Convertible automobile

Abstract: A convertible automobile (11) in which the body (13) is provided with a housing (15) having a cover element (16) and located to the rear of a pair of seats (14) in proximity to the rear axle (40), and with a roof panel (18) connecting the windscreen to the rear window; the roof panel (18), the windscreen (17), the rear window (19) and the body (13) define the automobile passenger compartment (20); the roof panel (18) and the rear window (19) are two rigid elements which are separate from each other and are mobile between a position in which they define the passenger compartment roof and a position in which the passenger compartment is uncovered. The roof panel (18) and rear window (19) remain connected to the body (13) of the automobile during each stage of the uncovering of the automobile (11) and of their positioning in the housing (15).

Description: This invention relates to a convertible automobile. Innumerable automobiles of this type are known in which the passenger compartment roof is generally constructed of a non-rigid material which can be easily folded, for example in the manner of bellows, behind a pair of seats. These types of automobile always present considerable problems in terms of gasket sealing, air infiltration, roof material deterioration and noise. Other automobiles of this type have been constructed with a roof panel of rigid material which can be dismantled and stored in suitable compartments in the automobile or even removed from the automobile altogether. This construction has obvious problems in terms of space requirements and the slowness of the operations involved in disengaging, storing and re-engaging the roof panel. A convertible automobile according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE-A-3 639 376 The object of the present invention is to provide a passenger compartment roof which is constructed of rigid elements but which can be disassembled such that by means of suitable movements it can be stored automatically or semi-automatically in a suitable housing provided to the rear of a pair of seats. This object is attained according to the present invention by a convertible automobile according to claim 1. The cover element of the housing is slidingly mobile by means of a pair of guides engaged with internal walls of said body. In one embodiment of the present invention the rear window is hinged on at least one side to a pair of levers connected together by a crosspiece, at least one of said levers having a hinge point positioned approximately within a middle portion of the side of said body, said hinge enabling said rear window to enter said open housing in a position close to said axle by undergoing an upward translational movement and a downward rotary movement. The roof panel is fixed to a system of levers, at least one of which is essentially of L-shape and which have a hinge point positioned within a portion of said body close to its upper edge, said system of levers being able to move said roof panel with translational movement towards said housing and to rotate said roof panel so that it positions itself to the front of said rear window within said housing. According to the invention an electro-hydraulic or electro-mechanical drive can be provided for the translational movement and rotation of said rear window and said roof panel. The structural and operational characteristics and advantages of a convertible automobile according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description given hereinafter by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figures 1 to 6 are side elevational views of an automobile according to the present invention with the component elements of the passenger compartment roof in different operating positions. In the figures the reference numeral 11 indicates overall an automobile according to the invention and 12 its body, of which the rear portion is indicated by 13. In the body portion 13 there is provided, to the rear of a pair of seats 14, a housing 15 having a cover element 16 and positioned in proximity to the automobile rear axle 40. The windscreen 17, the roof panel 18 and the rear window 19 together define the passenger compartment 20 of the automobile. The cover element 16 of the housing 15 is slidingly movable towards the rear portion of the body 12 by means of a pair of guides 21 which engage the inner walls of the body portion 13. The rear window 19 is fixed on each side to a pair of levers 22, connected together by a crosspiece 23, by means of hinges 24 and 25 which enable the rear window to undergo translational and rotary movements. A hinge point 30 for the pair of levers 22 is provided within an approximately middle portion of the body side. The roof panel 18 is hinged to a system of levers indicated by 26 and 27, the hinge point 28 of which is situated in a position close to the upper edge 29 of the body. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the articulated connections constituted by the hinged levers for the rear window and roof panel and also the movable cover element can be operated by an electro-hydraulic or electro-mechanical system. These systems must be synchronized to enable the configuration of the automobile passenger compartment to be modified, as shown in Figures 1 to 6. Specifically, Figure 1 shows a first stage in which the rear window 19 is raised upwards, in Figure 2 the rear window 19 remains in the same position while the cover element 16 slides towards the rear of the body to thus leave the space required to rotate the rear window 19 for its insertion into the housing 15 (shown in Figure 3). Figures 4 and 5 show the translational and rotary movements of the roof panel 18, which is inserted into the housing 15 in front of the rear window 19. Figure 6 shows the final stage of this modification of the configuration of an automobile passenger compartment, in which the cover element 16 again slides frontwards to cover the housing in which the rear window 19 and roof panel 18 have been stored. The roof panel and rear window as described in the present invention can be constructed of rigid materials, so giving the automobile an improved tightness against both water and air, with an undoubted improvement in noise characteristics. In practice a convertible automobile is obtained having the same characteristics as an automobile the passenger compartment of which is covered with a fixed rigid structure.

Claims: A convertible automobile (11) in which the body (12) is provided with a housing (15) having a cover element (16,19) located to the rear of a pair of seats (14) in proximity to the rear axle (40), and with a roof panel (18) connecting the windscreen (17) to the cover element (16,19), said roof panel (18), said windscreen (17), said cover element (16,19) and said body (12) defining the passenger compartment (20) of said automobile, wherein said roof panel (18) and said cover element (16,19) are two separate elements and are movable between a position in which they define the passenger compartment roof and a position in which said passenger compartment is uncovered, said cover element (16,19) or said housing (15) being movable to enable said roof panel (18) to disappear into said housing (15) by successive rotary and translational movements, characterised in that said cover element comprises a rear window (19) and an end cover element (16), in that said end cover element (16) is slidingly movable between a rear position on a rear portion (13) of said body and a forward position within said passenger compartment (20) by a pair of internal guides (21) engaged with inner walls of said rear portion (13) of the body, and in that said rear window (19) is movable into said housing by independent rotary and translational movements. A convertible automobile as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said rear window (19) is hinged on at least one side to a pair of levers (22) connected together by a crosspiece (23), one of said levers having a hinge point (30) positioned approximately within a middle portion of the side of said body, said hinge point (30) enabling said rear window (19) to enter said open housing (15) in a position close to said rear axle (40) by undergoing an upward translational movement and a downward rotary movement. A convertible automobile as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said roof panel (18) is fixed to a system of levers (26,27), at least one (26) of which is essentially of L-shape and which have a hinge point (28) positioned within a portion of said body close to its upper edge (29), said system of levers (26,27) being able to move said roof panel (18) with translational movement towards said housing (15) and to rotate said roof panel (18) so that it positions itself to the front of said rear window (19) within said housing (15). A convertible automobile as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that an electro-hydraulic drive is provided for the translational movement and rotation of said rear window (19) and said roof panel (18). A convertible automobile as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that an electro-mechanical drive is provided for the translational movement and rotation of said rear window (19 and said roof panel (18).

Inventors: BENEDETTO CARMELO, BERTELLI ALBERTO, BENEDETTO, CARMELO, BERTELLI, ALBERTO
Applicants: FIAT AUTO SPA, FIAT AUTO S.P.A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B60J7
IPC codes: B60J7