Device for opening and closing the top of a motor vehicle

Claim 2

Apparatus for opening and closing a convertible top for a motor vehicle of the type which includes locking means, disposed in a frame member of the top and cooperating with mounting means in a windshield frame of the motor vehicle, for locking the top in the fully closed position, comprising: electric drive means for operably moving the convertible top to fully open, fully closed and intermediate positions; electric means for operably moving the locking means to fully locked, fully unlocked and intermediate positions, and position sensing means for sensing at least one of said locked, unlocked and intermediate positions; control means, connected to the electric drive means and to the electric and position sensing means of the locking means, for controlling operation of the electric drive means and the locking means, said control means including memory means for indicating a preceding or unlocking operation of the locking means; limit switch means, located in proximity to the locking means and connected to the control means, for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully closed position; terminal switch means for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully open position; and a manual operating key for initiating unlocking, locking, opening, and closing operations; said control means including processing means for processing signals from at least one of the manual operating key, the terminal switch means, the limit switch means, the position sensing means and the memory means, to produce control signals for controlling the operation of the top; wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that closing of the top by the electric drive means is prevented unless the manual operating key is set at "close", and the position sensing means indicates that the locking means is in the fully unlocked position, and the limit switch means indicates that the top is not in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicates a preceding unlocking motion.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that locking and unlocking of the locking means is prevented when the top is not in the fully closed position, and such that operation of the electric drive means is prevented unless the locking means are in the fully unlocked position.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the top such that the locking and unlocking operations are interrupted when the fully locked and fully unlocked positions are reached, respectively, and such that the opening and closing of the top is interrupted when the fully open and fully closed positions are reached respectively, and wherein said operations are interruptible and/or reversible by the operator at any time by means of the manual operating key.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means produces signals for further controlling the operation of the locking means such that, when the position sensing means indicate that the locking means is in one of the fully locked and fully unlocked positions, unlocking of the top frame member is prevented unless: the manual operating key is set at "open", and the limit switch means indicate that the top is in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicates a preceding locking operation.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the locking means such that, when the position sensing means indicate that the locking means is in one of the fully locked and fully unlocked positions, locking of the top frame member is prevented unless: the manual operating key is set at "close", and the limit switch means indicate that the top is in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicate a preceding unlocking operation.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the top such that opening of the top by the electric drive means is prevented unless: the manual operating key is set at "open", and the position sensing means indicate that the locking means is in the fully unlocked position, and the memory means indicate a preceding unlocking motion.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for connecting an ignition switch of the vehicle to the control means.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a tachometer pulse generator, connected to the control means, for transmitting to the processing means pulses proportional to a driving speed of the vehicle.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control means includes means for controlling the operation of the top such that opening and closing of the top is prevented unless an ignition switch of the vehicle is in the accessory position.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control means includes means for controlling the operation of the top such that opening and closing of the top is prevented when the vehicle is moving at speeds greater than 3 km/hr.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position sensing means comprise cam disks which open an electrical contact when the locking means is in the fully locked and fully unlocked positions, and which close the electrical contact when the locking means is in the intermediate position.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising indicator means for indicating to an operator at least one of a fully locked position of the locking means and a fully open position of the top.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said indicating means comprises an optical indicator connected to and actuated by the control means.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the indicating means comprises an acoustic indicator connected to and actuated by the control means.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising indicating means for indicating to an operator at least one of an intermediate position of the locking means and an intermediate position of the top.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the indicating means comprises an optical indicator connected to and actuated by the control means.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the indicating means comprises an acoustic indicator connected to and actuated by the control means.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electric means for operably moving said locking means are actuated by the limit switch means.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric drive means for operating the top comprises two mechanically coupled electric motors which are connected electrically in parallel.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes means for preventing normal operation of the vehicle when the locking means is not in the fully locked position, and the top is not in the flly opened position.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said means for preventing normal operation of the vehicle comprises switch means, connected to and actuated by the control means, for interrupting an ignition system of the vehicle.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a logic circuit having a plurality of inputs and outputs, memory means for indicating a preceding locking or unlocking operation of the locking means, and power supply means for supplying operating current to individual components of the control means and for supplying load current to a plurality of devices connected to the inputs and outputs of the control means.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein input signals from a plurality of external sources are connected to the inputs of the logic circuit by coupling modules.

Claim 25

Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said coupling modules comprise at least one of means for matching a signal to an input of the logic circuit, means for filtering an input signal, and means for eliminating contact bounce from an input signal.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a tachometer pulse generator connected to an input of the logic circuit by a serially connected retriggerable monostable multivibrator, low pass filter, and Schmitt trigger.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the outputs of the logic circuit are connected, via noise suppressing circuits, to respective control inputs of output drive circuits which supply load current to devices connected to outputs of the control means in response to.signals at the respective outputs of the logic circuit.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said output drive circuits short-circuit the respective outputs of the control means in response to signals at the respective outputs of the logic circuit.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the output drive circuits connect the respective outputs of the control means to ground in response to signals at the respective outputs of the logic circuit.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said memory means comprises an R-S flip-flop.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a microprocessor means, input buffer means connected to the microprocessor means and connected to respective inputs of the control means by coupling modules, output buffer means connected to the microprocessor means and connected to respective control inputs of output drive circuits of the control means, and memory means connected to the microprocessor means.

Claim 32

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position sensing means comprise a contact path and a contact element which is frictionally movable thereon, and wherein said contact path and said contact element open an electrical circuit when the locking means is in the fully locked and the fully unlocked positions, and close the electrical circuit when the locking means is in the intermediate position.

Claim 33

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said locking means is individually actuated by an adjacently disposed limit switch.

Claim 34

Apparatus for opening and closing a convertible top for a motor vehicle of the type which includes locking means, disposed in a frame member of the top and cooperating with mounting means in a windshield frame of the motor vehicle, for locking the top in the fully closed position, comprising: electric drive means for operably moving the convertible top to fully open, fully closed and intermediate positions; electric means for operably moving the locking means to fully locked, fully unlocked and intermediate positions, and position sensing means for sensing at least one of said locked, unlocked and intermediate positions; control means, connected to the electric drive means and to the electric and position sensing means of the locking means, for controlling operation of the electric drive means and the locking means, said control means including memory means for indicating a preceding locking or unlocking operation of the locking means; limit switch means, located in proximity to the locking means and connected to the control means, for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully closed position; terminal switch means for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully open position; and a manual operating key for initiating unlocking, locking, opening, and closing operations; said control means including processing means for processing signals from at least one of the manual operating key, the terminal switch means, the limit switch means, the position sensing means and the memory means, to produce control signals for controlling the operation of the top; wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that locking and unlocking of the locking means is prevented when the top is not in the fully closed position, and such that operation of the electric drive means is prevented unless the locking means are in the fully unlocked position; and wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the top such that the locking and unlocking operations are interrupted when the fully locked and fully unlocked positions are reached, respectively, and such that the opening and closing of the top is interrupted when the fully open and fully closed positions are reached, respectively, and wherein said operations are interruptible and/or reversible by the operator at any time by means of the manual operating key.

Claim 35

Apparatus for opening and closing a convertible top for a motor vehicle of the type which includes locking means, disposed in a frame member of the top and cooperating with mounting means in a windshield frame of the motor vehicle, for locking the top in the fully closed position, comprising: electric drive means for operably moving the convertible top to fully open, fully closed and intermediate positions; electric means for operably moving the locking means to fully locked, fully unlocked and intermediate positions, and position sensing means for sensing at least one of said locked, unlocked and intermediate positions; control means, connected to the electric drive means and to the electric and position sensing means of the locking means, for controlling operation of the electric drive means and the locking means, said control means including memory means for indicating a preceding locking or unlocking operation of the locking means; limit switch means, located in proximity to the locking means and connected to the control means, for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully closed position; terminal switch means for indicating to the control means that the top is in the fully open position; and a manual operating key for initiating unlocking, locking, opening, and closing operations; said control means including processing means for processing signals from at least one of the manual operating key, the terminal switch means, the limit switch means, the position sensing means and the memory means, to produce control signals for controlling the operation of the top; wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that locking and unlocking of the locking means is prevented when the top is not in the fully closed position, and such that operation of the electric drive means is prevented unless the locking means are in the fully unlocked position; and wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the top such that the locking and unlocking operations are interrupted when the fully locked and fully unlocked positions are reached, respectively, and such that the opening and closing of the top is interrupted when the fully open and fully closed positions are reached, respectively, and wherein said operations are interruptible and/or reversible by the operator at any time by means of the manual operating key.

Claim 36

Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said control means produces signals for further controlling the operation of the locking means such that, when the position sensing means indicate that the locking means is in one of the fully locked and fully unlocked positions, unlocking of the top frame member is prevented unless: the manual operating key is set at "open", and the limit switch means indicate that the top is in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicates a preceding locking operation.

Claim 37

Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the locking means such that, when the position sensing means indicate that the locking means is in one of the fully locked and fully unlocked positions, locking of the top frame member is prevented unless: the manual operating key is set at "close", and the limit switch means indicate that the top is in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicate a preceding unlocking operation.

Claim 38

Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said control means produces control signals for further controlling the operation of the top such that opening of the top by the electric drive means is prevented unless: the manual operating key is set at "open", and the position sensing means indicate that the locking means is in the fully unlocked position, and the memory means indicate a preceding unlocking motion.

Claim 39

Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said control means produces control signals for controlling the operation of the top such that closing of the top by the electric drive means is prevented unless: the manual operating key is set at "close", and the position sensing means indicates that the locking means is in the fully unlocked position, and the limit switch means indicate that the top is not in the fully closed position, and the memory means indicate a preceding unlocking motion.