Vehicle door lock device

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle door lock device that optimizes the layout of a motor and related components, simplifying the structure and enabling miniaturization. The vehicle door lock device includes: a housing containing a base (5); a latch (6) rotatably supported on the base by an axis pointing vertically; a ratchet (7) rotatably supported on the base by an axis pointing vertically; a motor (18) disposed on the housing (17) with its rotation axis pointing horizontally; and a lead screw (19) rotatably supported on the housing with its rotation axis pointing horizontally, having a gear portion (191) meshing with a pinion of the motor and a helical groove portion directly engaging with an actuated portion (72) of the ratchet, wherein the ratchet is rotated once in one direction by the rotation of the motor's rotation axis, thereby moving the ratchet from an engaged position to a released position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle door lock device for engaging a door supported on a vehicle body in an openable and closable manner with a striker to maintain it in a closed state. More specifically, it relates to a vehicle door lock device that, in addition to maintaining the door in a closed state, electrically disengages the door from the striker to allow the door to open. Background Technology

[0002] In vehicle door lock devices that can electrically disengage the striking pin, as disclosed in, for example, JP4755544B, JP6427803B, and JPH10-61288A, the main components include: a base; a latch rotatably supported on the base and capable of engaging the striking pin when the door is closed; a ratchet rotatably supported on the base and preventing the latch from rotating in the opening direction by engaging with the latch; and an electric release mechanism (drive mechanism) supported on the base, comprising a motor that outputs power to rotate the ratchet engaged with the latch in the release direction of disengaging from the latch. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0004] However, in the vehicle door lock device disclosed in JP4755544B, the electric release mechanism is structured as follows: a motor; a worm gear that meshes with a worm located on the rotating shaft of the motor and is capable of rotating from a neutral position to the release direction; and an opening lever that meshes with a gear located on the worm gear and oscillates to rotate the ratchet in the release direction. Furthermore, the structure is such that the rotation axis of the worm gear is orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the motor, and the worm gear returns to the neutral position using the force of a return spring. Therefore, this presents the following problems: the increased number of components in the electric release mechanism leads to structural complexity, and the motor and worm gear being arranged on the same plane results in a larger device when viewed from above.

[0005] The vehicle door lock device disclosed in JP6427803B has an electric release mechanism with the following structure: a motor, a worm gear that meshes with a worm located on the motor's rotating shaft and can rotate from a neutral position to the release direction, and an opening lever that transmits the rotation of the worm gear as a release action to a ratchet (pawl). Furthermore, it employs a structure where the rotation axis of the worm gear is orthogonal to the axis of the motor's rotating shaft, and the worm gear is returned to the neutral position by the force of a return spring. Therefore, like JP4755544B, it suffers from the following problems: the increased number of components in the electric release mechanism leads to structural complexity, and the motor and worm gear are arranged on the same plane, resulting in a larger device when viewed from above.

[0006] In the vehicle door lock device disclosed in JPH10-61288A, the electric release mechanism is configured as follows: it includes a motor, a main shaft that can rotate about the same axis as the motor's rotation axis, a main shaft nut that is threaded into the main shaft and moves linearly from a starting position (neutral position) as the main shaft rotates and returns to the starting position under the action of a return spring after the motor stops, and an unlocking lever that transmits the linear movement of the main shaft nut as a release action to a ratchet (locking pawl) so that the ratchet performs the release action. Although it does not have a worm gear structure like JP4755544B and JP6427803B, the following problems arise from its configuration, which includes a main shaft, a main shaft nut, a return spring, and an unlocking lever: the increased number of components leads to structural complexity, and the device becomes larger when viewed from above.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a vehicle door lock device that optimizes the layout of the motor and its constituent elements, simplifies the structure, and enables miniaturization.

[0008] Solution for solving the problem

[0009] According to the present invention, the above problems are solved as follows.

[0010] The vehicle door lock device of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a housing having a base fixed to either a door or a vehicle body; a latch rotatably supported on the base by a latch shaft facing vertically, capable of engaging with a striker provided in the other of the door or the vehicle body when the door is closed; and a ratchet rotatably supported on the base by a ratchet shaft facing vertically, holding the latch in a locked position when engaged with the latch, and capable of moving from the engaged position in a release direction to disengage from the latch and move to a release position. The device comprises a latch, a release position that allows the latch to move to the unlocked position; a motor, mounted on the housing with its rotation axis pointing left and right, and a pinion fixed to the rotation axis; and a lead screw, rotatably supported on the housing with its rotation axis pointing left and right, having a gear portion that meshes with the pinion and a helical groove portion that is directly engaged with the actuated portion at the rear end of the ratchet. The ratchet rotates once in one direction by the rotation of the rotation axis, thereby moving the ratchet from the engaged position to the released position. This structure allows for miniaturization of the device, and on the other hand, enables reliable release of the ratchet using the power of a motor with a simple structure.

[0011] Preferably, the lead screw is positioned between the motor, the latch, and the ratchet such that, when viewed from above, the gear portion is on the latch side and outside the latch's range of motion. According to this configuration, the lead screw can be positioned close to the engagement portion of the latch and ratchet, further enabling miniaturization of the device.

[0012] Preferably, the lead screw rotates once in one direction from the neutral position by rotating the rotating shaft, abutting against the operated part of the ratchet, and thus stops at the neutral position. With this structure, the lead screw can be reliably stopped at the neutral position. Furthermore, since a return spring is not required as in the prior art, the structure is simplified and there is no need for the lead screw to rotate against the force of a return spring; therefore, a small motor with low output can be used to move the ratchet in the release direction.

[0013] Preferably, the lead screw has an elastic portion that, in the neutral position, engages with an engagement groove provided in the housing, thereby holding the lead screw in the neutral position. According to this structure, the lead screw can be held in the neutral position.

[0014] Preferably, the engaging groove is shaped such that when the elastic lug engages, the lead screw can rotate in one direction while preventing it from rotating in the opposite direction, i.e., another direction. According to this structure, it is possible to prevent springback when the lead screw stops in the neutral position, ensuring that the lead screw reliably stops in the neutral position.

[0015] Preferably, the lead angle of the grooved portion of the lead screw is varied in such a way that the ratchet moves slower as it moves further in the release direction. This structure mitigates the impact noise when the lead screw stops in the neutral position and when the ratchet stops against the housing beyond the release position.

[0016] Preferably, the lead screw has a slit extending along the rotation axis and, when the lead screw is in the neutral position, the slit aligns with the track of the operated portion of the ratchet. When the lead screw is in the neutral position, the operated portion of the ratchet can move freely within the slit along the rotation axis. According to this structure, when the lead screw is in the neutral position, the ratchet can rotate smoothly without resistance from other elements.

[0017] Preferably, the housing further includes an engagement cover fixed to the base and covering the latch and the ratchet, on which a memory lever is supported. When the ratchet moves to the release position, the memory lever moves to a blocking position that holds the ratchet in the release position. This structure, particularly the memory lever, prevents the following problem: for example, during snowfall, the weight of snow accumulated on the vehicle body may prevent the door from opening despite the motor causing the ratchet to release, and the ratchet may re-engage with the latch.

[0018] Furthermore, by supporting the memory stick on the engagement cover side, the memory stick can be stacked on the ratchet, thus suppressing the expansion of the horizontal projection area of ​​the housing when viewed from above.

[0019] Preferably, when the latch is moved to the unlocked position, the memory lever abuts against the latch, thereby moving from the blocking position to the unblocking position, which is a position that allows the ratchet to rotate towards the engaging position. According to this structure, the ratchet can be rotated towards the engaging position during the closing action after the door has been opened.

[0020] Preferably, the housing further includes a motor cover fixed to the base, supporting the motor and the lead screw within the motor cover. This structure effectively prevents rainwater from seeping into the area where the motor is located.

[0021] Preferably, the structure supporting the latch and the ratchet in the base is designated as the engagement unit, and the structure supporting the motor and the lead screw inside the motor housing is designated as the driver unit. By fixing the motor housing of the driver unit to the base of the engagement unit, the operated portion of the ratchet engages with the grooved portion of the lead screw. With this structure, the efficiency of device assembly can be improved.

[0022] Preferably, the motor housing includes a connector that houses conductive terminals electrically connected to the motor, and the insertion / removal direction of the connector is vertical. This structure allows the connector to be contained within the horizontal projected area of ​​the housing, preventing an increase in the horizontal projected area of ​​the device. Furthermore, the connector can be connected from either the left or right side, improving vehicle compatibility.

[0023] Preferably, the vertical dimension of the portion containing the uppermost part of the gear section among the movable elements including the latch, the ratchet, the motor, the lead screw, and the gear section is set to the maximum. With this structure, the thickness dimension of the device can be reduced.

[0024] The effects of the invention

[0025] According to the present invention, the layout of the motor and the lead screw is optimized, the structure is simplified, and the miniaturization of the device can be achieved. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a vehicle door lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a vehicle door lock device.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a vehicle door lock device with the drive unit assembled before the engagement unit.

[0029] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the vehicle door lock device as seen from the rearward angle of the drive unit.

[0030] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A top view of a vehicle door lock device.

[0031] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A bottom view of a vehicle door lock device.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a top view of the main part in the locked state.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a top view of the main part during the release action.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a top view of the main part in the unlocked state.

[0035] Figure 10 This is an enlarged top view of the main part of the lead screw when it is in the neutral position.

[0036] Figure 11 It is an enlarged top view of the main part of the lead screw when it rotates in one direction by a predetermined angle.

[0037] Figure 12 It is relative to Figure 11 An enlarged top view of the main part as the lead screw rotates further in one direction.

[0038] Figure 13 It is along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of line XIII-XIII.

[0039] Figure 14 It is along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of line XIV-XIV.

[0040] Figure 15 It is along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the XV-XV line.

[0041] Figure 16 It is along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the XVI-XVI line.

[0042] Figure 17 yes Figure 14 An enlarged view of part A shown.

[0043] Figure 18 This is an enlarged top view of the main portion of the lead screw in the neutral position in another embodiment of the invention.

[0044] Figure 19 This is an enlarged top view of the main part of the lead screw when it rotates a predetermined angle in one direction, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 20 In another embodiment of the invention, relative to Figure 19 An enlarged top view of the main part as the lead screw rotates further in one direction.

[0046] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0047] 1. Vehicle door lock device; 2. Strike pin; 3. Engaging unit; 4. Actuator unit; 5. Base (part of the housing); 51. Strike pin entry groove; 52. Mounting plate; 6. Latch; 61. Engaging groove; 62. Full lock engagement part; 63. Partial lock engagement part; 64. Block release part; 7. Ratchet; 71. Pad; 72. Actuated part; 73. Blocking part; 74. End; 8. Engaging cover (part of the housing); 8a. Shaft; 8b. Stop; 8c. Elongated hole; 9. Memory lever; 91. First arm; 92. Second arm; 10. Subplate; 11. Latch shaft; 12. Spring; 13. Ratchet shaft; 14. Spring; 15. Spring; 16. Handle; 17. Motor cover (part of the housing) ; 17A, First cover; 171A, Bottom; 17B, Second cover; 171B, Shielding part; 172B, Front part; 173B, Upper part; 174B, Side part; 175B, Engaging groove; 176B, Inclined part; 177B, Stopping part; 17C, First spatial region; 17D, Second spatial region; 18, Motor; 18a, Rotating shaft; 181, Pinion; 19, Lead screw; 191, Gear part; 192, Outer periphery; 193, Groove part; 193a, Starting end; 193b, Ending part; 194, Slit; 195, Elastic part; 195a, Front end; 196, Stopped part; 20, Detection switch; 21, Connector; 21a, Conductive terminal; 22, Bolt. Detailed Implementation

[0048] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the orientations used in the following description are based on the state in which the vehicle door lock device 1 of the present invention is installed in the rear door of a vehicle. Therefore, if the installation configuration of the vehicle door lock device 1 relative to the vehicle differs from this embodiment, the orientations used below will naturally also change.

[0049] The vehicle door lock device 1 has the following functions: It is mounted and fixed to the side of the vehicle body with a striker 2 (see figure) at the lower part of a lift-type rear door (the upper part of which is supported at the rear of the vehicle body by a hinge axis that can rotate about the left and right directions) that is opened and closed at the rear of the vehicle body for use such as loading and unloading goods. Figure 7 , Figure 8 The function of engaging the pin 2 to keep the rear door in the closed position; and the function of disengaging the pin 2 to allow the rear door to open.

[0050] like Figures 1-6 As shown, the vehicle door lock device 1 includes an engagement unit 3 capable of engaging with the striker 2 and a drive unit 4 for disengaging from the striker 2.

[0051] The engagement unit 3 includes: a metal base 5, which is fixed to the lower part of the rear door by bolts (not shown) to form part of the outer shell (without specific reference numerals); a latch 6 and a ratchet 7, which are rotatably supported on the base 5; an engagement cover 8 made of synthetic resin, which is fixed to the upper side of the base 5 to form another part of the outer shell; a memory rod 9, which is rotatably supported on the back side (lower surface side) of the engagement cover 8; and a metal subplate 10 for reinforcement.

[0052] The driver unit 4 includes: a motor housing 17 made of synthetic resin, which is fixed to the rear upper surface of the base 5, forming another part of the housing; a motor 18, which is supported inside the motor housing 17; a lead screw 19, which rotates under the power of the motor 18 and converts the rotation into linear motion and transmits it to the ratchet 7; a detection switch 20, which detects the position of the ratchet 7; and a connector 21, which houses conductive terminals 21a that are electrically connected to the motor 18 and the detection switch 20.

[0053] (Meshing Unit 3)

[0054] Especially according to Figure 2 It is understood that the base 5 has left and right mounting pieces 52, 52 and allows the front-opening striker 2 to enter the slot 51 in such a way that when the rear door is closed, the striker 2 can enter from the front. The mounting pieces 52, 52 are connected to the lower part of the rear door by bolts (not shown) and thus fixed to the lower part of the rear door.

[0055] The latch 6 is supported on the left side of the firing pin entry slot 51 of the base 5 by a latch shaft 11 facing up and down, which allows it to rotate at a predetermined angle, and is particularly effective under the action of the spring 12 wound around the latch shaft 11. Figures 7-9 When viewed from above, force is applied in a counter-clockwise direction (unlocking direction), enabling movement from... Figure 7 The locked position shown (the position corresponding to the closed position of the rear door) is rotated counterclockwise by a predetermined angle. Figure 9 The rotation of the unlocked position (corresponding to the open position of the rear door) and the rotation in the opposite direction.

[0056] The latch 6 is provided with a engagement groove 61 that engages with the striker 2, which enters the striker entry groove 51 of the base 5 when the rear door is closed, particularly as shown in the example. Figures 7-9 The diagram shows a fully locking engagement part 62 and a half locking engagement part 63 located on the outer periphery of the device, and a blocking release part 64 located on the upper surface near the outer periphery of the device, which is generally bow-shaped and protrudes upward by a predetermined amount when viewed from above.

[0057] The ratchet 7 is supported on the right side of the firing pin inlet slot 51 of the base 5 by a ratchet shaft 13 facing up and down, which can rotate at a predetermined angle. A spring 14 coiled on the ratchet shaft 13 applies force in a clockwise direction (engaging direction) when viewed from above, enabling it to rotate from... Figure 7 The engagement position shown is rotated by a predetermined angle in the counterclockwise direction (release direction). Figure 8 The rotation of the release position and the rotation in the opposite direction are shown.

[0058] The ratchet 7 has a pawl 71 that can selectively engage with the latch 6 in a full-lock engagement portion 62 or a half-lock engagement portion 63, an actuated portion 72 that extends rearward toward the guide screw 19, and a blocking portion 73 that is located on its upper surface and protrudes upward by a predetermined amount.

[0059] The pawl 71 of the ratchet 7 is in Figure 7 The ratchet 7, as shown, engages with the fully locked portion 62 of the latch 6, which is engaged with the striker 2, under the force of the spring 14, thereby holding the latch 6 in the locked position (equivalent to the closed position of the rear door). It also engages with the partially locked portion 63 of the latch 6 to hold the latch 6 in the partially locked position (equivalent to the half-closed position of the rear door). Figure 8 The ratchet 7 shown is disengaged from the fully locked engagement portion 62 or the half-locked engagement portion 63, thereby allowing the latch 6 to rotate to the unlocked position, enabling the rear door to open.

[0060] The blocking part 73 penetrates the engagement cover 8 and is exposed outside the engagement cover 8 in a manner that allows manual disengagement of the ratchet 7 in an emergency (e.g., when the motor 18 cannot operate due to a malfunction in the electrical system). Furthermore, in this embodiment, according to... Figure 2 It is understandable that by inserting a separately prepared gripper 16 into the elongated hole 8c provided in the engagement cover 8 and into the end 74 of the ratchet 7, the ratchet 7 can be manually released in an emergency by manually operating the gripper 16. By having manual operating parts (blocking part 73 and gripper 16) in two places, it is possible to select an easy-to-operate manual operating part for each vehicle model.

[0061] The lower ends of the latch shaft 11 and ratchet shaft 13 are supported on the base 5 in a non-rotatable manner, and their upper ends pass through the engagement cover 8 and are fixed in a non-rotatable manner to the sub-plate 10 fixed on the upper surface of the engagement cover 8. As a result, the support strength of the latch shaft 11 and ratchet shaft 13 can be improved.

[0062] The memory lever 9 is positioned above the ratchet 7, supported by a downward-facing shaft 8a integrally formed with the back side (lower surface side) of the engagement cover 8, allowing it to rotate at a predetermined angle. It is also subjected to a counter-clockwise force by the spring 15 when viewed from above. Figure 7 With the latch 6 in the locked position and the ratchet 7 in the engaged position, the first arm 91 located on its right side abuts against the blocking part 73 of the ratchet 7 from the rear, maintaining it in a standby position where counterclockwise rotation is prevented. By positioning the memory lever 9 in a position overlapping the upper side of the ratchet 7, the horizontal projected area of ​​the housing used to accommodate various components can be reduced compared to positioning the memory lever 9 on the same plane as the ratchet 7.

[0063] like Figure 8 As shown, when ratchet 7 is moved to the released position and latch 6 is in the locked position, the pawl 71 of ratchet 7 disengages from the fully locked engagement part 62, and the blocking part 73 of ratchet 7 disengages from the first arm 91 of memory lever 9. Consequently, under the force of spring 15, memory lever 9 moves from the standby position to a position where it rotates a predetermined angle counterclockwise. Figure 8 The obstruction position is shown.

[0064] When the memory lever 9 is moved to the blocking position, the front end of the first arm 91 of the memory lever 9 enters the movement trajectory of the blocking part 73 of the ratchet 7, so that the blocking part 73 can abut against the front end of the first arm 91 from the right side. Therefore, as long as the memory lever 9 is in the blocking position, the rotation of the ratchet 7 in the engaging direction, which has temporarily moved to the release position, is prevented, and it remains in the release position until the latch 6 moves to the unlock position.

[0065] like Figure 9As shown, when the latch 6 is moved to the unlocked position, the blocking release part 64 of the latch 6 abuts against the second arm 92 of the memory lever 9 from the rear. As a result, the memory lever 9 overcomes the force of the spring 15 and rotates from the blocked position to a predetermined angle in a clockwise direction. Figure 9 The memory lever 9 moves to the non-blocking position as shown. When the memory lever 9 is moved to the non-blocking position, the front end of the first arm 91 of the memory lever 9 retracts outside the movement trajectory of the blocking part 73 of the ratchet 7, thereby enabling the ratchet 7 to move to the engaging position.

[0066] The engagement cover 8 is fixed to the base 5 in such a way that it covers all movable elements constituting the engagement unit 3, such as the latch 6 and ratchet 7, from above. Therefore, particularly according to... Figure 5 It is understandable that all movable elements, such as latch 6, ratchet 7, and memory lever 9, are arranged within the horizontal projected area of ​​the outer casing (base 5 and engagement cover 8) and housed in the storage space between base 5 and engagement cover 8. However, according to Figure 3 It is understood that the operated part 72 of the ratchet 7 protrudes rearward relative to the rear end of the engagement cover 8, so that when the drive unit 4 is assembled to the engagement unit 3, the operated part 72 of the ratchet 7 can be easily engaged with the lead screw 19 of the drive unit 4.

[0067] (Driver Unit 4)

[0068] As described above, the drive unit 4 has a motor cover 17 made of synthetic resin fixed to the rear upper surface of the base 5 of the engagement unit 3, a motor 18 and a lead screw 19 supported in the motor cover 17, a detection switch 20 fixed to the bottom of the motor cover 17, and a connector 21 provided on the upper part of the motor cover 17.

[0069] Especially according to Figure 2 , Figure 4 It is understood that the motor cover 17 includes a first cover 17A, which is box-shaped with a front opening and fixed to the rear upper surface of the base 5, and a second cover 17B, which is fixed to the front of the first cover 17A in a manner that closes the opening of the first cover 17A.

[0070] The first cover 17A and the second cover 17B are fixed to the base 5 by bolts 22. The second cover 17B has a shielding part 171B that blocks the opening of the first cover 17A from the front.

[0071] In the first space region 17C (refer to the shielding portion 171B of the first shield 17A and the second shield 17B) Figure 14 , Figure 15 The motor 18 is configured. As a result, rainwater can be prevented from seeping into the first space region 17C of the motor 18, which is configured as an electrical component, and rainwater can be prevented from adhering to the motor 18.

[0072] The lead screw 19 is rotatably disposed in the second spatial region 17D (see reference). Figures 14-16 The second spatial region 17D is covered by the shielding portion 171B of the second cover 17B, the front portion 172B opposite to the shielding portion 171B, the upper portion 173B connecting the upper ends of the shielding portion 171B and the front portion 172B, the side portions 174B provided on both sides of the shielding portion 171B and the front portion 172B, and the bottom portion 171A of the first cover 17A.

[0073] In this embodiment, the outer casing is formed by the base 5 of the engagement unit 3 and the engagement cover 8, as well as the motor cover 17 of the drive unit 4. The motor cover 17 may also be formed integrally with the first cover 17A and the second cover 17B.

[0074] The motor 18 is supported inside the first cover 17A with the rotating shaft 18a oriented in the left-right direction. A pinion 181 is fixed to the left end of the rotating shaft 18a. The pinion 181 reduces the power of the motor 18 and transmits it to the guide screw 19 by meshing with the gear portion 191 of the lead screw 19 as described later.

[0075] The lead screw 19 is rotatably supported within the second cover 17B, with its rotation axis pointing left and right (parallel to the rotation axis of the motor 18's rotation shaft 18a) and positioned between the motor 18, the latch 6, and the ratchet 7. It is driven by a large-diameter gear 191 located at its left end, which meshes with the pinion 181 of the motor 18, and under the power of the motor 18, moves from the neutral position (described later) in one direction. Figure 2 The arrow directions shown and Figure 13 Rotate once in the counterclockwise direction shown in the side view.

[0076] The gear portion 191, when viewed from above, is located on the side of the latch 6 and positioned outside the range of motion of the latch 6. Therefore, the lead screw 19 can be positioned near the engagement portion between the latch 6 (full-lock engagement portion 62 or half-lock engagement portion 63) and the ratchet 7 (pawl portion 71). Furthermore, according to... Figure 13 It is understandable that the vertical dimension H of the uppermost part of the gear section 191, one of the movable elements including the latch 6, ratchet 7, motor 18, lead screw 19, and gear section 191, is set to the maximum. Using this structure, the thickness dimension of the device can be reduced.

[0077] In addition to the gear section 191, the lead screw 19 also has a cylindrical outer peripheral section 192 and a helical groove section 193, and a slit 194 extending along the axis of rotation. Figure 14 The elastic portion 195, which is roughly V-shaped when viewed from the side, and the stop portion 196, which is located at the right end and protrudes radially from the outer peripheral surface.

[0078] The grooved portion 193 is spirally arranged on the outer periphery 192 of the lead screw 19, less than one revolution. The operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7 engages with the grooved portion 193. As a result, the lead screw 19 rotates once in one direction under the power of the motor 18, causing the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7, which engages with the grooved portion 193 of the lead screw 19, to move to the right. Thus, the ratchet 7 rotates from the engaged position to the release position. Preferably, the lead angle of the spiral grooved portion 193 of the lead screw 19 is varied such that, as the ratchet 7 releases as the lead screw 19 rotates, the closer the ratchet 7 moves to the release position, the slower its release speed. Specifically, if the lead screw 19 is... Figure 10 When the ratchet 7 is in the neutral position as shown, the lead angle of the groove portion 193 of the part engaged by the operating part 72 is set to θ1. Then, when the lead screw 19 is in the neutral position as shown, Figure 11 When in the intermediate position (approximately 100 degrees rotated in one direction from the neutral position), as shown, the lead angle of the groove portion 193 of the ratchet 7 engaged by the operating part 72 becomes an acute angle θ2, which is sharper than θ1. Figure 12 As shown, the lead angle of the grooved portion 193 of the ratchet 7, where it is engaged by the operating part 72, is set to be an acute angle θ3, which is sharper than θ2, when the lead screw 19 rotates further in one direction. That is, the lead angle is θ1 > θ2 > θ3. In addition, the lead angle refers to the angle formed by the tangent at the point where the operating part 72 and the grooved portion 193 are engaged and the line perpendicular to the rotation axis of the lead screw 19.

[0079] As described above, the more the lead screw 19 rotates in one direction from the neutral position, the more acute the lead angle of the groove portion 193 becomes. Therefore, even if the rotational speed of the motor 18 is constant, the movement of the ratchet 7 gradually slows down, thus improving the following accuracy of the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7 relative to the groove portion 193 of the lead screw 19. This reduces the contact noise when the lead screw 19 stops in the neutral position and when the ratchet 7 stops by contacting the stop portion 8b provided on the engagement cover 8 in the released position. Furthermore, since the rebound when the ratchet 7 stops beyond the released position can be suppressed, the movement of the memory lever 9 to the blocking position becomes more reliable.

[0080] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, it can also be as follows: Figures 18-20 The lead angle of the spiral groove 193 of the lead screw 19 is set such that the lead angle θ1 when the lead screw 19 is in the neutral position becomes an acute angle and the lead angle θ3 when it is in the release position of the ratchet 7 becomes larger, i.e., θ1 < θ2 < θ3.

[0081] By setting the lead angle θ1 of the lead screw 19 in the neutral position to an acute angle, the moving speed of the ratchet 7 can be slowed down. Therefore, even if the rotational speed of the motor 18 is constant, the torque of the ratchet 7 can be increased. Even in vehicles with heavy doors or vehicles with high door sealing reaction force, where the ratchet 7 needs to operate under load, the ratchet 7 can work reliably.

[0082] In another embodiment of the present invention, the lead angle θ1 when the lead screw 19 is in the neutral position can be set as an acute angle and the angle is increased towards the lead angle θ2 at the middle position of the lead screw 19, and the angle is decreased towards the lead angle θ3 at the position from the middle position of the lead screw towards the release side of the ratchet, i.e., θ1 < θ2 > θ3.

[0083] By setting the above, the torque of the ratchet 7 during its movement can be increased and the movement of the ratchet 7 in the release position can be slowed down, thus reducing the contact noise.

[0084] The slit 194 extends along the axial direction of the lead screw 19 in a manner that connects the beginning end 193a and the end end 193b of the slotted section 193. The lead screw 19 is held... Figures 7-9 , Figures 13-16 In the neutral position shown (where the slit 194 is in a forward-facing posture and aligned with the track of the operated part 72 of the ratchet 7), the operated part 72 of the ratchet 7 can move freely in the left-right direction within the slit 194 without interfering with other elements.

[0085] The elastic part 195 is located on the outer periphery of the shaft of the lead screw 19 and is provided between the gear part 191 and the beginning end 193a of the groove part 193. It is roughly V-shaped when viewed from the side, so it can elastically deform in the normal direction (the direction perpendicular to the tangent at a point on the arc track of the elastic part 195 that accompanies the rotation of the lead screw 19).

[0086] like Figure 14 , Figure 17 As shown, when the lead screw 19 is in the neutral position, the front end 195a of the elastic part 195 falls into the engaging groove 175B provided on the back of the second cover 17B, holding the lead screw 19 in the neutral position. On the other hand, when driven by the motor 18, the lead screw 19 moves from the neutral position to one direction (release direction). Figure 14 , Figure 17When the screw 19 rotates counterclockwise, the elastic part 195 elastically deforms in the normal direction and disengages from the engagement groove 175B. Furthermore, when the lead screw 19 rotates once in one direction, the stop part 196 abuts against the upper surface of the operated part 72 of the ratchet 7, thereby stopping the lead screw 19 in the neutral position. The front end 195a of the elastic part 195, which has disengaged from the engagement groove 175B, falls back into the engagement groove 175B, keeping the lead screw 19 in the neutral position.

[0087] With the front end 195a of the elastic part 195 falling into the engagement groove 175B, the wobbling of the lead screw 19 within the motor cover 17 is suppressed.

[0088] In addition, in the form where the elastic part 195 falls into the engagement groove 175B to hold the lead screw 19 in the neutral position, it can also be held elastically by the elastic force of the elastic part 195 through the contact between the front end 195a of the elastic part 195 and the bottom of the engagement groove 175B, or it can be held loosely in the form where the front end 195a of the elastic part 195 does not contact the bottom of the engagement groove 175B.

[0089] Preferably, according to Figure 17 The enlarged view shows that the engagement groove 175B includes an inclined portion 176B that slopes gently counterclockwise and a stop portion 177B that rises approximately at a right angle from its deepest point on the clockwise side. This occurs when the lead screw 19 moves from the neutral position towards one direction (in...). Figure 17 When the screw has rotated (counter-clockwise), the tilting part 176B allows the front end portion 195a of the elastic part 195 to slide and disengage from the engaging groove 175B. The blocking part 177B provides contact with the front end portion 195a of the elastic part 195, thereby preventing the lead screw 19 from moving from the neutral position to the opposite direction (i.e., another direction). Figure 17 (The middle is in a clockwise direction) rotate.

[0090] When the lead screw 19 rotates once in one direction under the power of the motor 18, causing the ratchet 7 to move to the release position, especially when... Figure 16 As shown, the stop portion 196 abuts against the upper surface of the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7, thereby stopping the lead screw 19 in the neutral position. By doing so, a return spring is not required as in the prior art, thus simplifying the structure. Moreover, unlike the prior art, the lead screw 19 does not need to rotate against the force of the return spring, so a small motor 18 with low output can be used to operate the ratchet 7 in the release direction.

[0091] In the aforementioned structure, it is assumed that when the stopped portion 196 of the lead screw 19 abuts against the upper surface of the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7, the lead screw 19 temporarily stops at the neutral position. However, due to the reaction force of the stopped portion 196 abutting against the operated portion 72, the lead screw 19 springs back in another direction and stops at a position offset from the neutral position. When this occurs, the position of the slit 194 of the lead screw 19 shifts from the normal position, and the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7 cannot move within the slit 194 of the lead screw 19, potentially causing malfunction. However, in this embodiment, when the lead screw 19 stops at the neutral position as described above, the elastic portion 195 falling into the engagement groove 175B abuts against the blocking portion 177B of the engagement groove 175B, thereby preventing the lead screw 19 from rotating in another direction. Therefore, the aforementioned springback can be prevented, and the lead screw 19 can be reliably stopped at the neutral position.

[0092] Detection switch 20, especially Figure 16 The device is positioned between the bottom 171A of the first cover 17A and the base 5. When the ratchet 7 is in a position other than when it is fully engaged with the latch 62, it contacts a part of the ratchet 7 to activate it, thereby outputting a signal indicating that the ratchet 7 is in an unengaged state.

[0093] Connector 21 is disposed on the upper right surface of the first cover 17A with the conductive terminals of the connector connected to it oriented vertically for connection and disconnection. The conductive terminals 21a inside connector 21 are electrically connected to motor 18 and detection switch 20.

[0094] (Assembly method for vehicle door lock device 1)

[0095] The vehicle door lock device 1 of this embodiment is assembled based on the following steps. In the first assembly step, as follows: Figure 2 As shown, latch 6 and ratchet 7 are supported on base 5 by latch shaft 11 and ratchet shaft 13 respectively. Springs 12 and 14 are wound onto latch shaft 11 and ratchet shaft 13 respectively, and engagement cover 8 is fixed to the upper side of base 5, thereby completing the assembly of engagement unit 3. In addition, engagement cover 8 is fixed relative to base 5 with sub-plate 10 fixed to surface of engagement cover 8 and memory rod 9 and spring 15 pre-supported on back side of engagement cover 8.

[0096] In the second assembly process, the motor 18, lead screw 19 and conductive terminal 21a are supported inside the motor cover 17, and a detection switch 20 is arranged on the lower surface side of the bottom 171A of the first cover 17A of the motor cover 17, thereby completing the assembly of the driver unit 4.

[0097] In the third assembly step, after the first and second assembly steps, such as Figure 3As shown, the bottom 171A of the motor cover 17 of the drive unit 4 is placed on the base 5 of the engagement unit 3 from the top and fixed with bolts 22, thereby completing the vehicle door lock device 1.

[0098] (Overall structure of vehicle door lock device 1)

[0099] The vehicle door locking device 1 is arranged within the housing in the following manner, with the main movable elements, such as the latch 6, ratchet 7, motor 18, and lead screw 19, in the following positional relationship (see reference). Figure 5 , Figure 6 In addition, the outer casing in this embodiment refers to the outer casing formed by the base 5, the engagement cover 8 fixed to the base 5, and the motor cover 17 (the first cover 17A and the second cover 17B).

[0100] The latch 6 is supported on the left side of the firing pin entering the slot 51 of the housing by the latch shaft 11 facing up and down.

[0101] The ratchet 7 is supported on the right side of the firing pin inlet groove 51 of the housing in a rotatable manner by the ratchet shaft 13 facing up and down.

[0102] The motor 18 is positioned at the rear of the housing, behind the latch 6 and the ratchet 7, with the rotating shaft 18a facing left and right and the pinion 181 fixed to the rotating shaft 18a on the left side.

[0103] In order to allow the operated part 72 of the ratchet 7 to directly engage with the slotted part 193 of the lead screw 19, the lead screw 19 is rotatably supported on the housing such that, when viewed from above, it is located between the latch 6, the ratchet 7 and the motor 18, and the slotted part 193 is located on the right side (the side where the ratchet 7 is located), so that the direction of rotation is oriented to the left and right.

[0104] In order to bring the lead screw 19 as close as possible to the engagement portion 62 (or half-locking portion 63) of the latch 6 and the engagement portion 71 of the ratchet 7, the lead screw 19 is rotatably supported on the housing in such a way that, when viewed from above, it is located between the latch 6 and the ratchet 7 and the motor 18, and the gear portion 191 is located on the side of the latch 6 and disposed outside the range of movement of the latch 6, so that the direction of rotation is oriented to the left and right.

[0105] By setting each movable element in the positional relationship described above, the lead screw 19 can be brought close to the engagement portion of the latch 6 and the ratchet 7. Therefore, the installation space of each movable element can be reduced, and each movable element can be arranged within the horizontal projection area of ​​the housing, thereby achieving miniaturization of the vehicle door lock device 1.

[0106] Next, based on Figures 7-9 Explain the operation of the vehicle door lock device 1.

[0107] (The action of opening the back door)

[0108] With the back door closed, such as Figure 7 As shown, the engagement unit 3 is in the following locked state: the latch 6 is in the locked position engaged with the striker 2, and the ratchet 7 is in the engaged position engaged with the fully locked engagement part 62 of the latch 6. The drive unit 4 is in the following initial state: the lead screw 19 is in the neutral position, and the operated part 72 of the ratchet 7 is located on the beginning end 193a side of the groove part 193 of the lead screw 19.

[0109] If the motor 18 is driven by the operation of the operating switch when the engagement unit 3 is in the locked state and the driver unit 4 is in the initial state, the rotation of the rotating shaft 18a of the motor 18 is transmitted to the lead screw 19 via the pinion 181 and the gear section 191. As a result, the lead screw 19 rotates from the neutral position in one direction (the release direction).

[0110] The operated part 72, which engages with the grooved part 193 of the lead screw 19, moves to the right when the lead screw 19 rotates in one direction, thereby causing the ratchet 7 to rotate in the release direction.

[0111] Then, when the lead screw 19 rotates once in one direction from the neutral position, as... Figure 8 As shown, when the ratchet 7 moves to the release position, the stopped portion 196 of the lead screw 19 abuts against the upper surface of the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7, thereby stopping the lead screw 19 again in the neutral position. In this case, the lead angle of the groove portion 193 of the lead screw 19 is varied in the order θ1 > θ2 > θ3, so that the ratchet 7 moves slower as it moves further in the release direction. Therefore, the movement of the ratchet 7 gradually slows down, and the following accuracy of the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7 relative to the groove portion 193 of the lead screw 19 is improved. This reduces the abutting noise when the lead screw 19 stops in the neutral position and the abutting noise when the ratchet 7 stops in the release position by abutting against the stop portion 8b provided on the engagement cover 8. In addition, the rebound when the ratchet 7 stops beyond the release position can be suppressed, thus making the movement of the memory lever 9 to the blocking position more reliable.

[0112] When the ratchet 7 is moved to the release position, the pawl 71 of the ratchet 7 disengages from the fully locked engagement part 62 of the latch 6, allowing the latch 6 to rotate in the unlocking direction. In addition, the blocking part 73 of the ratchet 7 retracts outside the movement trajectory of the first arm 91 of the memory lever 9, so that the memory lever 9 moves to the blocking position under the action of the spring 15.

[0113] When becoming Figure 8 In the state shown, the force of the spring 12 acting on the latch 6 and the sealing reaction force acting on the rear door cause the rear door to pop out, thereby rotating the latch 6 in the unlocking direction and opening the rear door. Furthermore, as... Figure 9 As shown, when the latch 6 rotates to the unlocked position and the engagement unit 3 is in the unlocked state, the blocking release part 64 of the latch 6 abuts against the second arm 92 of the memory lever 9, thereby causing the memory lever 9 to overcome the force of the spring 15 and move to the non-blocking position, allowing the ratchet 7 to rotate in the engaging direction. When the engagement unit 3 is in the... Figure 9 In the unlocked state shown, the ratchet 7 remains in the position where the pawl 71 abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the latch 6. When the latch 6 rotates in the upward locking direction, the ratchet 7 remains in the standby position where the pawl 71 can selectively engage with the full lock engagement part 62 or the half lock engagement part 63.

[0114] In addition, sometimes when snow accumulates on vehicles, etc., during snowfall, such as Figure 8 As shown, although ratchet 7 disengages from latch 6, allowing latch 6 to rotate in the unlocking direction, the rear door may not pop out due to the weight of the snow, resulting in latch 6 remaining in the locked position. When this occurs, although the ratchet 7 is released by the power of motor 18, when the drive of motor 18 stops, ratchet 7 re-enters the locked state of latch 6, resulting in the inability to open the rear door.

[0115] However, in this embodiment, by moving the ratchet 7 to the release position, thereby moving the memory lever 9 to the blocking position, the ratchet 7 is kept in the release position until the latch 6 moves to the unlock position, thus suppressing the occurrence of adverse conditions as described above.

[0116] (Action of vehicle door locking device 1 when closing the rear door)

[0117] With the back door open, such as Figure 9 As shown, engagement unit 3 is in the following unlocked state: latch 6 is in the unlocked position, ratchet 7 is in the standby position, and memory lever 9 is in the non-blocking position. Driver unit 4 is in the initial state where lead screw 19 is held in the neutral position.

[0118] exist Figure 9 In the state shown, when the rear door is closed, the striker 2 enters the striker entry groove 51 of the base 5 and engages with the engagement groove 61 of the latch 6. As a result, the latch 6 overcomes the force of the spring 12 and rotates from the unlocked position through the half-locked position to the locked position.

[0119] When latch 6 is rotated to the locked position, as Figure 7As shown, under the force of the spring 14, the ratchet 7 rotates from the standby position to the engaging direction, and the pawl 71 engages with the fully locked engagement portion 62 of the latch 6. In this case, when the ratchet 7 rotates in the engaging direction, the lead screw 19 is in the neutral position, and the operated portion 72 of the ratchet 7 can move freely within the slit 194 of the lead screw 19 along the rotation axis of the lead screw 19, so there is no situation that hinders the movement of the ratchet 7.

[0120] Therefore, as Figure 7 As shown, the engagement unit 3 is in the following locked state: the latch 6 rotates to the locked position engaging with the striker 2, and the ratchet 7 engages with the fully locked engagement portion 62 of the latch 6. Thus, the rear door remains in the closed position. On the other hand, when the rear door is closed, the actuator unit 4 does not change from its initial state where the lead screw 19 is in the neutral position.

[0121] The above describes one embodiment of the present invention, but various modifications and alterations can be made to this embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0122] (i) Install the vehicle door lock device 1 on the vehicle body and install the striker 2 on the rear door.

[0123] (ii) The door on which the vehicle door lock device 1 is installed is a side door or a sliding door instead of a rear door.

Claims

1. A door lock device for a vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle's door locking system includes: The outer casing includes a base that is fixed to either the door or the vehicle body; A latch, which is rotatably supported on the base by a latch shaft facing up and down, is capable of engaging with a striker provided in the door or the vehicle body when the door is closed; A ratchet, which is rotatably supported on the base by a ratchet shaft facing up and down, holds the latch in a locked position when engaged with the latch, and can move from the engaged position to the release direction to disengage from the latch and rotate to the release position, which is a position that allows the latch to move to the unlocked position. A motor, which is disposed in the housing with its rotating shaft oriented in a left-right direction, and a pinion gear is fixed to the rotating shaft; and A lead screw, rotatably supported in the housing with its rotation axis oriented in the left-right direction, has a gear portion that meshes with the pinion and a helical groove portion directly engaged by the actuated portion at the rear end of the ratchet. It rotates once in one direction via the rotation of the rotation axis, thereby moving the ratchet from the engaged position to the released position. The lead screw is positioned between the motor, the latch, and the ratchet, such that, when viewed from above, the gear portion is on the latch side and outside the latch's range of motion. The lead screw has a slit that extends along the axis of rotation and, when the lead screw is in the neutral position, aligns with the track of the operated part of the ratchet. When the lead screw is in the neutral position, the operated part of the ratchet can move freely within the slit along the axis of rotation.

2. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lead screw rotates once in one direction from the neutral position by the rotation of the rotating shaft, abutting against the operated part of the ratchet, and thus stops at the neutral position.

3. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lead screw has an elastic portion that, in the neutral position, engages with a locking groove provided in the housing, thereby enabling the lead screw to be held in the neutral position.

4. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The engagement groove is a shape that allows the lead screw to rotate in one direction when the elastic plug is engaged, while preventing it from rotating in the opposite direction, i.e., another direction.

5. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lead angle of the groove portion of the lead screw is changed in such a way that the ratchet moves slower as it moves from the neutral position of the lead screw toward the release direction.

6. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lead angle of the groove portion of the lead screw is changed in such a way that the ratchet moves faster as it moves from the neutral position of the lead screw toward the release direction.

7. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lead angle of the groove portion of the lead screw is changed in such a way that the movement speed of the ratchet increases at least from the neutral position of the lead screw toward the middle position.

8. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lead angle of the groove portion of the lead screw is varied in such a way that the ratchet moves faster as it moves from the neutral position of the lead screw toward the middle position, and the ratchet moves slower as it moves slower as it moves from the middle position toward the release position.

9. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing also includes an engagement cover fixed to the base and covering the latch and the ratchet. A memory lever is supported on the engagement cover, and when the ratchet moves to the release position, the memory lever moves to a blocking position that can hold the ratchet in the release position.

10. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the latch is moved to the unlocked position, the memory lever abuts against the latch and moves from the blocking position to the unblocking position, which is a position that allows the ratchet to rotate toward the engaging position.

11. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing also includes a motor cover fixed to the base. The motor and the lead screw are supported inside the motor housing.

12. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The structure supporting the latch and the ratchet on the base is designated as the engagement unit, and the structure supporting the motor and the lead screw inside the motor housing is designated as the driver unit. By fixing the motor cover of the driver unit to the base of the engagement unit, the operated part of the ratchet engages with the grooved part of the lead screw.

13. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The motor housing is equipped with a connector that houses conductive terminals that are electrically connected to the motor and sets the insertion and removal direction of the connector to be connected to be vertical.

14. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical dimension H of the uppermost part of the gear unit, which is one of the movable elements including the latch, the ratchet, the motor, the lead screw, and the gear unit, is set to the maximum.

Images