Door device

Abstract

To improve operability of a thumb turn.SOLUTION: In a door device 10, a link mechanism 40 is connected to a claw lever 36. By transmission of an operation force from an inner handle 14 or an outer handle 16 to the link mechanism 40, the link mechanism 40 is actuated, the claw lever 36 rotates from a lock position to an unlock position, thus a latch device 30 is switched to a latch release state. A clutch mechanism 80 of a thumb turn device 70, in accordance with a rotation operation of a thumb turn 72, switches to a transmission state capable of transmitting the operation force from the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 to the link mechanism 40, or to a non-transmission state not capable of transmission. Thus, compared to a configuration in which the claw lever 36 is directly operated by the thumb turn 72 to switch the latch device 30 from a latch state to the latch release state, the operation force of the thumb turn 72 can be reduced. Therefore, the operability of the thumb turn 72 is improved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a door device. [Background technology]

[0002] In a door system equipped with a latch device described in Patent Document 1 below, the latch device switches between a locked and unlocked state when the hub rotates due to the drive of an actuator. When the thumbturn or key is operated, the hub engages with the key's cylinder after the thumbturn and key rotate freely, switching the latch device between a locked and unlocked state. This allows the latch device to be electrically or manually switched between a locked and unlocked state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-112042 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above door device has room for improvement in the following respects. For example, when switching the latch device from a locked state to an unlocked state, it is necessary to rotate the hub and slide the latch member (latch bolt and latch head) against the biasing force of the biasing spring. In other words, the latch member, which engages with the striker, must be directly operated by the thumb turn to slide the latch member. This requires a relatively high operating force when operating the thumb turn, which may reduce the operability of the thumb turn.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, the present invention provides a door device that can improve the operability of a thumb turn. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] one or more embodiments of the present invention are a door device including: a door having one widthwise end rotatably connected to a door frame of a building; a thumb turn provided on the door and exposed to be rotatable toward the interior of the building; door handles provided on both sides of the door in a thickness direction and operably attached to the door; strikers having a base end fixed to the door frame and an engaging portion extending in a vertical direction at a tip end; a fork lever rotatably provided on the door with the vertical direction as its axial direction and rotating between a latched position where it engages with the engaging portion and an unlatched position where it is disengaged from the engaging portion; a claw lever that engages with the fork lever in the latched position to prevent rotation of the fork lever to the unlatched position; a link mechanism connected to the claw lever that is activated by a transmission force transmitted from the door handle to release the engagement between the claw lever and the fork lever; and a clutch mechanism that switches between a transmission state where the operating force from the door handle can be transmitted to the link mechanism and a non-transmission state where the operating force cannot be transmitted to the link mechanism in response to a rotational operation of the thumb turn. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the operability of a thumb turn can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a door device according to the present embodiment as seen from the interior side. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged front view showing the periphery of the inner handle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2) showing the inside of the door around the inner handle shown in FIG. 2 as seen from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the striker and its periphery shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 4 is a front view showing the latch device and the thumb turn device shown in FIG. 3 as seen from the indoor side. [Figure 6] (A) is a cross-sectional view from the right side of the thumb turn device shown in Figure 5 (cross-sectional view along line 6A-6A in Figure 5), and (B) is a cross-sectional view from above showing the connected state of the clutch member and latch hub shown in (A) (cross-sectional view along line 6B-6B in Figure 6(A)). [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6, illustrating a state in which the clutch member of FIG. 6(A) has been lowered and is placed in a transmission position. FIG. [Figure 8] (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the claw lever shown in Figure 4 has rotated to the unlocked position, (B) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the drive wheel and fork lever shown in (A) have rotated to one side in the rotational direction and are positioned in the unlatched position, and (C) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the drive wheel of (B) has rotated to the other side in the rotational direction and is positioned in the initial position. [Figure 9] 8(A) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the fork lever shown in FIG. 8(C) has rotated to the other side in the rotational direction and is positioned in the half-latched position, (B) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the claw lever shown in (A) has rotated to the other side in the rotational direction and the claw lever and fork lever are engaged so as to be able to rotate together in the other side in the rotational direction, and (C) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the claw lever and fork lever shown in (B) have rotated to the other side in the rotational direction and are positioned in the latched position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A door device 10 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The door device 10 is configured as a door device for a building. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the door device 10 includes a door 12 rotatably connected to a door frame 20 (see Fig. 3) of the building, and a latch device 30 and a thumb-turn device 70 provided within the door 12. Below, the door 12 and the door frame 20 will be described first, and then the latch device 30 and the thumb-turn device 70 will be described.

[0010] For convenience, the following description will be given assuming that the door 12 is in a closed position. Furthermore, the arrow IN shown as appropriate in the drawings indicates the inside of the room, and the arrow OUT indicates the outside of the room. In the following description, the directions of the arrows IN and OUT are referred to as the forward direction. Furthermore, the arrow UP shown as appropriate in the drawings indicates the upper side (one side in the vertical direction), and the arrow RH indicates the right side (one side in the horizontal direction) when viewed from the outside of the room.

[0011] (Regarding the door 12 and door frame 20) As shown in Fig. 1, the door 12 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction and the projection direction as the thickness direction, and the left-right direction as the width direction of the door 12. A latch device 30 and a thumb-turn device 70, which will be described later, are built into the door 12. Therefore, at least the portion of the door 12 that houses the latch device 30 and the thumb-turn device 70 is hollow. The left end of the door 12 (one end in the width direction of the door 12) is rotatably connected to the door frame 20 by a hinge member 24 with the vertical direction as the axial direction. The door 12 is configured to open outward from the closed position toward the outside of the room.

[0012] 2 and 3, a protrusion 12A is provided on the interior wall of the door 12. The protrusion 12A protrudes toward the interior and is located at the right end of the door 12 (the other widthwise end of the door 12, i.e., the open end of the door 12, more specifically, the portion incorporating the latch device 30 described below). An insertion hole 12B is formed through the protrusion 12A. The insertion hole 12B is formed in the shape of an elongated hole with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction.

[0013] An inner handle 14 serving as a door handle is provided on the interior side of the door 12, and an outer handle 16 serving as a door handle is provided on the exterior side of the door 12. The inner handle 14 and the outer handle 16 extend in the left-right direction, and the right ends of the inner handle 14 and the outer handle 16 are rotatably connected to the door 12 with the vertical direction as the axial direction. The inner handle 14 is configured to be able to be pushed toward the door 12 (exterior side), and the outer handle 16 is configured to be able to be pulled in the direction opposite the door 12 (exterior side).

[0014] As shown in Figures 3, 5, 6(A) and 6(B), a latch hub 18 is provided inside the door 12. The latch hub 18 is formed in a generally rectangular pillar shape extending in the thickness direction of the door 12 and is connected to the door 12 so as to be slidable in the thickness direction of the door 12. Both longitudinal ends of the latch hub 18 protrude outward from the door 12 in the thickness direction. When the inner handle 14 is pushed, the latch hub 18 slides toward the outside (one side in the thickness direction of the door 12) in conjunction with the operation of the inner handle 14. When the outer handle 16 is pulled, the latch hub 18 slides toward the outside in conjunction with the operation of the outer handle 16. In other words, when at least one of the inner handle 14 and the outer handle 16 is operated, the latch hub 18 slides toward the outside.

[0015] An accommodating recess 18A is formed in the longitudinal middle of the latch hub 18, and accommodates a first link member 42 (described later). The accommodating recess 18A is recessed and opens to the right, extending in the longitudinal direction of the latch hub 18. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a first hub hole 18B having a rectangular cross section is formed penetrating the upper wall of the accommodating recess 18A at the end facing the interior of the vehicle. Second hub holes 18C are formed penetrating the upper and lower walls of the accommodating recess 18A in the vertical direction to the left of the first hub hole 18B, connecting the first hub hole 18B and the second hub hole 18C. The second hub hole 18C is formed as an elongated hole with its longitudinal direction aligned with the thickness direction of the door 12. The dimension of the second hub hole 18C in the thickness direction of the door 12 is greater than the dimension of the first hub hole 18B in the thickness direction of the door 12.

[0016] Although the entire door frame 20 is not shown, the door frame 20 is generally formed into a substantially rectangular frame shape corresponding to the outer shape of the door 12. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , a striker 22 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the right side of the door frame 20. The striker 22 is formed into a substantially elongated plate shape and is bent into a substantially crank shape in a plan view. Specifically, the striker 22 has a base end piece 22A extending in the forward direction, an intermediate piece 22B extending to the left from the exterior end of the base end piece 22A, and a tip end piece 22C extending to the exterior from the left end of the intermediate piece 22B. The base end piece 22A and the intermediate piece 22B are fastened and fixed to the door frame 20 with screws. When the door 12 is in the closed position, the tip end piece 22C of the striker 22 is configured to enter the interior of the door 12 through an insertion hole 12B of the door 12. A substantially rectangular striker hole 22D is formed through the tip piece 22C. The portion of the tip piece 22C that is located outside the vehicle with respect to the striker hole 22D is an engagement portion 22E that extends in the vertical direction.

[0017] (Regarding the latch device 30) 3 to 5, the latch device 30 is configured as a device that engages with the striker 22 to latch the door 12 when the door 12 is in the closed position. The latch device 30 has a housing 32 that forms the outer shell of the latch device 30. The housing 32 is formed in a substantially hollow box shape, is housed within the door 12, and is located on the exterior side of the insertion hole 12B of the door 12. The latch device 30 also has a fork lever 34, a claw lever 36, a link mechanism 40, and a rotation mechanism 50 that are housed within the housing 32.

[0018] (Fork lever 34) The fork lever 34 is formed in a plate shape with its thickness extending vertically and is positioned on the exterior side of the insertion hole 12B of the door 12. A hole for locating the fork lever 34 is formed in the interior wall of the housing 32. The fork lever 34 is formed in a generally U-shape that opens to the right in a plan view. Specifically, the fork lever 34 includes a main body 34A that forms the left portion of the fork lever 34 and a pair of lever arms 34B that extend from the main body 34A to the right, with the lever arms 34B spaced apart in the forward direction. Therefore, an engagement groove 34C is formed in the right portion of the fork lever 34 between the pair of lever arms 34B. The left portion of the engagement groove 34C extends in the left-right direction, and the right portion of the engagement groove 34C extends in a direction that slopes toward the exterior as it extends to the right, with the opening of the engagement groove 34C opening to the right and exterior.

[0019] The main body 34A of the fork lever 34 is connected to the housing 32 so as to be rotatable about an axial direction that is the vertical direction. Specifically, the fork lever 34 is configured to be rotatable between a latched position (the position shown in FIG. 4) and an unlatched position (the position shown in FIGS. 8(B) and 8(C)) rotated from the latched position to one side in the rotational direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4). The position of the fork lever 34 between the latched position and the unlatched position is defined as a half-latched position (the position shown in FIG. 9(A)).

[0020] When the door 12 is in the closed position, the fork lever 34 is positioned in the latched position, and the engagement portion 22E of the striker 22 is inserted into the left portion of the engagement groove 34C, so that the striker 22 and the fork lever 34 are engaged in the forward direction (see FIG. 4). On the other hand, when the door 12 is opened from the closed position, the fork lever 34 is positioned in the unlatched position. In the unlatched position, the engagement portion 22E disengages from the engagement groove 34C, so that the engagement between the striker 22 and the fork lever 34 is released (see FIGS. 8B and 8C). Specifically, the lever arm 34B on the interior side of the fork lever 34 comes out of the striker hole 22D of the striker 22. Furthermore, when the door 12 is closed, the striker 22 presses the lever arm 34B on the exterior side of the fork lever 34 in the unlatched position, so that the fork lever 34 rotates from the unlatched position to the other rotational direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8C). When the fork lever 34 is in the half-latched position, the tip of the lever arm 34B on the exterior side is inserted into the striker hole 22D, and the engaging portion 22E of the striker 22 is positioned between the pair of lever arms 34B (see FIG. 9(A)). As a result, when the fork lever 34 is in the half-latched position, the striker 22 and the fork lever 34 begin to engage with each other.

[0021] An engagement recess 34D is formed on the outer periphery of the main body 34A of the fork lever 34. In plan view, the engagement recess 34D is located on the left side and exterior side of the vehicle with respect to the rotation axis AL (see FIG. 4) of the fork lever 34, and is cut out in a generally V-shape. A fork lever detection switch (not shown) for detecting the position of the fork lever 34 is provided on the side of the fork lever 34. The fork lever detection switch is electrically connected to the control unit 60 (see FIGS. 1 and 5). When the fork lever 34 is in the half-latched position, the fork lever 34 presses the fork lever detection switch, and the fork lever detection switch outputs an ON signal to the control unit 60. This allows the control unit 60 to detect the half-latched position of the fork lever 34.

[0022] (About Claw Lever 36) The claw lever 36 is formed in a generally V-shaped plate shape with its thickness direction extending vertically, and is disposed on the exterior side of the fork lever 34. Specifically, the claw lever 36 has a first arm portion 36A and a second arm portion 36B. The connecting portion of the first arm portion 36A and the second arm portion 36B is connected to the housing 32 so as to be rotatable with the vertical direction as the axial direction. This allows the claw lever 36 to rotate between a locked position shown in FIG. 4 and an unlocked position shown in FIG. 8(A).

[0023] 4, when the claw lever 36 is in the locked position, the tip of the first arm portion 36A is inserted into the engagement recess 34D of the fork lever 34 in the latched position, and the claw lever 36 prevents the fork lever 34 from rotating in one direction. This causes the claw lever 36 to lock the fork lever 34 in the latched position. In other words, the latched state of the latch device 30 relative to the door 12 is locked. In addition, a biasing spring (not shown) is connected to the claw lever 36, and the biasing spring biases the claw lever 36 toward the locked position.

[0024] 8(A), when the claw lever 36 is in the unlocked position, the tip of the first arm portion 36A is disengaged from the engaging recess 34D of the fork lever 34 in the latched position, allowing rotation in one direction of the fork lever 34. As a result, when the claw lever 36 is placed in the unlocked position, the latch device 30 is switched to the unlatched state.

[0025] Furthermore, a claw lever detection switch (not shown) for detecting the unlocked position of the claw lever 36 is provided on the side of the claw lever 36. The claw lever detection switch is electrically connected to the control unit 60. When the claw lever 36 is in the unlocked position, the claw lever 36 presses the claw lever detection switch, which outputs an ON signal to the control unit 60. In this way, the control unit 60 is configured to detect the unlocked position of the claw lever 36.

[0026] (Regarding the link mechanism 40) As shown in FIG. 3 , the link mechanism 40 is configured as a mechanism that, when activated, disengages the fork lever 34 and the claw lever 36 and switches the latch device 30 from a latched state to an unlatched state. The link mechanism 40 includes a first link member 42 and a second link member 44. The first link member 42 extends in the left-right direction on the right side of the latch hub 18, and a longitudinal intermediate portion of the first link member 42 is connected to the housing 32 so as to be rotatable about its axial direction, which is the up-down direction. The left end of the first link member 42 is accommodated within the exterior end of the accommodation recess 18A of the latch hub 18. When the thumb-turn device 70 (described later) is in an unlocked state, the first link member 42 is pressed toward the exterior by a clutch member 84 that moves toward the exterior together with the latch hub 18, causing the first link member 42 to rotate. That is, when the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 is operated while the thumb-turn device 70 (described later) is in the unlocked state, the operating force of the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 is transmitted to the first link member 42, thereby activating the link mechanism 40. A link connecting portion 42A that protrudes toward the outside of the vehicle is formed at the longitudinal middle portion of the first link member 42.

[0027] The second link member 44 is formed in a generally elongated shape extending in the left-right direction. A left end of the second link member 44 is connected to the link connecting portion 42A of the first link member 42 so as to be rotatable about an axial direction that is the vertical direction, and a right end of the second link member 44 is connected to the second arm portion 36B of the claw lever 36 so as to be rotatable about an axial direction that is the vertical direction. When the link mechanism 40 is activated, the second link member 44 is displaced to the right, and the second link member 44 causes the claw lever 36 to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position against the biasing force of the biasing spring.

[0028] (Regarding the rotation mechanism 50) 4 and 5, the rotation mechanism 50 has a latch motor 51 as a motor, a reduction gear 54, a drive wheel 55, and a connecting mechanism 56. The latch motor 51 is disposed above the fork lever 34 with its axial direction being the up-down direction, and is fixed to a bracket 52 provided within the housing 32. The latch motor 51 has a motor shaft 51A, which protrudes downward from a motor body 51B of the latch motor 51. A motor gear 53 is provided at the lower end of the motor shaft 51A so as to be rotatable integrally with the motor shaft 51A. The latch motor 51 is electrically connected to the control unit 60.

[0029] The reduction gear 54 is formed in a generally circular plate shape with its thickness direction in the vertical direction, and is rotatably connected to the bracket 52 with its axial direction in the vertical direction. The reduction gear 54 is formed with a larger diameter than the motor gear 53, and is disposed on the right side of the motor gear 53 and on the interior side, and is meshed with the motor gear 53. The reduction gear 54 is disposed above the fork lever 34, and the rotation axis of the reduction gear 54 coincides with the rotation axis AL of the fork lever 34.

[0030] The drive wheel 55 is formed in a generally circular plate shape with its thickness extending vertically, and is disposed between the reduction gear 54 and the fork lever 34. The drive wheel 55 is disposed coaxially with the reduction gear 54 and is coupled to the reduction gear 54 so as to be rotatable integrally therewith. As a result, when the latch motor 51 is driven, the drive wheel 55 rotates together with the reduction gear 54. When the latch device 30 is in the latched state, the control unit 60 controls the drive of the latch motor 51, so that the drive wheel 55 is disposed in the initial position shown in FIG. 4. The drive wheel 55 has a smaller diameter than the reduction gear 54, and the entire drive wheel 55 overlaps the reduction gear 54 and the fork lever 34 in a plan view (see FIG. 4). In other words, the outer diameter of the drive wheel 55 is set so that the drive wheel 55 does not protrude beyond the reduction gear 54 and the fork lever 34 in a plan view.

[0031] A wheel detection switch (not shown) for detecting the position of the drive wheel 55 is provided on the side of the drive wheel 55. The wheel detection switch is electrically connected to the control unit 60. When the drive wheel 55 is in its initial position, the drive wheel 55 presses the wheel detection switch, which outputs an ON signal to the control unit 60. This allows the control unit 60 to detect the initial position of the drive wheel 55.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4 , the coupling mechanism 56 has a pair of coupling holes 57 formed in the drive wheel 55 and a pair of coupling shafts 58 provided on the fork lever 34. The pair of coupling holes 57 are elongated holes extending in the circumferential direction of the drive wheel 55 and are disposed on the outer periphery of the drive wheel 55. The pair of coupling holes 57 are disposed 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction of the drive wheel 55. The coupling shafts 58 are formed in a generally cylindrical shape with their axial direction extending vertically and protrude upward from the fork lever 34. When the latch device 30 is in the latched state, the coupling shafts 58 are disposed at one end of the coupling holes 57, and the drive wheel 55 is coupled to the fork lever 34 by the coupling shafts 58 and the coupling holes 57 so as to be rotatable together with the drive wheel 55 in one rotational direction. In other words, the fork lever 34 is permitted to rotate relative to the drive wheel 55 in one rotational direction. As a result, when the claw lever 36 is in the unlocked position, the latch motor 51 is driven in the forward direction to rotate the drive wheel 55 and the fork lever 34 in one direction, causing the fork lever 34 to rotate from the latched position to the unlatched position. In the connecting mechanism 56, the connecting hole 57 is formed in the drive wheel 55 and the connecting shaft 58 is provided in the fork lever 34, but the connecting hole 57 may also be formed in the fork lever 34 and the connecting shaft 58 may be provided in the drive wheel 55.

[0033] (Regarding the thumb turn device 70) As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the thumbturn device 70 is a device for locking the door 12 and is configured to be switchable between a locked state in which the door 12 is locked and an unlocked state in which the door 12 is unlocked. The thumbturn device 70 includes a thumbturn 72 and a clutch mechanism 80. The thumbturn 72 is attached to the interior wall of the door 12 and is configured to be rotatable with the thickness direction of the door 12 as its axial direction, and is exposed to the interior side of the door 12. A key portion 74 is attached to the exterior wall of the door 12, and the thumbturn 72 and the cylinder of the key portion 74 are connected by a thumbturn connecting portion 76.

[0034] The clutch mechanism 80 includes a clutch shaft 82 and a clutch member 84. The clutch shaft 82 is formed in a generally rectangular columnar shape with its axis extending vertically. The upper end of the clutch shaft 82 is connected to the thumb-turn coupling portion 76, and the clutch shaft 82 moves vertically when the thumb-turn 72 is rotated. Specifically, when the thumb-turn 72 is rotated and the thumb-turn device 70 switches from a locked state to an unlocked state, the clutch shaft 82 moves downward. More specifically, when the thumb-turn device 70 is locked, the clutch shaft 82 is positioned in a non-transmitting position (the position shown in FIG. 6 ). When the thumb-turn device 70 is unlocked, the clutch shaft 82 is positioned in a transmitting position (the position shown in FIG. 7 ), which is lowered from the non-transmitting position. A connecting groove 82A is formed in the lower end of the clutch shaft 82. The connecting groove 82A is formed as a groove that opens to the right and penetrates the door 12 in the thickness direction.

[0035] The clutch member 84 is formed in a generally rectangular pillar shape extending in the vertical direction. The clutch member 84 is inserted into the first hub hole 18B and the second hub hole 18C of the latch hub 18 so as to be relatively movable in the vertical direction, and is engaged with the first hub hole 18B in the thickness direction of the door 12. In other words, the clutch member 84 is connected to the latch hub 18 so as to be relatively movable in the vertical direction and to be movable integrally with the door 12 in the thickness direction.

[0036] A connecting groove 84A is formed at the upper end of the clutch member 84. The connecting groove 84A is a groove that opens to the left and penetrates the door 12 in the thickness direction. The upper end of the clutch member 84 is inserted into the connecting groove 82A of the clutch shaft 82 so as to be slidable in the thickness direction of the door 12, and the lower end of the clutch shaft 82 is inserted into the connecting groove 84A of the clutch member 84 so as to be slidable in the thickness direction of the door 12. The upper end of the clutch member 84 and the lower end of the clutch shaft 82 are engaged in the vertical direction. This allows the clutch member 84 to move integrally in the vertical direction and to be connected to the clutch shaft 82 so as to be movable relative to the clutch shaft 82 in the thickness direction of the door 12. That is, when the thumb turn 72 is rotated, the clutch member 84 moves vertically together with the clutch shaft 82 between the transmission position and the non-transmission position. When the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 is operated, the clutch member 84 moves together with the latch hub 18 toward the exterior side relative to the clutch shaft 82.

[0037] A flange 84B is formed on the left end of each of the two front side surfaces of the clutch member 84, and the flange 84B is inserted into the second hub hole 18C of the latch hub 18. The lower end of the flange 84B protrudes downward beyond the clutch member 84, and the lower ends of the two are connected.

[0038] When the clutch member 84 is in the transmission position (when the thumb-turn device 70 is in the unlocked state), the lower end of the clutch member 84 is located below the first link member 42, and the clutch member 84 is positioned adjacent to the first link member 42 on the other side of the thickness direction of the door 12 within the accommodating recess 18A of the latch hub 18 (see FIG. 7). Therefore, when the thumb-turn device 70 is in the unlocked state, the clutch member 84 moves together with the latch hub 18 to one side in the thickness direction of the door 12, causing the clutch member 84 to press the first link member 42 and activate the link mechanism 40.

[0039] On the other hand, when the clutch member 84 is in the non-transmitting position (when the thumb-turn device 70 is in the locked state), the lower end of the clutch member 84 is set to be located above the first link member 42 (see FIG. 6). Therefore, when the clutch member 84 moves together with the latch hub 18 to one side in the thickness direction of the door 12 when the thumb-turn device 70 is in the locked state, the lower end of the clutch member 84 is located above the right end of the first link member 42, and the clutch member 84 does not press against the first link member 42. In other words, when the thumb-turn device 70 is in the locked state, even if the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 is operated, the link mechanism 40 does not operate, and the latch device 30 remains latched.

[0040] (Action and effect) Next, the operation of the latch device 30 when the door 12 is opened or closed will be described, along with the function and effect of this embodiment.

[0041] 4, in the latched state of the latch device 30, the door 12 is positioned in the closed position, the fork lever 34 is positioned in the latched position, and the fork lever 34 and the striker 22 are engaged in the forward direction. Also, the claw lever 36 is positioned in the locked position, and the first arm portion 36A of the claw lever 36 is engaged with the engaging recess 34D of the fork lever 34, preventing the fork lever 34 from rotating in one direction. Furthermore, the drive wheel 55 is positioned in the initial position, and the connecting shaft 58 of the connecting mechanism 56 is positioned at one end of the connecting hole 57.

[0042] 6, when the thumb-turn device 70 is locked, the clutch member 84 is disposed in the non-transmitting position. Therefore, when the inner handle 14 and the outer handle 16 are operated in this state, the clutch member 84 slides toward the exterior of the vehicle together with the latch hub 18 relative to the clutch shaft 82, but the lower end of the clutch member 84 is positioned above the right end of the first link member 42 of the link mechanism 40, and the clutch member 84 does not press against the first link member 42. Therefore, the link mechanism 40 does not operate, and the latch device 30 remains latched.

[0043] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7 , when the thumb turn 72 is rotated to switch the thumb turn device 70 to the unlocked state, the clutch member 84 moves downward together with the clutch shaft 82 and is positioned in the transmission position. As a result, the lower end of the clutch member 84 is positioned below the first link member 42, and the clutch member 84 is positioned on the interior side of the first link member 42 of the link mechanism 40. When the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 is operated in this state, the clutch member 84 slides toward the exterior side of the vehicle relative to the clutch shaft 82 together with the latch hub 18, pressing the first link member 42 toward the exterior side. This activates the link mechanism 40. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8(A) , the second link member 44 of the link mechanism 40 moves to the right, and the second arm portion 36B of the claw lever 36 is pressed to the right by the second link member 44, causing the claw lever 36 to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position against the biasing force of the biasing spring. This switches the latch device 30 from the latched state to the unlatched state, and rotation of the fork lever 34 in one direction is permitted. At this time, the control unit 60 also detects that the claw lever 36 has rotated to the unlocked position.

[0044] When the control unit 60 detects that the claw lever 36 has rotated to the unlock position, the control unit 60 causes the latch motor 51 to rotate in the forward direction, causing the drive wheel 55 to rotate in one direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 8A). As a result, the fork lever 34 rotates in one direction together with the drive wheel 55 via the connecting mechanism 56. Then, as shown in FIG. 8B, the control unit 60 stops driving the latch motor 51 based on the rotation speed of the latch motor 51, causing the fork lever 34 to be positioned in the unlatched position. As a result, the fork lever 34 driven by the latch motor 51 releases the door 12 to the outside of the room, and the engagement between the striker 22 and the fork lever 34 is released. Therefore, the door 12 can be opened by a user by rotating the door 12 to the outside of the room.

[0045] After the fork lever 34 has rotated to the unlatched position, the latch motor 51 is rotated in the reverse direction by the control unit 60, causing the drive wheel 55 to rotate in the other rotational direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8(B)). Then, as shown in FIG. 8(C), the drive wheel 55 is placed in its initial position, and the connecting shaft 58 is placed at the other end of the connecting hole 57. In other words, the length of the connecting hole 57 is set in accordance with the movement distance of the connecting shaft 58 when the fork lever 34 rotates from the latched position to the unlatched position.

[0046] Furthermore, when the thumb turn device 70 is in the unlocked state, if the user manually opens the door 12 from the closed position before the latch motor 51 is driven, the fork lever 34 rotates relative to the drive wheel 55, and the connecting shaft 58 of the fork lever 34 is positioned from one end of the connecting hole 57 to the other end.

[0047] When the door 12 is closed, the door 12 is rotated toward the interior side of the vehicle. At this time, the exterior-side lever arm 34B of the fork lever 34 in the unlatched position abuts against the striker 22, and the striker 22 presses the fork lever 34 toward the other side in the rotational direction (see arrow B in FIG. 8C). As a result, the fork lever 34 in the unlatched position rotates toward the other side in the rotational direction relative to the drive wheel 55. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the fork lever 34 reaches the half-latched position, the engagement portion 22E of the striker 22 is inserted into the opening of the engagement groove 34C of the fork lever 34, and engagement between the striker 22 and the fork lever 34 begins. At this time, the connecting shaft 58 is positioned in the longitudinal middle of the connecting hole 57, and the control unit 60 detects the half-latched position of the fork lever 34.

[0048] When the control unit 60 detects the half-latched position of the fork lever 34, the control unit 60 reverses the rotation of the latch motor 51, causing the drive wheel 55 to rotate in the other rotational direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 9(A)). As a result, the drive wheel 55 rotates relative to the fork lever 34 in the other rotational direction, and the connecting shaft 58 is positioned at the other end of the connecting hole 57 (see FIG. 9(B)). Therefore, the drive wheel 55 and the fork lever 34 are connected to each other so as to be able to rotate together in the other rotational direction.

[0049] 9(C), the control unit 60 stops driving the latch motor 51 based on the rotation speed of the latch motor 51, and the fork lever 34 is placed in the latched position. That is, when closing the door 12, the control unit 60 reverses the latch motor 51 by the same number of rotations as the rotation speed of the latch motor 51 when the fork lever 34 is rotated from the latched position to the unlatched position. At this time, the biasing force of the biasing spring causes the claw lever 36 to rotate from the unlocked position to the locked position, and the claw lever 36 and the fork lever 34 engage with each other, preventing the fork lever 34 from rotating in one direction by the claw lever 36. As a result, the latch device 30 switches the door 12 from the unlatched state to the latched state.

[0050] After the latch device 30 is switched to the latched state, the control unit 60 causes the latch motor 51 to rotate in the forward direction, placing the drive wheel 55 in the initial position. This places the connecting shaft 58 at one end of the connecting hole 57, and the latch device 30 returns to the state shown in Figure 4. As described above, when the door 12 is closed, the fork lever 34 driven by the latch motor 51 can rotate the door 12 from the half-latched position to the latched position.

[0051] Furthermore, if the user manually closes the door 12 before the latch motor 51 is driven, the fork lever 34 rotates relative to the drive wheel 55, and the connecting shaft 58 of the fork lever 34 is positioned from the other end of the connecting hole 57 to one end.

[0052] As described above, in the latch device 30 of the door apparatus 10, the link mechanism 40 is connected to the claw lever 36. When an operating force from the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 is transmitted to the link mechanism 40, the link mechanism 40 is actuated, and the latch device 30 switches from a latched state to an unlatched state. Specifically, the claw lever 36 rotates from the locked position to the unlocked position, disengaging the claw lever 36 from the fork lever 34. The thumb turn device 70 also has a clutch mechanism 80, which, in response to rotation of the thumb turn 72, switches between a transmission state in which the operating force from the inner handle 14 or the outer handle 16 can be transmitted to the link mechanism 40 and a non-transmission state in which the operating force cannot be transmitted to the link mechanism 40. This eliminates the need to directly operate the claw lever 36 using the thumb turn 72 to switch the latch device 30 from a latched state to an unlatched state. In other words, it is sufficient to switch the clutch mechanism 80 between the above-mentioned transmitted state or the non-transmitted state in which power cannot be transmitted by rotating the thumb turn 72. More specifically, it is sufficient to move the clutch member 84 vertically relative to the first link member 42 of the link mechanism 40 by rotating the thumb turn 72. Therefore, the force required to operate the thumb turn 72 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the claw lever 36 is directly operated by the thumb turn 72 to switch the latch device 30 from the latched state to the unlatched state. This improves the operability of the thumb turn 72.

[0053] The clutch mechanism 80 includes a clutch shaft 82 that moves up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the thumb turn 72, and a clutch member 84 that is connected to the lower end of the clutch shaft 82 so as to be movable up and down integrally with the clutch shaft 82 and so as to be movable relatively in the thickness direction of the door 12. The clutch member 84 moves up and down between a transmission position and a non-transmission position in conjunction with the rotation of the thumb turn 72, and the first link member 42 of the link mechanism 40 is disposed adjacent to the clutch member 84 on the exterior side of the door. When the clutch member 84 at the transmission position moves toward the exterior in conjunction with the operation of the inner handle 14 (outer handle 16), the clutch member 84 abuts against the first link member 42, and the operating force from the inner handle 14 (outer handle 16) is transmitted to the link mechanism 40 by the clutch member 84. On the other hand, when the clutch member 84 at the non-transmission position moves toward the exterior in conjunction with the operation of the inner handle 14 (outer handle 16), the clutch member 84 does not abut against the first link member 42. As described above, the clutch mechanism 80 can be simply configured, and can be switched between a transmission state in which the operating force of the inner handle 14 (outer handle 16) is transmitted to the link mechanism 40 and a non-transmission state in which the operating force cannot be transmitted.

[0054] The door 12 is also provided with a latch hub 18, which moves toward the exterior in conjunction with the operation of the inner handle 14 (outer handle 16). Furthermore, the clutch member 84 is connected to the latch hub 18 so as to be movable integrally in the thickness direction of the door and so as to be relatively movable in the vertical direction. This allows, with a simple configuration, the clutch member 84 to be moved toward the exterior in conjunction with the operation of the inner handle 14 (outer handle 16), and the clutch member 84 can be moved vertically relative to the latch hub 18 to be placed in an engaged position or a disengaged position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10 Door device 12 doors 14 Inner handle (door handle) 16 Outer handle (door handle) 18 Latch Hub 20 Door Frame 22E Engagement part 34 Fork lever 36 Claw Lever 40 Link mechanism 72 Thumb turn 80 Clutch mechanism 82 Clutch shaft 84 Clutch parts

Claims

1. a door whose one end in the width direction is rotatably connected to a door frame of the building; A thumb turn provided on the door and exposed to the interior side so as to be rotatable; door handles provided on both sides of the door in a thickness direction and attached to the door in an operable manner; a striker having a base end fixed to the door frame and an engaging portion extending in the vertical direction at a tip end thereof; a fork lever that is rotatably provided on the door with the vertical direction as an axial direction and that rotates between a latched position where it engages with the engaging portion and an unlatched position where it is disengaged from the engaging portion; a claw lever that engages with the fork lever in the latched position to prevent rotation of the fork lever to the unlatched position; a link mechanism connected to the crawler lever, which is actuated by the operation force transmitted from the door handle to release the engagement between the crawler lever and the fork lever; a clutch mechanism that switches between a transmission state in which an operating force from the door handle can be transmitted to the link mechanism and a non-transmission state in which the operating force cannot be transmitted to the link mechanism in response to a rotation operation of the thumb turn; A door device comprising:

2. The clutch mechanism includes: a clutch shaft that moves up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the thumb turn; a clutch member connected to a lower end of the clutch shaft so as to be movable integrally in the up and down direction and so as to be movable relatively in the thickness direction of the door, and which moves to one side in the thickness direction of the door in conjunction with the operation of the door handle; The invention comprises: The clutch member moves vertically between a transmission position and a non-transmission position by rotating the thumb turn, One end of the link mechanism is located on one side of the clutch member in the thickness direction of the door, When the clutch member at the transmission position moves to one side in the thickness direction of the door, the clutch member abuts against one end of the link mechanism, and the operating force from the door handle is transmitted to the one end by the clutch member, 2. The door device according to claim 1, wherein the clutch member does not abut against one end of the link mechanism when the clutch member is in the non-transmitting position and moves to one side in the thickness direction of the door.

3. The door is provided with a latch hub, and the latch hub moves to one side in the thickness direction of the door in conjunction with the operation of the door handle, 3. The door device according to claim 2, wherein the clutch member is connected to the latch hub so as to be movable integrally with the door in a thickness direction and so as to be movable relative to the door in a vertical direction.

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