Abstract: Compactly arranged function elements in a center area of a cockpit instrument panel arrangement of a motor vehicle are combined in a compact reinforcing frame, and at least one energy absorber is arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the reinforcing frame and the cross member, thereby preventing any splintering off of the instrument panel arrangement cover and other parts in the case of a passenger's head impact onto the cockpit resulting from a vehicle crash.

Abstract: Motor vehicle instrument panel including a stiffening panel defining an instrument panel shape. The stiffening panel includes an airbag cover section and a hinge connection section which connects the airbag cover section to adjacent stiffening panel sections. A reinforcement mat is connected to a side of the stiffening panel which faces away from a vehicle passenger space bounded by the instrument panel when in an in-use position in a vehicle. The reinforcement mat includes a plurality of openings, and the reinforcement mat and stiffening panel are connected together by pressing of material of the stiffening panel into the openings of the reinforcement mat thereby providing an intimate connection of the reinforcement mat and stiffening panel without requiring additional fastening material.

Abstract: A top cover box for vehicles is disclosed, which is lined on its walls and its bottom with covering that has water-repellent properties, and which is provided with an outflow aperture in a low-lying region of the bottom, the covering having a downslope in the bottom region which conducts water to the outflow aperture. In order to achieve a substantial improvement of the structural possibilities in the design of the top cover box bottom, without disadvantages for the removal of water from the top cover box, the covering is combined to form an insert encompassing walls and a bottom, which insert is of dimensionally stable and watertight design, a groove-like recess being formed on the bottom of the insert and having a downslope leading to the outflow aperture. The bottom of the insert comprises a large-format surface region with a downslope extending transversely to the longitudinal extent of the recess and towards the latter.

Abstract: A partial stiffening of a covering of a folding top is provided by a wide tension-belt element which is stretched between two supporting structure members of the folding top and which, extending underneath the stretched folding-top covering, bears supportively against the folding-top covering on the wide side. The tension-belt element can be used for stiffening a zone of the folding-top covering curved transversely relative to its longitudinal extension, the side of the tension-belt element facing the folding-top covering has, at two spaced supporting locations, a contour matched to the intended transverse curvature of the folding-top covering. Supporting forces are transmitted by a spring prestress directed towards the folding-top covering.

Abstract: An intermediate folding top bow is fastened, via cantilevers arranged at its ends, to lateral roof-frame parts of a vehicle folding-top structure. During the opening operation of the folding-top structure, the intermediate bow is pivotable out of a tensioning position directed forwardly into a stowage position directed rearwardly. To make it possible to ensure that the intermediate bow will be stowed automatically and without being damaged, the intermediate bow is loaded during the opening of the folding top with a pivoting effect by a separate working element so that starting from its tensioning position, the intermediate bow is driven beyond a dead center between its tensioning position and its stowage position.

Abstract: A positively obtained fold arrangement in a folding-top covering of a folding top is controlled by a round-bending fold which extends in the direction of width of the folding-top covering and is stiffened in terms of bending transversely relative to its path. When the folding top is opened, the folding top covering is drawn into its fold form automatically under the tensile force of a tension-spring element, the tension-spring element being held at its ends at the folding-top covering on both sides of the round-bending fold. So that the fold arrangement can be stowed in a space-saving manner next to associated structure parts of the folding top, while at the same time avoiding creases, measure are provided for stiffening the round-bending fold in terms of bending reinforcing measures, thus allowing a relatively sharp bending of the round-bending fold.

Abstract: The invention relates to a folding-top covering for a folding top of a vehicle, which is stretched onto a supporting folding-top structure and which comprises two releasably interconnected folding-top covering portions, arranged one behind the other along the length of the vehicle and which are joined in a plane of width of the folding top by being connected to a connecting element by a strip-shaped fastening portion. When the folding-top covering is damaged, the particular folding-top covering portion can be simple and economically exchanged. The folding-top covering is divided along a bow of the folding top and the strip-shaped fastening portion of the folding-top covering parts is clamped to the bow.