Patent Publication Number: US-10766344-B2

Title: Top of a convertible vehicle comprising panel bows

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation-in-Part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/584,949 filed May 2, 2017, which claims priority from German Application Nos. 10 2016 109 057.3 and 10 2017 102 598.7, filed May 17, 2016 and Feb. 9, 2017, respectively, and which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The invention relates to a top of a convertible vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A top of this kind is known from practice and is realized as a so-called panel-bow top, in which a top cover is stretched over so-called panel bows when the top is in the closed position, in which it covers a vehicle interior, said panel bows forming a largely continuous support surface for the top cover in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This means that the panel bows are panel elements that extend both in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction of the top. They are part of a top linkage which can be displaced between the closed position, in which the vehicle interior is covered, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is open toward the top, and which has a linkage arrangement on both sides with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top. The linkage arrangements, which substantially extend in the longitudinal direction of the top, each comprise a main multi joint arrangement having two main links, which are pivotably mounted on a respective main bearing, which is fixed to the vehicle. The panel bows are arranged between the two linkage arrangements. One of the panel bows forms a front bow, which can be fixed to a front header of the vehicle in question when the top is in the closed position. In the direction of the vehicle rear, the front bow is followed by the other panel bows, namely a front center bow, a rear center bow and a rear window bow, which accommodates a rear window. 
     In known panel-bow tops of the kind described above, the panel bows have a stacked order when the top is in the storage position, first the front bow, then the front center bow, then the rear center bow and, at the bottom, the rear window bow being arranged from top to bottom in said stacked order. This is not ideal in terms of package because unused space will remain below the rear window bow. 
     The object of the invention is to provide a top of the kind mentioned above that is optimized in terms of package in the storage position. 
     SUMMARY 
     This object is attained according to the invention by the top having a top cover and a top linkage which can be displaced between a closed position, in which a vehicle interior is covered, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is open toward the top, and which has a linkage arrangement on both sides with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, each linkage arrangement comprising two main links, which are pivotably mounted on a main bearing fixed to the vehicle and one of which is driven by means of a main drive, panel bows extending between the bilaterally arranged linkage arrangements, a first one of said panel bows being a front bow, a second one being a front center bow, a third one being a rear center bow and a fourth one being a rear window bow, wherein a tension bow is arranged between the bilaterally arranged linkage arrangements, which limits the top cover at the rear in the closed position and is displaceable between a lowered position and a lifted position by means of a tension rod arrangement, and in that the tension rod arrangement is connected to an actuating link, which can be driven by a drive means and via which a drive lever is connected to a rear window link arrangement, and in that, by means of the actuating link, the rear window bow undergoes a displacing motion in the direction of the tension bow via the drive lever when the top is being displaced from the closed position into the storage position,
         wherein the tension bow is articulated to a steering link on both sides, each steering link being connected to a drive lever which is driven by the drive means for the actuating link, and,   wherein a roof rear link is articulated to the tension bow and to the steering link, said roof rear link being connected via a hinge point to a coupling rod for actuating the front bow.       

     The top according to the invention is a so-called panel-bow top, in which the top cover is supported across at least largely the entire surface in the longitudinal direction when the top is in the closed position. Larger gaps between the panel bows are not necessary and are not formed, either. 
     Preferably, the roof rear link is articulated to the tension now and to the steering link via a common single hinge. 
     The top cover is typically not fixed to the rear center bow. Hence, it is unnecessary in case of the top according to the invention to reserve structural space for a potential fabric fold between the rear window bow and the rear center bow. 
     Within the meaning of the present invention, a driven link is a link that is subjected, either directly or via a transmission or a drive link arrangement, to a displacing force by a drive means, such as a hydraulic cylinder or an electric motor. They are different from passively driven links, which are not located within the force chain emanating from the drive means but are pivoted along with a driven link being pivoted. 
     In a special embodiment of the top according to the invention, a coupling lever is provided which is connected to the drive element and to which a drive lever for the driven displacing link of the rear center bow and a lowering lever are articulated, which is connected to the driven main link. In this case, the main drive and the drive element for the displacing links are formed by the same drive means. 
     The coupling link, which is part of a drive link arrangement for the driven displacing link and part of a drive link arrangement for the driven main link, is advantageously pivotably mounted on the main bearing so that its position and its pivoting behavior are defined. 
     To be able to ideally utilize the limited structural space in a top of a convertible vehicle, it may be advantageous for one of the displacing links for the rear center bow to be pivotably supported on one of the main links via a hinge point. 
     In a special embodiment of the top according to the invention, it may be required for the rear window bow to be lifted before the rear center bow is pivoted. In this case, the rear window bow can be connected to a respective drive means on both sides via a respective rear window link arrangement so that when the top is being displaced from the closed position into the open position, the rear window bow undergoes a lifting motion first, followed by a displacing motion of the rear center bow under the rear window bow caused by the main drives or by separate drive elements. The drive means for the rear window bow can also be formed by a separate drive means or by a drive means that forms the main drive for the driven main link. 
     In a special embodiment, a tension bow is arranged between the bilaterally arranged linkage arrangements, said tension bow limiting the top cover at the rear in the closed position and being displaceable between a lowered position and a lifted position by means of a tension rod arrangement. The tension rod arrangement is connected to an actuating link, which can be driven by a drive means and is connected to a rear window link arrangement via a coupling link. By means of the actuating link, the rear window bow undergoes a displacing motion in the direction of the tension bow when the top is being displaced from the closed position into the storage position. When the top is being lowered into a storage box of the vehicle in question, the rear window bow can thus be brought to the height at which the tension bow is located when the top is the storage position. In this way, the structural space available within a vehicle can be ideally utilized. 
     In a special embodiment, the rear window link arrangement, which is arranged on both sides with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the top, has a front folding lever and a rear folding lever. The two folding levers, each of which is formed by two lever elements pivotable relative to each other, are supported on the tension rod arrangement or on the tension bow on one side and are articulated to the rear window bow on the other side. When the rear window bow is being displaced in the direction of the tension bow, the folding levers will be displaced from their stretched position into a tilted position. In order to define the folding behavior of the two folding levers, they are preferably connected via a steering rod, which is articulated to one of the folding levers via a fixed revolute joint and to the other folding lever via a long-hole arrangement. 
     It may be necessary for the position of the pivot axis of the tension bow to be displaced during displacement of the top. For this purpose, in a special embodiment of the top according to the invention, the tension bow is articulated to a steering link on both sides, each steering link being connected to a drive lever driven by the drive means for the actuating link. 
     In another embodiment of the top according to the invention, a roof rear link is articulated to the tension bow or to the steering link, the roof rear link being connected via a hinge point to a coupling rod for actuating the front bow, and a rear-side weather-strip section of a side weather strip of the top being preferably fixed to the roof rear link. Thus, it is no longer necessary to fix the respective weather-strip section to one of the main links. Instead, the roof rear link, too, can be lifted when the tension bow is actuated, which, in turn, has the effect that the tension bow itself does not have to be pivoted as far in order to clear the space required to open a customary top storage box lid. In fact, the time required to open or close the top can even be reduced. 
     The main drive and the drive means for the tension rod arrangement can be formed by separate control elements, such as hydraulic cylinders or electric motors. However, integrating the main drive and the drive means in a shared control element by corresponding conception is contemplated as well. 
     To achieve a defined displacing motion when actuating the top linkage, the main drive and the drive means for the tension rod arrangement are actuated successively in a preferred embodiment of the top according to the invention. This means that starting from the closed position or stretched position, first the tension bow is lifted together with the rear window bow and subsequently the other panel bows are actuated by actuating the main drive so as to arrive at the storage position. In doing so, the rear center bow is displaced under the rear window bow, whereas the front center bow and the front bow come to rest above the rear window bow in the storage position. 
     Furthermore, the top may comprise a front bow which is connected to a roof center link via two front links, the roof center link being connected to the two main links in an articulated manner, the front center bow is pivotably mounted on one of the front bows and connected to a drive lever which is articulated to the front bow via a hinge point. The position of the front center bow, i.e. its pivoted position, is consequently defined by the position of the front bow during displacement of the top. 
     In a special embodiment of the top, a weather-strip link is a roof rear link that is articulated via its front-side end to a coupling rod for actuating a front bow. The lifting motion that the weather-strip link will undergo is an upward pivoting motion via the revolute joint of the weather-strip link on the coupling rod. 
     Advantageously, the tension bow is articulated to the bilaterally arranged weather-strip links. Thus, a lifting force exerted on the weather-strip link can also be transmitted directly to the tension bow. 
     In a special embodiment of the top according to the invention, the lifting motion of the weather strip-link and of the tension bow is triggered on both sides by means of a respective steering link. The latter is in particular articulated to the weather-strip link. 
     For being driven, the steering link can be connected to a drive lever that is driven by a drive means and preferably pivotably mounted on the main bearing fixed to the vehicle. 
     In order to integrate functions and to keep the number of drive levers small, an actuating link can further be articulated to the drive lever, said actuating link being connected to a tension rod arrangement by means of which the tension bow can be pivoted in relation to the weather-strip link. The drive lever thus triggers the lifting motion of the tension bow and of the weather-strip link, on the one hand, and causes the tension bow to be pivoted in relation to the weather-strip link by driving the actuating link and the tension rod arrangement, on the other hand, a top storage box lid thus being pivotable, by means of which the top storage box of the vehicle in question can be closed. 
     The actuating link for actuating the tension rod arrangement can be articulated to the drive lever directly or indirectly via a control-lever arrangement. 
     To be able to define a structured sequence of motions during displacement of the top, the main drive and the drive means are preferably formed by separate control elements that can be controlled in a desired sequence by a top control. 
     The top comprising the weather-strip links that can be lifted can be a panel-bow top that has multiple panel bows, for instance four panel bows, of which a first one is a front bow, a second one is a front center bow, a third one is a rear center bow and a fourth one is a rear window bow. In an alternative embodiment, the top is realized as a tension bow top, in which the top cover is kept under tension between the tension bow and the front bow by means of customary cross bows. 
     Other advantages and advantageous embodiments of the subject-matter of the invention are apparent from the description, the drawing and the claims. 
     An embodiment of the top according to the invention is illustrated in the drawing in a schematically simplified manner and will be explained in more detail in the following description. In the drawing: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic side view of a top according to the invention in its closed position; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic side view of the top according to  FIG. 1  in a first intermediate position during displacement into a storage position; 
         FIG. 3  shows an enlarged view of area III in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic side view of a rear section of the top according to  FIG. 1  in a second intermediate position; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic side view of the top according to  FIG. 1  in a third intermediate position; 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic side view of the top according to  FIG. 1  in a fourth intermediate position; 
         FIG. 7  shows an enlarged view of area VII in  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  shows another schematic side view of the top according to  FIG. 1 , this time in its storage position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The drawing shows a top  10  realized as a folding top or panel-bow top of a convertible vehicle not illustrated in further detail. The top  10  can be displaced between a closed position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 1  and in which an interior of the vehicle is covered, and a storage position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 8  and in which the interior of the vehicle is uncovered toward the top. In the storage position, the top  10  is stored in a rear-side top storage box of the vehicle in question. 
     The top  10  comprises a top cover  11 , which is illustrated by dashes in  FIG. 1  and made of a foldable water-proof fabric. For stretching the top cover  12 , the top  10  comprises a top linkage  12  which comprises a linkage arrangement  13  arranged on both sides with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top. The bilaterally arranged linkage arrangements  13  are mirror-symmetrical to each other with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, which is why the following description of the top  10  will refer only to the linkage arrangement that is arranged on the left side with respect to the direction of forward travel of the vehicle in question. The linkage arrangement arranged on the right side with respect to the direction of forward travel of the vehicle is designed correspondingly; hence, it is apparent from the following description as well. 
     In the drawing, links and levers that are located in different planes, i.e. behind or next to one another, are all projected into the drawing plane, which is why they may intersect one another in the drawing. 
     The linkage arrangements  13  serve to actuate four panel bows  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17 , which are realized in the fashion of rigid roof shells and form a support surface for the top cover  11  in the closed position illustrated in  FIG. 1 , said support surface being substantially continuous in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the closed position, the four panel bows  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the top, panel bow  14  forming a front bow, which can be fixed to a front header of the vehicle in question, panel bow  15  forming a front center bow, whose front edge is adjacent to the front bow, panel bow  16  forming a rear center bow, whose front edge is adjacent to the front center bow, and panel bow  17  forming a rear bow, which accommodates a rear window  18 . In the storage position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the panel bows  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  are arranged one on top of the other in a stack, the panel bow  14  forming the front bow being arranged on top, followed by the panel bow  15  forming the front center bow, the latter followed by the panel bow  17  forming the rear window bow and by panel bow  16  forming the rear center bow and being arranged at the bottom. 
     The top cover  11  is fixed to the upper side of panel bow  14 , to the rear edge portion of panel bow  15  and to the front edge portion of panel bow  17 . The top cover  11  is not fixed to panel bow  16 . Instead, it rests loosely, i.e. without fixation, on panel bow  16  when the top is in the closed position. 
     The linkage arrangements  13  each comprise a main four-joint  19 , which forms a main multi joint arrangement and has a first main link  20  and a second main link  21 . The two main links  20  and  21  are each mounted on a main bearing  24 , which is fixed to the vehicle, via a revolute joint  22  and  23 , respectively. 
     For being driven, the main link  20  is connected to a lowering lever  26  via a hinge point  25 , lowering level  26  being articulated to a coupling lever  28  via a hinge point  27 , a piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder  30  being articulated to coupling lever  28  via a hinge point  29 , hydraulic cylinder  30  forming the main drive and being pivotably mounted on main bearing  24  in a support point  31 . 
     The two main links  20  and  21  are connected to a center roof link  34 , which is part of a center roof-frame element, via hinge points  32  and  33 . 
     Two front links  37  and  38  are articulated to center roof link  34  via revolute joints  35  and  36  in a center section and a front-side section, respectively, the panel bow  14  forming the front bow being mounted on the ends of the two front links  37  and  38  that face away from revolute joints  35  and  36  via revolute joints  39  and  40 . Revolute joints  39  and  40  are formed on a support element  41  of panel bow  14 . To be able to pivot the two front links  37  and  38  in relation to center roof link  34 , a coupling rod  43  is articulated to main link  20  via a hinge point  42 , coupling rod  39  being connected to a coupling link  45  via a pivot joint  44  on the one hand, the end of coupling link  43  that faces away from revolute joint  44  being articulated to front link  38  via a revolute joint  46 . On the other hand, coupling rod  43  is connected to a coupling link  48  via a revolute joint  47 , coupling link  48  being articulated to front link  37  in a revolute joint  49 . 
     The panel bow  15  forming the front center bow has a support element  50  connected thereto in a torque-proof manner. On the carrier element  50  of panel bow  15 , a revolute joint  51  is formed, via which panel bow  15  is pivotably mounted on front link  37 . Furthermore, a front revolute joint  52  is formed on support element  50  of panel bow  15 , via which a drive lever  53  is articulated to panel bow  15 . The end of drive lever  53  that faces away from revolute joint  52  is articulated to support element  41  of the front panel bow  14  or front bow via a hinge point  54 . 
     The panel bow  16  forming the rear center bow has a support element  55  that is connected thereto in a torque-proof manner and has a front hinge point  56  and a rear hinge point  57  via which a front displacing link  58  and a rear displacing link  59  are articulated thereto, which serve to displace panel bow  16 . Front displacing link  58  is pivotably mounted on main bearing  24  in revolute joint  22 . Rear displacing link  59  is pivotably mounted on main link  21  in a revolute joint  60 , main link  21  being mounted on main bearing  24  in revolute joint  23 . Front displacing link  58  is connected to a drive lever  62  via a hinge point  61 , the end of drive lever  62  that faces away from hinge point  61  being articulated via a revolute joint  63  to coupling lever  28 , which is acted on by hydraulic cylinder  30 . Thus, front displacing link  58  is the driven displacing link. 
     The top  10  further comprises a rear-side tension bow  64 , which limits the top cover  11  at the rear in the closed position of the top  10  and can come to rest on a top storage box lid in the conventional way. To be able to open the top storage box lid starting from the closed position of the top  10 , the tension bow  64  has to be lifted, whereupon the top  10  can be stored in the top storage box. 
     The tension bow  64 , which has a curved shape, is connected on both sides at its front ends to a steering link  66  via a revolute joint  65 , steering link  66  being supported with its end facing away from revolute joint  65  on a drive lever  68  via a revolute joint  67 , drive lever  68  being pivotably mounted in a revolute joint  69  on main bearing  24 . A tension rod arrangement is articulated to both sides of the tension bow  64  via a respective hinge point  70 , each tension rod arrangement being formed by a rear tension rod  71  and a front tension rod  72 , which is movably connected to rear tension rod  71  in a hinge point  73  and articulated to coupling rod  43  via hinge point  42  at the end facing away from hinge point  73 . 
     To be able to lift and lower the tension bow  64  by means of the tension rod arrangement, the front tension rod  72  is connected to an actuating link  75  in a hinge point  74 , actuating link  75  being articulated to a control-lever arrangement in a revolute joint  76 , the control-lever arrangement consisting of a first control lever  77 , which is pivotably mounted on the main bearing  24  in a revolute joint  78 , and a second control lever  79 , which is articulated to drive lever  68  via a hinge point  80 . The two control levers  77  and  79  are connected to each other in revolute joint  76 . 
     A hydraulic cylinder  82 , which is supported on main bearing  24  in a revolute joint  83 , is articulated to drive lever  68  in a hinge point  81 . By being driven by hydraulic cylinder  82 , drive lever  68  can be pivoted about revolute joint  69 , whereby the tension rod arrangement is driven via the control-lever arrangement consisting of control levers  77  and  79  and via actuating link  75 . In the closed position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , control levers  77  and  79  take up an over-center position, the tension bow  64  thus being secured against unintentional lifting. Instead, a corresponding lifting force on the tension bow  64  acts on the control-lever arrangement via the tension rod arrangement and the actuating link  75  in such a manner that a torque acts on drive lever  68  in the closing direction, i.e. in the clockwise sense about revolute joint  69  in the drawing. 
     Rear panel bow  17 , which forms the rear window bow, has a support element  84  connected thereto in a torque-free manner and connected to a front folding lever  86  in a hinge point  85 , folding lever  86  consisting of a lever  87  and a lever  88 , which are connected to each other via a hinge point  89 . At the end facing away from hinge point  85 , folding lever  86  is pivotably mounted on the rear tension rod  71  via a hinge point  90 . On support element  84 , another hinge point  91  is formed, via which a rear folding lever  92  is articulated thereto, which consists of a lever  93  and a lever  94 , which are connected to each other via a hinge point  95 . At its end facing away from hinge point  91 , folding lever  92  is pivotably mounted on rear tension rod  71  via a hinge point  96 . 
     To be able to drive the rear link arrangement comprising the two folding levers  86  and  92 , lever  88  of folding lever  86  is connected to a drive lever  98  via a hinge point  97 , drive lever  98  being articulated to actuating link  75  via a hinge point  99 . 
     To couple the two folding levers  86  and  92 , a steering rod  101  is articulated to lever  87  of folding lever  86  via a joint  100 , steering rod  101  having a long hole  102  at its end facing away from joint  100 , a steering pin  103  arranged on lever  94  of folding lever  92  engaging into long hole  102 . 
     A roof rear link  105  is articulated to tension bow  64  and steering link  66  via hinge point  65 , roof rear link  105  being articulated to coupling rod  43  via a hinge point  106  at its end facing away from hinge point  65 . 
     Furthermore, a weather-strip arrangement  107  is connected to the top linkage  12  on both sides, each weather-strip arrangement cooperating with side windows of the vehicle in question when the top is in the closed position and being formed by four weather-strip sections  108 ,  109 ,  110  and  111 , which are flush with each other in the closed position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Weather-strip section  108  is fixed to front bow  14 . Weather-strip section  109  is fixed to forward front link  38 . Weather-strip section  110  is fixed to roof center link  34 , and weather-strip section  111  is fixed to roof rear link  105 . 
     The panel-bow top  10  described above works in the manner described below. 
     To open the vehicle interior starting form the closed position illustrated in  FIG. 1 , hydraulic cylinder  82  is actuated first, drive lever  68  thus being pivoted in the counterclockwise sense in the orientation selected in the drawing. In doing so, tension bow  64  is lifted together with rear window bow  17  via steering link  66 , on the one hand, and a pulling force is exerted on the tension rod arrangement consisting of tension rods  71  and  72  via control levers  77  and  79  and actuating link  75 , on the other hand, tension bow  64  thus being pivoted upward together with rear window bow  17  about revolute joint  65 . At the same time, a pushing force is exerted on folding lever  86  via drive lever  98 , which puts folding lever  86  in its stretched position. Thus, rear window bow  17  is pivoted upward in relation to rear tension rod  71 . In doing so, steering rod  101  is displaced in the direction of folding lever  92  in such a manner that steering pin  103  is displaced from its end stop in long hole  102  in the direction of hinge point  89  and the position of rear window bow  17  in relation to tension rod  71  as defined by steering rod  101  is no longer secured. Moreover, actuation of steering link  66  causes roof rear link  105 , which is a weather-strip link, to be lifted together with weather-strip section  111 , which is why the pivoting motion of tension bow  64  can be kept smaller compared to known tension-bow tops in order to clear the motion path for a top storage box lid. This also reduces the time required to actuate the top. 
     As soon as the upper end position of the structural unit formed by tension bow  64  and rear window bow  17  has been reached, drive lever  68  is kept in position, turning it into a fixed bearing for steering link  66  and, via control levers  77  and  79  kept in position as well, for actuating link  75  in the course of the further displacement process. 
     Once the top storage box of the vehicle in question is subsequently opened by pivoting the top storage box lid, the hydraulic cylinder  30  is actuated, coupling link  28  thus being pivoted clockwise on main bearing  24  about its revolute joint  112  and a drive force being exerted on displacing link  58  via drive lever  62  and on main link  20  of main four-joint  19  via lowering lever  26 . By pivoting displacing links  58  and  59 , which form a four-joint, rear center bow  16  is pivoted under rear window bow  17 . By actuating main four joint  19 , front bow  14  is lifted and pivoted in relation to roof center link  34  in the rearward direction via coupling rod  43  and front links  37  and  38 . The pivoting operation causes front center bow  15  to be pivoted in a defined manner about revolute joint  49  on front link  37  via drive lever  53 . 
     By continued pivoting of main links  20  and  21  in the rearward, i.e. clockwise direction, actuating link  75  and steering link  66 , too, are pivoted clockwise about revolute joints  76  and  67 , causing the unit formed by tension bow  64  and rear window bow  17  to be lowered and the latter to be pivoted in the direction of tension bow  64  and a displacing force to be exerted on folding lever  86  via drive lever  98 , said displacing force being transmitted to rear folding lever  92  via steering rod  101 . Rear center bow  16  is arranged below rear window bow  17  (cf.  FIGS. 6 to 8 ). In contrast to known tops, tension bow  64  is not brought into a lowered intermediate position by means of a tension-bow drive prior to actuation of the main four-joint. 
     When they are stored in the top storage box, panel bows  14 ,  15 ,  16 , and  17  are arranged in a stack in the top storage box, as is illustrated by  FIG. 8 . In the storage position, panel bow  16  forms the bottom panel bow, which is covered by panel bow  17 , which forms the rear window bow and which, in turn, is covered by panel bow  15 , which forms the front center bow and which is covered by panel bow  14 , which forms the front bow. 
     The top  10  is displaced from the storage position illustrated in  FIG. 8  into the closed position illustrated in  FIG. 1  in the kinematically reverse manner.