Lift assist lock-down for a soft top
AssigneeBestop, Inc.
InventorsStephen J. Lewis, Tavis Lutzka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lift assist lock-down assembly for a soft top assembly, the lock-down assembly operably coupled to first and second bows selectively rotatable between an open/sunroof position and an open/downward position. A handle member is rotatable between unlocked and locked positions. A cam and a cam lockout selectively prevent the bows from rotating. When locked in a first position, the bows are prevented from rotating generally rearward/downward, thereby preventing the soft top assembly from moving into the open/downward position. When locked in a second position, the bows are prevented from rotating generally forward/upward, thereby generally preventing the soft top from bouncing or from moving into the open/sunroof position.
Claims20
A locking lift assist system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a housing operably connected to the vehicle;
- a rotatable member rotatably connected within the housing;
- a cam operably rotatably connected to the housing, said rotatable member including a first surface to selectively engage said cam to prevent rotation of said rotatable member in a first direction;
- a cam lockout operably rotatably connected to the housing, said rotatable member including a second surface to selectively engage said cam lockout to prevent rotation of said rotatable member in a second direction;
- and
- a handle member operably rotatably connected within the housing, having the same axis of rotation with the rotatable member, said handle member selectively rotatable between an unlocked and a locked position, wherein said locked position of said handle member allows said cam lockout to rotate into engagement with said second surface of said rotatable member to prevent rotation of said rotatable member in said second direction.
A locking lift assist assembly for a sport utility vehicle, comprising:
- a housing operably connected to the sport utility vehicle;
- a rotatable member rotatably coupled within the housing to an arm;
- a cam operably rotatably connected to the housing, said rotatable member including a first surface to selectively engage said cam to prevent rotation of said rotatable member in a first direction, wherein said cam is biased cam locking position in contact with said first surface of said rotatable member;
- a cam lockout operably rotatably connected to the housing, said rotatable member including a second surface to selectively engage said cam lockout to prevent rotation of said rotatable member in a second direction;
- a first upward bow operably rotatably connected to the housing;
- an opening formed in said housing to allow selective rotation of said first upward bow by an operator when desired;
- a second upward bow rotatably coupled to said arm at a location outside of said housing;
- a handle member rotatably coupled to said arm at a location within said housing, said handle member selectively rotatable between an unlocked and a locked position to allow said rotatable member to abuttingly engage said cam or said cam lockout to prevent further rotation of said rotatable member to keep said second upward bow from rotating in said first or second direction when desired.
A lift assist lockdown assembly for a sport utility vehicle soft top assembly, comprising:
- a shaft connected to an upward bow coupled to the soft top assembly, wherein the upward bow is rotatable between an upward position and a downward position;
- a rotatable member operably connected to the shaft and rotatable in a first direction and a second direction;
- a cam rotatably mounted for selective movement between a biased locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locked position prevents rotation of the rotatable member in the first direction to keep the upward bow in an upward open/sunroof position;
- a cam lockout rotatably mounted in proximity to the rotating member;
- a handle member operably connected to the shaft for selective movement between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locked position allows the cam lockout to come into engagement with the rotatable member to prevent rotation of the rotatable member in the second direction to keep the upward bow in an open/downward position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.