Including Valance Patents (Class 296/107.05)
  • Patent number: 11840132
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Bestop, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Smith, Charles C. Turney
  • Patent number: 11465475
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Bestop, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Smith, Charles C. Turney
  • Patent number: 7600805
    Abstract: An anchoring configuration for a rear end section of a top cloth. The anchoring configuration has a fastening strip, which can be connected by a first strip section to the top cloth and by a second strip section releasably to a body element of a convertible. The fastening strip is of a flexible construction at least in some regions, and has a water collecting profile which runs in a transverse direction of the convertible and is disposed below the rear end section of the top cloth. In order to simplify the anchoring configuration, the first strip section of the fastening strip is configured as the water collecting profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Mathias Fröschle, Timo Czechtizky
  • Patent number: 7438344
    Abstract: A sealing or weather strip for attachment to a convertible top of an automotive vehicle, the strip having an upwardly facing, generally C-shaped channel for receiving water from the top during rainy weather or during washing of the vehicle. The strip further has an upwardly extending leg of substantial longitudinal extent and an outwardly projecting bump of limited longitudinal extent on the leg to position other portions of the leg away from the convertible top. The bump is spaced from the channel and vertically above at least major portions of the channel, thereby requiring capillary action to cause water to flow along an outside portion of the leg into the channel. The leg forms a pocket for sealingly receiving an upper edge of a window of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Greg Bernas
  • Publication number: 20080129075
    Abstract: A sealing or weather strip for attachment to a convertible top of an automotive vehicle, the strip having an upwardly facing, generally C-shaped channel for receiving water from the top during rainy weather or during washing of the vehicle. The strip further has an upwardly extending leg of substantial longitudinal extent and an outwardly projecting bump of limited longitudinal extent on the leg to position other portions of the leg away from the convertible top. The bump is spaced from the channel and vertically above at least major portions of the channel, thereby requiring capillary action to cause water to flow along an outside portion of the leg into the channel. The leg forms a pocket for sealingly receiving an upper edge of a window of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc..
    Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Greg Bernas
  • Patent number: 6932414
    Abstract: A covering shell connected with a folding top clamp by way of detents and holding noses so that, in the event of an emergency operation of the folding top, the shell can be removed from the clamp at any time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Markus Kustner, Horst Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6439641
    Abstract: The profiled seal which is provided to produce a sealing arrangement between a vertically sliding window pane and a roof frame of a cabriolet comprises a metal carrier rail and a length of profiled elastomer co-extruded with the carrier rail. The profiled seal has a three-dimensional shape and can be attached to connection parts of the roof frame by attachment elements. At least two assembly regions of the carrier rail which protrude out of the length of profiled elastomer transversely to the longitudinal direction and cooperate with the attachment elements are provided disposed in the longitudinal direction of the profiled seal at a mutually spaced disposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Meteor Gummiwerke K.H. Bädje GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Jens Anders, Martin Gentemann
  • Patent number: 6425621
    Abstract: The invention relates to a convertible motor vehicle roof having a front roof section and a rear roof section, each roof section being pivotally mounted on the vehicle body by a lever mechanism. The rear roof section is mounted so as to pivot over the front roof section, and can be lowered jointly with the front roof section into a back stowage space or area in the motor vehicle. The rear roof section being supported with a pivoting capacity on at least one of the front roof section and the lever mechanism. Preferably, when the motor vehicle roof is in a closed position, at least one of the lever mechanism and the lever for the front roof section are located substantially vertical in an area of one side front edge of the front rear roof section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Miklosi, Thomas Schütt
  • Patent number: 6382702
    Abstract: A convertible roof has a rain channel along the longitudinal edge in which a spacer of rubber or synthetic resin is received between a bead-forming strip and the roof covering and is attached to the bead-forming strip and an edge of the roof covering with a U-shaped binding strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignees: PARAT Automotive Schonenbach Gmb& O Co. KG, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
    Inventors: Manfred Kasparak, Josef Seibold, Wolfgang Dangl, Dieter Demmel, Andreas Reitinger, Markus Märkl