A panel structure 30 includes a panel 40 having a first insertion hole 42, a reinforcement 50 having a second insertion hole 52, and a fixing member 70 having a shaft 71 inserted in the first and second insertion holes 42 and 52, and sandwiching and fixing the panel 40 and the reinforcement 50 in their thickness direction. The panel 40 has a higher thermal expansion coefficient than the reinforcement 50. A diameter of the second insertion hole 52 in a direction of thermal expansion of the panel 40 is larger than a diameter of the first insertion hole 42 in the direction.

An articulating slanted back soft top assembly for 4-door and 2-door SUVs. A fabric cover is supported by a frame that is at least partially articulatable from at least a closed position to at least one open air position. The frame includes at least one forward fabric support bow member and at least one rearward fabric support bow member. The rear fabric support bow member being positioned when in the closed position in a manner which allows the fabric to clear a sport bar or roll bar member of a vehicle in the closed position such that a rear portion of the top is angled from the vertical when viewing the vehicle from the side.

An articulating slanted back soft top assembly for 4-door and 2-door SUVs. A fabric cover is supported by a frame that is at least partially articulatable from at least a closed position to at least one open air position. The frame includes at least one forward fabric support bow member and at least one rearward fabric support bow member. The rear fabric support bow member being positioned when in the closed position in a manner which allows the fabric to clear a sport bar or roll bar member of a vehicle in the closed position such that a rear portion of the top is angled from the vertical when viewing the vehicle from the side.

A retractable sliding/folding slanted back soft top assembly for 4-door and 2-door SUVs. A fabric cover is supported by a frame that is at least partially articulatable from at least a closed position to an open air position. The frame includes at least one forward fabric support bow member and at least one rearward fabric support bow member. The rear fabric support bow member being positioned when in the closed position in a manner which allows the fabric to clear a sport bar or roll bar member of a vehicle in the closed position such that a rear portion of the top is angled from the vertical when viewing the vehicle from the side.

A soft top assembly which includes lift assist and improved fabric management. The assembly includes front side rails pivotally connected to rear side rails. A plurality of fabric control bows with control linkages provide fabric control to the top material during pivoting of the front side rails. A first and second gas strut are attached to the rear side rails to assist lifting and controlled motion as the top is moved between a closed position and open sunroof position, as one strut is fully loaded and compressed while the other strut is fully loaded and open, for lift assist and dampening.

The invention relates to an openable structure for a substrate, such as a lorry, trailer, semitrailer, railway wagon, dumper truck or container, comprising a tarpaulin framework to which, for example, a tarpaulin made of weather-resistant material or a plurality of hingedly couplable wall elements can be connected, wherein the tarpaulin framework has a plurality of slides which are shiftable along at least one guide, wherein the guide comprises a longitudinal member element along which the slides are shiftable. An openable structure permitting smooth opening and closing of the structure is provided according to the invention in that the longitudinal member element is arranged adjustably at least in sections in a direction transversely with respect to the shifting direction of the slides.

A sliding soft-top convertible roof is provided. In another aspect, a convertible roof apparatus including rollers which sandwich a fore-and-aft elongated guide rail therebetween. A further aspect includes roof bow mounted brackets extending between an elongated and stationary guide rail and channels within which move cables for raising and lowering a roof cover, with the brackets being moveably coupled to the guide rail. Still another aspect includes a sport utility vehicle having a passenger compartment and a rear cargo compartment, where a sliding soft-top convertible roof is retractable to a position rear of the passenger compartment, lower than a nominal closed roof surface and above only a forward portion of the cargo compartment.

A soft top assembly which includes lift assist and improved fabric management. The assembly includes front side rails pivotally connected to rear side rails. A plurality of fabric control bows with control linkages provide fabric control to the top material during pivoting of the front side rails. A first and second gas strut are attached to the rear side rails to assist lifting and controlled motion as the top is moved between a closed position and open sunroof position, as one strut is fully loaded and compressed while the other strut is fully loaded and open, for lift assist and dampening.

A retractable sliding/folding slanted back soft top assembly for 4-door and 2-door SUVs. A fabric cover is supported by a frame that is at least partially articulatable from at least a closed position to an open air position. The frame includes at least one forward fabric support bow member and at least one rearward fabric support bow member. The rear fabric support bow member being positioned when in the closed position in a manner which allows the fabric to clear a sport bar or roll bar member of a vehicle in the closed position such that a rear portion of the top is angled from the vertical when viewing the vehicle from the side.

A vehicle convertible top having a link arrangement on both sides relative to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the convertible-top, link arrangement being mounted on a main bearing fixed, displaces a convertible-top element between a lifted operating position and a lowered storage position. Each link arrangement may have a base link, mounted on the main bearing; a four-joint arrangement having a first adjusting link and a second adjusting link are connected to the convertible-top element; and a coupling element, a component of the four-joint arrangement, to which the base link, the first adjusting link and the second adjusting link are hinged. The link arrangements each may have a backlite link arrangement having a first coupling link hinged to the coupling element, which can be connected to one of the adjusting links via a second coupling link to couple the four-joint arrangement to the backlite link arrangement.