Patent ID: 8002326

Claim:
A convertible top for a motor vehicle comprising: a cover; a linkage supporting a portion of the cover and providing movement of the top between an extended position extending over a passenger compartment and a retracted position disposed in a storage space adjacent the passenger compartment; a rear bow supporting a rear edge of the cover, the rear bow articulating the rear edge of the cover during movement of the top between the extended and retracted positions, the rear bow being movable between a closed position disposed adjacent to a body panel of the motor vehicle and a generally upwardly raised open position; and a backlight assembly having a rear window and supporting a rear portion of the cover, the backlight assembly being pivotally coupled with a rearward portion of the rear bow so as to provide a link in an articulating mechanism that provides movement of the rear bow during movement of the top between the extended and retracted positions; the articulating mechanism including a link pivotally coupled to the linkage by a first pivot; the backlight assembly being pivotally coupled to the rear bow by a second pivot; and the link and the backlight assembly being pivotally coupled to each other by a third pivot; wherein the first and second pivots define an overcenter line, the third pivot being in an overcenter position above the overcenter line when the top is in the extended position to maintain the rear bow in the closed position, the third pivot being out of the overcenter position below the overcenter line to allow articulation of the rear bow during movement of the top between the extended and retracted positions.