Cover device for the removable roof of a convertible and a convertible with such a cover device

A cover device for the roof (2) of a convertible type motor vehicle, which roof can be deposited in the rear area of the vehicle, the cover device being movably supported to clear a through opening for the roof (2) and having a rear cover part (5) which is movably supported on the body and a front cover part (11) which is supported on the rear cover part (5) and can be moved between a cover position in which it extends forward from the rear cover part (11), and a deposited position in which it is located under the rear cover part (5). The front cover part (11) can be moved by a first bearing mechanism (12, 13, 14) relative to the rear cover part (5) in the lengthwise direction and can be raised and lowered by a second bearing mechanism (15, 16) relative to the rear cover part (11).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a cover device for the roof of a convertible, which roof can be deposited in the rear area of the vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to such a cover device which is movably supported to clear an opening in the roof, and having front and rear cover parts, the rear cover part being movably supported on the vehicle body and the front cover part being supported on the rear cover part for movement between a cover position extending forward from the rear cover part, and a deposited position in which it is located under the rear cover part. The invention also relates to a convertible vehicle with such a cover device.

2. Description of Related Art

Published German Patent Application DE 199 43 860 A1 discloses a cover device of a convertible in which a cover part which covers the storage space for a convertible top is movably supported to clear an opening in the roof and there is an extensive extension which can be adjusted by means of a four-bar device between a lowered position under the cover with the roof closed and a cover position in front of the cover with the roof opened. The four-bar device, on each side of the roof, has a quadruple joint with two pivot rods which are supported to be able to pivot around pivot axes which are fixed on the cover part, and which rods adjust the extension in a combined pivoting-sliding motion so that the top of the extension faces upward in all positions. The possible displacement path of the extension between its two end positions is limited by the length of the two connecting rods of the quadruple joint, long connecting rods requiring a large path swinging motion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to devise a cover device of the initially mentioned type in which the extension can be adjusted by improved bearing means, and to make provide a convertible vehicle with such a cover device.

The indicated object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the front cover part can be moved by a first bearing means relative to the rear cover part in the lengthwise direction and can be raised and lowered by a second bearing means relative to the rear cover part. By dividing the bearing of the front cover part among two bearing means, a lowering motion is enabled which requires only a small path of motion. Furthermore, an additional, likewise, space-saving linear motion, for example, which takes place essentially parallel to the rear cover part, is sufficient to move the lowered front cover part to under the rear cover part.

Preferably, the first bearing means contains a first guide rail which is supported on the rear cover part and a second guide rail which is movably supported on the first guide rail and can be extended forward and bears the front cover part. According to a preferred embodiment, if the first guide rail is securely mounted on the rear cover part, the second bearing means contains a lifting means for raising and lowering the front cover part. Thus, in addition to an extension lengthwise motion, a lifting motion can also be produced.

One simple configuration calls for the second bearing means to be a multi-bar mechanism, and especially a four bar mechanism, which supports the front cover part on the second guide rail. However, there can also be spindle drives or scissors mechanisms for vertical adjustment of the front cover part.

Feasibly, the second bearing means or the multi-bar or four bar mechanism is supported on a carriage which is supported to be able to move longitudinally on the second guide rail. For lift control, the second guide rail can has a guide path which is in controlling engagement with a control part of the first bearing means and controls lifting or lowering of the front cover part. Here, the four bar mechanism preferably has a control rod which contains the control part and a second rod which is pivotally coupled, on the one hand, to the carriage, and on the other hand, to the front cover part. Then, the guide path on the front section of the second guide rail can have a control section which deflects the control part up, and thus, swings the control rod up when the carriage is moved into its front end position. In this way, simple and reliable mechanical control of movement is provided.

In one alternative configuration, the second bearing means has a pivot bearing which supports the first guide rail on its rear section for a vertical swinging motion relative to the rear cover part. Then, the extended front cover part can carry out its lifting motion by pivoting the first guide rail. An especially mechanically acting adjustment mechanism for swinging the first guide rail can be located in a dynamic connection between it and the rear cover part.

The rear cover part is preferably a trunk lid which is supported around a rear pivot axis on the body, and the front cover part forms a cover of the convertible top compartment. Furthermore, the front cover part can have two elements which can be displaced relative to one another in the lengthwise direction and which can be deposited in the stowed position on top of one another to save space.

The cover device is suitable for covering removable hardtop vehicle rooves with two roof parts and also with three or more roof parts and also for soft top rooves with a convertible top cover which is held on a fixed frame.

The cover device is explained in detail with reference to a single embodiment and the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A convertible vehicle1(inFIG. 1, only its rear area is shown schematically) contains a movable roof2which can be lowered for opening and which can be displaced between a closed position and an open position in which it is deposited in a rear stowage space or convertible top compartment3. The roof2according to this embodiment is a movable hardtop with several rigid roof parts which are located in succession in the closed position, as is disclosed, for example, as in published German Patent Application DE 199 43 860 A1. However, alternatively, the roof can also be a flexible soft top with a foldable convertible top rod. The roof part4(FIG. 1) or the C column (which is the rear column in the closed position of the roof2) adjoins a trunk lid5which is pivotally supported on the body by a pivot bearing means (not shown) to be able to pivot around a front pivot axis6(shown schematically) and can be swung up to clear a loading opening for loading and unloading the trunk7. In doing so, a rear end wall8, which is joined to the trunk lid5, is swung together with the trunk lid5. The rear end wall8closes a recess in the rear structure of the body which facilitates the loading and unloading of the trunk7.

The trunk lid5, which also covers the convertible top compartment3, which occupies, for example, part of the trunk7, is supported to pivot around a pivot axis9which is located in the area of the top edge of the rear end wall8. The trunk lid5is swung up around pivot axis9at its front edge10for producing a through opening for the roof2so that the roof2can be deposited in the convertible top compartment3or can be extended out of it. When, for example, the three-part hardtop roof2is deposited, for example, the front roof part pivots onto the middle roof part (not shown) and the rear roof part4onto the front roof part. This compact unit then swings into the convertible top compartment3.

The cover11of the convertible top compartment, as an extensive extension of the trunk lid5, is supported on the trunk lid5such that it can be displaced between a lowered position under the trunk lid5with the roof2closed (FIG. 1) and a cover position in front of the trunk lid5in the direction of travel where it is flush with the trunk lid when it is closed (FIG. 3) and the roof stored. A bearing means for the cover11of the convertible top compartment, on each side underneath the trunk lid5, contains an outer or rear guide rail12which is aligned in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle and which is permanently joined to the trunk lid5, and an inner or forward guide rail13which is movably supported on the outer guide rail12and can be telescoped forward out of the rear inserted position (FIGS.1&2).

On the inner guide rail13, a carriage or a slider plate14is movably supported. A front control rod15and a rear connecting rod16of a four bar linkage is supported on the slider plate14and pivotally supports the cover11of the convertible top compartment. The front control rod15is supported to pivot around a pivot axis17on the slider plate14and around a pivot axis18on the front carrier part19of the cover11of the convertible top compartment. One end of the rear connecting rod16is supported on the upwardly protruding bearing arm20, which is attached to the slider plate14, to be able to pivot around a pivot axis21and the other end is connected to the rear carrier part22of the cover11of the convertible top compartment to be able to pivot around a pivot axis23.

The inner guide rail13contains a guide path24which extends parallel to the guide of the slider plate14and on its front end has a deflection section25which is curved forwardly upward. A control pin26projects laterally from the control rod15and is movably held in the guide path24.

Movement of the cover11of the convertible top compartment takes place, for example, by means of a compression-tension cable27, e.g., a Bowden cable (seeFIGS. 2 & 9) as is known, for example, for drives for motor vehicle sliding roofs and which, on the one hand, is connected to the slider plate14, and on the other, to a drive means, for example, an electric motor28which is supported on the trunk lid. A guide29for the compression-tension cable27is located on the inner guide rail13(FIG.10).

In the closed position of the roof2(FIGS. 1 & 2) and with the trunk lid5closed, the inner guide rail13and the slider plate14are located in their rear initial position, the inner guide rail13being fixed on the external guide rail12by a locking means, for example, the locking block mechanism known from published German Patent Application DE 44 27 442 A1 or German Patent DE 197 13 348 C1 and also being permanently connected to the slider plate14. The front control rod15and the rear connecting rod16are swung into their lower position, and thus, keep the cover11of the convertible top compartment in its pushed-back deposited position under the trunk lid5.

When the trunk lid5is swung up (FIG. 5) by a driving motor (not shown), the slider plate14and the inner guide rail13which is coupled to it is pushed or telescoped forward along the outer guide rail12by means of the compression-tension cable27. The slider plate14has initially cancelled the fixing of the inner guide rail13on the outer guide rail12by the locking means, but itself remains fixed on the back end of the inner guide rail13until the inner guide rail13has reached its front end position on the outer guide rail12and is locked on it during joint displacement (FIG.5). By means of further driving motion of the compression-tension cable27, the slider plate14is released from its fixing on the back end of the inner guide rail13and is pushed along the inner guide rail13, the front control rod15and the rear connecting rod16of the four-bar linkage mechanism remaining in their pivoted-down position until the control pin26of the front control rod15in the deflection section25moves up on the front end of the inner guide rail13, and thus, swings the front control rod15up (FIG.4). The cover11of the convertible top compartment, in its forward cover position on the front edge10of the trunk lid5, is moved up by the four-bar linkage mechanism, where it forms the front extension (FIG.8).

Now, the roof2is lowered in the known manner into the convertible top compartment3and then the trunk lid5swung back down into its closed position in which the cover11of the convertible top compartment closes the opening which is covered by the shelf30with the roof2closed. The shelf30is connected, for example, securely to the rear roof part4and is lowered with it, but it can also be an independently moved part.

The illustrated support of the cover11of the convertible top compartment can, in general, be a multiple joint device, for example, a septuple linkage mechanism, instead of the four-bar linkage mechanism.

The driving of the cover11of the convertible top compartment or its bearing means can also take place via a respective rack which is connected to the slider plate14of the respective bearing means. To synchronize the two racks of the right and left bearing means, there can be a shaft which is drive-engaged with the two racks at the same time. Driving takes place by means of a motor which drives a shaft or the like.

In general, there can be an electric, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical drive. Alternatively, instead of its own driving means, the driving motion for displacing the cover of the convertible top compartment can be carried out by the drive mechanism for the trunk lid and/or by the driving mechanism for depositing the roof.

According to another embodiment, the bearing means for the cover11of the convertible top compartment contains a rear guide rail31which is coupled to pivot around a rear pivot axis32on the trunk lid5. The front guide rail33is movably supported on the rear guide rail31and can be telescoped forward from the position telescoped into one another (motion fromFIG. 11to FIG.13). The cover11of the convertible top compartment is fixedly or movably supported on the front guide rail33so that it travels into its front extended position either by extending the front guide rail33or by additional movement on the front guide rail33, and from which position, it is moved around the pivot axis32up into its cover position or expanded position on the front edge10of the trunk lid5by pivoting the rear guide rail31. The pivoting of the rear guide rail31is carried out, for example, by means of a connecting rod mechanism or a pivoting rail34(seeFIG. 15) which is movably supported on the rear guide rail31and has a journal35which fits into the pivoting linkage36which is mounted on the trunk lid5. The pivoting linkage36is located at an angle relative to the lengthwise extension of the rear guide rail31so that by means of the journal35and the pivoting rail34, the rear guide rail31being swung up during the extension of the front guide rail33or after extension of the front guide rail33.

The cover11of the convertible top compartment can be formed in two parts or several parts in the lengthwise direction (shown inFIGS. 11to15) so that in its rest or deposited position under the trunk lid5, for example, the front part37of the cover11of the convertible top compartment is pushed at least partially to the rear over the rear cover part38of the cover11of the convertible top compartment. When the two-part cover11of the convertible top compartment is pushed forward by means of the front guide rail33, the rear lower cover part38is first pushed into its forward position, and then, the front, upper cover part37is pushed relative to the rear cover part37farther forward into its front end position. The mutual displacement motion of the individual cover parts37,38against one another can take place, for example, by means of a connecting rod connection.