| Trunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicle -> Monitor Keywords |
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Trunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicleTrunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicle description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070182196, Trunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicle. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(a)-(d) to DE 10 2006 005 001.0, filed Feb. 1, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]The present invention relates to a trunk lid link assembly for closing and opening a trunk lid of a convertible vehicle. [0004]2. Background Art [0005]DE 199 46 454 A1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,300) describes a multi-joint link assembly movably connecting a trunk lid to the trunk of a vehicle. The trunk lid may be lowered to cover the trunk and may be raised in either of two opened positions to open the trunk. An operator manually raises the rear edge of the trunk lid to put the trunk lid in one of the opened positions. The operator may then load or unload the trunk. A motor acts on the link assembly causing the front edge of the trunk lid to raise to put the trunk lid in the other opened position. A foldable roof of the vehicle may then move into and out of the trunk. The trunk lid pivots about a pivot axis located at the rear side of the vehicle body to enable the front edge of the trunk lid to raise. Trunk lid raising into both opened positions is not performed completely automatically as the motor assists only with raising the front edge of the trunk lid. A passive spring may assist with the swivel motion associated with manually raising the rear edge of the trunk lid. [0006]DE 103 40 017 B3 (corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0186694) describes a multi-joint link assembly movably connecting a trunk lid to the trunk of a convertible vehicle. The trunk lid may be lowered to cover the trunk and may be raised in either of two opened positions to open the trunk. The rear edge of the trunk lid is raised in one of the opened positions. The front edge of the trunk lid is raised in the other opened position. [0007]Both trunk lid edge raising motions are performed by the link assembly in response to it being actuated by a drive element. This is achieved because the link assembly includes a locking link which can be adjusted between locked and unlocked positions. In the locked position, the locking link is held in place on the vehicle body but can swivel with respect to the vehicle body via a rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body. The locking link is moved to its locked position when the rear edge of the trunk lid is to be raised for an operator to load and unload the trunk. At the same time, a rear lock of the trunk lid is released so that the rear edge of the trunk lid can be raised. In the unlocked position, the locking link unlocks the rotary joint such that the linkage of the locking link via this articulated joint to the vehicle body is released. The locking link is moved to its unlocked position when the front edge of the trunk lid is to be raised for the roof to move into and out of the trunk. In the unlocked position of the locking link, the trunk lid can swivel up about a rear rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body, thereby raising the front edge of the trunk lid. [0008]The rear rotary joint is situated between the trunk lid and the vehicle body. For this reason, the trunk lid and the vehicle body, in particular the rear bumper, have to be designed to enable the trunk lid to swivel about the rear rotary joint. In particular, the bumper requires a convex surface so that the trunk lid does not collide with the bumper or other vehicle components during its swivel motion. An independent link assembly may be used to lift the rear rotary joint from the vehicle body before the swivel process. However, in this case, an additional drive element is required. Another disadvantage is the trunk lid is a component of the link assembly and thereby has to be capable of bearing a load. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009]An object of the present invention is a trunk lid link assembly for automatically opening a trunk lid to a first opened position by raising the front edge of the trunk lid and to a second opened position by raising the rear edge of the trunk lid is raised. [0010]In carrying out the above object and other objects, an embodiment of the present invention provides a link assembly for opening and closing a trunk lid of a trunk of a convertible vehicle having a roof movable between a closed position in which the roof covers the vehicle interior and a stored position in which the roof is moved into the trunk. The link assembly includes a lifting link connected between the trunk lid and the vehicle body. The lifting link is movable upon being driven by an actuator to move the trunk lid between a closed position in which the trunk lid covers the trunk, a first opened position in which a front edge of the trunk lid is raised to enable the roof to move into and out of the trunk, and a second opened position in which a rear edge of the trunk lid is raised to enable an operator to load and unload the trunk. [0011]The link assembly further includes a locking link having front and rear ends and a middle portion. The middle portion of the locking link connected to the lifting link. The front end of the locking link is adjustable between a first locked position in which the front locking link end is pivotably locked to the vehicle body via a front rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body and a first unlocked position in which the front locking link end is released from the vehicle body. The rear end of the locking link is adjustable between a second locked position in which the rear locking link end is pivotably locked to the vehicle body via a rear rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body and a second unlocked position in which the rear locking link end is released from the vehicle body. [0012]When the front locking link end is in the first locked position in which the front locking link end is pivotably locked to the vehicle body and when the rear locking link end is in the second unlocked position in which the rear locking link end is released from the vehicle body, the locking link acts on the lifting link upon the lifting link being driven by the actuator such that the lifting link raises the rear edge of the trunk lid to move the trunk lid to the second opened position. When the front locking link end is in the first unlocked position in which the front locking link end is released from the vehicle body and when the rear locking link end is in the second locked position in which the rear locking link end is pivotably locked to the vehicle body, the locking link acts on the lifting link upon the lifting link being driven by the actuator such that the lifting link raises the front edge of the trunk lid to move the trunk lid to the first opened position. [0013]Further, in carrying out the above object and other objects, an embodiment of the present invention provides a convertible vehicle having a trunk with a trunk lid. The trunk lid has front and rear edges. The front trunk lid edge faces the vehicle interior and the rear trunk lid edge faces the rear of the vehicle. The trunk lid is movable between a closed position in which the trunk lid covers the trunk, a first opened position in which the front trunk lid edge is raised to enable the roof to move into and out of the trunk, and a second opened position in which the rear trunk lid edge is raised to enable an operator to load and unload the trunk. The vehicle further includes a roof movable between a closed position in which the roof covers the vehicle interior and a stored position in which the roof is stored in the trunk. A front rotary joint is fixed to the vehicle body near the vehicle interior, and a rear rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body near the rear of the vehicle. [0014]The vehicle further includes a link assembly having a lifting link and a locking link for opening and closing the trunk lid between its closed and opened positions. The lifting link movably connects the trunk lid to the vehicle body to move the trunk lid between its closed position and opened positions upon being driven by an actuator. The locking link has front and rear ends and a middle portion. The middle portion of the locking link connected to the lifting link. [0015]The locking link is adjustable between a first position in which the front locking link end is released from the front rotary joint and the rear locking link end is pivotably locked to the rear rotary joint, and a second position in which the front locking link end is pivotably connected to the front rotary joint and the rear locking link end is released from the rear rotary joint. In the first position the locking link acts on the lifting link upon the lifting link being driven by the actuator such that the lifting link raises the front edge of the trunk lid to move the trunk lid to the first opened position. In the second position the locking link acts on the lifting link upon the lifting link being driven by the actuator such that the lifting link raises the rear edge of the trunk lid to move the trunk lid to the second opened position. [0016]Advantages of a trunk lid link assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present is that additional drives or kinematic systems are not required in order to lift the trunk lid from the vehicle body during the raising motion of the front edge of the trunk lid, and that the vehicle may be designed independently of the design of the link assembly. [0017]In an embodiment of the present invention, the rear rotary joint is associated with the locking link and not with the trunk lid. The rear rotary joint may be mounted at any given position on the vehicle body depending upon the configuration of the locking link. As such, the rear rotary joint is not limited to placement between the trunk lid and the vehicle body. In this manner, the shapes of the trunk lid, the vehicle body, and the rear vehicle bumper may be designed independently of the radius of motion of the trunk lid which occurs when the front edge of the trunk lid swivels about the rear rotary joint. [0018]In an embodiment of the present invention, the rear end of the locking link in addition to the front end of the locking link may be locked to the vehicle body and unlocked from the vehicle body. The locking link may thus swivel between first locked and unlocked positions and between second locked and unlocked positions. [0019]For placing the trunk lid in its first opened position in which the front edge of the trunk lid is raised to enable the roof to move into and out of the trunk, the front end of the locking link is converted to the first unlocked position and the rear end of the locking link is converted to the second locked position. In the first unlocked position of the locking link, the front locking unit unlocks the front end of the locking link from the front rotary joint. In the second locked position of the locking link, the rear locking unit locks the rear end of the locking link to the rear rotary joint. As such, the front end of the locking link can swivel with respect to the vehicle body about the rear rotary joint such that the front edge of the trunk lid can be raised. The conversion of the front and rear ends of the locking link to their respective unlocked and locked positions occurs at the same time. [0020]For placing the trunk lid in its second opened position in which the rear edge of the trunk lid is raised to enable an operator to load and unload the trunk, the front end of the locking link is converted to the first locked position and the rear end of the locking link is converted to the second unlocked position. In the first locked position of the locking link, the front locking unit locks the front end of the locking link to the front rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body. In the second unlocked position of the locking link, the rear locking unit unlocks the rear end of the locking link from the rear rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body. As such, the rear end of the locking link can swivel with respect to the vehicle body about the front rotary joint such that the rear edge of the trunk lid can be raised. The conversion of the front and rear ends of the locking link to the respective locked and unlocked positions occurs at the same time. [0021]As a result of the trunk lid not being directly joined to the vehicle body via the rear rotary joint, when the locking link swivels about the rear rotary joint the trunk lid is raised a short distance away from the vehicle body and from the bumper by the link assembly, thereby avoiding a collision of the trunk lid with other vehicle components in this swivel motion. Continue reading about Trunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicle... Full patent description for Trunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicle Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Trunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicle patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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