Single Drive Wheel for Convertible Top Pivot Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing convertible vehicle top systems require separate drives for each pivot component, leading to complex setups with multiple motors, gearboxes, and hydraulic cylinders, and struggle to push the top against the front apron due to decoupling issues during closure.
Innovation Solution
A drive arrangement that uses a single drive wheel to actuate both pivot components, with a control element in a control slot determining whether to drive one or both components, eliminating the need for additional components like Bowden cables and simplifying the mechanism using rotary hinges and a control slot with specific curvature portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate drives are used for each pivot component, then each component can be driven independently, but the device complexity increases with multiple motors, gearboxes, and hydraulic cylinders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate drive systems into a single drive wheel arrangement that can actuate both the main link and tensioning bracket through a unified mechanical linkage system, reducing the number of motors, gearboxes, and hydraulic cylinders while maintaining independent controllability through the control slot mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The single drive wheel arrangement is designed to perform multiple functions: it can drive the main link, drive the tensioning bracket, or hold either component stationary, depending on the position of the control element in the control slot, thereby replacing multiple specialized drives with one multi-functional unit
2Device complexity
If a single drive wheel acts on both pivot components, then device complexity is reduced, but it becomes difficult to control whether one or both components are driven
Solution Approach 1:
The control element and control slot serve as intermediary mechanisms between the single drive wheel and the two pivot components. The control element's position within the control slot determines whether the drive wheel transmits force to the main link, the tensioning bracket, or neither, providing precise control without requiring multiple drive systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the actuation state of pivot components based on the control element's position in the control slot. As the control element moves through different portions of the control slot, the mechanical linkage dynamically engages or disengages the drive torque transmission to each pivot component, enabling flexible control with a single drive
3Manufacturing precision
If the drive wheel arrangement is decoupled before final position, then production tolerances are accommodated, but the top cannot be pushed against the front apron
Solution Approach 1:
The control element is positioned in a first portion of the control slot during the closing operation, which preliminarily engages the drive wheel with the main link while keeping the tensioning bracket disengaged. This allows the system to accommodate production tolerances during the approach phase while maintaining the capability to achieve complete closure when the control element reaches the appropriate position
Data Source
AI summary
A top of a convertible motor vehicle includes a linkage movable between a closed position spanning a vehicle interior and a storage position uncovering the vehicle interior to the top A linkage arrangement having first and second pivot components is on opposing sides of the linkage and pivotably mounted at a rear main bearing. A rotatable drive wheel is coupled to the two pivot components. When the drive wheel is rotated, the first pivot component is always subjected to a drive torque, whereas the second pivot component, as a function of the position of a control element in a control slot that is fixed relative to the main bearing, is either held in place or is subjected to a drive torque.