Slide door locking device for vehicles during feeding of fuel to a fuel tank positioned near a slide door

In a vehicle having a body with a door opening, a slide door for sliding from a first to a second position to cover and expose respectively said door opening, and a fuel tank with a fuel inlet and fuel cap, said door when in said open position obstructing access to said fuel inlet and fuel cap, the improvement comprising a locking device for the slide door, said locking device being made operative during feeding of fuel to said tank and including:

• (a) a stop member attached to the rear end of said slide door;
• (b) a stopper lever mounted pivotally inside a body panel of said vehicle, the panel defining the rear end of said door opening, an end of the stopper lever being subject to projecting into the door opening beyond the front end of the panel and when said door is in said first position engaging with the stop member to obstruct opening of said slide door;
• (c) actuating lever means disposed in front of said fuel inlet cap and in one position covering said fuel supply inlet and cap within the panel;
• (d) a link member coupling the rear end of the stopper lever and the base part of the actuating lever means;
• and
• (e) a spring for biasing the stopper lever to a stop position where the stopper lever engages with the stop member to lock said door in said first position to said panel when the actuating lever means is operated to expose said fuel inlet and cap during feeding of fuel to a fuel tank, said engagement preventing the slide door from opening, said engagement of the stopper lever with the stop member being subject to release by further pivoting the stopper lever from the stop position by applying force of predetermined magnitude to the slide door, said door stop member acting on said stopper lever against the biasing force of the spring, said applied force moving said stopper lever permitting opening of the slide door after said actuating lever means is pivoted to expose said fuel inlet.