Trunk for convertible vehicle with folding roof, comprising a trunk lid and a rear shelf

A trunk for a convertible vehicle with a folding roof comprises a trunk lid which can open on the one hand for stowing the folded roof and on the other hand for stowing luggage. A rear shelf extends under the rear part of the roof in the closed position on the vehicle and folds to allow the folded roof to pass. The rear shelf is articulated to the front edge of the trunk lid and is mobile between a position in which it extends between the front edge of the trunk lid and a wall that closes the front of the trunk and a folded position in which it extends under the trunk lid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention concerns a trunk for convertible vehicles having a 
folding roof, comprising a trunk lid adapted to open on the one hand for 
stowing the folded roof and on the other hand for stowing luggage and a 
rear shelf extending under the rear part of the roof when in the closed 
position on the vehicle and able to fold to allow the folded roof to pass. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
French patent 2 728 199 discloses a device of the above kind in which the 
rear shelf pivots forward and downward when the roof moves toward the 
trunk after the trunk lid is opened from the front toward the rear. 
A device of the above kind necessitates many complicated components 
articulated to each other. 
The aim of the present invention is to remedy this drawback. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention consists of a trunk for a convertible vehicle with a folding 
roof comprising a trunk lid which can open on the one hand for stowing the 
folded roof and on the other hand for stowing luggage and a rear shelf 
extending under the rear part of the roof in the closed position on the 
vehicle, adapted to fold to allow the folded roof to pass, articulated to 
the front edge of the trunk lid and mobile between a position in which it 
extends between the front edge of the trunk lid and a wall that closes the 
front of the trunk and a folded position in which it extends under the 
trunk lid. 
Because the rear shelf is attached to the trunk lid, the shelf, when folded 
toward the lid, follows opening and closing of the lid whilst completely 
freeing access to the trunk for luggage or the folded roof. 
In an advantageous version of the invention the rear shelf is articulated 
to the front edge of the trunk lid by at least one swan-neck member. 
In a first version of the invention the trunk lid is articulated to the 
rear part of the trunk so that it can open from the front toward the rear. 
In a second version of the invention the trunk lid is articulated to the 
front of the trunk so that it can open from the rear toward the front. 
In this version the rear part of the folding roof includes a wall that 
closes the space between the front edge of the trunk lid and the wall that 
closes the front of the trunk. 
Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in 
the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, the trunk for a convertible vehicle with a folding 
roof 1 comprises a trunk lid 2 that can open on the one hand for stowing 
the folded roof 1 and on the other hand for stowing luggage. 
The trunk further comprises a rear shelf 3 extending under the rear part 1a 
of the roof 1 when it is in the closed position on the vehicle. The rear 
shelf 3 can fold to enable the folded roof 1 to pass. 
In accordance with the invention, the rear shelf 3 is articulated at 3a to 
the front edge 2a of the trunk lid 2 and can move between a position in 
which it extends between the front edge 2a of the trunk lid 2 and a wall 4 
that closes the front of the trunk 5 and a folded position in which it 
extends under the trunk lid 2. 
In the example shown, the rear shelf 3 is articulated to the front edge 2a 
of the trunk lid 2 by at least one swan-neck member 6. 
In the version shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the trunk lid 2 is articulated at 7 
to the rear part 8 of the trunk so that it can open from the front toward 
the rear, as shown by the arrow F. 
In the above version, means are provided for successively: 
pivoting the rear shelf 3 to fold it under the trunk lid 2, 
opening the trunk lid 2 by rotating it from the front toward the rear, 
folding the roof 2 and stowing the folded roof in the trunk 5, and 
folding the rear shelf 3 toward the front (see FIG. 2) to close the space 
between the front edge 2a of the trunk lid 2 and the wall 4 that closes 
the front of the trunk 5. 
FIG. 3 shows how the rear shelf 3 is pivoted by an electric motor 9 coupled 
to two shafts 10 coupled to the rotation spindle 3a of the swan-neck 
members 6. 
The trunk lid 2 is pivoted in the direction of the arrow F in FIG. 1 by an 
actuator that is not shown in the drawings. 
In the version shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 the trunk lid 11 is articulated at 12 
to the front of the trunk 5 so that it can open from the rear toward the 
front, in the direction of the arrow F.sub.1. 
In this version, the rear part of the foldable roof 13 includes a wall 14 
that closes the space between the front edge 11a of the trunk lid 11 and 
the wall 4 that closes the front of the trunk 5. 
When the roof 13 is in the closed position on the vehicle, the rear shelf 3 
articulated at 3a to the front edge 11a of the trunk lid 11 is folded 
under the latter, as shown in FIG. 5. 
In this position the rear of the trunk lid 11 is locked to the rear part 8 
of the trunk 5. 
In the above version, means are provided for successively: 
opening the trunk lid 11, the rear shelf 3 being folded under the trunk lid 
11 by rotating it from the rear toward the front, 
folding the roof 13 and stowing the folded roof in the trunk 5, and 
folding the rear shelf 3 toward the front to close the space between the 
front edge 11a of the trunk lid and the wall 4 closing the front of the 
trunk 5, as shown in FIG. 7. 
The rear shelf 3 can be pivoted by an electric motor coupled to the spindle 
3a. 
The trunk lid 11 can be pivoted about the articulation 12 by an actuator. 
Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment just described to 
which many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of 
the invention.