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.

An articulating soft front cockpit cover assembly including an auxiliary tensioning link, coupling link and cross-car bow. A pivot point rotatable joining the auxiliary tensioning link and coupling link is located at the top of the auxiliary tensioning link. A bracket is provided on the auxiliary tensioning link or coupling link and extends cross-car and attaches to the front or rear edge of the cross-car bow. The soft front cockpit cover assembly in sealing engagement with a rearward top portion of a roof. The articulating portion movable between at least a closed position over about the front vehicle cockpit and at least one open position for an open-air feel.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a folding top assembly for use with a vehicle and methods for using a folding top assembly on a vehicle. The folding top assembly can be used to create openings on the top of the vehicle by folding a rear panel segment of the folding top assembly forward to expose a space over a rear seating area of the vehicle and/or folding a front panel segment of the folding top assembly rearward to expose a space over a front seating area of the vehicle. The assembly can be designed and shaped to improve the ability to store the folding top assembly on the vehicle and/or to improve aerodynamics when the vehicle is moving.

A frame and soft top assembly which includes lift assist and improved fabric management. The assembly includes a pair of front arms pivotally attached to rear side rails and are attached to the vehicle roll bar. A plurality of fabric control bows connected with pivot links provide fabric control to the top material during pivoting of the front side rails. A pair of bow pivot links are pivotally connected to the rear side rail. A rear gas strut and a front gas strut are attached longitudinally to either side of the pair of bow pivot links, one providing lift assistance at the start of the pivotal opening of the sunroof while the other of the struts gets loaded as the top is deployed and buffers the closing of the roof which also loads the strut to provide assistance in the closing direction when it is time to close the sunroof.

A top for a Jeep type vehicle is provided having a rear cargo area and parallel spaced roll bars. The top includes parallel spaced apart C pillars, each C pillar including front and rear vertical columns, the rear columns having a perpendicularly connected seat belt pass-through. The C pillars also have bottom plates connecting the front and rear columns that extend beyond the rear column. A top plate connects the front and rear columns together. The C pillars include pivotally connected sealing plates for sealing a top end of a rear door, the sealing plates being connected to the roll bars. A vertical rear window extending between said C pillar rear columns is provided, the rear window having a cutout portion for allowance of passage of a seat belt therethrough. A fabric cover providing a top deck extends over said front and rear seating portion of said vehicle and also covers the C pillars. A tonneau cover is provided for covering the rear cargo area providing a flat surface enclosure over the cargo area.

The present invention relates to a removable convertible top (100) for a convertible vehicle, comprising: a flexible water-tight canvas (110) provided with longitudinal reinforcements (120), the ends of which are suitable for resting on the bars (210, 220, 230) of a vehicle; curved rigid side reinforcements (130, 140), arranged on the opposite sides of the canvas (110), parallel to the longitudinal reinforcements (120), and respectively provided with sets of hooks (150) suitable for engaging with the complementary coupling structures (250) provided on the vehicle, said canvas (110) and said side reinforcements (130, 140) interlocking such as to automatically tension the canvas (110) by elastically tensioning the portion of the canvas (110) located between the two sets of hooks (150), when said two sets of hooks (150) interlock with coupling structures (250) provided on the vehicle.

A vehicle roof having a roof structure with a roof opening, which, by a roof opening mechanism, can be closed or at least partially uncovered as desired, said roof opening mechanism being designed as an interchangeable insert. Additionally, a roof opening mechanism is proposed, being designed as an interchangeable insert, for unlockable fixation at a roof structure of a vehicle roof, and comprising a frame, which can be placed upon an edge region of the roof structure, said edge region limiting a roof opening.

An articulating soft front cockpit cover assembly including an auxiliary tensioning bow, coupling rod and cross-car bow. A pivot point rotatably joining the auxiliary and coupling rod is located at the top of the auxiliary tensioning bow. A bracket is provided on the auxiliary tensioning bow or coupling rod and extends cross-car and attaches to the front or rear edge of the cross-car bow. The soft front cockpit cover assembly in sealing engagement with a rearward top portion of a roof. The articulating portion movable between at least a closed position over about the front vehicle cockpit and at least one open position for an open-air feel.

A storage system for a removable soft top assembly of a vehicle includes a main storage container having a top lid coupleable to a bottom lid, where the main storage container is sized and shaped to receive and store an articulating frame and main cover of the soft top assembly; a first supplemental storage container having a top lid coupleable to a bottom lid, the first supplemental storage container sized and shaped to receive and store windows of the soft stop assembly; and a second supplemental storage container having a top lid coupleable to a bottom lid, where the second supplemental storage container is sized and shaped to receive and store door rails of the soft top assembly. The second supplemental storage container is selectively coupleable to the first supplemental storage, and the first and second supplemental storage containers are selectively coupleable to the main storage container.

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.