Vehicle convertible top systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065024-B2
Application number	US-202318158013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2023
Priority date	Dec 17, 2019
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle body including a truck bed at least partially defining a cargo area, a vehicle interior with passenger seating, and a multi-component hard top assembly configured to selectively and removably couple to the vehicle body to provide an enclosed configuration at least partially enclosing the vehicle interior. The multi-component hard top assembly includes a rear window assembly configured to selectively and removably couple to the vehicle body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body including a truck bed at least partially defining a cargo area;
a vehicle interior with passenger seating; and
a multi-component hard top assembly configured to selectively and removably couple to the vehicle body to provide an enclosed configuration at least partially enclosing the vehicle interior,
wherein the multi-component hard top assembly includes a rear window assembly configured to selectively and removably couple to the hard top assembly and the vehicle body, and
wherein the vehicle body further includes an interior cabin rear wall extending upwardly from a floor of the vehicle interior and separating the cargo area and the vehicle interior, and wherein the rear wall includes a channel formed therein to slidingly and removably receive the rear window assembly.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the multi-component hard top assembly further includes a pair of removable C-pillars each separately removable from the vehicle body, and wherein removal of at least one C-pillar of the pair of removable C-pillars enables the rear window assembly to slide out of the channel and be removed from the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the channel formed in the rear wall is a lower channel formed in an upper surface of the rear wall;
wherein the vehicle includes an upper channel formed in a removable roof panel; and
wherein the upper and lower channels cooperate to slidably receive the rear window assembly.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the rear window assembly includes a frame supporting a glass window, the frame including an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion, and wherein the upper and lower frame portions are configured to be slidably received in the respective upper and lower channels.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the multi-component hard top assembly is detachable from the vehicle body to provide an open air configuration for the vehicle interior.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the hard top assembly comprises:
a plurality of removable roof panels selectively coupleable to the vehicle body to create a substantially contiguous roof over the vehicle interior,
wherein each removable roof panel of the plurality of removable roof panels is separately removable from the vehicle body to provide an open air configuration at that specific location of the hard top assembly while enabling a user to detach, remove, and transport a smaller portion of the hard top assembly without assistance or specialized equipment for the detachment, removal, or transport.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the multi-component hard top assembly further comprises a pair of removable C-pillars each separately removable from the vehicle body to provide further open air configuration while enabling the user to detach, remove, and transport the C-pillars of the hard top assembly without assistance or specialized equipment for the detachment, removal, or transport.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the removable rear window assembly is selectively detachable from the vehicle body to provide an open air configuration at the passenger seating while enabling the user to detach, remove, and transport the removable rear window assembly of the hard top assembly without assistance or specialized equipment for the detachment, removal, or transport.

9. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of removable roof panels includes:
a left front removable roof panel configured to removably couple to the vehicle body in a location above a driver's side of front passenger seating; and
a right front removable roof panel configured to removably couple to the vehicle body in a location above a front passenger side of the front passenger seating.

10. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of removable roof panels includes a rear removable roof panel configured to removably couple to the vehicle body in a location above rear passenger seating.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body including a truck bed at least partially defining a cargo area;
a vehicle interior with passenger seating; and
a multi-component hard top assembly configured to selectively and removably couple to the vehicle body to provide an enclosed configuration at least partially enclosing the vehicle interior,
wherein the multi-component hard top assembly includes a rear window assembly configured to selectively and removably couple to the hard top assembly and the vehicle body,
wherein the vehicle body further includes a wall separating the cargo area and the vehicle interior, and wherein the wall includes a channel formed therein to slidingly and removably receive the rear window assembly, and
wherein the multi-component hard top assembly further includes a pair of removable C-pillars each separately removable from the vehicle body, and wherein removal of at least one C-pillar of the pair of removable C-pillars enables the rear window assembly to slide out of the channel and be removed from the vehicle.

Assignees

• Fca Us Llc

Inventors

• Boyle Michael S
• Hall Joshua
• Rizzo Robert
• Schaenzer Cole T
• Allen Christopher J
• Suder Jimmy L
• Long Jeffery E
• Perkins Robert H
• Sockow Mikil L
• Fischer David C

Classifications

• B62D33/04

  Enclosed load compartments {; Frameworks for movable panels, tarpaulins or side curtains (side curtains per se B60J5/065; tarpaulins per se B60J7/00, B60P7/04)} · CPC title

• B60J7/0076

  separately collapsible C-pillars, e.g. by folding inwardly or sliding (B60J7/126 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J1/183

  slidable · CPC title

• B60J7/11 Primary

  Removable panels, e.g. sunroofs · CPC title

• B60J7/106

  readily detachable hard-tops (storage compartment for collapsible flexible tops B60J7/20) · CPC title