In particular, the present subject matter relates to a vehicle provided with a body, a passenger compartment enclosed by the body and delimited at the front by a windscreen enclosed by a U-shaped frame, and a convertible roof, which can be connected to the body for closing the passenger compartment at the top and in turn comprises a covering canvas and a supporting frame that can be mechanically connected to the body and supports the covering canvas.
This type of two-seater sports vehicles, better known as “roadsters” or also “spyders”, are increasingly widespread on the automotive market in Europe and above all in the United States. For its characteristics, the vehicle described above is particularly widespread in those areas that are characterized by sunny days and high temperatures for a fair share of the year.
The convertible roof can be made of canvas or else of metal or plastic. In the case where the vehicle is provided with a convertible roof made of canvas, the latter is usually housed within a purposely provided compartment made in the body and set outside the passenger compartment.
In the event of wet weather, an occupant of the vehicle has to extract the folded convertible roof from the purposely provided compartment and connect it to the body to close the passenger compartment at the top. The operations to be carried out in order to connect the convertible roof to the body may require a few minutes and can be particularly complex in the case where just one person has to carry out the operations.
For example, the document U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,531 regards a road vehicle comprising a body, a passenger compartment enclosed by the body and delimited at the front by a windscreen supported by a U-shaped frame, and a hard-top roof, which can be connected to the body for closing the passenger compartment at the top and comprises a rigid top wall and a pair of rigid side panels, made of a single piece with the top wall, for closing the passenger compartment at the sides. Moreover provided are front engagement means for connecting the top wall to the U-shaped frame, and rear engagement means for connecting the two side panels to a portion of the body that delimits the passenger compartment at the rear. A convertible roof made according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,531 is excessively cumbersome, and the operations to be carried out for connecting the convertible roof to the body may be complex in the case where just one person has to carry out the operations.
The document No. DE10120358 describes, instead, a road vehicle comprising a body, a passenger compartment enclosed by the body and delimited at the front by a windscreen supported by a U-shaped frame, and a convertible roof, which can be connected to the body for closing the passenger compartment at the top and in turn comprises a covering canvas that is substantially horizontal in the position for closing the passenger compartment. The roof then comprises two side members that can be mechanically connected to the body so as to support the covering canvas. Each side member comprises a rigid side panel that rises in cantilever fashion from a rear end of the side member and, in the position for closing the passenger compartment, is set substantially vertical and perpendicular to the covering canvas, and engagement means for connecting the covering canvas to the frame of the windscreen and for connecting the two side panels to a portion of the body that delimits the passenger compartment at the rear and at the sides. The covering canvas at its side ends is inserted within respective guides made in the two side members and slides within these guides until it reaches the frame of the windscreen; it follows that the operations to be carried out for connecting the convertible roof to the body may be complex and burdensome in terms of time in the case where just one person has to carry out the operations.