Slidable Top Patents (Class 296/107.19)
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Patent number: 11338650Abstract: 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: June 21, 2021Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Charles C. Turney, Jonathon G. Moore, 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: 10556489Abstract: 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: June 5, 2017Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Charles C. Turney, Jonathon Moore, Duane C. Junkin
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Patent number: 8668241Abstract: A locking device is provided for a sliding-roof arrangement of a motor vehicle with two guide rails which can be arranged so as to be spaced apart in vehicle transverse direction, on which guide rails a slide connectable with a sliding roof is movably mounted. At least one of the slides comprises lock for steplessly locking the slide at random positions of the respective guide rail.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2012Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Thorsten Schurna, Michael Splieth
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Patent number: 8657360Abstract: A collapsible roof for a vehicle includes a roof guide, a roof cap, a top fabric, and an adjusting mechanism. The adjusting mechanism movably couples the roof cap to the roof guide such that the roof cap with the top fabric are movable relative to the roof guide between a closed position in which the top fabric covers a roof opening and an opened position in which the top fabric exposes the roof opening. The adjusting mechanism includes front and rear control arms coupled to the roof cap. The front control arm includes a locking hook and the rear control arm includes a latching hook. The locking hook engages a front cavity of the roof guide in the closed position to fix the roof cap in place and the latching hook engages a rear cavity of the roof guide in the opened position to fix the roof cap in place.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Magna Car Top Systems GmbHInventors: Waleri Katrini, Marcus Papendorf, Berthold Klein, Randolf Liebhardt
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Patent number: 8308220Abstract: A sliding guide rail for a convertible vehicle may include a front rail, a middle rail into which the front rail slides to enter, a rear rail into which the middle rail slides to enter, a wire screw for supplying the sliding power to the front rail, a rolling member for facilitating the sliding movement, and locking means for locking the front rail to the middle rail and the middle rail to the rear rail, thus providing a sliding mechanism by a single driving device.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2009Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kookmin University Industry-Academy Cooperation FoundationInventors: Tae Wan Park, Chang Wook Park, Seung Jin Heo, Jay Il Jeong, Jong Hoon Lee, In Sik Hwang
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Publication number: 20110049928Abstract: A sliding guide rail for a convertible vehicle may include a front rail, a middle rail into which the front rail slides to enter, a rear rail into which the middle rail slides to enter, a wire screw for supplying the sliding power to the front rail, a rolling member for facilitating the sliding movement, and locking means for locking the front rail to the middle rail and the middle rail to the rear rail, thus providing a sliding mechanism by a single driving device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMY COOPERATION FOUNDATIONInventors: Tae Wan Park, Chang Wook Park, Seung Jin Heo, Jay Il Jeong, Jong Hoon Lee, In Sik Hwang
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Publication number: 20110049929Abstract: A sliding roof for a convertible vehicle may include front, middle, and rear roofs, guide rails for sliding the front, middle, and rear roofs, and lift links for lifting the front and rear roofs such that the guide rail of the middle roof slides toward the guide rail of the rear roof and packaged adjacent to the rear of the vehicle. The sliding roof may include a latch which fixes a side pillar of the front roof to a windshield frame during operation of a sunroof and fixes the side pillar to the sunroof during packaging of the roof, thus ensuring the space of a rear seat of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMY COOPERATION FOUNDATIONInventors: Tae Wan PARK, Chang Wook Park, Seung Jin Heo, Jay II Jeong, II Hwan Kim, Jong Hoon Lee, In Sik Hwang
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Patent number: 7735900Abstract: A convertible includes an automobile body and a movable roof having at least a rear roof part and an upper roof part, wherein the rear roof part extends at least between a belt line and the upper roof part. The upper roof part is located above a passenger compartment and in front of the rear roof part. The rear roof part has a middle section that encloses a rear window and is located between lateral main posts of the automobile body when the roof is closed. The main posts and the middle section are each rotationally connected with the automobile body and with the upper roof part by joints which form a multijoint linkage whose axis of rotation lie in a common plane in at least one movement position of the roof, so that at least one additional support of the upper roof part located in front of the rear roof part is provided for supporting the upper roof part with respect to the automobile body, wherein the additional support is active in the at least one movement position of the roof.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2003Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Klaus Russke, Winfried Bunsmann, Matthias Aydt
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Patent number: 7703842Abstract: A sliding roof structure of a vehicle includes rails 5a, 5b installed on the right and left roof side portions of the vehicle and a cover member 2 that can be slid and folded along the rails 5a, 5b, wherein the cover member 2 is comprised of a detachable inner cover member 30 and an outer cover member 40, which is slid along the rails 5a, 5b and to which the inner cover member 30 is mounted in detachable state, or the cover member 2 is comprised of a base cover member 7, which is made by attaching a bottom cover sheet 9 to the bottom frame member 10, and a top cover member 8, which is made by attaching a top cover sheet 8a to the top frame member 14, either the top frame member 14 or the bottom frame member 10 is equipped with an engaging portion 14a and the other with a groove 12 for supporting the engaging portion 14a, and the engaging portion 14a is inserted into the groove 12 and the top cover member 8 attached to the base cover member 7 in detachable state.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2008Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Kanto Auto Works, Ltd.Inventor: Ryouta Fujishima
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Publication number: 20100032979Abstract: A vehicle body is provided that includes, but is not limited to a frame and a roof held above the frame so as to be movable between a closed configuration in which it covers a passenger compartment and an open configuration in which the passenger compartment is uncovered. The passenger compartment has at least one door. At least one pair of pillars is mounted to the frame to the rear of the door for supporting the roof in its closed configuration. The roof is adapted to assume an intermediate configuration between its open and closer configurations in which the roof is spaced apart from said pillars.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2007Publication date: February 11, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Taras Czornyj, Martin Johansson
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Publication number: 20090015033Abstract: A roof assembly for a vehicle includes a roof, a guide bar system, and a guide bar mechanism. The roof has front, middle, and rear roof elements movable between a closed position covering a passenger compartment of the vehicle and an opened position stacked in a storage compartment of the vehicle. The guide bar system has front and rear guide bars. The guide bars are connected at one end to the front roof element and are rotatable about respective articulated joints at another end to move the roof elements between the closed and opened positions. The guide bar mechanism has a first control rod rotatably connected between the front guide bar and the middle roof element and a second control rod rotatably connected between the rear guide bar and the middle roof element to assure a desired movement of the middle roof element between the closed and opened positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2008Publication date: January 15, 2009Applicant: Magna Car Top Systems GmbHInventor: Thomas Halbweiss
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Patent number: 7331624Abstract: A folding top for a cabriolet vehicle, that includes a first roof part which rests on a rear element of the vehicle, which can be opened, in the closed covering position, a second roof part which is pivotably mounted on the vehicle and is disposed in front of the first roof part in the direction of traffic when said second roof part is in a closed covering position, a third roof part which is disposed in front of the second roof part in the direction of traffic when said third roof part is in a closed covered position. The first roof part can be lifted from the rear element. A folding top with a particularly simple kinematic configuration is provided for allowing the third roof part to be moved over the second roof part.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2003Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Edscha Cabrio-Dachsysteme GmbHInventor: Klaus Obendiek
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Patent number: 7320499Abstract: An automotive vehicle system includes a movable member and a belt-driven drive wheel that is operable to engage and disengage with the movable member and cause the movable member to move between positions. A tensioning member is operable to bias a movable roof member into contact with a wheel which is operable to engage with and selectively drive the roof member between positions.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2005Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: Specialty Vehicle Acquisition Corp.Inventors: Arthur L. MacNee, III, Kurt Theisen
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Patent number: 7303225Abstract: A Targa roof system for a vehicle includes a roof part (10) for spanning a compartment between a cross member (4), including the upper side of a windshield, and a traverse cross beam (8), which traversely spans a vehicle inner compartment and is spaced from the cross member (4). Guide elements (20, 22) are affixed in the rear area of the roof part (10) on both sides thereof, the guide elements being spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the roof part. The roof part (10) is pivotable from its closed position about the two guide elements (20, 22), which oppose each other with reference to the vehicle width, and subsequently is lowerable downwardly guided along the guide rails (24) into a stowed position by the forward guide element (20) and the rear guide element (22) without pivoting.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Udo Heselhaus, Winfried Bunsmann
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Patent number: 7240960Abstract: A removable top system for a vehicle having a front removable roof section and a rear removable roof section. Different removable roof coverings may be interchangeably combined to provide a complete roof for a sport utility vehicle having a permanent hoop dividing the front and rear roof sections. Soft top and hard top roof coverings are selectively provided. Different retraction mechanisms are disclosed for retracting and storing the removable roof sections.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2004Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: Magna Car Top Systems GmbHInventors: Robert E. Fallis, III, Michael T. Willard
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Patent number: 7156446Abstract: A convertible motor vehicle first and second storage compartments extending transversely behind a seat. A rigid roof shell has two posts defining a rear opening. The first compartment extends laterally forward past the seat. Guide rails extend laterally in the first compartment forward past the seat. Respective guide slides on the rear end posts ride on the guide rails, and the roof shell is displaceable along the guide rails between an up position wholly out of the first storage compartment and a down position wholly in the first compartment with the guide slides laterally flanking the seat. A rear windshield fits in the opening between the posts. A guide in the second storage compartment displaces the rear windshield between a lowered position in the second compartment and a raised position fitting between the rear end posts of the windshield in the up position thereof and closing the rear opening.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2003Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Inventor: Petros Perakis
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Patent number: 7150491Abstract: The invention relates to a retractable roof for passenger vehicles, especially a hard top for two-seater convertibles, roadsters or similar, comprising a dimensionally stable shell consisting of a roof part and rear support pillars which are rigidly connected to the roof part at an obtuse angle, a rear window for a window opening and an accommodating area located perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle directly behind the seats, wherein the roof part can be moved in and out with the support columns thereof by means of guiding and drive means. The roof part is kinematically and restrictively guided on a guide track with the support pillars thereof. The aim of the invention is to provide a retractable roof of the above-mentioned variety which exhibits the required structural rigidity yet which is lightweight, operates smoothly and is mechanically simply and easy to use while at the same time being compact.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2003Date of Patent: December 19, 2006Inventor: Petros Perakis
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Patent number: 7036866Abstract: A convertible motor vehicle has a seat, a trunk behind the seat, and a storage compartment extending transversely of the direction behind the seat and forward of the trunk and extending laterally of the seat in the direction forward past the seat. An arcuate and rigid roof shell has two rear end posts defining a rear opening and riding via slides in guide rails laterally spacedly flanking the seat and extending from the compartment in the direction forward past the seat. The roof can move along the guide rails between an up position wholly out of the storage compartment and a down position wholly in the compartment with the guide slides laterally flanking the seat. A rear windshield displaceable between a lowered position in the storage compartment and a raised position fitting between the rear end posts of the windshield in the up position thereof and closing the rear opening.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2003Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Inventor: Petros Perakis
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Patent number: 7029052Abstract: A convertible soft top for a vehicle includes a foldable, collapsible frame and a fabric attached to it. The frame has front and rear bow members with the rear bow member mounted for rotation about a first, fixed axis. The front bow member is pivotally mounted to the side legs of the rear bow member for movement about a second axis spaced from the first axis. The front bow member can be moved with the rear bow member about the fixed axis and also pivotally moved relative to the rear bow member about the second axis. Other features of the top include a sunroof and supporting structure to facilitate its operation and an arrangement to automatically secure the front bow member to the vehicle door frame as the top is moved to its raised position.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2004Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Rick H. Troeger, Joseph C. Jacobucci, Timothy J. Gile, Bryan Early, James A. Robertson, Frank Ells
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Patent number: 6874841Abstract: The invention concerns a folding roof wherein the front element (1) is linked to the intermediate element (2), the rear element (3) is not linked to the intermediate element (2) and is mobile towards the rear deck (5) through driving means independent of those controlling the displacement of the intermediate element (2) and of the front element (1) towards the rear deck (5). The intermediate element is linked to the vehicle body by two arms (6, 7) articulated to said body and to said intermediate element (2), one of said two arms (6, 7) being associated with means controlling its pivoting, the front of the intermediate element (2) being linked to the front element (1) by two levers (13, 14) articulated to said intermediate element (2) and to said front element (1), one (6) of said two arms being linked to one (14) of said levers by a link rod (19) articulated to said arm (6) and said lever (14).Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2001Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: France DesignInventors: Jean-Marc Guillez, Gérard Oueveau
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Patent number: 6767046Abstract: The invention concerns a motor vehicle retractable roof, comprising a front roof element (1), an intermediate roof element (2) and a rear roof element (3). The rear part of the rear element (3) is articulated at a fixed point (6) of the chassis, the front part of said rear element (3) being linked in articulation to the rear of the intermediate element (2), the intermediate element (2) is linked in articulation through an arm (9) articulated in a fixed point (10) of the chassis, the articulations (8, 10) of said arm (9) forming with the articulations (6, 7) of the rear element (3), a deformable quadrilateral.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: France DesignInventors: Jean-Marc Guillez, Gérard Queveau
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Patent number: 6688670Abstract: A convertible roof (2) of a convertible motor vehicle with at least one front roof part which is movably supported on the body by a bearing (8), and a rear roof part (13) which can be moved over the front roof part (5) and can be lowered with it into a rear stowage space (3). An especially simple structure can be achieved when the rear roof part (13) on the front side can be moved over the front roof part (5) by a raising mechanism (27) which is movably supported on a lengthwise guide (32) which is located on the front roof part (5). A carriage (31) can be guided on the lengthwise guide (32) of the front roof part (5) and the raising lever (28) of the raising mechanism, which lever is pivotally connected to the rear roof part (13), is supported on the carriage to be able to pivot and to be moved by the raising mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbHInventors: Peter Biecker, Marco Lauterbach, Gerhard Schwarz, Fritz Wegener, Burkhard Reinsch
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Patent number: 6676192Abstract: A motor vehicle having a front roof region which has a roof opening which may be closed by a sliding convertible top, having a rear roof region which includes roof columns connected to one another via a body crossmember, and having sliding guidance of the sliding convertible top along lateral guides of the front and rear roof regions, the sliding convertible top being guided roughly horizontally rearwardly in the front roof region and so as to be lowered downwardly into a stowage position in the rear roof region by the guides. The guides in the rear roof region are arranged on a side of the roof columns which faces the interior space of the motor vehicle, the sliding convertible top being guided in front of the body crossmember of the rear roof region between the roof columns.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2002Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AGInventors: Adolf Marold, Ulrich Moll, Siegfried Zipperle
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Patent number: 6568751Abstract: An openable motor vehicle roof with a front movable roof element (12) which is movably supported on side roof rails (2) and which in the closed position of the roof can be placed against an apron (8) or the like, the roof element (12) being supported by a guide means (15, 16) on the guide rails (10) of the side roof rails (2), the guide means having a four-bar mechanism (15, 16) by means of which the roof element (12) is supported to be able to pivot on a carriage (17) which can be moved on the guide rail (10), and a control lever (16, 23) of the four-bar mechanism controlling the motion of the four-bar mechanism and of the roof element (12), especially in the opening or closing motion away from or to the apron (8) depending on the position of the carriage (17) relative to the guide rail (10).Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2001Date of Patent: May 27, 2003Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbHInventor: Burkhard Reinsch
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Patent number: 6561566Abstract: A motor vehicle folding top with a roof peak (12) which is movably supported via a driven carriage (17) on the guide rail (10) of the respective side roof rail (2) and which can be placed in the closed position of the folding top against the apron (8) or the like, the drive part (40) which is movably supported on the respective guide rail (10) being coupled to the carriage (17) via a coupling means (42, 43) which during lengthwise displacement of the carriage (17), in the open position of the folding top, forms a rigid coupling, and on the last path of motion when the roof peak (12) is being closed, transfers the closing motion with increased force to the carriage (17) by stepping down the drive motion.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2001Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbHInventors: Thomas Dintner, Burghard Reinsch
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Patent number: 6481781Abstract: In a hard top vehicle roof which is movable between a closed position, in which it covers the interior of a vehicle, and a storage position, in which it is contained in a vehicle storage space, the vehicle roof includes a rear roof part, which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle body and a front roof part, which is mounted on the rear roof part so as to be movable below and in parallel relationship to the rear roof part for movement therewith into the storage space.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2001Date of Patent: November 19, 2002Assignee: CTS FahrzeugDachsysteme GmbHInventors: Harald Bergerhoff, Christian Holst
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Patent number: 6412860Abstract: A folding top of a motor vehicle with a roof frame with side roof rails, on which at least one movable roof element is movably supported, and which can be pivoted relative to the main part of the roof frame and can be detached from the windshield apron for lowering the folding top has a locking mechanism (9) for locked fixing of the side roof rails on the apron and with a drive for locking and unlocking the locking mechanism (9).Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2001Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbHInventor: Burkhard Reinsch
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Patent number: 6347828Abstract: An actuation mechanism for a two piece retractable hard-top roof that interfaces with an automobile body assembly, the retractable hard-top roof having a forward roof component and a rearward roof component which are selectively conjoinable, wherein the actuation mechanism and its associated framework are not located in the passenger compartment, being generally located in a stowage compartment, and wherein a minimal fore-aft dimension is needed to accommodate storage of the retractable hard-top roof. The actuation mechanism is microprocessor controlled, and the rearward roof component is affixed at its rear end to the actuation mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2001Date of Patent: February 19, 2002Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Robert R. Rapin, Brian C. Baker, James C. Fetterly, Thomas D. Vertin
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Patent number: 6312042Abstract: A hardtop vehicle roof has a forward roof section, a rearward roof section and a kinematic adjusting system for adjusting the roof sections between a closed position and a deposited position. The kinematic adjusting system includes a vehicle-fixed first guide link and a guiding element which is guided in the guide link and is connected with one of the roof sections. In order to provide a space-saving, flexibly constructed vehicle roof, a second guide link is swivellable about a vehicle-fixed rotation axis. The guiding element of the roof section is slidingly guided in the first as well as the second guide link.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2000Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignees: CTS Fahrzeug Dachsysteme GmbH, Adam OpelInventors: Thomas Halbweiss, Berthold Klein, Wojciech Wezyk
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Patent number: 6196616Abstract: A top accessory to be mounted on an open-topped vehicle includes a front mounting mechanism and a rear mounting mechanism. A forward-running guide is located generally in a plane between the front and rear mounting mechanisms in the accessory's mounted position and is resistant to forces having a component normal to the plane. A flexible top interacts with the rear mounting mechanism, the front mounting mechanism, and the guide. Embodiments of the accessory can be constructed in such a way as to allow an occupant of the vehicle to deploy its top without leaving his or her seat.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1998Date of Patent: March 6, 2001Inventor: Ralph J. Muszynski