Flexible roof for motor vehicles

Claim 1

Flexible roof for motor vehicles with sun roofs,. which is movable between an extended condition roofing. the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and a folded non-covering condition, the flexible roof comprising: a jointed framework for connection to the body (1) of the motor vehicle, a piece of flexible roofing material (4) attached to the jointed framework and having a rear opening (7), a rigid glass rear window (9) having means along its lower edge for its articulated connection to a support structure and movable, as a result of the movement of the cover, between a raised position in which it is in correspondence with the rear aperture (7), with its peripheral edge in sealing contact with the inner surface of the edge of this aperture (7), and a lowered position in which the rear window (9) is housed within the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, flexible connection means (10) connecting the rear window (9) to the roof so that the rear window (9) is kept in its raised position when the flexible roof is in its extended covering condition, characterised in that the roof further includes: a pair of rear side windows (11) supported by a first arcuate element (14) which forms part of the framework of the roof and which is articulated at its ends to the body (1) of the motor vehicle about a transverse axis, whereby the rear side windows are movable together with the first arcuate element (14), as a result of the movement of the roof between its folded position and its extended position, between an erect position projecting above the passenger compartment and a retracted position within the passenger compartment, respectively, a second arcuate element (5) forming part of the framework of the roof, to which the rear edge of the roofing material is connected and which also' constitutes the support structure to which the lower edge of the rear window (9) is articulated, the second arcuate element having its ends- articulated about a transverse axis (6) to the body of the motor vehicle whereby, when the first arcuate element ( ) is in its erect position, the second arcuate element can be raised to a position adjacent the first arcuate element (14) so as to dispose the rear window (9) in a substantially vertical position with its rear edge facing upwardly and its outer surface facing forwardly, after which the roof can be folded with the arcuate elements (5,14) so as to dispose. the rear window (9) and the rear side windows (11) in a retracted position within the passenger compartment.