Dual fold tower

1 . An apparatus, comprising a support assembly, the support assembly comprising:

a lower endcap, an upper endcap, a strut, a lower pivot joint between the lower endcap and a lower end of the strut, and an upper pivot joint between the upper endcap and an upper end of the strut;

wherein the support assembly is configured to selectively move an upper structure relative to a motor vehicle between an upper position via rotation at each pivot joint which increases a distance between respective endcap centroids, and a lower position via rotation in an opposite direction at each pivot joint which decreases the distance between the respective endcap centroids.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower endcap is configured to be immovably fixed to the motor vehicle so the rotation of the strut in a first direction about the lower pivot joint raises the upper end of the strut.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein rotation of the strut about the upper pivot joint adjusts an orientation of the upper structure.

4 . An apparatus, comprising a support assembly, the support assembly comprising:

an endcap, a strut, and a pivot joint between the endcap and an associated end of the strut;

wherein the pivot joint comprises a discrete guide arrangement comprising sliding contact between the strut and the endcap that is configured to maintain a rotational alignment therebetween as the endcap rotates about the pivot joint;

wherein the support assembly is configured to selectively move an upper structure of a motor vehicle between an upper position and a lower position by rotating the strut;

wherein the guide arrangement comprises an endcap contact surface in the sliding contact with a strut contact surface; and

wherein one of the endcap contact surface and the strut contact surface comprises an arcuate shape centered on a pivot axis of the pivot joint.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

a further endcap, a further pivot joint between the further endcap and an associated further end of the strut, and a further guide arrangement comprising sliding contact between the further end of the strut and the further endcap that is configured to maintain a rotational alignment therebetween as the further endcap rotates about the further pivot joint.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the endcap is configured to be immovably fixed to the motor vehicle so rotation of the strut in a first direction about the pivot joint raises the endcap.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the endcap is configured to be secured to the upper structure and to adjust an orientation of the upper structure by rotating about the pivot joint.

8 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the guide arrangement comprises a tongue and groove arrangement comprising the endcap contact surface and the strut contact surface.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the strut comprises a tongue of the tongue and groove arrangement on which the strut contact surface is disposed, and wherein the endcap comprises a groove of the tongue and groove arrangement on which the endcap contact surface is disposed.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the tongue comprises a shape of at least a circumferential portion of a disk.

11 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising the upper structure, wherein the upper structure comprises a top cover.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the support assembly further comprising:

a lower actuator disposed between the lower endcap and the lower end of the strut; and

an upper actuator disposed between the upper endcap and the upper end of the strut;

wherein the lower actuator extends to rotate the strut about the lower pivot joint and thereby raise the upper endcap; and

wherein the upper actuator is configured to extend to rotate the upper endcap about the upper pivot joint to maintain an orientation of the upper structure as the lower actuator raises the upper endcap.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a top cover;

wherein the support assembly further comprises an adjustable top cover connection configured to secure the top cover to the upper endcap and to selectively position the top cover forward and aft relative to the upper endcap; and

wherein selectively independently pivoting the strut about the lower pivot joint raises and lowers the top cover relative to the motor vehicle; wherein independently pivoting the top cover about the upper pivot joint adjusts an orientation of the top cover; and wherein selectively independently adjusting the top cover connection moves the top cover forward and aft relative to the motor vehicle.

14 . An apparatus, comprising a support assembly, the support assembly comprising:

an endcap, a strut, and a pivot joint between the endcap and an associated end of the strut;

wherein the pivot joint comprises a discrete guide arrangement comprising sliding contact between the strut and the endcap that is configured to maintain a rotational alignment therebetween as the endcap rotates about the pivot joint;

wherein the support assembly is configured to selectively move an upper structure of a motor vehicle between an upper position and a lower position by rotating the strut;

wherein the guide arrangement comprises an endcap contact surface in the sliding contact with a strut contact surface;

wherein the guide arrangement comprises a tongue and groove arrangement comprising the endcap contact surface and the strut contact surface; and

wherein the strut comprises a tongue of the tongue and groove arrangement on which the strut contact surface is disposed, and wherein the endcap comprises a groove of the tongue and groove arrangement on which the endcap contact surface is disposed.

15 . An apparatus, comprising a support assembly, the support assembly comprising:

an endcap, a strut, and a pivot joint between the endcap and an associated end of the strut;

wherein the pivot joint comprises a discrete guide arrangement comprising sliding contact between the strut and the endcap that is configured to maintain a rotational alignment therebetween as the endcap rotates about the pivot joint;

wherein the support assembly is configured to selectively move an upper structure of a motor vehicle between an upper position and a lower position by rotating the strut;

wherein the guide arrangement comprises an endcap contact surface in the sliding contact with a strut contact surface;

wherein the guide arrangement comprises a tongue and groove arrangement comprising the endcap contact surface and the strut contact surface; and

wherein the tongue comprises a shape of at least a circumferential portion of a disk.