Convertible top frame for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Convertible top frame (1) for a motor vehicle comprising opening and closing a vehicle roof a corner bow (10), a roof bow (20), a locking element (30) and a side roof guide (40), wherein the corner bow (10) is attached to a roof enclosure (60) via a pivot arm (11) and a four-joint linkage (15) arranged thereon, wherein the four-joint (15) is designed to transfer the corner bow (10) from a starting position to a final position in relation to the roof enclosure (60), wherein the four-bar linkage (15) comprises a first joint (15a) between a joint section (12) of the pivot arm (11) and a joint receptacle (14) of a steering arm (13), a second joint (15b) between the pivot arm (11) and a movable pivot element (50), a third joint (15c) between the pivot element (50) and the roof enclosure (60), and a fourth joint (15d) which supports the steering arm (13) against the roof enclosure (60), wherein the first joint (15a) of the four-joint (15) is designed as a joint pin (121) guided in an elongated hole (141) in the joint receptacle (14), wherein a locking mechanism is provided which is designed to allow movement of the pivot pin (121) within the elongated hole (141) only in a defined angular range of the first joint (15a), wherein the locking mechanism is designed as a locking contour (142) and the locking contour (142) is designed to achieve its locking effect purely mechanically, and wherein the locking contour (142) is fixedly provided on the joint receptacle (14) arranged on the steering arm (13), which has the elongated hole (141), and the joint section (12) on the pivot arm (11) is arranged such that it is designed to allow or prevent movement of the pivot pin (121) in the elongated hole (141), depending on the position of the first joint (15a) in conjunction with the locking contour (142).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a convertible top frame for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle which has a convertible top frame according to the invention in order to bring a foldable or collapsible roof (convertible top) from a starting position to a final position.

[0002] Motor vehicles with folding or collapsible roofs have been known in the art for a long time, and such vehicles are known as convertibles or simply convertibles. The folding roof can be moved from a closed position, i.e., a position in which the roof protects the interior from rain and external elements as in motor vehicles with fixed roofs, to an open position, with the roof being housed in a designated roof structure, which is usually located at the rear of the vehicle. Naturally, moving the roof from an open to a closed position is also possible. In this application, the open position of the roof is also referred to as the starting position and the closed position as the final position.The movement is driven either manually by the user, fully automatically by a dedicated drive (electric motor), or semi-automatically, where a drive performs part of the movement while the remainder is done manually. Both foldable fabric roofs and retractable roofs (so-called hardtops) are used.

[0003] Folding roofs feature a frame that determines the roof's shape and defines its movement and proper unfolding. This frame includes bows that support the roof and over which the folding fabric roof is stretched. The corner bow plays a particularly important role, connecting the horizontal section of the roof, which extends over the vehicle occupants, to the rear section where it merges into the vehicle body. It is therefore crucial for the roof's geometry. Additional bows may also be present to provide further support to the roof at other points.

[0004] To stow folding fabric roofs in an organized and space-saving manner, the mechanism of the convertible top frame must allow the bows to be moved in an orderly fashion along a fixed curve from a starting position to a final position and vice versa, preventing unwanted creases from forming on the folding roof. The roof and bows must be housed in the most compact space possible to avoid taking up too much space in the vehicle.

[0005] The prior art contains various disclosures relating to convertible top frames and the corresponding mechanisms. For example, patents DE 28 25 526 C2 and US 3 030 140 A disclose a four-joint mechanism and a multi-joint mechanism, respectively, for moving a convertible top corner bow, in which a pivot pin is guided by means of a cam track.

[0006] DE 693 05 959 T2, DE 10 2012 105 171 A1 and DE 10 2018 114 807 B4 each disclose a multi-joint mechanism for moving a convertible top corner bow, in which a pivot pin is guided in an elongated hole. Patent DE 10 2004 010 930 B3 discloses a multi-joint mechanism for moving a convertible top corner bow, in which a guide element (roller) connected to the corner bow is guided in a guide device (groove) formed on a tension rod.

[0007] DE 102 10 616 A1 discloses a further convertible top frame for a motor vehicle.

[0008] When designing the mechanics of convertible top frames, it is important to ensure that the movement curve of the bows, especially the corner bow due to its prominent position, is such that collisions cannot occur either within the convertible top itself or with other components such as a roll bar. Therefore, a particularly compact movement curve for the corner bow is essential.

[0009] The object of the present invention is, in light of the prior art, to provide a convertible top frame with a mechanism that enables the most compact possible movement curve of the corner bow. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle with a convertible top frame according to the invention.

[0010] This problem is solved by a convertible top frame for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and by a motor vehicle according to claim 7.

[0011] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are contained in the dependent claims.

[0012] The convertible top frame according to the invention for a motor vehicle, for opening and closing a vehicle convertible top, has a corner bow that is attached to a roof housing via a pivot arm and a four-joint mechanism arranged thereon. The four-joint mechanism is designed to move the corner bow from a starting position to an end position and vice versa with respect to the roof housing. The term "four-joint mechanism" refers to a joint arrangement consisting of four individual joints. The four-joint mechanism further comprises a first joint, which is designed as a pivot pin guided in an elongated slot. According to the invention, the elongated slot can be a straight slot or a guide with a non-straight trajectory, such as an arc or an S-shaped curve.Furthermore, according to the invention, the convertible top frame has a locking mechanism designed to allow movement of the pivot pin within the elongated hole only within a defined angular range of the first joint. Thus, movement of the pivot pin within the elongated hole outside this defined angular range is blocked, preventing any translational movement and allowing only rotational movement of the pivot pin. If the rotational movement enters an angular range in which the locking mechanism loses its locking effect and thus releases the elongated hole, the pivot pin can then also be moved along the elongated hole and thus perform a translational movement.

[0013] The convertible top frame according to the invention provides a way to keep the movement of the corner bow compact, so that the space required for the convertible top when moving from a closed state (starting position) to an open state (end position) can be minimized.

[0014] It should be noted here that the invention is also applicable to hardtop roofs, even though only folding roofs (i.e., fabric roofs) are discussed as examples. In the case of hardtops, which are also stored in a roof enclosure within the vehicle, the components within the scope of the invention are referred to as bows to which the mechanism of the convertible top frame engages for moving the roof. The corner bow thus refers, analogously to the folding roof, to the transverse connection of the hardtop roof located at the transition between the horizontal section and the rear section of the convertible top, in which the rear window is located.

[0015] The four-bar linkage is arranged between the pivot arm, a movable pivot element, a movable steering arm, and the vehicle body or roof enclosure. Movable elements are defined as those that perform at least one rotation around an axis of rotation or a translational movement when the convertible top moves from its starting position to its end position. A combination of both movements is also possible.

[0016] According to the invention, the locking mechanism is designed as a locking contour. The locking contour preferably exerts its locking effect in a purely mechanical manner. A locking effect occurs when the translational movement of the pivot pin within the elongated hole is prevented. This allows for a purely mechanical implementation of the locking mechanism, which requires little maintenance and no power supply.

[0017] In the invention, which features a purely mechanical locking mechanism with a locking contour, the first joint is located between the pivot arm and the steering arm. The locking contour is fixed to a joint receptacle arranged on the steering arm, and the joint receptacle also includes the elongated hole. A joint section is also arranged on the pivot arm and is designed to either allow movement of the joint pin in the elongated hole or to lock it purely mechanically, depending on the position of the first joint in conjunction with the locking contour.

[0018] For the purposes of the application, a purely mechanical locking mechanism is understood to mean that no electrical component is used to prevent movement. The described embodiment is a purely mechanical way of implementing the locking mechanism and thus offers all the advantages of a purely mechanical locking mechanism. These include, for example, a cost-effective, low-maintenance, and energy-efficient implementation, to name just a few.

[0019] A particularly preferred embodiment is one in which the joint mount is made of plastic. Plastic is an inexpensive and easy-to-process material and therefore offers many advantages for the application mentioned. It is especially preferred if metallic reinforcement is provided at the elongated hole and the locking contour. Such reinforcement is understood to mean a material coating in the relevant areas that at least partially contains metal. This allows particularly wear-prone elements of the joint mount to be reinforced with metal, thereby extending the service life of the convertible top frame.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a stop is provided on the pivot arm and a stop head on the pivot element, which are arranged such that they define a maximum position for the rotation of the first joint. The maximum position is defined as a position of rotation of the pivot element relative to the pivot arm in which no further rotation in either direction is possible. In other words, the stop and the stop head, which can be described as the counter-element of the stop, mark a maximum rotation between the pivot arm and the pivot element. If a force causing rotation is applied to the pivot element in this position, this force is transmitted to the pivot arm via the stop and the stop head.

[0021] Such an embodiment is particularly preferred if the locking contour and the joint section are designed in such a way that they only allow movement of the pivot pin in the elongated hole when the stop head and the stop are in contact. In this way, a force transmission from the pivot element to the pivot arm can be ensured by purely mechanical means, which enables movement of the pivot pin in the elongated hole.

[0022] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the pivoting element is connected to a roof rafter and / or a lateral roof guide such that, when the pivoting element is rotated, the roof rafter and / or the lateral roof guide move from a starting position to an end position or vice versa. Thus, the pivoting element becomes the central element which, when rotating itself, causes both the rafters and the lateral roof structure to move from a starting position to an end position.

[0023] A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is one in which the mechanism, determined by the design of the four-joint, is configured such that the pivot pin (121) is moved back and forth once in the elongated hole when the corner bow is moved from its starting position to its end position. Such an embodiment allows for an advantageous movement pattern with regard to the space required for moving the corner bow.

[0024] The motor vehicle according to the invention has a convertible top frame according to the invention, wherein the convertible top frame is designed to transfer a roof (convertible top) of the vehicle from a starting position to a final position.

[0025] Advantageous aspects of the invention and an embodiment of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. They show: Fig. 1a Schematic view of an embodiment of a convertible top frame 1 according to the invention in the initial position, Fig. 1b Schematic detail view of the four-joint 15 of the embodiment according to the invention. Fig. 1a in the starting position, Fig. 1c schematic detail view of the joint mount 14 of the view from Fig. 1b, Fig. 2a Schematic detail view of the four-bar linkage 15 of the embodiment according to the invention. Fig. 1a in a first transition position, Fig. 2b schematic detail view of joint mount 14 of the view from Fig. 2a, Fig. 3a Schematic detail view of the four-bar linkage 15 of the embodiment according to the invention. Fig. 1a in a second transition position, Fig. 3b schematic detail view of joint mount 14 of the view from Fig. 3a, Fig. 4a Schematic detail view of the four-joint 15 of the embodiment according to the invention. Fig. 1a in a third transition position, Fig. 4b schematic detail view of the joint mount 14 of the view from Fig. 4a, Fig. 5a Schematic detail view of the four-joint 15 of the embodiment according to the invention. Fig. 1a in the final position, Fig. 5b schematic detail view of the joint mount 14 of the view from Fig. 5a.

[0026] Before discussing the individual figures in detail, it should be noted that all figures merely illustrate one embodiment of the invention. All directional terms such as right, left, top, and bottom refer to the drawing plane of the perspective depicted in the figures. If the perspective of the arrangement changes, the directional terms will change accordingly.

[0027] The Fig. Figures 1b to 5b show the exact same view, with only the position of the convertible top frame 1 changing. The figures show... Fig. 1a, Fig. 1b and Fig. 1c which is also the starting position and the Fig. 5a and Fig. 5b the final position after passing through various transition positions shown in the other figures. In particular, the locking mechanism during the movement of the convertible top frame 1 from the starting position to the final position will be explained in more detail.

[0028] Fig. Figure 1a shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a convertible top frame 1 according to the invention in its initial position. The convertible top frame 1 comprises a corner bow 10, a roof bow 20, a locking element 30, and a lateral roof guide 40. A foldable fabric convertible top is stretched over these elements to form the roof of a vehicle. The fabric convertible top is not shown. In the initial position shown, the roof is locked to the vehicle body, specifically to the windshield frame, by means of the locking element 30 and thus fixed in the closed position. When moving the roof to the open position, i.e., the final position, the locking mechanism is, of course, released.

[0029] A pivot arm 11 with a joint section 12 is provided on the corner bow 10, the pivot arm 11 being rigidly connected to the corner bow 10. A first joint 15a in the form of a joint pin 121, which engages in an elongated hole 141 of a joint receptacle 14, is provided on the joint section 12. The joint receptacle 14 is rigidly connected to a steering arm 13, which in turn is connected via a further joint (fourth joint 15d, see figure). Fig. 1b) is connected to the body or to a roof enclosure 60 arranged therein. A pivoting element 50 is further provided between the roof enclosure 60 and the pivot arm 11, which is mounted via joints on the pivot arm 11, the roof enclosure 60 and the roof bow 20.

[0030] During the transition to a final position (not shown), corner bows 10, roof bows 20, locking element 30, and the lateral roof guide 40, which folds into two parts, are folded into the roof enclosure 60 via a defined movement sequence. The first movement sequence x of the corner bow 10 according to a conventional convertible top frame 1 and the second movement sequence y of the corner bow 10 according to a convertible top frame 1 according to the invention are schematically illustrated by dashed lines. The first movement sequence x of a conventional convertible top frame 1 requires significantly more space than the second movement sequence y of the described embodiment of the convertible top frame 1 according to the invention. The technical elements leading to this are described with reference to the Fig. 1b to 5b are explained in more detail.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1b shows a detailed view of a four-bar linkage 15 of the embodiment according to the invention. Fig. 1a. It should be noted that the view of the four-joint 15 differs from the view from Fig. 1a from the opposite side. The first joint 15a is provided between joint section 12 of the swivel arm 11 and the joint receptacle 14 of the steering arm 13, wherein the first joint 15a is formed by a joint pin 121 which engages in an elongated hole 141 in the joint receptacle 14 (see also Fig. 1a and Fig. 1c). Furthermore, a second joint 15b is formed between the swivel arm 11 and the swivel element 50. A third joint 15c is provided between the swivel element 50 and the roof housing 60. A fourth joint 15d supports the steering arm 13 against the roof housing 60. The four joints 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d form the four-bar linkage 15 (indicated by the dashed line) and thus support the movable elements (swivel element 50, swivel arm 11, and steering arm 13) against the roof housing 60. A stop 111 is also visible on the swivel arm 11, and a stop head 51 is visible on the swivel element 50; the significance of these will be explained in more detail later.

[0032] Fig. Figure 1c shows a detailed view of joint mount 14 in the view from Fig. 1b. This has a locking contour 142 against which the joint section 12 abuts in the position shown, such that movement of the joint pin 121 within the elongated hole 141 is prevented or blocked. Thus, only a pure rotational movement of the pivot arm 11 against the steering arm 13 is possible.

[0033] The Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b shows the exact same view as the Fig. 1b or 1c. However, the convertible top frame 1 is in a first transition position on its way from the starting position (see Fig. 1a to 1c) into the final position (see Fig. 5a and Fig. 5b). Thus, both the steering arm 13 has rotated relative to the roof housing 60 by means of the fourth joint 15d of the four-bar linkage, and the pivot arm 11 has rotated against the steering arm 13 via the first joint 15a. The joint section 12 continues to abut the locking contour 142, thereby preventing the translational movement of the joint pin 121 in the elongated hole 141.

[0034] Another transitional position, in which the rotation is more advanced, is found in the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b shown. In the position shown here, the rotation has progressed to such an extent that the locking contour 142 no longer restricts the translational movement of the joint pin 121 in the elongated hole 141. From this rotation angle of the first joint 15a, the translational movement of the joint pin 121 in the elongated hole 141 is thus enabled. The translational movement influences the movement of the corner bow 10, resulting in the second movement y (see Fig. 1a).

[0035] Furthermore, in this position, the stop head 51 is in contact with the stop 111, so that with further rotation of the pivot element 50, the force is directly transmitted via the stop to the pivot arm 11. This causes the pivot arm 11 to rotate about the second joint 15b, resulting in a translational movement of the joint pin 121 in the elongated hole 141. The contact between the stop head 51 and the stop 111 thus preferably occurs simultaneously with the release of the locking effect through the interaction of the locking contour 142 and the joint section 12, which, in the illustrated embodiment, form the purely mechanical locking mechanism.

[0036] The Fig. 4a and Fig. Figure 4b shows a third transition position of the convertible top frame 1 according to the invention, wherein the further rotation has resulted in the pivot pin 121 now being located on the right side of the elongated hole 141 and no longer on the left as in the previous figures. The joint section 12 of the swing arm 11 engages with the locking contour 142 in such a way that, with further counterclockwise rotation of the convertible top frame 1, a translational movement of the pivot pin 121 in the elongated hole 141 occurs in the opposite direction to the previous direction of movement, i.e., obliquely downwards and to the left in the plane of the drawing. The steering arm 13 is also rotated further counterclockwise.

[0037] Fig. 5a and Fig. Figure 5b shows the final position of the convertible top frame 1, with the pivot pin 121 in the elongated hole 141 back in its starting position and the joint section 12 rotated 90 degrees relative to the steering arm 13. Between the Fig. In the positions shown in 3a / 3b and 5a / 5b, the pivot pin 121 in the illustrated embodiment moves back and forth once in the elongated hole 141.

[0038] The dashed line in Fig. Figure 5a illustrates the position and orientation of the four-joint mechanism 15 in relation to its initial position. The roof rafters 20, the lateral roof guides 40, the corner rafter 10, and the pivot element 50 lie almost parallel and flat within the roof enclosure 60.

[0039] The angular range of the first joint 15a, defined by the locking contour 142 in conjunction with the joint section 12, in which translational movement of the joint pin 121 in the elongated hole 141 is possible, lies in the illustrated embodiment between the Fig.The positions of the swivel arm 11 in relation to the steering arm 13 are defined by 3a / 3b and 5a / 5b. If the swivel arm 11 and steering arm 13 enclose a different angle which is not within this defined angular range of the first joint 15a, the movement is prevented by the locking contour 142 in conjunction with the joint section 12.

[0040] The final position of the convertible top frame 1 is equivalent to an open convertible top. The convertible top can then be returned to the closed position, i.e., the starting position, via the reverse sequence of movements. REFERENCE MARK LIST 1 convertible top frame 10 corner bows 11 Swivel arm 111 attack 12 Joint section 121 joint pins 13 Steering arm 14 Joint image 141 Slotted hole 142 Locking contour 15 Four-joint 15a first joint 15b second joint 15c third joint 15d fourth joint 20 roof bows 30 locking element 40 lateral roof guide 50 swivel element 51 Stop head 60 Roof enclosure

Claims

[1] Convertible top frame (1) for a motor vehicle comprising opening and closing a vehicle roof a corner bow (10), a roof bow (20), a locking element (30) and a side roof guide (40), wherein the corner bow (10) is attached to a roof enclosure (60) via a pivot arm (11) and a four-joint linkage (15) arranged thereon, wherein the four-joint (15) is designed to transfer the corner bow (10) from a starting position to a final position in relation to the roof enclosure (60), wherein the four-bar linkage (15) comprises a first joint (15a) between a joint section (12) of the pivot arm (11) and a joint receptacle (14) of a steering arm (13), a second joint (15b) between the pivot arm (11) and a movable pivot element (50), a third joint (15c) between the pivot element (50) and the roof enclosure (60), and a fourth joint (15d) which supports the steering arm (13) against the roof enclosure (60), wherein the first joint (15a) of the four-joint (15) is designed as a joint pin (121) guided in an elongated hole (141) in the joint receptacle (14), wherein a locking mechanism is provided which is designed to allow movement of the pivot pin (121) within the elongated hole (141) only in a defined angular range of the first joint (15a), wherein the locking mechanism is designed as a locking contour (142) and the locking contour (142) is designed to achieve its locking effect purely mechanically, and wherein the locking contour (142) is fixedly provided on the joint receptacle (14) arranged on the steering arm (13), which has the elongated hole (141), and the joint section (12) on the pivot arm (11) is arranged such that it is designed to allow or prevent movement of the pivot pin (121) in the elongated hole (141), depending on the position of the first joint (15a) in conjunction with the locking contour (142). [2] Convertible top frame (1) according to claim 1, wherein the joint receptacle (14) is made of plastic and has a metallic reinforcement in particular at the elongated hole (141) and the locking contour (142). [3] Convertible top frame (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a stop (111) is provided on the pivot arm (11) and a stop head (51) is provided on the pivot element (50), which are arranged such that they define a maximum position of the rotation of the first joint (15a). [4] Convertible top frame (1) according to claim 3, wherein the locking mechanism is designed such that it only allows movement of the pivot pin (121) in the elongated hole (141) when the stop head (51) and the stop (111) are in contact. [5] Convertible top frame (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein the pivoting element (50) is further connected to a roof bow (20) and / or a lateral roof guide (40) such that when the pivoting element (50) is rotated, the roof bow (20) and / or the lateral roof guide (40) move from a starting position to an end position or vice versa. [6] Convertible top frame (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a mechanism defined by the design of the four-joint (15) is designed such that the pivot pin (121) is moved back and forth once in the elongated hole (141) when the corner bow (10) is moved from the starting position to the end position. [7] Motor vehicle with a convertible top frame (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the convertible top frame (1) is designed to transfer a roof of the vehicle from a starting position to a final position.

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