The invention relates to a vehicle roof which is movable between a closed position, in which it covers an interior vehicle space, and an open position, in which the roof is deposited in a storage compartment behind the interior of the vehicle space, and which is closed by a rear lid which can be raised at its rear end for loading and unloading the trunk of the vehicle whereby the roof stored within can also be raised to facilitate the loading and unloading of the trunk.
DE 197 06 444 C1 discloses a two part hardtop vehicle roof with front and rear rigid roof parts, which can be moved between a closed position, in which they cover an interior vehicle space, and a storage position, in which the two roof parts are disposed in a rear storage compartment. The storage compartment for accommodating the roof parts forms a part of the trunk of the vehicle which is closed by a trunk lid. For loading the trunk, the rear of the trunk lid is raised. The roof packet deposited in the trunk is coupled to the underside of the trunk lid and is raised together with the trunk lid such that the passage between the rear edge of the trunk lid and the rear of the vehicle is increased and the loading or unloading of the trunk is facilitated.
However, the roof part packet at the underside of the trunk lid has a substantial weight which must be pivoted together with the rear trunk lid by a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism must be dimensioned sufficiently large so that it is capable of providing the forces needed for opening and also for closing of the trunk lid including the roof part packet connected thereto. Because of the large weight, a drive mechanism is necessary.
Also, DE 199 60 010 C1 discloses a two-part hardtop vehicle roof, whose roof parts form in the storage position a packet of superimposed roof parts which, for loading the trunk, can be pivoted in the storage compartment into a raised auxiliary position, in which the roof parts are disposed about parallel to the pivoted-open trunk lid. The trunk lid is pivotable about an axis which extends near the vehicle interior and the roof parts are connected to the vehicle body by way of an operating linkage which is operable by hydraulic actuating elements. The movement of the roof parts for reaching the raised auxiliary loading position is uncoupled from the movement of the trunk lid. Accordingly, the raising and closing movements of the trunk lid and the roof part packet during opening and closing of the trunk lid must be manually or electronically adjusted to each other in order to avoid collisions and unacceptably high forces.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a removable vehicle roof, which is stored in its open position in a rear storage compartment in such a way that, also in the storage position of the roof in the rear storage compartment, the loading and unloading of the rear trunk lid of the vehicle is facilitated.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds