US5520432A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motor vehicle with a lowerable roof construction
Assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
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Filing: 1994-06-21
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Granted: 1996-05-28
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Expires: 2014-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A motor vehicle with a lowerable roof construction, particularly a convertible sports car, has a roof part and a rear part as well as a forced control device for controlling the relative movement of the roof part with respect to the rear part. The forced control device has at least one control element which is connected in the region of the roof swivel axis in a rotationally fixed manner to the roof part and interacts with at least one further control element which is fixed to the body of the vehicle and is in the region of the rear swivel axis.
Inventors
- 👤 Guenter Gmeiner
- 👤 Arno Jambor
- 👤 Guenther Ellenrieder
- 👤 Dieter Guertler
- 👤 Oliver Wagner
- 👤 Roland Wendler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:49
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60J; B60J7/00; B60J7/08; B60J7/12; B60J7/14; B60J7/143; B60J7/145; B60J7/1226; B60J7/1265; B60J7/1286
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A motor vehicle with a lowerable roof construction having at least a roof part and a rear part, as well as a roof swivel axis and a rear swivel axis, the rear swivel axis being fixed to the vehicle, comprising: a forced control device for pivoting said roof part about said roof swivel axis in a predetermined manner of movement with respect to said rear part, said rear part being pivotable about said rear swivel axis, wherein said forced control device comprises a first control element connected in a rotationally fixed manner to said roof part near said roof swivel axis, and a second control element which is fixed to the vehicle near said rear swivel axis, said first and second control elements interacting together to control said predetermined manner of movement, and further comprising two swivelling side parts of the roof construction located on the sides of the vehicle, said two side parts being swivelled transversely with respect to the motor vehicle and being lowerable together with the roof construction, via swivel arms each of which is fastened at one end to a respective side part and on another end to the pivoting movement of the rear part of the roof construction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
203 words
A motor vehicle with a lowerable roof construction having at least a roof part and a rear part, as well as a roof swivel axis and a rear swivel axis, the rear swivel axis being fixed to the vehicle, comprising: a forced control device for pivoting said roof part about said roof swivel axis in a predetermined manner of movement with respect to said rear part, said rear part being pivotable about said rear swivel axis, wherein said forced control device comprises a first control element connected in a rotationally fixed manner to said roof part near said roof swivel axis, and a second control element which is fixed to the vehicle near said rear swivel axis, said first and second control elements interacting together to control said predetermined manner of movement, and further comprising two swivelling side parts of the roof construction located on the sides of the vehicle, said two side parts being swivelled transversely with respect to the motor vehicle and being lowerable together with the roof construction, via swivel arms each of which is fastened at one end to a respective side part and on another end to the pivoting movement of the rear part of the roof construction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a torque-compensating mechanism, arranged near the rear swivel axis, for producing a defined torque characteristic during the pivoting movement of said roof part and said rear part.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a pull rope, which acts on the rear part at a distance from the rear swivel axis, has a spring characteristic and is articulated in a manner such that it is fixed to the vehicle, said pull rope being deflected by a contoured pulley which is rotationally fixed to the rear part and maintains a perpendicular distance between a line of spring force action of the pull rope and the rear swivel axis during the pivoting operation of the rear part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said control elements are frictionally or positively interconnected by an endless rope pull or chain pull, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said first control element has in a region of the roof part, a roller which is movable about an axis of rotation parallel to the roof swivel axis and offset by a small distance into the rear part and which is connected by a lever linkage in a rotationally fixed manner to the roof part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a toothed rack, which connects said first and second control elements, said toothed rack absorbing tensile and compressive loads.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one crank arm mounted at a distance from the rear swivel axis in a manner such that it is fixed to the vehicle, a free end of said crank arm acting at a distance from the roof swivel axis on a lever continuation connected rigidly to the roof part.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of said two side parts is held on a swivel arm at a distance from its swivel axis, the swivel arm being rotatably mounted about its swivel axis in a mounting fixed on the rear part of the roof construction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein a coupling element which is articulated in a manner such that it is fixed to the vehicle is coupled to the swivel arm and turns the swivel arm in dependence on the opening or closing movement of the rear part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the swivel axis of the swivel arm is assigned a further coupling element which interacts positively or frictionally with a counterelement which is fixed to the vehicle and is coaxial with the rear swivel axis.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-05-28 | 1999-11-27 | 2000-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-05-28 | 2003-11-27 | 2004-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-05-28 | 2007-11-27 | 2008-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |