Door lock device

Abstract

To provide a door lock device capable of realizing further miniaturization.SOLUTION: The door lock device 10 includes the latch 24 that is rotatable about the R direction orthogonal to the entering direction of the striker S and engages with the striker S, the top cover R1 that supports the latch shaft 30 on the 20a side, the lever latch 26 provided integrally with the latch 24, and the pressing portion 58bc that is driven by the motor 54 and rotates about the drive shaft 56 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The lever latch 26 is located on the R2 side from the top cover side 20a, and the pressing portion side 58bc presses and drives the lever latch 26 on the R2 side from the top cover side 20a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a door lock device provided in a vehicle door. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART A door lock device is known that is provided on a back door of a vehicle, and that engages with a striker to move a latch that is in a half-latched position to a full-latched position by the action of a motor (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5828173 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The door lock device in Patent Document 1 is structured so that the drive pin of the sector gear, which transmits the output from the motor, comes into contact with the latch pin of the latch, moving the latch to the fully latched position. However, there are many layout constraints due to the contact position between the drive pin, which protrudes in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the latch pin, which protrudes in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle, as well as the operating range of both, making it difficult to reduce the size by bringing the drive part and the meshing part closer together.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a door lock device that can be made even more compact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the door lock device of the present invention is a door lock device provided on a vehicle door, comprising: a latch that is rotatable about a latch axis direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion of a striker of a vehicle body and engages with the striker, a top cover that supports a latch axis that serves as the rotation center of the latch above along the latch axis direction, a lever latch that is provided integrally with the latch, and a pressing portion that is driven by a motor and rotates about a drive axis in the direction of insertion of the striker, the lever latch being located below the top cover along the latch axis direction, and the pressing portion pressingly drives the lever latch below the top cover along the latch axis direction. As a result, the operation of the lever latch and the pressing portion is completed below the top cover, which allows the drive portion to be located closer to the latch, thereby reducing the vertical dimension and achieving further miniaturization.

[0007] The locking mechanism may have an engagement portion including the latch, the lever latch, and a ratchet that holds the latch in an engaged state with the striker, and a drive portion including the motor and a sector gear that is provided with the pressing portion and is driven to rotate around the drive shaft by the motor, and the drive portion and the engagement portion may be L-shaped or obtuse-angle L-shaped.

[0008] The latch mechanism may include a ratchet that is rotatable around a ratchet shaft that is parallel to the latch shaft and that maintains the engagement state between the striker and the latch, and a bottom cover that supports the latch shaft and the ratchet shaft on a lower side along the latch shaft direction, the top cover supports the ratchet shaft on an upper side along the latch shaft direction, and the latch and the ratchet are disposed between the top cover and the bottom cover.

[0009] The top cover and the bottom cover may be fastened together to the door.

[0010] The lever latch may have a lever portion whose tip protrudes outward from the outer edge of the latch when viewed from the latch axis direction, and whose tip is pressed and driven by the pressing portion, and at least a portion of the lever portion may always overlap with the top cover when viewed from the direction along the latch axis direction.

[0011] The operating range of the pressing portion when pressing and driving the lever latch may be set to a range below the drive shaft and spanning a vertical reference line passing through the drive shaft.

[0012] The drive unit may have an emergency operating unit that is manually operated to release the engagement between the latch and the striker, and may be covered with a resin housing excluding the emergency operating unit.

[0013] Further, a door lock device according to the present invention is a door lock device provided on a vehicle door, comprising: a latch rotatable about a latch axis direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion of a striker of a vehicle body, engaging with the striker, and having an engagement recess in the latch axis direction; a lever latch provided integrally with the latch; and a pressing portion driven by a motor and rotating about a drive axis in the direction of insertion of the striker, wherein the lever latch comprises: a lever portion whose tip portion protrudes outward beyond the outer periphery of the latch as viewed in the latch axis direction, the tip portion being pressed and driven by the pressing portion, an engagement protrusion that fits into the engagement recess, an annular portion into which the latch shaft fits, and a pillar portion extending in the latch axis direction and connecting the engagement protrusion and the lever portion. This reduces the power required for the motor, making it possible to reduce the motor's size and achieving even greater overall size.

[0014] The engagement recess may be a notch formed on the outer periphery of the latch.

[0015] The latch and the lever latch may be made of metal, and the engaging recess may have the metal material exposed on the surface on the side where the engaging protrusion applies a pressing force when the lever latch is pressed and driven by the pressing portion, and the opposite surface may be covered with a resin material.

[0016] The lever portion may extend along a plane perpendicular to the latch axis direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the door lock device of the present invention, further miniaturization can be achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a door lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a vehicle in which the door lock device is provided, as viewed in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the door lock device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the door lock device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the meshing portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the latch, the lever latch, and the latch shaft. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the latch and the lever latch as viewed from the R direction. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a front view of the drive unit and part of the mechanism of the meshing unit with the cover removed, where (a) shows the state before the striker has entered, and (b) shows the fully latched state. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the operation of the meshing portion due to the action of the pressing portion, in which (a) is the state before the striker enters the retention notch, (b) is the state in which the striker enters the retention notch and becomes half-latched, (c) is the state in which the pressing portion begins to come into contact with the sliding surface of the lever portion, and (d) is the fully latched state. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a meshing portion according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A door lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a door locking device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a vehicle 100 in which the door locking device 10 is installed, as viewed in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the door locking device 10. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the door locking device 10. The door locking device 10 is provided at the lower end of a back door 102 of the vehicle 100, such as a minivan. The back door 102 opens and closes along an arc-shaped arrow A1, with a hinge 102a at the upper end as a reference. The back door 102 is, for example, a power back door.

[0021] The door lock device 10 has an obtuse-angle L-shape when viewed in the vehicle width direction. The meshing portion 12 projects forward or diagonally downward from the L-shaped bend, and the drive unit 14 projects upward or diagonally upward. The meshing portion 12 is a portion that engages with the striker S of the vehicle 100. The meshing portion 12 and the drive unit 14 may be L-shaped without an obtuse angle. The meshing portion 12 corresponds to the short side of the L-shape, and the drive unit 14 corresponds to the long side. In other words, because the drive unit 14 is shaped to stand upright relative to the meshing portion 12, the drive unit 14 does not significantly affect the longitudinal dimension of the vehicle. This reduces the overall longitudinal dimension of the vehicle, improving vehicle layout flexibility. The meshing portion 12 is disposed approximately tangential to the arc arrow A1. The meshing portion 12 and the drive unit 14 are each configured as separable units (see FIG. 3), but they may also be integrally constructed.

[0022] In the present application, directions are defined based on the vehicle installation state of the door lock device 10 as shown in FIG. 1, and directions are indicated by appropriate arrows in each figure. The left-right direction is also referred to as the vehicle width direction. The left and right are based on the state when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Although the installation state of the door lock device 10 differs depending on the vehicle model, for convenience of explanation, the drive unit 14 is assumed to extend in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the extension direction of the latch shaft 30 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, is defined as the R direction, with the upper side along the R direction being the R1 side and the lower side being the R2 side. The R direction is a direction perpendicular to the relative insertion direction of the striker S with respect to the door lock device 10, and is generally the direction from the meshing portion 12 toward the hinge 102a.

[0023] 4 is an exploded perspective view of the interlocking portion 12. The interlocking portion 12 has an interlocking mechanism 18 provided on a resin-molded base material 16, and is covered on the R1 side with a top plate 20 and on the R2 side with a bottom plate 22. The top plate 20 and the bottom plate 22 are made by processing metal plates.

[0024] The engagement mechanism 18 includes a latch 24 that is rotatable around the R direction and engages with the striker S, a lever latch 26 that is integrally provided on the R1 side of the latch 24, and a ratchet 28 that is rotatable around the R direction and holds the latch 24 in an engaged state with the striker S.

[0025] The latch 24 is pivotally supported on a latch shaft 30, which serves as the center of rotation, and is elastically biased counterclockwise by a torsion spring 32 provided around the latch shaft 30. The latch 24 has a retaining notch 24a that retains the striker S, a full latch engagement portion 24b, a half latch engagement portion 24c, a cam 24d, and an engagement recess 24e. The full latch engagement portion 24b is a protrusion on the clockwise side of the retaining notch 24a. The half latch engagement portion 24c is formed in a position slightly more clockwise than the full latch engagement portion 24b. The cam 24d is formed in a position even more clockwise than the half latch engagement portion 24c. The cam 24d is an arc-shaped wall that operates switches 25a and 25b (see FIG. 6).

[0026] For reasons of layout and cable routing convenience, the switches 25a and 25b are provided behind the latch 24. The cam 24d is necessarily provided on the opposite side of the retaining notch 24a because it must be provided at a position that avoids the retaining notch 24a, the full latch engagement portion 24b, and the half latch engagement portion 24c, and because it must functionally face the switches 25a and 25b.

[0027] The engaging recess 24e is a portion into which an engaging protrusion 44, which will be described later, fits in the R2 direction to engage. In this embodiment, the engaging recess 24e is a rectangular notch formed on the outer periphery of the latch 24, but it may also be a hole-shaped recess as long as it is recessed in the R2 direction.

[0028] The ratchet 28 is pivotally supported on a ratchet shaft 34, which serves as the center of rotation, and is elastically biased clockwise by a torsion spring 36 disposed around the ratchet shaft 34. The ratchet 28 has an engagement pawl 28a and a ratchet pole 28b. The ratchet pole 28b is disposed between the ratchet shaft 34 and the engagement pawl 28a and stands facing the R1 side. The latch shaft 30 and the ratchet shaft 34 are axes in the R direction.

[0029] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the latch 24, lever latch 26, and latch shaft 30. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the latch 24 and lever latch 26 as viewed from the R direction. The lever latch 26 is made of metal and has a lever portion 38, a pillar portion 40, an annular portion 42, and an engaging protrusion 44. The annular portion 42 is the portion into which the latch shaft 30 fits and abuts against the R1 side surface of the latch 24. The lever portion 38 extends along a plane perpendicular to the R direction at a position offset from the latch shaft 30. In this embodiment, the lever portion 38 extends in a direction A3 that is approximately perpendicular to a radial direction A2 relative to the latch 24, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0030] When the striker S is not inserted into the door lock device 10 (see FIG. 8(a)), the lever portion 38 extends substantially in the vehicle width direction. The lever portion 38 becomes slightly thicker in the A3 direction, and an arc-shaped sliding surface 38a is formed from the tip end to the inner diameter side surface relative to the latch 24, and a convex rib 38b that protrudes slightly toward the R1 side is formed along the edge on the radial A2 side. The sliding surface 38a is a surface that extends along the R direction, and is pressed in the vehicle width direction by a pressing portion 58bc (see FIG. 7), which will be described later. The lever portion 38 is located on the R1 side of the annular portion 42 and on the R2 side of the top cover 20a.

[0031] The pillar portion 40 extends in the R1 direction and connects the periphery of the annular portion 42 and the engaging protrusion 44 to the end of the lever portion 38. In other words, the pillar portion 40 positions the lever portion 38 slightly offset toward the R1 side from the latch 24. The pillar portion 40 is plate-shaped, but has a curved portion 40a on the A3 side that follows the outer periphery of the annular portion 42, and a diagonal curved portion 40b on the opposite side of A3, closer to R2, that provides high strength and makes it difficult to bend in either direction. The pillar portion 40 may be integral with the annular portion 42 and have a cylindrical shape into which the latch shaft 30 fits.

[0032] The engaging protrusion 44 is a plate piece extending from the annular portion 42 bent in the R2 direction, and is designed to fit snugly into the engaging recess 24e. When the latch shaft 30 fits into the annular portion 42 and the engaging protrusion 44 engages with the engaging recess 24e, the lever latch 26 becomes unable to rotate relative to the latch 24 and is essentially integrated with the latch 24. This integration does not require fastening means such as screws, but appropriate fastening means may be used in combination as needed.

[0033] The latch 24 is covered with a thin resin mold 46 in the area indicated by the dotted area in FIG. 5. The resin mold 46 covers the counterclockwise surface 24ea within the engagement recess 24e, but the metal material is exposed on the clockwise surface 24eb. The metal material is exposed at the tip of the full latch engagement portion 24b. The resin mold 46 is made of a resin material with some elasticity. The engagement protrusion 44 is lightly press-fit into the engagement recess 24e so as to slightly compress the resin mold 46, preventing rattling. Furthermore, when the striker S is retracted, the engagement protrusion 44 drives the latch 24 clockwise, and the engagement protrusion 44 and the clockwise surface 24eb of the engagement recess 24e come into contact with each other as metal surfaces, ensuring reliable transmission of driving force and increased durability.

[0034] 6, when viewed from the R direction, the sliding surface 38a at the tip of the lever portion 38 protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the latch 24. Therefore, it is spaced a certain distance from the latch shaft 30, which increases the moment that rotates the latch 24, and the driving force of the pressing portion 58bc can be reduced accordingly.

[0035] Because the lever portion 38 is acted upon by the pressing portion 58bc, it is desirable to position it on the side of the latch 24 substantially opposite the retention notch 24a. However, due to the presence of the cam 24d and the switches 25a and 25b, it cannot be positioned directly outward from the R1 side of the latch 24. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pillar portion 40 positions the lever portion 38 slightly toward the R1 side of the latch 24 to prevent interference with the arc-shaped cam 24d or the support posts 25aa and 25ba of the switches 25a and 25b that protrude in the R1 direction. This also allows for flexibility in the layout between the lever portion 38 and the latch 24, allowing for the placement of a rubber 48 (see Figure 4). However, the height of the lever latch 26 is appropriately limited, and as described above, it is set to be on the R2 side of the top cover 20a.

[0036] Unlike a pin that protrudes in the R1 direction as in Patent Document 1, which does not receive force directly from the pressing portion, pillar portion 40 receives the moment via lever portion 38. Generally, to transmit a moment, it is desirable that the driving side and the driven side be connected at two or more points that are appropriately spaced apart, but engagement recess 24e with which engagement protrusion 44 engages is located on the outer periphery of latch 24 and is appropriately spaced from latch shaft 30, and pillar portion 40 reliably transmits the moment from lever portion 38 to latch 24 at two points, annular portion 42 and engagement protrusion 44.

[0037] The axis of the lever latch 26 is aligned with that of the latch 24 by the annular portion 42, and the angle is further positioned by the engaging protrusion 44. Because the lever portion 38 extends along a plane perpendicular to the R direction, the pressing portion 58bc presses the lever portion 38 in the plate thickness direction, which provides greater strength than a pin that protrudes in the R direction as in Patent Document 1.

[0038] Returning to Figure 4, the base member 16 is formed with shaft cylinders 16a and 16b into which the latch shaft 30 and the ratchet shaft 34 are inserted, and an entrance groove 16c for the striker S. A rubber 48 for shock absorption is provided between the latch shaft 30 and the ratchet shaft 34. The rubber 48 is fixed to the base member 16.

[0039] The top plate 20 has a top cover 20a that covers part or all of the R1 side of the base material 16, side covers 20b that cover part or all of the sides, and fixing pieces 20c provided on both ends in the vehicle width direction. Both ends of the top cover 20a in the vehicle width direction are connected to the side covers 20b via slightly inclined portions. The fixing pieces 20c form surfaces that extend approximately in the vertical and width directions, and have a bolt hole in the center so that they are fastened together with the case 50 and cover 52, which will be described later.

[0040] The top cover 20a has a first flat plate portion 20aa located toward the rear and a second flat plate portion 20ab and a third flat plate portion 20ac located toward the front. The third flat plate portion 20ac is a slightly narrow area toward the left, and the second flat plate portion 20ab is located to the right of the third flat plate portion 20ac. The boundaries between the first flat plate portion 20aa, the second flat plate portion 20ab, and the third flat plate portion 20ac are stepped. The first flat plate portion 20aa is located slightly toward R1 relative to the second flat plate portion 20ab, and the third flat plate portion 20ac is located slightly toward R2 relative to the second flat plate portion 20ab. A slightly oblong exposure hole 20d is formed between the first flat plate portion 20aa and the second flat plate portion 20ab.

[0041] The second flat plate portion 20ab is formed with a latch shaft hole 20e into which the upper part of the latch shaft 30 is inserted. The third flat plate portion 20ac is formed with a ratchet shaft hole 20f into which the upper part of the ratchet shaft 34 is inserted. The latch shaft hole 20e and the ratchet shaft hole 20f support the latch shaft 30 and the ratchet shaft 34. This support means is fixed by caulking, but it may also be a shaft support or the like.

[0042] The bottom plate 22 has a bottom cover 22a that covers part or all of the R2 side of the base material 16, side covers 22b that cover part or all of the lateral sides, fixing pieces 20c provided on both ends in the vehicle width direction, and guard arches 22d. The side cover 22b and the above-mentioned side cover 20b may partially overlap.

[0043] Both ends of the bottom cover 22a are connected to the side covers 22b. The side cover 22b is triangular, and the rearward inclined side is connected to the fixing piece 22c. The fixing piece 22c forms a surface that extends approximately in the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction, has one or more bolt holes formed therein, and is fixed to the lower end of the back door 102. The guard arch 22d is arch-shaped, with both ends connected to the ends of the bottom cover 22a and the side cover 22b, and surrounds the entrance groove 16c for the striker S.

[0044] The bottom cover 22a is formed with a latch shaft hole 22e into which the lower portion of the latch shaft 30 is inserted, a ratchet shaft hole 22f into which the lower portion of the ratchet shaft 34 is inserted, and a notch 22g corresponding to the insertion groove 16c. The latch shaft hole 22e and the ratchet shaft hole 22f support the latch shaft 30 and the ratchet shaft 34. This support is achieved by crimping, but a journal or other means may also be used. Thus, the engagement mechanism 18, including the latch 24, ratchet 28, and lever latch 26, is located in an engagement mechanism area 49 on the R2 side of the top cover 20a and the R1 side of the bottom cover 22a. The lever latch 26, in particular, is relatively low and limited to the R2 side of the top cover 20a. The latch shaft 30 and ratchet shaft 34 are supported at their upper and lower ends by the top cover 20a and the bottom cover 22a, ensuring strength when the striker S is retracted.

[0045] The drive unit 14 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 7. Figure 7 shows the drive unit 14 and the engagement mechanism 18 from the front with the cover 52 removed. (a) shows the state before the striker S is inserted, and (b) shows the fully latched state. The drive unit 14 has various mechanisms housed in a rear case (plastic housing) 50, and the front is covered by a cover (plastic housing) 52. The cover 52 also covers a portion of the engagement unit 12. The lower end of the cover 52 forms a protruding portion 52a facing forward, which covers almost the entire top surface of the engagement unit 12. The protruding portion 52a covers at least the upper portions of the switches 25a and 25b within the engagement unit 12, preventing water from getting into the switches 25a and 25b. The left side of the cover 52 exposes an emergency operation unit 62c (described later) that can be manually operated left and right (including by a driver, etc.). The exposed portion of the emergency operating unit 62c is covered with a canopy 52b extending from the top to the sides to prevent water from getting in from above. In this way, the drive unit 14 is covered with the case 50 and cover 52 except for the exposed portion of the emergency operating unit 62c and the underside, preventing water from getting in to the internal electrical components, etc. The case 50 and cover 52 are made of a lightweight resin material.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 7 , the drive unit 14 includes a motor 54 mounted above, a sector gear 58 rotatable around a drive shaft 56 located approximately in the center, a reduction gear mechanism 60, and a lever opener 62. The motor 54 is positioned horizontally and has a cylindrical main body 54a and a rotary shaft 54b protruding to the right. A worm 54c is attached to the rotary shaft 54b. The drive shaft 56 is a longitudinal axis located slightly above the meshing portion 12. The sector gear 58 is driven by the motor 54 to rotate around the drive shaft 56. The sector gear 58 has a toothed portion 58a extending approximately 90 degrees and a pressing lever 58b located on the opposite side of the toothed portion 58a. The pressing lever 58b has a bent portion 58ba extending forward near the drive shaft 56, an extension portion 58bb that is further bent away from the drive shaft 56, and a pressing portion 58bc that is further bent forward from the extension portion 58bb. The pressing portion 58bc is a surface that is slightly inclined in the radial direction based on the drive shaft 56. As described above, the lever portion 38 protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the latch 24, and is therefore closer to the sector gear 58. This allows the pressing lever 58b to be shorter, and its strength is improved.

[0047] The reduction mechanism 60, which reduces the rotation of the motor 54 in two stages and transmits it to the sector gear 58, includes a first gear 60a and a second gear 60b. The first gear 60a meshes with the worm 54c and the second gear 60b, and the second gear 60b meshes with the first gear 60a and the toothed portion 58a. The lever open 62 is located to the left and extends vertically around an axis 62a at approximately the center height. An open operation part 62b is formed at the lower end, and an emergency operation part 62c is formed at the upper end. The lever open 62 is biased counterclockwise by a torsion spring 62d. The end of the emergency operation part 62c is bent forward (see Figure 2).

[0048] 8A and 8B are diagrams showing the operation of the meshing portion 12 due to the action of the pressing portion 58bc, in which (a) is the state before the striker S enters the retention notch 24a, (b) is the state in which the striker S enters the retention notch 24a and becomes half-latched, (c) is the state in which the pressing portion 58bc begins to come into contact with the sliding surface 38a of the lever portion 38, and (d) is the fully latched state. In Fig. 8, the top cover 20a is shown by imaginary lines.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8(a), before the striker S enters the retaining notch 24a, the retaining notch 24a opens substantially forward, and the lever portion 38 faces substantially leftward. In addition, the pressing portion 58bc is located diagonally downward and leftward relative to the drive shaft 56 (see also Figure 7(a)).

[0050] As shown in Figure 8(b), in the half-latched state where the striker S has entered the retaining notch 24a, the latch 24 rotates slightly clockwise, and the engaging claw 28a of the ratchet 28 engages with the half-latch engaging portion 24c, maintaining the half-latched state. At this time, the ECU detects the half-latched state from the switch signal and drives the motor 54 to rotate the sector gear 58 counterclockwise. The lever portion 38 faces diagonally rearward to the left, and the sliding surface 38a is located slightly left of the vertical reference line V (see Figure 7) that passes through the drive shaft 56.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 8(c), when the sector gear 58 rotates, the pressing portion 58bc comes into contact with the sliding contact surface 38a of the lever portion 38 and begins to press the lever portion 38 to the right in the vehicle width direction while sliding against the sliding contact surface 38a.

[0052] As shown in Figures 8(d) and 7(b), when the sector gear 58 rotates further, the opening direction of the retention notch 24a becomes slightly diagonally rearward and leftward, and the engagement claw 28a of the ratchet 28 engages with the full-latch engagement portion 24b, maintaining the full-latch state. At this time, the ECU detects the full-latch state from the switch signal and drives the motor 54 in the opposite direction to return the sector gear 58 to the position shown in Figure 8(a). In addition, the lever portion 38 faces substantially rearward, and the sliding surface 38a moves slightly right of the vertical reference line V (see Figure 7) that passes through the drive shaft 56.

[0053] That is, the operating range of the pressing portion 58bc when pressing and driving the lever portion 38 is set to a range below the drive shaft 56 and spanning the vertical reference line V passing through the drive shaft 56, so that the amount of displacement of the pressing portion 58bc in the vehicle up-down direction during the closing operation is small, but it displaces greatly in the vehicle width direction, ensuring a large range of sliding displacement against the sliding surface 38a of the lever portion 38. In particular, the sliding surface 38a protrudes from the outer periphery of the latch 24, and a certain amount of displacement is required to rotate the latch 24 by a predetermined angle, but the necessary amount of displacement can be ensured by configuring the pressing portion 58bc to straddle the reference line V. Furthermore, by reducing the amount of displacement in the vehicle up-down direction, the pressing portion 58bc that comes into contact with the plate width of the lever latch 26 can be made smaller.

[0054] 8(a) to 8(d), when viewed from the direction R, at least a portion of the lever portion 38 always overlaps with the top cover 20a. This makes it possible to prevent the lever latch 26 from tilting or deforming when the striker S is retracted. If the lever latch 26 were to tilt, only the ridge 38b (see FIG. 5) would come into contact with the top cover 20a, reducing the contact area and reducing frictional resistance.

[0055] When releasing the latch, the sector gear 58 rotates clockwise under the action of the motor 54, and the pressing portion 58bc presses and drives the ratchet pole 28b of the ratchet 28 via the lever open 62, thereby disengaging the engaging claw 28a from the full latch engaging portion 24b. Also, by operating the emergency operating portion 62c, the unlatched state can be manually established even when the motor 54 is out of control.

[0056] 9 is a perspective view of the interlocking portion 12A according to a modified example. The top plate 20A in the interlocking portion 12A has fixing pieces 20g on the left and right sides in addition to the fixing pieces 20c of the top plate 20 described above. The fixing pieces 20g have the same shape as the fixing pieces 22c of the bottom plate 22, are adapted to overlap with the fixing pieces 22c, and have similar bolt holes formed therein. The top plate 20 including the top cover 20a and the bottom plate 22 including the bottom cover 22a are fastened together to the back door 102 by the fixing pieces 20g and 22c, improving the fixing strength.

[0057] In the door lock device 10 according to this embodiment, the lever latch 26 is located on the R2 side of the top cover 20a, and the pressing portion 58bc is located on the R2 side of the top cover 20a to press and drive the lever latch 26. In other words, the operation of the lever latch 26 and the pressing portion 58bc is completed on the R2 side of the top cover 20a, and the drive portion 14 can be disposed on the R2 side and below, which reduces the vertical dimension and allows for further miniaturization.

[0058] Furthermore, the lever portion 38 of the lever latch 26 has a sliding contact surface 38a at its tip that protrudes radially outward beyond the outer periphery of the latch 24, and the sliding contact surface 38a is pressed and driven in the vehicle width direction by the pressing portion 58bc at a position away from the latch shaft 30, thereby reducing the driving force of the pressing portion 58bc. This reduces the power required for the motor 54, making the motor 54 more compact and achieving a further reduction in overall size. The door lock device 10 is also lightweight due to its smaller size, making it particularly suitable for a power back door. The present invention is not limited to the back door 102, but can also be applied to vehicle side doors, sliding doors, etc.

[0059] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can of course be freely modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10 Door lock device 12,12A meshing part 14 Drive unit 16 Base material 18 Meshing mechanism 20,20A Top Plate 20a Top cover 20g,22c fixed piece 22 Bottom plate 22a Bottom cover 24 Latch 24a Retaining notch 24e Engagement recess 26 Lever latch 28 Ratchet 30 Latch shaft 34 Ratchet shaft 38 Lever part 38a Sliding surface 40 Pillar section 42 Annular section 44 Engagement protrusion 46 Resin mold 50 Case (plastic housing) 52 Cover (plastic housing) 54 Motor 56 Drive shaft 58 Sector Gear 58b Press lever 58bc Pressing part 62 Lever Open S Striker V reference line

Claims

1. A door lock device provided on a vehicle door, a latch that is rotatable about a latch axis perpendicular to the direction of entry of the striker of the vehicle body and engages with the striker; a top cover that supports a latch shaft, which is a rotation center of the latch, on an upper side along the latch shaft direction; a lever latch integrally provided with the latch; a pressing portion that is driven by a motor and rotates around a drive shaft in the direction in which the striker advances; and the lever latch is located below the top cover in the latch axis direction, The pressing portion presses and drives the lever latch below the top cover along the latch axis. A door lock device characterized by:

2. a mating portion including the latch, the lever latch, and a ratchet that holds the latch in engagement with the striker; a drive unit including a sector gear provided with the motor and the pressing portion and rotated around the drive shaft by the motor; and The driving portion and the meshing portion are L-shaped or obtuse-angled L-shaped.

2. The door lock device according to claim 1.

3. a ratchet that is rotatable about a ratchet shaft that is parallel to the latch shaft and that maintains an engaged state between the striker and the latch; a bottom cover that supports the latch shaft and the ratchet shaft from below along the latch axis; The top cover supports the ratchet shaft from above along the latch axial direction, The latch and the ratchet are disposed between the top cover and the bottom cover.

2. The door lock device according to claim 1.

4. The top cover and the bottom cover are fastened together to the door.

4. The door lock device according to claim 3.

5. the lever latch has a lever portion whose tip portion protrudes outward from an outer circumferential edge of the latch as viewed in the latch axial direction, and whose tip portion is pressed and driven by the pressing portion, When viewed in the direction along the latch axis, at least a portion of the lever portion always overlaps with the top cover.

4. The door lock device according to claim 3.

6. The operating range of the pressing portion when pressing and driving the lever latch is set to a range below the drive shaft and spanning a vertical reference line passing through the drive shaft.

2. The door lock device according to claim 1.

7. The drive unit has an emergency operating unit that is manually operated to release the engagement between the latch and the striker, and is covered with a resin housing except for the emergency operating unit.

3. The door lock device according to claim 2.

8. A door lock device provided on a vehicle door, a latch that is rotatable about a latch axis direction perpendicular to the direction of entry of the striker of the vehicle body, engages with the striker, and has an engaging recess in the latch axis direction; a lever latch integrally provided with the latch; a pressing portion that is driven by a motor and rotates around a drive shaft in the direction in which the striker advances; and The lever latch is a lever portion having a tip portion that protrudes outward from an outer circumferential edge of the latch as viewed in the latch axial direction, the tip portion being pressed and driven by the pressing portion; an engaging protrusion that fits into the engaging recess; an annular portion into which the latch shaft is fitted; a pillar portion extending in the latch axial direction and connecting the engaging protrusion and the lever portion; Equipped with A door lock device characterized by:

9. The engagement recess is a notch formed on the outer periphery of the latch.

9. The door lock device according to claim 8.

10. the latch and the lever latch are made of metal; The engaging recess has a metal material exposed on a surface on the side to which the engaging protrusion applies a pressing force when the lever latch is pressed and driven by the pressing portion, and an opposite surface covered with a resin material.

9. The door lock device according to claim 8.

11. The lever portion extends along a plane perpendicular to the latch axis direction.

9. The door lock device according to claim 8.

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