JPH0425896B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for a removable roof that can be removed as desired to open the upper part of an automobile.

``Prior Art'' A conventional locking mechanism for a removable roof is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-30624.

That is, the publication discloses a system in which locking devices are provided on both sides of the removable roof panel in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, and the front and rear lock pins are projected by links and engaged with the vehicle body, thereby restraining the removable roof panel. There is.

``Problems to be Solved by the Invention'' However, in such conventional locking mechanisms for removable roofs, the locking device is provided on the side of the removable roof panel, which makes the removable roof panel heavy and requires force when installing and removing it. Moreover, due to the structure, there are operation handles on both sides, which means that the user has to move around in a small vehicle interior and operate the handles at two locations, resulting in poor operability and workability.

The present invention has been made in view of these conventional problems, and provides a locking mechanism for a removable roof that solves the above problems by making the removable roof panel lighter and allowing for easy installation and removal operations. The purpose is to

"Means for Solving the Problems" The gist of the present invention to achieve the above object is to provide a locking mechanism for a removable roof that can be removed as desired to open the upper part of the automobile, and a front edge of a removable roof panel. One of the front edge or the rear edge is restrained to the vehicle body via a locking/disengaging member, and a locked portion is provided on each side of the other, and the locking portion is overlapped on the other of the front edge or the rear edge and is connected to the vehicle body. A tilting roof panel is pivotally attached to the vehicle body between a folded down position where the roof is held in between and an upright position where it stands up on the roof, and a striker that engages with both of the locked parts is attached to the tilting roof panel. A locking device is fixedly installed on the vehicle body side and engages with the striker to restrain both of the locked parts, and the operating systems of both locking devices are connected to an operating device provided near the driver's seat. This is due to the locking mechanism of the removable roof.

``Operation'' Then, one of the front edge or the rear edge of the removable roof panel is hooked to the vehicle body via the engagement member, and the folding roof panel is folded down so that it overlaps with the other.
The other is held between the vehicle body and the vehicle body.

A striker fixed to the tilting roof panel engages with both locked parts on both sides of the other side, and by locking both sides with a locking device that engages with the striker, the removable roof panel is attached to the vehicle body and the vehicle is operated. By operating an operating device near the seat, both locking devices are released, and the locking/disengaging members are separated, so that the removable roof panel can be removed without being restrained.

“Embodiment” An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a removable roof panel 20 forms the upper surface of a vehicle body 10, and the removable roof panel 20 has side edges 21, 2.
1 forms the upper part of the opening of the door 11 on the vehicle body 10 side, and the front edge 22 is connected to the windshield glass 12. Rear edge 2 of removable roof panel 20
3 is placed on a mounting surface 14 formed on the side pillar 13 of the vehicle body 10, and is placed on the side pillar 1 of the vehicle body 10.
Back window glass 15 is installed across between 3 and 13.
The roof panel 30 is connected to the folding roof panel 30 connected to the roof panel 30.

Both sides of the front edge 22 of the removable roof panel 20 are removably locked to the vehicle body via locking members 40, 40, and the front edge 22 of the removable roof panel 20 is removably locked to the vehicle body 10 side corresponding to both sides of the rear edge 23 of the removable roof panel 20. Locking devices 50, 50 are each mounted.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a step 25 is formed on the rear edge 23 of the removable roof panel 20 and is lower than the top surface 24 thereof, and a sealing member 26 is attached to the step 25. , through holes 27 are bored on both sides as locked parts.

The folding roof panel 30 can be folded between a folded position where it overlaps the rear edge 23 of the removable roof panel and is sandwiched between it and the vehicle body, and an upright position where it stands up on the roof. In some cases, the tip portion 31 overlaps the stepped portion 25 of the removable roof panel 20 and is continuous with the upper surface 24 of the removable roof panel 20. A sealing member 32 is attached to the distal end and the outer periphery, and the proximal end is pivotally attached to the vehicle body via a pivot 33.
Strikers 35 are biased in the upright direction by a spring 34, inserted into the through hole 27 of the removable roof panel 20, and engaged with the locking device 50. Strikers 35 are erected downward on both sides.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the vehicle body side member 41 of the engaging and disengaging member 40 is formed by a pivot pin 43 extending laterally from a base 42, and the pair of vehicle body side members 41 are pivotably supported. The pins 43 are fixed to the vehicle body 10 so as to face in the same direction.

The roof side member 44 of the engaging/disengaging member 40 has a curled portion 45 that can be inserted into and removed from the pivot pin 43 of the vehicle body side member 41 by moving in the lateral direction.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the locking device 50 includes a base member 51 fixed to the vehicle body 10.
A latch 52 and a locking lever 53 are pivotally supported on the latch 52, and the latch 52 has a hook portion 52a that locks the striker 35 of the tilting roof panel 30 and a locked end 52b that is restrained by the locking lever 53. The locking lever 53 has a locking end 53a that engages and disengages from the locked end 52b of the latch 52,
Spring 54 is biased clockwise in FIG. 4 to lock latch 52.

The free end of the locking lever 53 is connected to the end of a cable 55 that forms part of the operating system, and the cable 55 is wound around a pulley 55a and extended downward.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, cables 55 extending downward from the locking devices 50 on both sides via pulleys 55a are collected from an intermediate pulley 55b to a central pulley 55c in the center of the vehicle body, and from there A cable 56 extends along the floor to an operating device 60 near the driver's seat.

The operating device 60 is connected to the vehicle body 10 as shown in FIG.
An operating handle 62 is attached to a base member 61 fixed to
The end of the cable 56 is connected to the base end of the operating handle 62, and is urged in the direction of collapse by the spring 3.

Next, the action will be explained.

The removable roof panel 20 is attached to the vehicle body 10 with its front edge 22 locked to locking/disengaging members 40 and its rear edge 23 locked to locking devices 50 and 50. When installed, the folding roof panel 3
Latch 5 of locking device 50 for striker 35 of
2 is locked, and the latch 52 is locked by the locking lever 53.
is locked.

The rear edge portion 23 of the removable roof panel 20 has a stepped portion 2
Almost the entire surface of the removable roof panel 20 is pressed by the tilting roof panel 30 through the sealing member 26, so that the load is not concentrated on one location of the removable roof panel 20 and is stably held. Watertightness is also sufficient due to the seal member 2 and the seal member 32.

To remove the removable roof panel 20, operate the operating device 60 near the driver's seat and pull up the operating handle 62. Then, the cable 56 is pulled, and the movement is distributed to the cable 55 and transmitted to the locking devices 50 on both sides, and the locking lever 53 is pulled, so that the locking end 53a of the latch 52 is moved to the locked end 52 of the latch 52.
b, and the hook portion 52a releases the striker 35.

Therefore, when the foldable roof panel 30 is raised, the striker 35 passes through the through hole 27 of the removable roof panel 20, and the stepped portion 25 is opened.
The rear edge 23 of the removable roof panel 20 is released.

Since the rear edge 23 of the removable roof panel 20 is opened, if the rear part of the removable roof panel 20 is slightly lifted, the removable roof panel 20 will tilt around the pivot pin 43 of the detachable member 40. When the front edge 22 of the removable roof panel 20 is laterally shifted after being lifted up a little, the curled portion 45 comes off the pivot pin 43 and the front edge 22 of the removable roof panel 20 is opened.

This removes all restraints on the removable roof panel 20, so by lifting the entire removable roof panel 20, the removable roof panel 20 can be removed from the vehicle body 10 and the upper part of the vehicle body 10 can be opened.

Note that after removing the removable roof panel 20, the folding roof panel 30 is folded down and returned to the original state in which the striker 35 and the locking device 50 are engaged. As a result, the lock device 50 and the like are hidden by the folding roof panel 30, and both side pillars 13 are connected.

When installing the removable roof panel 20, the order is reversed.

That is, first, insert the front edge 22 of the removable roof panel 20 into the upper opening of the vehicle body 10, align the axes of the pivot pin 43 of the detachable member 40 and the curled portion 45, and then move the front edge 22 laterally. Move the two to engage.

Next, after the folding roof panel 30 is stood up, the rear edge 23 of the removable roof panel 20 is placed on the mounting surface 14 of the side pillar 13 of the vehicle body 10, and the folding roof panel 30 is folded down. Striker 3
5 is inserted through the through hole 27 to enter the locking device 50. Striker 35 entering locking device 50
engages the hook portion 52a of the latch 52. At this time, the locking end 53a of the locking lever 53 locks the locked end 52b of the latch 52.

The above operation does not require any special operation,
In short, it is sufficient to simply place the rear edge portion 23 of the removable roof panel 20 on the mounting surface 14 of the vehicle body 10, and then fold and press the folding roof panel 30 thereon.

Note that the rear edge portions 22 and 23 of the removable roof panel 20 may be locked with their hands reversed, and the folding roof panel 30 may also be removably attached to the vehicle body 10.
The opening may be made larger in the upper part of the opening.

Further, the operating device is not limited to a manual type, but may be an electric type using a solenoid or the like.

"Effects of the Invention" According to the removable roof locking mechanism of the present invention, a locking device for restraining the removable roof panel is provided on the vehicle body side, and the locking device can be released at one location near the driver's seat. Because I did it,
The removable roof panel is lightweight, making it easier to attach and remove, carry, and release the roof panel.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figures show one embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an automobile equipped with a removable roof, Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of main parts of the vehicle body, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of an automobile equipped with a removable roof.
The figure is an enlarged view of the part shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the operating device. 10...Vehicle body, 13...Side pillar, 14...
...Placement surface, 20...Removable roof panel, 22...
Front edge, 23... Rear edge, 25... Step, 27...
...Through hole, 30... Lifting roof panel, 35... Striker, 40... Engaging/disengaging member, 50... Locking device, 52... Latch, 53... Locking lever, 55, 56... Cable, 60 ...Operation device, 62...Operation handle.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A locking mechanism for a removable roof that can be removed to open the upper part of a vehicle as desired, comprising: restraining either the front edge or the rear edge of the removable roof panel to the vehicle body via a locking member; A locked portion is provided on each of the other sides, and a locked portion is provided between a lying position where the locking portion overlaps the other of the front edge portion or the rear edge portion and is sandwiched between the vehicle body and an upright position where the locking portion rises above the roof. A tilting roof panel to be folded is pivotally attached to the vehicle body, a striker that engages with both of the locked parts is fixed to the tilting roof panel, and a striker that engages with the striker and both locked parts is fixed on the vehicle body side. 1. A locking mechanism for a removable roof, characterized in that a locking device for restraining the roof is provided, and the operating systems of both locking devices are connected to an operating device provided near a driver's seat.