Foldable vehicle roof
AssigneeValckar Co.
InventorAlan Parr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a foldable rear top particularly advantageous for use with vehicles having a "fast back" configuration or vehicles having a roll bar or T-top arrangement. The foldable top includes a rigid center panel and a pair of side panels positioned to enclose the rear compartment of the vehicle. The center panel is foldable downwardly pivoting from a position near the rear of the vehicle. The folding mechanism also includes means to simultaneously fold the side panels inwardly underneath the center panel as the top is lowered from the raised position.
Claims19
A top for a vehicle having a rear compartment comprising:
- a center panel pivotally attached to said vehicle;
- means for pivotally attaching said center panel to said vehicle, said means for attaching operable to permit said center panel to move between a raised position to a lowered position extending over said rear compartment;
- a pair of side panels movably mounted to said center panel;
- means for folding said side panels, said means for folding operable to fold said pair of side windows in response to movement of said center panel, said means for folding said side panels further having a pair of side rods, each of said pair of side rods fixed to a respective one of said pair of side panels, and means for pivoting said rods to fold said side panels inwardly beneath said center panel.
A top for a vehicle having a roof portion, a rear end and a rear compartment extending therebetween, said top comprising;
- a center panel having a front portion and a rear portion, said center panel extending between said roof portion and said rear end when said top is in a raised position;
- a pair of side panels mounted to said center panel;
- means for moveably attaching said center panel to said rear end of said vehicle, said means for attaching operable for movement of said center panel between said raised position and a lowered position;
- said means for attaching further having means for raising a rear portion of said center panel when said center panel is moved from said raised position to said lowered position, said means for attaching further having a pivot rod and at least two pivot links, said pivot rod extending in a direction normal to a longitudinal axis of said vehicle and pivotally mounted to said center panel, each of said pivot links having one end mounted to said pivot rod and an opposite end mounted to a platform within said rear compartment of said vehicle, said center panel pivoting about said pivot rod to generally horizontal alignment when said center panel is moved to the lowered position.
A top for a vehicle having a rear deck and a pair of rear walls, said top comprising:
- a center panel having a rear portion having a rear edge extending in a direction normal to a longitudinal axis of said vehicle;
- means for attaching said center panel to said vehicle;
- said means for attaching selectively operable to move said center panel between a raised position and a lowered position;
- and
- means for supporting said center panel in a generally horizontal alignment when in said lowered position said means for supporting operable to position said read edge of said center panel in a spaced apart relationship over said deck of said vehicle whereby said center panel is positioned to present a spoiler-like appearance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.