Abstract:
A convertible roof for an automotive vehicle is provided. In one aspect of the present invention, a convertible roof includes first, second and third roof sections. At least one of the roof sections rotates over one hundred and eighty degrees when moving from a raised position to a stowed position. Another aspect of the present invention employs a balance link interconnecting the second roof section and the vehicle. Another aspect of the present invention provides that a substantial portion of one of the roof sections is positioned below a top of a vehicle wheel well.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to convertible roof structures for automotive vehicles and, more particularly, to a multi-part hard top convertible roof. 
     Retractable roofs for convertible automotive vehicles presently exist. Examples of traditional hard-top convertible roofs are disclosed in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,828 entitled “Actuation Mechanism for a Two Piece Retractable Hard-Top Roof for an Automobile” which issued to Rapin et al. on Feb. 19, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,793 entitled “Two Piece Retractable Hard-Top Roof for an Automobile” which issued to Rapin et al. on Nov. 20, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,970 entitled “Roof Assembly for a Convertible Vehicle” which issued to Rothe et al. on Nov. 9, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,375 entitled “Retractable Hard-Top for an Automotive Vehicle” which issued to Alexander et al. on Jul. 28, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,483 entitled “Convertible Motor Vehicle Roof” which issued to Danzl et al. on Jun. 23, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,587 entitled “Apparatus for Use in an Automotive Vehicle having a Convertible Roof System” which issued to Alexander et al. on Apr. 28, 1998; and EPO Patent Publication No. 1 092 580 A1 which was published on Apr. 18, 2001. The U.S. patents are incorporated by reference herein. 
     In another example, one retractable hard top roof employs a plurality of rigid roof panels which slide rearwardly over one another during retraction. Typically, these retracting roof panels are mechanically stowed in the trunk of the automotive vehicle. Unfortunately, this system does not fully retract flush within the vehicle body and occupies a relatively large storage space within the trunk. 
     Recently, various retractable roof systems have been developed with a rigid roof member which swings into a passenger compartment of the vehicle. These systems stow the retracted roof panels in a substantially vertical orientation behind either the front or rear seats. While these systems maintain storage space within the trunk, the retracted roof panels are often stored in an unsightly manner. Additionally, the vertical orientation of the retracted roof panels requires a relatively deep storage compartment. This orientation often precludes use of a retractable roof in vehicles having a usable cargo area such as sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a retractable hard top roof requiring a minimal packaging envelope to maximize storage space within the trunk or cargo area. To achieve this goal, multiple panels are stored in a substantially horizontal manner to minimize the depth of the required storage area. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a hard top roof system includes at least three separate and generally rigid sections interconnected to one another to selectively cover the passenger compartment of a vehicle. In another aspect of the present invention, as the roof system is retracted, a rearward roof section articulates more than one hundred and eighty degrees when moving from a raised position to a stowed position. In a further aspect of the present invention, when the roof system is fully retracted, a substantial portion of one of the roof sections is positioned below the top of the vehicle wheel well. 
     The present invention is advantageous over traditional designs in that the roof panels are stacked in a horizontal manner which minimizes the packaging space required in both the fore-and-aft direction and the vertical direction. Furthermore, the present invention is advantageous because the roof sections may be retracted and stowed within the vehicle&#39;s trunk so as to maintain the space within the vehicle passenger compartment. The convertible roof of the present invention may also be stowed in a roof storage compartment separated from the passenger compartment and a miscellaneous storage area or trunk. 
     The present invention also provides a self-covering feature in that when the convertible roof is in the stowed position, the uppermost stacked panel is oriented to display the outer finished surface of the panel. Additionally, the present invention is advantageous because the retracting mechanism is compact and lightweight. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a convertible roof of the present invention in a raised position; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the convertible roof of the present invention in the raised position; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the convertible roof of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view depicting the convertible roof of the present invention in an intermediate position; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged side elevational view of the convertible roof of the present invention in the intermediate position of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view depicting the convertible roof of the present invention in a stowed position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is described for illustration purposes embodied in a hydro-mechanically actuated three-piece convertible roof for an automotive vehicle. It will be appreciated, however, that the principles of the present invention are readily adaptable to a number of other devices which can retract or deploy a multi-section roof top in a vehicle including a soft top, or flexible fabric covered roof where the actuator or retraction mechanisms are coupled to side rails, or any combined hard and soft top roof. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1-3, an exemplary automotive vehicle  10  includes a convertible roof  12  constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Vehicle  10  is constructed with a body  14  having a passenger compartment  16  and a miscellaneous storage area or cargo bed  18 . Passenger compartment  16  includes a windshield  20  and a header  22 . Header  22  spans transversely across the top of windshield  20 . A roof storage compartment or area  24  is located between passenger compartment  16  and miscellaneous storage area  18 . A tonneau cover  26  is pivotally coupled to body  14  to selectively enclose roof storage compartment  24 . 
     Convertible roof  12  includes a first roof section  30 , a second roof section  32 , a third roof section  34  and a retraction mechanism  36 . Convertible roof  12  is movable from a raised position depicted in FIGS. 1-3 through intermediate positions such as the position depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5 to a stowed position depicted in FIG.  6 . Each of the first, second and third roof sections are substantially rigid members interconnected to one another by retraction mechanism  36 . 
     First roof section  30  is preferably a substantially rigid panel having an outer surface  40 , an inner surface  42 , a leading edge  44  and a trailing edge  46 . First roof section  30  includes a conventional latching mechanism (not shown) which is disengageably attachable with header  22  when convertible roof  12  is in the raised position. Leading edge  44  sealingly engages header  22  when the latching mechanism secures first roof section  30  to windshield  20 . 
     Second roof section  32  includes an outer surface  48 , an inner surface  50 , a leading edge  52  and a trailing edge  54 . Leading edge  52  sealingly engages trailing edge  46  of first roof section  30  when convertible roof  12  is in the raised position. 
     Third roof section  34  includes an outer surface  56 , an inner surface  58 , a leading edge  60  and a trailing edge  62 . Leading edge  60  is sealingly engaged with trailing edge  54  of second roof section  32  when convertible roof  12  is in the raised position. Trailing edge  62  includes lip seals (not shown) which sealingly engage tonneau cover  26  when third roof section  34  is in the raised position. Third roof section  34  also includes a transparent window  63 . Preferably, window  63  is a three-demensionally curved glass member matching the contour of the rear portion of third roof section  34 . Alternatively, window  63  may be a flexible translucent panel constructed from PVC or other suitable material. 
     Retraction mechanism  36  is mounted in a cavity  64  of roof storage compartment  24 . Retraction mechanism  36  includes a pair of actuation assemblies  66  mounted near each outboard edge of vehicle  10 . Because each of actuation assemblies  66  are substantially identical mirror images of one another, only the passenger side actuation assembly will be depicted and described in greater detail. 
     Actuation assembly  66  includes a linkage assembly  68  coupled to an actuator  70 . Actuator  70  is presently depicted as a hydraulic cylinder coupled to linkage assembly  68 . It should be appreciated that actuator  70  may alternately be constructed as an electric motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or any suitable power source for driving linkage assembly  68 . Actuator  70  is coupled to vehicle  10  and positioned within cavity  64  of roof storage compartment  24 . 
     Linkage assembly  68  includes a first subassembly  72  interconnecting third roof section  34  and body  14 . Linkage assembly  68  also includes a second subassembly  74  interconnecting first roof section  30  and second roof section  32  with body  14 . A control link  76  interconnects first subassembly  72  with second subassembly  74 . It should be appreciated that if control link  76  were removed, third roof section  34  would articulate independently from first roof section  30  and second roof section  32 . Accordingly, control link  76  allows the use of a single actuator  70  to drive each roof section in a coordinated manner relative to one another between the raised and stowed positions. 
     An alternate embodiment exists by removing control link  76  and coupling actuator  70  to first subassembly  72  and a second actuator (not shown) to second subassembly  74 . A control mechanism (not shown) is capable of sensing the position of first subassembly  72  and second subassembly  74  to assure that convertible roof  12  may be moved between the raised position and the stowed position without causing binding or interference between the roof sections or any other vehicle components. 
     With reference to the embodiment including control link  76  as shown in the Figures, first subassembly  72  includes a first link  78 , a second link  80  and a third link  82 . First link  78  is fixed to third roof section  34 . Second link  80  and third link  82  each have one end pivotally coupled to a bracket  84  mounted on body  14 . Second link  80  and third link  82  each include an opposite end pivotally coupled to first link  78 . One end of control link  76  is pivotally coupled to a mid-portion of second link  80 . 
     Second subassembly  74  includes a hinge assembly  86  including a first clasp  88  coupled to first roof section  30  and a second clasp  90  mounted to second roof section  32 . First clasp  88  is pivotally coupled to second clasp  90  by hinge pin  92 . 
     Second subassembly  74  also includes a first link  94 , a second link  96 , a third link  98  and a fourth link  100 . One end of first link  94  is pivotally coupled to first clasp  88 . The opposite end of first link  94  is pivotally coupled to one end of third link  98 . The opposite end of third link  98  is pivotally coupled to one end of link  100 . The opposite end of link  100  is mounted to second roof section  32 . One end of link  96  is pivotally coupled to a bracket  102  which is fixed to second roof section  32 . The opposite end of link  96  is pivotally coupled to bracket  84 . 
     As mentioned earlier, one end of control link  76  is coupled to a mid-portion of third link  82  of first subassembly  72 . A mid-portion of control link  76  is pivotally coupled to a mid-portion of second link  96 . The opposite end of control link  76  is pivotally coupled to the ends of first link  94  and third link  98 . 
     Tonneau cover  26  is pivotally coupled to body  14  at a hinge  106 . Tonneau cover  26  is preferably operated by a separate control system (not shown) capable of moving tonneau cover  26  from a closed position depicted in FIG. 6 to an open position (not shown). The control system functions to coordinate the movement of tonneau cover  26  with convertible roof  12  such that roof storage compartment  24  is accessible when moving convertible roof  12  between the raised and stowed positions. Alternately, tonneau cover  26  may be manually operated to selectively latch to body  14 . As such, roof storage compartment  24  is selectively enclosed or accessible. The manually operated tonneau cover  26  includes a biasing mechanism (not shown) for urging tonneau cover  26  toward the opened position. 
     An alternate vehicle embodiment does not include a tonneau cover  26 . As most clearly shown in FIG. 6, first roof section  30  is oriented in a stowed position such that outer surface  40  is exposed. Accordingly, convertible roof  12  is a self-covering assembly that does not require a tonneau cover to be aesthetically pleasing when the top is in the stowed position. FIG. 6 depicts the uppermost portion of first roof section  30  as protruding above an upper surface of body  14 . However, it should be appreciated that the edges of first roof section  30  taper downwardly toward the edges of the vehicle. As such, outer surface  40  of first roof section  30  may be positioned substantially tangent to the upper surface of body  14  when convertible roof  12  is in the stowed position. 
     In operation, convertible roof  12  is moved from the raised position depicted in FIGS. 1-3, through intermediate positions such as the one depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, to the stowed position depicted in FIG. 6 by first unlatching first roof section  30  from header  22 . An operator engages a switch (not shown) located in passenger compartment  16 . The switch is connected electrically to actuator  70  to control the operation of retraction mechanism  36 . When convertible roof  12  is used in conjunction with a manually operated tonneau cover, a simple switch may be implemented without the need for sophisticated electronic controls, proximity switches and/or sensors. However, the convertible roof of the present invention may be operated in conjunction with a power operated tonneau cover as previously discussed. In this case, the switch is connected electrically to an electronic control unit (not shown), such as a microprocessor, that controls the operation of retraction mechanism  36 . The electronic control unit sends a signal to operate actuator  70  and an actuator coupled to tonneau cover  26 . Devices such as limit switches, sensors and potentiometers are coupled to body  14 , tonneau cover  26  and convertible roof  12  to inform the electronic control unit of the position of tonneau cover  26  and roof  12  to assure that convertible roof  12  does not interfere with tonneau cover  26  during movement between the stowed or raised positions. 
     Actuator  70  is pivotally coupled to and powered to drive third link  82  of first subassembly  72  to move convertible roof  12  between the raised and stowed positions. As first subassembly  72  articulates, force is transferred through control link  76  to second subassembly  74 . The force produced is sufficient to cause first roof section  30  and second roof section  32  to move. As depicted in FIG. 4, first roof section  30  pivots relative to second roof section  32  in a typical clam shell manner such that inner surface  42  of first roof section  30  approaches inner surface  50  of second roof section  32 . Second subassembly  74  also begins to rearwardly translate and rotate second roof section  32  toward the stowed position. Third roof section  34  begins to enter roof storage compartment  24 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that actuator  70  may be coupled to linkage assembly  68  at a number of different locations without department from the scope of the present invention. 
     With reference to FIG. 6, convertible roof  12  is shown in the stowed position. In the stowed position, first roof section  30  and second roof section  32  are each positioned in a substantially horizontal manner within roof storage compartment  24 . Third roof section  34  is recessed within roof storage compartment  24  such that a substantial portion of third roof section  34  is positioned below the top of a wheel well  108 . Third roof section  34  rotates over 180 degrees when traveling between the raised position and the stowed position. Outer surface  40  of first roof section  30  is positioned beneath tonneau cover  26 . Outer surface  48  of second roof section  32  is positioned to face inner surface  58  of third roof section  34 . Leading edge  44  of first roof section  30  is positioned rearward of trailing edge  54  of second roof section  32 . To achieve a minimal packaging envelope, first roof section  30  is folded toward second roof section  32 . First and second roof sections are nested into close proximity to third roof section  34 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, convertible roof  12  is packaged within roof storage area  24  separate from miscellaneous storage area  18 . A deck lid (not shown) is coupled to body  14  to allow access to miscellaneous storage area  18  without accessing roof storage area  24 . Therefore, convertible roof  12  does not obstruct access to miscellaneous storage area  18  while positioned in either the raised or stowed position. 
     While it is apparent that the embodiments of the invention disclosed are well calculated to provide the advantages and features above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subsequent claims. For example, the convertible roof may include extra roof sections or additional members to the retraction mechanism. A soft top roof may also be used with the present device. While the system was described to include hydraulic actuators, an electric motor or other suitable power transfer mechanism may alternately be employed to deploy convertible roof  12 . Furthermore, the convertible roof can alternately be stored in a miscellaneous storage area such as a trunk of a conventional sedan or coupe rather than in a roof storage compartment as presently disclosed. Other materials and dimensions can be substituted for those disclosed. It is intended by the following claims to cover these and any other departures from the disclosed embodiments which fall within the true spirit of this invention.