IP Library Granted Patent US 7,735,900
Granted Patent B2
US 7,735,900 · App. 10/531,681 · Granted Jun 15, 2010

Convertible

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,735,900
App. No.
10/531,681
Granted
Jun 15, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

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.

Claims (11)

1. A convertible ( 1 ) comprising an automobile body and a roof with a rear roof part ( 3 ), which extends at least between a belt line (L) and a an upper roof part ( 7 ) located above a passenger compartment and which comprises a middle roof section ( 5 ) that encloses a rear window ( 6 ), the middle section ( 5 ) being located between lateral main posts ( 4 ) of the automobile body when the roof is closed, wherein the middle roof section ( 5 ) rotationally connected with both the automobile body ( 20 ) and the upper roof part ( 7 ), and wherein the roof ( 2 ) does not have a guide rod in front of the main posts ( 4 ).

2. A convertible ( 1 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the main posts ( 4 ), and the middle section ( 5 ) are each rotationally connected both with the automobile body ( 20 ) and with the upper roof part ( 7 ).

3. A convertible ( 1 ) comprising an automobile body and a roof with a rear roof part ( 3 ), which extends at least between a belt line (L) and an upper roof part ( 7 ) located above a passenger compartment and which comprises a middle roof section ( 5 ) that encloses a rear window ( 6 ) the middle section ( 5 ) being located between lateral main posts ( 4 ) of the automobile body when the roof is closed, wherein the roof ( 2 ) can be moved by means of an articulated parallelogram attached to the rear roof part ( 3 ) wherein the main posts ( 4 ) and the middle section ( 5 ), form parts of the articulated parallelogram.

4. Convertible in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the roof ( 2 ) comprises exactly one upper roof part ( 7 ) which is rigid.

5. Convertible in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the middle section ( 5 ) and the main posts ( 4 ) are connected with each other by a coupling element ( 23 ) that synchronizes their pivoting movements.

6. Convertible in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the articulation ( 11 ) of the middle section ( 5 ) on the automobile body ( 20 ) and the articulation ( 12 ) of the middle section ( 5 ) on the upper roof part ( 7 ) are each situated above planes of articulating ( 9 ; 10 ) to the main post ( 4 ).

7. Convertible in accordance with claim 6 , wherein in an open state, the rear window ( 6 ) is held above the main posts ( 4 ).

8. Convertible in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the middle section ( 5 ) is formed as a rear window ( 6 ) essentially over its entire height.

9. A convertible ( 1 ) comprising an automobile body and a roof with a rear roof part ( 3 ), which extends at least between a belt line (L) and a an upper roof part ( 7 ) located above a passenger compartment and which comprises a middle roof section ( 5 ) that encloses a rear window ( 6 ), the middle section ( 5 ) being located between lateral main posts ( 4 ) of the automobile body when the roof is closed, wherein the middle roof section ( 5 ) rotationally connected with both the automobile body ( 20 ) and the upper roof part ( 7 ), and wherein the roof ( 2 ) does not have a guide rod in front of the main posts ( 4 ), further comprising a panel ( 13 ), wherein the upper roof part ( 7 ) has lateral guides ( 16 ; 17 ), wherein the panel ( 13 ) is supported in the lateral guides in such a way that the panel can be moved longitudinally.

10. Convertible in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the rear roof part ( 3 ) has additional lateral guides ( 17 ) for the panel ( 13 ), which follow the guides ( 16 ) of the upper roof part ( 7 ), and wherein the panel ( 13 ) engages both the lateral guides ( 16 ) of the front roof part ( 16 ) and the additional guides ( 17 ) of the rear roof part ( 3 ).

11. Convertible in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the roof ( 2 ) can be moved essentially horizontally between a closed position, in which the upper roof part ( 7 ) is supported indirectly or directly on a windshield frame ( 8 ), and an intermediate position, in which the mounting connection between the roof ( 2 ) and a windshield frame ( 8 ) is released.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2013
From: WILHELM KARMANN GMBH
To: VALMET AUTOMOTIVE OY
Reel/Frame 031485/0597 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2005
From: RUSSKE, KLAUS; BUNSMANN, WINFRIED; AYDT, MATTHIAS
To: WILHELM KARMANN GMBH
Reel/Frame 017119/0569 →