Car roof box locking mechanism

Abstract

To provide an on-vehicle roof box lock mechanism capable of achieving secure locking.SOLUTION: An on-vehicle roof box lock mechanism comprises a catch unit and a lock unit 4 connected with the catch unit by a connection rod 32. The catch unit has a latch 30 and a striker. The latch 30 has a latch bracket 30a and a locking pawl 30b fixed to one end of the connection rod 32. The lock unit 4 has a lock base 42 fixed to the other end of the connection rod 32 and a lock body 40 which is slidable. The lock body 40 has a lock plate 40b which is engaged with the lock base 42 and is rotatable. A slit 42b into which the lock plate 40b can enter only when the latch 30 and the striker are locked to each other, is formed on the lock base 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle roof box locking mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] Roof boxes are used that are fixed on the roof of a vehicle. More specifically, a roof carrier is fixed to the roof of the vehicle, and the roof box is fixed to the crossbars of the roof carrier. The roof box is composed of a bottom case and a cover that closes the upper opening of the bottom case. The roof box also has a locking mechanism that locks the cover in the closed state.

[0003] The roof box disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 has multiple hinges on the right side when mounted on the vehicle. The roof box also has a locking mechanism inside the left side when mounted on the vehicle. The locking mechanism has a catch unit for keeping the cover closed. The catch unit has a pair of latches on the bottom case side and a pair of strikers on the cover side that are engaged with the latches when the cover is closed.

[0004] When the left side of the cover is lifted while releasing the engagement between the latch of the catch unit and the striker, the cover can be opened around the hinge on the right side of the vehicle. Here, the locking mechanism includes, in addition to the catch unit, a locking unit that locks the engagement between the latch of the catch unit and the striker. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4943603 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the locking mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is undesirable that the locking operation occurs when the latch is not engaged with the striker. However, depending on the combination of the locking unit and the catch unit, for example, machining precision is required for members such as the rod that connects the locking unit and the catch unit in order to prevent the locking operation from occurring when the latch is released. In other words, in the locking mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1, if members with poor machining precision are used, the locking may not be reliable.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a locking mechanism for a vehicle roof box that can be locked reliably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is a roof box lock mechanism for a vehicle, comprising: a catch unit provided between a bottom case of a roof box and a cover that closes an upper opening of the bottom case, for holding the cover in a closed state relative to the bottom case; and a lock unit connected to the catch unit by a connecting rod. The catch unit is provided inside the roof box in the closed state, and includes a latch attached to the bottom case and a striker attached to the cover. The latch includes a latch bracket fixed to the bottom case, and a locking claw that is swingably attached to the latch bracket and fixed to one end of the connecting rod that extends along its swing axis. The striker includes a striker bracket fixed to the cover, and a locked member fixed to the striker bracket. The lock unit includes a lock case fixed to the bottom case, a swingable lock base fixed to the other end of the connecting rod in the lock case, and a lock body accommodated in the lock case so as to be slidable in a sliding direction perpendicular to the swing axis. The lock body has a lock plate that is engaged with the lock base and is rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the sliding direction of the lock base. A slit is formed in the lock base into which the lock plate can enter only when the locking claw connected to the lock base by the connecting rod is in the locking swing position where it is engaged with the locked member. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a locking mechanism for an in-vehicle roof box that can be locked reliably. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of a roof box equipped with a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the roof box. [Diagram 3]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lock mechanism. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a catch unit in the lock mechanism. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a latch of the catch unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a lock unit of the catch unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the inside of the lock unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the inside of the lock unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the locking mechanism (unlockable state). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a vehicle roof box locking mechanism according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a roof box 1 in a closed state. The left side of Fig. 1 is the front of the vehicle. A roof carrier (not shown) is fixed to the vehicle, and the roof box 1 is fixed to two cross bars of the roof carrier by its clamp mechanism 2. The cross bars extend laterally of the vehicle, one of which is located at the front of the roof and the other at the rear of the roof.

[0013] The roof box 1 includes a bottom case 1a and a cover 1b that closes the upper opening of the bottom case 1a. In the roof box 1 of this embodiment, the cover 1b can be opened upward from either the right side or the left side of the vehicle. The roof box 1 of this embodiment includes a locking mechanism shown in FIG. 3, which will be described in detail later. The locking mechanism is provided along the right side wall inside the bottom case 1a and also along the left side wall. When the cover 1b is opened from the right side, the locking mechanism on the left side functions as a hinge, and when the cover 1b is opened from the left side, the locking mechanism on the right side functions as a hinge. Each locking mechanism includes a pair of catch units 3 and a locking unit 4 disposed in the center of the pair of catch units 3.

[0014] 2 and 3, a catch unit 3 is attached to the inner surface of each of the left and right side panels of the bottom case 1a and the cover 1b. Each catch unit 3 is provided between the bottom case 1a and the cover 1b, and has a latch 30 attached to the bottom case 1a and a striker 31 attached to the cover 1b. Each catch unit 3 is provided inside the roof box 1 when the cover 1b is in the closed state, and is inaccessible when the roof box 1 is in the closed state, ensuring safety against theft of luggage.

[0015] In addition, in FIG. 2, the cover 1b is not shown, and only the striker 31 fixed to the cover 1b is shown. In addition, in FIG. 3, the bottom case 1a and the cover 1b are not shown, and only the lock mechanism when the cover 1b is closed is shown. Furthermore, in FIG. 2, only the rail 20 of the clamp mechanism 2 described above is shown, and the clamp unit slidably attached to the rail 20 is not shown. As shown in FIG. 2, beads are formed in a grid shape on the bottom plate of the bottom case 1a to improve the surface rigidity. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom case 1a and the cover 1b are formed so that the peripheral side wall of the cover 1b is located outside the peripheral side wall of the bottom case 1a when the roof box 1 is in a closed state. For this reason, rain and the like are prevented from entering the inside of the roof box 1, and the upward opening operation of the cover 1b can be performed smoothly.

[0016] The catch unit 3 is a mechanism for maintaining the cover 1b in a closed state so that the cover 1b does not open unintentionally, and is also a part of a lock mechanism that cooperates with the lock unit 4 to lock the cover 1b in a closed state. When the cover 1b is closed, the striker 31 is engaged with the latch 30. In this embodiment, two catch units 3 are provided along one side of the roof box 1 (for example, the right side of the vehicle) at a distance from each other, and the two catch units 3 are connected by a connecting rod 32 via the lock unit 4. A lock unit 4 for locking the cover 1b in a closed state is provided between the pair of catch units 3. The two catch units 3 can be linked to the lock unit 4 by the connecting rod 32. The lock unit 4 is also provided with a push button 40a for releasing the engaged state between the latch 30 and the striker 31. The push button 40a is provided with a keyhole into which a key 41 used for locking the lock unit 4 is inserted.

[0017] 2, in this embodiment, links 5 for holding the cover 1b in an open state are attached between the bottom case 1a and the cover 1b at the front and rear of the roof box 1. A damper may be incorporated in the link 5.

[0018] In this embodiment, the locking mechanism consisting of the lock unit 4 and the pair of catch units 3 is symmetrically provided on the opposite side of the roof box 1 that faces the above-mentioned side (for example, the left side of the vehicle). The locking mechanism on each side also functions as a hinge for opening and closing the cover 1b. This allows the cover 1b to be opened from either the right or left side of the vehicle, as described above. When the cover 1b is opened from the right side of the vehicle, the locking mechanism on the left side of the vehicle functions as a hinge. Conversely, when the cover 1b is opened from the left side of the vehicle, the locking mechanism on the right side of the vehicle functions as a hinge. The hinge function of the catch unit 3 of the locking mechanism will be described in detail later.

[0019] The catch unit 3 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Note that the catch unit 3 shown in Figure 4 indicates the catch unit 3 on the left side in Figure 3, and the latch 30 of the catch unit 3 shown in Figure 5 indicates the latch 30 on the right side in Figure 3.

[0020] The four catch units 3 of this embodiment have the same configuration. However, for the latch 30, the extending direction of the connecting rod 32 differs depending on the installation position. Also, for the striker 31, the shape of the upper part is partially different in order to avoid interference with the cover 1b. First, the latch 30 will be described. Although the side wall of the bottom case 1a exists on the right side in Figs. 4 and 5, the bottom case 1a is not shown.

[0021] The latch 30 has a latch bracket 30a fixed to the bottom case 1a with a rivet, and a hook 30b as a locking claw attached to the latch bracket 30a so as to be able to swing. The latch bracket 30a has a shape that covers the hook 30b except for the tip. Each side plate of the latch bracket 30a is formed with a V-shaped guide notch 30a1 that guides a bar 31b as a locked portion of the striker 31 described later.

[0022] The hook 30b is attached to the latch bracket 30a so as to be able to swing via the connecting rod 32 described above. That is, the hook 30b is fixed to one end of the connecting rod 32 so as not to rotate, and the connecting rod 32 is rotatably supported by the latch bracket 30a. The connecting rod 32 extends from the latch bracket 30a toward the lock unit 4. The central axis of the connecting rod 32 coincides with the swing axis of the hook 30b, and the connecting rod 32 extends along this swing axis. The tip of the hook 30b protrudes into the above-mentioned guide notch 30a1 or retreats from within the guide notch 30a1 according to the swing of the hook 30b.

[0023] A torsion coil spring (not shown) is built in the hook 30b as a biasing member that swings its tip toward the side wall of the bottom case 1a. A connecting rod 32 is inserted into the coil portion of the torsion coil spring. Therefore, when the hook 30b and the bar 31b are not engaged and no force other than the biasing force of the torsion coil spring is acting, the tip of the hook 30b is located closer to the side wall of the bottom case 1a than the position where the hook 30b is engaged with the bar 31b (position in FIG. 5) (left state in FIG. 9). Hereinafter, the swing position of the hook 30b when the hook 30b as the locking claw is engaged with the bar 31b as the locked member as shown in FIG. 5 is referred to as the "lock swing position". As will be described later, the lock base 42 of the lock unit 4 is fixed to the other end of the connecting rod 32 to which the hook 30b is fixed. The lock base 42 also swings together with the swing of the hook 30b, and the swing position of the lock base 42 when the hook 30b is in the lock swing position is also referred to as the "lock swing position."

[0024] The upper surface of the hook 30b is curved and convex. When the cover 1b is closed, the bar 31b of the striker 31 comes down from above and is guided into the guide notch 30a1. The guided bar 31b presses the curved convex surface of the hook 30b, and the hook 30b is swung counterclockwise in FIG. 5 against the biasing force of the torsion coil spring. When the bar 31b reaches the bottom of the guide notch 30a1, the contact between the bar 31b and the curved convex surface is released. As a result, the biasing force of the torsion coil spring causes the hook 30b to swing back to the locking swing position shown in FIG. 5 so that its tip protrudes into the guide notch 30a1 again. In this way, the locking state of the catch unit 3 is completed.

[0025] When the push button 40a of the lock unit 4, which will be described later, is pressed, the connecting rod 32 rotates about its central axis, and the above-mentioned locked state is released. Therefore, while the push button 40a is pressed, the bar 31b can be moved upward, and the cover 1b can be opened. The swinging hook 30b is covered by the latch bracket 30a. Although luggage is loaded on the bottom case 1a, the hook 30b is covered by the latch bracket 30a, so that the swinging of the hook 30b is prevented from being hindered by the luggage.

[0026] On the other hand, the striker 31 of the catch unit 3 has a striker bracket 31a fixed to the cover 1b with a rivet, and a bar 31b fixed to the striker bracket 31a as a locked member. The striker bracket 31a has an inverted L shape and its tip is bifurcated, with the bar 31b attached to connect the bifurcated parts. The space between the bifurcated parts is formed to allow the hook 30b to swing when it is locked with the hook 30b, and to avoid interference with the latch bracket 30a.

[0027] Next, the lock unit 4 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 6 to 8. Fig. 6 is a view of the lock unit 4 seen from the front side, that is, from the side wall side of the bottom case 1a. However, the bottom case 1a is not shown in Fig. 6. Meanwhile, Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the lock unit 4 seen from the rear side. However, in order to show the internal configuration of the lock unit 4, the lock case 43 is not shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Furthermore, one connecting rod 32 is not shown in Fig. 7, and the other connecting rod 32 and lock base 42 are not shown in Fig. 8.

[0028] The lock unit 4 includes a lock body 40 having a push button 40a, a pair of lock bases 42, and a lock case 43. The lock body 40 and the pair of lock bases 42 are housed in a box-shaped lock case 43. The lock case 43 is fixed to the bottom case 1a with rivets.

[0029] A circular hole is formed in the rear of the lock body 40, and a coil spring 40c is housed therein as a biasing member. The coil spring 40c is housed in a compressed state between the lock body 40 and the lock case 43. Therefore, the lock body 40 is always biased forward (toward the side of the vehicle on which the roof box 1 is mounted). A push button 40a formed on the front surface of the lock body 40 protrudes to the outside through a button hole formed in the bottom case 1a. When the push button 40a is not pressed, a step at the rear of the push button 40a abuts against the bottom case 1a around the button hole, and the lock body 40 is located in its forward-most position.

[0030] The lock body 40 is slidably housed in a lock case 43 while being supported by a pair of lock bases 42. When the push button 40a is pressed, the entire lock body 40 slides rearward against the biasing force of the coil spring 40c. Pins 40d protrude laterally in opposite directions from the rear side surfaces of the lock body 40. The pair of pins 40d are supported by a pair of lock bases 42, which will be described later, so that the lock body 40 is slidably held within the lock case 43.

[0031] Meanwhile, a pair of lock plates 40b protruding in opposite directions are provided at the front of the lock body 40. A key cylinder is built into the lock body 40, and the lock plate 40b rotates by turning a key 41 inserted into a keyhole formed in the push button 40a. The rotation is 90° clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 6. In the unlocked state shown in FIG. 6, the pair of lock plates 40b extend vertically, but in the locked state rotated 90° clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 6, the pair of lock plates 40b extend horizontally. Note that it is the key cylinder and the lock plates 40b that rotate with the key 41, and the lock body 40 itself does not rotate.

[0032] The lock plate 40b is rotatable within a plane perpendicular to the sliding direction of the lock body 40. However, a pair of partitions 43a that allow the lock plate 40b to rotate only when the lock body 40 is in the foremost position described above is provided inside the lock case 43. In other words, when the push button 40a is pressed and the lock body 40 is not in the foremost position, the pair of partitions 43a interfere with the lock plate 40b and prevent the lock plate from rotating.

[0033] On the other hand, when the lock body 40 is located at the frontmost position and the pair of lock bases 42 are in the locking swing position described above, the lock plate 40b can rotate without interfering with the partition 43a. When the lock plate 40b of the lock body 40 is rotated 90° by the key 41 to be in the locked state, the lock plate 40b enters a slit 42b of the lock base 42, which will be described later. If the push button 40a is pressed in this state, the lock plate 40b abuts against the front edge of the partition 43a and the inner surface of the slit 42b, and the push button 40a cannot be pressed. The connecting rod 32 is rotatably held in an insertion hole formed in the side panel of the lock case 43. The partition 43a has a shape that does not hinder the engagement between the pin 40d and the long hole 42a.

[0034] Next, the lock base 42 will be described in detail. Between the partition 43a and the side panel of the lock case 43, the thick plate-shaped lock base 42 is arranged so as to be able to swing. The lock base 42 is attached to the other end of the connecting rod 32 so as not to rotate. In addition, a long hole 42a into which the pin 40d is inserted is formed in the center of the lock base 42. The long hole 42a is curved so that the pin 40d is held in the long hole 42a even if the lock base 42 swings and the lock body 40 slides. In addition, the above-mentioned slit 42b into which the lock plate 40b can be inserted is also formed in the front side of the lock base 42.

[0035] When the catch unit 3 is not in the locked state, the lock base 42 swings closest to the side wall of the bottom case 1a due to the biasing force of the torsion coil spring in the hook 30b (the state on the left side in FIG. 9). At this time, the pin 40d of the lock body 40 located in the frontmost position is located at the rearmost side of the long hole 42a (the near side in FIGS. 7 and 8). When the catch unit 3 is locked, the lock base 42 connected to the hook 30b by the connecting rod 32 swings largely backward and then swings forward again to the locked state. When the lock base 42 swings largely backward, the pin 40d reaches the frontmost side of the long hole 42a (the far side in FIGS. 7 and 8). When the catch unit 3 is in the locked state, the pin 40d is located between the center and the rear end of the long hole 42a. When the push button 40a is pressed from this state and the lock body 40 is slid backward, the pin 40d comes into contact with the inner surface at the rear of the long hole 42a, causing the lock base 42 to swing backward. That is, the hook 30b swings in the unlatch direction, releasing the locked state and allowing the cover 1b to be opened.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the connecting rod 32 of one lock base 42 and the connecting rod 32 of the other lock base 42 are connected by a connecting member 32a inside the lock case 43. The projection 32a1 (see Fig. 7) of the connecting member 32a inserted into one connecting rod 32 has the same shape as the hole of the cylindrical connecting rod 32, and the one connecting rod 32 cannot rotate with respect to the connecting member 32a. However, the projection 32a2 (see Fig. 8) of the connecting member 32a inserted into the other connecting rod 32 has a shape that allows rotation within a predetermined angle range with respect to the hole shape of the cylindrical connecting rod 32. Therefore, the other connecting rod 32 can rotate within a predetermined angle range with respect to the connecting member 32a. As a result, the pair of lock bases 42 can swing independently of each other, although within a predetermined angle range. That is, the pair of hooks 30b can also swing independently of each other within a predetermined angle range. The predetermined angle range corresponds to the swingable range of the hook 30b (and the lock base 42).

[0037] Each lock base 42 has three through holes, the long hole 42a, the slit 42b, and the connecting rod 32, but the outer portion of the long hole 42a is merely thinned and not made into a through hole. However, if sufficient strength and rigidity can be ensured, the thin outer portion of the long hole 42a may be made into a through hole.

[0038] With the above configuration, the lock plate 40b can be rotated to lock the lock mechanism only when the hook 30b and the lock base 42 are in the locking swing position, i.e., when the hook 30b and the bar 31b are locked and the lock body 40 is in the frontmost position. There are two sets of hooks 30b and lock bases 42, but even if one is in the locking swing position, it cannot be locked unless the other is in the locking swing position, as shown in Fig. 9. For example, if the cover 1b is not properly closed due to luggage in the roof box 1 and one of the pair of catch units 3 is not properly locked, the locking operation cannot be performed.

[0039] In such a case, as described above, the pair of connecting rods 32 can swing independently of each other, so the other can be normally locked. Therefore, if the cover 1b is pushed from above on the catch unit 3 that is not normally locked, the locking operation can be performed. Therefore, the usability of the roof box 1 is greatly improved.

[0040] 3, which includes a pair of catch units 3 and a lock unit 4 provided between them, is provided along one side of the roof box 1. Since the two catch units 3 are provided spaced apart, when opening or closing the cover 1b from that side, the opening side can be reliably caught, and the two catch units 3 are linked by the connecting rod 32, allowing the cover 1b to be easily opened.

[0041] In this way, when the cover 1b is opened or closed from one side, the locking mechanism on the opposite side of the one side is in a locked state (including a locked state), and the two catch units 3 in the locked state function as hinges. Conversely, when the cover 1b is opened or closed from the opposite side, the locking mechanism on the one side functions as a hinge mechanism. In other words, the cover 1b can be opened from both sides.

[0042] In addition to the catch units 3, it is also necessary to release the above-mentioned links 5 that maintain the open state of the cover 1b, but in this embodiment, it is also possible to completely separate the cover 1b from the bottom case 1a by simultaneously releasing the locked state of the four catch units 3. If the cover 1b can be completely separated from the bottom case 1a, it becomes easier to clean the roof box 1 and also easier to attach the roof box 1 to and remove it from the roof carrier.

[0043] According to the lock mechanism of this embodiment, the lock mechanism is composed of a catch unit 3 and a lock unit 4 connected by a connecting rod 32. The catch unit 3 is provided inside the roof box in the closed state, and has a latch 30 attached to the bottom case 1a and a striker 31 attached to the cover 1b. The latch 30 has a latch bracket 30a fixed to the bottom case 1a, and a hook (locking claw) 30b fixed to one end of a connecting rod 32 that is swingably attached to the latch bracket and extends along the swing axis. On the other hand, the striker 31 has a striker bracket 31a fixed to the cover 1b, and a bar (locked member) 31b fixed to the striker bracket 31a.

[0044] Furthermore, the lock unit 4 has a lock case 43, a lock base 42 that is rotatable within the lock case 43 and fixed to the other end of the connecting rod 32, and a lock body 40 that is accommodated within the lock case 43 and is slidable in a sliding direction perpendicular to the swing axis. The lock body 40 has a lock plate 40b that is engaged with the lock base 42 and is rotatable within a plane perpendicular to the sliding direction. Here, the lock base 42 is formed with a slit 42b into which the lock plate 40b can enter only when the hook (locking claw) 30b connected to the lock base 42 by the connecting rod 32 is in an "engagement swing position" where it is engaged with the bar (engaged member) 31b.

[0045] Therefore, only when the hook (locking claw) 30b and the bar (locked member) 31b are in a normal locking state, i.e., in the "locking swing position", can the lock plate 40b enter the slit 42b and restrict the swing of the hook (locking claw) 30b and the lock base 42. In other words, only when the catch unit 3 is in a normal latched state and the hook (locking claw) 30b and the lock base 42 are in the "locking swing position", can the lock mechanism be activated to perform reliable locking. Since the lock mechanism cannot be activated if the locking state is not normal, insufficient locking is not performed.

[0046] Furthermore, according to the lock mechanism of this embodiment, the lock base 42 swings in association with the sliding movement of the lock body 40 engaged with the lock base 42. In association with this swinging of the lock base 42, the hook (locking claw) 30b connected to the lock base 42 by the connecting rod 32 is moved from the locked swing position. In other words, by sliding the lock body 40, the locked state of the catch unit 3 can be easily released, and the cover 1b can be easily opened.

[0047] According to the lock mechanism of this embodiment, two catch units 3 are provided along one side of the roof box at a distance from each other, and a lock unit 4 is provided between the two catch units 3. The lock unit 4 is connected to the two catch units 3 by a connecting rod 32, and the two connecting rods 32 can rotate about a swing axis independently of each other. Therefore, the closed state of one side of the roof box 1 can be reliably held by the two catch units 3. On the other hand, the two catch units 3 can be linked by the connecting rod 32 via the lock unit 4, so that the operation of opening the one side of the roof box 1 can be easily performed. Furthermore, the two catch units can operate independently of each other, which makes it easy to open and close the cover 1b. For example, it is not the case that the cover 1b cannot be maintained in a normally closed state unless the two catch units 3 are normally engaged at the same time, and it is also possible to engage the two catch units 3 one by one. As a result, a reliable engagement state can be achieved and a reliable lock can be performed.

[0048] Here, according to the lock mechanism of this embodiment, in the closed state of the cover 1b, the peripheral side wall of the cover is located outside the peripheral side wall of the bottom case 1a, and the lock mechanism including the two catch units 3 and the lock unit 4 is also provided symmetrically on the opposite side of the above-mentioned one side. The two sets of catch units 3 in the locked state on each side also function as a hinge mechanism of the cover 1b. Since the peripheral side wall of the cover 1b is located outside the peripheral side wall of the bottom case 1a in the closed state, rain and the like are prevented from entering the inside of the roof box 1, and the upward opening operation of the cover 1b can be performed smoothly. Furthermore, the two catch units 3 are also provided symmetrically on the opposite side of the above-mentioned one side, and the two sets of catch units 3 in the locked state on each side also function as a hinge mechanism of the cover. Therefore, the roof box 1 can be opened from either one side or the opposite side.

[0049] Although the embodiment has been described above, the embodiment can be modified or changed based on the above disclosure. All the components of the above embodiment and all the features described in the claims may be individually extracted and combined as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Roof box 1a Bottom case 1b Cover 3 Catch unit 30 Latch 30a Latch bracket 30b Hook (latching claw) 31 Striker 31a Striker bracket 31b Bar (engaged member) 32 Connecting rod 4 Lock Unit 40 Rock Body 40b lock plate 42 Rock Bass 42b Slit 43 Lock Case

Claims

1. A vehicle roof box locking mechanism, A catch unit is provided between a bottom case of the roof box and a cover that closes an upper opening of the bottom case, and the catch unit keeps the cover closed relative to the bottom case; The lock unit is connected to the catch unit by a connecting rod. The catch unit is provided inside the roof box in the closed state, and has a latch attached to the bottom case and a striker attached to the cover, The two catch units are provided spaced apart along one side of the roof box, and the lock unit is provided between the two catch units, The lock unit is connected to the two catch units by the connecting rods, the latch has a latch bracket fixed to the bottom case, and a locking claw that is swingably attached to the latch bracket and fixed to one end of the connecting rod that extends along the swing axis of the latch bracket, The two connecting rods are rotatable about the swing axis independently of each other, The striker has a striker bracket fixed to the cover and a locked member fixed to the striker bracket, the lock unit includes a lock case fixed to the bottom case, a lock base fixed to the other end of the connecting rod within the lock case and capable of swinging, and a lock body accommodated within the lock case and slidable in a sliding direction perpendicular to the swing axis, The lock body has a lock plate that is engaged with the lock base and is rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the sliding direction of the lock base, A roof box lock mechanism for vehicles, in which a slit is formed in the lock base through which the lock plate can enter only when the locking claw connected to the lock base by the connecting rod is in an engagement swing position in which it engages with the locked member.

2. 2. The roof box lock mechanism for a vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein the lock base is swung in association with the sliding movement of the lock body engaging with the lock base, and the locking claw connected to the lock base by the connecting rod is moved from the locking swing position in association with the swinging of the lock base.

3. In the closed state, a peripheral wall of the cover is located outside a peripheral wall of the bottom case, The lock mechanism, which includes two of the catch units and the lock unit, is provided symmetrically on an opposite side of the one side, 3. The vehicle roof box locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the two sets of catch units in the locked state on each side also function as hinge mechanisms for the cover.

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