Abstract: The invention concerns a vehicle comprising a body roof having an opening capable of being closed and a folding top consisting of several rigid parts (3), (4), (5) and a modular roof assembly (1) mounted directly in one single piece on the vehicle structure, said assembly comprising the folding top, with its mobile parts (3), (4), (5), a frame (10) supporting the folding top, adapted to be positioned opposite marking elements (75) of the vehicle structure and connected thereto, the parts of the roof being mobile between an extended position, resulting from a forward displacement, and a folded position wherein said parts are substantially vertically retracted behind the seats (7), side by side, a mechanism (40, 50) for displacing the roof parts, borne by the support frame, being also provided, after the modular roof assembly has been positioned inside the vehicle, for displacing said roof parts relative to the roof opening between their extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for tensioning the retractable top of a motor vehicle (1). Said top comprises a front element (2) and a rear element (3) which are displaceable between the closed and opened positions thereof. The displacement of said elements is controlled by two articulated arms (6, 7). The inventive device is provided with arresting means (9) carried by the first arm (7) in such a way that is abuts against the second arm (6) when two elements (2, 3) of the top are relatively near to the closed position thereof. The arresting means (9) are provided with elastic means able to resist to the relative motion of the arms (6, 7) when the elements of the top (2, 3) are displaced from the relative position thereof, which is near to the closed position, and move towards said closed position.

Abstract: A roof for a vehicle comprising several roof elements that can be displaced between a first position above the passenger compartment and a second position in which they are stowed inside the boot, the roof elements being, when they cover the passenger compartment, connected to each other and to respectively front and rear parts of the body structure of the vehicle via securing elements controlled by rigid rods driven by an electric motor. These rods are constantly connected to each other in pairs from one of the roof elements to another, as much in the first position as in the second position of these elements, by a cable transmitting the movement generated by the electric motor between the rods and allowing to secure the roof elements to the body structure of the vehicle, as much in their first as in their second positions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for stowing an open top (1, 3, 5, 9) in a vehicle storage space (53). The top being initially closed, it consists in displacing the roof parts up to the inside of the storage space, some at least up to a first substantially vertically stowed position, then in displacing again said roof part(s) towards a substantially horizontal position located either in the upper part or in the lower part of the storage space (53), to clear horizontally an additional storage depth.

Abstract: The lid for a rear trunk of a vehicle having a roof foldable into the trunk is connected to the bodywork by device disposed at the front edge and at the rear edge of the lid and whose function is either to lock or to hinge the lid in a manner such that said lid can open either from the front backwards or from the rear forwards, and control device cause the lid to open in either of its opening directions or to be closed. According to the invention, the control device comprise at least one articulated arm and an actuator which is connected to the articulated arm and to the bodywork, and which is adapted to move the articulated arm and the lid.

Abstract: The invention concerns a sliding roof system for a vehicle, comprising at least one front roof panel (40) and one rear roof panel (48), mobile relative to each other between a flush position and an offset position in height. One of the roof panels comprises assemblies of front and rear levers articulated to tilt between a low position and a high position wherein the panel involved is offset in height relative to its flush level. One of the panels comprises driving means for driving the lever assemblies either from the front rearwards, to raise the panel, or inversely, to shift it from its offset position towards its flush position. The lever assemblies engage guides (41, 44) adapted, upon controlled displacement from the front rearwards of the lever assemblies, to guide their tilting movement upwards and, upon reverse displacement, to guide their tilting movement downwards.

Abstract: The invention concerns a retractable roof consisting of at least two elements (1, 2) for a vehicle comprising a passenger compartment (7) and a rear deck (6), said roof including a front element (2) and a rear element (1) mobile between a first position wherein they cover the passenger compartment (7) and a second position wherein they are superimposed horizontally in the rear deck (6), the displacement of the rear element (1) towards the rear deck (6) being driven by at least an arm articulated (5) at one first of its ends to the chassis, and the front element (2) being linked to the rear element (1) via two levers (13, 14) articulated each at one first (15, 16) of its ends to said front element.

Abstract: A device used to facilitate the insertion of objects under a folded roof in the boot of a motor vehicle. The roof includes a rear element which is equipped with a finger bar that is designed to slide along a rail comprising a storage section, which is intended to guide the roof between a deployed position and a folded, stored position, and a raised section, which is intended to guide said roof between a folded, stored position and a folded, raised position. The device comprises a raising member which moves the above-mentioned finger along the length of the raised section. Moreover, a locking member is mounted to the raising member between an unlocked position and a locked position in which it blocks the auxiliary roof element in relation to the rear element when the roof is moved toward the folded, raised position thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protective device (8) comprising a panel (9) forming the vertical limit between a protected zone (10) of the rear boot (2) used to receive the objects (7) and accessible when the rear boot (2) is open from the rear forward, and a second zone (11) of the rear boot (2) used to receive the roof (1) in a folded, stored position and located above the protected zone (10), the panel (9) being moveable between a low protecting position and a high protecting position. The invention is characterised in that the panel (9) co-operates with a first sensor (14) to prevent the roof (1) from being folded when the panel (9) is above the low protecting position, and with a second sensor (15) to prevent the boot (2) from being closed when the panel (9) is above the high protecting position.

Abstract: A rear boot (3) hood (4), for a convertible vehicle (1) swivels in relation to the bodyshell, via a first assembly element (13) capable of engaging in a detachable manner into a second assembly element (14) linked to the bodyshell. First and second runner surfaces (13a, 14a, 16c and 17a) work together at the end of the swivel movement of the hood. Means for locking/unlocking comprising first and second means for engaging (16 and 17) lock the hood in relation to the bodyshell. According to the invention, the first and second means for engaging (16 and 17) respectively have between them first and second contact surfaces with co-operative shapes, so that for at least the main part of its stroke, said first means for engaging (16) applies a substantially constant pressure on the corresponding second means for engaging (17).

Abstract: The invention concerns a retractable roof for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one front roof element and one rear roof element (4), rigid and able to be moved between a closed position in which they cover the vehicle cabin (2) and a storage position in which they are stored in the rear boot (3) of the vehicle, the rear element being arranged so as to be moved by means of pivoting arms and guided by runners (19) extending in the boot. This roof comprises a first arm (7) articulated transversely to the plane of symmetry of the vehicle, at a first (8) of its ends on the vehicle chassis and at its second end (12) on a first end of a second arm (13) articulated at its second end (14) on the said rear element, also transversely to the plane of symmetry of the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle with a removable top, comprising a stowable rigid roof that is provided with a forward roof element (15) and a rear roof element (17), a stowing space for the roof, which is located between the seats and the rear hood of the vehicle, first displacement means (35) for moving the roof elements side by side when the roof is opened, and second pivoting means (37, 43, 47) for displacing the roof elements by pivoting said roof elements between the closed state of the roof in which the elements are arranged in a substantially horizontal direction and the open state of the roof in which the elements are disposed in an essentially vertical direction within the stowing space.

Abstract: Apparatus for improving the rigidity of a vehicle structure, and particularly a vehicle having a retractable roof. The apparatus includes an electromagnet carried by either an edge of a door of the vehicle that swings outwardly when the door is open, or by an opposing edge of bodywork of the vehicle which faces the edge of the door when the door is closed. The electromagnet serves as a first element which, when the door is closed, is positioned opposite a second element made of a magnetic material. One of the elements is able to move toward the other element when the electromagnet is provided with an electric current. One of the elements is provided with a protuberance formed in the shape of a truncated cone, and the other element is provided with an axially-aligned recess which has a size and shape to receive the protuberance therein.

Abstract: In a vehicle, each of the pivot assemblies comprises a base secured to the bodywork of the vehicle, a body which is connected to a rear trunk lid via a hinge-forming member, and locking means for locking the body in a position where it is locked relative to said base. The locking means comprise hook-forming means pivotally mounted on the base and adapted to engage a complementary bearing shape of a first engaging element to bear against said bearing shape and to guide the end of the pivoting movement of the lid into the corresponding locked position.

Abstract: The package shelf (3) comprises sliders (47) which are moveable in relation to the frame (46) of the vehicle, a shelf (48) which can move along two tracks (46) which are fixed to the frame (45) and along the sliders (47), and driving means whereby a first part thereof is fixed to the shelf (48) and the second part thereof cooperates with the first part and is fixed to the sliders (47). The arrangement of the shelf (48), sliders (47), tracks (46), frame (45) and driving means, which are mounted independently from the frame (45), enable the shelf (48) to be displaced in relation to the latter.

Abstract: A motor vehicle roof can fold from a position of use to a retracted position in a rear boot of the motor vehicle. The roof has a central element and a pair of lateral elements, each rotatably attached at one of two transverse edges of the central element. A mechanism connected between each lateral element and the central element cooperates with features carried on a chassis of the vehicle to cause the lateral elements to rotate into an inclined position respective the central element as the roof folds into the retracted position. The mechanism also causes the lateral elements to rotate as the roof moves into the position of use.

Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator for a rear panel (4), on a motor vehicle, for a lid (3) on a boot (2) and a convertible roof, which moves from a position covering the cabin of the vehicle to a position in which it is stored in the boot (2), said roof comprising at least one rear roof part (5). The above comprises a panel support connected to the vehicle chassis (1) by pivots, such that said panel (4) moves from an open position to one of two closed positions, means displacing said panel (4) relative to the support body, elastic retainers for said panel (4) in the direction of the lid (3) and stops (13, 14) between-said panel (4) and said rear piece (5) of the roof when the above is in the closed position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pivoting convertible roof for a motor vehicle. The inventive roof comprises numerous rigid roof elements (1, 2, 3) which can be moved between a first position, in which they cover the passenger compartment (5) of the vehicle, and a second position, in which they are stored inside the boot (4) of the vehicle such that they are stacked more or less horizontally under the hood (4a) of said boot (4). According to the invention, the assembly of roof elements (1, 2, 3), which are stored inside the boot (4), is mounted to pivot in relation to an axle (8) that is disposed inside the boot (4). In this way, said assembly can be raised upwards when the hood (4a) of the boot (4) is being opened or after said hood has been opened in a forward manner.

Abstract: The front second panel is connected to the rear first panel via two sets of substantially parallel front and rear auxiliary pivot arms each hinged at its rear end to a respective rear hinge point fixed to the rear first panel and at its front end to a respective front hinge point fixed to the front second panel. The roof system has mechanisms for causing the two sets of auxiliary arms to pivot in one direction or the other in order to open or close the roof system, and the two auxiliary arms in a given set are arranged in such a manner as to be situated transversely on the outside of the roof panels.

Abstract: The invention concerns a folding roof comprising a front element and a rear element, the two elements capable of being stored in the vehicle boot, and locks for locking together the front edge of the front element to the front element of the vehicle body and the rear edge of the front element to the front edge of the rear elemen. The locks are actuated by rotating rods connected to a motor. The rotating rods and the locks are arranged such that the rotation of the motor causes the control rods to rotate simultaneously and the locks to be engaged when the roof covers the vehicle.