Trunk lid link assembly for convertible vehicle

Abstract

A link assembly for opening and closing a trunk lid of a vehicle having a movable roof includes lifting and locking links. The lifting link connects the lid to the vehicle to move the lid between a closed position covering the trunk, an opened position in which the front lid edge is raised, and another opened position in which the rear lid edge is raised. The locking link is adjustable between a first position in which its front end is movable and its rear end is pivotably locked to a rear joint, and a second position in which its front end is pivotably connected to a front joint and its rear end is movable. In the first position, the locking link acts on the lifting link to raise the front lid edge. In the second position, the locking link acts on the lifting link to raise the rear lid edge.

1 . 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 comprising:
 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; and   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;   wherein, 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;   wherein, 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.   
   
   
       2 . The link assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a front locking unit for automatically locking the front locking link end to the front rotary joint and for automatically unlocking the front locking link end from the front rotary joint; and   a second locking unit for automatically locking the rear locking link end to the rear rotary joint and for automatically unlocking the rear locking link end from the rear rotary joint.   
   
   
       3 . The link assembly of  claim 2  wherein:
 at least one of the locking units includes a rotary latch.   
   
   
       4 . The link assembly of  claim 2  wherein:
 both locking units may be unlocked at the same time.   
   
   
       5 . The link assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism for locking the lifting link to the vehicle body when the trunk lid is in the closed position.   
   
   
       6 . The link assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism for locking the trunk lid to the vehicle body when the trunk lid is in the closed position.   
   
   
       7 . The link assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a drive link having front and rear ends and a middle portion, wherein the front end of the drive link is articulately supported to the vehicle body, the rear end of the drive link is pivotably connected to the lifting link, and the middle portion of the drive link is connected to the actuator to convey forces from the actuator to the lifting link.   
   
   
       8 . The link assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a drive link articulately supported to the vehicle body;   wherein the lifting link is pivotably connected at one end to the drive link and pivotably connected at its other end to the trunk lid;   a second lifting link pivotably connected at one end to the trunk lid;   wherein the locking link is pivotably connected to the other end of the second lifting link.   
   
   
       9 . The link assembly of  claim 1  wherein:
 the actuating direction of the actuator is the same for raising the front and rear edges of the trunk lid.   
   
   
       10 . A convertible vehicle comprising:
 a trunk;   a trunk lid having a front edge and a rear edge, wherein the front trunk lid edge faces the vehicle interior and the rear trunk lid edge faces the rear of the vehicle, wherein 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;   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 fixed to the vehicle body near the vehicle interior;   a rear rotary joint fixed to the vehicle body near the rear of the vehicle;   an actuator; and   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 the actuator, the locking link having front and rear ends and a middle portion, the middle portion of the locking link connected to the lifting link;   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;   wherein 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;   wherein 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.   
   
   
       11 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a front locking unit for automatically locking the front locking link end to the front rotary joint and for automatically unlocking the front locking link end from the front rotary joint; and   a second locking unit for automatically locking the rear locking link end to the rear rotary joint and for automatically unlocking the rear locking link end from the rear rotary joint.   
   
   
       12 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism for locking the lifting link to the vehicle body when the trunk lid is in the closed position.   
   
   
       13 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism for locking the trunk lid to the vehicle body when the trunk lid is in the closed position.   
   
   
       14 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  wherein:
 the roof includes a plurality of roof parts.   
   
   
       15 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  wherein:
 the link assembly further includes a drive link having front and rear ends and a middle portion, wherein the front end of the drive link is articulately supported to the vehicle body, the rear end of the drive link is pivotably connected to the lifting link, and the middle portion of the drive link is connected to the actuator to convey forces from the actuator to the lifting link.   
   
   
       16 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  wherein:
 the link assembly is a seven-bar kinematic linkage.   
   
   
       17 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  wherein:
 the link assembly includes a drive link articulately supported to the vehicle body;   wherein the lifting link is pivotably connected at one end to the drive link and pivotably connected at its other end to the trunk lid;   the link assembly further includes a second lifting link pivotably connected at one end to the trunk lid;   wherein the locking link is pivotably connected to the other end of the second lifting link.   
   
   
       18 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  wherein:
 the actuator includes a hydraulic actuator.   
   
   
       19 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  wherein:
 the trunk lid has a one-piece frame-less design.   
   
   
       20 . The convertible vehicle of  claim 10  wherein:
 the actuating direction of the actuator is the same for raising the front and rear edges of the trunk lid.