Top comprising a cable guide

Abstract

A top of a convertible vehicle having a top linkage which can be displaced between a closed position, in which the top covers a vehicle interior, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is uncovered, and which has a linkage arrangement on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, each linkage arrangement having a link and a cable guide disposed on the link and serving to guide a tensioning cable. The cable guide may have two shells defining a passage opening and being in contact with the link from opposite sides.

Claims

1. A top of a convertible vehicle, the top comprising: a top linkage which can be displaced between a closed position, in which the top covers a vehicle interior, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is uncovered, and which comprises a linkage arrangement on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the top, each linkage arrangement having a link and a cable guide disposed on the link and serving to guide a tensioning cable, wherein the cable guide comprises two shells defining a passage opening and being in contact with the link from opposite sides.

2. The top according to claim 1, wherein the two shells are connected to each other.

3. The top according to claim 1, wherein the link comprises a recess, wherein portions of the shells that define the passage opening extending into said recess.

4. The top according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the surface of the cable guide forms a sliding surface for the tensioning cable.

5. The top according to claim 4, wherein the sliding surface is curved.

6. The top according to claim 1, wherein the two shells are identical parts.

7. The top according to claim 1, wherein each of the two shells comprises a latching part and a latching counterpart, the latching part of the first shell engaging with the latching counterpart of the second shell and the latching counterpart of the first shell engaging with the latching part of the second shell.

8. The top according to claim 7, wherein each latching part comprises a latching lug engaging behind a protrusion of the mating latching counterpart.

9. The top according to claim 7, wherein each latching counterpart comprises a ramp, the mating latching lug driving onto said ramp during installation of the cable guide on the link.

10. The top according to claim 1, wherein each shell is an injection-molded plastic part.

11. The top according to claim 1, wherein a headliner or a top cover can be tensioned by the tensioning cable.

Description

[0018] An exemplary embodiment of a top according to the invention is illustrated in the drawing in a schematically simplified manner and will be explained in more detail in the following description.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective side view of the top according to the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 shows a highly schematized longitudinal section through the top of FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a perspective detail view of section A in FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 4 shows another perspective detail view of section A in FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 5 shows a perspective detail view of a shell of a cable guide of the top according to the invention;

[0024] FIG. 6 shows another perspective detail view of the shell of FIG. 5; and

[0025] FIG. 7 shows a section through a link, a cable guide and a tensioning cable along line VII-VII in FIG. 3.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a top 1 according to the invention comprising a top linkage and a top cover 30. The top linkage can be displaced between a closed position, in which top 1 covers a vehicle interior, and a storage position. The vehicle interior is uncovered when top 1 is in the storage position. The top linkage has a linkage arrangement 28 on either side of a vertical longitudinal center plane of top 1, each linkage arrangement 28 comprising a link 6 having a recess 18, link 6 being a main link which is part of a main multi-bar linkage of linkage arrangement 28. The two linkage arrangements 28 are connected to each other via transverse bows 36 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, a cable guide 2 having a passage opening 14 for guiding a tension cable 8 is disposed on link 6, tension cable 8 serving to tension a headliner 32 in the closed position of top 1. Tensioning cable 8 runs through passage opening 14, whereby it is deflected between a connection point on the top linkage and a connection point 34 on headliner 32.

[0028] Cable guide 2 comprises two shells 4 and 5. The two shells 4 and 5 are in contact with link 6 from opposite sides, enclosing link 6 in the transverse direction of link 6. Cylindrical portions 16 of shells 4 and 5, which define a passage opening 14 for tensioning cable 8, extend into recess 18 in such a manner that their end faces are in full surface contact.

[0029] The two shells 4 and 5 are identical parts. For this reason, only one of the two shells 4 and 5 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0030] Shells 4 and 5 each comprise a latching part 10 and a latching counterpart 12. Latching parts 10 and latching counterparts 12 are disposed on opposite edges of shells 4 and 5. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, latching part 10 of shell 4 engages into latching counterpart 12 of shell 5 and latching part 10 of shell 5 is engaged with latching counterpart 12 of shell 4. Thus, shells 4 and 5 are latched or clipped together, whereby cable guide 2 is fixed to link 6.

[0031] Portions 16 of shells 4 and 5, which define passage opening 14, form a sliding surface for tensioning cable 8 together with parts of surfaces 20 of shells 4 and 5 that face away from link 6. The sliding surface has low roughness, i.e., it is smooth. Thus, tensioning cable 8 is subject to little to no wear, which reduces the risk of tensioning cable 8 snapping under strain.

[0032] Latching parts 10 each comprise a protrusion 24 to which a ramp or an inclined portion 26 is adjacent. Latching counterparts 12 each have a latching lug 22 corresponding to protrusions 24 and being engaged with protrusions 24 in the installed state, shells 4 and 5 thus being connected to each other.

[0033] During installation of cable guide 2 on link 6, the two shells 4 and 5 are positioned relative to each other in such a manner that latching part 10 of first shell 4 is located opposite latching counterpart 12 of second shell 5 and latching counterpart 12 of first shell 4 is located opposite latching part 10 of second shell 5 and link 6 is located between the two shells 4 and 5. Once latching parts 10 drive onto ramps 26, latching counterparts 12 are bent by the continued sliding of shells 4 and 5 in the direction of link 6, i.e., toward each other. Upon arrival in an end position, in which the two shells 4 and 5 are in contact with link 6, latching lugs 22 align with corresponding protrusions 24, causing latching lugs 22 to return to their rest position. This means that latching lugs 22 are engaged with protrusions 24 and the two shells 4 and 5 are latched to each other.

[0034] Each of the two shells 4 and 5 is an injection-molded plastic part whose surface has low roughness.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0035] 1 top [0036] 2 cable guide [0037] 4 shell [0038] 5 shell [0039] 6 link [0040] 8 tensioning cable [0041] 10 latching part [0042] 12 latching counterpart [0043] 14 passage opening [0044] 16 portion of the shell [0045] 18 recess [0046] 20 surface [0047] 22 latching lug [0048] 24 protrusion [0049] 26 ramp [0050] 28 linkage arrangement [0051] 30 top cover [0052] 32 headliner [0053] 34 connection point [0054] 36 transverse bow