Door handle device for vehicle

Abstract

To reduce the number of parts of a door handle device for a vehicle.SOLUTION: An inertia lever 10a of a door handle device 15a for vehicles includes a lever body part 20, a first shaft part 31a formed integrally with the lever body part 20 and projecting from the lever body part 20 in a predetermined direction, and a second shaft part 32 formed integrally with the lever body part 20, coaxial with the first shaft part 31a, and projecting from the lever body part 20 in the predetermined direction. The first shaft portion 31a is inserted into a first shaft hole 431a provided in the frame side 11a, and the second shaft portion 32 is inserted into a second shaft hole 441 provided in the frame side 11a, so that the inertia lever 15a is rotatably supported with respect to the frame side 11a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, vehicle door handle devices are known that are configured to prevent the accidental opening of a vehicle door when an inertial force in a predetermined direction is applied to the door handle due to a side collision or the like. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle door handle device that includes a door lock device (referred to as a lock device in Patent Document 1) that can be switched between a latched state that does not allow the vehicle door to open and an unlatched state that does, and a linking mechanism that operates to switch the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state in conjunction with the movement of the door handle from its initial position to its operating position. Furthermore, the vehicle door handle device disclosed in Patent Document 1 also includes an inertia lever that restricts the operation of the linking mechanism when an inertial force in a predetermined direction is applied to the door handle. According to the vehicle door handle device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when an inertial force that moves the vehicle door handle from its initial position to its operating position is applied due to a side collision or the like, the operation of the linking mechanism is restricted, thereby preventing the door lock device from switching from the latched state to the unlatched state.

[0003] The inertia lever of the vehicle door handle device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is rotatably supported relative to the frame of the vehicle door handle device by a metal rotating shaft (metal pin) that is a separate member from the inertia lever. Specifically, the rotating shaft is inserted into the inertia lever, and a protruding lower support shaft provided on the frame is fitted into the lower end of the rotating shaft. Furthermore, a protruding upper support shaft provided on the frame is fitted into a rotation support hole provided in the inertia lever. With this configuration, a metal rotating shaft that is a separate member from the inertia lever is required to rotatably support the inertia lever relative to the frame, which increases the number of parts of the vehicle door handle device and, as a result, increases the parts cost. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-101408 Summary of the Invention

[0005] (Problem to be solved by the invention) In view of the above circumstances, one object of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts in a door handle device for a vehicle that is equipped with an inertia lever.

[0006] (Means for solving the problem) A door handle device for a vehicle according to the present invention is A door handle device for a vehicle has a handle attached to a frame so as to be movable from an initial position to an operating position, and a door lock device provided on a vehicle door can be transitioned from a latched state that does not allow opening of the vehicle door to an unlatched state that allows opening of the vehicle door in conjunction with movement of the handle from the initial position to the operating position, an inertia lever rotatably attached to the frame and capable of rotating relative to the frame to move between a non-restricted position where the door lock device does not prevent the latched state from being switched to the unlatched state in conjunction with movement of the handle from the initial position to the operating position, and a restricted position where the door lock device prevents the latched state from being switched to the unlatched state; the inertia lever is elastically biased toward the non-restricted position by the biasing force of a biasing member, and is configured to move from the non-restricted position to the restricted position when it receives an inertial force in a predetermined direction; the inertia lever comprises a main body portion, a first shaft portion formed integrally with the main body portion and projecting from the main body portion in a first direction, and a second shaft portion formed integrally with the main body portion and coaxial with the first shaft portion and projecting from the main body portion in the first direction, the frame is provided with a first shaft hole into which the first shaft portion can be inserted and a second shaft hole into which the second shaft portion can be inserted, the first shaft hole and the second shaft hole being coaxial with each other; The first shaft portion is inserted into the first shaft hole, and the second shaft portion is inserted into the second shaft hole, so that the inertia lever is rotatably supported relative to the frame.

[0007] According to the present invention, the inertia lever is rotatably supported on the frame via the first and second shafts that are integrally formed. Therefore, a separate member (rotation shaft) is not required to rotatably support the inertia lever relative to the frame, which reduces the number of parts in the vehicle door handle device and therefore reduces the cost of parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle door to which a door handle device is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a main part of the door handle device. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a partial enlarged view of the inertia lever. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a partial enlarged view of the inertia lever. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing an assembly structure of the inertia lever to the frame. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the assembly structure of the inertia lever to the frame. [Figure 4C] FIG. 4C is a perspective view showing the assembly structure of the inertia lever to the frame. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the assembly structure of the inertia lever to the frame. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of a door handle device for a vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 6A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, a door handle device for a vehicle may be simply referred to as a "door handle device." In addition, in the following description, the directions of the door handle device and its constituent members are based on the directions of the vehicle. In each drawing, the front side of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow Fr, the rear side is indicated by an arrow Rr, the inside in the vehicle width direction (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the inside side of the vehicle) is indicated by an arrow In, the outside in the vehicle width direction (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the outside side of the vehicle) is indicated by an arrow Out, the upper side is indicated by an arrow Up, and the lower side is indicated by an arrow Dw. Note that the up-down direction is an example of a first direction in the present invention, and the vehicle width direction is an example of a second direction in the present invention.

[0010] First Embodiment (General structure of vehicle door) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle door 90. The vehicle door 90 is supported rotatably about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction relative to a vehicle body (not shown), and is capable of opening and closing an opening formed in the side of the vehicle body. The vehicle door 90 includes a door main body 91 constituting its lower half and a door sash 92 constituting its upper half. The door main body 91 includes a metal outer panel 911 that forms the surface of the door main body 91 facing the vehicle exterior, a metal inner panel (not shown) that is disposed on the vehicle interior side of the outer panel 911, and a resin trim (not shown) that forms the surface of the door main body 91 facing the vehicle interior.

[0011] A door handle device 10a is attached to the outer panel 911. A door lock device 93 is disposed inside the door main body 91 (the space surrounded by the outer panel 911 and the inner panel). The door lock device 93 is configured to be switchable between a latched state that does not allow the vehicle door 90 to be opened when the vehicle door 90 is closed, and an unlatched state that allows the vehicle door 90 to be opened. The configuration of the door lock device 93 is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known configuration can be applied.

[0012] (Schematic configuration of door handle device) 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the frame 11a and inertia lever 15a of the door handle device 10a. As shown in this figure, the door handle device 10a includes the frame 11a, an outside door handle 12 (omitted in FIG. 2, see FIG. 1), a handle support arm 13, a linkage mechanism (not shown), the inertia lever 15a, an inertia lever biasing member (not shown), and a protective cover 17.

[0013] The frame 11a is a resin member and has a shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction. The middle portion of the frame 11a in the front-to-rear direction includes an outer plate portion 40, an upper plate portion 41, and a lower plate portion 42. The outer plate portion 40 is a portion having a plate-like configuration that extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. The surface of the outer plate portion 40 facing the vehicle interior may be referred to as a facing surface 401. The facing surface 401 is a surface that faces the inertia lever 15a. The upper plate portion 41 is a portion that extends from the upper edge portion (upper side) of the outer plate portion 40 toward the vehicle interior, and has a plate-like configuration that extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the up-down direction. The lower plate portion 42 is a portion that extends from the lower edge portion (lower side) of the outer plate portion 40 toward the vehicle interior, and has a plate-like configuration that extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the up-down direction.

[0014] The pair of upper and lower handle support arms 13 are members that rotatably connect the outside door handle 12 to the frame 11a. The pair of upper and lower handle support arms 13 are rotatably supported on the front end of the frame 11a. Specifically, each of the pair of upper and lower handle support arms 13 is connected to the frame 11a via a rotation shaft extending in the vertical direction. The front end of the outside door handle 12 is connected to the pair of upper and lower handle support arms 13. Therefore, the outside door handle 12 can rotate about its front end relative to the frame 11a (i.e., relative to the vehicle door 90). The outside door handle 12 can move between an initial position and an operating position by rotating relative to the frame 11a. The initial position of the outside door handle 12 is the position where the rear portion of the outside door handle 12 is closest to the frame 11a. The operating position of the outside door handle 12 is the position where the rear portion of the outside door handle 12 is located further outward from the vehicle than the initial position. The user can move the outside door handle 12 from the initial position to the operating position by pulling the outside door handle 12 outward from the vehicle.

[0015] The linking mechanism is disposed at the rear (near the rear end) of the frame 11a. The linking mechanism is linked to the outside door handle 12 and the door locking device 93, and operates to transition the door locking device 93 from a latched state to an unlatched state in conjunction with the movement of the outside door handle 12 from the initial position to the operating position.

[0016] The inertia lever 15a is disposed in front of the linkage mechanism, on the vehicle interior side of the opposing surface 401 of the outer plate portion 40 of the frame 11a. The inertia lever 15a is configured to restrict the operation of the linkage mechanism when an inertial force in a predetermined direction is applied to the door handle device 10a. The inertia lever 15a includes a lever main body 20, a first arm 21 extending rearward from the lever main body 20, and a second arm 22 extending forward from the lever main body 20. A stopper (not shown) is provided at the distal end (rear end) of the first arm 21. A metal counterweight (not shown) is attached to the distal end (front end) of the second arm 22. The inertia lever 15a is supported on the frame 11a so as to be rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the up-down direction. The inertia lever 15a can rotate relative to the frame 11a such that the stopper and the counterweight move in opposite directions substantially in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] The inertia lever 15a can move between a non-restricted position and a restricted position by rotating relative to the frame 11a. The non-restricted position of the inertia lever 15a is a position that allows operation of the linkage mechanism, specifically, a position where the counterweight is located at the inner end of the movable range and the stopper is located at the outer end of the movable range. The restricted position of the inertia lever 15a is a position that restricts operation of the linkage mechanism, specifically, a position where the counterweight is located at the outer end of the movable range and the stopper is located at the inner end of the movable range. In this way, by moving from the non-restricted position to the restricted position (by being located at the restricted position), the inertia lever 15a restricts the "operation of the linkage mechanism to switch the door lock device 93 from the latched state to the unlatched state." The configuration of the inertia lever 15a will be described in detail later.

[0018] The protective cover 17 is a substantially plate-shaped member and is attached to the frame 11a on the vehicle interior side, and covers the inertia lever 15a from the vehicle interior side.

[0019] The configurations of the outside door handle 12, the handle support arm 13, and the linkage mechanism are not particularly limited, and various conventionally known configurations can be applied. The configuration of the inertia lever 15a for regulating the operation of the linkage mechanism is also not particularly limited, and various conventionally known configurations can be applied. For example, the configuration described in JP 2017-115469 A can be applied to these configurations.

[0020] (Configuration of inertia lever) 3A and 3B are perspective views of the main parts of the inertia lever 15a. Note that FIG. 3A is a view from the outside of the vehicle, and FIG. 3B is a view from the inside of the vehicle. As shown in these figures, the inertia lever 15a includes a lever main body 20, a first arm 21, and a second arm 22. The inertia lever 15a is a resin member, and each of the above parts is integrally formed from a resin material.

[0021] The lever body 20 is provided with an opening 30, a first shaft 31a, a second shaft 32, a biasing member attachment portion 33, and two retaining portions 34. Each of these portions is provided integrally with the lever body 20.

[0022] The opening 30 is a through-hole that penetrates in the vehicle width direction and is provided in the upper part of the lever main body 20. In this embodiment, the opening 30 has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in the vehicle width direction. A ceiling surface 301 (a surface located at the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the opening 30 and facing downward) and a bottom surface 302 (a surface located at the lower end of the opening 30 and facing upward) of the opening 30 are substantially flat surfaces extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the up-down direction, and are spaced apart from and face each other at a predetermined distance in the up-down direction. The ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30 is an example of a first surface of the present invention, and the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30 is an example of a second surface of the present invention. Note that, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the opening 30 is a through-hole that penetrates in the vehicle width direction. However, the opening 30 may also be a bottomed hole that is open on the exterior side and closed on the interior side (in other words, a recess that is open on the exterior side). In short, the opening 30 is only required to be configured so that at least the exterior side is open.

[0023] The first shaft portion 31a is a portion configured to be insertable into a first shaft hole 431a of the frame 11a, which will be described later. The first shaft portion 31a has a round bar-like configuration (which can also be called a boss-like configuration) that protrudes downward from the ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30. The tip end (lower end) of the first shaft portion 31a is preferably subjected to R-chamfering or C-chamfering. Furthermore, so that the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a can be interposed between the tip end surface (lower end surface) of the first shaft portion 31a and the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30, the distance between the tip end surface of the first shaft portion 31a and the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30 is greater than the thickness (vertical dimension) of the first support portion 43a.

[0024] The two retaining portions 34 are portions for preventing the inertia lever 15a attached to the frame 11a from falling off from the frame 11a. When viewed in the vertical direction (the vertical view is an example of a first direction view of the present invention), the two retaining portions 34 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, sandwiching a straight line that passes through the center of the first shaft portion 31a and is generally parallel to the vehicle width direction. The two retaining portions 34 have a mirror-symmetrical configuration with respect to a plane that includes the straight line and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction. The two retaining portions 34 have a rod-like configuration that protrudes from near the end of the inertia lever 15a on the vehicle interior side toward the vehicle exterior side. Furthermore, a locking portion 341 is provided at the tip of each of the two retaining portions 34. The locking portion 341 has a protruding (or hook-like) configuration that protrudes toward the other retaining portion 34.

[0025] The distance (front-to-back distance) between the opposing surfaces of the two retaining portions 34, excluding the locking portions 341, is approximately the same as or larger than the front-to-back dimension of the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a. Meanwhile, the distance between the locking portions 341 is smaller than the front-to-back dimension of the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a. The two retaining portions 34 are elastically deformable so that the distance between the locking portions 341 is larger than the front-to-back dimension of the first support portion 43a. Furthermore, the distance between the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 34 and the ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30 is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the thickness (vertical dimension) of the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a, so that the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a can be interposed between the two retaining portions 34 and the ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30. On the other hand, the distance between the lower surfaces of the two anti-slip portions 34 and the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30 is smaller than the thickness (vertical dimension) of the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a so that the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a cannot be inserted between the two anti-slip portions 34 and the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30.

[0026] Furthermore, the two retaining portions 34 (and the locking portions 341 provided thereon) have guide surfaces 342 at their outer ends. The two guide surfaces 342 are inclined surfaces that gradually increase in distance (or increase in the distance in the front-to-rear direction) toward the outer side of the vehicle when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0027] The vertical position of the tip end surface (lower end surface) of the first shank 31a is substantially the same as the vertical position of the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 34 (surfaces facing the ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30). The tip end surface of the first shank 31a may be located higher than the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 34. In this case, the vertical distance between the tip end surface of the first shank 31a and the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 34 is smaller than the thickness (vertical dimension) of a first support portion 43a (described later). The tip end surface of the first shank 31a may be located lower than the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 34. In this case, the tip end surface of the first shank 31a is located between the upper and lower surfaces of the two retaining portions 34. Furthermore, the distance between the tip surface of the first shaft portion 31a and the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30 is greater than the thickness of the first support portion 43a.

[0028] The biasing member mounting portion 33 is a portion configured to be able to mount an inertia lever biasing member. The biasing member mounting portion 33 is located below the opening 30, the first shaft portion 31a, and the two retaining portions 34, and has a round bar-like configuration that protrudes downward from the lever main body 20.

[0029] The second shaft portion 32 is a portion configured to be insertable into the second shaft hole 441 of the frame 11a. The second shaft portion 32 has a round bar-like configuration that protrudes downward from the tip end surface (lower end surface) of the biasing member attachment portion 33.

[0030] The biasing member mounting portion 33, the first shaft portion 31a, and the second shaft portion 32 are arranged coaxially. The axes of the biasing member mounting portion 33, the first shaft portion 31a, and the second shaft portion 32 are substantially parallel to the up-down direction. The biasing member mounting portion 33, the first shaft portion 31a, and the second shaft portion 32 all protrude downward.

[0031] The inertia lever biasing member is a member that constantly elastically biases the inertia lever 15a toward the non-restricted position. The inertia lever biasing member is a torsion coil spring with arms at both ends. The coil-shaped portion of the inertia lever biasing member is configured to be able to be inserted into the biasing member mounting portion 33 of the inertia lever 15a.

[0032] (Frame composition) The frame 11a is provided with a first support portion 43a, a second support portion 44, and a guide portion 45.

[0033] The first support portion 43a is a portion that rotatably supports the first shaft portion 31a of the inertia lever 15a. The first support portion 43a has a plate-like configuration that extends in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and is provided so as to protrude toward the vehicle interior from a position near the upper plate portion 41 of the opposing surface 401 of the outer plate portion 40 of the frame 11a. The first support portion 43a is provided with a first shaft hole 431a into which the first shaft portion 31a of the inertia lever 15a can be inserted from above. The first shaft hole 431a is a circular hole that penetrates in the up-down direction.

[0034] The second support portion 44 is a portion that rotatably supports the second shaft portion 32 of the inertia lever 15a and is provided below the first support portion 43a. The second support portion 44 is provided on the upper surface of the lower plate portion 42 of the frame 11a and has a protrusion-like (can also be called a block-like) configuration that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the lower plate portion 42 of the frame 11a. A second shaft hole 441 is provided on the upper surface of the second support portion 44. The second shaft hole 441 is a bottomed round hole (although it may be a through hole) that is open on the upper side and is configured to be able to receive (insert) the second shaft portion 32 of the inertia lever 15a from above.

[0035] The guide portion 45 is a portion for guiding (aligning) the inertia lever 15a with respect to the frame 11a when the inertia lever 15a is attached to the frame 11a. The guide portion 45 is provided between the first support portion 43a and the second support portion 44 in the vertical direction and directly above the second support portion 44. The guide portion 45 is a portion having a flat plate-like configuration extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the vertical direction, and is provided so as to protrude from the opposing surface 401 of the outer plate portion 40 toward the vehicle interior. The guide portion 45 is provided with a guide recess 451 configured so that the biasing member mounting portion 33 of the inertia lever 15a can be inserted from the vehicle interior. The guide recess 451 is a recess (which can also be called a depression or a notch) that is open toward the vehicle interior and has an approximately U-shape when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0036] The first shaft hole 431a, the second shaft hole 441, and the outer-side end portions of the inner circumferential surfaces of the guide recess 451 are coaxial with one another. The axes of the first shaft hole 431a, the second shaft hole 441, and the outer-side end portions of the inner circumferential surfaces of the guide recess 451 are substantially parallel to the up-down direction.

[0037] In addition, the frame 11a is provided with an inertia lever holding portion (not shown). The inertia lever holding portion is configured to hold the inertia lever 15a in the restricted position by engaging with the inertia lever 15a when the inertia lever 15a moves from the non-restricted position to the restricted position. The configuration of the inertia lever holding portion is not particularly limited, and various conventionally known configurations can be applied.

[0038] (Inertia lever assembly structure) Next, the assembly of the inertia lever 15a to the frame 11a will be described. FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are perspective views showing the assembly of the inertia lever 15a to the frame 11a. First, the inertia lever biasing member is attached to the biasing member mounting portion 33 of the inertia lever 15a. Specifically, the biasing member mounting portion 33 of the inertia lever 15a is inserted into the coil-shaped portion of the inertia lever biasing member. Then, the inertia lever 15a with the attached inertia lever biasing member is attached to the frame 11a from the vehicle interior side. Specifically, the inertia lever 15a is fitted into the area surrounded by the outer plate portion 40, upper plate portion 41, and lower plate portion 42 of the frame 11a so that the lower end surface of the second shaft portion 32 is positioned above the upper surface of the second support portion 44 of the frame 11a and the two retaining portions 34 contact the second support portion 44 of the frame 11a, as shown in FIG. 4A. In addition, at this position, the lower end surface of the first shaft portion 31a is positioned above the upper surface of the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a.

[0039] In order to achieve the above-described positional relationship, the distance from the tip surface of first shaft portion 31a to the tip surface of second shaft portion 32 is approximately the same as the distance from the upper surface of first support portion 43a to the upper surface of second support portion 44. Furthermore, the distance from bottom surface 302 of opening 30 to the tip surface of second shaft portion 32 is shorter than the distance from the lower surface of first support portion 43a to the upper surface of second support portion 44.

[0040] When the inertia lever 15a is pushed toward the exterior of the vehicle in this positional relationship, the guide surfaces 342 of the two retaining portions 34 are pushed by the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a, as shown in FIG. 4B . As a result, the two retaining portions 34 are elastically bent and deformed so that the gap between the locking portions 341 increases. Therefore, the first support portion 43a enters the opening 30 of the inertia lever 15a from the exterior of the vehicle, between the two retaining portions 34. Then, when the outer peripheral surface of the biasing member mounting portion 33 of the inertia lever 15a contacts the inner peripheral surface of the guide recess 451 of the guide portion 45, the first shaft portion 31a and the second shaft portion 32 of the inertia lever 15a become coaxial with the first shaft hole 431a and the second shaft hole 441 of the frame 11a, respectively.

[0041] In this state, when the inertia lever 15a moves downward relative to the frame 11a, the first shaft portion 31a of the inertia lever 15a fits into the first shaft hole 431a of the frame 11a, and the second shaft portion 32 of the inertia lever 15a fits into the second shaft hole 441 of the frame 11a, as shown in Fig. 4C. Therefore, the inertia lever 15a is rotatably supported relative to the frame 11a.

[0042] Furthermore, when the inertia lever 15a moves downward relative to the frame 11a, the two retaining portions 34 move downward below the lower surface of the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a. Therefore, the two retaining portions 34 return to their original shapes due to their restoring force. Then, when the two retaining portions 34 return to their original shapes, as shown in FIG. 4C , the locking portions 341 of the two retaining portions 34 are positioned below the first support portion 43a of the frame 11a. That is, the locking portions 341 of the two retaining portions 34 and the first support portion 43a overlap in a vertical view. Therefore, the inertia lever 15a cannot move upward relative to the frame 11a. That is, movement of the first shaft portion 31a in the direction of coming out of the first shaft hole 431a is restricted.

[0043] When the inertia lever 15a is attached to the frame 11a, it is constantly elastically biased toward the non-restricted position by the biasing force of the inertia lever biasing member. Therefore, when no external force other than that of the inertia lever biasing member is applied to the inertia lever 15a, the biasing force of the inertia lever biasing member keeps the inertia lever 15a in the non-restricted position.

[0044] As described above, according to this embodiment, the inertia lever 15a is rotatably and non-detachably supported relative to the frame 11a via the first shaft 31a and the second shaft 32, which are integrally provided on the lever main body 20 and spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. Therefore, unlike the conventional art, a separate rotating shaft or the like is not required to rotatably attach the inertia lever 15a to the frame 11a. This allows for a reduction in the number of parts of the door handle device 10a. Furthermore, the reduction in the number of parts allows for a reduction in part costs.

[0045] Furthermore, with this configuration, even if a load is applied to the inertia lever 15a in the removal direction (upward), damage to the two retaining portions 34 due to this load is prevented or suppressed. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the retaining portions 34 and the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30. When a load is applied to the inertia lever 15a so as to move it upward, the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 34 come into contact with the lower surface of the first support portion 43a and receive a downward reaction force from the first support portion 43a. As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30 is located directly below the two retaining portions 34. Therefore, when the two retaining portions 34 are bent downward by this reaction force, they come into contact with the bottom surface 302. This prevents further deformation, thereby preventing damage to the two retaining portions 34.

[0046] In order to prevent damage to the two retaining portions 34, it is preferable that the distance from the lower surface of the retaining portion 34 to the bottom surface 302 of the opening 30 be as small as possible. Specifically, this distance is "a distance that allows the two retaining portions 34 to come into contact with the bottom surface 302 before they reach their elastic limit when they are bent downward and deformed."

[0047] Second Embodiment Next, a door handle device 10b according to a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, two retaining portions 48 are provided on the frame 11b. Fig. 6A is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the frame 11b and the inertia lever 15b of the door handle device 10b according to the second embodiment. Fig. 6B is a partial enlarged view of Fig. 6A. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and their description may be omitted.

[0048] (Configuration of inertia lever) The inertia lever 15b includes a lever body 20, a first arm 21, and a second arm 22. The inertia lever 15b is a resin member, and each of the above-mentioned parts is integrally formed from a resin material.

[0049] The lever body 20 is provided with a first shaft 31b, a second shaft 32, and a biasing member attachment portion 33. Each of these portions is provided integrally with the lever body 20.

[0050] The first shaft portion 31b is configured to be insertable into the first shaft hole 431b of the frame 11b. The first shaft portion 31b has a rod-like structure (which can also be called a boss-like structure) that protrudes upward from the top surface of the lever main body 20. The first shaft portion 31b has a flat portion 311 located near the base end (near the bottom), and a circular portion 312 located on the tip side (upper side) of the flat portion 311. The circular portion 312 is a round bar-like portion with a predetermined diameter. The flat portion 311 has a dimension in the front-rear direction that is smaller than the outer diameter of the circular portion 312.

[0051] The same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied to the configuration of the biasing member attachment portion 33 and the second shaft portion 32.

[0052] (Frame composition) The frame 11b is provided with a housing portion 46, a first support portion 43b, a second support portion 44, two retaining portions 48, and a guide portion 45.

[0053] The storage section 46 has a box-like configuration that is open to the vehicle interior side. The storage section 46 has a first support portion 43b and an upper plate portion 47. The first support portion 43b is a portion where a bottom surface 461 of the storage section 46 (a surface located at the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the storage section 46 that faces upward) is formed, and has a flat plate-like configuration that extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the up-down direction. In this embodiment, a part of the upper plate portion 41 of the frame 11b forms the first support portion 43b of the storage section 46. The upper plate portion 47 of the storage section 46 is a portion where a ceiling surface 462 of the storage section 46 (a surface located at the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the storage section 46 that faces downward) is formed, and has a flat plate-like configuration that extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the up-down direction, and is located above the first support portion 43b (the bottom surface 461 of the storage section 46). The distance between the bottom surface 461 and the ceiling surface 462 of the storage portion 46 is greater than the vertical dimension of the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b.

[0054] The first support portion 43b is provided with a first shaft hole 431b. The first shaft hole 431b includes a round hole portion 432 and a slit portion 433. The round hole portion 432 is a round hole-shaped portion that penetrates in the up-down direction. The slit portion 433 is a slit-shaped portion that communicates with the round hole portion 432 and the end surface of the first support portion 43b facing the vehicle interior. Therefore, the first shaft hole 431b can also be said to be a notch-shaped portion that opens to the vehicle interior. The round hole portion 432 of the first shaft hole 431b is configured to allow the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b to be inserted therein. Specifically, the inner diameter of the round hole portion 432 of the first shaft hole 431b is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b. On the other hand, the slit portion 433 of the first shaft hole 431b is configured so that the flat portion 311 of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b can be inserted therethrough, but the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b cannot be inserted therethrough. Specifically, the width (front-rear dimension) of the slit portion 433 of the first shaft hole 431b is approximately the same as or greater than the front-rear dimension of the flat portion 311 of the first shaft portion 31b, and is smaller than the outer diameter of the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b. For this reason, the first shaft hole 431b allows the flat portion 311 of the first shaft portion 31b to be inserted therethrough from the vehicle interior side, but does not allow the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b to be inserted therethrough from the vehicle interior side.

[0055] The two retaining portions 48 are portions for preventing the inertia lever 15b attached to the frame 11b from falling off from the frame 11b. The two retaining portions 48 are located inside the storage portion 46 (between the bottom surface 461 and the ceiling surface 462 of the storage portion 46). When viewed in the vertical direction, the two retaining portions 48 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, sandwiching a straight line that passes through the center of the round hole portion 432 of the first shaft hole 431b and is generally parallel to the vehicle width direction. The two retaining portions 48 have a mirror-symmetrical configuration with respect to a plane that includes the straight line and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction. The two retaining portions 48 have a rod-like configuration that protrudes toward the vehicle interior from the surface of the inner circumferential surface of the storage portion 46 that is located at the outer end of the vehicle and faces the vehicle interior. Furthermore, a locking portion 481 is provided at the tip end (the end on the vehicle interior side) of each of the two retaining portions 48. The locking portion 481 has a protrusion-like (or hook-like) configuration that protrudes toward the other retaining portion 48 side.

[0056] The distance between the locking portions 481 of the two retaining portions 48 in the front-to-rear direction is smaller than the outer diameter of the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b. The two retaining portions 48 are capable of elastic bending deformation so that the distance between the locking portions 481 becomes larger than the outer diameter of the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b. When the two retaining portions 48 are not elastically deformed, the locking portions 481 of the two retaining portions 48 are located inside the circular hole portion 432 of the first shaft hole 431b when viewed in the up-down direction.

[0057] Furthermore, guide surfaces 482 are provided at the vehicle interior ends of the two retaining portions 48 and the locking portions 481 provided thereon. The two guide surfaces 482 are inclined surfaces that gradually widen (or the distance between them in the front-to-rear direction increases) as they approach the vehicle interior when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0058] The distance from the bottom surface 461 of the storage section 46 to the lower surfaces of the two retaining portions 48 is smaller than the vertical dimension of the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b. It is also preferable that the distance from the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 48 to the ceiling surface 462 of the storage section 46 be as small as possible. More specifically, this distance is set to "a distance such that, when the two retaining portions 48 are deformed so as to bend upward, the two retaining portions 48 come into contact with the ceiling surface 462 before reaching their elastic limit."

[0059] The round hole portion 432 of the first shaft hole 431b, the second shaft hole 441, and the portion of the inner circumferential surface of the guide recess 451 that is located at the end on the vehicle exterior side are coaxial with one another. The configurations of the second support portion 44, the second shaft hole 441, and the guide portion 45 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0060] (Inertia lever assembly structure) Next, we will explain how to attach the inertia lever 15b to the frame 11b. The inertia lever 15b, to which the inertia lever biasing member is attached, is attached to the frame 11b from the vehicle interior side. Specifically, the inertia lever 15b is fitted into the vehicle interior side of the frame 11b at a position where the lower end surface of the second shaft portion 32 is located above the upper surface of the second support portion 44 of the frame 11b and the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b contacts the two retaining portions 48 of the frame 11b.

[0061] In order to achieve this positional relationship, the distance from the tip surface (lower end surface) of the second shaft portion 32 to the lower end of the first shaft portion 31b (in other words, the portion of the upper surface of the lever main body 20 where the first shaft portion 31b is provided) is shorter than the distance from the upper surface of the second support portion 44 of the frame 11b to the lower surface of the first support portion 43b of the storage portion 46 (the lower surface of the upper plate portion 41 of the frame 11b). Moreover, the distance from the tip surface (lower end surface) of the second shaft portion 32 to the lower end of the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b (in other words, the upper end of the flat portion 311) is longer than the distance from the upper surface of the second support portion 44 of the frame 11b to the bottom surface 461 of the storage portion 46. Furthermore, the distance from the tip surface (lower end surface) of the second shaft portion 32 of the inertia lever 15b to the tip surface (upper surface) of the first shaft portion 31b is longer than the distance from the upper surface of the second support portion 44 to the lower surfaces of the two retaining portions 48.

[0062] When the inertia lever 15b is pushed toward the vehicle exterior in this positional relationship, the flat portion 311 of the first shaft portion 31b enters the slit portion 433 of the first shaft hole 431b. Then, the first shaft portion 31b comes into contact with the guide surfaces 482 of the two retaining portions 48 and presses against the two guide surfaces 482. As a result, the two retaining portions 48 are elastically bent and deformed so as to widen the gap between the two locking portions 481. Then, when the outer peripheral surface of the biasing member mounting portion 33 of the inertia lever 15b comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the guide recess 451 of the guide portion 45, the first shaft portion 31b and the second shaft portion 32 of the inertia lever 15b become coaxial with the first shaft hole 431b and the second shaft hole 441 of the frame 11b, respectively.

[0063] In this state, when the inertia lever 15b moves downward relative to the frame 11b, the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b fits into the round hole portion 432 of the first shaft hole 431b of the frame 11b, and the second shaft portion 32 of the inertia lever 15b fits into the second shaft hole 441 of the frame 11b. Because the outer diameter of the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b is larger than the width of the slit portion 433 of the first shaft hole 431b, the first shaft portion 31b cannot move inward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b is rotatably supported relative to the frame 11b by the first support portion 43b.

[0064] Furthermore, when the inertia lever 15b moves downward relative to the frame 11b, the first shaft portion 31b moves downward below the lower surfaces of the two retaining portions 48. As a result, the two retaining portions 48 return to their original shapes due to their restoring force. When the two retaining portions 48 return to their original shapes, the locking portions 481 of the two retaining portions 48 are positioned above the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b. That is, when viewed from the up-down direction, the locking portions 481 of the two retaining portions 48 overlap with the tip surfaces of the first shaft portion 31b. This prevents the inertia lever 15b from moving upward relative to the frame 11b. That is, the inertia lever 15b is restricted from moving to a position where the first shaft portion 31b can come out of the first shaft hole 431b, specifically, a position where the flat portion 311 of the first shaft portion 31b and the slit portion 433 of the first shaft hole 431b overlap in the up-down direction.

[0065] Furthermore, with this configuration, even if a load is applied to the inertia lever 15b in the direction of removal, damage to the two retaining portions 34 of the frame 11b due to this load is prevented or suppressed. That is, when a load is applied to the inertia lever 15b so as to move it upward, the tip surface of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b contacts the lower surfaces of the two retaining portions 48 and pushes the two retaining portions 48 upward. When this force causes the tips of the two retaining portions 48 to elastically deform in a manner that moves them upward, the upper surfaces of the two retaining portions 48 contact the ceiling surface 462 of the storage portion 46 (the lower surface of the upper plate portion 47), restricting further deformation. Therefore, damage to the two retaining portions 48 is prevented.

[0066] In this way, the door handle device 10b according to the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the door handle device 10a according to the first embodiment.

[0067] <Configuration and operation of the linkage mechanism> Here, an example of the configuration and operation of the linkage mechanism will be briefly described. The linkage mechanism includes a bell crank, a bell crank biasing member, and a connecting lever.

[0068] The bell cranks can move between an initial position and an operating position by rotating relative to the frames 11a and 11b. The bell cranks move in conjunction with the operation of the outside door handle. Specifically, when the outside door handle 12 is in the initial position, the bell cranks are in the initial position, and when the outside door handle 12 is in the operating position, the bell cranks are also in the operating position. The bell cranks are constantly elastically biased toward their initial positions by the bell crank biasing member. Therefore, when no external force other than that of the bell crank biasing member is acting on the outside door handle and the bell cranks, the biasing force of the bell crank biasing member and the bell crank counterweight hold the outside door handle and the bell cranks in their initial positions.

[0069] When the bell crank is in the initial position, the coupling lever is in the initial position, and when the bell crank is in the operating position, the coupling lever is in the operating position. When the coupling lever is in the initial position, the door lock device remains in the latched state. On the other hand, when the coupling lever is moved to the operating position, the lock device becomes in the unlatched state.

[0070] When the inertia levers 15a, 15b are in the non-restricting position, the stoppers of the first arm portions 21 of the inertia levers 15a, 15b are positioned outside the path of the bell cranks as they move from the initial position to the operating position. Therefore, when the inertia levers 15a, 15b are in the non-restricting position, the bell cranks can move from the initial position to the operating position without being impeded by the inertia levers 15a, 15b. In this case, when the user moves the outside door handle 12 from the initial position toward the operating position, the bell cranks also move from the initial position toward the operating position. In this way, when the inertia levers 15a, 15b are in the non-restricting position, the door lock device 93 can be intentionally transitioned to the unlatched state by operating the outside door handle 12.

[0071] When inertia levers 15a, 15b are in the restricted position, the stoppers of first arms 21 of inertia levers 15a, 15b are located on the trajectory of the bell crank when it moves from the initial position to the operating position. Therefore, when inertia levers 15a, 15b are in the restricted position, the bell crank cannot move from the initial position to the operating position.

[0072] In the event of a side collision or other accident involving the vehicle, an inertial force may act on the door handle device 10a in approximately the same direction as the movement of the outside door handle from its initial position to its operating position. This inertial force causes the inertia levers 15a and 15b to move from the non-restricted position toward the restricted position. Because the inertia levers 15a and 15b are provided with counterweights, the inertia levers 15a and 15b, receiving the inertial force, quickly move toward the restricted position. That is, before the outside door handle 12 and the bell crank, receiving the inertial force, move from their initial position to their operating position, the inertia levers 15a and 15b move from the non-restricted position to the restricted position. Then, a lever holding portion (not shown) provided on the frame 11a engages with the inertia levers 15a and 15b, thereby holding the inertia levers 15a and 15b in the restricted position.

[0073] When the inertia levers 15a, 15b are in the restricted position, the bell cranks, which move toward the operating position due to inertial force, collide with the stoppers of the first arms 21 of the inertia levers 15a, 15b. As a result, the bell cranks and the outside door handle 12 cannot move to the operating position. Therefore, the door lock device 93 does not transition from the latched state to the unlatched state.

[0074] In this way, when the inertia levers 15a, 15b are positioned in the non-restrictive position, they allow the door lock device 93 to transition from a latched state to an unlatched state, and when positioned in the non-restrictive position, they restrict (prevent) the door lock device 93 from transitioning from a latched state to an unlatched state.

[0075] <Summary of the embodiment> (1) The vehicle door handle devices 10a and 10b according to the present embodiment include: A vehicle door handle device (10a, 10b) has a handle (outside door handle 12) attached to a frame (11a, 11b) so as to be movable from an initial position to an operating position, and a door lock device (93) provided on a vehicle door (90) can be shifted from a latched state that does not allow the vehicle door (90) to an unlatched state that allows the vehicle door (90) to be opened in conjunction with the movement of the handle (outside door handle 12) from the initial position to the operating position, the inertia levers 15a, 15b are rotatably attached to the frames 11a, 11b, and are movable by rotating relative to the frames 11a, 11b between a non-restricted position where the door lock device 93 is not prevented from switching from the latched state to the unlatched state in conjunction with movement of the handle (outside door handle 12) from the initial position to the operating position, and a restricted position where the door lock device 93 is prevented from switching from the latched state to the unlatched state; the inertia levers 15a, 15b are elastically urged toward the non-restricted position by the urging force of an urging member (inertia lever urging member), and are configured to move from the non-restricted position to the urging position when subjected to an inertial force in a predetermined direction; The inertia levers 15a and 15b each include a main body (lever main body 20), first shafts 31a and 31b formed integrally with the main body (lever main body 20) and protruding in a first direction (vertical direction) from the main body (lever main body 20), and a second shaft 32 formed integrally with the main body (lever main body 20), coaxial with the first shafts 31a and 31b, and protruding in the first direction (vertical direction) from the main body (lever main body 20), The frames 11a and 11b are provided with first shaft holes 431a and 431b, which are coaxial with each other and into which the first shaft portions 31a and 31b can be inserted, and a second shaft hole 441, into which the second shaft portion 32 can be inserted, The first shaft portions 31a, 31b are inserted into the first shaft holes 431a, 431a, and the second shaft portion 32 is inserted into the second shaft hole 441, so that the inertia levers 15a, 15b are rotatably supported relative to the frames 11a, 11b.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the inertia levers 15a, 15b are rotatably supported relative to the frames 11a, 11b via the first shafts 31a, 31b and the second shafts 32 that are integrally provided on the main body (lever main body 20). This configuration eliminates the need for a separate member from the inertia levers 15a, 15b, such as a metal rotating shaft, for rotatably supporting the inertia levers 15a, 15b relative to the frames 11a, 11b, thereby reducing the number of parts in the vehicle door handle devices 10a, 10b. This reduces the cost of parts.

[0077] (2) In the vehicle door handle device 10a according to this embodiment, the frame 11a is provided with the first shaft hole 431a, and is provided with a plate-shaped first support portion 43a that protrudes in a second direction (vehicle width direction) perpendicular to the first direction (vertical direction) from an opposing surface 401 that is a surface opposing the main body portion (lever main body portion 20) of the inertia lever 15a, and extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction (vertical direction), The inertia lever 15a has a first surface (ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30) on which the first shaft portion 31a is provided, extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction (vertical direction), and a retaining portion 34 which is located on the opposite side of the first surface (ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30) of the first support portion 43a in the first direction (vertical direction) when the first shaft portion 31a is inserted into the first shaft hole 431a of the first support portion 43a and includes a portion (locking portion 341) which overlaps with the first support portion 43a when viewed in the first direction (vertical direction).

[0078] According to this embodiment, the retaining portion 34 has a portion (locking portion 341) that overlaps with the first support portion 43a when viewed in the axial direction (up-down direction) of the first shaft hole 431a, thereby preventing the first shaft portion 31a from coming off the first shaft hole 431a. Therefore, the inertia lever 15a is prevented from falling off the frame 11a.

[0079] (3) In the door handle device 10a according to this embodiment, The anti-slip portion 34 is configured to be able to move to a position where it does not overlap the first support portion 43a when viewed in the first direction (up-down direction) by elastically deforming in a direction (front-to-back direction) perpendicular to the first direction (up-down direction).

[0080] According to this configuration, the first shaft portion 31a and the first shaft hole 431a can be arranged coaxially with the first shaft portion 31a and the first support portion 43a shifted from each other in the first direction (up and down direction) by deforming the retaining portion 34. Therefore, the first shaft portion 31a can be inserted into the first shaft hole 431a without being obstructed by the retaining portion 34.

[0081] (4) In the vehicle door handle device 10a according to this embodiment, The inertia lever 15a has a second surface (bottom surface 302 of the opening 30) adjacent to the retaining portion 34 and the first surface (ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30) in the first direction (vertical direction).

[0082] When a load is applied to the inertia lever 15a in a direction that causes the first shaft portion 31a to come out of the first shaft hole 431a, the retaining portion 34 presses the first support portion 43a, and a reaction force is applied to the retaining portion 34 such that the retaining portion 34 is bent from the first support portion 43a toward the second surface (bottom surface 302 of the opening 30). If the retaining portion 34 is deformed by this reaction force, it comes into contact with the second surface (bottom surface 302 of the opening 30) and is thereby prevented from further deformation. Therefore, damage to the retaining portion 34 is prevented.

[0083] (4) A vehicle door handle device 10a according to this embodiment, The frame 11a is provided with an opening 30 that is open at least on the side of the frame 11a facing the opposing surface 401, The first surface (ceiling surface 301 of opening 30) and the second surface (bottom surface 302 of opening 30) are surfaces of the inner surface of opening 30 that are spaced apart from each other in the first direction (vertical direction) and are approximately perpendicular to the first direction (vertical direction).

[0084] By providing the opening 30 in the inertia lever 15a, a first surface (ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30) and a second surface (bottom surface 302 of the opening 30) are formed. Therefore, the first surface (ceiling surface 301 of the opening 30) and the second surface (bottom surface 302 of the opening 30) can be provided on the inertia lever 15a without complicating the configuration of the inertia lever 15a.

[0085] (6) A door handle device 10b for a vehicle according to this embodiment, The first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b includes a round bar-shaped circular portion 312 having a predetermined outer diameter, and a flat portion 311 located on the base end side of the circular portion 312 and having a smaller dimension in a second direction (front-rear direction) perpendicular to the first direction (up-down direction) than the circular portion 312, the frame 11b is provided with the first shaft hole 431b, and includes a plate-shaped first support portion 43b that protrudes in the second direction (vehicle width direction) from an opposing surface 401 that is a surface that faces the main body portion (lever main body portion 20) of the inertia lever 15b and extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction (up-down direction), The first shaft hole 431b includes a round hole portion 432 into which the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b can be inserted, and a slit portion 433 that communicates with the round hole portion 432 and an end face of the first support portion 43b in the second direction (vehicle width direction), and through which the flat portion 311 can pass but the circular portion 312 cannot pass, The frame 11b further includes a retaining portion 48 including a portion configured to overlap the first axial portion 31b when viewed in the first direction (vertical direction) and to contact the end face of the tip side of the first axial portion 31b when the circular portion 312 of the first axial portion 31b is inserted into the round hole portion 432 of the first axial hole 431b.

[0086] According to this embodiment, the retaining portion 48 keeps the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b inserted into the round hole portion 432 of the first shaft hole 431b. Because the circular portion 312 of the first shaft portion 31b of the inertia lever 15b cannot pass through the slit portion 433 of the first shaft hole 431b, the first shaft portion 31b is kept supported by the first support portion 43b.

[0087] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The present invention can be modified within the scope of the spirit thereof, and such modifications are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 10a, 10b...vehicle door handle device, 11a, 11b...frame, 12...outside door handle, 15a, 15b...inertia lever, 20...lever main body portion, 30...opening, 31a, 31b...first shaft portion, 311...flat portion, 312...circular portion, 32...second shaft portion, 34...retaining portion, 40...outer plate portion, 401...opposing surface, 43a, 43b...first support portion, 44...second support portion, 441...second shaft hole, 48...retaining portion, 90...vehicle door, 301...ceiling surface of opening, 302...bottom surface of opening, 431a, 431b...first shaft hole, 432...round hole portion, 433...slit portion, 911...outer panel, 93...door lock device

Claims

1. A door handle device for a vehicle has a handle attached to a frame so as to be movable from an initial position to an operating position, and a door lock device provided on a vehicle door can be transitioned from a latched state that does not allow opening of the vehicle door to an unlatched state that allows opening of the vehicle door in conjunction with movement of the handle from the initial position to the operating position, an inertia lever rotatably attached to the frame and capable of rotating relative to the frame to move between a non-restricted position where the door lock device does not prevent the latched state from being switched to the unlatched state in conjunction with movement of the handle from the initial position to the operating position, and a restricted position where the door lock device prevents the latched state from being switched to the unlatched state; the inertia lever is elastically biased toward the non-restricted position by the biasing force of a biasing member, and is configured to move from the non-restricted position to the restricted position when it receives an inertial force in a predetermined direction; the inertia lever comprises a main body portion, a first shaft portion formed integrally with the main body portion and projecting from the main body portion in a first direction, and a second shaft portion formed integrally with the main body portion and coaxial with the first shaft portion and projecting from the main body portion in the first direction, the frame is provided with a first shaft hole into which the first shaft portion can be inserted and a second shaft hole into which the second shaft portion can be inserted, the first shaft hole and the second shaft hole being coaxial with each other; The first shaft portion is inserted into the first shaft hole, and the second shaft portion is inserted into the second shaft hole, whereby the inertia lever is rotatably supported with respect to the frame. A door handle device for a vehicle.

2. 2. The vehicle door handle device according to claim 1, the frame is provided with the first shaft hole, and includes a plate-like first support portion that protrudes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction from an opposing surface that faces the main body of the inertia lever and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a first surface on which the first shaft portion is provided, extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and a retaining portion which is positioned on the opposite side of the first surface of the first support portion in the first direction when the first shaft portion is inserted into the first shaft hole of the first support portion and which includes a portion which overlaps with the first support portion when viewed in the first direction.

3. 3. The vehicle door handle device according to claim 2, A door handle device for a vehicle, wherein the retaining portion is configured to be able to move to a position where it does not overlap the first support portion when viewed in the first direction by elastically deforming in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

4. 4. The door handle device for a vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, The inertia lever has a second surface adjacent to the retaining portion and opposite the first surface in the first direction.

5. 5. The door handle device for a vehicle according to claim 4, The frame has an opening that is open at least on a side of the frame facing the opposing surface, a door handle device for a vehicle, wherein the first surface and the second surface are surfaces of an inner peripheral surface of the opening that are spaced apart from each other in the first direction and are substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

6. 2. The vehicle door handle device according to claim 1, the first shaft portion of the inertia lever includes a round bar-shaped circular portion having a predetermined outer diameter, and a flat portion located on a base end side of the circular portion and having a dimension in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction smaller than that of the circular portion, the frame is provided with the first shaft hole, and includes a plate-shaped first support portion that protrudes in the second direction from an opposing surface that faces the main body of the inertia lever and extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction, the first axial hole includes a round hole portion into which the round portion of the first axial portion can be inserted, and a slit portion that communicates with the round hole portion and an end face of the first support portion in the second direction, and through which the flat portion can pass but the round portion cannot pass, a door handle device for a vehicle, wherein the frame further includes a retaining portion including a portion configured to overlap the first axial portion when viewed in the first direction and to contact the end face of the tip side of the first axial portion when the circular portion of the first axial portion is inserted into the round hole portion of the first axial hole.

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