Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Shingo Satoh

Daiichi Shiraishi

A device for fixing a roof detachable from a motor vehicle body to the vehicle body. The detachable roof is provided thereon with first and second lock pins guided by guides and projectable in directions opposite to each other. These lock pins are inserted into lock holes formed in the vehicle body, whereby the detachable roof can be fixed to the vehicle body. The guides have a plurality of fixed positions around the axis of respective mounting holes of the detachable roof. A guide hole formed in the guides is made eccentric with the center axis of each guide such that a straight line from the center of the guide hole to the center axis of the mounting hole of the detachable roof is inclined to the horizontal line, whereby positional differences between the outer surface of the detachable roof and the main roof body surface, when the detachable roof is locked in place, may be minimized.

Device for locking detachable roof in motor vehicle

A device for locking a detachable roof in a motor vehicle to a vehicle body. The lock device has first and second lock pins caused to appear from or disappear into the detachable roof in synchronism in directions opposite to each other by means of a control lever through first and second levers. These lock pins are inserted into lock holes formed in the vehicle body, whereby the detachable roof is fixed. The lock device further includes: a pawl capable of taking an abutting position where the pawl abuts against at least one of the first and second levers to prevent the levers from being rotated in a direction unlocking the detachable roof, and a releasing position where the pawl is not engaged with the lever; a spring for biasing the pawl in a direction in which the forward end of the pawl abuts against the lever; a release lever made engageable with the pawl only in a direction driving the forward end of the pawl to the releasing position; and a key-locking device having a key cylinder, a key cylinder lever of which can take a locking position where the key cylinder lever prevents the release lever from rocking in a direction driving the pawl and a releasing position where the key cylinder lever does not interfere with the release lever.

A device for locking a detachable roof in a motor vehicle to a vehicle body. The lock device has first and second lock pins which are caused to appear and disappear in synchronism with each other in directions opposite to each other by means of a control lever through a first lever, a second lever and connecting mechanisms. These lock pins are inserted into lock holes formed on the vehicle body sides, whereby the roof is fixed to the vehicle body. The turning paths of the connecting mechanisms are shifted in position in the directions of rotary axes of the first and the second levers.

Growing community of inventors

Sagamihara, Japan

Shingo Satoh