Abstract: A lever for controlling a lock of an automobile door is mounted on the door and projects from the door. A shield is fixed to the door, and lies parallel to and inward of the lever so that the lever lies behind the shield as seen from the automobile passenger compartment. The shield extends forward of the free end of the lever to prevent access to the control lever when the door is in its closed position.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure which can provide a wider passenger compartment than conventional sedan-type vehicles. The vehicle has a substantially flat floor which provides extra space and a single integral door opening on each side. The door opening is closed by a front swinging door and a rear sliding door. The rear sliding door support mechanism is adapted to allow the floor to be positioned lower than in conventional van-type vehicles. The front swinging door has upper and lower door lock mechanisms for locking the front door when closed. The rear sliding door support mechanism includes upper and lower guide rails which are respectively adapted to reinforce a roof side rail and a side sill comprising part of a vehicle framework to provide sufficient resistance to bending stresses applied to the framework, thus allowing a center-pillarless body structure.

Abstract: A sealing structure for an automotive sliding door comprising a lower seal attached to the lower edge of the sliding door. The lower seal is adapted to contact a lower vertical edge portion of a lower guide rail upon which the sliding door is slidably suspended to establish a water-tight seal between the guide rail and the lower edge of the sliding door. The guide rail is mounted on a lower side frame of the automotive vehicle, and a weatherstrip is also installed on the vehicle body lower side frame. The weatherstrip is adapted to contact the inner surface of the sliding door to establish another water-tight seal. In this way a double seal is obtained around the lower edge of the sliding door, and the lower guide rail is satisfactorily isolated from leaking moisture.

Abstract: A sliding type door assembly for a vehicle, includes a guide rail fixed to the body of the vehicle, a door moving along the guide rail between its closed position and rear most open position, a guide follower attached to the door in such a manner that the guide follower can follow the door along the guide rail when the door moves, a brake mechanism for applying the braking power to the door by controlling the movement of the guide follower in relation to the guide rail, and a brake release means connected to the brake mechanism for releasing the brake mechanism.

Abstract: A door lock arrangement for a vehicle in which there is no pillar against which the trailing edge of a forwardly hinged door may engage, includes locks provided at the top and bottom corners of the door and a centrally located mechanism for simultaneously operating said locks. This mechanism includes means for producing both of the so called "keyless locking" and "self cancellation" functions.

Abstract: A sealing structure for an automotive vehicle prevents turbulent air flow around a front pillar and thus reduces noise due to wind. This seal is provided by a weatherstrip which also seals the space between the front pillar and a front door against water. The weatherstrip is provided with an extension extending towards the opening of the above space to close same. The extension lies approximately flush with the outer surfaces of the front pillar and the front door to form a substantially continuous external surface. This continuous external surface around the front pillar improves the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

Abstract: A sealing structure for an automotive vehicle is adapted to establish a water-proof seal for a type of vehicle which has no pillar between adjacent front and rear doors. The seal between the adjacent doors serves as a downspout for a vehicle roof gutter for draining any water which might leak from the gutter.

Abstract: A child proof door locking device for use with an automotive door is disclosed, which comprises a base plate securely attached to the door, an inside lever pivotally connected to the base plate and pivotally movable in response to handling of the inside handle, an outside lever pivotally connected to the base plate and pivotally movable in response to handling of the outside handle, a first device for causing the latching device to assume its inoperative condition when the outside lever is pivoted in a given direction, a second device for linking the outside lever with the inside lever so that pivoting of the inside lever in a given direction induces the pivoting of the outside lever in the given direction, and a child proof lever pivotally connected to the base plate and disengaging the second device from the inside lever when assuming its child proof position.

Abstract: A sliding type door assembly for a vehicle, includes a guide rail fixed to the body of the vehicle, a door moving along the guide rail between its closed position and rear most open position, a guide follower attached to the door in such a manner that the guide follower can follow the door along the guide rail when the door moves, a brake mechanism for applying the braking power to the door by controlling the movement of the guide follower in relation to the guide rail, and a brake release means connected to the brake mechanism for releasing the brake mechanism.

Abstract: A stationary guide rail has "V" shaped sides which partially enclose a slotted tube and which have a section which endows on the rail a high "second moment of inertia". A slide member has a pair of arms which embrace the external surfaces of the "V" shaped sides and an extension which passes through the slot in the tube in which an axially movable cable is disposed. The extension has a loop at the end thereof which tightly grips the cable. A handle is connected to a gear wheel meshing with a helical ridge formed on the cable so that winding of the handle very smoothly raises and lowers the window glass.

Abstract: A structure for preventing a sliding door from moving vertically, comprises the sliding door having an inner and an outer panels, a vehice body, a guide rail fixed to the vehicle body in such a manner that the sliding door can be guided by the guide rail when the sliding door is opened and closed, the guide rail being inwardly curved at the front end portion thereof, a bracket fixed to the inner panel of the sliding door, a roller attached to the bracket, the roller engaging the guide rail, a locking element having a tapered surface sloping in a lateral direction of the vehicle body, the locking element being attached to the bracket in such a way that, when the sliding door is closed, the tapered surface of the locking element engages a portion fixed relative to the vehicle body thereby to prevent the sliding door from moving vertically.

Abstract: A guide rail for a sliding door on an automotive vehicle is located along, under and adjacent to the weather strip which surrounds a rear side window. The weather strip is integrally formed with a lip along its lower edge, in the longitudinal direction thereof so that the lip can seal the gap formed between the rear quarter panel of the vehicle and the guide rail. It is desirable to provide a thin plate covering over at least one outer wall of the guide rail after the painting process. The covering is made of a lustrous material such as stainless steel or a plastic which can be easily colored.

Abstract: A door handle device used for an automotive vehicle provided with a resin handle box. Therefore, the door handle device of the present invention is lightweight and inexpensive. The structure of the door handle device is such that almost the entire inside surface of the handle box is in contact with the recessed portion of the door panel. Since a force applied to the handle body is transmitted to the door panel through the handle box without any application of bending or shearing force to the handle box, it is possible to use a resin handle box.