Operating device for a vehicle door

Abstract

The present application provides a door operating device for a vehicle, which does not hold a door in a closed position after opening the door by an emergency handle. The door operating device for a vehicle includes a closing lock unit (17) capable of holding a door (4) supported in an openable and closable manner to a vehicle body in a closed position, a fully open lock unit (18) capable of holding the door (4) in a fully open position, an actuator (26) having a motor (262), an emergency handle (27) capable of being manually operated from inside the vehicle, and an operation relay unit (19) which, in the case of driving by the actuator (26), causes the closing lock unit (17) and the fully open lock unit (18) to perform lock release actions, respectively, and, in the case of manual operation by the emergency handle (27), causes the closing lock unit (17) to perform a lock release action and enables it to be held in a non-locked state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to vehicle doors, and particularly to operating devices for vehicle doors that do not have mechanical door handles. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a double-door vehicle with a front sliding door and a rear sliding door that open and close in opposite directions on the side of the vehicle body, with an opening formed approximately at the center. The front sliding door opens the front half of the opening by sliding forward, and the rear sliding door opens the rear half of the opening by sliding backward.

[0003] Furthermore, in recent years, especially in vehicles such as shared cars, the electrification and automation of movable parts are being promoted. In particular, for sliding doors that can be opened and closed automatically by electric means, the locking and unlocking actions are performed by electric means for the closing locking unit that keeps the sliding door in the closed position and the fully opening locking unit that keeps the sliding door in the fully open position. As a result, sliding doors that do not have mechanical door handles that are operated when opening and closing each sliding door as in the past have emerged.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-88813 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, in vehicles with sliding doors that lack mechanical handles, the sliding doors cannot be opened in the event of an electrical system failure. As a solution to this problem, from the perspective of preventing unauthorized entry into the vehicle, an emergency handle operable only from the inside of the vehicle has been considered. However, while this method temporarily opens the sliding door from the inside, if the door is then closed from the outside after exiting the vehicle, the locking mechanism locks the door, leaving it closed. This can prevent the door from being reopened, potentially hindering future repairs.

[0009] Therefore, after the sliding door is opened using the emergency handle, it is desirable that the sliding door not remain in the closed position before the vehicle is transported to the repair shop in order to facilitate subsequent repairs.

[0010] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide an operating device for a vehicle door that prevents the door from remaining in the closed position after it has been opened using an emergency handle.

[0011] Solution for solving the problem

[0012] According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problems are solved as follows.

[0013] The operating device for a vehicle door includes: a closing locking unit capable of holding a door supported on the vehicle body in an openable and closable manner in a closed position; a fully open locking unit capable of holding the door in a fully open position; an actuator having a motor; an emergency handle capable of being manually operated from inside the vehicle; and an operation relay unit that, when driven by the actuator, causes the closing locking unit and the fully open locking unit to respectively perform locking and unlocking actions, and when manually operated by the emergency handle, causes the closing locking unit to perform locking and unlocking actions, and keeps it in an unlocked state.

[0014] Preferably, when the operation relay unit is manually operated via the emergency handle, it does not cause the fully open locking unit to perform a locking release action.

[0015] Preferably, the operation relay unit comprises: a base plate; a fully open release lever supported on the base plate, connected to the fully open locking unit, and actuated by the actuator to cause the fully open locking unit to perform a locking release action; a closing release lever supported on the base plate, connected to the closing locking unit, and actuated by the actuator to cause the closing locking unit to perform a locking release action; an emergency lever supported on the base plate, and actuated in the locking release direction by manual operation of the emergency handle, thereby causing the closing release lever to actuate in the locking release direction without causing the fully open release lever to actuate in the locking release direction; and a retaining member capable of holding the emergency lever in the locking release position when the emergency lever rotates in the locking release direction, so as to hold the closing release lever in the locking release position.

[0016] Preferably, the retaining member holds the emergency lever in the locked-out position by engaging with the engaging portion provided on the base plate based on the manual operation of the emergency handle, and releases the engagement with the engaging portion based on the movement of the fully open release lever in the locking-out direction driven by the actuator, thereby enabling the emergency lever to return from the locked-out position to the initial position.

[0017] Preferably, the retaining member is supported on the emergency rod and engages with the engaging part under the action of the spring force.

[0018] Preferably, the emergency handle exposes the operating part through an opening provided in the door panel, allowing manual operation from the initial position in the unlocking direction. Furthermore, when the emergency handle is held in the unlocked position, a portion of the operating part is hidden inside the door panel, making manual operation of the operating part impossible.

[0019] Preferably, a protective plate is provided between the operation relay unit and the emergency handle, and at a position facing the opening of the door panel, to separate the operation relay unit and the opening.

[0020] The effects of the invention

[0021] According to the present invention, in the event that the actuator cannot be driven due to a power system failure or other reasons, since the door is not kept in the closed position after being opened using the emergency handle, subsequent repairs can be easily carried out. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a side view of a vehicle to which the operating device for a vehicle door of the present invention is applied.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a side view showing the internal structure of the front sliding door and the rear sliding door.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a side view of the operation relay unit viewed from the outside of the vehicle.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a side view of the operation relay unit from inside the vehicle.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a 3D view of the operation relay unit.

[0027] Figure 6 This is an exploded 3D view of the operation relay unit.

[0028] Figure 7 yes Figure 4 Sectional view along line VII-VII.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a side view of the main part of the operational relay unit in its initial state.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a side view of the operation relay unit during actuator driving.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a side view of the operation relay unit when the emergency handle is operated.

[0032] Figure 11This is a side view of the operation relay unit when the retaining member is released from its locked state by the actuator.

[0033] Figure 12 yes Figure 8 Enlarged sectional view of line XII-XII in the image.

[0034] Figure 13 yes Figure 9 Sectional view along line XIII-XIII.

[0035] Figure 14 yes Figure 10 Sectional view along line XIV-XIV in the diagram.

[0036] Figure 15 yes Figure 11 The cross-sectional view along the XV-XV line.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0038] 1. Operating device for vehicle door; 2. Vehicle body; 3. Front sliding door; 4. Rear sliding door; 41. Door trim panel; 41a. Opening; 42. Cover; 5. Upper closing locking unit; 6. Lower closing locking unit; 7. Middle closing locking unit; 71. Locking mechanism; 72. Closing mechanism; 8. Fully open locking unit; 9. Emergency handle; 10. Operation relay unit; 101. Actuator; 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Operating force transmission component; 16. Closing strike pin; 17. Closing locking unit; 171. Locking mechanism; 172. Closing mechanism; 173. Latch; 173a. Engaging pawl; 174. Ratchet; 18. Fully open locking unit; 19. Operation relay unit; 20. Base plate; 201. Opening ; 201a, Engaged part; 21, Shaft; 22, Fully open release lever; 221, First arm; 222, Second arm; 223, Third arm; 224, Release part; 23, Close release lever; 231, Abutting part; 24, Emergency lever; 241, Upper arm; 242, Support plate; 25, Holding member; 251, Shaft; 252, Protrusion; 253, Engaged step; 26, Actuator; 261, Housing; 262, Motor; 263, 264, 265, Reduction gear; 266, Output lever; 27, Emergency handle; 271, Operating part; 28, Protective plate; 29, Spring; 30, First operating force transmission member; 31, Spring; 32, Second operating force transmission member; 33, Spring; 34, Spring. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, but also includes appropriate modifications made by those skilled in the art within the obvious scope based on the embodiments described below.

[0040] Figure 1 A side view of a vehicle to which the vehicle door operating device 1 of the present invention is applied is shown. This vehicle is a double-door vehicle equipped with a front sliding door 3 and a rear sliding door 4 capable of opening and closing entry / exit openings provided on the side of the vehicle body 2. Door handles and locks that can normally be manually operated by the user are not provided on the outer or inner sides of the vehicle. The vehicle door operating device 1 of this embodiment is applied to the rear sliding door 4. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can also be applied to the front sliding door 3. The opening and closing operations of each door 3 and 4 are performed by the operation of actuators 101 and 26 (described later) having an electric drive source, which is driven based on the operation of a remote operating switch carried by the user or an operating switch provided on each door 3 and 4.

[0041] The front sliding door 3 is supported by an upper guide rail (not shown) mounted on the upper front part of the loading / unloading opening, a middle guide rail (not shown) mounted on the central front part of the vehicle body 2, and a lower guide rail (not shown) mounted on the lower front part of the loading / unloading opening, allowing it to move freely in the front-to-back direction. The front sliding door 3 is powered by a motor or other mechanism (not shown) of an automatic opening / closing device mounted on the vehicle body 2. Figure 1 The gate automatically opens forward from the closed position, thus opening the front half of the boarding / alighting area. Conversely, it automatically closes backward from the fully open position, thus closing the front half of the boarding / alighting area.

[0042] The rear sliding door 4 is supported by an upper guide rail (not shown) mounted on the upper rear part of the loading / unloading area, a middle guide rail (not shown) mounted on the center rear part of the vehicle body 2, and a lower guide rail (not shown) mounted on the lower rear part of the loading / unloading area, respectively. The rear sliding door 4 is powered by a motor or other mechanism (not shown) of an automatic opening / closing device mounted on the vehicle body 2. Figure 1 The gate automatically opens backward from the closed position, thus opening the rear half of the boarding and alighting area. Conversely, it automatically closes forward from the fully open position, thus closing the rear half of the boarding and alighting area.

[0043] like Figure 1 , 2As shown, the front sliding door 3 is equipped with: an upper closing locking unit 5 and a lower closing locking unit 6, which engage with strikers (not shown) fixed to the upper and lower parts of the vehicle body 2 respectively, thereby keeping the front sliding door 3 in the closed position; a middle closing locking unit 7, which engages with strikers (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body 2, thereby keeping the front sliding door 3 in the closed position together with the upper closing locking unit 5 and the lower closing locking unit 6; a fully open locking unit 8, which engages with a fully open striker (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body 2, thereby keeping the front sliding door 3 in the fully open position; an emergency handle 9, which is used for operation in case of emergency; and an operation relay unit 10, which connects to each closing locking unit 5, 6, 7, fully open locking unit 8 and emergency handle 9 respectively. No mechanical door handle for opening the front sliding door 3 or a locking / unlocking button is provided. Therefore, except in emergencies, the release operations of each closing locking unit 5, 6, and 7 when opening the front sliding door 3 and the release operation of the fully opening locking unit 8 when closing the front sliding door 3 are all performed by the electric actuator 101 installed in the operation relay unit 10.

[0044] The intermediate closing locking unit 7 includes: a locking mechanism 71 for holding the front sliding door 3 in the closed position by engaging with a striker (not shown); and an electrically operated closing mechanism 72 forcibly moving the front sliding door 3 from a position just before closing (half-locked position) to a closed position (fully locked position) using electric power.

[0045] The emergency handle 9 is located on the rear end face of the front sliding door 3. When the front sliding door 3 and the rear sliding door 4 are closed together, the handle 9 cannot be operated because it is covered by the front end face of the rear sliding door 4. It can be operated by opening the rear sliding door 4 to expose it. Thus, in the event of an emergency such as a power system failure that prevents the actuator 101 from being driven, if the rear sliding door 4 is in the open state, the front sliding door 3 can be opened by operating the emergency handle 9 to release the locking units 5, 6, and 7.

[0046] The operation relay unit 10 is connected to the upper closing locking unit 5, lower closing locking unit 6, middle closing locking unit 7, fully opening locking unit 8, and emergency handle 9 via various rods and operating force transmission components 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 such as Bowden lines. This allows the upper closing locking unit 5, lower closing locking unit 6, middle closing locking unit 7, and fully opening locking unit 8 to be released based on the electric action of the actuator 101 or the manual operation of the emergency handle 9. Furthermore, the operation relay unit 10 of the front sliding door 3 and the operation relay unit 19 (described later) located on the rear sliding door 4 have a symmetrical front-to-back structure and are basically the same; therefore, detailed descriptions are omitted here.

[0047] A closing locking unit 17 is installed in the rear sliding door 4, which is connected to a closing strike pin 16 fixed to the vehicle body 2 (see reference). Figure 8 The rear sliding door 4 is held in the closed position by engaging with a fully open locking unit 17, 18, which engages with a fully open striking pin (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body 2 to hold the rear sliding door 4 in the fully open position. An operation relay unit 19 is connected to each locking unit 17, 18. The rear sliding door 4 does not have a mechanical door handle. Therefore, except in emergency situations such as electrical system failure, the release operations of the closing locking unit 17 when opening the rear sliding door 4 and the release operations of the fully open locking unit 18 when closing the rear sliding door 4 are all performed by an electric actuator 26 installed in the operation relay unit 19.

[0048] The closing and locking unit 17 includes: a locking mechanism 171 for holding the rear sliding door 4 in a closed position by engaging with the closing strike pin 16; and a closing mechanism 172 forcibly moving the rear sliding door 4 from a position just before closing (half-locked position) to a closed position (fully locked position) by means of electric power.

[0049] like Figures 8-11 As shown, the locking mechanism 171 includes: a latch 173 rotatably supported on a base (not shown) and capable of engaging with a closing striker 16 when the rear sliding door 4 is closed; and a ratchet 174 rotatably supported on the base and capable of engaging with a locking pawl 173a provided on the latch 173 to prevent rotation of the latch 173 engaging with the closing striker 16 and maintain the engagement state of the latch 173 and the closing striker 16.

[0050] In addition, the term "locked state" used in the description of this embodiment is defined as the state in which the striker 16 is closed and the latch 173 is engaged with the ratchet 174 and the engagement pawl 173a of the latch 173, and the term "unlocked state" is defined as the state in which the ratchet 174 is disengaged from the engagement pawl 173a of the latch 173.

[0051] like Figures 3-7 As shown, the operation relay unit 19 includes: a base plate 20, which is fixed to the inner side of the inner panel of the rear sliding door 4; a fully open release lever 22, a closed release lever 23, and an emergency lever 24, which are supported by a shaft 21 facing the direction of the vehicle interior and exterior and are respectively rotatable; a retaining member 25, which can hold the emergency lever 24 in the locked-out position; an electric actuator 26, which has a built-in motor 262; an emergency handle 27, which is fixed to the shaft 21; and a protective plate 28, which is fixed to the base plate 20.

[0052] The actuator 26 includes: a housing 261 fixed to the outer side of the base plate 20; a motor 262 housed within the housing 261; reduction gears 263, 264, and 265 that reduce the rotational speed of the motor 262; and an output rod 266 rotatably supported on the housing 261 in a manner that allows it to rotate integrally with the final reduction gear 265. The motor 262 is driven by an operation of a portable switch held by the user or an operating switch located on the rear sliding door 4, and the output rod 266 moves the motor 262 from its initial position (…). Figure 3 , Figure 4 (as shown) towards the locking / unlocking direction (in) Figure 3 The middle is clockwise, in Figure 4 Rotate the lever 22 (counterclockwise) by a specified angle to release the fully open release lever 22 and the closed release lever 23 as described later, thereby enabling the closing and opening operations of the rear sliding door 4.

[0053] The fully open release lever 22 is rotatably supported by the shaft 21 on the inward-facing side of the base plate 20, in a manner that allows it to rotate independently relative to the shaft 21. The fully open release lever 22 is supported by the spring 29. Figure 4 Applying force clockwise and maintaining Figure 4 The initial position is shown, and according to the action of the output rod 266 in the actuator 26 in the locking release direction, from the initial position to the locking release direction (in Figure 4 Rotate the specified angle (in the counterclockwise direction).

[0054] The fully open release lever 22 includes: a first arm 221, which abuts against the first arm 221 from above when the actuator 26 drives the output lever 266 to move in the locking release direction; a second arm 222, which is connected to the upper end of a first operating force transmission member 30 such as a Bowden cable, the lower end of which is connected to a ratchet (not shown) of the fully open locking unit 18; a third arm 223, which can transmit the movement of the fully open release lever 22 in the locking release direction accompanying the movement of the output lever 266 in the locking release direction to the closing release lever 23; and a release part 224, which can release the engagement relationship between the retaining member 25 in the engagement position (described later) and the engaged part 201a (described later) by the movement of the fully open release lever 22 in the locking release direction accompanying the movement of the output lever 266 in the locking release direction.

[0055] According to the above structure, the output rod 266 of the actuator 26 moves in the locking release direction, thereby releasing the fully open release rod 22 from... Figure 4The initial position shown is moved counterclockwise (lock release direction). Then, the movement of the fully open release lever 22 in the lock release direction is transmitted to the ratchet of the fully open locking unit 18 via the first operating force transmission member 30, and to the closing release lever 23 via the third arm 223.

[0056] The closing release lever 23 is rotatably supported by the shaft 21 on the interior-facing side of the base plate 20 in a manner that allows it to rotate independently relative to the shaft 21 and the fully open release lever 22. The closing release lever 23 is spring-driven by the spring 31. Figure 4 Applying force clockwise and maintaining Figure 4 The initial position is shown, and as described above, it is linked to the movement of the fully open release lever 22 in the locking release direction from the initial position ( Figure 4 (as shown) towards Figure 4 The action is performed in a counter-clockwise direction (locking / unlocking direction).

[0057] At the front end of the closing release lever 23, a second operating force transmission member 32, such as a Bowden cable, is connected, and at the rear end of the second operating force transmission member 32, such as a Bowden cable, is connected to the ratchet 174 of the closing locking unit 17. Thus, the movement of the closing release lever 23 in the locking release direction is transmitted to the ratchet 174 of the closing locking unit 17 via the second operating force transmission member 32, causing the ratchet 174 to perform a locking release action. Furthermore, the closing release lever 23 is provided with a contact portion 231 that is bent to abut against the third arm 223 of the fully open release lever 22, so that it can move in conjunction with the fully open release lever 22 when the fully open release lever 22 moves in the locking release direction.

[0058] The emergency lever 24 is rotatably supported on the base plate 20 by a shaft 21 between the outward-facing side of the base plate 20 and the actuator 26, in a manner that allows it to rotate integrally with the emergency handle 27, and is supported by a spring 33. Figure 8 Applying force clockwise and maintaining Figure 8 The initial position is shown. The emergency handle 27 is manually operated to move the lock release direction from the initial position. Figure 8 The center rotates counterclockwise by a specified angle. Furthermore, the emergency lever 24 will not move in the locking release direction due to the actuator 26.

[0059] Manual operation of the emergency lever 24 does not transmit power to the fully open release lever 22 (i.e., the fully open locking unit 18) via its ratchet; it only transmits power to the closed release lever 23 (i.e., the closed locking unit 17) via its ratchet 174. Operation of the emergency lever 24 on the closed release lever 23 is achieved via the upper arm 241 located at the upper part of the emergency lever 24. Figure 8 The transmission is achieved by the counterclockwise contact with the abutment part 231 of the closing release lever 23.

[0060] The lower part of the emergency lever 24 is equipped with a mechanism to keep the emergency lever 24 in place. Figure 10 The retaining member 25 is shown in the locked-out position. Therefore, if the emergency lever 24 is moved in the locked-out direction by manual operation of the emergency handle 27, the emergency lever 24 is held in the locked-out position by the retaining member 25, and the closing release lever 23 is also held in the locked-out position. Furthermore, if the closing release lever 23 is held in the locked-out position, the closing locking unit 17 is held in an unlocked state. Therefore, with the emergency lever 24 held in the locked-out position, since the ratchet 174 cannot engage with the engaging pawl 173a of the latch 173, the rear sliding door 4 will not remain in the closed position even when closed.

[0061] like Figure 6 As shown, the retaining member 25 is supported by a shaft portion 251 facing up and down, which can rotate at a predetermined angle, on upper and lower support plates 242, 242 provided at the lower part of the emergency rod 24, and is supported by a spring 34, for example... Figure 12 The force is applied in a clockwise direction, and the front part has a mountain-shaped protrusion 252 and a step-like engaging step 253.

[0062] The protrusion 252 is located at the front of the retaining member 25 and is configured to protrude towards the outer side of the vehicle facing the base plate 20. When the emergency lever 24 is in the range between the initial position and the locking release position, such as... Figure 12 , Figure 13 As shown, the emergency lever 24 contacts the outer side of the base plate 20 in a manner that does not obstruct its movement. Furthermore, when the emergency lever 24 is moved to the unlocked position, as... Figure 14 As shown, under the action of the spring 34, it protrudes into the opening 201 provided in the base plate 20. As a result, the retaining member 25 is engaged because the protrusion 252 protrudes into the opening 201, and the engaging step 253 provided on the front side of the protrusion 252 is engaged with the edge of the opening 201 by the engaging part 201a, thus keeping the emergency lever 24 in the locked-out position.

[0063] The engagement relationship between the retaining member 25 and the engaged portion 201a is released by the movement of the fully open release lever 22 in the locking release direction based on the drive of the actuator 26. Specifically, when the retaining member 25 is in the engaged state, if the fully open release lever 22 moves in the locking release direction based on the drive of the actuator 26, then as Figure 11 , Figure 15 As shown, the release portion 224 of the fully open release lever 22 abuts against the protrusion 252 of the retaining member 25, causing the retaining member 25 to... Figure 15The double-dotted line indicates the engagement position, which is pressed into the solid line indicating the release position. This causes the engagement step 253 of the retaining member 25 to disengage from the engaged portion 201a of the opening 201 in the base plate 20, allowing the emergency lever 24 and the closing release lever 23 to return to their initial positions. Then, if the emergency lever 24 and the closing release lever 23 return to their respective initial positions under the force of the springs 33 and 31, the ratchet 174 of the closing locking unit 17 becomes capable of engaging with the engaging pawl 173a of the latch 173. Therefore, in this state, if the rear sliding door 4 is closed, the closing striker 16 engages with the latch 173, and the ratchet 174 engages with the engaging pawl 173a of the latch 173, thus holding the rear sliding door 4 in the closed position.

[0064] The emergency handle 27 is located inside the rear sliding door 4 and is fixed to the end of the shaft 21 facing the inward side of the vehicle in a manner that allows it to rotate integrally with the emergency lever 24. Furthermore, the operating part (the part that the user can grip) 271 of the emergency handle 27 is configured to be integrated with the door trim panel 41 of the rear sliding door 4 (see reference). Figure 7 The openings 41a of the door trim panel 41 face each other. The openings 41a of the door trim panel 41 are normally covered by a cover 42 (see reference). Figure 7 The cover 42 is used to cover the emergency handle 27 so that it is not exposed inside the vehicle. As a result, the emergency handle 27 is normally covered by the cover 42 and therefore cannot be operated. However, in the event of an emergency such as a power system failure that prevents the actuator 26 from being driven and the sliding door 4 from being opened by electrical action, the cover 42 is removed to expose the operating part 271 of the emergency handle 27 inside the vehicle, thereby enabling manual operation of the emergency handle 27.

[0065] When the emergency handle 27 can be manually operated, by inserting the user's finger into the opening 41a of the door panel 41, the operating part 271 of the emergency handle 27 can be manually operated, thereby enabling the closing release lever 23 to move in the locking release direction via the emergency lever 24. Thus, even if the power system fails and the rear sliding door 4 is held in the closed position, the rear sliding door 4 can be opened by manually operating the emergency handle 27.

[0066] Furthermore, when the emergency handle 27 is manually operated, keeping the emergency lever 24 in the unlocked position, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the operating part 271 detaches from the opening 41a and is hidden inside the door trim panel 41. Therefore, when the emergency handle 27 is held in the operating position that can be moved manually, returning the emergency handle 27 from the operating position to the normal (initial position) requires... Figure 10The operation is performed in a clockwise direction, but since there is no gap between the emergency handle 27 and the opening 41a for finger insertion, it is possible to prevent accidental operation such as the user moving the emergency handle 27 from the operating position to the initial position.

[0067] The protective plate 28 is positioned opposite the opening 41a of the door trim panel 41 and is fixed to the base plate 20 at a distance between the base plate 20 of the operation relay unit 19 and the emergency handle 27, thereby separating the operation relay unit 19 from the opening 41a. Therefore, when the emergency handle 27 is manually operated, the user's fingers will not accidentally come into contact with the various moving parts of the operation relay unit 19, thus preventing malfunction of the operation relay unit 19.

[0068] Next, based on Figures 8-15 The function of the vehicle door operating device 1 in this embodiment will be explained.

[0069] (Door opening and closing operations based on normal electrical actions)

[0070] When the rear sliding door 4 is in the closed position, the closing locking unit 17 engages with the closing strike pin 16 and is locked, while the fully open locking unit 18 does not engage with the fully open strike pin. Furthermore, when the rear sliding door 4 is in the fully open position, the fully open locking unit 18 engages with the fully open strike pin and is locked, while the closing locking unit 17 does not engage with the closing strike pin 16. Additionally, as... Figure 8 As shown, even when the rear sliding door 4 is in either the closed or fully open position, all the moving parts of the operation relay unit 19 are in the initial position.

[0071] When the rear sliding door 4 is opened from the closed position, a user-carried operating switch or an operating switch located on the rear sliding door 4 can be operated. If either operating switch is operated, the motor 262 of the actuator 26 is driven, and this drive is transmitted to the output lever 266 via reduction gears 263, 264, and 265. Thus, the output lever 266... Figure 8 Rotate the initial position shown in the figure counterclockwise, as follows: Figure 9 It moves in the direction of locking release as shown.

[0072] The movement of the output lever 266 in the locking release direction is transmitted to the fully open release lever 22 by causing the output lever 266 to abut against the first arm 221 of the fully open release lever 22. As a result, the fully open release lever 22 overcomes the force of the spring 29 and... Figure 8 The initial position shown is towards Figure 9The locking release lever 22 is activated in the unlocked position. The movement of the fully open release lever 22 in the unlocking direction is transmitted to the closing release lever 23 by bringing the third arm 223 into contact with the abutment portion 231 of the closing release lever 23. As a result, the closing release lever 23 moves from its initial position in the unlocking direction.

[0073] The actions of the fully open release lever 22 and the closed release lever 23 in the locking release direction are transmitted to the fully open locking unit 18 and the closed locking unit 17 via the first operating force transmission member 30 and the second operating force transmission member 32, respectively. As a result, the fully open locking unit 18 and the closed locking unit 17 are both in an unlocked state. Therefore, when the rear sliding door 4 is held in the closed position, the rear sliding door 4 can be opened because the closed locking unit 17 is in an unlocked state; furthermore, when the rear sliding door 4 is held in the fully open position, the rear sliding door 4 can be closed because the fully open locking unit 18 is in an unlocked state.

[0074] (Power system failure)

[0075] If the power system fails, actuator 26 cannot be driven. Therefore, even if the user-carried operating switch or the operating switch located on the rear sliding door 4 is operated, the rear sliding door 4 cannot be opened while it is held in the closed position.

[0076] However, in this embodiment, even if the actuator 26 cannot be driven, the rear sliding door 4 can be opened by manually operating the emergency handle 27 from inside the vehicle.

[0077] To manually operate the emergency handle 27, the cover 42 installed on the door trim panel 41 of the rear sliding door 4 is removed, exposing the operating part 271 of the emergency handle 27. Then, the user inside the vehicle inserts their hand into the opening 41a of the door trim panel 41 to operate the emergency handle 27. Figure 8 The initial position shown is operated in a counter-clockwise direction, as... Figure 10 The operation is performed as shown. The operation of the emergency handle 27 is transmitted to the ratchet 174 of the locking unit 17 via the shaft 21, the emergency lever 24, the closing release lever 23, and the second operating force transmission member 32. Thus, the locking action is performed by the ratchet 174, thereby opening the rear sliding door 4.

[0078] Furthermore, with the operation of the emergency handle 27, the emergency lever 24 moves from the initial position to the locked-out position. Thus, as... Figure 12 As shown, the retaining member 25 moves rearward from the position where the protrusion 252 contacts the surface of the base plate 20, as... Figure 14 As shown, it rotates under the action of the spring 34, and becomes engaged with the protrusion 252 protruding into the opening 201.

[0079] If the emergency lever 24 is displaced to the engaged state, it engages with the engaged portion 201a of the opening 201 of the base plate 20 via the engaged step portion 253, thereby preventing the emergency lever 24 from returning to the initial position and keeping the emergency lever 24 in the unlocked position.

[0080] If the emergency lever 24 is held in the unlocked position, the emergency handle 27 and the closing release lever 23 are also held in the unlocked position, and thus the closing locking unit 17 is held in the unlocked state.

[0081] If the locking unit 17 is kept in the unlocked state, the ratchet 174 cannot engage with the latch 173. Therefore, even if the rear sliding door 4 is closed, the locking unit 17 will not be locked. Thus, although the rear sliding door 4 is opened manually by the emergency handle 27, it will not be held in the closed position even if it is mistakenly closed afterwards.

[0082] As described above, in the event of a power system failure that prevents the actuator 26 from being driven and the rear sliding door 4 from being opened by electric drive, the rear sliding door 4 can be opened manually by operating the emergency handle 27. Furthermore, after the rear sliding door 4 is opened manually by operating the emergency handle 27, the locking unit 17 is not locked, so the intentionally opened sliding door 4 will not be closed incorrectly.

[0083] To facilitate the subsequent transport of the vehicle to the repair shop and for repairs, the rear sliding door 4, which is manually opened by the emergency handle 27, is moved to the fully open position, locking the fully open locking unit 18 and thus maintaining it in the fully open position. Furthermore, while the rear sliding door 4 is in the fully open position, the emergency handle 9 located on the front sliding door 3 can also be operated, so the front sliding door 3 can also be opened as needed based on the operation of the emergency handle 9.

[0084] Furthermore, with the emergency handle 27 held in the unlocked position, a portion of the operating part 271 of the emergency handle 27 is disengaged from the opening 41a of the door trim panel 41 and hidden inside the door trim panel 41. This prevents accidental operation, such as the emergency handle 27 being held in the unlocked position returning to its initial position.

[0085] After repairs are completed and actuator 26 is capable of operation, actuator 26 is driven to move the fully open release lever 22 in the locking release direction. If the fully open release lever 22 moves in the locking release direction, then... Figure 11 , Figure 15 As shown, the release portion 224 of the fully open release lever 22 engages with the protrusion 252 of the retaining member 25, thus removing the retaining member 25 from... Figure 15The position indicated by the double-dotted line is pressed into the position indicated by the solid line. This causes the engaging step 253 of the retaining member 25 to disengage from the engaged portion 201a of the opening 201 of the base plate 20, thereby causing the emergency lever 24 to return to its initial position under the force of the spring 33. Furthermore, the emergency handle 27 and the closing release lever 23 also return to their respective initial positions. Subsequently, the ratchet 174 of the closing locking unit 17 also returns to the engaged position, enabling the closing locking unit 17 to engage with the closing strike pin 16.

[0086] The above description describes one embodiment of the present invention, but various modifications, alterations and combinations can be made to the above embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0087] (1) Apply the vehicle door operating device 1 to a swing door.

[0088] (2) The retaining member 25 is supported on the base plate 20, and the locking part 201a is provided on the emergency rod 24.

Claims

1. An operating device for a vehicle door, wherein, The vehicle's door operating mechanism includes: The closing locking unit can keep the door, which is supported on the vehicle body in an openable and closable manner, in the closed position; A fully open locking unit that can keep the door in the fully open position; An actuator that has a motor; An emergency handle that can be manually operated from inside the vehicle; and The operation relay unit, when driven by the actuator, causes the closing locking unit and the fully open locking unit to respectively perform locking and unlocking actions. When manually operated via the emergency handle, it causes the locking unit, which is in a locked state, to perform a locking and unlocking action. Furthermore, after the door is opened using the emergency handle, the closing locking unit remains in an unlocked state, so that even if the door is closed, the closing locking unit will not become locked, and the door will not be kept in the closed position. The operation relay unit has: Base plate; The fully open release lever is supported on the base plate, connected to the fully open locking unit, and actuates based on the drive of the actuator to cause the fully open locking unit to perform a locking and releasing action; The closing release lever is supported on the base plate, connected to the closing locking unit, and operates based on the drive of the actuator to cause the closing locking unit to perform a locking and unlocking action; An emergency lever, supported on the base plate, moves in the locking / unlocking direction based on manual operation of the emergency handle, thereby causing the closing release lever to move in the locking / unlocking direction without causing the fully open release lever to move in the locking / unlocking direction; and A retaining member is provided that, when the emergency lever is rotated in the locking release direction, it can hold the emergency lever in the locking release position so that the closing release lever can be held in the locking release position.

2. The operating device for a vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein, When the operation relay unit is manually operated via the emergency handle, it prevents the fully open locking unit from locking and releasing.

3. The operating device for a vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein, The retaining member holds the emergency lever in the locked-out position by engaging with the locking part provided on the base plate based on the manual operation of the emergency handle, and releases the engagement with the locking part based on the movement of the fully open release lever in the locking-out direction driven by the actuator, thereby enabling the emergency lever to return from the locked-out position to the initial position.

4. The operating device for a vehicle door according to claim 3, wherein, The retaining member is supported by the emergency rod and engages with the engaging part under the action of the spring force.

5. The operating device for a vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein, The operation relay unit has: Base plate; The fully open release lever is supported on the base plate, connected to the fully open locking unit, and actuates based on the drive of the actuator to cause the fully open locking unit to perform a locking and releasing action; The closing release lever is supported on the base plate, connected to the closing locking unit, and operates based on the drive of the actuator to cause the closing locking unit to perform a locking and unlocking action; An emergency lever, supported on the base plate, moves in the locking / unlocking direction based on manual operation of the emergency handle, thereby causing the closing release lever to move in the locking / unlocking direction without causing the fully open release lever to move in the locking / unlocking direction; and A retaining member is provided that, when the emergency lever is rotated in the locking release direction, it can hold the emergency lever in the locking release position so that the closing release lever can be held in the locking release position.

6. The operating device for a vehicle door according to claim 5, wherein, The retaining member holds the emergency lever in the locked-out position by engaging with the locking part provided on the base plate based on the manual operation of the emergency handle, and releases the engagement with the locking part based on the movement of the fully open release lever in the locking-out direction driven by the actuator, thereby enabling the emergency lever to return from the locked-out position to the initial position.

7. The operating device for a vehicle door according to claim 6, wherein, The retaining member is supported by the emergency rod and engages with the engaging part under the action of the spring force.

8. The operating device for a vehicle door according to any one of claims 1, 3 to 7, wherein, The emergency handle exposes the operating part through an opening provided in the door panel, allowing manual operation from the initial position in the unlocking direction. When the emergency handle is held in the unlocked position, a portion of the operating part is hidden inside the door panel, making manual operation of the operating part impossible.

9. The operating device for a vehicle door according to claim 8, wherein, A protective plate is provided between the operation relay unit and the emergency handle, and at a position facing the opening of the door panel, to separate the operation relay unit and the opening.

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