Vehicle door lock system

Abstract

To provide a vehicle door lock device with a simplified structure and compact dimensions, when compared to the conventional art that requires two operations: releasing a latch by rotating in one direction, and moving an unlocked state to a locked state by a worm wheel (rotating cam).SOLUTION: There is provided a single drive unit operated vehicle door lock device that performs, with a single drive, two operations: one in which the drive unit rotates in one direction to perform a disengagement operation that activates a release means that disengages an engagement between a latch and a ratchet, and the other in which the drive unit rotates in the other direction to activate a linkage means that switches the locking / unlocking means between a locked state and an unlocked state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle door lock device, and more particularly to a vehicle door lock device that has multiple functions to reduce the size of the door lock device and improve the NVH aspects of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] The door latch device of Patent Document 1 is used in a permanently locked state. As a result, the locking mechanism does not operate under normal operation and remains locked for long periods of time. As a result, the grease may harden over time and rust may form on springs and levers made of steel, which may cause malfunctions. To address this risk, Patent Document 1 prevents the locking mechanism from failing in an emergency by performing a break-in operation when the electric release mechanism disengages the engagement mechanism, switching the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state and then returning it to the locked state.

[0003] However, the door latch device of Patent Document 1 is structured to switch to an unlocked state only in an emergency, and the following operation must be performed to release the engagement of the latch mechanism in an emergency (such as after a collision). Operation 1 Emergency unlock control: The motor 51 rotates the rotating cam 52 clockwise to switch to the unlocked state. Operation 2 Latch release operation: The rotating cam 52, which has returned to the neutral position, is rotated clockwise again by the motor 51 to release the engagement mechanism, and the locking mechanism 4 also returns from the unlocked state to the locked state (the state shown in Figures 8 and 9 of Patent Document 1).

[0004] Normally, it is reasonable for a door latch mechanism that performs an electric release operation to remain in the locked state, but to ensure reliable operation of the locking mechanism in an emergency, a "break-in operation" is required, as described in Operation 2 above, so that the lever, which has been maintained in the locked state for a long time, can be reliably operated the next time, and additional parts are required for break-in. Furthermore, in an emergency, the lever must be switched to the unlocked state to enable manual operation, but performing an electric release operation requires operating the motor twice, and the two motor operations make it sound to occupants as if the motor is operating for a long period of time, which causes the noise to be perceived as continuous, leaving issues in terms of the vehicle's NVH.

[0005] Furthermore, the rotating cam 52, which is the drive device of Patent Document 1, has multiple functions, not only performing a disengagement operation by rotating it clockwise, but also performing a locking operation that transitions the unlocked state to a locked state. However, in order to perform this locking operation, many parts are required, such as the second active lever 44, the first protrusion 44a attached to the second active lever 44, and the fifth acting portion 52f attached to the rotating cam 52. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6989076 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle door lock device that can simplify the structure and achieve a smaller device size compared to the two operations of releasing the latch by rotating a rotating cam (hereinafter referred to as a worm wheel) in one direction, which is the conventional technology, and moving the unlocked state to the locked state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to the present invention, the above problem is solved as follows. (1) A vehicle door lock device that performs two operations using a single drive unit, characterized in that the drive unit rotates in one direction to perform a disengagement operation that activates a release means that disengages the latch and ratchet, and the drive unit rotates in the other direction to activate a linkage means that switches the locking / unlocking means between a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0009] By only performing the disengagement operation when the drive device is rotated in one direction, the structure can be simplified compared to the conventional technology, where two operations are performed when the drive device is rotated in one direction, namely, disengaging the latch and moving it to the locked state, and the device can be made smaller.

[0010] (2) The second invention is a vehicle door lock device described in (1), characterized in that the linking means includes an operating unit arranged on a first worm wheel that serves as the drive device, and a transmission unit that transmits the operation of the operating unit to the locking / unlocking means, and the first worm wheel and a portion of the transmission unit are arranged overlapping each other.

[0011] By arranging the first worm wheel and a portion of the transmission part so that they overlap, there is no need to provide a support structure (shaft) for the transmission part, and the driving force of the drive device can be reliably transmitted to the locking / unlocking means while simplifying the device.

[0012] (3) The third invention is a vehicle door lock device described in (2) above, characterized in that the release means is arranged on one side of the first worm wheel, which serves as the drive device, and the locking / unlocking means is arranged on the other side.

[0013] A single drive unit is capable of two different movements, which simplifies the configuration and allows for the device to be made smaller.

[0014] (4) The fourth invention is the vehicle door lock device described in (3) above, characterized in that the transmission unit includes a push-push mechanism, the push-push mechanism consists of a push rod and a lock groove, and the lock groove uses a heart cam system having a first part and a second part.

[0015] By adopting a push-push mechanism in the transmission section and a heart cam system with a first part and a second part in the locking groove, it is possible to reliably operate the locking / unlocking means by rotating the first worm wheel in the other direction.

[0016] (5) The fifth invention is a vehicle door lock device described in (4), characterized in that the lock groove is provided directly in a housing in which the drive unit, the release means, and the locking / unlocking means of the vehicle door lock device are arranged.

[0017] By providing the lock groove directly on the housing, it is possible to stabilize the operation and simplify the structure.

[0018] (6) The sixth invention is the vehicle door lock device described in (5), characterized in that when the push rod is positioned in the valley portion of the first portion of the lock groove, the vehicle door lock device is in an unlocked state, and when the push rod is positioned in the waiting portion of the second portion of the lock groove, the vehicle door lock device is in a locked state.

[0019] By providing a valley portion in the first part and a standby portion in the second part corresponding to the unlocked state and the locked position, the locking / unlocking means can be reliably held in two operating positions, thereby improving the stability of the device.

[0020] (7) The seventh invention is the vehicle door lock device described in (1) above, characterized in that the first worm wheel is provided with a biasing means for returning it to a neutral position after movement in the one direction or the other direction.

[0021] By providing a biasing means for returning to the neutral position, the device can be reliably moved to two operating positions, as it returns to the neutral position with each operation, thereby simplifying the configuration and improving the stability of the device.

[0022] (8) The eighth invention is a vehicle door lock device described in (1) above, characterized in that the locking / unlocking means is a double locking mechanism, and a normal locking / unlocking means for switching the locking mechanism between a locked state and an unlocked state is provided separately.

[0023] By providing the normal locking / unlocking means separately from the double locking mechanism, it is possible to operate only the release means that disengages the latch in an emergency, simplifying the configuration while improving the reliability of the device. In addition, the reduced motor operating time contributes to vehicle NVH. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present invention, by rotating the drive device in one direction only to perform the disengagement operation, compared to the conventional technology in which two operations are performed in one direction, i.e., to disengage the latch and move it to the locked state, the structure can be simplified and the device can be made more compact. In addition, the motor operating time can be reduced, which contributes to vehicle NVH. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of a vehicle door lock device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door lock device in a state where a latch mechanism and a cover are omitted. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle door lock device shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a front view of the main parts when the first worm wheel is in a neutral position and the locking mechanism is in a locked position. [Figure 5] 5 is a rear view of the main part of FIG. 4 as seen from the other side. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the main parts when the first worm wheel is in a neutral position and the locking mechanism is in a locked position. [Figure 7] 7 is a rear perspective view of the main part of FIG. 6 as seen from the other side. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a first worm wheel and a transmission portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 9(a) is an enlarged view of the upper part of the lock groove, FIG. 9(b) is a correlation diagram around the push-push mechanism in the locked state, and FIG. 9(c) is a correlation diagram around the push-push mechanism in the unlocked state. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is an operation diagram of the first worm wheel and the Push-Push mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, like parts are designated by like reference numerals. Furthermore, when the vehicle door lock device 1 is attached to a door and the vehicle is used as a reference, the orientation of the vehicle door lock device 1 corresponds to the front of the vehicle, the rear of the vehicle, the inside of the vehicle, and the outside of the vehicle.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the vehicle door lock device 1 includes a latch mechanism 2 for holding the door in a closed position, a manual release mechanism 3 that can be released by manual operation force to disengage the latch mechanism 2, a lock mechanism 4 that can be switched between a locked state that disables the release operation of the manual release mechanism 3 and an unlocked state that enables it, and an electric release mechanism 5 that can disengage the latch mechanism 2 by electric force.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the latch mechanism 2 includes a latch 21 that engages with a striker (not shown) on the vehicle body side when the door is closed within a body 6 that is fixed inside the door, a ratchet 22 that engages with the latch 21 that engages with the striker inside the body 6 to prevent the latch 21 from rotating and hold the door in the closed position, and a ratchet lever 23 (see Figure 2) that can rotate integrally with the ratchet 22.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the manual release mechanism 3 includes an outside lever 31 that is linked to the mechanical operation of an outside handle (not shown) provided on the exterior side of the door, and an inside lever 32 that is linked to the mechanical operation of an inside handle (not shown) provided on the interior side of the door via an inside handle operating force transmission member 26.

[0030] The outside lever 31 is pivotally supported by a pivot 71 in the front-to-rear direction on the housing 7 fixed to the body 6, and rotates in the release direction (clockwise in FIG. 2) around the pivot 71 in conjunction with the mechanical operation of the outside handle. If the locking mechanism 4 is in the unlocked state, the rotational movement of the outside lever 31 is transmitted to the ratchet 22 via the ratchet lever 23 as described below, but if the locking mechanism 4 is in the locked state, the rotational movement is not transmitted to the ratchet 22 as described below.

[0031] The inside lever 32 is pivotally supported on the housing 7 by a pivot 72 extending in the vehicle interior / exterior direction, and rotates clockwise in FIG. 2 around the pivot 72 as the rotation center in conjunction with the mechanical movement of the inside handle 32 via the inside handle operation force transmission member 26. The rotational movement of the inside lever 32 is transmitted directly to the outside lever 31. Therefore, the mechanical movement of the inside handle is transmitted to the ratchet 22 when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state, and is not transmitted to the ratchet 22 when the locking mechanism is in the locked state. The left side surface of the housing 7 facing the vehicle interior is covered by a cover 7a as shown in FIG. 1.

[0032] The lock mechanism 4 includes a lock lever 41 pivotally supported on the housing 7 by a pivot 73, an open link 42 connected to the lock lever 41, and an active lever 43 pivotally supported on the housing 7 by a pivot 74. The lock lever 41 can rotate in the front-to-rear direction around the pivot 73, and can rotate from the locked position shown in FIG. 2 to an unlocked position where the lock mechanism is unlocked by rotating a predetermined angle counterclockwise by manually operating a key cylinder provided on the exterior side of the door using a key, for example, or in the reverse direction.

[0033] A key lever 46 is pivotally supported on the housing 7 and is connected to the upper end of the lock lever 41. The key lever 46 rotates around a rotating part 46a in conjunction with rotation of the key cylinder using a key. The key lever 46 is connected to the lock lever 41 via a sub-key lever 48 pivotally supported below it. This allows the lock mechanism 4 to be switched from the locked state to the unlocked state and vice versa by manual operation using a key in an emergency situation where the lock mechanism 4 cannot be switched using the power of the second motor 81 of the normal locking / unlocking mechanism due to a drop in battery voltage or the like, as described below.

[0034] The open link 42 has an upper portion rotatably connected to the lower portion of the lock lever 41 and slidably in the vertical direction, and a lower end portion rotatably connected to the connecting portion 31a, which is the end portion of the outside lever 31, in the longitudinal direction by a predetermined angle. As a result, when the lock lever 41 rotates from the unlock position to the lock position, or from the lock position to the unlock position, the open link 42 rotates in conjunction with this, around the connecting portion 31a, by a predetermined angle clockwise from the lock position shown in FIG. 2 to the unlock position, or from the unlock position to the lock position.

[0035] When the lock lever 41 and the open link 42 are in the unlocked position, if the outside lever 31 rotates based on the operation of the mechanical action of the outside handle or the inside handle, the open link 42 moves straight upward from the unlocked position, and the release portion 42a provided on the open link 42 abuts from below against the arm portion 23a of the ratchet lever 23. As a result, the ratchet lever 23 and the ratchet 22 rotate in the release direction, and the meshing of the meshing mechanism 2 is released.

[0036] When the lock lever 41 and the open link 42 are in the locked position, even if the outside lever 31 rotates based on operation by the mechanical action of the outside handle or inside handle, the open link 42 is guided diagonally upward and forward by the lock lever 41, so the release portion 42a of the open link 42 does not come into contact with the arm portion 23a of the ratchet lever 23. Therefore, because the ratchet lever 23 and the ratchet 22 do not rotate in the release direction, the door cannot be opened by operation by the mechanical action of the outside handle or inside handle.

[0037] 2 to 4, the active lever 43 is pivotally supported at approximately the center in the vertical direction on the housing 7 by a pivot 74, and a connecting shaft 43a provided at the upper end is connected to a vertically elongated hole 41b provided in the lower part of the lock lever 41 so that the active lever 43 can move up and down and rotate. As a result, the active lever 43 rotates following the rotation of the lock lever 41, and when the lock lever 41 is in the locked position, it is elastically held in the locked position shown in FIG. 4, and when the lock lever 41 is in the unlocked position, it is elastically held in the unlocked position rotated a predetermined angle clockwise from the locked position. The active lever 43 is elastically held in the locked position and the unlocked position by the elastic force of a spring 47 acting on the active lever 43.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the electric release mechanism 5 includes an engagement release mechanism that operates a release means to release the engagement between the latch and ratchet, a double lock mechanism that further locks the lock mechanism when it is in a locked state, and a normal locking / unlocking mechanism that switches the lock mechanism between a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0039] The disengagement mechanism includes a first motor 51 supported by the housing 7, a first worm gear 51a that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft of the first motor 51, a first worm wheel 52 that is engaged with the first worm gear 51a and can rotate forward and reverse around a pivot 76 based on the power of the first motor 51, and an open lever 53 that can rotate counterclockwise around a pivot 77 as the first worm wheel 52 rotates clockwise from the neutral position shown in Fig. 4. Disengagement is performed by rotating the first worm wheel 52 in one direction, for example, the clockwise direction.

[0040] The double lock mechanism has the same parts as the disengagement mechanism except for the open lever 53, and further includes a transmission unit and a locking / unlocking mechanism. The double lock mechanism further locks (double locks) the lock mechanism from a locked state or unlocks the double lock state by rotating the first worm wheel 52 in the other direction, for example counterclockwise. The transmission unit that transmits the rotational force of the first worm wheel 52 to the locking / unlocking mechanism is made up of a push-push mechanism consisting of a push rod 61 and a lock groove 67. The locking / unlocking mechanism that double locks or unlocks the double lock state uses a second lock lever 62.

[0041] The normal locking / unlocking mechanism includes a second motor 81 supported by the housing 7, a second worm gear 81a that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft of the second motor 81, a second worm wheel 82 that is meshed with the second worm gear 81a and is rotatable forward and reverse around the pivot 80 based on the power of the second motor 81, and a second motor operation force transmission member 27 that transmits the power of the second motor 81 to the active lever 43. The rotation of the second worm wheel 82 rotates the active lever 43 to the locked position or unlocked position via the second motor operation force transmission member 27. By providing the normal locking / unlocking mechanism separately from the double locking mechanism, it is possible to operate only the release means that disengages the latch in an emergency.

[0042] When the active lever 43 is rotated to the locked position via the second motor operation force transmission member 27 by rotation of the second worm wheel 82 at the locked position shown in FIG. 2, as described above, the active lever 43 is connected at the connecting shaft 43a to the elongated hole 41b of the lock lever 41 so as to be rotatable and move up and down as shown in FIG. 4, and the open link 42 is connected to the lock lever 41 so as to be rotatable and slideable in the up and down direction. Therefore, the lock lever 41 and the open link 42 rotate toward the locked position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in response to the rotation of the active lever 43.

[0043] 4 and 5, when the active lever 43 is rotated to the unlock position via the second motor operation force transmission member 27 by rotation of the second worm wheel 82, the lock lever 41 and the open link 42 rotate toward the unlock position following the rotation of the active lever 43. In this way, the lock mechanism 4 can be rotated to the locked position or the unlocked position by a normal locking / unlocking mechanism.

[0044] By rotating the lock mechanism 4 to the locked or unlocked position using a conventional locking / unlocking mechanism, the structure of the vehicle door lock device 1 can be simplified and the device can be made more compact, compared to the two operations performed by one-way rotation in Patent Document 1, i.e., unlatching and moving from the unlocked state to the locked state. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, the second active lever 44, the stopper portion 44c and end portion 44d attached to the second active lever 44, and the third acting portion 52d, fourth acting portion 52e, and fifth acting portion 52f attached to the rotating cam 52 are used to move from the unlocked state to the locked state by one-way rotation. However, by using a conventional locking / unlocking mechanism to switch the lock mechanism 4 between the locked and unlocked positions as in the present application, the second active lever 44 and many other components can be omitted, the structure of the electric release mechanism 5 can be simplified, and the device can be made more compact. Furthermore, the shorter motor operating time contributes to vehicle NVH (noise, vibration, harshness).

[0045] 2, 4, and 5, the vehicle door lock device 1 will be described, focusing on the disengagement mechanism and double lock mechanism, which share many common parts as the electric release mechanism 5. In the vehicle door lock device 1, the lock mechanism 4 is in the locked position before activation. When the vehicle is parked, the lock mechanism 4 is normally in the locked position.

[0046] The first worm wheel 52 is pivotally supported on the housing 7 by a pivot 76 facing inward and outward directions of the vehicle, and is normally elastically held in a neutral position, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, by the biasing force of a spring 54 (see FIG. 5) provided on the back side of the first worm wheel 52. When the first motor 51 rotates in one direction, the first worm wheel 52 rotates in one direction, for example, the clockwise direction, from the neutral position against the biasing force of the spring 54. When the first motor 51 rotates in the other direction, the first worm wheel 52 rotates in the other direction, for example, the counterclockwise direction, from the neutral position against the biasing force of the spring 54. After rotating in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, when power supply to the first motor 51 is stopped, the first worm wheel 52 reverses its rotation due to the biasing force of the spring 54 and returns to the neutral position. Rotating in one direction (clockwise) performs a disengagement operation that activates the release means to disengage the latch, and rotating in the other direction (counterclockwise) operates the linkage means, thereby performing a switching operation of the locking / unlocking means to switch the locking / unlocking means to a locked state (double lock) or an unlocked state.

[0047] The cam portion 52a of the first worm wheel 52 is a spiral cam that starts from a point close to the pivot 76 on one surface of the first worm wheel 52 and forms a spiral shape whose diameter gradually increases by about 180° in the counterclockwise direction. When the first worm wheel 52 rotates clockwise from the neutral position against the biasing force of the spring 54, the spiral surface comes into contact with the first arm portion 53a of the open lever 53 from above, pushing down the first arm portion 53a and causing the open lever 53 to rotate counterclockwise from the neutral position. Accordingly, the second arm portion 53b comes into contact with the arm portion 23a of the ratchet lever 23 from below (see FIG. 2), rotating the ratchet 22 in the release direction regardless of the state of the lock mechanism 4 and disengaging the latch mechanism 2, thereby enabling the door to be opened.

[0048] In addition, a release means (open lever 53) that releases the engagement between the latch and ratchet is located on one side of the first worm wheel 52, which serves as the drive device, and a locking / unlocking means (second lock lever 62) that switches the lock mechanism 4 between a locked state (double lock state) and an unlocked state is located on the other side. Two different movements are possible with a single drive device, and the simplified configuration makes it possible to make the device more compact.

[0049] Here, we will explain double lock. Double lock is a function that improves theft prevention by blocking manual operation using the lock knob or handle (both inside and outside). When the double lock state is established by the first motor 51, even if the lock mechanism 4 in the double lock state is operated to unlock, the unlock operation of the lock lever 41 is prevented, and the lock mechanism 4 cannot be switched to the unlock state. Note that the locked state refers to a state in which the release portion 42a of the open link 42 is guided by the lock lever 41 to a position where it cannot access the arm portion 23a of the ratchet lever 23, so that even if the lock knob or handle is operated manually, the arm portion 23a of the ratchet lever 23 cannot be pushed up to disengage (release) the engagement.

[0050] As described above, double locking is achieved by the switching operation of the locking / unlocking means, which switches the locking / unlocking means (second lock lever 62) between a locked state and an unlocked state by operating the linking means when the first worm wheel 52 rotates in the other direction (counterclockwise). As shown in FIG. 5, this linking means includes a push rod cam portion 52b as an operating portion disposed on the first worm wheel 52, which serves as a drive device, and a push rod 61 as a transmission portion that transmits the operation of the operating portion to the locking / unlocking means, with the first worm wheel 52 and a portion of the transmission portion overlapping each other. By overlapping the first worm wheel 52 and a portion of the transmission portion, there is no need to provide a support structure (shaft) for the transmission portion, which simplifies the device and ensures that the driving force of the drive device is transmitted to the locking / unlocking means.

[0051] 8 shows an enlarged view of the push-push mechanism. The lock groove 67 that guides the movement of the push rod 61 is provided directly on the housing 7 facing the other surface of the first worm wheel 52. By providing the lock groove 67 directly on the housing where the manual release mechanism 3, lock mechanism 4, and electric release mechanism 5 of the vehicle door lock device 1, i.e., the release means, locking / unlocking means, and drive device are located, it is possible to stabilize operation and simplify the configuration.

[0052] 5, 8, and 9(a), the path of the push rod 61 moved by the push rod cam portion 52b is restricted in movement by a lock groove 67 that guides the movement of the push rod 61. This transmission portion is configured with the push rod 61 as a push-push mechanism and the lock groove 67, and the lock groove 67 uses a heart cam system with a first portion 67a and a second portion 67b, so that the rotation of the first worm wheel 52 in the other direction can reliably operate the locking / unlocking means (second lock lever 62).

[0053] As shown in Figures 9(a), 9(b), and 9(c), the lock groove 67 provided in the housing 7 has a Y-shaped groove, a V-shaped wall above the Y-shaped groove, and a substantially V-shaped groove above that, all surrounded by a side wall. The push rod 61 is moved along this side wall by the push rod cam portion 52b (see Figure 5). As can be seen from Figure 8, both ends of the push rod 61 bent at a right angle contact the bottom of the lock groove 67, and the upper part of the push rod 61 has its movement in the up and down direction restricted by the other surface of the first worm wheel 52, allowing the push rod 61 to move stably without coming off the lock groove 67.

[0054] 9(a), lock groove 67 is provided with first portion 67a and second portion 67b, and when the upper end of push rod 61 is located in valley portion 67c of first portion 67a, lock mechanism 4 is in an unlocked state where the double lock is released, and when the upper end of push rod 61 is located in standby portion 67d of second portion 67b, lock mechanism 4 is in a locked state where the double lock is released. By providing valley portion 67c of first portion 67a and standby portion 67d of second portion 67b that correspond to the unlocked state and locked position, the locking / unlocking means (second lock lever 62) can be held in two operating positions, which reliably improves the stability of the device.

[0055] Figure 9(b) shows the push rod 61 positioned in the waiting section 67d of the second section 67b, i.e., the locking mechanism 4 is in a double-locked locked state, and Figure 9c shows the push rod 61 positioned in the valley section 67b of the first section 67a, i.e., the locking mechanism 4 is in an unlocked state where the double lock is released.

[0056] The upper end of the push rod 61 applies a turning force to the second lock lever 62 via the slide portion 63, causing the second lock lever 62 to turn clockwise around the pivot 79. Meanwhile, the second lock lever 62 is constantly biased counterclockwise by the spring 65. Therefore, when the push rod 61 shifts the second lock lever 62 from the locked state (double lock) of FIG. 9(b) to the unlocked state of FIG. 9(c) and from the unlocked state of FIG. 9(c) to the locked state of FIG. 9(b), the second lock lever 62 always turns clockwise around the pivot 79. When the push rod 61 reaches the highest position of the lock groove 67 of the first portion 67a, the rotation of the first worm wheel 52 stops, and the push rod cam portion 52b returns to its neutral position by the biasing force of the spring 54. Subsequently, the second lock lever 62 rotates counterclockwise due to the biasing force of the spring 65, pushing the push rod 61 downward and being positioned at the valley portion 67b or the waiting portion 67d.

[0057] The second lock lever 62 is not in direct contact with the lock lever 41. When the second lock lever 62 is in the locked state (double lock) shown in FIG. 9(b), if the lock lever 41 in the locked state starts an unlocking operation, the lock lever 41 starts to rotate counterclockwise around the pivot 73. At this time, the protrusion 41a of the lock lever 41 comes into contact with the branch portion 62a of the second lock lever 62, thereby preventing the counterclockwise rotation and preventing transition to the unlocked state. On the other hand, when the second lock lever 62 is in the unlocked state shown in FIG. 9(c), if the lock lever 41 in the locked state starts an unlocking operation, the lock lever 41 starts to rotate counterclockwise around the pivot 73. At this time, because the second lock lever 62 is rotating clockwise, the protrusion 41a of the lock lever 41 does not come into contact with the branch portion 62a of the second lock lever 62. Therefore, the lock lever 41 can be shifted to the unlocked state without being hindered from turning counterclockwise.

[0058] FIG. 10 shows an operation diagram of the first worm wheel and the push-push mechanism, and the relationship between the push rod cam portion 52b and the push rod 61 will be described using FIG.

[0059] 9(a) to 9(f) show the relationship between the push rod cam portion 52b and the push rod 61 when the locking mechanism 4 transitions from a locked position, in which the locking mechanism 4 is double-locked, to an unlocked position, in which the locking mechanism 4 is unlocked. In 9(a), the cam portion 52b is in the neutral position, and the push rod 61 is in the locked position, i.e., the lower ends of both ends of the push rod 61 are in contact with the lowest ends of the side walls of the locking groove 67 (see FIG. 9(b)), and the upper ends are in the waiting portion 67d (see FIG. 9(a)). In 9(b), the first worm wheel 52 starts to rotate, and the cam portion 52b is in contact with the lower end of the push rod 61. In 9(c), the cam portion 52b pushes up the push rod 61, and both ends of the push rod 61 rise while contacting the side walls of the locking groove 67. In 9(d), the cam portion 52b is at its full stroke, i.e., the upper end of the push rod 61 is in contact with the uppermost part of one of the upper side walls of the locking groove 67. The first worm wheel 52 stops rotating. (e) is the state where the cam portion 52b has returned to the neutral position due to the biasing force of the spring 54. (f) is the state where the upper end of the push rod 61 has descended to the valley portion 67c (see Figure 9(a)) due to the counterclockwise rotation of the second lock lever 62 due to the biasing force of the spring 65. This is the same state as the unlocked position in (a').

[0060] (a') to (f') show the relationship between the push rod cam portion 52b and the push rod 61 when transitioning from the unlocked position to the locked position. In (a'), the cam portion 52b is in the neutral position and the push rod 61 is in the unlocked position, i.e., the upper end of the push rod 61 is located in the valley portion 67c (see Figure 9(a)). In (b'), the first worm wheel 52 starts to rotate, and the cam portion 52b comes into contact with the lower end of the push rod 61. In (d'), the cam portion 52b is at its full stroke, i.e., the upper end of the push rod 61 comes into contact with the other uppermost part of the upper side wall of the lock groove 67. The first worm wheel 52 stops rotating. In (e'), the cam portion 52b has returned to the neutral position due to the biasing force of the spring 54. (f') is the state in which the upper end of the push rod 61 has descended to the waiting portion 67d (see Figure 9(a)) of the lock groove 67 due to the counterclockwise rotation of the second lock lever 62 by the biasing force of the spring 65. This is the same state as the locked position in (a). [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1. Vehicle door lock device 2 Latch mechanism 21 Latch 22 Ratchet 23 Ratchet lever 23a Arm part 26. Inside handle operating force transmission member 27 Second motor operating force transmission member 3 Manual release mechanism 31 Outside lever 31a Connection part 32 Inside Lever 4 Locking mechanism 41 Lock lever 41a Protrusion 41b Slot 42 Open link 42a Release section 43 Active lever 43a Connecting shaft 46 Key lever 46a Rotating part 47 Spring 48 Subkey lever 5 Electric release mechanism 51 First motor 51a First worm gear 52 First worm wheel 52a Cam portion 52b Push rod cam 53 Open lever 53a First arm portion 53b Second arm portion 54 Spring 55 Spring 6. Body 61 Push rod 62 Second lock lever 62a Branching part 63 Slide part 65 Spring 67 Lock groove 67a Part 1 67b Part 2 67c Tanibe 67d Waiting area 7. Housing 7a Cover 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 79, 80 Axis 81 Second motor 81a Second worm gear 82 Second worm wheel

Claims

1. A vehicle door lock device that performs two operations using a single drive unit, characterized in that the drive unit rotates in one direction to perform a disengagement operation that activates a release means that disengages the latch and ratchet, and the drive unit rotates in the other direction to activate a linkage means that switches the locking / unlocking means between a locked state and an unlocked state.

2. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that the linking means includes an operating unit arranged on a first worm wheel that serves as the drive device, and a transmission unit that transmits the operation of the operating unit to the locking / unlocking means, and the first worm wheel and a portion of the transmission unit are arranged overlapping each other.

3. 3. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 2, wherein the release means is disposed on one side of the first worm wheel serving as the drive device, and the locking / unlocking means is disposed on the other side.

4. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 3, characterized in that the transmission unit includes a push-push mechanism, the push-push mechanism consisting of a push rod and a lock groove, and the lock groove uses a heart-cam system having a first portion and a second portion.

5. 5. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 4, wherein the lock groove is provided directly on a housing in which the drive unit, the release means, and the locking / unlocking means of the vehicle door lock device are disposed.

6. 6. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle door lock device is in an unlocked state when the push rod is located in the valley portion of the first portion of the lock groove, and the vehicle door lock device is in a locked state when the push rod is located in the waiting portion of the second portion of the lock groove.

7. 2. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the first worm wheel is provided with a biasing means for returning the first worm wheel to a neutral position after movement in the one direction or the other direction.

8. 2. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the locking / unlocking means is a double lock mechanism, and a normal locking / unlocking means for switching between the locked state and the unlocked state is provided separately.

Images