Retractable roof for vehicles

US5195798A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Mercedes-Benz Group AG · DE

Inventors

• Berthold Klein · Rutesheim, DE
• Anton Reichel · Ditzingen, DE
• Johann Tomforde · Sindelfingen, DE
• Bruno Sacco · Sindelfingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 29, 1991
• Grant date: Mar 23, 1993
• Expiry date: Nov 29, 2011

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60J7/148
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A retractable roof for vehicles, in particular a hard roof for cabriolets, has roof pillars extending to the side of a rear window of the roof. The roof pillars, as seen from the vehicle side, enclose an obtuse angle with that longitudinal region of the roof which is situated in front of them. The pillars have a stowing position, when the roof is retracted, in a receiving space which is situated below the roof pillars when the roof is closed and into which the roof can be moved along its length, with the roof pillars in the lead, during retraction, after which they rest steeply erect in the receiving space. To ensure that the receiving space in the vehicle can be usefully reduced in size, the rear window forms the lower boundary of the roof over its width lying between the roof pillars when the roof is closed and can be moved out of its operating position into a stowing position which, with the roof retracted, is at a vertical distance from the lower ends of the roof pillars.