Including Valance Patents (Class 296/107.05)
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Patent number: 11840132Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 8, 2022Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: David A. Smith, Charles C. Turney
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Patent number: 11465475Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 2, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: David A. Smith, Charles C. Turney
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Patent number: 7600805Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 10, 2007Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AGInventors: Mathias Fröschle, Timo Czechtizky
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Patent number: 7438344Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 5, 2006Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Greg Bernas
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Publication number: 20080129075Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2006Publication date: June 5, 2008Applicant: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc..Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Greg Bernas
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Patent number: 6932414Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 12, 2004Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AGInventors: Markus Kustner, Horst Schmidt
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Patent number: 6439641Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 17, 2001Date of Patent: August 27, 2002Assignee: Meteor Gummiwerke K.H. Bädje GmbH & Co.Inventors: Jens Anders, Martin Gentemann
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Patent number: 6425621Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 2, 2001Date of Patent: July 30, 2002Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbHInventors: Stefan Miklosi, Thomas Schütt
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Patent number: 6382702Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 24, 2000Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignees: PARAT Automotive Schonenbach Gmb& O Co. KG, Bayerische Motoren Werke AGInventors: Manfred Kasparak, Josef Seibold, Wolfgang Dangl, Dieter Demmel, Andreas Reitinger, Markus Märkl