The invention relates to a vehicle roof with a folding top, which is movable between a closed position, in which the roof covers an interior space of a vehicle and an open position, in which the roof is deposited in a rear storage compartment. The folding top includes a top linkage supporting a top cover material.
EP 0 749 859 A1 discloses a folding rooftop for a convertible vehicle which includes top links with a roof material supported by it and which is movable between a closed position covering the interior of the vehicle and a storage position in which the folding roof is deposited in a rear storage compartment. In order to maintain the roof material under tension also in the storage position a material tensioning linkage is provided which, in the closed position, extends about horizontally across the rear area of the folding roof transversely to the longitudinal vehicle direction and keeps the cover material under tension. The material tensioning linkage is part of the roof linkage and is pivotally supported on the vehicle body by way of a pivot bearing. The material tensioning linkage can be moved by an auxiliary actuator between a tensioning position and an upwardly pivoted release position. The other linkage parts of the roof linkage are actuated by a main actuator for opening and closing the vehicle roof.
The auxiliary actuator does not directly engage the material tensioning rod, but a tensioning link, which is pivotally supported on the vehicle body mounted main pivot bearing and which operates a two part support linkage by way of which the material tensioning linkage can be moved to a tensioning position.
The folding roof requires a relatively large storage space when the roof is open since the top tensioning rod as well as the other linkage parts are pivotally supported by the main vehicle body-based support bearing and consequently perform only a pivotal roof operating motion during the transfer between the closed and the storage positions so that all linkage parts of the roof top are disposed in the storage position horizontally at the level of the main support bearing or at an angle that is downwardly inclined. Such an arrangement requires a large storage space.
EP 1 104 710 A1 discloses a movable vehicle roof with a folding top and a folding top support linkage including a roof material tensioning bar for engaging the roof top material when the folding vehicle roof is closed. The roof material tensioning bar is locked in its tensioning position by a two-part support linkage so as to prevent accidental opening of the material tensioning bar. The linkage is also engaged by a two part tensioning rod which includes two pivotally interconnected tensioning arms of which a first tensioning arm is pivotally connected to an arm of the linkage and a second tensioning arm is pivotally connected to a pivot lever which is operated by an auxiliary actuator for the transfer of the material top tensioning rod from a release to a tensioning position.
In order to ensure that the material top tensioning rod remains in its closed position when the vehicle roof is closed and is not accidentally raised by wind forces acting on the outer surface of the vehicle top the auxiliary actuator must provide a permanent retaining force, in order to prevent any movement in the transfer path between the auxiliary actuator and the top material tensioning rod. The auxiliary actuator is a hydraulic operating element, which must be locked to prevent any movement while the vehicle roof is closed. To achieve such locking additional locking means are required.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a folding vehicle roof, which, with the roof open, can be deposited in a rear storage compartment in a space-saving manner.
In a vehicle roof arrangement with a folding top which is movable between a closed position and a storage position, a support and operating linkage is provided by which the roof material is tensioned, when the roof is closed, by a tensioning structure which is held in position by an over-center tensioning linkage. For opening the roof, the tensioning linkage is first moved out of its over-center position by an auxiliary actuator and the tension in the roof is released which is then lowered by the operating linkage in a rear storage compartment.
The roof material tensioning rod is therefore subjected to a double pivot movement, that is, a first pivot movement about its own pivot axis on the vehicle body-mounted main support arm and a second pivot movement together with the main support arm relative to the vehicle body. This combined pivot movement about two spaced parallel pivot axes permits the tensioning rod to be deposited in an about horizontal position when the vehicle roof is open. In this position the tensioning rod is furthermore lowered with respect to its active tensioning position which it assumes when the vehicle roof is closed. In the storage position the tensioning rod is lowered by an essentially translatory downward movement toward the bottom of the storage compartment while maintaining with its original orientation. In this way, a sliding relative motion between the tensioning rod and the vehicle top storage compartment bottom is avoided. Because of the horizontal storage position of the tensioning rod, it can be deposited flat on the storage compartment bottom whereby the storage space requirements are substantially reduced in comparison with an inclined position so that a substantially reduced storage volume is required. It is furthermore possible to deposit the rest of the roof support linkage above the tensioning rod.
Another advantage of this arrangement resides in the fact that an energy-consuming movement of the material tensioning rods from its tensioning position to the open-roof release position is basically needed only for the transfer of the rest of the top operating linkage to the open position without detrimentally affecting the roof top material. When the release position of the roof tensioning rod has been reached the further actively guided movement of the roof tensioning rods by the main actuator can follow wherein the main support arm is moved between the opening and the closing positions. Another relative movement between the main support arm and the roof tensioning rods can be achieved positively by the use of suitable guide elements.
It is particularly possible to provide for the tensioning rod an auxiliary actuator which, at the beginning of the opening movement of the roof, lifts the roof tensioning rod and which, in the release position of the tensioning rods reaches its end position timely before the main operating is moved. Subsequently, the auxiliary actuator having already reached its final end position becomes a passive guide element, which, upon pivoting of the main support arm by the main actuator provides for a relative pivot movement of the top material tensioning rod with respect to the main support arm.
Expediently, in the folding roof closing position, the folding roof material tensioning rod is held in the tensioning position by a support linkage which is preferably a two part linkage with an intermediate joint and which, in the tensioning position, is at or near a center position in order to prevent the unintentional release of the material tensioning rods from the tensioning position. The support linkage is preferably coupled with a tensioning linkage to which the auxiliary actuator is preferably connected for the transfer of the material tensioning rod between the tensioning and release positions. The tensioning and release positions. The tensioning rods are also two part structures and include a first and a second tensioning arm which are each pivotally connected pivotally to the main arm or respectively, the support linkage and which are joined together by an intermediate joint. The tensioning linkage may assume also an over-center position when the material tensioning rod is in the tensioning position. The auxiliary actuator, by way of which the material tensioning rod is operated during the first movement phase upon opening of the root, is preferably connected to that tensioning arm which is pivotally connected to the main support arm.
Further advantages and expedient embodiments will become apparent from the following description of the invention on the basis of the accompanying drawings.