Roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle

Claim 2

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: an approximately U-shaped roll-over bar having downwardly directed U-legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the U-legs, a guiding arrangement for supportably guiding the U-shaped roll-over bar for movement between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle roll-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slidably engageable with the U-legs, a releasable holding device for holding the U-legs in the downward position, a locking device for locking the U-legs in the upper position, and a force-applying mechanism for rapidly moving the U-shaped roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein the U-legs and the guiding elements are made from extruded profile aluminum alloy or other light weight material members, which are fitted to slidably engage with one another during respective movements between the downward and upper positions.

Claim 3

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the guiding elements are arranged on a housing which is essentially formed from an extruded profile and can be fastened to an approximately vertically extending vehicle body wall.

Claim 4

An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the guiding elements comprise two stand pipes made of an extruded profile which are fastened to the housing by means of their lower end.

Claim 5

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the lower ends of the legs are connected with one another by means of a transverse yoke when in an installed position on a vehicle.

Claim 6

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: an approximately U-shaped roll-over bar having downwardly directed U-legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the U-legs, a guiding arrangement for supportably guiding the U-shaped roll-over bar for movement between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle rollr-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slidably engageable with the U-legs, a releasable holding device for holding the U-legs in the downward position, a locking device for locking the U-legs in the upper position, and a force-applying mechanism for rapidly moving the U-shaped roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein the U-legs and the guiding elements are made from extruded profile members, wherein the lower ends of the legs are connected with one another by means of a transverse yoke when in an installed position on a vehicle, and wherein the transverse yoke is made of an extruded profile and includes a transverse web, receiving bushes which enclose the leg ends being provided on ends of the transverse web.

Claim 7

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: an approximately U-shaped roll-over bar having downwardly directed U-legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the U-legs, a guiding arrangement for supportably guiding the U-shaped roll-over bar for movement between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle rollr-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slidably engageable with the U-legs, a releasable holding device for holding the U-legs in the downward position, a locking device for locking the U-legs in the upper position, and a force-applying mechanism for rapidly moving the U-shaped roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein the U-legs and the guiding elements are made from extruded profile members, wherein the lower ends of the legs are connected with one another by means of a transverse yoke when in an installed position on a vehicle, and wherein the transverse yoke is made of an extruded profile and includes a transverse web, receiving bushes which enclose the leg ends being provided on ends of the transverse web.

Claim 8

An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein vertically extending cheeks for the bearing of a spring-loaded detent pawl are provided on the transverse web.

Claim 9

An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein a holding block made of an extruded profile is arranged on the transverse web for the engagement of a holding bolt disposed on the housing.

Claim 10

An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein a holding rocker is disposed on the holding block which has a transverse pin so that it can be swivelled about a transverse axis for the engagement for the holding bolt.

Claim 11

An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the holding bolt is disposed in a holding console which can be fastened to the housing, carries an actuator and has slots for the entering of the holding rocker which are open toward the top and widen toward the top.

Claim 12

An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the slots are constructed in two vertically extending ribs of the holding console constructed from an extruded profile which, when the roll-over bar is lowered, engage in a passage of the holding block which is open toward the bottom.

Claim 13

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: an approximately U-shaped roll-over bar having downwardly directed U-legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the U-legs, a guiding arrangement for supportably guiding the U-shaped roll-over bar for movement between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle roll-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slidably engageable with the U-legs, a releasable holding device for holding the U-legs in the downward position, a locking device for locking the U-legs in the upper position, and a force-applying mechanism for rapidly moving the U-shaped roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein the U-legs and the guiding elements are made from extruded profile members, wherein the guiding elements comprise two stand pipes made of an extruded profile which are fastened to the housing by means of their lower end, and wherein the stand pipes are surrounded on the bottom by centering cones which are supported on the housing bottom by way of springs.

Claim 14

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: an approximately U-shaped roll-over bar having downwardly directed U-legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the U-legs, a guiding arrangement for supportably guiding the U-shaped roll-over bar for movement between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle roll-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slidably engageable with the U-legs, a releasable holding device for holding the U-legs in the downward position, a locking device for locking the U-legs in the upper position, and a force-applying mechanism for rapidly moving the U-shaped roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein the U-legs and the guiding elements are made from extruded profile members, wherein the guiding elements comprise two stand pipes made of an extruded profile which are fastened to the housing by means of their lower end, and wherein the stand pipes are surrounded on the bottom by centering cones which are supported on the housing bottom by way of springs.

Claim 15

An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the force applying mechanism includes ejecting spring devices, and wherein the ejecting spring devices include helical springs arranged in the interior of the stand pipes and surrounding a spring guiding bolt which has a pressure disk on its top.

Claim 16

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the legs of the roll-over bar have a long stretched-out cross-section.

Claim 17

An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the legs have an approximately oval outer shape in their cross-section.

Claim 18

An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the interior wall of the legs is approximately oval in its cross-section.

Claim 19

An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the interior wall of the legs is approximately oval in its cross-section.

Claim 20

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the force applying mechanism includes a spring device.

Claim 21

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is a convertible with two rear passenger seats, and wherein one of said roll-over bars is disposed behind each of the rear passenger seats.

Claim 22

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: an approximately U-shaped roll-over bar having downwardly directed U-legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the U-legs, a guiding arrangement for supportably guiding the U-shaped roll-over bar for movement between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle roll-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slidably engageable with the U-legs, a releasable holding device for holding the U-legs in the downward position, a locking device for locking the U-legs in the upper position, and a force-applying mechanism for rapidly moving the U-shaped roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein the U-legs and the guiding elements are made from extruded profile members, wherein the guiding elements are arranged on a housing which is essentially formed from an extruded profile and can be fastened to an approximately vertically extending vehicle body wall, wherein the guiding elements comprise two stand pipes made of an extruded profile which are fastened to the housing by means of their lower end, and wherein the stand pipes are held on their upper ends by a transverse plate made of an extruded profile arranged on the housing which by way of a connecting web carries two receiving bushes for the stand pipes.

Claim 23

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: an approximately U-shaped roll-over bar having downwardly directed U-legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the U-legs, a guiding arrangement for supportably guiding the U-shaped roll-over bar for movement between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle roll-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slidably engageable with the U-legs, a releasable holding device for holding the U-legs in the downward position, a locking device for locking the U-legs in the upper position, and a force-applying mechanism for rapidly moving the U-shaped roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein the U-legs and the guiding elements are made from extruded profile members, wherein the guiding elements are arranged on a housing which is essentially formed from an extruded profile and can be fastened to an approximately vertically extending vehicle body wall, wherein the guiding elements comprise two stand pipes made of an extruded profile which are fastened to the housing by means of their lower end, and wherein the stand pipes are held on their upper ends by a transverse plate made of an extruded profile arranged on the housing which by way of a connecting web carries two receiving bushes for the stand pipes.

Claim 24

An arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the legs of the roll-over bar are provided on their side facing the transverse plate with longitudinal slots for the passing-through of the connecting webs.

Claim 25

An arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the stand pipes are provided above and below receiving bushes of the transverse plate on the outside with slide bushes for the legs of the roll-over bar.

Claim 26

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: a roll-over bar having downwardly directed legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the legs, a guiding arrangement supportably guiding movement of the legs between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle roll-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slideably engageable with the legs, a downward position leg holding device, an upper position leg holding device, and a force-applying mechanism disposed to move the roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein said roll-over bar and guiding arrangement are supported in a cassette housing which in use is disposed separate from vehicle passenger seats and adjacent the passenger accommodating area, said cassette housing including a housing floor at its bottom, and wherein said guiding elements include respective standpipes fastened to the housing floor.

Claim 27

A roll-over protection arrangement for a motor vehicle which has a vehicle railing extending along at least portions of a passenger accommodating area, said roll-over protection arrangement comprising: a roll-over bar having downwardly directed legs and an upper bridging portion between top portions of the legs, a guiding arrangement supportably guiding movement of the legs between a downward inoperative position for normal driving operations and an upper operative position above the vehicle railing for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a vehicle roll-over, said guiding arrangement including guiding elements slideably engageable with the legs, a downward position leg holding device, an upper position leg holding device, and a force-applying mechanism disposed to move the roll-over bar from the downward position to the upper position, wherein said roll-over bar and guiding arrangement are supported in a cassette housing which in use is disposed separate from vehicle passenger seats and adjacent the passenger accommodating area, said cassette housing including a housing floor at its bottom, and wherein said guiding elements include respective standpipes fastened to the housing floor.

Claim 28

An arrangement according to claim 22, wherein said standpipes have a non-circular cross-sectional shape which is matched with a corresponding non-circular cross-sectional shape of said legs.

Claim 29

An arrangement according to claim 23, wherein said non-circular cross-sectional shape is an oval shape.

Claim 30

An arrangement according to claim 22, wherein said force applying mechanism includes springs disposed in the respective standpipes.

Claim 31

An arrangement according to claim 25, wherein said springs include two springs in each standpipe.

Claim 32

An arrangement according to claim 26, wherein lower ones of said springs are disposed adjacent threaded fasteners holding the respective standpipes at said housing floor.

Claim 33

An arrangement according to claim 27, comprising leg centering means disposed between the lower ones of said springs and bottom ends of said legs.

Claim 34

An arrangement according to claim 28, wherein said leg centering means are centering cones.

Claim 35

An arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the motor vehicle is a convertible with two rear passenger seat and wherein one of said roll-over bars is disposed behind each of the rear passenger seats.