Abstract:
A wind deflector ( 5 ) for a motor vehicle with roof or a convertible top which can be transferred to a stowage space. The wind deflector ( 5 ) is pivotally supported on a cross beam ( 4 ) which extends over the front windshield ( 3 ), and it can be pivoted by a drive ( 13 ) which also actuates a detachable interlock of the convertible top ( 2 ) on the cross beam ( 4 ), depending on the position of the raising mechanism ( 18 ) which is actuated by the drive means ( 13 ) for the wind deflector ( 5 ), a locking device ( 11 ) is coupled to the drive ( 13 ) or is uncoupled from it.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to a wind deflector for a motor vehicle with a convertible top which can be transferred to a stowage space, the wind deflector being pivotally supported on a cross beam which extends over the front windshield, and it can be pivoted by a drive means on the cross beam of the windshield which also actuates a detachable interlock of the convertible top.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,388 discloses a convertible motor vehicle roof which can be stored in a storage space, and which is provided with a raisable wind deflector. To raise the wind deflector, an electric drive is provided in the front cross beam above the windshield with which different positions of the wind deflector can be set. In addition, unlocking of the lateral roof parts from the front cross beam can also be produced with the drive when the motor vehicle roof is being opened and lowered.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    A primary object of the invention is to devise a wind deflector of the aforementioned type which has a drive with a simple and reliable structure.  
           [0006]    This object is achieved in the aforementioned wind deflector in accordance with the invention in that, depending on the position of the raising mechanism which is actuated by the drive means, the locking means for the wind deflector is coupled to the drive means or is decoupled from it.  
           [0007]    In this way, actuation of the locking means, actuation with a simple structure, is made available, since the actuation of the locking means is derived from the motion or the position of the raising mechanism. Thus the locking means does not require its own drive connection or drive means. Preferably the drive means contains a raising mechanism with a movable carriage and a raising lever which couples the carriage to the wind deflector and, depending on the carriage position, adjusts the swivelling position of the wind deflector. The carriage can be guided linearly or also on a curved path.  
           [0008]    Furthermore, in a wind deflector for a motor vehicle which is pivotally supported on a cross beam which extends above the front window and can be raised by a drive means, the aforementioned object is also achieved in that the drive means has a raising mechanism with a movable carriage and a raising lever which couples the carriage to the wind deflector and adjusts the pivot position of the wind deflector depending on the carriage position. On its guide, the carriage can also accommodate large reaction forces which are applied via the raised wind deflector. To move or fix the carriage, only a comparatively small force is necessary. Feasibly, the drive means on the cross beam also actuates the detachable locking means of a convertible top which can be transferred into a stowage space. Thus, only one drive means for the wind deflector and also for locking the convertible top, especially of side roof members of a rigid component convertible top, is necessary.  
           [0009]    When the carriage is movably guided essentially parallel to the pivot axis of the wind deflector, there is uniform symmetrical motion of the raising lever. Feasibly, the support of the raising lever on the wind deflector and/or on the carriage is formed in the manner of a socket joint which enables wear-free coupling for different positions of the raising lever.  
           [0010]    Preferably, the adjustment means for the wind deflector is made such that, in the first end position and in the second end position of the raising mechanism which can be moved by the drive means and in which the wind deflector is closed, the locking means is closed or opened, and that intermediate positions of the raising mechanism set different positions of the wind deflector.  
           [0011]    Instead of a permanent connection, the carriage can also be coupled, if necessary, via a coupling means to a transmission means, especially a lock cable, which actuates the locking means.  
           [0012]    Feasibly, the carriage can be coupled via a connectible driver depending on the position to the lock cable.  
           [0013]    In one embodiment in which the locking means has a movable twist-lock which can be coupled via the lock cable and the driver to the carriage, the carriage can be designed not only to unlock the twist-lock, but it can also push the twist-lock into its closed position. Then preferably the lock cable in its two directions of motion can be coupled via the driver to the carriage.  
           [0014]    Alternatively or in addition, the twist-lock of the locking means can be pre-tensioned by a closing spring in the closing direction.  
           [0015]    One preferred embodiment calls for the raising lever to be movably supported on the raising mechanism or on the carriage and to be pre-tensioned via a spring means in the closing direction of the wind deflector. The spring means ensures that there is no rigid coupling when the wind deflector is being closed, but spring-elastic compensation is possible. By means of two springs, in both end positions of the carriage, this respective spring-elastic compensation can be made available.  
           [0016]    One embodiment of the wind deflector is explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective overhead view a convertible motor vehicle roof with a wind deflector in the closed position;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a drive means of the wind deflector with a locking means for a lateral roof member;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is an enlarged lengthwise sectional view of part of the raising mechanism of the wind deflector;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the raising mechanism shown in FIG. 3 in the closed and locking position;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 a perspective view of the drive means shown in FIG. 2 with partially omitted housing parts;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is an enlarged lengthwise sectional view of the lock of the locking means for the lateral roof member;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the lock of the locking means shown in FIG. 6;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is an enlarged lengthwise sectional view of the part of the raising mechanism of the wind deflector shown in FIG. 3 in an intermediate position with the wind deflector raised;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a plan view of the drive means of the wind deflector as shown in FIG. 2 with the locking means in the intermediate position with the wind deflector raised;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is an enlarged lengthwise sectional view of the part of the raising mechanism of the wind deflector shown in FIG. 8 in the end position with the lock unlocked and with the wind deflector swung down;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a plan view the drive means of the wind deflector as shown in FIG. 9 with the locking means in the end position with the lock unlocked and with the wind deflector swung down; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is a perspective plan view of the arrangement of the wind deflector on the windshield apron of the motor vehicle. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]    A passenger vehicle  1  with a convertible top or vehicle roof  2  which can be can be lowered into a rear convertible top compartment contains a front window  3  and a cross beam  4  or apron which extends crosswise above the front window  3  and on which the wind deflector  5  is pivotally supported in the manner of a louver which can be swung up. The motor vehicle roof  2  has a front cover  6  which is formed, for example, as an externally-guided sliding and lifting roof cover, a rear roof element  7 , a rear window element  8  and lateral roof members  9  on which the front cover  6  and the rear roof element  7  are movably guided. The lateral roof members  9  can be locked at their front end  10  on the front cross beam  4  or on the lateral A-columns  12  via respective locking means  11 .  
         [0030]    On the front cross beam  4 , there is a drive means  13  for the wind deflector  5  which, for actuating the respective locking means  11 , both of the right and also the left side roof member  9 , is also connected to them. To open and stow the motor vehicle roof  2 , the front cover  6  and the rear roof element  7  are moved to the rear onto the rear window element  8 . Then, after unlocking the respective locking means  11 , the lateral roof member  9 , which can be divided in the lengthwise direction into several roof member parts as shown in FIG. 1, is moved to the rear via its own drive (not shown) and is deposited with the rear element  8  in the storage space or convertible top compartment. The motor vehicle roof  2  then has a structure, for example, according to the motor vehicle roof described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,388 and lowering takes place in a comparable manner.  
         [0031]    The following description addresses the left half of the wind deflector or motor vehicle roof which is built largely symmetrically to the lengthwise center plane of the motor vehicle, but the description applies to the right half as well.  
         [0032]    The drive means  13  contains an electric drive motor  14  which is attached roughly in the middle of the cross beam  4  by means of a holder  15  (see FIG. 2). The drive motor  14  by means of step-down gearing drives each drive cable  17  which is guided in a jacket  16 . The drive cables  17  is formed, for example, as a Bowden cable, and is coupled to the raising mechanism  18  of the wind deflector  5 . The raising mechanism  18  contains a carriage  19  (see, FIGS. 3 &amp; 4) which is movably supported on a bearing profile rail  20  and is connected to the drive cable  17 . A bearing rod  21  is permanently connected to the carriage  19 , and a bearing sleeve  22  is movable located on the rod  21  between two helical springs  23 ,  24  which engage against the carriage  19  or the opposing end collar  25  of the bearing rod  21 . On the bearing sleeve  22 , a raising lever  27  (see, FIGS. 2 &amp; 5) is hinged for movement around a pivot axis  29  of a joint  28  and is connected on its other end by means of a socket joint  30  to a hinge part  31  which is mounted on the cross beam  4  to be able to pivot around a pivot axis  32  which runs crosswise of the roof and to which the wind deflector  5  is attached. The raising lever  27  is formed in two parts such that its two ends can be twisted relative to one another around its lengthwise axis.  
         [0033]    The carriage  19  is in a position away from the drive motor  14  (see, FIGS. 2, 3, and  5 ) in the closed position in which the joint  28  with the carriage  19  has the greatest distance from the vertical lengthwise plane through the hinge part  31 . The raising lever  27  has pulled the hinge part  31  down into the closed position against a rubber buffer  33  (FIG. 5) as an end stop. Thus, the wind deflector  5  is in its closed position which is flush on the motor vehicle roof  2 .  
         [0034]    From the raising mechanism  18 , a lock cable  34  leads to a lock  35  of the locking means  11  which lies laterally on the outside. The end of the lock cable  34  is guided in a bar  36  of the lock  35  (see, FIG. 6) and is permanently connected by means of a connecting pin  37  to a cylindrical lock pin  38 . The lock pin  38  is movably held in a cylindrical hole  39  of the vehicle-mounted lock housing  40 . The front end of the lock pin  38  is connected via a screw thread to a twist-lock  41  which is movably held in the bearing sleeve  42  which has been inserted in the hole  39 . The back end of the lock pin  38  is movably held in a bearing sleeve  43  which is held in a hole of the housing cover  44  which is screwed in the hole  39  of the lock housing  40 . A helical or lock spring  45  surrounds the lock pin  38  and is supported on the front side on a collar  46  of the lock pin  38  and on the back side on the housing cover  44 . The helical spring  45  pretensions the lock pin  38  in the closing direction (to the left in FIG. 6).  
         [0035]    The lock housing  40  and the bearing sleeve  42  have a lateral opening  47  in the area of the twist-lock  41  towards the hole  39  in which the retaining clip  48  of the side roof member  9  is positioned in its closed state such that (see, FIG. 6) the twist-lock  41  can be pushed through an opening  49  which is aligned coaxially relative to the twist-lock  41  and is formed in the retaining clip  48 , and thus, can keep the retaining clip  48  locked on the locking means  11  and the lock  35 .  
         [0036]    The drive-side end of the lock cable  34  (see, FIG. 3) is permanently connected to an elongated driver  50  which is movably supported in the bearing profile rail  20  of the raising mechanism  18  parallel to the carriage  19  and has a locking stop  51  on its end facing the lock  35  and an unlocking stop  52  on its opposite end facing the raising mechanism  18 . Depending on the direction of motion of the carriage  19 , a carriage driver part  53  can be caused to engage the locking stop  51  or the unlocking stop  52  and push the driver  50  and thus the lock pin  38 .  
         [0037]    In the closed position of the motor vehicle roof  2  in which the lateral roof members  9  are coupled to the cross beam  4  and are kept interlocked with the locking means thereto (see, FIG. 1) and the front cover  5  can be closed or even partially or completely opened, the carriage  19  is located on the lock-side end of the bearing profile rail  20  (FIG. 3) and the raising lever  27  has pulled the hinge part  31  down into its closed position (FIGS. 2 &amp; 5) so that the wind deflector  5  is flush against the motor vehicle roof  2 . At the same time, the driver  50  of the lock cable  34  is in its front end position, and thus, also the lock pin  38  which keeps the twist-lock  41  in the opening  49  of the retaining clip  48  of the side member  9 .  
         [0038]    To open and lower the motor vehicle roof  2 , the drive motor  14  is actuated and moves the carriage  19  on the bearing profile rail  20  in the direction to the drive motor  14  by means of the drive cable  17  (motion between FIGS. 3 &amp; 8). In doing so, the raising lever  27  pivots the hinge part  31  upward so that the wind deflector  5  is raised (FIG. 9). The carriage  19 , which has been moved farther via its carriage-driver part  53 , engages the unlocking stop  52  of the driver  50 , and on the way into its end position (see, FIG. 10), via the driver  50  and the lock cable  34 , pulls the lock pin  38  and the twist-lock  41  out of their closed position into their open position in which the twist-lock  41  is disengaged from the opening  49  of the retaining clip  48  of the side member  9 . Thus, the side member  9  can be moved to the rear away from the cross member  4  via its lowering drive.  
         [0039]    In the end position of the carriage  19  (FIGS. 10 &amp; 11), the raising lever  27 , which has continued to move, has been moved out of its maximally raised position into its second closed position in which it has again pivot the hinge part  31  down so that the wind deflector  5  is closed again.  
         [0040]    To raise the wind deflector  5  with the motor vehicle roof  5  lowered, by means of the drive motor  14 , the carriage  10  is moved between its end position facing the drive  13  (see, FIG. 11) and its middle position in which the raising lever  27  has pivoted the hinge part  31  to the maximum degree (FIG. 9). Via an actuation means, any pivot positions of the wind deflector  5  can be set. Adjustment can take place, for example, automatically based on a noise measurement or depending on the driving speed.  
         [0041]    Before coupling the lateral roof members  9  to the cross beam  4 , the drive motor  14  moves the carriage  19  into its end position facing away from the lock  35  (closed position of the wind deflector  5 ; FIG. 10) in which the lock pin  38  is withdrawn, and thus, the lock  35  is opened. The front end  10  of the roof member  9  is moved into position on the cross beam  4  and coupled such that the opening  49  is flush with the twist-lock  41 . The drive motor  14  moves the carriage  19  against the lock  35 , accompanied by the described swinging-in and -out motion of the wind deflector  5 , the moving carriage  19  imparting to the driver  50  a displacement motion which is caused by the return force of the lock spring  45 . If the spring force of the lock spring  45  should not be enough to move the lock pin  38  and the driver  50  into their closed position, the front carriage-driver part  53  of the carriage  19  engages the locking stop  51  of the driver  50  and presses it into its closed position.  
         [0042]    With the side member  9  coupled and the lock  35  locked, the pivot position of the wind deflector  5  is set on the first half of the displacement motion of the carriage  19 , in which the drive  50  for the lock  35  is not actuated.  
         [0043]    The rubber buffer  33  is, for example, supported to be vertically adjustable via a screw on a holder or the cross beam  4  so that the wind deflector  5  in its lowered closed position can be adjusted to be exactly flush with the outside skin of the motor vehicle roof. The length of the raising lever  27  is adjustable, for example, via two parts of the raising lever  27  which can be screwed against one another.  
         [0044]    In the two opposing end positions of the carriage  19  of the raising means  18  (see, FIGS. 3 &amp; 6), the pre-tensioned spring  23 ,  24  which is on the inside at the time presses on the bearing sleeve  22  in the closing direction of the raising lever  27 . This supporting of the bearing sleeve  22  or of the raising lever  27  between the two springs  23 ,  24  enables equalization of the tolerance, especially between the left-side raising means and the right-side raising means so that the wind deflector  5  always brought into engagement with the rubber buffer  33  by spring force in its closed position.  
         [0045]    Instead of the described coupling of the drive cable  17  to the lock cable  34 , a coupling means, for example, in the manner of a locking block mechanism can be used, as shown in German patent 43 29 580 C1.