MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A MOVABLE ROOF REGION ENGAGED OVER A ROOF COVER

[0001] This application claims priority from German patent application No. DE 10 2006 007 362.2, filed Feb. 17, 2006, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a movable roof region engaged over at least substantially by a cover. More particularly, the invention relates to a movable roof region having a rear end that can be opened upwardly to an inverted orientation.

[0003] It is known to configure movable roof regions with rear ends that are not fixedly secured to the car body nor, with the help of a material retraining bracket, beneath a movable rear window on a top storage well cover which can be moved open and closed. Targa-like roofs with manually removable roof parts are known for this purpose, for example. It is also known to lower fixed roof parts of this roof region via a motor control to open them.

[0004] With roof regions covered with a cover or soft tops, whose rear ends are neither permanently fastened directly to the car body nor held under tension via a material retaining bracket which is set onto a top storage well cover under pressure, there is a lack of practical solutions to configure the roof region such that an automated stowing is made possible.

[0005] It is the underlying problem of the invention to provide a rear termination suitable for an automated roof opening for such movable roof regions.

[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, a motor vehicle includes a movable roof region which is engaged over by a cover and whose front-side end, or roof peak, can be secured indirectly or directly to the windshield frame. The movable roof region can also be stowed in the rear vehicle region in its open position. The movable roof region is provided at its end region at the rear in the closed position with at least one rigid cross member and can be turned upside down to open upward in the manner of a roof peak and can be held anti-parallel to a partial region of the movable roof region adjoining it at the front in the direction of travel.

[0007] An automated opening and closing of the rear end of the roof region is also possible with the invention when said roof region is, for example, fixed to car body structures disposed at a hi-her level. In addition, the rear end of the roof region does not have to fit flush into a further car body structure, but can lie on top of such from above. Nevertheless, a flat package thereby only requiring small stowage space, in particular only a low height, can be formed from roof part portions.

[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, the rearward end region can be pivoted open for an opening by at least approximately 180 degrees.

[0009] When the end region at the rear can be pivoted open by at least 180° for opening, the car body structure can also lie under the line of the roof region, for example be configured in the form of rearwardly descending fins or other car body pillars so that a sporty and dynamic side line of the roof can result and the folding over of the end region is nevertheless possible up to and over a previously almost horizontally disposed further section of the roof region.

[0010] According to another aspect of the invention, the end region can in particular be configured like a roof peak and have two lateral longitudinal frame parts which are fixedly connected to the cross member. The longitudinal frame parts are then pivotable, for example, around a transverse vehicle axis and serve as levers to pivot the cross member toward the front. The cross member can, for example, be configured as a single extruded section or also as a die cast plate. A plurality of individual carriers one after the other is also possible.

[0011] Provided that the end region can be engaged over or under by the roof peak pivoted upside down in the pivoted open position, the end region, the front roof end and a horizontal portion disposed therebetween can lie over one another such that a flat package is formed, on the one hand, which has a relatively small longitudinal extent, on the other hand.

[0012] The cross member and/or the longitudinal frame parts is/are particularly advantageously provided with pillars associated with latching members for the fixing to the vehicle sides and extending the roof visually to the rear and associated with the car body. A secure holding of the rear end region can thus be held reliably even without a dead centre point linkage or other measures disposed in the roof region for the generation of a contact pressure. A tension can be exerted on the cover solely by the latching to these pillars, on the one hand, and with the front end at the windshield frame.

[0013] With an elevated car body structure for the holding of the roof region, the pillars can in particular be configured as side fins which can accept an upright rear window between them in the front region so that a different and interesting visual appearance results with respect to typical, obliquely running out roofs of convertibles.

[0014] Nevertheless, despite the end of the movable roof region disposed in an elevated manner, it can be connected via a linkage covered by the fins to a main bearing disposed beneath a window breast line and can thus be holdable in the car body beneath the window breast line in the open position. The fins can then stop thereabove and, for example, continue the upper side line of the side windows to the rear. The fins can particularly favorably also be lowerable themselves and thus also permit a throughgoing side line of a full convertible position with open side windows.

[0015] To make these different positions possible, the fins are favorably movable together with a covering of a receiving space for the movable roof region opening to the rear.

[0016] The lowered movable roof region can in particular be stowable in an elevated position in a partial convertible position with upright fins with respect to the full convertible position with lowered fins in order thus always to keep the trunk as large as is just possible beneath the stowed roof region.

[0017] Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0018] FIG. 1 shows the part of a motor vehicle in accordance with the invention at the center with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a slightly perspective view obliquely from the rear, with the vehicle being broken off downwardly, in a closed roof position;

[0019] FIG. 2 shows the vehicle in accordance with FIG. 1 during the pivoting open of the roof peak and of the rear roof end of the movable roof peak;

[0020] FIG. 3 shows the vehicle in accordance with FIG. 2 in a position of the rear end completely turned upside down with a likewise turned roof peak placed above it;

[0021] FIG. 4 shows the further roof opening from the position in accordance with FIG. 3 after the pivoting open of a rear top storage well cover during the displacement downwardly and toward the rear of the movable roof region folded-in in accordance with FIG. 3;

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a similar view to FIG. 4 with a fully opened, stowed roof region and a top storage well cover still open thereabove;

[0023] FIG. 6 shows the vehicle approximately in the position in accordance with FIG. 3 in a side view;

[0024] FIG. 7 shows a similar view to FIG. 6 during the opening of the covering;

[0025] FIG. 8 shows a similar view to FIG. 7 during the displacement of the roof region to the rear and downwardly with a fully open covering;

[0026] FIG. 9 shows a similar view to FIG. 8 after stowing of the roof region;

[0027] FIG. 10 shows the vehicle in part convertible position with a top storage well cover closed over the stowed roof region with fins held standing upright thereon;

[0028] FIG. 11 shows a similar view to FIG. 10, but with an open top storage well cover and with an additionally lowered roof region;

[0029] FIG. 12 shows a similar view to FIG. 11 during the inward pivoting of the lateral fins with respect to the open top storage well cover;

[0030] FIG. 13 shows a similar view to FIG. 12 during the further inward pivoting of the fins;

[0031] FIG. 14 shows a similar view to FIG. 13 with completely inwardly pivoted fins;

[0032] FIG. 15 shows a similar view to FIG. 14 during the closing of the top storage well cover; and

[0033] FIG. 16 shows a view of the vehicle rear in the full convertible position, for reasons of clarity without the stowed roof drawn in.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, a convertible motor vehicle is generally indicated at 1. The vehicle 1 includes a movable roof region 2 which is held, in the closed position, at least substantially above side windows 3 of a passenger compartment and whose rear end 4 lies on lateral visual roof extensions, or fins 5, which are associated with the car body 9 and are not components of the movable roof region 2. Other car body pillars or structural parts of the car body 9 can also be provided instead of the fins 5 as abutments for the rear roof end 4. The front end 13 or roof peak, of the roof region 2 can be secured indirectly or directly to a windshield frame 20. The roof region 2 can be stowed in its open state in the rear region of the vehicle 1 beneath the plane 6 of a top storage well cover 7.

[0035] In this embodiment, the movable roof region 2 is completely covered by a flexible cover, that is it forms a soft top region, which is here only indicated by the different hoops in the figures. The cover itself is not shown.

[0036] To cover a long roof region 2 for a vehicle with two or more seat rows behind one another and to permit a good sealing with respect to the fins 5 or other pillars, the roof region 2 extends rearwardly up to and over the start of the fins 5 into a contact position thereon. It is provided at its rear end 4 with a rigid cross member 15 which, like the front roof peak 13, can be pivoted open upwardly for opening (transition from FIG. 1 to FIG. 3) and is holdable in a position turned upside down anti-parallel to an at least almost horizontally disposed part region 14 of the roof region 2, for example is placeable thereon, before the roof peak 13 folds on top thereof as a third layer (FIG. 2, FIG. 3). Alternatively, the rear roof end 4 can also be engaged beneath by the roof peak 13 in the open position.

[0037] The fins 5 extend the roof visually toward the rear and extend for this purpose in a triangular shape, when viewed from the side, downwardly from, for example, the upper edge of the side windows 3 to the arched upper plane 6 of a rear covering 7, as can be seen, for example, from FIG. 1. This plane 6 can, for example, extend a window breast line 8 of the car body 9 toward the rear. The fins 5 are made in narrow form and can widen downwardly so that they also have a triangular shape in cross-section.

[0038] The rear cross member 15 of the roof end 4 can pass through a pivot angle of more than 180°on its opening so that the roof end 4 can lie on upper edges of downwardly descending fins in its closed position (FIG. 1) and can nevertheless lie on the partial region 14 which continues to the front in the open position turned upside down (FIG. 2) and which can also be disposed completely horizontally.

[0039] The rear roof end also comprises, in addition to the cross member 15, lateral longitudinal frame parts 19 which are fixedly connected to the cross beam 15 and which can in turn lie on upper edges of side windows 3. For this purpose, the longitudinal frame parts 19 are provided with corresponding seals. The cross member 15 can itself be configured in different manners, for example as an extruded section made of steel or light metal or also as large-area plate members or frame members, for example a die cast. The configuration of a plurality of parallel cross members is also possible. Such a frame member can also engage around a window part for light incidence into the interior space which is as generous as possible.

[0040] The rear roof region 4 is latchable either via the longitudinal frame parts 19 and/or via the cross member 15 to car body structures, for example to the fins 5. For this purpose, the named parts are provided with corresponding engagement hooks or similar locks. The locks can here face downwardly from the roof end 4 and, for example, engage into cut-outs on the upper edges of the fins 5 due to the pivoting open of the rear roof end 4 from above onto the fins.

[0041] The roof region is overall held movably via a linkage 21 covered by the fins 5 in the closed position at a main bearing beneath the window breast line 8. Illustratively, the linkage 21 is configured as a four-bar linkage in the form of a pivot parallelogram.

[0042] A rear window 10 is arranged between the fins 5 or is disposed in front of them in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and stands substantially upright and here only has a small inclination of less than 20° with respect to the vertical. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear window 10 is capable of opening. For this purpose, it is received in a box 11 and can be lowered into it (FIGS. 6 ff.) The upper edge of the rear window 10 can thereby be held beneath or in the plane 6 in the lowered position. Guide noses can be provided at the inner side at the fins 5 as lateral frames for the rear window 10 bounding the width of the rear window 10.

[0043] The fins 5 in the illustrated embodiment are held at the top storage well cover 7, which can open to the rear to accept the roof region 2 (FIGS. 6-8) and, in the closed position (FIGS. 6 and 10), covers a reception space 12 for the opened roof region 2 and are movable along with it on its opening. They thereby do not restrict the width of the passage space for the roof region 2 with an open cover 7. Depending on the vehicle geometry, the fins 5 can also be arranged laterally next to the movable cover 7 at the car body.

[0044] In the representation shown here with association of the fins 5 with the top storage well cover 7, the fins 5 can, in the open position of the cover 7, be downwardly movable with respect thereto, here for example pivotable around an axis 16. This axis 16 extends substantially transversely to the main direction of extent of the respective fin 5 and has a considerable rise with respect to a horizontal axis in the direction of a vertical longitudinal central plane of the vehicle. The fin 5 thereby rotates on its lowering with respect to the top storage well cover 7 from an upright standing normal position with a closed roof into a storage position beneath the cover 7 approximated more to the horizontal. Here, the fins 5 can then also lie above the stowed roof region 2 with a closed covering 7.

[0045] However, a full convertible vehicles does not necessarily have to be configured for the invention.

[0046] FIGS. 6-8 illustrate the transition from the closed roof state to a partial open position of the roof with fins 5 still standing upright. FIGS. 11-14 illustrate the lowering of the fins 5 relative to the storage well cover 7. It is understood that selectively a direct complete opening also of the fins 5 is also possible in a single process.

[0047] To obtain a trunk which is as large as possible in the partial convertible position with still not lowered fins (FIG. 10), the lowered movable roof region 2 is disposed in an elevated manner in this position with respect to the, full convertible position with lowered fins 5. The two differently high roof stowage positions which both form permanent driving positions are shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 respectively.

[0048] To open the fins 5 and for their stowage above the stowed roof region 2, the fins 5 are each pivoted downwardly around the axis 16 which is also angled downwardly with respect to the transverse direction of the vehicle, for which purpose a separate drive 17 can be disposed at each side or a single drive having a coupling for both sides can be disposed beneath the covering 7. On the inward pivoting, the rear part of the fin 5 rises from the region 18 (FIGS. 12-16) of the covering 7 supporting it so that the lower side of the fin 5 extending in triangular form to the rear becomes visible. A seal provided at this lower side is not shown in here. A cut-out in the covering 7 must only be provided in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in front of the pivot axis 16. In the rear part, in contrast, the throughgoing outer surface of the cover does not have to be interrupted by joints.

[0049] The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is, therefore, to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, instead of the very simple inward pivoting of the fins, other lowering mechanisms can also be provided, such as plurality of overlapping translatory and/or rotary movements. Thus, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.