Emergency release mechanism for a convertible top compartment lid

Abstract

A device for the emergency release of a convertible top compartment lid in a motor vehicle, comprising a locking device (2) with a locking mechanism (3) in the area of ​​the side edges of the convertible top compartment lid, which in a locking position (I) is engaged and in an unlocking position (II) is disengaged from corresponding retaining elements (11) of the convertible top compartment lid, wherein an emergency actuating device (7, 17) is provided for emergency actuating, characterized in that the locking device (2) as locking mechanism (3) comprises hinge hooks (4, 5) arranged one behind the other and spaced apart from each other on a hinge (1) in the direction of travel, which can be actuated together via a connecting rod (6) and a hinge hook (5) located at the front in the direction of travel has an emergency release lever (7) with an emergency release cable (17) as an emergency actuating device,which is held on the same pivot axis (8) as the front hinge hook (5) and is arranged in a rotationally decoupled manner from the front hinge hook (5) and which can be engaged with the emergency release lever (7) in the event of an emergency release.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for an emergency release of a convertible top compartment lid in a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] From DE 23 27 487 C2, a locking and latching device for a convertible top compartment lid of a convertible top compartment is known, wherein several latches are driven via a handle. By means of two drivers, the forces applied to the handle are transmitted to a first latch and to a second latch, the latter being driven via an actuating rod, a deflection lever, and via a further actuating rod and a Bowden cable. In particular, the device is intended to achieve not only secure unlocking but also tensioning of the convertible top. Furthermore, from DE 197 44 904 A1, an emergency release for a vehicle tailgate is known, wherein a cable is attached to a crank for actuating a further latch. The crank itself is actuated via a Bowden cable.Furthermore, it is known from DE 10 2004 042 261 B4 to provide an emergency operating device in addition to a locking device in order to be able to open the convertible top compartment lid in emergency operation.

[0003] The object of the invention is to create a device for locking and unlocking a convertible top compartment lid with an emergency operating device in a motor vehicle, which can be opened in a simple manner in emergency operation and also ensures stable locking and unlocking of the convertible top compartment lid.

[0004] This problem is solved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. Further advantageous features are included in the dependent claims.

[0005] The main advantages achieved with the invention are that a convertible top compartment lid for a vehicle's convertible top can be opened easily in an emergency, for example, when the conventional locking device can no longer be operated. According to the invention, this is achieved by the locking device comprising hinge hooks arranged one behind the other and spaced apart from each other on a hinge (viewed from the direction of travel). These hinge hooks can be actuated together via a connecting rod. A hinge hook located at the front (viewed from the direction of travel) has an emergency release lever with an emergency release cable as an emergency actuation device. This emergency release lever is held on the same pivot axis as the front hinge hook and is rotationally decoupled from the front hinge hook. The emergency release lever can be engaged with the emergency release lever during an emergency release.

[0006] In particular, according to the invention, the front hinge hook has a hook-like recess at one end of its lever for a retaining element or a bolt of the hinge of the convertible top compartment lid, and the connecting rod is attached to the opposite end of the lever, and a support surface for engagement of the emergency release lever is provided on the underside of the opposite end of the lever at the free end. This emergency release lever has an upwardly oriented driver which, in the locked position, engages via a driver surface with the support surface of the front hinge hook provided at the end of the lever.

[0007] This design and arrangement of the hinge hooks and the emergency release lever assigned to one of the front hinge hooks ensures that, in the event of a failure of the locking and unlocking device of the convertible top compartment lid, an emergency operation can be used, so that manual opening of the convertible top compartment lid is possible in any case.

[0008] To carry out emergency operation, the invention further provides that the emergency release lever is connected to the emergency release cable, which, in the event of emergency actuation of the lever, seeks to rotate the lever in the opening direction around the pivot axis, such that the hook-like recesses of the hinge hooks are freely pivotable from the bolt or from the retaining element of the hinges.

[0009] By allowing the emergency release lever to pivot freely from the hinge hook in a rotationally decoupled manner, it is advantageously achieved that during a locking and unlocking process of the two hinge hooks, the emergency release lever does not pivot along with them, but remains in its rest position. For this purpose, the invention further provides that the front hinge hook and the emergency release lever are each held on the pivot axis by a separate bushing, wherein the front hinge hook and the emergency release lever are mounted independently of each other on the bushing so as to pivot freely.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the invention, the two hinge hooks can be pivoted together into the locking and unlocking position via the connecting rod attached to the opposite end of the lever, with the emergency release lever assuming an unchangeable basic position in these pivoted positions.

[0011] Unintentional adjustment of the emergency release lever is therefore impossible, so that the lever always remains in its rest position or ready position, regardless of the positions of the hinge hooks in the locking and unlocking positions.

[0012] An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and is described in more detail below.

[0013] They show: Fig. 1. A view of a hinge for a convertible top compartment lid with a release and locking device and an emergency operating device. Fig. 2 an enlarged representation of detail x from Fig. 1 to the emergency operating device, Fig. 3 a section through a common bearing point of a pivot axis for a hinge hook and an emergency release lever, Fig. 4 a view of detail x of the Fig. 1 with the hinge closed, i.e. in the locked position, Fig. 5 a view of detail x of the Fig. 1 with a hinge during the opening process, i.e., during the unlocking process, Fig. 6 a view of detail x of the Fig. 1 with an almost closed hinge during an emergency operation.

[0014] A convertible top compartment cover is provided in a vehicle, serving to cover a compartment for the convertible top. The convertible top compartment cover (not shown) is connected to lateral hinges 1, which can be adjusted into locking and unlocking positions I and II by means of a device 3. An emergency release mechanism 2 allows the convertible top compartment cover to be opened in the event of a failure of the locking and unlocking device 3.

[0015] The locking device 2 essentially comprises hinge hooks 4, 5 arranged one behind the other and spaced apart from each other, which can be actuated together via a connecting rod 6 or similar transmission means. Preferably, a front hinge hook 5 – viewed with respect to the direction of travel F of the vehicle – has an emergency release lever 7. This lever is held on the same pivot axis 8 as the front hinge hook 5 and is rotationally decoupled from the hinge hook 5, which can be engaged with the emergency release lever 7.

[0016] The front hinge hook 5 has a hook-shaped recess 10 at one end 9 of its lever for a retaining element 11, preferably consisting of a bolt, of the hinge 1. At the free end of a lever end 14 opposite this end 9, a support surface 12 is provided for engagement with the emergency release lever 7. Furthermore, the connecting rod 6 is connected to this lever end 14 by means of a bolt 15.

[0017] The emergency release lever 7 includes an upwardly oriented driver 15, which in the locking position I ( Fig. 2) engages with the support surface 12 of the front hinge hook 5 at the lever end 14 via a drive surface 16.

[0018] For actuation, the emergency release lever 7 is connected to an emergency release cable 17, which in the event of emergency actuation attempts to rotate the lever 7 about the pivot axis 8 in the direction of arrow 18 in such a way that the hook-shaped recesses 10 of the two hinge hooks 4 and 5 are freely pivotable from the bolt 11 of the hinge 1 and are no longer held on it ( Fig. 6) The emergency release cable 17 is attached on one side to a convertible top bearing 18 and on the other side to a support frame 19 of the vehicle.

[0019] In order to ensure that the emergency release lever 7 can remain in a rest position during a locking and unlocking process, the front hinge hook 5 is rotatably held via a separate bushing 20 and the emergency release lever 7 is held on another separate bushing 21, so that the hinge hook 5 and the emergency release lever 7 can pivot independently of each other.

[0020] To lock the hinge 1 on each side of the convertible top compartment lid, the connecting rod 6 with the connected hinge hooks 4, 5 is pulled together in the direction of arrow P, and to unlock it in the direction of arrow P1. The emergency release lever 7 remains in its rest position III ( Fig. 5) To operate the hinge 1 in an emergency, the emergency release cable 17 is pulled in the direction of arrow P2 ( Fig. 6) pulled. The emergency operating lever 7 rotates about the same axis 8 as the hinge hook 5 and engages via its drive surface 16 ( Fig. 6) The hinge hook 5 is released, thus opening the locking mechanism, i.e., the hinge hooks 4 and 5 are released from the bolt 11. The hinge 1 can therefore be opened manually after unlocking.

Claims

[1] Device for an emergency release of a convertible top compartment lid in a motor vehicle, comprising in the area of ​​side edges of the convertible top compartment lid a locking device (2) with a locking device (3) which in a locking position (I) is engaged and in an unlocking position (II) is disengaged from corresponding retaining elements (11) of the convertible top compartment lid, wherein an emergency actuation device (7, 17) is provided for emergency actuation, characterized by, that the locking device (2) as a locking device (3) on a hinge (1) comprises hinge hooks (4, 5) arranged one behind the other and spaced apart from each other in the direction of travel, which can be actuated together via a connecting rod (6) and a hinge hook (5) located at the front in the direction of travel has an emergency release lever (7) with an emergency release cable (17) as an emergency actuating device, which is held on the same pivot axis (8) as the front hinge hook (5) and is arranged in a rotationally decoupled manner from the front hinge hook (5) and which can be brought into engagement with the emergency release lever (7) in the event of an emergency release. [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized by, that the front hinge hook (5) has a hook-like recess (10) for the retaining element (11) or a bolt of the hinge (1) at one of its lever ends (9) and the connecting rod (6) is attached to the opposite end of the lever (14) and a support surface (12) for engagement of the emergency release lever (7) is provided on the underside of the opposite end of the lever (14) at the free end. [3] Device according to claim 2, characterized by , that the emergency release lever (7) includes an upwardly oriented driver (15) which, in the locking position (I), engages via a driver surface (16) with the support surface (12) of the front hinge hook (5) provided at the reversed lever end (14). [4] Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by, that the emergency release lever (7) is connected to the emergency release cable (17), which, in the event of an emergency actuation of the lever (7), seeks to rotate the lever (7) in the opening direction about the pivot axis (8) in such a way that the hook-like recesses (10) of the hinge hooks (4, 5) which can be actuated together via the connecting rod (6) are freely pivotable from the retaining element (11) or bolt of the hinge (1). [5] Device according to claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized by , that the front hinge hook (5) and the emergency release lever (7) are each held on the pivot axis (8) via a separate bushing (21, 20), wherein the front hinge hook (5) and the emergency release lever (7) are mounted independently of each other so as to pivot freely on the respective bushing (21, 20). [6] Device according to claims 2, 3, 4 or 5 in combination with claim 2, characterized by, that the two hinge hooks (4, 5) can be pivoted together into the locking and unlocking positions (I and II) via the connecting rod (6) attached to the reversed end of the lever (14), whereby the emergency release lever (7) assumes an unchangeable basic position (III) in these pivoted positions.

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