US Patent 10166848 Locking lift assist for folding soft tops

A soft top assembly which includes lift assist with improved fabric management and a lift assist locking mechanism. The soft top is rotatable between a closed, open sunroof position, and open position. When a cam of the lift assist locking mechanism is in a locked position, the soft top is prevented from moving from the open sunroof position to the open position. When a release mechanism of the lift assist is actuated, the cam is moved to an unlocked position allowing the soft top to be moved rearward into the open position. A handle lockout of the lift assist locking mechanism selectively positions a cam lockout to prevent the soft top from moving/rotating back to the open sunroof position.