Lift assist mechanism for soft top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9944155-B2
Application number	US-201515128773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A frame and soft top assembly which includes lift assist and improved fabric management. The assembly includes a pair of front arms pivotally attached to rear side rails and are attached to the vehicle roll bar. A plurality of fabric control bows connected with pivot links provide fabric control to the top material during pivoting of the front side rails. A pair of bow pivot links are pivotally connected to the rear side rail. A rear gas strut and a front gas strut are attached longitudinally to either side of the pair of bow pivot links, one providing lift assistance at the start of the pivotal opening of the sunroof while the other of the struts gets loaded as the top is deployed and buffers the closing of the roof which also loads the strut to provide assistance in the closing direction when it is time to close the sunroof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A frame and soft top assembly for a vehicle having a windshield frame with side members extending therefrom and a crossmember connecting the side members substantially adjacent the rear of the driver passenger compartment, said frame and soft top assembly comprising:
a pair of side rails operably attached to said side members of said vehicle;
a pivotable sunroof soft top portion including a pair of pivot arms pivotally connected to said side rails, where pivoting the pivotable sunroof soft top portion moves said soft top between a closed position and an open position;
a front bow member operably connected to said pivot arms and adapted for removable connection to said windshield frame;
a rear bow member operably connected to said pair of side rails;
an intermediate bow member, said intermediate bow member being articulatingly connected between said side rails and said pivot arms via a first linkage arm and a second linkage arm, one of said linkage arms being operably connected to said pivot arm and a peripheral end of said intermediate bow and the other of said linkage arms being operably connected to said side rail; and
a fabric assist bow member articulatingly connected for deployment between said intermediate bow member and said rear bow member by way of a pivotal fabric assist linkage and another fabric assist linkage, said pivotal fabric assist linkage being connected to said one of said first and second linkage arms and said another fabric assist linkage being pivotally connected to said side rail; and
a lift assist mechanism comprising a first and second gas cylinder including respective first and second actuation shafts received in first and second cylinder bodies which are connected in force opposition between said another fabric assist linkage and said side rail such that one of said gas cylinders is compressed when said soft top is down and the other of said gas cylinders is extended, wherein when said soft top is opened the force in the compressed gas cylinder applies force to said another fabric assist linkage assisting said soft top in an opening direction and said other cylinder is compressed, and upon closing said soft top the now compressed cylinder provides force assistance for closing said soft top assembly.

2. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 1 , further comprising another fabric assist bow member articulatingly connected between said front bow and said intermediate bow by way of a first bow assist linkage pivotally attached to said pivot arm and a second bow assist linkage attached to said one of said first and second linkage arms for said intermediate bow.

3. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 2 , wherein said first bow assist linkage is pivotally attached to said pivot arm and said second bow assist linkage is attached to said first linkage arm of said intermediate bow.

4. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pivotal fabric assist linkage is pivotally attached to said second linkage arm and said another fabric assist linkage is attached to said side rail.

5. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a soft top fabric listed to at least one of said front bow member, said fabric assist bow member, said intermediate bow member, said another fabric assist bow member, and said rear bow member such that when said soft top portion is raised the soft top fabric is managed and folded by said fabric assist bow member and said another fabric assist bow member in a folded accordion like manner.

6. A frame and soft top assembly for a vehicle having a windshield frame with side members extending therefrom and a crossmember connecting the side members substantially adjacent the rear of the driver passenger compartment, said frame and soft top assembly comprising:
a pair of side rails attached to said side members of said vehicle, each said side rail including a first end and a second end;
a pivotable sunroof soft top portion including a pair of pivot arms pivotally connected at a first end to said first end of said side rails, where pivoting the pivotable sunroof soft top portion moves said soft top between a closed position and an open position;
a front bow connected between respective pivot arms at an outside end of said pivot arms and adapted for removable connection to said windshield frame;
a rear bow member connected to said frame at said second end;
an intermediate bow member, said intermediate bow member being articulatingly connected between said side rails and said pivot arm via a first linkage arm and a second linkage arm, one of said linkage arms being connected to said pivot arm and a peripheral end of said intermediate bow and the other of said linkage arms being connected to said side rail; and
a lift assist mechanism comprising a first and second gas cylinder including respective first and second actuation shafts received in first and second cylinder bodies which are connected in force opposition between a fabric assist linkage and said side rail such that one of said gas cylinders is compressed when said soft top is down and the other of said gas cylinders is extended, wherein when said soft top is opened the force in the compressed gas cylinder applies force to the fabric assist linkage assisting said soft top in an opening direction and said other cylinder is compressed, and upon closing said soft top the now compressed cylinder provides force assistance for closing said soft top assembly.

7. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a fabric assist bow member articulatingly connected for deployment between said intermediate bow member and said rear bow member by way of a pivotal fabric assist linkage and said fabric assist linkage, said pivotal fabric assist linkage being connected to said one of said first and second linkage arms and said fabric assist linkage being pivotally connected to said side rail.

8. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 7 , wherein said pivotal fabric assist linkage is pivotally attached to said second linkage arm and said fabric assist linkage is attached to said side rail.

9. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a first fabric assist bow member articulatingly connected between said front bow and said intermediate bow by way of a first bow assist linkage pivotally attached to said pivot arm and a second bow assist linkage attached to said one of said first and second linkage arms for said intermediate bow.

10. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 9 , wherein said first bow assist linkage is pivotally attached to said pivot arm and said second bow assist linkage is attached to said first linkage arm of said intermediate bow.

11. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a soft top fabric listed to said front bow member, a first fabric assist bow member, said intermediate bow member, a second fabric assist bow member, and said rear bow member such that when said soft top portion is raised the soft top fabric is managed and folded by said first and second fabric assist bow members in a folded accordion like manner.

12. The frame and soft top assembly of claim 6 , wherein said first and second gas cylinders are attached to said side rails by way of lost motion arrangements comprising bushing members provided to slide in slots formed in the side rails, said first and second gas cylinders connected between respective bushing members to provide lost motion during initial opening and closing actions of said soft top.

13. A frame and soft top assembly for a vehicle having a windshield frame with side members extending therefrom and a crossmember connecting the s

Assignees

• Bestop Inc

Inventors

• Lewis Stephen J
• Junkin Duane C

Classifications

• B60J7/0061

  where the beam moves inwardly during folding of roof, e.g. by swiveling, sliding or translation, to disconnect the beam from windshield header · CPC title

• B60J7/1265

  characterised by kinematic movements, e.g. using parallelogram linkages (B60J7/126 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J7/123

  characterised by means for fastening the soft top cloth to the arches or vehicle body work · CPC title

• B60J7/1291 Primary

  Soft tops for closed vehicle bodies · CPC title