26connecting first main link22and second main link24.

First main link22is L-shaped and comprises a long leg22aand a short leg22b. When the linkage assembly is in a covering position, long leg22aextends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and short leg22bextends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Short leg22bis pivotably mounted on a vehicle-attached main bearing16via a hinge point52. In the covering position, long leg22aforms a roof side beam having a weather strip23. The front end of first main link22reaches or comes close to front header64of convertible vehicle10. In the covering position, coupling link26runs approximately parallel to long leg22aof main link22.

A front bow32is rigidly attached to the front end of long leg22a. Front bow32extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle between link assemblies20disposed on either side of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the top.

Second main link24is pivotably mounted on vehicle-attached main bearing16in a hinge point54. At its end located at the top when in the covering position, second main link24is pivotably connected to coupling link26.

Furthermore, top linkage18comprises three tube-like transverse bows34,36,38and a tube-like corner bow40, which extend in the transverse direction of the roof and across which top cover14is stretched when in the covering position.

Front transverse bow34is rigidly attached to a bow link42. Bow link42, a control link28pivotably connected to first main link22, and coupling link26together form a four-bar linkage, bow link42pivotably connecting control link28and coupling link26.

Middle transverse bow36is rigidly attached to second main link24, in particular to a protrusion of second main link24, said protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when in the covering position. Rear transverse bow38and corner bow40are each rigidly attached to a bow link44and46, respectively, via which they are pivotably connected to second main link24.

When top linkage18is in the covering position, corner bow40defines an area of transition of the top cover between a roof portion and vehicle rear66.

A tensioning bow50, which runs at the height of a beltline surrounding a cargo space and which surrounds the vehicle interior at the rear, is pivotably connected to vehicle-attached main bearings16disposed on either side of the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle.

REFERENCE SIGNS