Convertible sliding top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11198350-B2
Application number	US-201916720849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2019
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a convertible sliding top assembly for use with a vehicle. The convertible sliding top assembly can create an opening on the top of the vehicle by rotating a plurality of arms and folding over a soft cover. The assembly can be designed and shaped to improve aerodynamics when the vehicle is moving and prevent the buildup of water on the soft cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A folding top assembly for covering an opening of a vehicle, the folding top assembly comprising a folding frame assembly and a cover, the folding frame assembly comprising:
a first horizontal link;
a first pair of arms coupled to the first horizontal link;
a handle mount extending from the center of the first horizontal link,
a first handle attached to the handle mount and disposed beneath the handle mount, the first handle configured to facilitate a user pushing a front portion of the folding top assembly upwards and backwards from a closed position to an open position; and
a second handle attached to the handle mount, the second handle configured to facilitate the user pulling the front portion of the folding top assembly forward from the open position to the closed position.

2. The folding top assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal link extends along a first axis and the handle mount extends from the first horizontal link along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis.

3. The folding top assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first handle and the second handle are integrally formed as one piece.

4. The folding top assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second handle is disposed adjacent an end of the handle mount.

5. The folding top assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of arms are rotatable.

6. The folding top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second horizontal link, wherein the first horizontal link is disposed rearward of the second horizontal link.

7. The folding top assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a second pair of arms, wherein the first pair of arms is disposed rearward of the second pair of arms.

8. The folding top assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first pair of arms are coupled to the first horizontal link and the second pair of arms are coupled to the second horizontal link.

9. The folding top assembly of claim 6 , wherein the handle mount extends between the first horizontal link and the second horizontal link.

10. The folding top assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the open position, the opening of the vehicle is exposed and the cover folds upon itself.

11. The folding top assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the closed position, the opening of the vehicle is closed.

Assignees

• Lund Motion Products Inc

Inventors

• Smith Anthony Nicholas
• Gutierrez Carlos
• Schumacher Chris
• Cover Scott

Classifications

• B60J7/1851 Primary

  for locking the foldable soft- or hard-top to the windshield header · CPC title

• B60J7/1291

  Soft tops for closed vehicle bodies · CPC title