Patent ID: 7455352
Filing Date: 2008-11-25
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
1. A locking device for locking a roof to a receptacle of a vehicle in which the vehicle has a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, and in which a longitudinal axis extends between the front and rear vehicle ends and a transverse axis extends between the first and second vehicle sides, the roof and the receptacle each has a corresponding side extending along the longitudinal axis on the first side of the vehicle, the receptacle has a peg extending along the transverse axis from the side of the receptacle toward the side of the roof, and the roof is movable along the longitudinal axis between a closed position in which the roof lies within the receptacle substantially along a roof plane containing the longitudinal and transverse axes and an opened position in which the roof is removed from the receptacle, the locking device comprising: a locking rail extending along the longitudinal axis and supported on the side of the receptacle between the sides of the roof and the receptacle such that the locking rail is movable along the longitudinal axis and is movable vertically relative to the roof plane, the locking rail having a guide slot which is vertically inclined relative to the roof plane in a direction from the front end of the vehicle to the rear end of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis such that a front end of the guide slot which is closer to the front end of the vehicle is vertically lower than a back end of the guide slot which is closer to the rear end of the vehicle; wherein the guide slot receives the peg of the receptacle such that the locking rail is movable along the longitudinal axis and is movable vertically relative to the roof plane between an unlocked position in which the locking rail is moved along the longitudinal axis towards the rear end of the vehicle and is moved vertically upward relative to the roof plane with the peg engaging the front end of the guide slot and a locked position in which the locking rail is moved along the longitudinal axis towards the front end of the vehicle and is moved vertically downward relative to the roof plane with the peg engaging the back end of the guide slot; a locking element receptacle supported on the locking rail and opened toward the front end of the vehicle; and a locking element supported on the side of the roof and extending along the transverse axis from the side of the roof toward the side of the receptacle, wherein when the roof is in the closed position the locking element receptacle engages the locking element to lock the roof to the receptacle in response to the locking rail being moved to the locked position with the locking element and thereby the roof being tensioned vertically downward as a result of the vertical downward movement of the locking rail, wherein the locking bolt receptacle disengages from the locking element to unlock the roof from the receptacle in response to the locking rail being moved to the unlocked position.