Patents Assigned to Bestop, Inc.
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Patent number: 11230171Abstract: A multi-piece door assembly including a first door portion and a second door portion, which are removable to create a partially open-air experience or fully open-air experience. A pin pocket design is provided for selectively attaching the first door portion to a variety of different types of second door portions. A blow-out tab is provided to keep the multi-piece door assembly from blowing outwardly away from the vehicle with the increase of internal pressures at high speeds or crosswind situations.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2017Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: George C. Stickles, Frank A. Borke
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Patent number: 11230173Abstract: A vehicle arrangement is provided including a vehicle body having at least a partially open top and transverse window with a ferromagnetic frame, a flexible membrane sunscreen cover for at least a portion of the vehicle. A magnetic member connected with the sunscreen cover holds an end of the cover with the window frame.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: BESTOP, INCInventor: George C. Stickles
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Publication number: 20220016962Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Eric D. Getzschman, Duane C. Junkin, David A. Smith, Charles C. Turney, Edward S. Piec, Jonathon G. Moore, Brandon Kincaid, Eric J. Hanson
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Publication number: 20210394594Abstract: A side door assembly is provided for an automotive vehicle body having a side opening. The side door assembly includes a one-piece casting for hinged connection to the vehicle body. The casting forms a frame. At least one panel insert is selectively connected from the interior of the vehicle outward by a plurality of rotary attachment features to the frame. The frame includes a plurality of reinforcement features to add structure and rigidity, while reducing weight, to the side door assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Eric D. Getzschman, George C. Stickles, William H. Haberkamp
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Patent number: 11203257Abstract: A top for a Jeep type vehicle is provided having a rear cargo area and parallel spaced roll bars. The top includes parallel spaced apart C pillars, each C pillar including front and rear vertical columns, the rear columns having a perpendicularly connected seat belt pass-through. The C pillars also have bottom plates connecting the front and rear columns that extend beyond the rear column. A top plate connects the front and rear columns together. The C pillars include pivotally connected sealing plates for sealing a top end of a rear door, the sealing plates being connected to the roll bars. A vertical rear window extending between said C pillar rear columns is provided, the rear window having a cutout portion for allowance of passage of a seat belt therethrough. A fabric cover providing a top deck extends over said front and rear seating portion of said vehicle and also covers the C pillars. A tonneau cover is provided for covering the rear cargo area providing a flat surface enclosure over the cargo area.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: George C. Stickles, Eric D. Getzschman, Stephen J. Lewis
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Publication number: 20210379972Abstract: A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to the header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and has a sealing arrangement that engages with the hard top roof portion and existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Publication number: 20210362573Abstract: A foldable roof assembly having a soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side bows are attached to a first bow member, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at a pivot point created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is a wireframe and engages with seals in the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Patent number: 11180004Abstract: A quarter window assembly for a soft top cover assembly that is removable. The quarter window assembly is connectable to the soft cover assembly. The quarter window assembly has a hard corner assembly mountable to features connected to a vehicle. The hard corner assembly is an injection molded plastic assembly. The quarter window assembly also has a panel carrying at least one window, and the panel is secured to the hard corner assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Charles C. Turney, Jonathon G. Moore, Duane C. Junkin
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Patent number: 11173848Abstract: A rear door shelf assembly having a mounting base portion and a shelf rotatably connected to the mounting base portion for moving between an open position and a closed position. A spring-loaded prop rod is rotatably connected to the assembly. Storage features are connectable to the prop rod to provide multi-functionality of the assembly as a utility table and a storage unit. A one-touch latching mechanism holds the shelf in the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Bestop Inc.Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Jonathon Moore, Charles C. Turney
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Patent number: 11161398Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, Eric D. Getzschman, Jose N. Vigil, Andy Waite, Rick H. Troeger, Blake A. Jensen, James A. Robertson, Ronald Manzanares, George C. Stickles
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Publication number: 20210331620Abstract: A soft top assembly for SUV/UTV vehicles having connected thereto at least one lighting source, such as a fixed light emitting diode lighting device, a rope/flexible light emitting diode lighting device, a solid fiber optic lighting device, to illuminate the interior of the vehicle. The lighting device has at least one water resistant housing that is low profile. The lighting device is also shock resistant. The lighting device has a predetermined ON/OFF feature and at least one power source is provided such as battery powered, powered by replaceable/rechargeable batteries, via connection to the vehicle by a wired harness or electrical contacts, or solar powered.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2021Publication date: October 28, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Rick H. Troeger, Jose N. Vigil
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Publication number: 20210331565Abstract: A retractable sliding/folding 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 an 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2021Publication date: October 28, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, Eric D. Getzschman, Jose N. Vigil, Andy Waite
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Publication number: 20210323389Abstract: A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and engages with the existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Publication number: 20210309084Abstract: A roofing system for a Jeep type multiple row seating Jeep type SUV having a parallel separated longitudinal support beam structure extending roll cage with rear ends of the longitudinal support beams inclined to a belt line of the vehicle, the system including a rear rigid portion extending transverse of the vehicle, a cloth portion forward of the rigid portion covering at least a front seating row of the vehicle being openable.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2021Publication date: October 7, 2021Applicant: BESTOP INC.Inventors: John Larson, David A. Smith, Eric D. Getzschman, Tommy L. Knight
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Publication number: 20210309080Abstract: A quarter window assembly for a soft top cover assembly that is removable. The quarter window assembly is connectable to the soft cover assembly. The quarter window assembly has a hard corner assembly mountable to features connected to a vehicle. The hard corner assembly is an injection molded plastic assembly. The quarter window assembly also has a panel carrying at least one window, and the panel is secured to the hard corner assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2021Publication date: October 7, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Charles C. Turney, Jonathon G. Moore, Duane C. Junkin
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Patent number: 11135906Abstract: A side door assembly is provided for an automotive vehicle body having a side opening. The side door assembly includes a one-piece casting for hinged connection to the vehicle body. The casting forms a frame. At least one panel insert is selectively connected from the interior of the vehicle outward by a plurality of rotary attachment features to the frame. The frame includes a plurality of reinforcement features to add structure and rigidity, while reducing weight, to the side door assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2018Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Eric D. Getzschman, George C. Stickles, William H. Haberkamp
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Patent number: 11135905Abstract: A side door assembly is provided for an automotive vehicle body having a side opening. The side door assembly includes a front casting for hinged connection to the vehicle body. A rear casting is also provided for latch connection of the vehicle door assembly to the vehicle. An extrusion and/or extrusions connect the front and rear castings providing a side door assembly that is extremely light, enhancing the ability of the driver to enjoy the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2018Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: BESTOP, INCInventors: Eric D. Getzschman, George C. Stickles, William H. Haberkamp
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Patent number: 11124053Abstract: A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to the header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and has a sealing arrangement that engages with the hard top roof portion and existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Bestop Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Publication number: 20210268883Abstract: A panel top assembly adapted for a vehicle including a pivotal portion that is rotatable between a closed position and open sunroof position, the pivotal portion is coupled to guide assemblies to selectively slide rearward to another top open position. There is provided a removable hard rear window, a rear hard drip rail; and a pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies on the side of the vehicle that wrap around to the back of the vehicle creating clear rear hard corners and that are also in sealing engagement to the rear window. The rear hard drip rail and pivotal portion selectively drop down at an angle into the rear cargo area of the vehicle when a fully open top experience is desired.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Applicant: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: David A. Smith, Charles C. Turney
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Patent number: D940021Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2017Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Charles C. Turney, Jonathon Moore, Duane C. Junkin