Hydraulic actuating device for a convertible top assembly of a vehicle

A hydraulic actuating device for a convertible top assembly of a motor vehicle, which actuating device comprises:

• a hydraulic pump, which pump has one or more delivery ports for delivering pressurized hydraulic fluid,
• one or more hydraulic actuators, each for driving an associated movable part of the convertible top assembly,
• a control circuit for effecting a defined sequence of movements of the one or more actuators,
• which control circuit includes a flow sensing device to detect the presence of a flow of hydraulic fluid and produce a feedback signal in response to the detected flow and a control unit that receives the feedback signal from the flow sensing device,
• wherein the feedback signal provides an indication of the sequence of movements of an actuator back to the control unit, and
• wherein the control unit monitors the feedback signal to control the movements of the one or more hydraulic actuators to effect movement of the convertible top assembly.

A hydraulic flow sensor, suitable for a hydraulic actuating device for a convertible top assembly of a motor vehicle, in which the hydraulic flow sensor comprises:

• a housing, with an inlet, an outlet, and a connecting bore, connecting the inlet and the outlet,
• a moveable body accommodated in the connecting bore, and including a passage provided with an orifice sized and dimensioned to generate a hydraulic resistance causing the slide body to be displaced in response to a fluid flow through the connecting bore,
• wherein the inlet and the outlet are in communication for allowing a hydraulic fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet and through said moveable body, and
• a displacement sensor, for detecting a displacement of the moveable body under the influence of the flow.