Convertible top of a convertible vehicle and a convertible vehicle with such a convertible top

Abstract

A convertible top for a convertible vehicle, comprising a convertible top fabric (14) and a convertible top rod assembly (18) which is adjustable between a convertible top position spanning a vehicle interior and a storage position exposing the vehicle interior upwards, and which, with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the convertible top, comprises on each side a linkage arrangement (20) with a four-bar arrangement comprising a first main link (22), a second main link (24), and a coupling link (26), wherein the first main link (22) and the second main link (24) are each pivotably mounted on a main bearing (16) fixed to the vehicle, and a front bow (32) extends between the two linkage arrangements (20), which front bow secures the convertible top in the convertible top position to a front cowl (64) of the vehicle (10), characterized in that the front bow (32) is rigidly fastened on each side to the first main link (22) of the respective four-bar arrangement. is.

Description

The invention relates to a top of a convertible vehicle and to a convertible vehicle having such a top.From practice, a top for a convertible vehicle is known, comprising a top linkage which is adjustable between a closed position spanning a vehicle interior and a storage position releasing the vehicle interior upwards. The convertible vehicle has on both sides, with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, a link arrangement which comprises two main links which are mounted pivotably on a main bearing fixed to the vehicle. A front bow is linked to the link arrangement via further roof links. This is associated with a high design outlay and requires a large installation space. Furthermore, in the convertible top known from the prior art, adequate stability of the convertible top is difficult to realize.The publication DE 197 06 417 C1 discloses a convertible top which is designed as a folding top and has a top linkage. The convertible top linkage has on both sides, with respect to a vertical convertible top longitudinal center plane, a link arrangement which comprises a first main link and a second main link. The first main link is connected to a toggle lever which is articulated at a pivot point on a main bearing fixed to the vehicle. The second main link is connected at one pivot point to a reversing link which is in turn linked at one pivot point to the main bearing.The publication DE 37 24 532 C1 discloses a convertible top linkage which, with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, comprises on each side a link arrangement which has two main links, one of which is connected via a joint to a roof link on which a front bow is mounted.The object of the invention is therefore to create a convertible top with such a top, which is distinguished by a simple mechanism, an increased stability and a small installation space.This object is achieved according to the invention by the top having the features of claim 1 and the convertible vehicle having the features of claim 9.A top for a convertible vehicle is therefore proposed, comprising a top cover and a top linkage which can be adjusted between a top position spanning a vehicle interior and a storage position releasing the vehicle interior upwards. The convertible top linkage has on both sides, with respect to a vertical convertible top longitudinal center plane, a link arrangement with a four-bar arrangement. The four-bar linkage assembly includes a first main link, a second main link, and a coupling link. The first main link and the second main link are each pivotably mounted on a main bearing fixed to the vehicle. A front bow extends between the two steering arm arrangements, which bow fixes the top in the top position at a front cowl of the vehicle. The front bow is rigidly fastened on both sides to a respective main link of the four-bar arrangement.In the case of the proposed convertible top, a main mechanism of the link arrangements required for adjusting the convertible top linkage is therefore preferably realized only largely from the four-bar linkage arrangement which encloses the first link, the second link and the coupling link. This represents a simple mechanism for adjusting the top, which requires a small installation space. The proposed hood additionally has a high stability on account of the simple geometric configuration, enables good material tension of a hood cover, requires a smaller number of components and is therefore associated with lower costs and a lower weight.In a special embodiment of the top according to the invention, the coupling link extends in the top position of the top substantially parallel to and substantially at the height of a leg of the first main link in the vehicle longitudinal direction and in the vehicle vertical direction. This realizes a low overall height of the convertible top linkage.In a preferred embodiment of the top according to the invention, a four-bar linkage arrangement is connected to the first main links, which arrangement comprises a bow link, a control link and a coupling link. Between the two link arrangements arranged on both sides with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the hood, at least one transverse bow can extend, which is rigidly fastened to the bow links of the link arrangements and over which the hood cover is tensioned in the hood position.In a further embodiment of the top according to the invention, at least one cross bow is rigidly fastened to the second main links. The transverse bow extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle and connects the two link arrangements arranged on both sides with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the top. In the convertible top position, the convertible top cover is tensioned via the cross bow, wherein the cross bow is pivotable in a defined manner due to the direct connection to the second main links.In a special embodiment of the top according to the invention, at least one bow link is pivotably mounted on the link arrangements, in particular the second main links. A transverse bow can be rigidly fastened to the bow links. This can be a corner bow which extends in a transverse direction of the top and, in the top position of the top linkage, defines a transition of the top cover between a roof section and a vehicle rear.A clamping bracket can also be pivotably mounted on the vehicle-mounted main bearings arranged on both sides of the longitudinal center plane of the hood, said clamping bracket connecting the vehicle-mounted main bearings and serving, in the hood position, for clamping the hood cover in the longitudinal direction of the hood.In a preferred embodiment of the top according to the invention, the first main link is substantially L-shaped, so that it comprises a long leg and a short leg. The long leg extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the convertible top position of the convertible top linkage. The short leg pivotably mounted on the vehicle-mounted main bearing extends in the vehicle vertical direction in the convertible top position of the convertible top linkage.The long leg is, for example, a roof side rail which carries a seal, in particular a one-piece seal. With the front or bow-side end, the first main link can extend in the convertible top position of the convertible top linkage up to or close to the front cowl of a vehicle body.According to a further aspect, a convertible vehicle is proposed which comprises a top of the type described above.For example, the convertible vehicle is designed as a sport utility vehicle or so-called SUV (sport utility van).An exemplary embodiment of a convertible vehicle with a top according to the invention is shown in a schematically simplified manner in the drawing and is explained in more detail in the following description. It shows: FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a convertible vehicle designed as a sport utility vehicle with a top in its top position; FIG. 2 shows a side view of the hood together with a rear side window in the hood position; FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the top according to FIG. 2 in the top position; FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the top according to FIG. 2 in a storage position; FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of the top, but without showing a cover for the top; FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the top, but in a first intermediate position; FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the top, but in a second intermediate position; and FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the top, but in the storage position.FIG. 1 shows a convertible vehicle 10 which is designed as a sport utility vehicle and comprises a vehicle body 62 which encloses a vehicle interior and a vehicle roof in the form of a top 12. The top 12, which is designed as a folding top, extends, in a top position illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, between a front cowl 64, which forms an upper leg of a windshield frame extending in the vehicle transverse direction, and a rear edge extending in the vehicle transverse direction, which represents a transition to a vehicle rear 66.The hood 12 comprises a hood cover 14, which is adjustable by means of a hood linkage 18. The convertible top linkage 18 is adjustable between the convertible top position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5 and a storage position shown in FIGS. 4 and 8. In the storage position, the vehicle interior is released upward and the top 12 is stored in a rear storage space of the vehicle body 62.The convertible top linkage 18 comprises a link arrangement 20 on each side with respect to a vertical convertible top longitudinal center plane. The link arrangements 20 are designed mirror-symmetrically with respect to the vehicle longitudinal center plane, for which reason, for reasons of clarity, only the left-hand link arrangement 20 with respect to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle will be described below.The link arrangements 20 each comprise a four-bar linkage arrangement having a first main link 22, a second main link 24 and a coupling link 26 connecting the first main link 22 and the second skin link 24.The first main link 22 is L-shaped and comprises a long leg 22 aand a short leg 22 b. In a top position of the linkage arrangement, the long leg 22 aextend in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the short leg 22 bextends in the vehicle vertical direction. The short leg 22 bis pivotably mounted via a hinge point 52 on a vehicle-mounted main bearing 16. The long leg 22 a, in the convertible top position, forms a roof side rail with a seal. The front end of the first main link 22 extends up to or close to the front cowl 64 of the convertible vehicle 10.At the front or bow end of the long leg 22a, a front bow 32 is rigidly secured. The front bow 32 extends in the vehicle transverse direction between the link arrangements 20 arranged on both sides with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the top.The second main link 24 is pivotably mounted at a hinge point 54 on the vehicle-mounted main bearing 16. At its end which is situated at the top in the convertible top position, the second main link 24 is pivotably connected to the coupling link 26.Furthermore, the convertible top linkage 18 comprises three tube-like transverse mirrors 34, 36, 38 and a tube-like corner bow 40, which extend in the roof transverse direction and over which the convertible top cover 14 is stretched in the convertible top position.The front or bow-side transverse bow 34 is rigidly fastened to a bow link 42. Together with a control link 28 pivotably connected to the first main link 22 and the coupling link 26, the bow link 42 forms a four-joint arrangement, wherein the bow link 42 pivotably connects the control link 28 and the coupling link 26.The central cross bow 36 is rigidly fastened to the second main link 24, in particular to an extension of the second skin link 24 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the convertible top position. The rear or rear transverse bow 38 and the corner bow 40 are each rigidly fastened to a bow link 44 or 46 and are pivotably connected via the same to the second main link 24.In the convertible top position of the convertible top linkage 18, the corner bow 40 defines a transition of the convertible top cover between a roof section and the vehicle rear 66.A clamping bracket 50 is pivotably connected to the vehicle-mounted main bearings 16 arranged on both sides of the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle, which clamping bracket runs at the height of a parapet line running around a cargo space and engages around the vehicle interior of the vehicle on the rear side.List of reference characters10 Convertible vehicle 12 Top 14 Top cover 16 Skin mount 18 Top linkage 20 Link arrangement 22 First main link 22 aLong limb 22 b Kurzer limb 24 Second main link 26 Coupling link 28 Control link 32 Front bow 34 Cross bow 36 Cross bow 38 Cross bow 40 Corner bow 42 Bow link 44 Bow link 46 Bow link 50 Tension bow 52 Articulation point 54 Articulation point 62 Vehicle structure 64 Cowl 66 Rear of the vehicle

Claims

Top for a convertible vehicle, comprising a top cover (14) and a top linkage (18), which can be adjusted between a top position spanning a vehicle interior and a storage position releasing the vehicle interior upwards and which, with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, comprises on both sides in each case a link arrangement (20) with a four-bar arrangement, which comprises a first main link (22), a second main link (24) and a coupling link (26), wherein the first main link (22) and the second main link (24) are in each case mounted pivotably on a main bearing (16) fixed to the vehicle and a front bow (32) extends between the two link arrangements (20), which bow fixes the top in the top position on a front cowl (64) of the vehicle (10), characterized in that, the front bow (32) is rigidly fastened on both sides to the first main link (22) of the respective four-bar arrangement.Top according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in the top position of the top linkage (18), the coupling link (26) extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and substantially parallel to a limb (22a) of the first main link (22).Top according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a four-bar linkage arrangement is connected to the first main links (22) in each case, which arrangement comprises a bow link (42), a control link (28) and the coupling link (26).Top according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a cross bow (36) is rigidly fastened in each case to the second main links (24).Top according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a bow link (44, 46) is pivotably mounted in each case on the second main links (24).Top according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a clamping bracket (50) is mounted pivotably on the vehicle-mounted main bearings (16) arranged on both sides of the vertical longitudinal centre plane of the top.Hood according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first main link (22) is of substantially L-shaped configuration and comprises a long limb (22a) and a short limb (22b), wherein the long limb (22a) extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the hood position of the hood linkage (18), and the short limb (22b) extends in the vehicle vertical direction in the hood position of the hood linkage (18) and is pivotably mounted on the main bearing (16) fixed to the vehicle.Top according to claim 7, characterised in that the long leg (22a) is a roof side member with a seal.Convertible vehicle having a top (12) according to one of Claims 1 to 8.

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