Door latch device

Abstract

To provide a door latch device capable of suppressing re-locking of a claw to a fork when opening a door while reducing abnormal noise when closing the door.SOLUTION: The door latch device 10 includes a fork 21, a claw 26, and a fence block 13. The fork 21 has a projection part 30 projecting toward the fence block 13, and the fence block 13 has a receiving part 31 opposed to the projection part 30 when the fork 21 rotates to the latch position. At least one of the projecting part 30 and the receiving part 31 is provided with inclined latch slide contact parts 30a, 31a with which the other of the projecting part 30 and the receiving part 31 comes into slide contact when the fork 21 rotates from the open position to the latch position. The inclination of the latch sliding contact portions 30a and 31a is set in a direction away from the facing surface 13c in the closing rotation direction A in which the fork 21 rotates to the latch position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A door latch device includes a fork and a claw pivotally attached to the body. When the door is opened, the fork is released from its engagement with the claw, and the door rotates in the open direction due to the elastic restoring force of the seal member between the vehicle body and the door. This causes the fork to rotate from the latched position to the open position. When the door is closed, the fork rotates from the open position to the latched position as the striker enters, and the claw engages the fork in the latched position.

[0003] In this type of door latch device, abnormal noise can be generated by the vibration of the fork caused by the impact when the door is closed. The door latch device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a protrusion on the resin body that the fork slides into, which suppresses the vibration of the fork when the door is closed, thereby reducing abnormal noise. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-156854 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In cold climates, the elastic restoring force of the seal member between the vehicle body and the door decreases. Therefore, when the fork is released from the claw's engagement by the door opening operation, it becomes difficult for the door to rotate in the opening direction relative to the vehicle body. In this case, with the door latch device of Patent Document 1, the fork cannot rotate from the latched position to the open position due to resistance caused by interference between the protrusion on the resin body and the fork. As a result, when the door opening operation is stopped, the claw may re-engage the fork. In other words, the door latch device of Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration any measures to re-engage the claw with the fork when the door does not rotate in the opening direction even after the door is opened.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a door latch device that can reduce abnormal noise when the door is closed and can prevent the claw from re-engaging with the fork when the door is opened. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a door latch device comprising: a fork that is rotatable between an open position where a striker can be released and a latched position where the striker is held; a claw that is movable between a locking position where the fork is locked at the latched position and a locking release position where the locking of the fork is released; and a fence block on which the fork and the claw are arranged, wherein the fork has a convex portion that protrudes toward the fence block, and the fence block has a receiving portion that protrudes toward the fork from an opposing surface that faces the fork so as to face the convex portion when the fork is rotated to the latched position, at least one of the convex portion and the receiving portion is provided with an inclined latch sliding portion with which the other of the convex portion and the receiving portion slides when the fork rotates from the open position to the latched position, and the inclination of the latch sliding portion is set in a direction away from the opposing surface in the closing rotation direction, which is the direction in which the fork rotates to the latched position.

[0008] The fork has a protrusion, and the fence block has a receiving portion that faces the protrusion when the fork rotates to the latched position. At least one of the protrusion and the receiving portion has an inclined latch sliding contact portion with which the other of the protrusion and the receiving portion slides when the fork rotates from the open position to the latched position. This allows the protrusion to slide against the receiving portion when the fork rotates from the open position to the latched position during door closing. This suppresses vibration of the fork due to the impact of closing the door, thereby reducing abnormal noise caused by fork vibration.

[0009] The inclination of the latch sliding contact portion is set so that it moves away from the opposing surface in the closing rotation direction, which is the direction in which the fork rotates to the latched position. As a result, as the fork rotates to the latched position, the rotational resistance of the fork due to the sliding contact between the protrusion and the receiving portion gradually increases, and the rotational speed of the fork slows down. On the other hand, before the fork rotates to the latched position, that is, before the protrusion and the receiving portion slide together, there is no rotational resistance of the fork due to interference between the protrusion and the receiving portion. This allows the door to be closed reliably.

[0010] The inclination of the latch sliding contact portion is set so that it moves away from the opposing surface in the closing rotation direction, which is the direction in which the fork rotates to the latched position. In other words, the latch sliding contact portion is inclined so that it moves closer to the opposing surface in the opening rotation direction, which is the direction in which the fork rotates to the open position. As a result, when the fork rotates to the open position, the convex portion moves away from the receiving portion, so there is no resistance due to interference between the convex portion and the receiving portion. Therefore, even if the door rotates in the opening direction, even slightly, the fork holding the striker rotates from the latched position toward the open position. As a result, even if the door opening operation is stopped, the claw can be prevented from re-engaging the fork. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention can reduce noise when the door is closed, while preventing the claw from re-engaging with the fork when the door is opened. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a door latch device according to a first embodiment of the present invention attached to a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a fence block and a latch mechanism. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the fork removed from the fence block. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fence block and a latch mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the fence block and the latch mechanism in a latched state taken along line VV in FIG. 2. [Figure 6A] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the latch mechanism in an open state. [Figure 6B] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of the latch mechanism in an open state. [Figure 7A] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the latch mechanism in a latched state. [Figure 7B] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of the latch mechanism in a latched state. [Figure 8A] FIG. [Figure 8B] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of the latch mechanism during the overrun process. [Figure 9A] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the latch mechanism in an overrun state. [Figure 9B] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of the latch mechanism in an overrun state. [Figure 10] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of a fence block and a latch mechanism according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of a fence block and a latch mechanism according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] (First embodiment) Referring to FIG. 1, a door latch device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is disposed within a door 6 of an automobile, and holds the door 6 in a closed state relative to a vehicle body 1 so as to be releasable.

[0015] In the accompanying drawings, the X direction is the vehicle length direction, with the direction indicated by the arrow being the front side and the direction opposite the arrow being the rear side. The Y direction is the vehicle width direction, with the direction indicated by the arrow being the inside of the vehicle and the direction opposite the arrow being the outside of the vehicle. The Z direction is the vehicle height direction, with the direction indicated by the arrow being the upper side and the direction opposite the arrow being the lower side. The following description will be given based on the state in which the door 6 is closed.

[0016] The car body 1 is provided with a weather strip (sealing member) 3 that surrounds the entrance 2 and seals the gap with the door 6. In addition, a U-shaped striker 5 that protrudes in the vehicle length direction is attached to an end panel 4 of the car body 1.

[0017] The door 6 is a side door, and is attached to the vehicle body 1 on the front side of the entrance 2 in the vehicle length direction so as to be rotatable by a hinge shaft extending in the vehicle height direction. The door 6 is composed of an outer panel 7, an inner panel 8, and an end panel 9. The door 6 may be a gull-wing door that can be rotated by a hinge shaft extending in the vehicle length direction, or a sliding door that moves in the vehicle length direction along the vehicle body 1. The door 6 may also be a hatchback door attached to the rear of the vehicle body 1.

[0018] Continuing to refer to Figure 1, the door latch device 10 is disposed in the interior space of the door 6 defined by the outer panel 7, inner panel 8, and end panel 9. The door latch device 10 holds the door 6 in a closed state relative to the vehicle body 1 by holding the striker 5 and elastically compressing the weatherstrip 3.

[0019] The door latch device 10 includes a housing 12 that is L-shaped when viewed from the vehicle height direction. The housing 12 includes a first portion 12a that extends along the end panel 9 and a second portion 12b that extends along the inner panel 8. The first portion 12a and the second portion 12b are spatially connected. A portion of the first portion 12a is exposed to the outside from the end panel 9.

[0020] The first portion 12a of the housing 12 accommodates a latch mechanism 20 (see FIG. 2) for holding the striker 5. The second portion 12b accommodates an opening mechanism and a locking mechanism (not shown). The locking mechanism transmits the operating force of a locking / unlocking member such as a lock knob to the opening mechanism, switching the opening mechanism between an unlocked state and a locked state. When the opening mechanism is in the unlocked state, it transmits the opening force of an opening member such as a door handle to the latch mechanism 20. This causes the latch mechanism 20 to open, allowing the door 6 to be opened. When the opening mechanism is in the locked state, it cannot transmit the opening force of the opening member to the latch mechanism 20. This causes the latch mechanism 20 to not open, and the door 6 remains closed.

[0021] Next, the configuration of the latch mechanism 20 will be specifically described.

[0022] 2 and 3, the latch mechanism 20 includes a fork 21 and a claw 26, and is attached to a fence block 13 that forms part of the first section 12a of the housing 12. In this embodiment, vibration of the fork 21 caused by the impact when the door 6 is closed is suppressed, thereby reducing abnormal noise caused by the vibration of the fork 21.

[0023] The fence block 13 is made of resin and is attached to the first portion 12a of the housing 12. An insertion groove 13a is formed in the fence block 13, into which the striker 5 can be inserted. The insertion groove 13a is recessed from the rear side in the vehicle length direction to the front side in the vehicle length direction, and extends in the vehicle width direction. The rear end of the insertion groove 13a in the vehicle length direction and the inner end in the vehicle width direction are open. A rubber stopper (buffer member) 14, against which the striker 5 abuts, is attached to the outer end of the insertion groove 13a in the vehicle width direction.

[0024] The fence block 13 is formed with a recess 13b that is recessed from its rear surface in the vehicle length direction toward its front surface in the vehicle length direction. A base surface (opposing surface) 13c, which is the bottom surface of the recess 13b, faces the fork 21 and is a flat surface extending along the YZ plane. The fork 21 and the claw 26 are disposed within the recess 13b, and multiple protrusions, including ribs, protrude from the base surface 13c. The rear end of the recess 13b in the vehicle length direction is open and covered by a metal cover 15. The cover 15 is provided with an insertion groove 15a that corresponds to the insertion groove 13a.

[0025] 2 to 4, the fork 21 is rotatably attached to a rotation shaft 24 provided above the insertion groove 13a. The claw 26 is rotatably attached to a rotation shaft 27 provided below the insertion groove 13a. The rotation shafts 24, 27 pass through the fence block 13 and are respectively crimped to the cover 15 on the rear side in the vehicle length direction and the front side of the fence block 13 in the vehicle direction. However, the claw 26 may be configured to be linearly movable.

[0026] The fork 21 is formed with a shaft hole 21a, a holding groove 21b, and a locking receiving portion 21c. A rotary shaft 24 passes through the shaft hole 21a, and the fork 21 is rotatable around the rotary shaft 24. The holding groove 21b extends from the outer periphery toward the shaft hole 21a and holds the striker 5 shown in FIG. 1. The locking receiving portion 21c is provided on the outer periphery of the upper portion of the fork 21 in FIG. 2 that defines the holding groove 21b, and is locked by the claw 26.

[0027] The fork 21 can rotate about the rotation shaft 24 between the open position shown in FIG. 6A and the overrun position shown in FIG. 9A via the latched position shown in FIG. 7A. When the door 6 (see FIG. 1) is closed, the fork 21 rotates in a closing rotation direction A (counterclockwise) from the open position shown in FIG. 6A to the overrun position shown in FIG. 9A as the striker 5 advances. The rotation of the fork 21 in the closing rotation direction A is restricted by the fork 21 abutting against the peripheral wall of the recess 13b of the fence block 13. The fork 21 is biased in an opening rotation direction B (clockwise) by a kick spring 25 from the overrun position shown in FIG. 9A to the open position shown in FIG. 6A. One end of the kick spring 25 is engaged with the fork 21, and the other end of the kick spring 25 is engaged with the fence block 13.

[0028] 6A, the fork 21 is in an attitude where the tip of the holding groove 21b is positioned above the insertion groove 13a of the fence block 13, and is able to release the striker 5. When the fork 21 is in the latch position shown in FIG. 7A and the overrun position shown in FIG. 9A, the fork 21 is in an attitude where the holding groove 21b intersects with the insertion groove 13a, and the striker 5 is held by the groove walls of the insertion groove 13a and the groove walls of the holding groove 21b.

[0029] 2 to 4, the claw 26 is provided with a shaft hole 26a, a locking portion 26b, and an operation receiving portion 26c. A rotation shaft 27 passes through the shaft hole 26a, and the claw 26 is rotatable about the rotation shaft 27. The locking portion 26b locks the fork 21 in the latched position (see FIG. 7A). The operation receiving portion 26c passes through the fence block 13 and protrudes into the second portion 12b of the housing 12 shown in FIG. 1, and is opened by the opening mechanism.

[0030] The claw 26 is rotatable about a rotation axis 27 between a locked position shown by a solid line in Fig. 7A and an unlocked position shown by a dashed line in Fig. 7A. The claw 26 is urged by a kick spring 28 from the unlocked position shown by a dashed line in Fig. 7A to the locked position shown by a solid line in Fig. 7A. One end of the kick spring 28 is locked to the claw 26, and the other end of the kick spring 28 is locked to the fence block 13.

[0031] In the latched state shown in Fig. 7A, when the opening operation member for opening the door 6 (see Fig. 1) is operated to open, the opening mechanism operates the operation receiving portion 26c, causing the claw 26 to rotate clockwise to the unlocked position shown by the dashed line in Fig. 7A. This releases the lock of the lock receiving portion 21c by the locking portion 26b of the claw 26, and the biasing force of the kick spring 25 causes the fork 21 shown in Fig. 6A to rotate clockwise to the open position. As a result, the striker 5 can be released from the holding groove 21b of the fork 21, and the door 6 shown in Fig. 1 can be opened relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0032] When the door 6 (see FIG. 1) is closed in the open state shown in FIG. 6A, the fork 21 rotates counterclockwise to the latched position shown in FIG. 7A as the striker 5 advances, and the locking portion 26b of the claw 26 locks the lock receiving portion 21c of the fork 21. This restricts the fork 21 from rotating to the open position shown in FIG. 6A, and the fork 21 holds the striker 5, thereby holding the door 6 (see FIG. 1) in the closed state.

[0033] When the door 6 is slammed shut, the fork 21 is pressed by the striker 5, causing it to rotate from the open position shown in Fig. 6A past the latched position shown in Fig. 7A to the overrun position shown in Fig. 9A. To suppress vibration of the fork 21 due to the impact at this time, a protrusion 30 is provided on the fork 21, and a receiving portion 31 is provided on the fence block 13.

[0034] The protrusions 30 of the forks 21 and the receiving portions 31 of the fence blocks 13 will be specifically described below.

[0035] 3 and 5, the fork 21 is made up of a metal fork body 22 and a cover member 23 that covers the surface of the fork body 22. The cover member 23 is made of a cushioning material (e.g., elastomer) and is capable of reducing the impact noise caused by a collision with the striker 5 (see FIG. 1), and is also elastically deformable when pressed against the fence block 13. The aforementioned lock receiving portion 21c is made up of a part of the fork body 22 that is exposed from the cover member 23. The protrusion 30 is formed on the cover member 23.

[0036] The protrusion 30 protrudes toward the base surface 13c from the surface of the fork 21 that faces the base surface 13c of the fence block 13. More specifically, the protrusion 30 is provided in an upper portion of the fork 21 that defines the retaining groove 21b, adjacent to the lock receiving portion 21c in FIG.

[0037] The receiving portion 31 is provided in a position on the fence block 13 that faces the protruding portion 30 when the fork 21 rotates to the latch position shown in Fig. 7A. More specifically, the receiving portion 31 protrudes from the base surface 13c below the insertion groove 13a toward the fork 21 so as to be adjacent to the claw 26 in Fig. 3. When viewed from the vehicle height direction, the receiving portion 31 protrudes to a dimension that overlaps with the protruding portion 30 in the vehicle length direction (see Fig. 7B).

[0038] 6A and 6B, when the fork 21 is rotated to the open position, the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 are spaced apart around the rotation axis 24 and do not interfere with each other. Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B to 9A and 9B, when the fork 21 is rotated within the angle range from the latch position to the overrun position, the protrusion 30 is in pressure contact (sliding contact) with the receiving portion 31. Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, when the fork 21 is rotated to the overrun position, the protrusion 30 climbs over the receiving portion 31 and abuts (sliding contact) against the receiving portion 31.

[0039] If the overlap between the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 is made too large, the resistance caused by the interference between the receiving portion 31 and the protrusion 30 becomes too large, which may make it difficult for the protrusion 30 to overcome the receiving portion 31, particularly for the kick spring 25 to overcome from the overrun position shown in FIG. 9A to the latched position shown in FIG. 7A. If the overlap between the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 is made too small, the resistance caused by the interference between the receiving portion 31 and the protrusion 30 becomes too small, which may make it difficult to reduce the rotation speed of the fork 21 when closing the door 6. Therefore, the overlap between the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 is preferably set in the range of 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm, and is set to 2.0 mm in this embodiment.

[0040] 3 and 5, the protruding portion 30 is provided with a latch sliding contact portion (second latch sliding contact portion) 30a, an overrun sliding contact portion (second overrun sliding contact portion) 30b, and an intermediate sliding contact portion (second intermediate sliding contact portion) 30c. The receiving portion 31 is provided with a latch sliding contact portion (first latch sliding contact portion) 31a, an overrun sliding contact portion (first overrun sliding contact portion) 31b, and an intermediate sliding contact portion (first intermediate sliding contact portion) 31c. However, the latch sliding contact portion 30a and the overrun sliding contact portion 30b may be provided only on the protruding portion 30, or the latch sliding contact portion 31a and the overrun sliding contact portion 31b may be provided only on the receiving portion 31. In other words, it is sufficient that the latch sliding contact portion and the overrun sliding contact portion are provided on at least one of the protruding portion 30 and the receiving portion 31.

[0041] When the door 6 (see FIG. 1) is closed, the fork 21 is rotated from the open position in the closing rotation direction A by the advancement of the striker 5. As a result, first, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the fork 21 rotates to the latch position, and the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protrusion 30 slides against the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31. Next, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the intermediate sliding contact portion 30c of the protrusion 30 slides against the intermediate sliding contact portion 31c of the receiving portion 31. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the fork 21 rotates to the overrun position, and the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the protrusion 30 stops in abutment against the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31.

[0042] On the other hand, when the rotation of the door 6 (see FIG. 1) in the closing direction stops, the fork 21 rotates in the opening rotation direction B due to the biasing force of the kick spring 25. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the protrusion 30 slides against the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31. Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the intermediate sliding contact portion 30c of the protrusion 30 slides against the intermediate sliding contact portion 31c of the receiving portion 31. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the fork 21 rotates to the latch position, and the claw 26 locks the fork 21, and the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protrusion 30 stops in a state of abutting (pressing) against the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31.

[0043] Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a come into sliding contact with each other when the fork 21 rotates to the latch position (see Figures 7A and 7B). The latch sliding contact portion 30a of the fork 21 is provided on the front side of the convex portion 30 in the closing rotation direction A of the fork 21. The latch sliding contact portion 31a of the fence block 13 is provided on the rear side of the receiving portion 31 in the closing rotation direction A of the fork 21. Both of the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a are configured as surfaces that are inclined upward to the right with respect to the base surface 13c. In other words, the inclination of the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a is set in a direction away from the base surface 13c in the closing rotation direction A of the fork 21.

[0044] The overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b come into sliding contact with each other when the fork 21 rotates to the overrun position (see FIGS. 9A and 9B). The overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the fork 21 is provided on the rear side of the convex portion 30 in the closing rotation direction A of the fork 21. The overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the fence block 13 is provided on the front side of the receiving portion 31 in the closing rotation direction A of the fork 21. Both of the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b are configured as surfaces that are inclined downward to the right with respect to the base surface 13c. In other words, the inclination of the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b is set in a direction away from the base surface 13c in the opening rotation direction B of the fork 21.

[0045] The intermediate sliding contact portions 30c, 31c come into sliding contact with each other (see FIGS. 8A and 8B) as the fork 21 rotates between the latch position (see FIG. 7A) and the overrun position (see FIG. 9A). At this time, the convex portion 30 is elastically deformed. The intermediate sliding contact portion 30c of the convex portion 30 is provided continuously between the tip of the latch sliding contact portion 30a and the tip of the overrun sliding contact portion 30b. The intermediate sliding contact portion 31c of the receiving portion 31 is provided continuously between the tip of the latch sliding contact portion 31a and the tip of the overrun sliding contact portion 31b. Both of the intermediate sliding contact portions 30c, 31c extend parallel to the base surface 13c.

[0046] The latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protruding portion 30 is inclined at an inclination angle a1, and the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the protruding portion 30 is inclined at an inclination angle a2, relative to the base surface 13c of the fence block 13. Furthermore, the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 is inclined at an inclination angle b1, and the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 is inclined at an inclination angle b2, relative to the base surface 13c of the fence block 13.

[0047] The inclination angle a1 of the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protruding portion 30 is smaller than the inclination angle a2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 30b, and the inclination angle b1 of the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 is smaller than the inclination angle b2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 31b. As a result, the resistance when the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b slide against each other due to the rotation of the fork 21 in the opening rotation direction B is greater than the resistance when the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a slide against each other due to the rotation of the fork 21 in the closing rotation direction A. The inclination angles a2, b2 of the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b are set within a range in which the fork 21 can rotate from the overrun position (see FIG. 9A) to the latch position (see FIG. 7A) due to the biasing force of the kick spring 25, allowing the protruding portion 30 to climb over the receiving portion 31.

[0048] The inclination angle b1 of the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 is smaller than the inclination angle a1 of the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protruding portion 30. As a result, when the fork 21 rotates to the latch position (see FIG. 7A), the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protruding portion 30 makes line contact with the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 (see FIG. 7B). However, because the protruding portion 30 is formed on the cover member 23, the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protruding portion 30 presses against the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 in an elastically deformed state. In other words, when the fork 21 rotates to the latch position (see FIG. 7A), the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protruding portion 30 is pressed against the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 and is formed at a rotation angle position where it is elastically deformed. More specifically, the inclination angle a1 of the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the convex portion 30 is preferably set in the range of 25 degrees to 27 degrees, and is set to 26 degrees in this embodiment. The inclination angle b1 of the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 is preferably set in the range of 19 degrees to 21 degrees, and is set to 20 degrees in this embodiment.

[0049] The inclination angle b2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 is smaller than the inclination angle a2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the convex portion 30. As a result, when the fork 21 rotates from the overrun position (see FIG. 9A) to the latch position (see FIG. 7A), the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the convex portion 30 makes line contact with the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 (see FIG. 9B). However, because the convex portion 30 is formed on the cover member 23, the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the convex portion 30 makes sliding contact with the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 in an elastically deformed state. More specifically, the inclination angle a2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the convex portion 30 is preferably set in the range of 59 degrees to 61 degrees, and is set to 60 degrees in this embodiment. The inclination angle b2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 is preferably set in the range of 34 degrees to 36 degrees, and in this embodiment it is set to 35 degrees.

[0050] Next, the operation of the latch mechanism 20 including the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 will be described.

[0051] 6A and 6B, when the door (see FIG. 1) is closed with the latch mechanism 20 in the open state, the fork 21 rotates in the closing rotation direction A against the biasing force of the kick spring 25 as the striker 5 advances. At this time, the weatherstrip 3 between the door 6 shown in FIG. 1 and the vehicle body 1 is compressed.

[0052] When the fork 21 rotates to just before the latch position shown in FIG. 7A, the protrusion 30 abuts against the receiving portion 31. As the fork 21 further rotates in the closing rotation direction A, the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protrusion 30 slides against the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31, as shown in FIG. 7B. The striker 5 also abuts against the stopper 14. This gradually increases the rotation resistance of the fork 21, and the rotation speed of the fork 21 is decelerated. This suppresses vibration of the fork 21 due to the impact when the door 6 is closed.

[0053] As shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the fork 21 rotates past the latched position (see Figure 7A) in the closing rotation direction A. This causes the protrusion 30 formed on the cover member 23 to elastically deform, and the intermediate sliding contact portion 30c of the protrusion 30 slides against the intermediate sliding contact portion 31c of the receiving portion 31. The resistance caused by the interference between the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 at this time is greater than the resistance caused by the interference between the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 in the latched state shown in Figures 7A and 7B. As a result, the deceleration rate of the rotation speed of the fork 21 is higher than in the latched state shown in Figures 7A and 7B.

[0054] When the force applied to close the door 6 (see FIG. 1) is strong, the fork 21 rotates in the closing rotation direction A to the overrun position, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. As a result, the protrusions 30 change from a state in which the intermediate sliding contact portions 30c, 31c are in sliding contact with each other to a state in which the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b are in contact with each other. The fork 21 also collides with the fence block 13, but the impact caused by this contact is reduced by the striker 5 abutting against the stopper 14 and the protrusions 30 sliding against the receiving portion 31. This reduces abnormal noise caused by vibration of the fork 21. However, depending on the force applied to close the door 6 (see FIG. 1), the fork 21 may not rotate to the overrun position.

[0055] Next, the fork 21 starts to rotate in the opening rotation direction B due to the biasing force of the kick spring 25. As a result, the overrun sliding contact portions 30b and 31b of the protruding portion 30 and the receiving portion 31 come into sliding contact with each other, and then, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the intermediate sliding contact portions 30c and 31c of the protruding portion 30 and the receiving portion 31 come into sliding contact with each other.

[0056] 7A and 7B, when fork 21 rotates in opening rotation direction B to the latch position, locking portion 26b of claw 26 locks lock receiving portion 21c of fork 21. Also, latch sliding contact portion 30a of protrusion 30 is pressed against latch sliding contact portion 31a of receiving portion 31, and is elastically deformed.

[0057] When the opening operation member for opening the door 6 (see FIG. 1) is operated in the latched and unlocked state shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the claw 26 moves to the unlocked position shown by the dashed line. This releases the lock of the fork 21 by the claw 26, allowing the claw 26 to rotate to the open position shown in FIG. 6A. At this time, the weatherstrip 3 and the protrusion 30 are elastically compressed. As a result, the door 6 shown in FIG. 1 rotates in the opening direction due to the biasing force of the kick spring 25 and the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 and the protrusion 30. As a result, the fork 21 rotates in the opening rotation direction B due to the relative movement of the striker 5.

[0058] In cold climates, the elastic restoring force of the weatherstrip 3 may be reduced, making it impossible to rotate the door 6 in the opening direction. However, even in this case, the biasing force of the kick spring 25 and the elastic restoring force of the protrusion 30 act on the inclined latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 in a direction away from the door opening rotation direction B. This ensures that the fork 21 can be reliably rotated from the latched position shown in FIG. 7A to the open position shown in FIG. 6A. As a result, even if the claw 26 returns to the locking position when the operation of the opening operation member is stopped, the fork 21 can be effectively prevented from being re-locked.

[0059] The door latch device 10 configured in this manner has the following features.

[0060] The fork 21 has a protrusion 30, and the fence block 13 has a receiving portion 31 that faces the protrusion 30 when the fork 21 rotates to the latched position. The protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 are provided with inclined latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a that slide against each other when the fork 21 rotates from the open position to the latched position. As a result, when the door 6 is closed, when the fork 21 rotates from the open position shown in FIG. 6A to the latched position shown in FIG. 7A, the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protrusion 30 slides against the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31. This suppresses vibration of the fork 21 due to the impact when the door 6 is closed, thereby reducing abnormal noise that may occur when the door 6 is closed.

[0061] The inclination of the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a is set in a direction away from the base surface 13c in the closing rotation direction A of the fork 21. As a result, when the fork 21 rotates from the open position to the latched position, the rotation resistance of the fork 21 due to the sliding contact between the convex portion 30 and the receiving portion 31 gradually increases, and the rotation speed of the fork 21 is decelerated. On the other hand, before the fork 21 rotates to the latched position, that is, before the convex portion 30 and the receiving portion 31 slide in contact, there is no rotation resistance of the fork 21 due to interference between the convex portion 30 and the receiving portion 31. Therefore, the door 6 can be closed reliably.

[0062] The inclination of the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a is set so as to move away from the base surface 13c in the closing rotation direction A of the fork 21. In other words, the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a are inclined so as to move closer to the base surface 13c in the opening rotation direction B of the fork 21. As a result, when the fork 21 rotates to the open position, the convex portion 30 moves away from the receiving portion 31, so there is no resistance due to interference between the convex portion 30 and the receiving portion 31. Therefore, even if the door 6 rotates in the opening direction, the fork 21 holding the striker 5 rotates from the latched position toward the open position. As a result, even if the opening operation of the door 6 is stopped, the claw 26 can be prevented from re-engaging the fork 21.

[0063] The fork 21 can rotate from the open position shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B past the latched position shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B to the overrun position shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, and is biased toward the open position by the kick spring 25. The protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31 are provided with inclined overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b that slide against each other when the fork 21 rotates to the overrun position. The inclination of the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b is set in a direction away from the base surface 13c in the opening rotation direction B of the fork 21. This reduces the momentum of the fork 21 when it rotates past the latched position to the overrun position and then returns to the latched position due to the biasing force of the kick spring 25. This reduces the locking noise that may occur when the fork 21 and the claw 26 lock together.

[0064] The inclination angles a1, b1 of the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a relative to the base surface 13c of the fence block 13 are smaller than the inclination angles a2, b2 of the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b relative to the base surface 13c. This reduces the resistance to rotation of the fork 21 from the open position to the latched position when closing the door 6, ensuring ease of closing the door 6. On the other hand, the resistance to rotation of the fork 21 from the overrun position to the latched position is increased, reducing the sound of the fork 21 and the claw 26 engaging.

[0065] The inclination angle b1 of the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 is smaller than the inclination angle a1 of the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the protrusion 30. Furthermore, when the fork 21 rotates to the latch position, the latch sliding contact portion 31a is pressed against the latch sliding contact portion 30a. As a result, when the locking of the fork 21 by the claw 26 is released, the release of the pressure of the latch sliding contact portion 31a from the latch sliding contact portion 30a acts to push the fork 21 toward the open position. Therefore, when the door 6 is opened, the fork 21 can be reliably rotated toward the open position, preventing the claw 26 from locking the fork 21 again.

[0066] The inclination angle b2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 is smaller than the inclination angle a2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the convex portion 30. As a result, the overrun sliding contact portion 30b and the overrun sliding contact portion 31b are in line contact, reducing resistance due to interference between them. Therefore, the biasing force of the kick spring 25 can reliably return the fork 21 from the overrun position to the latched position.

[0067] Between the latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a and the overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b, intermediate sliding contact portions 30c, 31c are formed, extending along the base surface 13c of the fence block 13. As a result, when the fork 21 rotates past the latch position to the overrun position, the rotation speed of the fork 21 can be slowed down by the sliding contact between the protrusion 30 and the receiving portion 31. This reduces the impact when the fork 21 hits the fence block 13, thereby reducing abnormal noise.

[0068] Other embodiments and various modifications of the present invention will be described below, but in these descriptions, points that are not particularly mentioned are the same as those in the first embodiment. In the drawings referred to below, the same elements as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals.

[0069] (Second embodiment) 10, the door latch device 10 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 formed on the fence block 13 is configured as a flat surface along the base surface 13c. Note that the receiving portion 31 of this second embodiment can also be considered to be configured such that the range of the overrun sliding contact portion 31b is widened without providing the intermediate sliding contact portion 31c. Moreover, the overrun sliding contact portion 30b of the protrusion 30 formed on the fork 21 may also be configured as a flat surface along the base surface 13c.

[0070] The second embodiment configured in this manner can achieve the same effects and advantages as the first embodiment. Furthermore, when the fork 21 rotates past the latch position to the overrun position, the rotation speed of the fork 21 can be slowed down by the sliding contact between the convex portion 30 and the overrun sliding contact portion 31b of the receiving portion 31. This reduces the impact when the fork 21 hits the fence block 13, thereby reducing abnormal noise. Furthermore, the biasing force of the kick spring 25 reduces the momentum when returning from the overrun position to the latch position, thereby reducing the locking noise that may occur when the fork 21 and the claw 26 lock together.

[0071] (Third embodiment) 11, the door latch device 10 of the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it does not have an intermediate sliding contact portion 30c of the protrusion 30 formed on the fork 21, and an intermediate sliding contact portion 31c of the receiving portion 31 formed on the fence block 13, but instead has latch sliding contact portions 30a, 31a and overrun sliding contact portions 30b, 31b adjacent to each other. The third embodiment configured in this manner can achieve the same functions and effects as the first embodiment.

[0072] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

[0073] For example, the fork 21 may be configured to be rotatable only between the open position shown in Figures 6A and 6B and the latched position shown in Figures 7A and 7B. In this case, the protrusion 30 of the fork 21 and the receiving portion 31 of the fence block 13 may be configured not to have at least the overrun sliding portions 30b, 31b.

[0074] The relationship between the inclination angle a1 of the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the convex portion 30 of the fork 21 and the inclination angle a2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 30b, and the relationship between the inclination angle b1 of the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 of the fence block 13 and the inclination angle b2 of the overrun sliding contact portion 31b, can be changed as needed within a range that allows rotation of the fork 21 between the latch position and the overrun position.

[0075] The relationship between the inclination angle a1 of the latch sliding contact portion 30a of the convex portion 30 of the fork 21 and the inclination angle b1 of the latch sliding contact portion 31a of the receiving portion 31 of the fence block 13 can be changed as needed within a range that can reduce abnormal noise caused by the vibration of the fork 21 when closing the door 6.

[0076] The relationship between the inclination angle a2 of the overrun sliding portion 30b of the convex portion 30 of the fork 21 and the inclination angle b2 of the overrun sliding portion 31b of the receiving portion 31 of the fence block 13 can be changed as needed within the range in which the fork 21 can be returned from the overrun position to the latch position by the spring force of the kick spring 25. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1. Body 2. Boarding gate 3 Weatherstrip 4 End Panels 5 Striker 6 doors 7 Outer panel 8 Inner Panel 9 End Panel 10 Door latch device 12 Housing 12a Part 1 12b Part 2 13 Fence Block 13a Insertion groove 13b Recess 13c Base surface (opposing surface) 14 Stopper 15 Cover 15a Insertion groove 20 Latch mechanism 21 Fork 21a Shaft hole 21b Retaining groove 21c Locking part 22 Fork body 23 Cover member 24 Rotation Axis 25 Kick spring (biasing member) 26 Claws 26a Shaft hole 26b Locking part 26c Operation receiver 27 Rotation axis 28 Kick spring 30 Convex part 30a Latch sliding contact portion (second latch sliding contact portion) 30b Overrun sliding contact portion (second overrun sliding contact portion) 30c Intermediate sliding contact part (second intermediate sliding contact part) 31 Receiving Department 31a Latch sliding contact portion (first latch sliding contact portion) 31b Overrun sliding contact portion (first overrun sliding contact portion) 31c Intermediate sliding contact part (1st intermediate sliding contact part) A Closing rotation direction B Opening rotation direction

Claims

1. a fork that is rotatable between an open position that can release the striker and a latched position that holds the striker; a claw movable between a locking position where the fork is locked at the latched position and a release position where the fork is released from the lock; a fence block on which the fork and the claw are disposed; Equipped with The fork has a protrusion that protrudes toward the fence block, the fence block has a receiving portion that protrudes from an opposing surface facing the fork toward the fork so as to face the protruding portion when the fork is rotated to the latch position, At least one of the protrusion and the receiving portion is provided with an inclined latch sliding contact portion with which the other of the protrusion and the receiving portion slides when the fork rotates from the open position to the latched position, The inclination of the latch sliding contact portion is set in a direction away from the opposing surface in a closing rotation direction, which is a direction in which the fork rotates to the latch position.

2. the fork is rotatable from the open position past the latch position to an overrun position, and is biased from the overrun position to the open position by a biasing member; At least one of the protrusion and the receiving portion is provided with an inclined overrun sliding contact portion with which the other of the protrusion and the receiving portion slides when the fork rotates to the overrun position, 2. The door latch device according to claim 1, wherein the inclination of the overrun sliding contact portion is set in a direction away from the opposing surface in an opening rotation direction, which is a direction in which the fork rotates from the overrun position to the open position.

3. 3. The door latch device according to claim 2, wherein an inclination angle of the latch sliding contact portion relative to the opposing surface of the fence block is smaller than an inclination angle of the overrun sliding contact portion relative to the opposing surface.

4. the fork is rotatable from the open position past the latch position to an overrun position, and is biased from the overrun position to the open position by a biasing member; At least one of the protrusion and the receiving portion is provided with an overrun sliding contact portion with which the other of the protrusion and the receiving portion slides when the fork rotates to the overrun position, The door latch device according to claim 1 , wherein the overrun sliding contact portion extends along the opposing surface of the fence block.

5. the latch sliding contact portion is provided on both the protrusion and the receiving portion, an inclination angle of a first latch sliding contact portion of the receiving portion with respect to the opposing surface of the fence block is smaller than an inclination angle of a second latch sliding contact portion of the convex portion with respect to the opposing surface, 5. The door latch device according to claim 1, wherein the second latch sliding contact portion is pressed against the first latch sliding contact portion when the fork is rotated to the latch position.

6. the overrun sliding contact portion is provided on both the protruding portion and the receiving portion, 4. The door latch device according to claim 2, wherein an inclination angle of the first overrun sliding contact portion of the receiving portion relative to the opposing surface of the fence block is smaller than an inclination angle of the second overrun sliding contact portion of the convex portion relative to the opposing surface.

7. 5. The door latch device according to claim 2, wherein an intermediate sliding contact portion is formed between the latch sliding contact portion and the overrun sliding contact portion, the intermediate sliding contact portion extending along the opposing surface of the fence block.

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