Slanted Back Soft Top Assembly with Articulating Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional soft top designs for SUVs face challenges in providing a slanted back style with the open air features of a frameless design, as they often require complex and difficult attachment arrangements, inadequate tensioning, and rippling or flapping issues due to lack of proper support and tensioning systems.
Innovation Solution
A sliding/folding slanted back soft top assembly with a frame that includes forward and rearward fabric support bow members, allowing the soft top to articulate from a closed to an open air position, featuring a tensioning system for adjusting fabric tension and simplifying installation, while maintaining a sporty appearance and providing adequate support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a framed type structure with conventional framed features and assembly support bows is used to achieve a slanted back design, then the sporty slanted back appearance is obtained, but the attachment arrangement becomes complicated and the installation becomes difficult and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The soft top assembly is divided into separate modular components including the soft top cover, the frame assembly with bows, and the attachment mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be independently manufactured and assembled, simplifying the overall attachment arrangement while maintaining the slanted back shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support for the slanted back appearance, integrates the attachment mechanism directly into the bow structure, and enables both framed and frameless configuration options. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components.
2Shape
If a framed type structure with fixed attachment to the frame is used to achieve a slanted back design, then the sporty slanted back appearance is obtained, but the open air features and amenities of a frameless design are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing the soft top to transition between a fixed framed configuration (providing slanted back appearance) and a frameless configuration (providing open air features). The bows can be positioned in different locations along the vehicle frame, enabling versatile configuration options.
Solution Approach 2:
The same frame assembly and attachment mechanism can accommodate both framed and frameless soft top configurations, as well as different window panel arrangements. This universal design allows customers to have both the sporty slanted back look and the open air features in different driving conditions.
3Reliability
If conventional soft top designs are used, then the basic coverage function is provided, but inadequate tensioning creates rippling effects, flapping or undesired movement in the installed position
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning system applies localized tensioning forces at specific points along the soft top cover using the bow members and attachment mechanism. This distributed local tensioning prevents overall fabric sagging and rippling while maintaining the desired slanted back shape and preventing flapping movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft top cover is pre-tensioned during installation using the adjustable attachment mechanism before the vehicle is driven. This preliminary tensioning action ensures the fabric is properly secured and taut, preventing rippling and flapping effects during subsequent use.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a frameless design is used to achieve open air features, then the retractable top functionality is obtained, but the slanted back styling features are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The frame assembly is designed to work with both framed and frameless soft top configurations, allowing the same basic structure to provide either the slanted back framed appearance or the open air frameless look, depending on how the soft top cover and windows are attached.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism allows dynamic reconfiguration between framed and frameless modes, enabling the vehicle to have the slanted back styling when needed and the open air features when desired, without requiring two separate systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An articulating slanted back soft top assembly for 4-door and 2-door SUVs. A fabric cover is supported by a frame that is at least partially articulatable from at least a closed position to at least one open air position. The frame includes at least one forward fabric support bow member and at least one rearward fabric support bow member. The rear fabric support bow member being positioned when in the closed position in a manner which allows the fabric to clear a sport bar or “roll bar” member of a vehicle in the closed position such that a rear portion of the top is angled from the vertical when viewing the vehicle from the side.