Door latch device

Abstract

To provide an electric door latch device capable of suppressing excessive operation of a drive source by rotating a fork to an open position side by opening operation and stopping the drive source.SOLUTION: The door latch device 10 includes the fork 21 disposed on one side of the insertion groove 13d with respect to the base 13, the claw 25 disposed on the other side of the insertion groove 13d with respect to the base 13, the open lever 31 rotatable in the opening operation direction D1 by the driving force from the drive source 41, and the detection unit 36 for detecting that the fork 21 has rotated to the opening detection position and stopping the drive source 41. The open lever 31 has a claw operation part 31c for moving the claw 25 from the locking position to the unlocking position, and an open operation part 31e for rotating the fork 21 from the latch position to the opening detection position after the claw 25 is moved to the unlocking position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Electric door latch devices used on automobile hatchback doors use a driving force from a drive source (motor) to move a claw and release the fork from its engagement. When the fork is released, the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip between the vehicle body and the hatchback door causes the hatchback door to rotate in the open direction relative to the vehicle body. When the fork holding the striker rotates from the latched position to a predetermined detection position toward the open position as the hatchback door rotates, the drive source is stopped.

[0003] The restoring force of a weatherstrip can be weakened by low temperatures, aging, and other factors. When the restoring force of the weatherstrip weakens, even if the fork is released from the claw's lock, the hatchback door does not rotate enough in the opening direction, preventing the fork from rotating to the detection position. As a result, the drive source does not stop and continues to operate excessively. The door latch device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a sector gear that rotates using the drive force from the drive source. The sector gear moves the claw to release the fork's lock, and then rotates the fork to the detection position. This stops the drive source and prevents excessive operation of the drive source. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2019-163649 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the door latch device of Patent Document 1, excessive operation of the drive source is suppressed by forcibly rotating the fork using the sector gear, but there is room for improvement.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric door latch device that can rotate a fork toward the open position by an opening operation and stop the drive source, thereby suppressing excessive operation of the drive source. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a locking mechanism including a base having an insertion groove into which a striker can be inserted, a fork attached to a fork shaft arranged on one side of the insertion groove in a groove width direction of the insertion groove with respect to the base, the fork being rotatable between a latched position that holds the striker and an open position that allows the striker to be released, via an open detection position, and a claw attached to a claw shaft arranged on the other side of the insertion groove in the groove width direction with respect to the base and extending along the axial direction of the fork shaft, the fork being movable between an engagement position that engages the fork at the latched position and an engagement release position that releases the engagement of the fork. a fork; an open lever attached to a lever shaft extending along the axial direction and rotatable in an opening operation direction by a driving force from a driving source; and a detection unit that detects that the fork has rotated to the opening detection position and stops the driving source, wherein the open lever has a claw operation unit that moves the claw from the latching position to the unlocking position by rotating in the opening operation direction, and an open operation unit that rotates the fork from the latch position to the opening detection position by rotating in the opening operation direction after the claw has moved to the unlocking position.

[0008] The open lever, which can be rotated by driving force from the drive source, includes a claw operating unit that moves the claw from the locked position to the unlocked position, and an open operating unit that rotates the fork from the latched position to the open detection position after the claw moves to the unlocked position. Therefore, when the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip between the vehicle body and the door decreases and the fork is released from the lock by the claw, the fork can be forcibly rotated to the open detection position even if the door does not rotate in the open direction due to the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip. Therefore, the fork that has rotated to the open detection position can be detected by the detector and the drive source can be stopped, thereby suppressing excessive operation of the drive source.

[0009] The open lever is rotatably attached to a lever shaft that extends along the axial direction of the fork shaft. This allows the open lever to be positioned three-dimensionally with a gap in the axial direction of the lever shaft relative to the fork and claw, rather than on the same plane. This allows the door latch device to be made smaller in size in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the fork shaft. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] In the present invention, the forks are rotated toward the open position by the opening operation, and the drive source is stopped, thereby making it possible to suppress excessive operation of the drive source. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is disposed on a hatchback door. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front top perspective view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism in a latched state. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism as viewed from above in the front. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism as viewed from above in front. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism as viewed from above on the rear side. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the separation operation portion of the open lever hits the fork. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the opening operation portion of the opening lever operates the fork. [Figure 10] 6 is a graph showing the movement of the latch mechanism during the opening operation by the electric opening / closing mechanism. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a series of movements of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism when the door is opened. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism when the claw starts to operate. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism when the forks are at the start of a separating operation. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism in a state where the latch is released by the claw. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism in a state where the fork separation operation is released. [Figure 16A] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism in the open rotation state of the fork under normal conditions. [Figure 16B] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism in the emergency fork opening operation state. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism when opened to their limit positions. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the latch mechanism and the electric opening / closing mechanism in the open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Referring to Figure 1, a door latch device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in a hatchback door (hereinafter referred to as "door") 4 that opens and closes the rear opening of a vehicle body 1, and holds the door 4 in a closed state relative to the vehicle body 1 so that it can be opened.

[0014] In the accompanying drawings, the X direction is the vehicle length direction, the direction indicated by the arrow is the front side (inside the vehicle), and the direction opposite to the arrow is the rear side (outside the vehicle). The Y direction is the vehicle width direction, which is the groove width direction in the present invention. The Z direction is the vehicle height direction. The following description will be given based on the state in which the door 4 is closed relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0015] An inverted U-shaped striker 2 is attached to the vehicle body 1 with screws. A rubber weather strip (sealing member) 3 is also arranged on the vehicle body 1 to surround the rear opening and seal the gap with the door 4.

[0016] The door 4 is rotatably attached to a hinge shaft extending in the vehicle width direction and located above the rear opening of the vehicle body 1. The door 4 comprises an outer panel 5 exposed to the outside of the vehicle, and an inner panel 6 located forward of the outer panel 5 in the vehicle length direction. A bulging portion 6a that bulges toward the inside of the vehicle is formed at the bottom of the inner panel 6. The inner panel 6 is joined to the outer panel 5 below the bulging portion 6a. The door 4 may be configured to be rotatably attached to a rotation shaft extending in the vehicle height direction.

[0017] Continuing to refer to Figure 1, the door latch device 10 is disposed in the interior space of the door 4 defined by the outer panel 5 and the inner panel 6. The door latch device 10 holds the door 6 in a closed state relative to the vehicle body 1 by holding the striker 2 and elastically compressing the weatherstrip 3.

[0018] (Outline of door latch device) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a door latch device 10 includes a latch mechanism 20 and an electric opening / closing mechanism 30 inside a housing 12.

[0019] The housing 12 is generally L-shaped when viewed in the vehicle width direction, and is attached to the inner panel 6 with bolts. A main body portion 12a, which is the majority of the housing 12, is housed between the outer panel 5 and the bulging portion 6a of the inner panel 6. A retaining portion 12b, which is the remaining part of the housing 12, penetrates the bulging portion 6a and protrudes toward the inside of the vehicle.

[0020] The latch mechanism 20 includes a fork 21 and a claw 25, and is housed in the holding portion 12b of the housing 12. The latch mechanism 20 is switched between a latched state (see FIG. 4) and an open state (see FIG. 18) by the electric opening / closing mechanism 30. In the latched state, the latch mechanism 20 uses the claw 25 to lock the fork 21, which holds the striker 2, and holds the door 4 closed relative to the vehicle body 1. In the open state, the latch mechanism 20 can release the locking of the fork 21 by the claw 25 and release the striker 2, allowing the door 4 to open (rotate) relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0021] The electric opening / closing mechanism 30 is configured to electrically switch the latch mechanism 20 between a latched state (see FIG. 4) and an open state (see FIG. 18). The electric opening / closing mechanism 30 includes an open lever 31, a fork lever 34, and a drive mechanism 40. The open lever 31 and the fork lever 34 are disposed in the holding portion 12b of the housing 12. The drive mechanism 40 includes a motor (drive source) 41, a spindle 43, and a slider 47, and is housed in the main body portion 12a of the housing 12. The motor 41 is connected to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 8 mounted on the automobile.

[0022] When the open door 4 is closed, the striker 2 advances, causing the fork 21 to rotate from the open position shown in Fig. 18 to the latched position shown in Fig. 4. Upon detecting the rotation of the fork 21 in the closing rotation direction A1 (clockwise), the ECU 8 closes the fork lever 34 using the driving force of the motor 41, and switches the latch mechanism 20 to the latched state shown in Fig. 4.

[0023] For example, when an open switch (not shown) arranged on the door 4 is operated, the ECU 8 opens the open lever 31 using the driving force of the motor 41. This opens the latch mechanism 20 in the latched state shown in FIG. 4, and releases the fork 21 from being locked by the claw 25 (see FIG. 14).

[0024] Under normal circumstances, when the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 is normal, the door 4 (see FIG. 1) rotates in the open direction due to the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3. As a result, the relative movement of the striker 2 causes the fork 21 to rotate past the detection position shown in FIG. 16B toward the open position shown in FIG. 16A, and the latch mechanism 20 switches to the open state. The ECU 8 detects that the fork 21 has rotated to the detection position shown in FIG. 16B and stops the motor 41.

[0025] On the other hand, in an emergency when the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 is reduced, the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 does not sufficiently rotate the door 4 (see FIG. 1) in the opening direction. Therefore, the fork 21 does not easily rotate past the detection position shown in FIG. 16B toward the open position shown in FIG. 16A due to the relative movement of the striker 2. If the rotation of the fork 21 to the detection position shown in FIG. 16B cannot be detected, the ECU 8 does not stop the motor 41 and continues the opening operation.

[0026] Therefore, in this embodiment, even when the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 prevents the door 4 from rotating in the open direction, the fork 21 is rotated beyond the detection position shown in Fig. 16B by the opening operation of the electric opening / closing mechanism 30, thereby suppressing excessive operation of the motor 41. Note that the phenomenon in which the door 4 shown in Fig. 1 is difficult to rotate in the open direction even when the fork 21 is released from engagement by the claw 25 can occur not only due to a decrease in the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3, but also when the hinge axis of the door 4 is located further forward in the vehicle length direction than the door latch device 10 and the door 4 is in an inclined position.

[0027] The housing 12, the latch mechanism 20, and the electric opening / closing mechanism 30 will be described in detail below.

[0028] (Housing configuration) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 12 is made up of a base plate 13, a fence block 14, a cover plate 15, and a cover 16.

[0029] The base plate 13 is made of a pressed metal plate and includes a base body 13a, a reinforcing plate portion 13b, and a cover piece 13c. Of these, the rear portion of the base body 13a in the vehicle length direction and the reinforcing plate portion 13b constitute part of the main body portion 12a. The front portion of the base body 13a in the vehicle length direction and the cover piece 13c constitute part of the holding portion 12b.

[0030] The base body 13a extends along the vehicle body 1, generally along the XY plane. The front portion of the base body 13a in the vehicle length direction is disposed inside the vehicle, penetrating the bulging portion 6a of the inner panel 6. The base body 13a is provided with an insertion groove 13d into which the striker 2 can be inserted. The insertion groove 13d is provided in the approximate center of the base body 13a in the vehicle width direction, and extends from the front end of the base body 13a in the vehicle length direction to the rear. Brackets 13e for bolting to the inner panel 6 are provided on both sides of the base body 13a in the vehicle width direction.

[0031] The reinforcing plate portion 13b protrudes upward from the rear end of the base body 13a in the vehicle length direction, and extends along the outer panel 5 in the YZ plane.

[0032] The cover piece 13c protrudes upward from the front end of the base body 13a in the vehicle length direction and extends along the YZ plane. The cover piece 13c is provided with an opening 13f for allowing the striker 2 to be inserted into the insertion groove 13d.

[0033] The fence block 14 is made of resin and is sandwiched between the base body 13a of the base plate 13 and the cover plate 15, constituting a part of the holding portion 12b. The fence block 14 is provided with an insertion groove 14a extending in the vehicle length direction so as to correspond to the insertion groove 13d of the base body 13a.

[0034] The cover plate 15 is made of a pressed metal plate, is disposed above the fence block 14, and constitutes part of the retaining portion 12b. On both sides of the cover plate 15 in the vehicle width direction, brackets 15a are provided, which are disposed on top of the brackets 13e of the base plate 13 and are attached to the door 4. The overall length of the cover plate 15 in the vehicle length direction is shorter than the overall length of the base body 13a in the vehicle length direction. A space is secured between the cover plate 15 and the reinforcing plate portion 13b of the base plate 13 in the vehicle length direction to accommodate the drive mechanism 40.

[0035] The cover 16 is composed of a cover body 17, a rear cover 18, and a motor cover 19, and covers and conceals the latch mechanism 20 and the drive mechanism 40.

[0036] The cover main body 17 is generally L-shaped and includes a first portion 17a that covers the cover plate 15 and a second portion 17b that covers the area between the cover plate 15 and the reinforcing plate portion 13b of the base plate 13. The first portion 17a constitutes a part of the holding portion 12b of the housing 12 and covers the open lever 31, the fork lever 34, and the latch mechanism 20. The second portion 17b constitutes a part of the main body portion 12a of the housing 12 and covers the spindle 43 and slider 47 of the drive mechanism 40. The second portion 17b is provided with a connector portion 17c for connecting the door latch device 10 to the ECU 8 and a spindle support portion 17d that supports one end of the spindle 43.

[0037] The rear cover 18 is attached to close the rear end of the cover main body 17 in the vehicle length direction and constitutes part of the main body portion 12a of the housing 12. The rear cover 18 also functions to restrict the rotation of the slider 47 of the drive mechanism 40 around the spindle 43 when the slider 47 abuts against the rear cover 18. The rear cover 18 is provided with a switch mounting portion 18a for mounting a rotary switch 36, which will be described in detail later.

[0038] The motor cover 19 includes a first cover 19A and a second cover 19B, and sandwiches and covers the motor 41, worm 42, and worm wheel 44 of the drive mechanism 40. The motor cover 19 forms part of the main body 12a of the housing 12, and supports the other end of the spindle 43. The first cover 19A includes a screw fastening portion 19a that is screwed to the cover main body 17, and is assembled with the second cover 19B sandwiched between the first cover 19A and the cover main body 17.

[0039] (Latch mechanism configuration) 3 to 5, the latch mechanism 20 includes a fork 21 that releasably holds the striker 2, and a claw 25 that detachably engages the fork 21. The fork 21 and the claw 25 are disposed on the base body 13a of the base plate 13, and are located forward of the drive mechanism 40 in the vehicle length direction.

[0040] The fork 21 is attached to a fork shaft 22 located on the right side of the insertion groove 13d of the base plate 13 in Figures 3 and 4, and is rotatable in a closing rotation direction A1 and an opening rotation direction A2. The claw 25 is attached to a claw shaft 26 located on the left side of the insertion groove 13d in Figures 3 and 4, and is rotatable in an unlocking direction B1 (counterclockwise) and a locking direction B2 (clockwise). In other words, with respect to the insertion groove 13d of the base plate 13 extending in the vehicle length direction, the fork 21 is journaled on one side in the vehicle width direction (groove width direction), and the claw 25 is journaled on the other side in the vehicle width direction.

[0041] The fork shaft 22 and the claw shaft 26 both extend in the vehicle height direction, penetrate the base body 13a of the base plate 13 and the cover plate 15, and are rotatably supported by the base plate 13 and the cover plate 15. When viewed from the vehicle height direction, the claw shaft 26 is located rearward in the vehicle length direction from the fork shaft 22, that is, on the drive mechanism 40 side.

[0042] 5 to 7, the fork 21 is formed with a retaining groove 21a, a full-latch lock receiving portion 21b, and a half-latch lock receiving portion 21c. The retaining groove 21a extends from the outer periphery toward the fork shaft 22. The full-latch lock receiving portion 21b is provided at the tip of one of a pair of groove walls that define the retaining groove 21a, the one positioned in the closing rotation direction A1 (the upper side in FIG. 3), and is locked by the claw 25. The half-latch lock receiving portion 21c is provided at a distance from the full-latch lock receiving portion 21b in the closing rotation direction A1, and is locked by the claw 25.

[0043] The fork 21 configured in this manner can rotate integrally with the fork shaft 22 from the open position shown in Fig. 18 to the detection position (open detection position) shown in Fig. 16B and the latch position shown in Fig. 4, in that order, to the over-latch position shown in Fig. 14 (close rotation direction A1). Also, the fork 21 can rotate integrally with the fork shaft 22 from the over-latch position shown in Fig. 14 to the latch position shown in Fig. 4 and the detection position shown in Fig. 16B, in that order, to the open position shown in Fig. 18 (open rotation direction A2).

[0044] 18, the fork 21 is in an attitude where the tip of the holding groove 21a is positioned above the insertion groove 13d of the base plate 13, and is able to release the striker 2. The fork 21 is in an attitude where the holding groove 21a intersects with the insertion groove 13d, and the striker 2 is held by the groove walls of the insertion groove 13d and the holding groove 21a, and is set between the open position shown in FIG. 18 and the latched position shown in FIG. 4, and is a position where rotation of the fork 21 to this angular position can be detected by a rotary switch 36, which will be described in detail later.

[0045] The fork 21 is biased in the opening rotation direction A2 to the open position shown in Fig. 18 by a kick spring (biasing member) 23. One end of the kick spring 23 is engaged with the fork 21, and the other end of the kick spring 23 is engaged with the fence block 14. Rotation of the fork 21 beyond the open position shown in Fig. 18 is restricted by a stopper (not shown).

[0046] The claw 25 is rotatable (unlocking direction B1) from the locked position shown in Fig. 4 to the over-rotated position shown in Fig. 17 via the unlocked position shown in Fig. 14. The claw 25 is also rotatable (locking direction B2) from the over-rotated position shown in Fig. 17 to the locked position shown in Fig. 4 via the unlocked position shown in Fig. 14. The claw 25 is urged in the locking direction B2 to the locked position shown in Fig. 4 by a kick spring (urging member) 27. One end of the kick spring 27 is engaged with the claw 25, and the other end of the kick spring 27 is engaged with the fence block 14.

[0047] 5 to 7, the claw 25 is formed with a locking portion 25a, an opening operation receiving portion 25b, and an emergency opening operation portion 25f.

[0048] The locking portion 25a is configured to restrict the rotation of the fork 21 to the open position (see FIG. 18). The locking portion 25a protrudes rearward in the vehicle length direction relative to the claw shaft 26 and can be locked to the full-latch lock receiving portion 21b of the fork 21 when it is in the latched position (see FIG. 4) and the half-latch lock receiving portion 21c of the fork 21 when it is in the detection position (see FIG. 16B). When the claw 25 rotates between the unlocked position (see FIG. 14) and the over-rotation position (see FIG. 17), the locking portion 25a cannot be locked to either the full-latch lock receiving portion 21b or the half-latch lock receiving portion 21c, and allows the fork 21 to rotate to the open position (see FIG. 18).

[0049] The opening operation receiving portion 25b is configured to receive an opening operation by the open lever 31 from the fork 21 side and rotate the claw 25 from the locked position (see FIG. 4), via the unlocked position (see FIG. 14), to the over-rotation position (see FIG. 17). The opening operation receiving portion 25b is composed of a first portion 25c, a second portion 25d, and a third portion 25e. The first portion 25c is adjacent to the locking portion 25a and protrudes rearward in the vehicle length direction from the main body of the claw 25. The second portion 25d protrudes upward from the first portion 17a toward the open lever 31. The third portion 25e protrudes in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the second portion 25d toward the fork 21.

[0050] The emergency-opening operation part 25f is configured to manually open the latch mechanism 20 when electrically opening operation by the electric opening / closing mechanism 30 is not possible. The emergency-opening operation part 25f is L-shaped and includes a first part that protrudes forward in the vehicle length direction from the main body of the claw 25, and a second part that protrudes upward from the tip of the first part. Referring to FIG. 2, the second part of the emergency-opening operation part 25f is exposed to the outside of the housing 12 through a notch 13g in the base plate 13. By pushing the emergency-opening operation part 25f from the outside in the vehicle width direction (to the right in FIG. 2), the claw 25 can be rotated in the unlocking direction B1, thereby unlocking the fork 21.

[0051] (Configuration of electric opening and closing mechanism) 2 and 3, the electric opening / closing mechanism 30 includes an open lever 31, a fork lever 34, and a drive mechanism 40. The drive mechanism 40 includes a motor 41, a spindle 43, and a slider 47.

[0052] When the motor 41 rotates the spindle 43 in the forward direction, the slider 47 moves in the opening operation direction C1, which is one side in the vehicle width direction, and the open lever 31 rotates in the opening operation direction D1 (counterclockwise) (see FIG. 12). As a result, the open lever 31 switches the latch mechanism 20 to the open state (see FIG. 18). When the motor 41 rotates the spindle 43 in the reverse direction, the slider 47 moves in the closing operation direction C2, which is the other side in the vehicle width direction, and the fork lever 34 rotates integrally with the fork 21 in the closing rotation direction A1. As a result, the fork lever 34 switches the latch mechanism 20 to the latched state (see FIG. 4).

[0053] (Open lever configuration) 2 to 4, the open lever 31 rotates in the opening operation direction D1 by the driving force of the motor 41 transmitted via the spindle 43 and the slider 47. The open lever 31 is made of a pressed metal plate and is rotatably supported on a lever shaft 32 provided on the cover plate 15. In other words, the open lever 31 is three-dimensionally disposed above the fork 21 and the claw 25 with a gap therebetween.

[0054] 3, the lever shaft 32 is attached to the cover plate 15 so as to be located on the left side of the insertion groove 13d of the base plate 13, i.e., on the other side of the insertion groove 13d in the same vehicle width direction (groove width direction) as the claw 25. The lever shaft 32 extends in the vehicle height direction along the axes of the fork shaft 22 and the claw shaft 26. When viewed from the vehicle height direction, the lever shaft 32 is located further forward in the vehicle length direction than the fork shaft 22 and the claw shaft 26, i.e., closer to the open end of the insertion groove 13d of the base plate 13 than the claw shaft 26.

[0055] In response to operation by the slider 47, the open lever 31 can rotate around the lever shaft 32 from the initial position shown in Fig. 4 to the separating operation position shown in Fig. 13 and the separating operation release position shown in Fig. 15, in that order, toward the open operation limit position shown in Fig. 17 (open operation direction D1). Furthermore, when the operation by the slider 47 is released, the open lever 31 can rotate around the lever shaft 32 from the open operation limit position shown in Fig. 17 to the separating operation release position shown in Fig. 15 and the separating operation position shown in Fig. 13, in that order, toward the initial position shown in Fig. 4, due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown) (return direction D2).

[0056] 5 to 7, the open lever 31 includes a lever body 31a, an opening operation receiving portion 31b, a claw operation portion 31c, a separating operation portion 31d, and an opening operation portion 31e.

[0057] The lever body 31a is a plate-like body extending along the XY plane, and is pivotally supported by the lever shaft 32. The lever body 31a extends rearward in the vehicle length direction from the lever shaft 32 toward approximately the center of the spindle 43 in the vehicle width direction.

[0058] The opening operation receiving portion 31b is configured to receive an opening operation by the slider 47 (see FIG. 12) and rotate the open lever 31 in the opening operation direction D1. The opening operation receiving portion 31b is provided at the end of the lever main body 31a, which is the tip end of the lever main body 31a, on the rear side in the vehicle length direction. The opening operation receiving portion 31b is plate-shaped and protrudes upward from the lever main body 31a, extending along the XZ plane. When the open lever 31 is rotated to the initial position (see FIG. 4), the opening operation receiving portion 31b is positioned with a gap between it and the slider 47.

[0059] The claw operating portion 31c is configured to directly operate the opening operation receiving portion 25b of the claw 25 to rotate the claw 25 from the locking position (see FIG. 4) to the over-rotation position (see FIG. 17). The claw operating portion 31c is provided on the rear portion of the lever body 31a in the vehicle length direction so as to be located near the opening operation receiving portion 31b. When the open lever 31 is rotated to the initial position (see FIG. 4), the claw operating portion 31c is located in front of and spaced from the opening operation receiving portion 25b of the claw 25 in the locking position in the opening operation direction D1. The claw operating portion 31c is configured as a rod body separate from the lever body 31a. In this embodiment, the claw operating portion 31c protrudes downward toward the claw 25, and the second portion 25d of the opening operation receiving portion 25b protrudes upward toward the open lever 31. As long as the claw operating portion 31c and the opening operation receiving portion 25b are in direct contact with each other to enable an opening operation, only one of them may protrude toward the other.

[0060] The separation operation unit 31d is configured to separate the fork 21 from the claw 25 via the fork lever 34 before the claw 25 is moved to the unlocked position (see FIG. 14) by the claw operation unit 31c. The separation operation unit 31d is provided near the center of the lever main body 31a in the vehicle length direction. The separation operation unit 31d is cylindrical and is located approximately in the center of the base plate 13 in the vehicle width direction, protruding upward from the lever main body 31a. The separation operation unit 31d is separate from the lever main body 31a and is fixed to the lever main body 31a with screws. The separation operation unit 31d may also be provided integrally with the lever main body 31a.

[0061] The open operation unit 31e is configured to rotate the fork 21 from the latched position (see FIG. 4) past the detection position (see FIG. 16B) toward the open position (see FIG. 17) via the fork lever 34. The open operation unit 31e is provided at the tip of an arm 31f that protrudes in the vehicle width direction from the front end of the lever body 31a in the vehicle length direction. The arm 31f is positioned forward in the vehicle length direction with a gap therebetween from the fork shaft 22 and protrudes in the vehicle width direction to the opposite side of the lever shaft 32 from the fork shaft 22. The open operation unit 31e protrudes from the tip of the arm 31f toward the rear in the vehicle length direction toward the fork lever 34. The arm 31f can also be considered as part of the open operation unit 31e. The open operation unit 31e may be configured to rotate the fork 21 from the latched position (see FIG. 4) to the detection position (see FIG. 16B) via the fork lever 34. In other words, the opening operation portion 31e may be configured not to rotate the fork 21 beyond the latch position (see FIG. 4) to the detection position (see FIG. 16B).

[0062] 8 and 13, the open lever 31 configured in this manner rotates in the opening operation direction D1 to move the claw 25 to the unlocked position by the claw operation unit 31c, while operating the fork lever 34 by the separation operation unit 31d, thereby rotating the fork 21 to the over-latched position. Next, as shown in Fig. 14, when the claw 25 is moved to the unlocked position by the claw operation unit 31c, the operation of the fork lever 34 by the separation operation unit 31d is released, as shown in Fig. 15. Thereafter, the open operation unit 31e operates the fork lever 34 depending on the rotational state of the fork 21.

[0063] Specifically, the movement of the fork 21 when the open lever 31 is rotated to the separating operation release position shown in FIG. 15 varies depending on the amount of rotation of the door 4 in the opening direction due to the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 (see FIG. 1). When the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 is normal and the amount of rotation in the opening direction of the door 4 is sufficient, the fork 21 rotates toward the open position shown in FIG. 16A past the detection position shown in FIG. 16B due to the relative movement of the striker 2. When the rotation in the opening direction of the door 4 is insufficient due to a decrease in the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3, the fork 21 rotates only to an angular position between the latch position shown in FIG. 4 and the detection position shown in FIG. 16B. When the fork 21 does not rotate in the opening rotation direction A2 past the detection position, the fork lever 34 is operated by the open operation unit 31e to rotate the fork 21 in the opening rotation direction A2 past the detection position. In other words, the claw operating part 31c, the separating operating part 31d, and the opening operating part 31e are provided so that the fork 21 and the claw 25 can be operated in this manner.

[0064] (Fork lever configuration) The fork lever 34 is configured to be operated by the open lever 31 when the latch mechanism 20 is opened, and to rotate the fork 21 together in the opening rotation direction A2. The fork lever 34 also has the function of being operated by the slider 47 when the latch mechanism 20 is closed, and to rotate the fork 21 together in the closing rotation direction A1.

[0065] 2 to 4, the fork lever 34 is disposed on the cover plate 15 so as to be adjacent to the open lever 31 in the vehicle width direction, and is attached to the upper end of the fork shaft 22. In other words, the fork lever 34 is disposed three-dimensionally above the fork 21 in the axial direction of the fork shaft 22 with a gap therebetween.

[0066] The fork lever 34 can rotate (in a closing rotation direction A1 and an opening rotation direction A2) integrally with the fork 21 between an open position shown in Fig. 18 and an over-latched position shown in Fig. 14. The fork lever 34 is biased in the opening rotation direction A2 by the kick spring 23.

[0067] 5 to 7, the fork lever 34 includes a lever body 34a, a closing operation receiving portion 34c, a separating operation receiving portion 34d, and an operated portion 34e.

[0068] The lever body 34a is plate-shaped and extends along the XY plane. A non-circular mounting hole 34b is formed at the front end of the lever body 34a in the vehicle length direction, allowing the lever body 34a to be mounted non-rotatably on the fork shaft 22. The lever body 34a is located above the upper end of the separation operation portion 31d of the open lever 31.

[0069] The close operation receiving portion 34c is configured to rotate the fork 21 to the latch position (see FIG. 4) via the fork lever 34 in response to a close operation by the slider 47. The close operation receiving portion 34c protrudes rearward from the end portion on the rear side in the vehicle length direction, which is the tip of the lever body 34a. The close operation receiving portion 34c is located above and spaced from the upper end of the open operation receiving portion 31b of the open lever 31.

[0070] The closing operation receiving portion 34c cannot receive a closing operation from the slider 47 when the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 is in the open position (see FIG. 18). The closing operation receiving portion 34c can receive a closing operation from the slider 47 when the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 is in the detection position (see FIG. 16B). When the closing operation receiving portion 34c is pushed in the closing operation direction C2 by the slider 47, the fork lever 34 rotates together with the fork 21 from the detection position shown in FIG. 16B to the over-latch position shown in FIG. 14 against the biasing force of the kick spring 23. When the operation by the slider 47 is released, the fork lever 34 rotates together with the fork 21 from the over-latch position shown in FIG. 14 in the opening rotation direction A2 due to the biasing force of the kick spring 23. The rotation of the fork lever 34 in the opening rotation direction A2 is restricted by the claw 25 locking the fork 21.

[0071] 5 to 7, the separating operation receiving portion 34d is provided near the center of the lever main body 34a in the vehicle length direction. The separating operation receiving portion 34d is configured to receive a separating operation by the separating operation portion 31d of the open lever 31 and rotate (separate) the forks 21 from the latched position (see FIG. 4) to the over-latched position (see FIG. 14) via the fork lever 34. The separating operation receiving portion 34d is cylindrical and protrudes downward from the lever main body 34a at the same height as the separating operation portion 31d. The separating operation receiving portion 34d is separate from the lever main body 34a and is fixed to the lever main body 34a with screws. The separating operation receiving portion 34d may be provided integrally with the lever main body 34a.

[0072] 4, when the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 is in the latched position and the open lever 31 is in the initial position, the separation operation receiving portion 34d is located in front of the movement path of the separation operation portion 31d when the open lever 31 rotates in the opening operation direction D1. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 13, when the open lever 31 rotates in the opening operation direction D1, the separation operation receiving portion 34d is abutted by the separation operation portion 31d and is pushed outward from the movement path of the separation operation portion 31d (separating operation). This causes the fork 21 to rotate via the fork lever 34 from the latched position shown in FIG. 4 to the over-latched position shown in FIG. 14. When the separation operation portion 31d passes the separation operation receiving portion 34d (see FIG. 15), rotation of the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 in the opening rotation direction A2 is permitted (see FIGS. 16A and 16B).

[0073] On the other hand, when the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 rotates from the open position (see FIG. 18) to the latched position (see FIG. 4), the separating operation receiving portion 34d does not interfere with the separating operation portion 31d of the open lever 31. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 18, when the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 is in the open position and the open lever 31 is in the initial position, and the fork lever 34 rotates in the closing rotation direction A1, the movement trajectory of the separating operation receiving portion 34d is located outside the separating operation portion 31d. Therefore, the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 is allowed to rotate from the open position to the latched position.

[0074] 5 to 7, the operated portion 34e protrudes downward from the lever body 34a and is provided at the same height as the open operation portion 31e of the open lever 31. When the fork 21 does not rotate beyond the detection position (FIG. 16B) toward the open position (see FIG. 18) even after the locking of the fork 21 by the claw 25 is released, the operated portion 34e is configured to rotate the fork 21 to the detection position via the fork lever 34 in response to operation by the open operation portion 31e of the open lever 31.

[0075] The operated part 34e is provided on the opposite side of the fork shaft 22 from the lever shaft 32 when viewed in the axial direction of the fork shaft 22, and is located in front of the movement trajectory of the open operation part 31e when the open lever 31 rotates in the opening operation direction D1. The opening rotation direction A2 (counterclockwise) of the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 is the same as the opening operation direction D1 (counterclockwise) of the open lever 31. Therefore, as shown in Figures 9, 16B, and 17, when the open lever 31 rotates in the opening operation direction D1, the operated part 34e is pressed by the open operation part 31e, causing the fork lever 34 to rotate in the opening rotation direction A2.

[0076] The operated part 34e in this embodiment extends from the opposite side of the fork shaft 22 to the lever shaft 32 toward the fork shaft 22. The operated part 34e is separate from the lever body 34a and is fixed to the lever body 34a with screws on the fork shaft 22 side. The operated part 34e may also be provided integrally with the lever body 34a.

[0077] The fork lever 34 is provided with a switch operating portion 34f for operating the rotary switch 36, which will be described in detail later, to switch the connection state of the rotary switch 36. The switch operating portion 34f protrudes in the closing operation direction C2 of the slider 47 from an intermediate portion of the lever body 34a between the mounting hole 34b and the closing operation receiving portion 34c.

[0078] 2 and 3, a rotary switch 36 is disposed within the housing 12 for detecting the rotational angle position of the fork 21 via the fork lever 34. The rotary switch 36 has an arm 36a that abuts against the switch operating portion 34f of the fork lever 34 from the rear side in the opening rotation direction A2. The arm 36a is biased in a direction E in FIG. 3 by a spring (not shown) and is rotatable following the rotation of the fork lever 34 in the opening rotation direction A2. The rotary switch 36 is a detector that detects via the fork lever 34 whether the fork 21 has rotated to the latched position (see FIG. 4), the detection position (see FIG. 14), or the open position (see FIG. 18), and outputs a signal to the ECU 8. The signal generated when the fork 21 is detected in the latched position, the signal generated when the fork 21 is detected in the detection position, and the signal generated when the fork 21 is detected in the open position are all different.

[0079] Also disposed within housing 12 are switch 37 for detecting that slider 47 has moved to the neutral position (see FIG. 4), and switch 38 for detecting that claw 25 has moved to the unlocked position (see FIG. 14). Push switches are used for switches 37 and 38. Switch 38 can detect the rotational state of claw 25 from the unlocked position (see FIG. 14) to the over-rotation position (see FIG. 17) by contact with third portion 25e of opening operation receiver 25b.

[0080] (Drive mechanism configuration) 2 and 3, the drive mechanism 40 includes the motor 41, the spindle 43, and the slider 47, as described above. The drive mechanism 40 is configured to rotate the open lever 31 from the initial position shown in Fig. 4 to the open operation limit position shown in Fig. 17 (opening operation). The drive mechanism 40 of this embodiment also has the function of rotating the fork 21 via the fork lever 34 from the detection position shown in Fig. 14 to the latch position shown in Fig. 4 (closing operation).

[0081] 17, the slider 47 moves to the open operation limit position, the open lever 31 rotates to the open operation limit position, the claw 25 rotates to the over-rotation position, and the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 rotates to the open position. Meanwhile, the opening operation of the latch mechanism 20 by the ECU 8 (see FIG. 1) is terminated when the rotary switch 36 detects that the fork 21 has rotated to the detection position (see FIG. 16B). Therefore, the door latch device 10 of this embodiment cannot enter the open operation limit state shown in FIG. 17 unless an abnormality occurs, such as a malfunction of the rotary switch 36.

[0082] The motor 41 is a drive source for rotating the open lever 31 by transmitting a driving force to the open lever 31 via a spindle 43 and a slider 47. The motor 41 is a DC motor capable of rotating forward and reverse, and is housed in the motor cover 19 and assembled to the cover body 17. A worm 42 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 41 so as to be rotatable integrally therewith.

[0083] The spindle 43 has a helical thread and is rotated by the motor 41. The spindle 43 is positioned at the same height as the open lever 31 and the fork lever 34 and extends in the vehicle width direction. A worm wheel 44 is attached to the end of the spindle 43 where the motor 41 is located so as to be rotatable integrally with the spindle 43. The worm wheel 44 meshes with the worm 42 and receives the driving force of the motor 41. A ball bearing 45 is disposed on one end of the spindle 43, and a plain bearing 46 is disposed on the other end of the spindle 43. The worm wheel 44 and the ball bearing 45 are housed in the motor cover 19, and the plain bearing 46 is disposed in the cover body 17.

[0084] The slider 47 transmits the rotational force of the spindle 43, which is generated by the driving force of the motor 41, to the latch mechanism 20 via the open lever 31 and the fork lever 34, and switches the latch mechanism 20 between the latched state shown in Fig. 4 and the open state shown in Fig. 18. When the latch mechanism 20 is not operated to open or close, the slider 47 is located in a neutral position (see Fig. 4) where it does not abut against either the open lever 31 or the fork lever 34.

[0085] 5 to 7, the slider 47 includes a slider body 47a having a screw hole 47b formed therein, which is threaded onto the threads of the spindle 43. The slider body 47a comes into contact with the rear cover 18 (see FIG. 2), thereby restricting the rotation of the slider 47 around the spindle 43. When the motor 41 rotates the spindle 43 in the forward direction, the slider 47 moves in the opening operation direction C1 toward the claw 25, and when the motor 41 rotates the spindle 43 in the reverse direction, the slider 47 moves in the closing operation direction C2 toward the fork 21.

[0086] The slider 47 includes an opening operation part 47c that operates the open lever 31 and a closing operation part 47d that operates the fork lever 34. The opening operation part 47c and the closing operation part 47d are both rectangular pillar-shaped, protrude forward in the vehicle length direction from the slider main body 47a, and are arranged with a gap between them in the vertical direction.

[0087] The opening operation portion 47c is provided so as to be positioned at the same height as the opening operation receiving portion 31b of the open lever 31. The opening operation portion 47c comes into contact with the opening operation receiving portion 31b when the slider 47 moves in the opening operation direction C1, but does not come into contact with the closing operation receiving portion 34c of the fork lever 34 when the slider 47 moves in the closing operation direction C2.

[0088] The closing operation portion 47d is provided so as to be located at the same height as the closing operation receiving portion 34c of the fork lever 34. The closing operation portion 47d comes into contact with the closing operation receiving portion 34c of the fork lever 34 when the slider 47 moves in the closing operation direction C2, but does not come into contact with the opening operation receiving portion 31b of the open lever 31 when the slider 47 moves in the opening operation direction C1. A switch operation portion 47e having a trapezoidal cross section for operating the switch 37 is formed in a portion of the closing operation portion 47d located on the rear side in the vehicle length direction.

[0089] (Switching of latch mechanism by electric opening and closing mechanism) Next, switching of the latch mechanism 20 by the electric opening / closing mechanism 30 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, 4, and 12 to 18. FIG.

[0090] When the door 4 is closed on the vehicle body 1 shown in Fig. 1, the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 rotates to the latch position and is locked by the claw 25 rotated to the locking position, as shown in Fig. 4. The open lever 31 is rotated to the initial position by the biasing force of the spring. The slider 47 is located in the neutral position.

[0091] When the open switch (not shown) is operated while the door 4 is closed as shown in Figure 1, the ECU 8 causes the motor 41 to rotate the spindle 43 in the forward direction. This causes the slider 47 to start moving in the opening operation direction C1 from the neutral position toward the open operation limit position (Pa1 in Figure 10). In this state, the fork 21, fork lever 34, claw 25, and open lever 31 are maintained in the latched position, the locked position, and the initial position.

[0092] When the slider 47 moves in the opening operation direction C1 and the opening operation portion 47c comes into contact with the opening operation receiving portion 31b, the open lever 31 starts to rotate in the opening operation direction D1 (Pb1 in FIG. 10). When the open lever 31 rotates by the amount of the gap between the claw operation portion 31c and the opening operation receiving portion 25b, the claw operation portion 31c comes into contact with the opening operation receiving portion 25b, as shown in FIG. 12. This causes the claw 25 to start rotating in the lock release direction B1 (Pc1 in FIG. 10).

[0093] 13, when the open lever 31 rotates to the separating operation position (Pb2 in FIG. 10), the separating operation portion 31d comes into contact with the separating operation receiving portion 34d, and the fork lever 34 starts to rotate together with the fork 21 in the closing rotation direction A1 to the over-latch position (see FIG. 14) (Pd1 in FIG. 10).

[0094] Next, as shown in Figure 14, when the claw 25 rotates to the unlocked position (Pc2 in Figure 10), the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 rotates to the over-latched position (Pd2 in Figure 10). Because the separation operation portion 31d and the separation operation receiving portion 34d are both cylindrical, the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 begins to rotate in the opening rotation direction A2 as the open lever 31 continues to rotate in the opening operation direction D1. The claw 25 also continues to rotate in the unlocked direction B1 toward the over-rotation position (see Figure 17).

[0095] Next, as shown in FIG. 15, when the open lever 31 rotates to the separating operation release position (Pb3 in FIG. 10), the restriction (pressure) of the separating operation portion 31d on the separating operation receiving portion 34d of the fork lever 34 is released (Pd3 in FIG. 10).

[0096] The movement of the fork 21 after the opening lever 31 is operated to move it away differs depending on the degree to which the door 4 is opened due to the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 (see FIG. 1). In FIG. 10, the solid line indicates a case in which the fork 21 rotates beyond the detection position (see FIG. 16B) due to the rotation of the door 4 in a normal state when the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 (see FIG. 1) is normal. In FIG. 10, the dashed line indicates a case in which the fork 21 does not rotate to the detection position due to the rotation of the door 4 in an emergency state when the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 (see FIG. 1) is reduced.

[0097] As shown in Fig. 16A, under normal circumstances, rotation of the door 4 in the opening direction causes the fork 21 to rotate past the detection position (see Fig. 16B) to the open position (Pd4 in Fig. 10). As a result, the ECU 8 (see Fig. 1) stops the motor 41 after a predetermined delay time in response to a signal input from the rotary switch 36. As a result, the movement of the slider 47 in the opening operation direction C1, the rotation of the open lever 31 in the opening actuation direction D1, and the rotation of the claw 25 in the lock release direction B1 are all stopped (Pa2, Pb4, Pc3 in Fig. 10).

[0098] On the other hand, in an emergency, the door 4 does not open sufficiently, so the fork 21 does not pass the detection position (see FIG. 16B) and stops near the latch position shown in FIG. 15. As a result, no signal is input from the rotary switch 36, so the ECU 8 continues to operate the motor 41. As a result, the rotation of the open lever 31 in the opening operation direction D1 causes the open operating part 31e to come into contact with the operated part 34e (Pd5 in FIG. 10), causing the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 to rotate in the opening rotation direction A2.

[0099] 16B, when the fork 21 rotates to the detection position (Pd6 in FIG. 10), the ECU 8 (see FIG. 1) stops the motor 41 after a predetermined delay time in response to a signal input from the rotary switch 36. As a result, the movement of the slider 47 in the opening operation direction C1, the rotation of the open lever 31 in the opening operation direction D1, the rotation of the claw 25 in the lock release direction B1, and the rotation of the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 are stopped (Pa3, Pb5, Pc4, and Pd7 in FIG. 10). In this state, when the user manually opens the door 4, the relative movement of the striker 2 rotates the fork 21 to the open position (Pd8 in FIG. 10).

[0100] As described above, in the door latch device 10 of this embodiment, both in normal times when the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 (see Figure 1) is normal, and in emergency situations when the restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 has decreased, the opening operation causes the fork 21 to rotate beyond the detection position (see Figure 16B), and stops the motor 41, thereby suppressing excessive operation of the motor 41.

[0101] After the motor 41 is stopped, the ECU 8 executes a return process after a predetermined delay time. Specifically, the ECU 8 causes the motor 41 to rotate the spindle 43 in the reverse direction. As a result, the slider 47 starts to move in the closing operation direction C2 (Pa4 in FIG. 10). The open lever 31 follows the movement of the slider 47 and starts to rotate in the return direction D2 due to the biasing force of the spring (Pb6 in FIG. 10). The claw 25 follows the rotation of the open lever 31 and starts to rotate in the locking direction B2 due to the biasing force of the kick spring 27 (Pc5 in FIG. 10). Meanwhile, the fork 21 including the fork lever 34 is maintained in the open position by the biasing force of the kick spring 23 without following the movement of any of the slider 47, the open lever 31, and the claw 25 (Pd9 in FIG. 10).

[0102] 18, when the striker 2 moves to the neutral position (Pa5 in FIG. 10), the ECU 8 stops the motor 41. As a result, the open lever 31 stops at the initial position (Pb7 in FIG. 10), and the claw 25 stops at the locking position (Pc6 in FIG. 10).

[0103] When the door 4 (see FIG. 1) is closed in the open state shown in FIG. 18, the fork 21 rotates in the closing rotation direction A1 as the striker 2 enters. When the fork 21 rotates to the detection position (see FIG. 16B), the locking portion 25a of the claw 25 locks the half-latch lock receiving portion 21c (see FIG. 9). As a result, in response to a signal input from the rotary switch 36, the ECU 8 causes the motor 41 to rotate the spindle 43 in the reverse direction, moving the slider 47 from the neutral position in the closing operation direction C2.

[0104] The movement of the slider 47 in the closing operation direction C2 presses the fork lever 34, causing the fork 21 to rotate integrally in the closing rotation direction A1. When the fork 21 rotates to the latch position (see FIG. 4), the ECU 8 causes the motor 41 to rotate the spindle 43 in the forward direction in response to a signal input from the rotary switch 36, and moves the slider 47 in the opening operation direction C1 and stops it at the neutral position.

[0105] The door latch device 10 configured as above has the following features.

[0106] The open lever 31, which can be rotated by the driving force from the motor 41, includes a claw operating unit 31c that moves the claw 25 from the locking position to the unlocking position, and an open operating unit 31e that rotates the fork 21 from the latching position to the detection position after the claw 25 moves to the unlocking position. Therefore, when the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 between the vehicle body 1 and the door 4 decreases and the fork 21 is released from the lock by the claw 25, the fork 21 can be forcibly rotated to the detection position even if the door 4 does not rotate in the opening direction due to the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip. Therefore, the rotary switch 36 can detect the fork 21 having rotated to the detection position and stop the motor 41, thereby suppressing excessive operation of the motor 41.

[0107] The open lever 31 is rotatably attached to a lever shaft 32 that extends along the axial direction of the fork shaft 22. This allows the open lever 31 to be arranged three-dimensionally with a gap in the axial direction of the lever shaft 32 relative to the fork 21 and the claw 25, rather than on the same plane. This allows the door latch device 10 to be made smaller in size in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the fork shaft 22.

[0108] The claw 25 has an opening operation receiving portion 25b that directly receives operation from the claw operating portion 31c. In other words, no other transmission member is interposed between the open lever 31 and the claw 25. This simplifies the configuration for moving the claw 25, and allows the door latch device 10 to be made smaller.

[0109] The opening operation direction D1 of the open lever 31 is the same as the opening rotation direction A2 of the fork 21, and an operated portion 34e that rotates the fork 21 in the opening rotation direction A2 in response to operation of the open operating portion 31e is provided on the opposite side of the lever shaft 32 with respect to the fork shaft 22. This ensures that the fork 21 can be rotated in the opening rotation direction A2 by rotating the open lever 31 in the opening operation direction D1.

[0110] A fork lever 34 that rotates integrally with the fork 21 is attached to the fork shaft 22, and the lever shaft 32 is disposed on the other side of the insertion groove 13d with respect to the base plate 13. That is, the fork lever 34 including the fork 21 and the operated portion 34e is disposed on one side of the insertion groove 13d of the base plate 13, and the claw 25 and the open lever 31 are disposed on the other side of the insertion groove 13d of the base plate 13. In other words, in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the fork shaft 22, the fork 21 and the claw 25 are disposed adjacent to each other, and the open lever 31 and the fork lever 34 are disposed adjacent to each other. This allows the door latch device 10 to be reduced in size in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the fork shaft 22.

[0111] The fork 21 can rotate from the open position past the latched position to the over-latched position. The open lever 31 also has a separation operation unit 31d that rotates the fork 21 to the over-latched position and separates it from the claw 25 before the claw operation unit 31c moves the claw 25 to the unlocked position. In other words, the claw 25 is rotated to the unlocked position by the claw operation unit 31c of the open lever 31 with the fork 21 no longer pressed against the latch by the kick spring 23. This reduces the driving force of the motor 41 required to move the claw 25. Furthermore, one open lever 31 has three functions: specifically, the function of rotating the fork 21 to the over-latched position, the function of moving the claw 25 to the unlocked position, and the function of rotating the fork 21 to the detection position. This allows for a reduction in the number of parts and a more compact door latch device 10 compared to using separate levers for each individual function.

[0112] The door latch device 10 includes a spindle 43 that is rotated by a motor 41, and a slider 47 that is threadedly engaged with the spindle 43 and rotates the open lever 31 in the opening operation direction D1. This reduces the driving force required for the motor 41 compared to when the open lever 31 is rotated by a sector gear, and also makes it possible to reduce the size of the door latch device 10 in the axial direction of the fork shaft 22.

[0113] When the open lever 31 rotates in the opening operation direction D1, the claw operation unit 31c moves the claw 25 to the unlocked position, while the separation operation unit 31d rotates the fork 21 to the over-latched position. When the claw 25 is moved to the unlocked position by the claw operation unit 31c, the separation operation unit 31d releases the operation of the fork 21 to the over-latched position, and then the open operation unit 31e rotates the fork 21 to the detection position. This realizes a configuration in which the fork 21 can be rotated to the detection position and the motor 41 can be stopped to prevent excessive operation of the motor 41, even if the door 4 does not rotate in the opening direction when the fork 21 is released from the lock by the claw 25.

[0114] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

[0115] For example, another transmission member may be interposed between the opening operation receiving portion 25b of the claw 25 and the opening operation portion 47c of the open lever 31, and the claw 25 may be rotated in the unlocking direction B1 by the open lever 31 via the transmission member.

[0116] The operated portion 34e that receives the operation of the open operating portion 31e of the open lever 31 can be changed as needed as long as it is configured to rotate the fork 21 in the opening rotation direction A2. The operated portion 34e may also be provided directly on the fork 21. In other words, the door latch device 10 may be configured without using the fork lever 34. In other words, the door latch device 10 may be configured without a closure function that switches the latch mechanism 20 from the open state to the latched state.

[0117] The fork 21 may be configured to be rotatable only between the open position and the latched position without rotating to the over-latched position, and the open lever 31 may not be provided with the separation operation portion 31d.

[0118] A sector gear may be used as the transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the motor 41 to the open lever 31, and the transmission mechanism can be changed as necessary as long as it has a configuration that allows the open lever 31 to rotate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1. Body 2 Striker 3 Weatherstrip 4 hatchback door 5 outer panel 6 Inner Panel 6a Bulge 8 ECU 10 Door latch device 12 Housing 12a Main body 12b Holding part 13 Base plate (base) 13a bass body 13b Reinforcement plate 13c Cover piece 13d Insertion groove 13e bracket 13f opening 13g Notch 14 Fence Block 14a Insertion groove 15 Cover Plate 15a Bracket 16 Cover 17 Cover body 17a Part 1 17b Part 2 17c Connector part 17d Spindle support 18 Rear cover 18a Switch mounting part 19 Motor cover 19A First Cover 19B 2nd cover 19a Screw fastening part 20 Latch mechanism 21 Fork 21a Retaining groove 21b Full latch locking receiving part 21c Half latch locking part 22 Fork shaft 23 Kick spring (biasing member) 25 kroner 25a Locking part 25b Opening operation receiver 25c Part 1 25d 2nd part 25e Part 3 25f Emergency opening operation section 26 Claw shaft 27 Kick spring 30 Electric opening / closing mechanism 31 Open lever 31a Lever body 31b Opening operation receiver 31c Claw operating part 31d Separation operation section 31e Open operation unit 31f Arm section 32 Lever shaft 34 Fork lever 34a Lever body 34b Mounting hole 34c Close operation receiver 34d Separation operation receiver 34e Operated part 34f Switch operation section 36 Rotary switch (detection part) 36a Arm 37 Switch 38 Switch 40 Drive mechanism 41 Motor (drive source) 42 Warm 43 Spindle 44 Worm Wheel 45 ball bearings 46 Plain bearing 47 Slider 47a Slider body 47b screw hole 47c Opening operation part 47d Close operation part 47e Switch operation section X Vehicle length direction Y Vehicle width direction (groove width direction) Z vehicle height direction

Claims

1. a base having an insertion groove into which a striker can be inserted; a fork attached to a fork shaft arranged on one side of the insertion groove in a groove width direction of the insertion groove with respect to the base, the fork being rotatable between a latched position for holding the striker and an open position from which the striker can be released, via an open detection position; a claw that is disposed on the other side of the insertion groove in the groove width direction relative to the base, is attached to a claw shaft that extends along the axial direction of the fork shaft, and is movable between an engagement position that engages the fork at the latch position and an engagement release position that releases the engagement of the fork; an open lever attached to a lever shaft extending along the axial direction and rotatable in an opening direction by a driving force from a driving source; a detection unit for detecting that the fork has rotated to the open detection position and stopping the drive source; Equipped with The open lever is a claw operating unit that moves the claw from the locking position to the unlocking position by rotating in the opening operation direction; an open operation unit that rotates the fork from the latch position to the release detection position by rotating in the opening operation direction after the claw has moved to the unlocked position; A door latch device comprising:

2. The claw has an operation receiving portion that directly receives operation by the claw operating portion, The open lever is spaced apart from the claw in the axial direction, 2. The door latch device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the claw operating portion and the operation receiving portion protrudes along the axial direction toward the other of the claw operating portion and the operation receiving portion.

3. When viewed from the axial direction, the opening operation direction of the open lever is the same as an opening rotation direction, which is a direction in which the fork rotates from the latch position to the open position, 3. The door latch device according to claim 1, wherein an operated portion is provided on the opposite side of the fork shaft from the lever shaft when viewed from the axial direction, the operated portion rotating the fork in the opening rotation direction in response to operation by the open operating portion.

4. A fork lever is attached to the fork shaft at a distance from the fork so as to rotate integrally with the fork, the operated portion is provided on the fork lever, The door latch device according to claim 3 , wherein the lever shaft is disposed on the other side of the insertion groove with respect to the base.

5. the fork is rotatable from the open position past the latched position to an over-latch position, and is biased from the over-latch position to the open position by a biasing member; 3. The door latch device according to claim 1, wherein the open lever has a separation operation portion that, when rotated in the opening operation direction, rotates the fork from the latched position to the over-latched position to separate it from the claw before the claw operation portion moves the claw to the unlocked position.

6. a motor serving as the drive source; a spindle extending in a direction intersecting the axial direction and rotated by the motor; a slider that is threadedly engaged with the spindle so as to be capable of advancing and retreating, and that rotates the open lever in the opening operation direction; The door latch device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

7. When the open lever is rotated in the opening operation direction, The claw operating unit moves the claw to the unlocked position, while the separation operating unit rotates the fork to the over-latched position; When the claw operation unit moves the claw to the unlocked position, the operation of the separation operation unit to move the fork to the over-latched position is released, and then the open operation unit rotates the fork to the open detection position.

6. The door latch device according to claim 5, wherein the door latch device is configured as follows:

Images