Lift assist mechanism for soft top

A frame and soft top assembly for a vehicle having a windshield frame with side members extending therefrom and a crossmember connecting the side members substantially adjacent the rear of the driver passenger compartment, said frame and soft top assembly comprising:

• a pair of side rails attached to said side members of said vehicle, each said side rail including a first end and a second end;
• a pivotable sunroof soft top portion including a pair of pivot arms pivotally connected at a first end to said first end of said side rails, where pivoting the pivotable sunroof soft top portion moves said soft top between a closed position and an open position;
• a front bow connected between respective pivot arms at an outside end of said pivot arms and adapted for removable connection to said windshield frame;
• a rear bow member connected to said frame at said second end;
• an intermediate bow member, said intermediate bow member being articulatingly connected between said side rails and said pivot arm via a first linkage arm and a second linkage arm, one of said linkage arms being connected to said pivot arm and a peripheral end of said intermediate bow and the other of said linkage arms being connected to said side rail;
• and
• a lift assist mechanism comprising a first and second gas cylinder including respective first and second actuation shafts received in first and second cylinder bodies which are connected in force opposition between a fabric assist linkage and said side rail such that one of said gas cylinders is compressed when said soft top is down and the other of said gas cylinders is extended, wherein when said soft top is opened the force in the compressed gas cylinder applies force to the fabric assist linkage assisting said soft top in an opening direction and said other cylinder is compressed, and upon closing said soft top the now compressed cylinder provides force assistance for closing said soft top assembly.

A frame and soft top assembly for a vehicle having a windshield frame with side members extending therefrom and a crossmember connecting the side members substantially adjacent the rear of the driver passenger compartment, said frame and soft top assembly comprising:

• a pair of side rails attached to said side members of said vehicle, each said side rail including a first end and a second end;
• a pivotable sunroof soft top portion including a pair of pivot arms pivotally connected at a first end to said first end of said side rails, where pivoting the pivotable sunroof soft top portion moves said soft top between a closed position and an open position;
• a front bow connected between respective pivot arms at an outside end of said pivot arms and adapted for removable connection to said windshield frame;
• a rear bow member connected to said frame at said second end;
• an intermediate bow member, said intermediate bow member being articulatingly connected between said side rails and said pivot arm via a first linkage arm and a second linkage arm, one of said linkage arms being connected to said pivot arm and a peripheral end of said intermediate bow and the other of said linkage arms being connected to said side rail;
• and
• a lift assist mechanism comprising a first and second gas cylinder which are connected in force opposition such that one of said gas cylinders is compressed when said soft top is down and the other of said gas cylinders is extended, wherein when said soft top is opened the force in the compressed gas cylinder applies force to at least one pair of fabric assist linkages assisting said soft top in an opening direction and said other cylinder is compressed, and upon closing said soft top the now compressed cylinder provides force assistance for closing said soft top assembly.