Removable door surround for a folding soft top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618394-B2
Application number	US-201815958025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2018
Priority date	Apr 20, 2017
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A door rail surround assembly incorporating an anti-rotation feature added to a door rail clamp of the assembly. The anti-rotation feature is a net fit cross vehicle with a hole in the vehicle sport bar thereby eliminating any free movement of the door rail clamp assembly. A second clamp is rotatable for also receiving a fastener of the door rail clamp. A clamp load is applied to the vehicle when the fastener is inserted and torqued to its predetermined value. This clamping load prevents any free movement in the door rail clamp assembly when the door seal load is applied when the vehicle door is closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A door rail surround assembly for a soft top assembly for a convertible roof of a vehicle, comprising:
a door rail surround portion;
at least one door rail clamp assembly operably connected to the door rail surround portion and connected to a predetermined vehicle structure with at least one fastener, said door rail clamp assembly including an anti-rotation feature that retards free movement of the door rail surround assembly;
wherein the door rail clamp assembly includes at least a first clamp and a second clamp, wherein said first or second clamp is rotatable.

2. The door rail surround assembly of claim 1 , wherein the door rail clamp assembly includes at least a first clamp and a second clamp, wherein said first or second clamp is connected to said door rail surround portion.

3. The door rail surround assembly of claim 2 , further comprising at least one threaded insert located in a respective aperture formed in the first clamp for operably fastening said first clamp to said door rail surround portion.

4. The door rail surround assembly of claim 1 , wherein the door rail clamp assembly includes at least a first clamp and a second clamp, wherein said second clamp is rotatably connected to said first clamp.

5. The door rail surround assembly of claim 4 , wherein the door rail clamp assembly includes a pin extending through a plurality of apertures on the first and second clamps for a pivotal connection.

6. The door rail surround assembly of claim 4 , wherein said second clamp includes an aperture to receive said at least one fastener.

7. The door rail surround assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one threaded insert located in a respective aperture formed in said at least one door rail clamp assembly to connect said at least one fastener so said at least one door rail clamp assembly.

8. The door rail surround assembly of claim 1 , wherein the door rail surround portion includes at least one sealing feature with a surface for sealing engagement with a door seal.

9. The door rail surround assembly of claim 1 , wherein each door rail clamp assembly further includes:
a first clamp having an aperture for said fastener; and
a second clamp having another aperture for said fastener,
wherein said vehicle structure is a sport bar including an upper aperture and a lower aperture, and
wherein said at least one fastener extends into said first and second clamp apertures and said sport bar apertures to secure said door rail clamp assembly to said sport bar.

10. The door rail surround assembly of claim 9 , wherein said first clamp is positioned on top of said sport bar of said vehicle and said second clamp is rotatable to the bottom of said sport bar and then said at least one fastener is inserted to secure the door rail clamp assembly to said sport bar.

11. The door rail surround assembly of claim 1 , wherein said anti-rotation feature is a boss that is inserted into an aperture formed in said vehicle structure.

12. The door rail surround assembly of claim 11 , wherein said boss is provided on an upper clamp of said door rail clamp assembly and is inserted into said aperture of said vehicle structure to connect to a lower clamp by said at least one fastener received in said lower clamp and said boss.

13. The door rail surround assembly of claim 12 , wherein a clamp load is applied to said sport bar when said at least one fastener is inserted into said boss and torqued to a predetermined value.

14. The door rail surround assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least two door rail clamp assemblies are connected to each door rail surround.

15. A removable door rail surround assembly for a soft top assembly for a convertible roof of a vehicle, comprising:
a door rail surround portion with a surface that a door seal presses against in a load direction;
a pair of door rail clamp assemblies connected to the door rail surround portion, each of said door rail clamp assemblies including a first clamp operably connected to said door rail surround portion and a second clamp rotatably connected to said first clamp;
an anti-rotation feature provided on each of said first clamps, said each anti-rotation feature inserted into a respective aperture formed in a sport bar of said vehicle to prevent free movement of said door rail clamp assembly; and
a threaded portion provided in an aperture of said first clamp for connecting to at least one fastener, wherein said at least one fastener secures the first and second clamps to opposing surfaces of said sport bar.

16. The removable door rail surround assembly of claim 15 , wherein said second clamp is hinged to said first clamp by a pin and biasing member.

17. The removable door rail surround assembly of claim 15 , wherein, with said anti-rotation feature inserted into said sport bar aperture, said fastener extends through aligned apertures formed in the second clamp, bottom and top surfaces of said sport bar, and into said anti-rotation feature where said fastener is secured by threads located in the in the threaded portion, wherein a clamp load prevents free movement of said door rail clamp assembly when a door seal load is applied when a vehicle door is closed.

Assignees

• Bestop Inc

Inventors

• Lewis Stephen J
• Smith David A
• Junkin Duane C
• Moore Jonathon G

Classifications

• B60J10/90

  specially adapted for non-fixed roofs, e.g. foldable roofs or removable hard-tops · CPC title

• B60J7/104

  Fastening means for tarpaulins · CPC title

• B60J7/1226

  Soft tops for convertible vehicles · CPC title

• B60J10/36 Primary

  using separately inserted fastening means, e.g. using clips, beads or strips · CPC title

• B60J7/10 Primary

  readily detachable, e.g. tarpaulins with frames, or fastenings for tarpaulins (covering of loads on vehicles by tarpaulins B60P7/04) · CPC title