Vehicle top

Abstract

A production method for a top cloth with a number of layers for a top of a vehicle, in which the number of layers is sewn to a border of the top cloth with a first layer of a binding band by means of a seam, wherein the binding band is folded and is guided with a second layer over the seam and around the border of the top cloth and is connected to an inner side of the top cloth such that the seam is concealed by the second layer, and wherein the second layer is arranged seamlessly on the first layer.

Claims

1. A production method for a top cloth with a number of layers for a top of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: providing a piping, a top cloth, and a binding band, each of the piping, the top cloth and the binding band having spaced apart first and second edges, the second edge of the piping including a piping core; layering the piping, the top cloth, and binding band together so that the first edges of the piping, the top cloth, and the binding band are substantially aligned, and at least a portion of the binding band is flush with the piping; sewing the binding band to an outer surface of the piping and the top cloth in proximity to a border of the layers of the top cloth and thereby forming a seam; folding the binding band approximately 180 degrees over to form a first fold adjacent the piping core so that a portion of the binding band adjacent the first fold overlies the seam and the first fold has a thickness that is smaller than a diameter of the piping; folding the binding band around the first edges of the piping, the top cloth, and the binding band to form second and third bends of approximately 90 degrees each; and connecting the binding band to an inner surface of the top cloth so that the seam is concealed by the binding band.

2. The production method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the binding band to the inner side of the top cloth comprises adhesively bonding the binding band to the inner side of the top cloth.

3. The production method of claim 2, wherein the step of folding the second edge of the binding band over the first edge of the binding band further comprises adhesively bonding a portion of the binding band adjacent to the first edge to another portion of the binding band.

4. The production method of claim 3, further comprising adhesively bonding the binding band to an edge of the top cloth between the inner and outer surfaces of the top cloth.

5. The production method of claim 1, in which the seam is introduced into the top cloth on an outer side.

6. The production method of claim 1, wherein the folding position of the binding band bears against the second end of the piping.

7. The production method of claim 1, in which the binding band and an outer skin of the top are made from identical material.

8. A top for a vehicle, comprising: a top cloth having plural layers including at least an inner layer and an outer layer joined together at a border of the top cloth so that at least a first edge of the at least inner layer and outer layer are aligned with each other; a piping having a first edge substantially aligned with the first edges of the at least inner and outer layers of the top cloth, and a second edge remote from the first end and including a substantially cylindrical piping core; and a binding band extending between a first edge substantially aligned with the first edges of the top cloth and the piping and second edges, the binding band including at least a first, a second, a third, and a fourth section arranged sequentially between the first and second edges, wherein the first section of the binding band extends in surface-to-surface contact with the piping, the second section of the binding band is folded approximately 180 degrees over the first section at a position substantially aligned with the piping core so that a first fold between the first and second sections bears against the piping core, and a thickness of the first fold is smaller than a diameter of the piping core; the third section of the binding band is folded approximately 90 degrees from the second section and faces the first edges of the top cloth, the piping, and the binding band; and the fourth section of the binding band is folded approximately 90 degrees to extend along the inner layer of the top cloth.

9. The top as claimed in claim 8, in which the vehicle is a watercraft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a top cloth according to the prior art.

(2) FIG. 2 shows various steps of a possible configuration of the production method according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a possible configuration of the binding band provided according to the invention, in which the piping is integrated into the binding band.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) A piping 3 with a piping core 5 made, for example, of polyethylene is arranged on the outside of a top cloth 1, as shown in FIG. 1 and comprises, for example, a textile fiber 2 and a plurality of insulation layers 11, 13. Both the top cloth 1 and the piping 3 are at least partially surrounded by a binding band 7.

(5) According to the prior art, the binding band 7 is connected to the piping 3 and the top cloth 1 by a seam 8, and therefore the seam 8 is visible from the outside and from the inside and the seam 8 completely penetrates the binding band 7 on both sides of the top cloth 1.

(6) A production method illustrated in FIG. 2 shows how the binding band 7 is arranged around the piping 3 and the top cloth 1, i.e. around the textile fiber 2, the insulation layers 11 and 13 and an inner layer 9.

(7) In a first step 21, the binding band 7 is arranged flush below the piping 3 and is sewn to the piping 3 or the top cloth 1 via a seam 15. As soon as the seam 15 connects the binding band 7 to the piping 3 and the top cloth 1, the binding band 7 is turned over or folded and is guided in a second layer along the first layer of the binding band 7, which layer is arranged with the seam 15 on the piping 3 or the top cloth 1, and, for example, is adhesively bonded to said first layer, as illustrated in step 22. Finally, the binding band 7 is guided around the top cloth 1 and the insulation layers 11 and 13 and the inner layer 9 and is connected to the inner layer 9 of the top cloth 1, i.e., for example, is likewise adhesively bonded, as illustrated in step 23.

(8) The covering arising in step 23 by means of the binding band 7 clearly shows how the seam 15, which runs through a first layer of the binding band 7, connects the binding band 7 to the top cloth 1 and to the piping 3. The seam 15 furthermore is covered by a second layer of the binding band 7 and hence is shielded from an environment. This means that the seam 15 runs merely through the first layer of the binding band 7 and does not penetrate the second layer, but rather is shielded to the outside or surrounded by the second layer of the binding band 7.

(9) The possible refinement of the binding band 7 that is illustrated in FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of the piping core 5 within the binding band 7. By means of an arrangement of the piping core 5, in which the piping core 5 is wound around by the binding band 7, an additional layer for the provision of the piping 3 during the production of a top can be saved. For this purpose, a first layer 29 of the binding band 7 is sewn to a top cloth (not illustrated) by means of a seam 27. The binding band 7 then is guided around the piping core 5. Subsequently, that part of the binding band 7 that is guided around the piping core 5 is guided back again as the second layer 31 of the binding band 7, i.e. along the first layer 29 and around the top cloth (not illustrated). In a final step, the second layer 31 of the binding band 7 is guided around the first layer 29 and the top cloth, is connected to the top cloth and/or the first layer 29.

(10) In order to connect the second layer 31 of the binding band 7 robustly to the first layer 29 of the binding band 7, the second layer 31 can be adhesively bonded to the first layer 29, for example at an adhesive bonding point 25. The second layer 31 of the binding band 7 delimits the top cloth or a piping formed as described above from the binding band 7 and the piping core 5 toward the outside in a form-fitting manner and without a visible seam.