Back door lock structure

Abstract

To provide a back door lock structure capable of suppressing disengagement of a lock and a striker in the event of a vehicle rear-end collision.SOLUTION: A back door lock structure 10 includes: a striker 20 installed on one of an opening 3 and a back door 1; a lock 30 mounted on a mounting surface 6 provided on the other of the opening 3 and the back door 1; and a metal cover member 40 covering the lock 30. The lock 30 has a striker insertion port 31 into which the striker 20 is inserted, a front part 32 extending parallel to an insertion direction D of the striker 20 into the striker insertion port 31, and a pair of side parts 35, 35 extending respectively from both ends of the front part 32 toward the mounting surface 6 in a direction parallel to the front part 32 and orthogonal to the insertion direction D. The cover member 40 has a cover-side front part 41 that closely opposes the front part 32, and a pair of cover-side side portions 42, 42 closely opposed to the pair of side portions 35, 35, respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a back door lock structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a tailgate structure has been known that includes a striker provided on one of the opening of the vehicle body and the tailgate, and a lock provided on the other of the opening of the vehicle body and the tailgate that engages with the striker when the tailgate is closed (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a mounting structure for a back door lock cover in which a lock cover is attached to a lock body fixed to a predetermined location on the back door. In this patent document, the lock body is fixed to the door panel with multiple bolts, and the lock cover is attached to the lock body by engaging the lock cover with the heads of each bolt. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-171353 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because the lock cover in Patent Document 1 is made of plastic, it does not have the function of suppressing deformation of the lock. Therefore, when a load is applied to the engagement portion between the lock and the striker during a rear-end collision of the vehicle, the lock may deform, causing the engagement between the lock and the striker to be released.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a tailgate lock structure that can prevent the engagement between the lock and the striker from being released in the event of a rear-end collision of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A tailgate lock structure according to one aspect of the present invention includes a striker provided on one of a vehicle body opening or a tailgate, a lock provided on the other of the opening or the tailgate, and a metal cover member covering the lock. The cover member has a cover-side front portion adjacent to and facing the front portion of the lock, and a pair of cover-side side portions adjacent to and facing a pair of side portions of the lock, respectively. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a back door lock structure that can prevent the engagement between the lock and the striker from being released in the event of a rear-end collision of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the rear of a vehicle to which a back door lock structure according to an embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the rear of the vehicle shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a back door lock structure provided at an opening in a vehicle body. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the back door lock structure shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0011] [Backdoor lock structure] The configuration of a back door lock structure 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. In the drawings, the front side of the vehicle is designated as FR, the rear side of the vehicle as RR, the right side in the vehicle width direction as RH, and the left side in the vehicle width direction as LH.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the back door lock structure 10 includes a back door 1, a vehicle body 2, a striker 20, a lock 30, and a cover member 40.

[0013] The back door 1 is attached to the vehicle body 2 so as to be able to open and close relative to an opening 3 of the vehicle body 2, with a hinge portion (not shown) provided at the front end portion as the rotation center. The back door 1 has an outer panel 1a and an inner panel 1b, forming a closed cross section.

[0014] A reinforcing panel 4 is disposed between the outer panel 1a and the inner panel 1b of the back door 1. The reinforcing panel 4 has an upper panel 4a and a lower panel 4b, and forms a closed cross section.

[0015] A rear-end cross member 5 is disposed at the rear of the vehicle body 2, forming part of the opening 3 of the vehicle body 2. The rear-end cross member 5 has an outer panel 5a and an inner panel 5b, forming a closed cross section. A lock plate 7 having a mounting surface 6 for attaching a lock 30 is attached to the front side of the rear-end cross member 5 using bolts 51 and nuts 52.

[0016] The base plate 21 of the striker 20 is attached to the back door 1 using a bolt 53 and a nut 54 .

[0017] The lock 30 is attached to a mounting surface 6 provided in the opening 3 of the vehicle body 2 using a bolt 55 and a nut 56, and engages with the striker 20 when the back door 1 is closed.

[0018] The lock 30 has a striker insertion opening 31 into which the striker 20 is inserted, and a front surface 32 extending parallel to an insertion direction D (see FIG. 2) of the striker 20 into the striker insertion opening 31. The striker insertion opening 31 is formed in a shape that opens in the left and right directions toward the insertion opening side (upward). A latch member 33 is held by holding portions 34, 34 on the front surface 32.

[0019] The lock 30 also has a pair of side surfaces 35, 35 extending parallel to the front surface 32 and perpendicular to the insertion direction D of the striker 20 from both ends (left and right ends) of the front surface 32 toward the mounting surface 6.

[0020] The cover member 40 is made of a metal material such as an iron-based material, and is fixed to the mounting surface 6 so as to cover the lock 30. The cover member 40 has a cover-side front surface portion 41 that closely faces the front surface portion 32, and a pair of cover-side side surfaces 42, 42 that closely face the pair of side surfaces 35, 35, respectively. The cover-side front surface portion 41 is provided with a bead 43 that extends in a direction (left-right direction) perpendicular to the insertion direction D of the striker 20.

[0021] The cover member 40 also has a mounting surface portion 44 that extends along the mounting surface 6 from the end portions (rear end portions) of the pair of cover-side side surface portions 42, 42 on the mounting surface 6 side. The cover member 40 is fastened to the mounting surface 6 at a portion (upper portion) of the mounting surface portion 44 that is upstream in the insertion direction D of the striker 20 using a bolt 57 and a nut 58. The cover member 40 is also fastened to the mounting surface 6 together with the lock 30 at a middle portion of the mounting surface portion 44.

[0022] Furthermore, the pair of cover-side side surface portions 42, 42 are connected to each other by a connecting portion 45 at upstream portions (upper portions) of the striker insertion opening 31 in the insertion direction D.

[0023] In this embodiment, of the striker 20 and lock 30 which are engageable with each other, the striker 20 is provided on the back door 1, and the lock 30 is provided on the opening 3 of the vehicle body 2. However, conversely, the striker 20 may be provided on the opening 3 of the vehicle body 2, and the lock 30 may be provided on the back door 1.

[0024] [Actions and effects] The effects of this embodiment will be described below.

[0025] (1) A tailgate lock structure 10 includes a tailgate 1 attached to a vehicle body 2 so as to be able to open and close relative to an opening 3 of the vehicle body 2, and a striker 20 attached to one of the opening 3 and the tailgate 1. The tailgate lock structure 10 also includes a lock 30 attached to a mounting surface 6 attached to the other of the opening 3 and the tailgate 1, and engaging with the striker 20 when the tailgate 1 is closed. The tailgate lock structure 10 also includes a cover member 40 made of a metal material and fixed to the mounting surface 6 so as to cover the lock 30. The lock 30 has a striker insertion opening 31 into which the striker 20 is inserted, and a front surface 32 extending parallel to an insertion direction D of the striker 20 into the striker insertion opening 31. The lock 30 also has a pair of side surfaces 35, 35 extending from both ends of the front surface 32 in a direction parallel to the front surface 32 and perpendicular to the insertion direction D toward the mounting surface 6. The cover member 40 has a cover-side front surface portion 41 that faces closely to the front surface portion 32, and a pair of cover-side side surfaces 42, 42 that face closely to the pair of side surfaces 35, 35, respectively.

[0026] In this embodiment, a metal cover member 40 is attached to the mounting surface 6 so as to cover the lock 30. The cover member 40 has a cover-side front portion 41 that closely faces the front portion 32 of the lock 30, and cover-side side portions 42, 42 that closely face the pair of side portions 35, 35 of the lock 30. Therefore, when a load is applied to the engagement portion between the lock 30 and the striker 20 during a rear-end collision of the vehicle, causing the lock 30 to deform left and right (open), the deformation of the lock 30 is suppressed by the cover-side side portion 42 of the cover member 40. Furthermore, when a load is applied to the engagement portion between the lock 30 and the striker 20 during a rear-end collision of the vehicle, causing the front portion 32 of the lock 30 to deform so as to convex forward, the deformation of the lock 30 is suppressed by the cover-side front portion 41 of the cover member 40. Therefore, the cover member 40 suppresses deformation of the lock 30 that occurs during a rear-end collision of the vehicle, and the lock 30 and the striker 20 are prevented from being disengaged and the back door 1 is prevented from opening.

[0027] (2) The cover-side front surface portion 41 is provided with a bead 43 extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction D.

[0028] By providing the bead 43 on the cover side front portion 41 of the cover member 40, the rigidity of the cover side front portion 41 can be increased, and deformation of the lock 30, particularly toward the front side, can be suppressed by the cover side front portion 41 of the cover member 40.

[0029] (3) The cover member 40 has a mounting surface portion 44 extending along the mounting surface 6 from the end portion of the pair of cover side side portions 42, 42 on the mounting surface 6 side, and the cover member 40 is fastened to the mounting surface 6 at the portion of the mounting surface portion 44 upstream of the insertion direction D.

[0030] Fastening the upper part of the mounting surface portion 44 of the cover member 40 to the mounting surface 6 increases the rigidity of the mounting surface portion 44, and therefore increases the rigidity of the cover-side side surface portion 42. Therefore, deformation of the lock 30, particularly in the left-right direction, can be suppressed by the cover-side side surface portion 42 of the cover member 40.

[0031] (4) The pair of cover-side side surfaces 42, 42 are connected to each other on the upstream side of the striker insertion opening 31 in the insertion direction D.

[0032] By connecting the pair of cover-side side surfaces 42, 42 to each other in the left-right direction of the cover member 40, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the cover-side side surface surfaces 42. Therefore, it is possible for the cover-side side surface surfaces 42 of the cover member 40 to suppress deformation of the lock 30, particularly in the left-right direction.

[0033] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the descriptions and drawings that form part of this disclosure should not be understood to limit the present invention. Various alternative embodiments, examples, and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1. Backdoor 2. Body 3 Opening 6 Mounting surface 10 Back door lock structure 20 Striker 30 Rock 31 Striker insertion port 32 Front part 35 Side part 40 Cover member 41 Cover side front part 42 Cover side 43 Bead 44 Mounting surface D Striker insertion direction

Claims

1. a back door attached to the vehicle body so as to be openable and closable relative to an opening in the vehicle body; a striker provided on one of the opening and the back door; a lock attached to a mounting surface provided on the other of the opening and the back door, the lock engaging with the striker when the back door is closed; a cover member made of a metal material and fixed to the mounting surface so as to cover the lock; The lock is a striker insertion port into which the striker is inserted; a front surface portion extending parallel to the insertion direction of the striker into the striker insertion port; a pair of side surfaces extending from both ends of the front surface in a direction parallel to the front surface and perpendicular to the insertion direction toward the mounting surface, The cover member is a cover-side front surface portion adjacent to and facing the front surface portion; a pair of cover-side side portions respectively adjacent to and facing the pair of side portions; Back door lock structure.

2. The cover-side front surface portion is provided with a bead extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. The back door lock structure according to claim 1.

3. the cover member has mounting surface portions extending along the mounting surface from the mounting surface side ends of the pair of cover-side side surfaces, The cover member is fastened to the mounting surface at a portion of the mounting surface portion on an upstream side in the insertion direction. The back door lock structure according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The pair of cover-side side surfaces are connected to each other on the upstream side of the striker insertion port in the insertion direction. The back door lock structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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