# US 9,517,684 B2 · Soft front cockpit cover > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,684 B2 - Document ID: US9517684B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/808,011 - Filed: 2015-07-24 - Published: 2015-12-10 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-04-02 - Assignees: Bestop, Inc. - Applicants: Magna International Inc. - Inventors: William Henry Haberkamp; George Stickles; Duane Charles Junkin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517684B2 ## CPC - B60J 7/1291: {Soft tops for closed vehicle bodies} - B60J 7/10: readily detachable, e.g. tarpaulins with frames, or fastenings for tarpaulins (covering of loads on vehicles by tarpaulins B60P7/04) - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) ## Abstract A foldable roof assembly having a soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side bows are attached to a first bow member, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at a pivot point created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is a wireframe and engages with seals in the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An openable panel top assembly for a vehicle having a windshield frame with side members extending therefrom and a cross member connecting said side members adjacent to the rear of a front cockpit of said vehicle, said soft panel top assembly comprising: two door rails attached to said side members of said vehicle; two side rails pivotally connected to said at least two door rails; a first bow member connected between said two side rails and adapted to selectively connect to said windshield frame; a cover connected at a front edge to said first bow member, where pivoting said two side rails allows said cover to move between a deployed position and an open position, and where said two side rails provide a predetermined height clearance with a hard to roof portion when said cover is in said open position; a rear header member arrangement adapted to connect to a rear edge of said cover and to connect to said cross member, where said rear header member seals against a hard top roof portion seal to provide a weatherproof seal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least two extrusions, wherein a respective one of said extrusions are each connected to a respective one of said two side rails, wherein two side edges of said cover are connectable to said at least two extrusions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The openable panel top assembly of claim 2, wherein said cover is sewn to said at least two extrusions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, further comprising two brackets, wherein a respective one of said brackets are each connected to a respective one of said two door rails to provide a pivot point on each of said two door rails. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The openable panel top assembly of claim 4, wherein said pivot points are provided with a bushing and screw arrangement allowing for the pivotal connection between each of said two brackets and said two side rails, such that said two side rails are pivotal about said pivot point. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, wherein said two door rails further comprises a plurality of clamping surfaces extending toward the vehicle interior for connecting each of said two door rails to a respective one of said side members, using at least two mushroom knob fasteners, said side members being sport bars of said vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, wherein the two side rails and first bow member pivot with a portion of said cover between said deployed position and said open position to provide an open air feel of the soft panel top assembly without completely removing the soft panel top assembly from said vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, wherein the two door rails each extend between a respective A-pillar and B-pillar of said vehicle and provide a sealing surface for front doors of said vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, wherein said front edge of said cover wraps around said first bow member, is secured to said first bow member, and covers at least an outward portion of said first bow member when connected to said windshield frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, wherein said rear edge of said cover is secured to said rear header member and covers at least an outward portion of said rear header member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The openable panel top assembly of claim 1, wherein said rear header member further comprises at least two attachment brackets for connecting said cross member of said vehicle to said rear header member using at least two fasteners. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The openable panel top assembly of claim 11, wherein said at least two fasteners are knob type fasteners and as said knobs are tightened against a bottom surface of said cross member said rear header member is pressed against said seal of said hard top roof portion. ### Claim 13 An openable panel top assembly for a vehicle, comprising: two door rails attached to side members of said vehicle; two brackets, wherein a respective one of said brackets are each connected to a respective one of said two door rails; two side rails pivotally connected to said at least two door rails using said two brackets creating a pivot point on each of said two door rails; a first bow member connected between said two side rails and adapted to selectively connect to a windshield frame; a cover connected at a front edge to said first bow member, where pivoting said two side rails about said pivot points moves said cover between a deployed position and an open position, and where said two side rails provide clearance between a hard top roof portion and said first bow when said cover is in said open position, and where said two side rails provide a predetermined height clearance with a hard to roof portion when said cover is in said open position; a rear header member arrangement adapted to connect to a rear edge of said cover and to connect to a cross member, where said rear header member seals against a hard top roof portion seal to provide a weatherproof seal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The openable panel top assembly of claim 13, further comprising at least two extrusions, wherein a respective one of said extrusions are each connected to a respective one of said two side rails, wherein two side edges of said cover are connectable to said at least two extrusions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The openable panel top assembly of claim 14, wherein said cover is sewn to said at least two extrusions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The openable panel top assembly of claim 13, wherein said pivot points are provided with a bushing and screw arrangement allowing for the pivotal connection between each of said two brackets and each of said two side rails, such that each one of said two side rails are pivotal about each respective one of said pivot points. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The openable panel top assembly of claim 13, wherein said two door rails further comprises a plurality of clamping surfaces extending toward the vehicle interior for connecting each of said two door rails to a respective one of said side members using at least two mushroom knob fasteners, said side members being sport bars of said vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The openable panel top assembly of claim 13, wherein the two side rails and first bow member pivot with a portion of said cover between said deployed position and said open position to provide an open air feel of the soft panel top assembly without completely removing the soft panel top assembly from said vehicle and without an operator exiting the vehicle to deploy or open the soft panel top assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The openable panel top assembly of claim 13, wherein said rear header member further comprises at least two attachment brackets for connecting said cross member of said vehicle to said rear header member using at least two fasteners, wherein said at least two fasteners are tightened against a bottom surface of said cross member causing said rear header member to press against said seals of said hard top roof portion. ### Claim 20 An openable panel top assembly for a vehicle having a windshield frame with side members extending therefrom and a cross member connecting said side members adjacent to the rear of a front cockpit of said vehicle, said soft panel top assembly comprising: two door rails attached to said side members of said vehicle; two brackets, wherein a respective one of said brackets are each connected to a respective one of said two door rails; two side rails pivotally connected to said at least two door rails using said two brackets creating a pivot point on each of said two door rails; a first bow member connected between said two side rails and adapted to selectively connect to said windshield frame; a cover connected at a front edge to said first bow member, wherein the two pivot points create a pivotal portion comprising said two side rails and said first bow member where pivoting said two side rails about said pivot points moves said cover between a deployed position and an open position, and where said two side rails provide clearance with said hard top roof portion when said cover is in said open position; a rear header member adapted for connecting a rear edge of said cover to said rear header member and adapted to connect to a top surface of said cross member, wherein the shape and connection of said rear header member to said cross member brings said rear header member against a seal of a hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.