Convertible Soft Top Rear Window Foamed Edge Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing folding tops for convertible vehicles with integrated rear windows face aesthetic issues and sealing challenges, particularly at the lower edge where the soft top cover is not visually appealing and the sealing line is interrupted.
Innovation Solution
A folding top design where the rear window is foamed into the top cover along its entire edge, with a clamping bracket offset inwardly, ensuring a clean joint with the trunk lid and maintaining a continuous sealing line, using polyurethane foam for attachment and metal inserts for secure fixation to the clamping bracket.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the soft top cover is folded over the tension bracket profile to form the end of the folding top, then the folding top can be adjusted between closed and open positions, but the lower edge area of the rear window shows only a little soft top cover which is aesthetically unappealing and interrupts the sealing line
Solution Approach 1:
The top cover is extended into a third dimension by folding it under the rear window and securing it to the clamping bracket on the opposite side. This creates a multi-layer configuration where the top cover wraps around the rear window area, ensuring continuous visibility and sealing along the entire lower edge while maintaining adjustability functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The top cover is pre-extended beyond the rear window area before the folding operation. This preliminary extension ensures that when the top is folded to the open position, sufficient top cover material remains visible and continuous along the lower edge, preventing the aesthetic and sealing problems that would occur with standard folding.
2Reliability
If the rear window is integrated into the soft top cover with foamed edge areas, then the window can be securely connected, but the foamed edge areas are not visually appealing and create a discontinuous sealing line at the lower edge
Solution Approach 1:
The top cover is routed underneath the foamed edge area and secured to the clamping bracket on the opposite side of the rear window. This creates a layered configuration where the top cover appears continuous and visually appealing while the foamed edge remains hidden underneath, eliminating the visual and sealing discontinuities.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping bracket serves as an intermediary element that secures the top cover to the rear window assembly from the opposite side. This allows the top cover to be firmly attached without exposing the foamed edge areas, maintaining both secure connection and aesthetic appearance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides a visually clean and secure connection between the rear window and the top cover, preventing relative movement during folding and ensuring a seamless seal, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a rear window (6) attached to a top cover (4) all around with PU foam (8)
Implementation Method 2
metal inserts with a thread are advantageously molded into the PU foam coating of the rear window, with the help of which the rear window is firmly screwed to the circumferential or U-shaped clamping bracket
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Folding soft top for a convertible vehicle with a soft top cover and a rear window foamed into the soft top cover with a plastic, wherein the foaming between the vehicle soft top and the rear window takes place along the entire edge of the rear window, and with a tensioning bracket, wherein at least in one area of the edge of the rear window the soft top cover has an offset inwards towards the vehicle interior.