Patent ID: 7959207

Claim:
A method of retracting a retractable hardtop assembly on a vehicle having a passenger compartment and a storage compartment, the retractable hardtop assembly having a front roof section, a rear roof section, a package shelf/tonneau, a decklid, a front linkage that connects the front roof section to the vehicle in an articulated manner, and a rear linkage that connects the rear roof section to the decklid in an articulated manner, the method comprising: pivoting the decklid about a rear pivot axis located adjacent a rear portion of the decklid to lift the package shelf/tonneau, the rear roof section, and the rear linkage; moving the front roof section from above the passenger compartment to the storage compartment; rotating the package shelf/tonneau around a front edge of the rear roof section on a package shelf/tonneau linkage from a position below the rear roof section to a position above the rear roof section as the rear roof section is moved to the storage compartment; and pivoting the decklid about the rear pivot axis to move the package shelf/tonneau, the rear roof section, and the rear linkage to the retracted position.