Center driven tonneau system
AssigneeWilhelm Karmann GmbH
InventorFrank Neubrand
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A motor vehicle with a center drive tonneau cover assembly for covering a convertible top in a stored configuration is provided. The assembly has a tonneau cover with a linkage system that pivotally couples the cover to the vehicle. The linkage system can have a center link that is located generally along a longitudinal center portion of the vehicle body. The linkage system is operable to move the tonneau cover between a closed position and the open position in which the center link occupies free space between the tonneau cover and the convertible top in the stored configuration within the storage compartment. In addition, with the center link provides free space between a side portion of the tonneau cover and an adjacent portion of a side body panel of the vehicle body.
Claims20
A motor vehicle with a center drive tonneau cover assembly for covering a convertible top in a stored configuration, said motor vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle body having a passenger compartment and a storage compartment located behind said passenger compartment, said storage compartment dimensioned to store the convertible top in a stored orientation;
- a tonneau cover pivotally coupled to said vehicle body, said tonneau cover having a closed position extending across said storage compartment and an open position that provides access to said storage compartment for the convertible top;
- and
- a linkage system pivotally coupled to said vehicle body and having a center link located generally along a longitudinal center portion of said vehicle body, said linkage system operable to move said tonneau cover between said closed position and said open position, whereby said center link occupies free space between said tonneau cover and the convertible top in the stored configuration within said storage compartment and provides free space between a side portion of the convertible top in the stored configuration and an adjacent portion of a side body panel of said vehicle body.
A motor vehicle with a center drive tonneau cover assembly for covering a convertible top in a stored configuration, said motor vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle body having a passenger compartment and a storage compartment located behind said passenger compartment, said storage compartment dimensioned to store the convertible top in a stored configuration;
- a tonneau cover pivotally coupled to said vehicle body, said tonneau cover having a closed position extending across said storage compartment and an open position that provides access to said storage compartment for the convertible top;
- a linkage system pivotally coupled to said vehicle body and operable to move said tonneau cover between said closed position and said open position, said linkage system having a center link located generally along a longitudinal center portion of said vehicle body and a pair of side links, each of said side links spaced apart from said center link and pivotally coupled to said vehicle body and said tonneau cover, whereby said at least one center link occupies free space between said tonneau cover and the convertible top in the stored configuration and provides free space between a side portion of said tonneau cover in the stored configuration and an adjacent portion of a side body panel of said vehicle body;
- and
- a drive system pivotally coupled to said linkage system and operable to move said linkage system between a closed configuration wherein said tonneau cover is in said closed position and an open configuration wherein said tonneau cover is in said open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.