Rear hard enclosure for a soft top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11465475-B2
Application number	US-202117190075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2021
Priority date	Mar 2, 2020
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A panel top assembly adapted for a vehicle including a pivotal portion that is rotatable between a closed position and open sunroof position, the pivotal portion is coupled to guide assemblies to selectively slide rearward to another top open position. There is provided a removable hard rear window, a rear hard drip rail; and a pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies on the side of the vehicle that wrap around to the back of the vehicle creating clear rear hard corners and that are also in sealing engagement to the rear window. The rear hard drip rail and pivotal portion selectively drop down at an angle into the rear cargo area of the vehicle when a fully open top experience is desired.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A panel top assembly adapted for a vehicle, comprising:
a moveable frame adapted to operably connect at a roof top opening of the vehicle, said movable frame including a pivotal portion operable to selectively rotate between a closed position closing off the opening of the vehicle and at least an open sunroof position;
at least one removable hard rear window adapted to selectively connect to the vehicle;
at least one pair of rear drip rails; and
a pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies adapted to selectively connect to the vehicle and operably interface with said at least one pair of rear drip rails, said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies forming substantially transparent hard rear corners;
wherein said at least one pair of rear drip rails and said movable frame are adapted to drop down into a rear cargo area of the vehicle at a predetermined angle when another open position is desired.

2. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pin connected to each rear drip rail, said at least one pin received in a slot of the panel top assembly, wherein said at least one pin in the slot creates a top pivot location allowing the at least one pair of rear drip rails to selectively rock rearward with the at least one pin in the slot to bring a back end of said at least one pair of rear drip rails down to said predetermined angle for said at least one pair of drip rails.

3. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , wherein each rear drip rail is operably held substantially horizontal when said panel top assembly is in said closed position or open sunroof position.

4. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angle is at least about 45 degrees.

5. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bracket adapted to operably couple to the vehicle, said bracket including a key slot to receive a carrier for each rear drip rail operable to transition each rear drip rail between said predetermined angle position and a substantially horizontal position.

6. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pair of guide track assemblies adapted to operably connect to the vehicle, said moveable frame operably slidably coupled to said at least one pair of guide track assemblies.

7. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one seal operably connected to each of said rear drip rails, said at least one seal in sealing engagement with said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies.

8. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies are in sealing engagement with said hard rear window.

9. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies are adapted to connect to the vehicle such that each hard area side window assembly wraps around from a side of the vehicle to the back of the vehicle to operably interface with said hard rear window.

10. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies include at least one substantially clear panel and wraps around at the rear corner to provide a integrate rear back window, rear corner window, and back window area that is substantially clear for visibility out the back corner region of the vehicle.

11. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies include substantially clear window surfaces extending substantially from a substantially vertical side door rail to said hard rear window allowing for visibility through said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies.

12. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies include a corner latch adapted to operably connect to a striker on the vehicle.

13. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of lift assists adapted to operably connect to the vehicle, said pair of lift assist mechanism holding said movable frame in a substantially horizontal, up position, and said pair of lift assist mechanisms including at least one release mechanism to allow said movable frame to be selectively rotated downward into the cargo area of the vehicle to come to rest at a predetermined angle.

14. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pair of fasteners adapted to connect the hard rear window to the vehicle.

15. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least two pins operably connected to said hard rear window or adapted to operably connect to the vehicle, and at least two fastener members operably connected to the other of either said hard rear window or adapted to operably connect to the vehicle, wherein said at least two pins are selectively slidably received and held within said at least two fastener members adapted to selectively connect said hard rear window to the vehicle.

16. The panel top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pair of guide tracks embedded into molded door rails adapted to operably connect to the vehicle, said moveable frame operably slidably coupled to said at least one pair of guide tracks to selectively slide said movable frame between said closed position and an open position.

17. A panel top assembly adapted for a sport utility vehicle, comprising:
a moveable frame adapted to operably connect at a roof top opening of the vehicle, said movable frame including a pivotal portion operable to selectively move between a closed position adapted to selectively couple to the vehicle and an open sunroof position;
a removable hard rear window adapted to selectively connect to the vehicle;
a pair of hard rear drip rails; and
a pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies adapted to selectively connect to the vehicle and interface with said pair of hard rear drip rails, said at least one pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies wrap around from a side of the vehicle to the back of the vehicle and adapted to seal to said hard rear window;
wherein said pair of hard rear drip rails and said movable frame are adapted to selectively drop down into a tub of the vehicle at predetermined angles when a fully open position is desired.

18. The panel top assembly of claim 17 , wherein said pair of removable hard rear side window assemblies include a latch adapted to operably connect to a corresponding feature on a wall of said rear cargo area of the vehicle.

19. The panel top assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a plate adapted to operably couple to the vehicle, said plate including at least one slot to slidably receive at least one pin of the pair of hard drip rails for each hard rear drip rail to be operably rocked rearward and downward to said predetermined angle in a panel top assembly open position and moved forward and upward to a substantially horizontal position for said panel top assembly open sunroof position or closed position.

20. A panel top assembly adapted for a sport utility vehicle, comprising:
a moveable frame adapted to operably slidably connect at a roof top opening of the vehicle;
a pivotal portion operable rotatably connected to said movable frame, said pivotal portion selectively rotatable between a closed position with the pivotal portion adapted to selectively couple to the vehicle closing off the roof top opening, and selectively rotatable to an open position at least partially opening up the roof top opening;
a removable hard rear window adapted to se

Assignees

• Bestop Inc

Inventors

• Smith David A
• Turney Charles C

Classifications

• B60J7/1291 Primary

  Soft tops for closed vehicle bodies · CPC title

• B60J7/126 Primary

  for landaulet-type vehicles, i.e. using a collapsible upper structure of the vehicle body · CPC title

• B60J7/028

  the sliding movement being combined with a pivoting movement · CPC title

• B60J1/1807

  movable for vehicles with convertible top · CPC title

• B60J1/085

  removably mounted · CPC title