Pivotal Soft Top Cover With Linked Bow Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable soft tops for SUVs require manual manipulation and fabric management, making the opening and closing process cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A pivotal soft top cover assembly with a fixed or hinged bow, featuring a rear header with mounts for a retractable sunscreen, side rail fabric sealing appliques, and tensioning mechanisms to simplify the opening and closing process, ensuring a weather-tight seal and easy fabric management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual manipulation is used to retract the soft top, then the operator can control the folding process, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic linkage system with pivoting bows and connecting links that automatically guide the fabric through folding and retraction motions. The linkage mechanism transforms simple operator input into coordinated movement of multiple fabric sections, enabling easy operation without manual manipulation of each fabric layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric management system is designed to automatically fold and guide the fabric through the retraction process without requiring operator intervention. The linkage mechanism and bow assembly work together to self-manage the fabric folding, reducing the operator's task to simply initiating the retraction motion.
2Ease of operation
If manual fabric management is required during folding, then the operator can control fabric placement, but the process becomes complex and difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric cover is divided into multiple sections with dedicated management bows for each section. Each bow independently manages a specific portion of the fabric, allowing the complex folding process to be broken down into simpler, localized actions that are easier to control and manage.
Solution Approach 2:
The linkage mechanism acts as an intermediary between the operator's simple retraction action and the complex fabric folding process. It translates the operator's input into coordinated movement of fabric sections, managing the complexity internally while presenting a simple interface to the user.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the soft top is designed to be fully retractable, then it provides open air experience, but the fabric management and stowage becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The retractable soft top design allows fabric sections to be nested within each other during retraction, with the linkage mechanism guiding each section into a compact stowed position. This nesting arrangement enables full retraction for open air experience while managing fabric stowage in a systematic, space-efficient manner.
4Device complexity
If the soft top uses simple manual operation, then the mechanism is simple, but the weather-tight seal and fabric tensioning become difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The linkage mechanism automatically adjusts the tension and position parameters of the fabric during retraction and closing operations. By dynamically changing these parameters through the mechanical advantage of the linkage system, the design maintains weather-tight seals and proper fabric tensioning without requiring complex manual adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A soft top cover assembly including a pivotal portion adapted for attaching at a roof top opening of a vehicle to selectively close off the roof top opening and open up the roof top opening for an open-air experience. The assembly has a cover attached to a first bow member of the pivotal portion and a rear header. Selectively rotating the pivotal portion covers and uncovers the roof top opening. The assembly has at least one pair of shutface appliques adjacent to the sides of the roof top opening. At least one pair of rear side belt mounts incorporating a belt rail and adapted to connect to the vehicle and operable to attach LH/RH rear side windows.