Door latch device

Abstract

To provide a door latch device capable of releasing an unlatchable state with good operability even when the unlatchable state occurs while securing safety and antitheft property.SOLUTION: The door latch device 1 includes a latch mechanism 20, an electric release mechanism 40, a manual release mechanism 60, a cancel mechanism 100, and an in-vehicle operation invalidation mechanism 200. The cancel mechanism 100 is provided independently of the motor 41, and releases the connection state between the first lever 51 and the second lever 52 by the operation force of the inner handle 3 transmitted via the inner lever 61 of the manual release mechanism 60, and allows the second lever 52 to retract from the operation position. The in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 selectively switches between a set state in which the operation force of the inner handle 3 is disabled from being transmitted to the latch mechanism 20 and an unset state in which the operation force is enabled to be transmitted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 18

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a door latch device that is attached to a vehicle door. [Background technology]

[0002] Among door latch devices attached to vehicle doors, electric door latch devices (also known as E-latches) are known that can release the engagement between the latch mechanism and the striker using the driving force of a motor.In addition to an electrical disengagement mechanism, electric door latch devices are also provided with a mechanical disengagement mechanism that can manually disengage the engagement between the latch mechanism and the striker by operating a handle or the like as a countermeasure in case the motor becomes inoperable due to a power outage or other reason.

[0003] Regarding this mechanical disengagement mechanism, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a door latch device that can assume a set state in which the engagement between the latch and the striker is not released even when the inside handle inside the vehicle is manually operated, from the standpoint of safety and anti-theft. Also, Patent Document 2 describes a door lock device equipped with a mechanism that restricts disengagement when the active lever is set to the lock position, not only when the inside door handle inside the vehicle but also the outside door handle is manually operated.

[0004] Furthermore, in an electric door latch device, if the motor becomes inoperable while the electric disengagement mechanism has actuated the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state, the latch mechanism may remain in a state where it cannot engage with the striker (also called an unlatched state), and the door may not be able to be closed.

[0005] The door lock device described in Patent Document 2 is provided with a cancel mechanism as a countermeasure in the event that the latch cannot be released. When the inner door handle is operated, the active lever rotates, and the connection between the release lever and the cancel lever, which are connected by a cancel pin, is released, allowing the door to change from an open state to a closed state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4617588 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7035709 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In Patent Document 2, the active lever has a gear engagement hole, and a gear protrusion formed on a wheel gear of an electric operation mechanism is inserted into the gear engagement hole. The active lever moves between a locked position and an unlocked position by rotating the wheel gear, i.e., it also functions as a locking mechanism. If the inner door handle is operated while the motor is disabled, the active lever will operate while the gear protrusion of the stuck wheel gear and the gear engagement hole of the active lever remain in contact, resulting in large frictional resistance and posing a problem in terms of operability.

[0008] It is also desirable to realize a mechanism that can easily release the unlatched state described above, while at the same time ensuring safety and anti-theft by preventing the door from being opened unexpectedly by operating a handle installed inside the vehicle.

[0009] The present invention provides a door latch device that can release an unlatched state with good operability even if the unlatched state occurs, while ensuring safety and anti-theft properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention provides A door latch device attached to a vehicle door, a latch mechanism having a latch engageable with a striker provided on a vehicle body, the latch engaging the striker to maintain the door closed relative to the vehicle body; an electric release mechanism that can release the latched state by driving a motor; a manual release mechanism that can release the latched state by manual operation, the electric release mechanism has an electric release lever that is actuated by driving the motor, The electric release lever is a first lever that is actuated by driving the motor; a second lever that operates in conjunction with the first lever and engages with the latch mechanism in a connected state to release the latched state, The manual release mechanism has an inner lever that is actuated by manually operating an in-vehicle operating unit provided in the vehicle compartment, The door latch device is a cancel mechanism that is provided independently of the motor and that releases the connection between the first lever and the second lever by the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit transmitted via the inner lever, thereby allowing the second lever to retract from a predetermined position; and The vehicle further includes an in-vehicle operation disable mechanism that selectively switches between a set state in which the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit cannot be transmitted from the manual release mechanism to the latch mechanism, and an unset state in which the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit can be transmitted from the manual release mechanism to the latch mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the door latch device is equipped with a cancel mechanism that is operated by manual operation of an in-vehicle operating unit. Therefore, even if the motor becomes inoperable due to a power outage or malfunction, leaving the unlatched state, the unlatched state can be released by manually operating the in-vehicle operating unit. This allows the door to be reliably closed even in an emergency, improving theft prevention and reliability of the door latch device. Furthermore, because the cancel mechanism is provided independently of the motor, it can operate without being affected by a stuck motor, allowing the unlatched state to be released with ease.

[0012] In addition, according to the present invention, an in-vehicle operation disable mechanism is provided that selectively switches between a set state, which prevents the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit from being transmitted to the latch mechanism, and an unset state, which allows the force to be transmitted, thereby further improving anti-theft capabilities and safety. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a right side view of a vehicle V to which a door latch device 1 according to each embodiment of the present invention is attached. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a door latch device 1 as seen from the rear and inside of a vehicle. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of the door latch device 1 before the latch mechanism 20 is attached to the housing 11. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view of an electrical component 80 mounted on the door latch device 1. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the latch mechanism 20. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism 20 (body 21 not shown) as seen from the front side. [Figure 7] 10 is a rear view of the pawl lever 34 and the outer lever 71. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a view of the electric release mechanism 40, the manual release mechanism 60, and the cancellation mechanism 100 as seen from inside the vehicle. [Figure 9]1 is an exploded perspective view of each element of an electric release mechanism 40, a manual release mechanism 60, and a cancellation mechanism 100. FIG. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram showing the electric release mechanism 40 (left view) and the latch mechanism 20 (right view) in the standby position. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram showing the electric release mechanism 40 (left) and the latch mechanism 20 (right) actuated in the release direction. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a diagram showing the electric release mechanism 40 (left) and the latch mechanism 20 (right) actuated in the standby direction. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a view showing the manual release mechanism 60 (left) and the latch mechanism 20 (right) actuated in the release direction. FIG. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram showing the manual release mechanism 60 (left) and the latch mechanism 20 (right) operated in the standby direction. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a diagram (part 1) showing the operation of the cancel mechanism 100 (left diagram) and the latch mechanism 20 (right diagram) when releasing the unlatching state. FIG. [Figure 16] 10 is a diagram (part 2) showing the operation of the cancel mechanism 100 (left diagram) and the latch mechanism 20 (right diagram) when releasing the unlatching state. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 3) showing the operation of the cancel mechanism 100 (left diagram) and the latch mechanism 20 (right diagram) when releasing the unlatching state. [Figure 18] 10 is a view of an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 according to a second embodiment housed in a space S1 of a housing 11, as viewed from inside the vehicle. FIG. [Figure 19] 2 is an enlarged view of the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 and the manual release mechanism 60. FIG. [Figure 20] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the inner lever 61 (left diagram) in an unset state and the inner lever 61 (right diagram) in a set state. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a pole lever 34 according to a second embodiment. [Figure 22] 10 is a diagram showing how the door latch device 1 transitions from an unset state (upper diagram) to a set state (lower diagram) as a result of the driving of the motor 201. FIG. [Figure 23] 1 is a diagram showing an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 (left diagram), a pole lever 34, and an outer lever 71 (right diagram) when the door latch device 1 is in a set state. [Figure 24] 1 is a diagram showing an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 (left diagram), a pole lever 34, and an outer lever 71 (right diagram) of the door latch device 1 that have transitioned to an unlocked state by manually operating the key cylinder 5. FIG. [Figure 25] 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 according to a third embodiment. FIG. [Figure 26] 10 is a diagram showing how the door latch device 1 transitions from an unset state (upper diagram) to a set state (lower diagram) as a result of driving the motor 41. FIG. [Figure 27] 10 is a diagram showing how the door latch device 1 transitions from a set state to an unlocked state by manually operating the key cylinder 5. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Door latch devices according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings should be viewed in the direction of the reference symbols. The door latch devices illustrated here are vehicle door latch devices mounted on the left and right doors (including the front door and the rear door) of an automobile. In the drawings, the front of the vehicle is indicated as Fr, the rear as Rr, the upper side as U, and the lower side as D. The inside of the vehicle in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) is indicated as IN, and the outside of the vehicle as OUT. Note that the front, rear, inside of the vehicle, and outside of the vehicle in the description are directions based on the fully closed state in which the door is completely closed.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a side view of a vehicle V to which a door latch device 1 according to each embodiment of the present invention is attached. The door latch device 1 is attached, for example, to the rear end of the interior of a right door D of the vehicle V. The door latch device 1 is an electric door latch device that can open the door D using a motor 41 (see Fig. 3, etc.) driven by operation of an interior switch 2 provided inside the vehicle cabin or an exterior switch 6 provided on an exterior handle 9 outside the vehicle cabin, and is also called an E-latch.

[0016] The door latch device 1 can open the door D not only by an electrical opening operation using the motor 41 but also by a manual operation by the user U. Specifically, the door D can be opened by a physical operation such as operating an inner handle 3 (an example of an internal operation unit) provided inside the vehicle compartment or operating a mechanical key 7 on a key cylinder 5 (an example of an external operation unit) provided outside the vehicle compartment. Note that the opening operation of the door D using the inner handle 3 or the mechanical key 7 is basically performed in an emergency such as when there is a power outage or when the motor 41 breaks down, and the normal opening operation of the door D is performed electrically using the internal switch 2 or the external switch 6.

[0017] (First embodiment) [Overall configuration of door latch device] Next, a door latch device 1 of a first embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the door latch device 1 includes a housing 11 formed of synthetic resin or the like, a latch mechanism 20 that maintains the door D in a closed state relative to the vehicle body, an electric release mechanism 40 that electrically opens the door D by driving a motor 41, and a manual release mechanism 60 that mechanically opens the door D by manual operation from inside and outside the vehicle compartment. The electric release mechanism 40 and the manual release mechanism 60 are disposed in a space S1 provided on the vehicle interior side of the housing 11, and are accommodated in the housing 11 by being covered with a first cover 17 attached from inside the vehicle. The latch mechanism 20 is assembled in a space S2 provided on the rear side of the housing 11.

[0018] 3 and 4, the door latch device 1 further includes an electrical component 80 that activates the electric release mechanism 40. The electrical component 80 includes, for example, a circuit board 81, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 82 mounted on the circuit board 81 and that controls the drive of the motor 41, and a storage device 83 such as a capacitor that stores power to be supplied to the motor 41 and the ECU 82. The electrical component 80 is disposed in a space S3 provided above the housing 11 and outside the vehicle, and is accommodated in the housing 11 by being covered with a second cover 18 attached from above and a third cover (not shown) attached from outside the vehicle.

[0019] The motor 41, ECU 82, and capacitor 83 are arranged in the upper part of the door latch device 1, specifically above the striker entry groove 27 described below, thereby preventing them from being exposed to liquids such as rainwater that seep in through the striker entry groove 27.

[0020] [Latch mechanism] Fig. 5 is a rear view of the latch mechanism 20, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism 20 (body 21 is not shown) as seen from the front. Figs. 5 and 6 show the state in which the latch mechanism 20 is engaged with a striker S provided on the vehicle body.

[0021] The latch mechanism 20 includes a body 21 made of synthetic resin or the like, a metal cover plate 22 arranged on the rear side of the body 21, a metal back plate 23 arranged on the front side of the body 21, a latch 24 that is rotatable about a latch shaft 24a and can engage with a striker S provided on the vehicle body when the door D is closed, and a pole mechanism 30 that has a pole 32 that can engage with the latch 24. The latch 24 and the pole mechanism 30 are supported by the body 21, the cover plate 22, and the back plate 23.

[0022] A recessed housing portion 26 that houses the latch 24 and part of the pawl mechanism 30 is provided on the rear side of the body 21. The cover plate 22 is fixed to the inside of the door D with bolts (not shown) and is disposed so as to cover the housing portion 26 of the body 21. The back plate 23 supports the latch 24, the pawl mechanism 30, and an outer lever 71 (described later) from the front side of the body 21.

[0023] A striker entrance groove 27 is provided in the body 21 and the cover plate 22 at approximately the center in the up-down direction. The striker entrance groove 27 is a portion into which the striker S enters when closing the door D, and extends in the vehicle width direction and opens to the inside of the vehicle. The latch 24 is provided above the striker entrance groove 27, and the pawl mechanism 30 is provided below the striker entrance groove 27.

[0024] The latch 24 has an accommodating groove 25 that is recessed from the outer circumferential surface toward the latch shaft 24a and is capable of accommodating the striker S. A coil spring 24s is wound around the latch shaft 24a, and the latch 24 is urged by the urging force of the coil spring 24s in a direction that disengages with the striker S and opens the door D, specifically in the clockwise direction in FIG.

[0025] The latch 24 has a full latch engagement portion 24b and a half latch engagement portion 24c on its outer circumferential surface. When the pawl 32 engages with the full latch engagement portion 24b, the latch 24 is in a fully latched state (see FIG. 5) corresponding to a state in which the door D is fully closed. When the pawl 32 engages with the half latch engagement portion 24c, the latch 24 is in a half latched state (not shown) corresponding to a half-door state. The full latched state and half latched state are states in which the latch 24 is engaged with the striker S by the pawl 32, and these states are collectively referred to as the latched state. When the latch 24 is not engaged with the striker S and the pawl 32 is not engaged with the striker S, the latch 24 is in an unlatched state (see FIG. 12, etc.) corresponding to a fully open state in which the door D is completely open.

[0026] When the latch 24 engages with the striker S, the pawl mechanism 30 maintains the latched state in which the latch 24 is engaged with the striker S. The pawl mechanism 30 includes a ratchet 31 rotatable about a ratchet shaft 31a, a pawl 32 provided at the end of the ratchet 31 and engageable with the latch 24, a hold-down lever 33 rotatable about a lever shaft 33a, and a pawl lever 34 that transmits the driving force of a motor 41 or a manual operating force to the pawl 32 to release the latched state. Note that, hereinafter, when describing the direction of operation of each element of the pawl mechanism 30, the direction in which the pawl 32 operates to engage with the latch 24 will also be referred to as the "engagement direction," and the direction in which the pawl 32 operates to disengage from the latch 24 will also be referred to as the "release direction."

[0027] The ratchet 31 , the pawl 32 , and the holding lever 33 are housed in the housing 26 of the body 21 , and the pawl lever 34 is disposed on the front surface of the back plate 23 .

[0028] The ratchet 31 is supported rotatably around a ratchet shaft 31a. The ratchet 31 is biased in the engagement direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 5) by the biasing force of a coil spring 31s wound around the ratchet shaft 31a. The ratchet 31 also has an input portion 31b that extends in the front-to-rear direction and can be engaged with a pawl lever 34 from below. The input portion 31b receives the driving force of the motor 41 and the operating force due to manual operation via the pawl lever 34.

[0029] The pawl 32 is provided rotatably around a pawl shaft 32a that is inserted into a shaft hole provided at the end of the ratchet 31. The pawl 32 is biased in an engagement direction in which it engages with the latch 24, specifically in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5, by the biasing force of a coil spring (not shown) hooked to the ratchet 31, and normally abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the latch 24. When the ratchet 31 rotates in the release direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 5), the pawl 32 rotates together with the ratchet 31 in the release direction against the biasing force of the coil spring.

[0030] The presser lever 33 is provided below the ratchet 31 and is rotatable around a lever shaft 33a. The presser lever 33 is provided to be engageable with a pole lever 34 and has an input portion 33b that receives input of the driving force of the motor 41 or an operating force by manual operation via the pole lever 34, and a presser portion 33c that abuts against the ratchet 31 from below and prevents the ratchet 31 from rotating in the release direction. The presser lever 33 is biased in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 5) in which the presser portion 33c engages with the ratchet 31 by the biasing force of a coil spring 33s wound around the lever shaft 33a. Under normal conditions, the presser lever 33 abuts against the ratchet 31 from below and prevents the ratchet 31 from rotating in the release direction. On the other hand, when the hold-down lever 33 rotates in the release direction (clockwise in FIG. 5) due to the input received by the input portion 33b, it disengages from the ratchet 31, allowing the ratchet 31 to rotate in the release direction.

[0031] The pole lever 34 is provided so as to be engageable with the electric release mechanism 40 and the manual release mechanism 60, and is provided so as to be rotatable about a lever shaft 34a. The pole lever 34 is biased in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5 by the biasing force of a coil spring 34s wound around the lever shaft 34a.

[0032] 7, the pawl lever 34 has a first input portion 34b that receives input of the driving force of the motor 41 and the operating force of the inner handle 3, a second input portion 34c that receives input of the operating force of the key cylinder 5 provided outside the vehicle, a presser lever operating portion 34d that is provided to be engageable with the input portion 33b of the presser lever 33 and rotates the presser lever 33, and a ratchet operating portion 34e that is provided to be engageable with the input portion 31b of the ratchet 31 and rotates the ratchet 31. The first input portion 34b is provided on the vehicle inner side relative to the lever shaft 34a, and the second input portion 34c is provided on the vehicle outer side relative to the lever shaft 34a.

[0033] Additionally, the first input portion 34b of the pole lever 34 includes an electric-side engaging portion 34b1 that engages with the electric release mechanism 40 and receives the input of the driving force of the motor 41, and a manual-side engaging portion 34b2 that engages with the manual release mechanism 60 and receives the input of the operating force of the inner handle 3. The electric-side engaging portion 34b1 and the manual-side engaging portion 34b2 are provided in different positions.

[0034] When the latch 24 is in the latched state and the driving force of the motor 41 or the operating force of the inner handle 3 is applied, the first input portion 34b is pushed up by the electric release mechanism 40 or the manual release mechanism 60, causing the pawl lever 34 to rotate around the lever shaft 34a. As a result, the retaining lever operating portion 34d engages with the input portion 33b of the retaining lever 33, rotating the retaining lever 33 in the release direction against the biasing force of the coil spring 33s. Next, the ratchet operating portion 34e engages with the input portion 31b of the ratchet 31, rotating the ratchet 31 in the release direction against the biasing force of the coil spring 31s, and also rotating the pawl 32 provided on the ratchet 31 in the release direction. As a result, the pawl 32 is disengaged from the latch 24 (disengaged state), the latched state is released, and the door D opens.

[0035] The latch mechanism 20 also has an outer lever 71 supported by the back plate 23 at a lower position outside the vehicle. The outer lever 71 is provided rotatably around a lever shaft 71a. The outer lever 71 is biased in a direction away from the second input portion 34c of the pawl lever 34, specifically in the clockwise direction in FIG. 7, by the biasing force of a coil spring (not shown) wound around the lever shaft 71a.

[0036] The outer lever 71 is connected to the key cylinder 5 via the cable 8 and has an input portion 72 that receives the operating force of the key cylinder 5, and an operating portion 73 that is provided so as to be engageable with the second input portion 34c of the pole lever 34 and rotates the pole lever 34. The operating portion 73 is provided on the opposite side of the lever shaft 71a from the input portion 72.

[0037] When the key cylinder 5 is operated while the latch 24 is in the latched state, the input portion 72 of the outer lever 71 is pulled upward by the cable 8, causing the outer lever 71 to rotate about the lever shaft 71a. The operating portion 73 of the outer lever 71 engages with the second input portion 34c of the pawl lever 34 and pushes down the second input portion 34c. This causes the pawl lever 34 to rotate about the lever shaft 34a, and the presser lever operating portion 34d engages with the input portion 33b of the presser lever 33, rotating the presser lever 33 in the release direction against the biasing force of the coil spring 33s. Next, the ratchet operating portion 34e engages with the input portion 31b of the ratchet 31, rotating the ratchet 31 in the release direction against the biasing force of the coil spring 31s, and also rotating the pawl 32 provided on the ratchet 31 in the release direction. As a result, the pole 32 is separated from the latch 24 and is in a non-engaged state (non-contact state), the latch state is released, and the door D opens.

[0038] [Electric release mechanism] 8 and 9, the electric release mechanism 40 includes a motor 41, a worm gear 42 provided on the drive shaft of the motor 41, a cam wheel 43 that meshes with the worm gear 42 via teeth formed on its outer circumferential surface and has a cam portion 43a, and an electric release lever 44 that operates when it comes into contact with the cam portion 43a. The electric release mechanism 40 transmits the driving force of the motor 41 to the pawl lever 34 of the latch mechanism 20 via the worm gear 42, the cam wheel 43, and the electric release lever 44, thereby releasing the latched state. Note that each element of the electric release mechanism 40 shown in FIG. 8 is positioned in a standby position.

[0039] The motor 41 is disposed so that its drive shaft, on which the worm gear 42 is mounted, faces forward and downward. The motor 41 is driven based on the operation of the interior switch 2 or the exterior switch 6. For example, when the speed of the vehicle V is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, the ECU 82 controls the motor 41 so that it is not driven even if the interior switch 2 or the exterior switch 6 is operated.

[0040] The cam wheel 43 is rotatable about an axis extending in the vehicle width direction and is disposed below the motor 41 and the worm gear 42. The cam portion 43a is provided on the vehicle inner surface of the cam wheel 43 and protrudes toward the inside of the vehicle. The cam portion 43a is formed so that the distance from the center of the cam wheel 43 increases when the cam wheel 43 rotates clockwise in FIG. 8. In the following description, clockwise rotation of the cam wheel 43 in FIG. 8 is also referred to as forward rotation, and counterclockwise rotation is also referred to as reverse rotation. Furthermore, the direction in which the electric release lever 44 operates when the cam wheel 43 rotates forward from the standby position is also referred to as the release direction, and the direction in which the electric release lever 44 operates when the cam wheel 43 rotates reversely toward the standby position is also referred to as the standby direction.

[0041] The electric release lever 44 has a first lever 51 that is actuated by the drive of the motor 41, and a second lever 52 that engages with the latch mechanism 20 in a connected state that operates in conjunction with the first lever 51. As will be described in detail later, the second lever 52 is provided so as to be able to transition between a connected state that operates in conjunction with the first lever 51 and a non-connected state that operates independently of the first lever 51.

[0042] The first lever 51 is provided rotatably around a lever shaft 53 provided below the cam wheel 43. The first lever 51 has a cam abutment portion 51a that can abut against the cam portion 43a, and a connecting portion 51b that connects to the second lever 52. The cam abutment portion 51a and the connecting portion 51b are provided on opposite sides of the lever shaft 53. The first lever 51 is arranged such that at least the cam abutment portion 51a overlaps the cam wheel 43 when viewed from the axial direction of the lever shaft 53. The first lever 51 is biased in a direction that abuts against the cam portion 43a, specifically, in the clockwise direction in FIG. 8, by the biasing force of a coil spring 51s provided in the housing 11.

[0043] The second lever 52 is provided rotatably around the lever shaft 53, i.e., rotatably coaxially with the first lever 51. The second lever 52 is arranged so that at least a portion thereof overlaps the first lever 51 when viewed from the axial direction of the lever shaft 53. The second lever 52 is also arranged at a position where it does not overlap the cam wheel 43 when viewed from the axial direction of the lever shaft 53, and does not directly engage with the cam wheel 43. The second lever 52 is arranged at a position closer to the pole lever 34 of the latch mechanism 20 than the first lever 51, and has an operating portion 52a at its rear end that engages with the first input portion 34b (electric side engaging portion 34b1) of the pole lever 34 to operate the pole lever 34.

[0044] The second lever 52 is biased in a direction away from the pole lever 34 of the latch mechanism 20, specifically in the clockwise direction in Fig. 8, by the biasing force of a coil spring 52s provided in the housing 11. When the first lever 51 and the second lever 52 are in a coupled state, when the motor 41 rotates forward, the second lever 52 rotates counterclockwise around the lever shaft 53 against the biasing force of the coil spring 52s, and the operating portion 52a engages with the first input portion 34b (electric side engaging portion 34b1) of the pole lever 34 from below, pushing up the first input portion 34b.

[0045] The second lever 52 is connected to the first lever 51 via a connecting pin 55 and is capable of transitioning between a connected state in which it operates in conjunction with the first lever 51, and a non-connected state in which it is disconnected via the connecting pin 55 and operates independently of the first lever 51. Here, the connected state will first be described in detail, and the non-connected state will be described together with the canceling mechanism 100 described later.

[0046] The second lever 52 has a through-hole 105 formed therein that penetrates in the axial direction of the lever shaft 53 and through which the connecting pin 55 is inserted. The through-hole 105 is divided into a connecting region 105A that is slightly larger in diameter than the connecting pin 55, and a non-connecting region 105B that is continuous with the connecting region 105A and is larger than the connecting region 105A. When the connecting pin 55 is located in the connecting region 105A, the second lever 52 is in a connected state, and when the connecting pin 55 is located in the non-connecting region 105B, the second lever 52 is in a non-connecting state. The connecting region 105A is located farther from the lever shaft 53 than the non-connecting region 105B and is located on the clockwise side in the rotational direction. The connecting portion 51b of the first lever 51 has a generally U-shaped notch formed therein that the connecting pin 55 can enter. When the connecting pin 55 is positioned in the connecting region 105A, the connecting portion 51b rotates the second lever 52 together with the connecting pin 55 in the release direction (counterclockwise direction) when the first lever 51 rotates around the lever shaft 53 in the release direction.

[0047] 10 to 12 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the electric release mechanism 40 (left diagram) and the operation of the latch mechanism 20 (right diagram) when the door D is opened by the electric release mechanism 40. The thick arrows in Figs. 11 and 12 indicate the operating direction of each element.

[0048] When the cam wheel 43 rotates forward from the standby position and the first lever 51 rotates in the release direction, the connecting portion 51b of the first lever 51 pushes up the connecting pin 55, causing the second lever 52, which is in the connected state, to rotate in the release direction. Then, the operating portion 52a of the second lever 52 pushes up the first input portion 34b (electric side engaging portion 34b1) of the pole lever 34. When the first input portion 34b is pushed up, as described above, the pole 32 enters a non-contact state in which it is separated from the latch 24, the latch state is released, and the door D opens.

[0049] After the door D is opened, when the cam wheel 43 rotates in the reverse direction and returns to the standby position, the first lever 51 and the second lever 52 rotate around the lever shaft 53 in the standby direction due to the biasing force of their respective coil springs 51s, 52s, and return to the standby position. At this time, the operating portion 52a of the second lever 52 moves downward, so that the state in which the operating portion 52a has pushed up the first input portion 34b (electric side engaging portion 34b1) of the pawl lever 34 is released. Therefore, the biasing force of the coil spring causes the pawl 32 to abut against the outer peripheral surface of the latch 24, and the pawl 32 becomes able to engage with the latch 24 when the door D is closed.

[0050] [Manual release mechanism] Returning to Figures 8 and 9, the manual release mechanism 60 has an inner lever 61 that is activated by manually operating the inner handle 3, a link member 65 that is connected to the inner lever 61 and can engage with the pole lever 34, and an outer lever 71 (see Figure 7, etc.) that is activated by manually operating the key cylinder 5 that is provided outside the vehicle compartment.

[0051] The inner lever 61 is disposed below and to the rear of the electric release mechanism 40. The inner lever 61 is supported by the housing 11 so as to be rotatable around a lever shaft 61a provided at the upper part of the inner lever 61. The inner lever 61 is biased in a direction toward the standby position (counterclockwise in FIG. 8) by the biasing force of a coil spring 61s provided in the housing 11.

[0052] The inner lever 61 is connected to the inner handle 3 via the cable 4 (see FIG. 3), and has an input portion 61b that receives an input of an operating force from the inner handle 3, and an unlatching portion 61c that transmits the operating force of the inner handle 3 to the pawl lever 34 via a link member 65 to release the latched state. The input portion 61b is provided at the lower end of the inner lever 61, and receives the input of the operating force of the inner handle 3. The unlatching portion 61c is provided between the lever shaft 61a and the input portion 61b, and the link member 65 is connected to the unlatching portion 61c.

[0053] The link member 65 extends in the vertical direction, and its lower end is connected to the latch release portion 61c of the inner lever 61. The link member 65 has an operating portion 66 that engages with the first input portion 34b (manual side engaging portion 34b2) of the pole lever 34 to operate the pole lever 34.

[0054] 13 and 14 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the manual release mechanism 60 (left diagram) and the operation of the latch mechanism 20 (right diagram) when the door D is opened by the manual release mechanism 60. The thick arrows in Figs. 13 and 14 indicate the direction of operation of each element.

[0055] When the operating force of the inner handle 3 is input to the input portion 61b, the inner lever 61 rotates around the lever shaft 61a in the release direction (clockwise direction) against the biasing force of the coil spring 61s. The link member 65 operates upward in conjunction with the inner lever 61, and the operating portion 66 of the link member 65 engages with the first input portion 34b (manual-side engagement portion 34b2) of the pawl lever 34, pushing up the first input portion 34b. When the first input portion 34b is pushed up, as described above, the pawl 32 enters a non-contact state away from the latch 24, the latch state is released, and the door D opens.

[0056] After the door D is opened, when the operating force of the inner handle 3 is released, the inner lever 61 returns to the standby position due to the biasing force of the coil spring 61s. At this time, the operating portion 66 of the link member 65 moves downward, so the first input portion 34b (manual-side engaging portion 34b2) of the pawl lever 34 is released from the pushed-up state by the operating portion 66. Therefore, the biasing force of the coil spring causes the pawl 32 to abut against the outer peripheral surface of the latch 24, and the pawl 32 becomes able to engage with the latch 24 when the door D is closed.

[0057] Here, the operation of the connecting pin 55 when the latched state is released by operating the inner handle 3 will be described. When the inner lever 61 rotates in the release direction, the cancel lever 101 also rotates counterclockwise, moving the connecting pin 55. At this time, the connecting pin 55 temporarily moves from the connecting region 105A to the non-connecting region 105B. When the inner lever 61 returns to the standby position, the cancel lever 101 also returns to the standby position in conjunction with the cancel lever 101, and the connecting pin 55 moves from the non-connecting region 105B to the connecting region 105A.

[0058] [Cancellation mechanism] When the latched state is released by the operation of the electric release mechanism 40, the operating portion 52a of the second lever 52 pushes up the first input portion 34b (electric-side engaging portion 34b1) of the pawl lever 34, as shown in Figure 11. The position of each element of the electric release mechanism 40 in this state is also referred to as the operating position in the following description. If the motor 41 becomes stuck (unable to be driven) due to a power shortage or malfunction while each element of the electric release mechanism 40 is in the operating position, the pawl 32 will remain out of contact with the latch 24. If this state is maintained, the latch 24 will be unable to engage with the striker S (hereinafter also referred to as the unlatched state) even if the door D is moved in the closing direction, and the door D will not be able to close.

[0059] Therefore, the door latch device 1 further includes a cancel mechanism 100 that is engageable with the inner lever 61 and that, when the unlatching state is maintained, releases the unlatching state by manually operating the inner handle 3.

[0060] 15 to 17, the cancel mechanism 100 releases the connection between the first lever 51 and the second lever 52 by the operating force of the inner handle 3 transmitted via the inner lever 61, and allows the second lever 52 to retract from the actuated position. As the second lever 52 retracts, the engagement between the operating portion 52a and the first input portion 34b (electric side engaging portion 34b1) of the pole lever 34 is released, and the unlatching state is released.

[0061] In this way, the cancel mechanism 100 releases the unlatching state by manually operating the second lever 52, which is stuck in the operating position, with the inner handle 3. Therefore, even if the unlatching state occurs due to a power outage or a malfunction, the door D can be reliably closed by manual operation from inside the vehicle, improving theft prevention and improving the reliability of the door latch device 1.

[0062] Furthermore, the cancel mechanism 100 is provided independently of the motor 41. Specifically, the cancel mechanism 100 is not actuated by the drive of the motor 41, and is provided independently of the motor 41 and the cam wheel 43, and therefore is not affected by the motor 41 when it is actuated by the operating force of the inner handle 3. Therefore, even if each element of the electric release mechanism 40, including the motor 41, becomes stuck in the actuated position, the cancel mechanism 100 does not experience large frictional resistance due to sticking when it is actuated by the operating force of the inner handle 3, and therefore the unlatching state can be released with good operability.

[0063] Next, the specific configuration of the cancel mechanism 100 will be described in detail together with the configurations of the inner lever 61 and the electric release lever 44.

[0064] 8 and 9, the inner lever 61 has, in addition to the aforementioned latch release portion 61c, a cancel operation portion 61d that activates the cancel mechanism 100. The cancel operation portion 61d is provided between the input portion 61b and the latch release portion 61c, and transmits the operating force of the inner handle 3 to the cancel mechanism 100 to activate the cancel mechanism 100. Because the inner lever 61 has the latch release portion 61c and the cancel operation portion 61d, the latch state can be released and the cancel mechanism 100 can be activated using the common inner lever 61. This allows the number of parts in the door latch device 1 to be reduced.

[0065] The cancel mechanism 100 has a cancel lever 101 that is activated when pressed against a cancel operation portion 61d of the inner lever 61. The cancel lever 101 is provided between the inner lever 61 and the electric release lever 44. The cancel lever 101 is provided rotatably around a lever shaft 101a provided below the electric release lever 44, and is arranged so that at least a portion of the cancel lever 101 overlaps with the electric release lever 44 when viewed in the axial direction. The cancel lever 101 is biased in the clockwise direction in FIG. 8 by the biasing force of a coil spring 101s provided in the housing 11.

[0066] The cancel lever 101 is provided so as to be engageable with the cancel operation portion 61d of the inner lever 61, and has an input portion 102 that receives input of the operating force of the inner handle 3 via the inner lever 61, and a pin holding portion 103 that holds the connecting pin 55. When the inner lever 61 rotates clockwise by manually operating the inner handle 3, the input portion 102 is pressed against the cancel operation portion 61d of the inner lever 61, and the cancel lever 101 is actuated and rotates counterclockwise against the biasing force of the coil spring 101s.

[0067] The cancel lever 101 is not normally actuated by the driving of the motor 41. More specifically, the pin holding portion 103 is formed with an elongated hole 103a that allows movement of the connecting pin 55. The elongated hole 103a is formed along the rotation direction of the first lever 51, and when the cancel lever 101 is in the standby position, the movement trajectory of the connecting pin 55 caused by the driving of the motor 41 coincides with the elongated hole 103a. Therefore, even when the motor 41 is driven, only the connecting pin 55 moves within the elongated hole 103a, and the cancel lever 101 does not actuate.

[0068] The cancel lever 101 moves the connecting pin 55 to release the connected state of the second lever 52, transitioning it to a non-connected state, and allowing the second lever 52 to retreat from the operating position.

[0069] 15 to 17, when the cancel lever 101 is pressed against the inner lever 61 and activated, the connecting pin 55 moves from a connecting region 105A formed in the second lever 52 to a non-connecting region 105B (see FIG. 15). When the connecting pin 55 moves to the non-connecting region 105B, the second lever 52 transitions to a non-connecting state in which it is not linked to the first lever 51, and becomes operable independently of the first lever 51.

[0070] The second lever 52 rotates clockwise toward the standby position due to the biasing force of the coil spring 52s, and the engagement between the operating portion 52a and the first input portion 34b (electric-side engagement portion 34b1) of the pawl lever 34 is released (see FIG. 16 ). At this time, the operation of the inner lever 61 causes the operating portion 66 of the link member 65 to move upward from the standby position and approach the first input portion 34b (manual-side engagement portion 34b2) of the pawl lever 34. Therefore, the manual-side engagement portion 34b2 of the pawl lever 34 is received by the operating portion 66 of the link member 65 at a position close to the position where the engagement between the operating portion 52a and the electric-side engagement portion 34b1 of the pawl lever 34 is released. In this way, even after the engagement between the operating portion 52a of the second lever 52 and the operating portion 52a is released, the pawl lever 34 is prevented from rotating forcefully to the standby position, thereby suppressing the impact applied to the pawl lever 34 and the generation of impact noise.

[0071] The first input portion 34b (manual side engagement portion 34b2) of the pawl lever 34 received by the operating portion 66 of the link member 65 moves downward and returns to the standby position as the inner lever 61 returns to the standby position by operation of the inner handle 3 (see FIG. 17). As a result, the pawl 32 transitions to a state in which it abuts against the latch 24, and the unlatchable state is released.

[0072] As described above, the cancel mechanism 100 includes the cancel lever 101, the connecting pin 55, and the through-hole 105 formed in the second lever 52, and allows the second lever 52 to swing freely relative to the first lever 51 when the inner handle 3 is operated. The cancel lever 101 can transition the first lever 51 and the second lever 52 from a connected state to a disconnected state simply by moving the connecting pin 55, so the unlatching state can be released reliably with good operability. Furthermore, because the connecting pin 55 is positioned within the projected area of ​​the first lever 51 and the second lever 52, the cancel mechanism 100 can be formed to release the unlatching state within a limited range within the housing 11, thereby simplifying the door latch device 1.

[0073] Furthermore, as described above, the cancel lever 101 has the pin holding portion 103 that holds the connecting pin 55, so when the cancel lever 101 is operated, the connecting pin 55 moves integrally with the cancel lever 101. This improves the responsiveness of the operation to release the unlatching state.

[0074] Furthermore, the first input portion 34b of the pole lever 34 is provided such that the electric-side engaging portion 34b1 with which the electric release mechanism 40 engages and the manual-side engaging portion 34b2 with which the manual release mechanism 60 engages are located at different positions. With this configuration, the electric release mechanism 40 does not affect the transmission path of the operating force of the inner handle 3 from the manual release mechanism 60 to the pole lever 34. Therefore, even if the motor 41 continues to not be driven after the unlatching state is released, the latched state can always be released manually from within the vehicle interior, thereby improving the reliability of the door latch device 1.

[0075] Furthermore, in the door latch device 1 of the first embodiment, the motor 41, the ECU 82, and the capacitor 83 are disposed above the striker entrance groove 27 and closer to the latch 24 than the pole 32. The manual release mechanism 60 and the cancel mechanism 100 are disposed below the striker entrance groove 27 and closer to the pole 32 than the latch 24. Because the manual release mechanism 60 and the cancel mechanism 100 are disposed close to the pole 32, the configuration for transmitting the operating force of the inner handle 3 to the pole 32 can be simplified. Furthermore, because electrical components such as the motor 41, the ECU 82, and the capacitor 83 are disposed close to the latch 24, which is disposed above the pole 32, it is possible to prevent these electrical components from being exposed to liquids such as rainwater. In this way, the arrangement of each element of the door latch device 1 is optimized, allowing the door latch device 1 to be made more compact.

[0076] (Second embodiment) Next, a door latch device 1 of a second embodiment will be described. The door latch device 1 of the second embodiment further includes an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 that can disable the operation of the inner handle 3. Below, a detailed description will be given, focusing on the configuration of the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200. In the door latch device 1 of the second embodiment, the configurations of the latch mechanism 20, excluding the pole lever 34, and the power release mechanism 40 are the same as those of the door latch device 1 of the first embodiment, so their description and illustration may be omitted as appropriate.

[0077] Fig. 18 is a view of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 of the second embodiment housed in the space S1 of the housing 11, as seen from inside the vehicle. Although the electric release lever 44 (first lever 51 and second lever 52) of the electric release mechanism 40 is positioned closer to the inside of the vehicle than the other elements of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200, in Fig. 18, the electric release lever 44 of the electric release mechanism 40 is not shown in order to explain the configuration of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200. Fig. 19 is an enlarged view of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 and the manual release mechanism 60.

[0078] Before describing the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200, first, the inner lever 61 of the manual release mechanism 60 of the second embodiment will be described.

[0079] The inner lever 61 of the second embodiment has a cancel operation lever 62 that is actuated by manually operating the inner handle 3 and transmits the operating force of the inner handle 3 to the cancel mechanism 100, and a latch release lever 63 that operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever 62 and transmits the operating force of the inner handle 3 to the latch mechanism 20 when in a connected state, thereby releasing the latched state. The cancel operation lever 62 and the latch release lever 63 are both provided rotatably around a common lever shaft 61a, and partially overlap each other when viewed in the axial direction of the lever shaft 61a.

[0080] The cancel operation lever 62 has an input portion 61b and a cancel operation portion 61d, similar to the inner lever 61 of the first embodiment, and activates the cancel mechanism 100 by operating the inner handle 3 when an unlatching state occurs.

[0081] The cancel operation lever 62 is also formed with a through-hole 260 that penetrates in the axial direction of the lever shaft 61a and through which the pin 250 is inserted. The through-hole 260 is divided into an unset region 260A that has a width slightly larger than the dimensions of the pin 250, and a set region 260B that is continuous with the unset region 260A and is larger than the unset region 260A. The unset region 260A is formed below the set region 260B. The set region 260B is formed to extend in the rotation direction of the latch release lever 63.

[0082] The latch release lever 63 has a latch release portion 61c and a connecting portion 63a that connects to the cancel operation lever 62 via a pin 250. The latch release portion 61c is similar to the latch release portion 61c of the inner lever 61 in the first embodiment, and is connected to a link member 65.

[0083] The connecting portion 63a has a generally U-shaped notch formed therein, and holds the pin 250 held by the pin operating lever 220, which will be described later. The connecting portion 63a extends from the unset region 260A to the set region 260B of the through-hole 260 formed in the cancel operating lever 62, and allows the held pin 250 to move between the unset region 260A and the set region 260B.

[0084] As shown in Figure 20, the latch release lever 63 is connected to the cancel operation lever 62 via a pin 250 and is provided so as to be able to transition between a connected state (left diagram) in which it operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever 62, and a non-connected state (right diagram) in which it is no longer connected via the pin 250 and does not operate in conjunction with the cancel operation lever 62. The cancel operation lever 62 shown in Figure 20 is in a state in which it has been rotated in the release direction by operation of the inner handle 3.

[0085] When the pin 250 is positioned in the unset region 260A of the through-hole 260, the cancel operation lever 62 and the latch release lever 63 are in a coupled state. When the inner handle 3 is manually operated in the coupled state, the latch release lever 63 operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever 62 and rotates together with the cancel operation lever 62 around the lever shaft 61a. The link member 65 operates upward in conjunction with the latch release lever 63, and the operating portion 66 of the link member 65 engages with the first input portion 34b (manual-side engagement portion 34b2) of the pawl lever 34, pushing up the first input portion 34b. When the first input portion 34b is pushed up, the pawl 32 is separated from the latch 24 (non-contact state), the latch state is released, and the door D opens. This state in which the operating force of the inner handle 3 can be transmitted from the manual release mechanism 60 to the latch mechanism 20 is also referred to as the "unset state."

[0086] On the other hand, when the pin 250 is positioned in the set region 260B of the through-hole 260, the cancel operation lever 62 and the latch release lever 63 are in a disconnected state. Even if the inner handle 3 is manually operated in the disconnected state, the latch release lever 63 does not move in conjunction with the cancel operation lever 62 and does not operate. In other words, in the disconnected state, operation of the inner handle 3 is disabled and the latched state is maintained. This state in which the operating force of the inner handle 3 cannot be transmitted from the manual release mechanism 60 to the latch mechanism 20 is also referred to as the "set state."

[0087] In the set state, the latch release lever 63 cannot transmit the operating force of the inner handle 3 to the latch mechanism 20, but the cancel operation lever 62 can transmit the operating force of the inner handle 3 to the cancel mechanism 100. This is because the cancel operation lever 62 is provided with an input part 61b that receives input of the operating force of the inner handle 3 via the cable 4, and is capable of engaging with the cancel mechanism 100 regardless of whether the state is connected or disconnected.

[0088] 18 and 19, a description will be given of the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200. The in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 selectively switches between the set state and the unset state described above.

[0089] The in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 has a motor 201, a worm gear 202 provided on the drive shaft of the motor 201, a sector gear 210 that meshes with the worm gear 202 via teeth formed on its outer circumferential surface, a pin operating lever 220 that operates in conjunction with the sector gear 210 and operates the pin 250, an interlocking lever 230 that is provided so as to be engageable with the pole lever 34 and that operates in conjunction with the pole lever 34, and a link member 240 that connects the interlocking lever 230 and the sector gear 210.

[0090] The motor 201 is disposed on the front side of the space S1 of the housing 11, with the shaft on which the worm gear 202 is mounted facing rearward and downward. The motor 201 is driven based on the operation of, for example, a switch provided inside the vehicle cabin, a switch provided outside the vehicle cabin, or a remote control switch carried by the user U (none of which are shown). The ECU 82 is configured to be able to control the motor 201 in addition to the motor 41.

[0091] The sector gear 210 is rotatable around an axis extending in the vehicle width direction, and is disposed rearward of the motor 201 and the worm gear 202. In the following description, clockwise rotation of the sector gear 210 in FIG. 19 is also referred to as forward rotation, and counterclockwise rotation is also referred to as reverse rotation.

[0092] The sector gear 210 is provided with a lever engaging portion 211 that is provided so as to be able to engage with the pin operating lever 220, and a link connecting portion 212 that is connected to the link member 240. When the sector gear 210 rotates forward from the standby position, the lever engaging portion 211 engages with the pin operating lever 220 to operate the pin operating lever 220.

[0093] The pin operating lever 220 is provided between the inner lever 61 of the manual release mechanism 60 and the sector gear 210, and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The pin operating lever 220 is provided rotatably around a lever shaft 220a, and is biased clockwise in Fig. 19 by the biasing force of a coil spring (not shown) provided in the housing 11. Here, an example is shown in which the lever shaft 220a of the pin operating lever 220 coincides with (is coaxial with) the lever shaft 101a of the cancel lever 101, but the lever shaft 220a of the pin operating lever 220 and the lever shaft 101a of the cancel lever 101 do not have to be coaxial.

[0094] The pin operating lever 220 is provided so as to be engageable with the lever engaging portion 211 of the sector gear 210, and has an input portion 221 that receives input of the driving force of the motor 201 via the sector gear 210, and a pin operating portion 222 that moves the pin 250 as the pin operating lever 220 rotates. The pin operating lever 220 selectively switches between a set state and an unset state by moving the pin 250.

[0095] The pin operating portion 222 has a guide groove 223 formed therein, through which the pin 250 is inserted and which extends in the rotation direction of the cancel operating lever 62. The pin operating portion 222 holds the pin 250 which is provided so as to be movable along the guide groove 223.

[0096] The interlocking lever 230 is disposed above the pin operating lever 220 and the inner lever 61, and is provided rotatable around a lever shaft 230a. The interlocking lever 230 is provided so as to be engageable with the pawl lever 34, and has an input portion 231 that receives input of operating force from the key cylinder 5 via the outer lever 71 and the pawl lever 34, and a connection portion 232 that is connected to the link connection portion 212 of the sector gear 210 via a link member 240. The input portion 231 is provided on the opposite side of the lever shaft 230a from the connection portion 232.

[0097] 21, the pole lever 34 of the second embodiment is provided so as to be engageable with the input portion 231 of the interlocking lever 230, and further includes an interlocking lever operating portion 34f that operates the interlocking lever 230. The interlocking lever operating portion 34f engages with the input portion 231 of the interlocking lever 230 from below, and pushes the input portion 231 upward, thereby rotating the interlocking lever 230 around the lever shaft 230a.

[0098] 22 is a diagram showing how the door latch device 1 transitions from the unset state (upper diagram) to the set state (lower diagram) as a result of driving the motor 201. When the door latch device 1 is in the unset state, if the motor 201 is driven to rotate the sector gear 210 forward, the lever engagement portion 211 of the sector gear 210 engages with the input portion 221 of the pin operating lever 220, as shown by the thick arrow, and pushes down the input portion 221. The pin operating lever 220 rotates counterclockwise around the lever shaft 220a, moving the pin 250 from the unset region 260A to the set region 260B. In this way, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 switches from the unset state to the set state by driving the motor 201.

[0099] Conversely, when switching from the set state to the unset state, the motor 201 is driven to rotate the sector gear 210 in the reverse direction, thereby disengaging the lever engagement portion 211 of the sector gear 210 from the input portion 221 of the pin operating lever 220, causing the pin operating lever 220 to rotate clockwise around the lever shaft 220a due to the biasing force of the coil spring (not shown), and moving the pin 250 from the set region 260B to the unset region 260A.

[0100] As described above, the door latch device 1 of the second embodiment further includes an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 that selectively switches between the set state and the unlocked state, thereby further improving theft prevention and safety. Specifically, for example, by setting the door latch device 1 to the set state while the vehicle is parked, the door D will not open even if a window attached to the door D is broken and the inner handle 3 is operated from outside the vehicle. This ensures sufficient theft prevention. Also, for example, by setting the door latch device 1 to the set state while the vehicle is moving, the door D will not open even if the inner handle 3 is accidentally operated, thereby improving safety.

[0101] Furthermore, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 is electrically switched between the set state and the unset state by the drive of the motor 201, which is highly convenient.

[0102] Furthermore, the pin operating lever 220 selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by moving the pin 250, so the states can be switched with good operability.

[0103] Furthermore, lever shaft 220a of pin operating lever 220 is located closer to input portion 221 than pin operating portion 222. This ensures that pin 250 moving within through-hole 260 can move a sufficient distance even if input portion 221 moves only a small distance.

[0104] In the door latch device 1 of the second embodiment, the latched state can also be released by manually operating the key cylinder 5 provided outside the vehicle compartment using the mechanical key 7 to activate the outer lever 71. Therefore, the mechanical key 7 is required to manually release the latched state from outside the vehicle compartment, ensuring anti-theft capabilities. Furthermore, even if the motor 41 does not operate due to a lack of power or the like, the latched state can be released by manual operation using the mechanical key 7 from outside the vehicle compartment, improving the reliability of the door latch device 1.

[0105] In addition to driving the motor 201 as described above, the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 can also be switched from the set state to the unset state by manually operating the key cylinder 5 using the mechanical key 7. Switching to the unset state using the mechanical key 7 is performed, for example, when the motor 201 cannot be driven due to a lack of power or a malfunction.

[0106] 23 and 24 are diagrams showing how the door latch device 1 transitions from the set state (FIG. 23) to the unset state (FIG. 24) by manually operating the key cylinder 5. The left drawings in FIGS. 23 and 24 show the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200, and the right drawings show the pole lever 34 and the outer lever 71.

[0107] When the key cylinder 5 is operated while the door latch device 1 is in the set state, the input portion 72 of the outer lever 71 is pulled upward by the cable 8, causing the outer lever 71 to rotate around the lever shaft 71a. The operating portion 73 of the outer lever 71 engages with the second input portion 34c of the pole lever 34 and pushes down the second input portion 34c. This causes the pole lever 34 to rotate around the lever shaft 34a, and the interlocking lever operating portion 34f pushes up the input portion 231 of the interlocking lever 230, causing the interlocking lever 230 to rotate counterclockwise around the lever shaft 230a. In addition, as the pole lever 34 rotates, the latched state is released.

[0108] When the interlocking lever 230 rotates counterclockwise, the sector gear 210 connected to the link member 240 rotates counterclockwise. This disengages the lever engaging portion 211 of the sector gear 210 from the input portion 221 of the pin operating lever 220, causing the pin operating lever 220 to rotate clockwise around the lever shaft 220a and move the pin 250 from the set region 260B to the unset region 260A. In this way, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 switches from the set state to the unset state by manually operating the key cylinder 5 using the mechanical key 7.

[0109] Even if the motor 41 becomes inoperable due to a lack of power or a malfunction while in the set state, the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 can be switched to the unset state by manually operating the key cylinder 5 from outside the vehicle, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, since the latched state is released and the state is switched to the unset state by manually operating the key cylinder 5, even if the motor 41 remains inoperable, the latched state can be released by manually operating the inner handle 3 after getting in the vehicle, preventing the occupant from being trapped inside the vehicle.

[0110] (Third embodiment) Next, a door latch device 1 of a third embodiment will be described. The door latch device 1 of the third embodiment is similar to the second embodiment in that it includes an in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200, but the configuration of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 is different from that of the second embodiment. Specifically, the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 of the third embodiment does not include a motor 201, and is activated by driving the motor 41 of the power release mechanism 40. The configuration of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 will be mainly described in detail below. In the door latch device 1 of the third embodiment, the configurations of the latch mechanism 20 excluding the pole lever 34 and the power release mechanism 40 excluding the cam wheel 43 are similar to those of the door latch device 1 of the first embodiment, so their description and illustration may be omitted as appropriate.

[0111] Figure 25 is a view of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 of the third embodiment as seen from inside the vehicle. Note that although the electric release lever 44 (first lever 51 and second lever 52) of the electric release mechanism 40 is located closer to the inside of the vehicle than the other elements of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200, in Figure 25, the electric release lever 44 of the electric release mechanism 40 is not shown in order to explain the configuration of the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200.

[0112] Before describing the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200, the inner lever 61 of the manual release mechanism 60 of the third embodiment will be described first.

[0113] The inner lever 61 of the third embodiment, like the inner lever 61 of the second embodiment, has a cancel operation lever 62 and a latch release lever 63. The cancel operation lever 62 and the latch release lever 63 are provided rotatably around a common lever shaft 61a. The cancel operation lever 62 has an input portion 61b and a cancel operation portion 61d, and the latch release lever 63 has a latch release portion 61c.

[0114] In the third embodiment, the through hole 265 formed in the cancel operation lever 62 and the connecting portion 63b of the latch release lever 63 are configured differently from the through hole 260 and the connecting portion 63a of the second embodiment.

[0115] The through-hole 265 penetrates the lever shaft 61a in the axial direction, and the pin 250 is inserted therethrough. The through-hole 265 is configured as an elongated hole extending in the radial direction of the lever shaft 61a. The through-hole 265 is divided into an unset region 265A that is a portion closer to the lever shaft 61a, and a set region 265B that is a portion farther away from the lever shaft 61a than the unset region 265A. The pin 250 inserted in the through-hole 265 is provided so as to be movable between the unset region 265A and the set region 265B.

[0116] The connecting portion 63b of the latch release lever 63 has a generally U-shaped notch formed therein, which holds the pin 250 by sandwiching it therebetween. The connecting portion 63b is provided so as to overlap the unset region 265A when viewed in the axial direction of the lever shaft 61a, but is not provided so as to overlap the set region 265B. Therefore, when the pin 250 is positioned in the unset region 265A, the connecting portion 63b holds the pin 250, and when the pin 250 is positioned in the set region 265B, the connecting portion 63b does not hold the pin 250.

[0117] As in the second embodiment, the latch release lever 63 is connected to the cancel operation lever 62 via the pin 250 and is capable of transitioning between a connected state in which it operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever 62, and a disconnected state in which it is no longer connected via the pin 250 and does not operate in conjunction with the cancel operation lever 62. When the pin 250 is positioned in the unset region 265A, the cancel operation lever 62 and the latch release lever 63 are connected, resulting in an "unset state." When the pin 250 is positioned in the set region 265B, the cancel operation lever 62 and the latch release lever 63 are disconnected, resulting in a "set state."

[0118] Next, a description will be given of an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 according to a third embodiment. The in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 has a pin operating lever 225 that abuts against the second cam portion 43b provided on the cam wheel 43 and operates the pin 250, and an interlocking lever 235 that is provided so as to be engageable with the pole lever 34 and operates in conjunction with the pole lever 34.

[0119] The second cam portion 43b provided on the cam wheel 43 is provided on the surface of the cam wheel 43 facing inward of the vehicle, and one end is provided continuous with the outer circumferential surface of the cam wheel 43. The second cam portion 43b is formed so that the distance from the center of the cam wheel 43 decreases when the cam wheel 43 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 25. In addition, the second cam portion 43b is provided at a different position in the circumferential direction from the cam portion 43a that activates the electric release lever 44.

[0120] Although details will be described later, the unset state can be switched to the set state by rotating the cam wheel 43 in the reverse direction (counterclockwise direction) from the neutral position shown in Fig. 25. On the other hand, when the cam wheel 43 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise direction) from the neutral position shown in Fig. 25, the electric release lever 44 (not shown here) comes into contact with the cam portion 43a, and the latched state can be released (see Fig. 11).

[0121] The pin operating lever 225 is provided between the cam wheel 43 and the inner lever 61, and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The pin operating lever 225 is provided rotatable around a lever shaft 225a. Although not shown, the pin operating lever 225 is constantly biased in a direction in which it abuts against the cam wheel 43 (clockwise in FIG. 25) by the biasing force of a coil spring provided in the housing 11.

[0122] The pin operating lever 225 is provided so as to be able to come into contact with the cam wheel 43 and has an input portion 225b that receives input of the driving force of the motor 41 via the cam wheel 43, and a pin operating portion 225c that holds the pin 250 and moves the pin 250 in conjunction with the rotation of the pin operating lever 225. The pin operating lever 220 selectively switches between a set state and an unset state by moving the pin 250. The pin operating portion 225c has a through-hole 225d formed therein, through which the pin 250 is inserted and which extends in the rotation direction of the cancel operating lever 62.

[0123] Furthermore, the pin operating lever 225 is provided with an abutment portion 226 against which the interlocking lever 235 can abut. The abutment portion 226 is provided with a first region 226a against which the interlocking lever 235 abuts when in the set state, a second region 226b against which the interlocking lever 235 abuts when the interlocking lever 235 is put into the unset state by operation of the interlocking lever 235, and a protruding portion 226c provided between the first region 226a and the second region 226b.

[0124] The interlocking lever 235 is disposed above the pin operating lever 225 and is rotatable around a lever shaft 235a. Although not shown, the interlocking lever 235 is constantly biased in a direction away from the pin operating lever 225 (clockwise in FIG. 25) by the biasing force of a coil spring provided in the housing 11.

[0125] The interlocking lever 235 is provided so as to be engageable with the pole lever 34, and has an input portion 235b that receives input of operating force from the key cylinder 5 via the outer lever 71 and the pole lever 34, and an engaging portion 235c that engages with the abutment portion 226 of the pin operating lever 225. The input portion 235b is provided on the opposite side of the lever shaft 235a from the engaging portion 235c.

[0126] 26 is a diagram showing how the door latch device 1 transitions from the unset state (upper diagram) to the set state (lower diagram) as a result of driving the motor 41. When the motor 41 is driven so that the cam wheel 43 rotates in the reverse direction while the door latch device 1 is in the unset state, the input portion 225b of the pin operating lever 225 moves while abutting on the second cam portion 43b due to the biasing force of the coil spring, and the pin operating lever 225 rotates clockwise around the lever shaft 225a, as shown by the thick arrow. As a result, the pin 250 moves from the unset region 265A to the set region 265B, switching from the unset state to the set state. Furthermore, when switching to the set state, the engaging portion 235c of the interlocking lever 235 abuts against the first region 226a of the abutment portion 226 of the pin operating lever 225.

[0127] Conversely, when switching from the set state to the unset state, the motor 41 is driven to rotate the cam wheel 43 in the forward direction, causing the pin operating lever 225 to rotate counterclockwise around the lever shaft 225a against the biasing force of the coil spring, and moving the pin 250 from the set region 265B to the unset region 265A.

[0128] As described above, the door latch device 1 of the third embodiment includes the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 that selectively switches between the set state and the unlocked state, and therefore can further improve theft prevention and safety.

[0129] Furthermore, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200 of the third embodiment selectively switches between the set state and the unlocked state by driving the motor 41 of the power release mechanism 40. Since the set state and the unlocked state are switched electrically, it is highly convenient. Furthermore, by sharing the motor 41 between the power release mechanism 40 and the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and costs. It is also possible to reduce the size of the door latch device 1.

[0130] Furthermore, the pin operating lever 225 selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by moving the pin 250, so the states can be switched with good operability.

[0131] In the door latch device 1 of the third embodiment, as in the first and second embodiments, the key cylinder 5 provided outside the vehicle compartment can be manually operated using the mechanical key 7 to activate the outer lever 71 and release the latched state. Therefore, the mechanical key 7 is required to manually release the latched state from outside the vehicle compartment, ensuring anti-theft capabilities. Furthermore, even if the motor 41 does not operate due to a lack of power or the like, the latched state can be released by manual operation using the mechanical key 7 from outside the vehicle compartment, improving the reliability of the door latch device 1.

[0132] In addition to driving the motor 41 as described above, the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200 can also be switched from the set state to the unset state by manually operating the key cylinder 5 using the mechanical key 7. Switching to the unset state using the mechanical key 7 is performed to open the door D when the motor 41 cannot be driven due to a lack of power or a malfunction, for example.

[0133] Figure 27 is a diagram showing how the door latch device 1 transitions from the set state to the unlocked state by manually operating the key cylinder 5. The left diagram in Figure 27 shows the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism 200, and the right diagram shows the pole lever 34 and the outer lever 71.

[0134] When the key cylinder 5 is operated while the door latch device 1 is in the set state, the input portion 72 of the outer lever 71 is pulled upward by the cable 8, causing the outer lever 71 to rotate around the lever shaft 71a. The operating portion 73 of the outer lever 71 engages with the second input portion 34c of the pole lever 34 and pushes down the second input portion 34c. This causes the pole lever 34 to rotate around the lever shaft 34a, and the interlocking lever operating portion 34f pushes up the input portion 235b of the interlocking lever 235, causing the interlocking lever 235 to rotate counterclockwise around the lever shaft 235a.

[0135] When the interlocking lever 235 rotates counterclockwise, the engaging portion 235c of the interlocking lever 235 slides on the abutting portion 226 of the pin operating lever 225 and moves from the first region 226a, over the protruding portion 226c, to the second region 226b. When the engaging portion 235c moves over the protruding portion 226c, the interlocking lever 235 rotates the pin operating lever 225 counterclockwise around the lever shaft 225a against the biasing force of the coil spring. This moves the pin 250 from the set region 265B to the unset region 265A, switching from the set state to the unset state.

[0136] After switching to the unlocked state, when the operating force of the key cylinder 5 is released, the interlocking lever 235 is forced toward the standby position by the biasing force of the coil spring, but the engaging portion 235c is caught and locked by the second region 226b and the protruding portion 226c of the pin operating lever 225. Therefore, the unlocked state is maintained even after the operating force of the key cylinder 5 is released.

[0137] In this state, the input portion 225b of the pin operating lever 225 is positioned so that a portion of it overlaps with the cam wheel 43 when viewed from the axial direction of the lever shaft 225a. Therefore, when the cam wheel 43 is rotated in the reverse direction (clockwise) after the motor 41 is enabled to drive, the input portion 225b comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cam wheel 43, and the pin operating lever 225 rotates counterclockwise against the biasing force of the coil spring. This releases the engagement of the engagement portion 235c, and the interlocking lever 235 returns to the standby position.

[0138] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It is clear that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0139] For example, in the second and third embodiments described above, the ECU 82 may control the motor 201 or the motor 41 that activates the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200, and selectively switch between the unlocked state and the set state based on the speed of the vehicle V. For example, the ECU 82 may switch to the set state when the speed of the vehicle V is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed.

[0140] This specification describes at least the following: In parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0141] (1) A door latch device (door latch device 1) attached to a door (door D) of a vehicle (vehicle V), a latch mechanism (latch mechanism 20) that has a latch (latch 24) that can engage with a striker (striker S) provided on a vehicle body, and that maintains the door closed relative to the vehicle body by engaging the latch with the striker in a latched state; an electric release mechanism (electric release mechanism 40) that can release the latched state by driving a motor (motor 41); a manual release mechanism (manual release mechanism 60) that can be manually operated to release the latched state, The electric release mechanism has an electric release lever (electric release lever 44) that is actuated by driving the motor, The electric release lever is a first lever (first lever 51) that is actuated by driving the motor; a second lever (second lever 52) that operates in conjunction with the first lever and engages with the latch mechanism in a connected state to release the latched state, The manual release mechanism has an inner lever (inner lever 61) that is actuated by manually operating an in-vehicle operating unit (inner handle 3) provided in the vehicle compartment, The door latch device is a cancel mechanism (cancel mechanism 100) that is provided independently of the motor and that releases the connection between the first lever and the second lever by the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit transmitted via the inner lever, thereby allowing the second lever to retract from a predetermined position; The vehicle further includes an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism (in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism 200) that selectively switches between a set state in which the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit cannot be transmitted from the manual release mechanism to the latch mechanism and an unset state in which the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit can be transmitted from the manual release mechanism to the latch mechanism. Door latch device.

[0142] According to (1), the door latch device is equipped with a cancel mechanism that is operated by manual operation of an in-vehicle operating unit. Therefore, even if the motor becomes inoperable due to a power outage or malfunction, and the unlatching state remains, the unlatching state can be released by manually operating the in-vehicle operating unit. This allows the door to be reliably closed even in an emergency, improving theft prevention and reliability of the door latch device. Furthermore, because the cancel mechanism is provided independently of the motor, it can operate without being affected by a stuck motor, allowing the unlatching state to be released with ease.

[0143] Furthermore, according to (1), an in-vehicle operation disable mechanism is provided that selectively switches between a set state, which disables the transmission of the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit to the latch mechanism, and an unset state, which enables the transmission, thereby further improving theft prevention and safety.

[0144] (2) The door latch device according to (1), The manual release mechanism further includes an outer lever (outer lever 71) that is operated by manually operating an external operation unit (key cylinder 5) provided outside the vehicle compartment using a tool (mechanical key 7), The outer lever is actuated by manually operating the exterior operation unit, and engages with the latch mechanism to release the latched state. Door latch device.

[0145] According to (2), a tool (e.g., a mechanical key) is required to manually release the latch from outside the vehicle, ensuring anti-theft performance. Also, even if the electric release mechanism does not operate due to a lack of power, the latch can be released manually from outside the vehicle using a tool, improving the reliability of the door latch device.

[0146] (3) The door latch device according to (1), The in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by driving the motor of the electric release mechanism or another motor (motor 201) different from the motor. Door latch device.

[0147] According to (3), the set state or the unset state is electrically switched, which is highly convenient.

[0148] (4) The door latch device according to (3), the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by driving the motor of the electric release mechanism. Door latch device.

[0149] According to (4), by sharing the motor between the power release mechanism and the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the cost.

[0150] (5) The door latch device according to (2), The in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by driving the motor of the electric release mechanism or another motor (motor 201) different from the motor, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism is switched from the set state to the unset state by manually operating the outside-vehicle operation unit using the tool; Door latch device.

[0151] According to (5), if the motor fails in the set state, the in-vehicle operation disable mechanism can be switched to the unset state by manually operating it with a tool from outside the vehicle, improving convenience. Also, since the latched state is released and the state is switched to the unset state by manually operating the external operation unit, the latched state can be released by manually operating the internal operation unit after getting in, preventing people from being trapped inside the vehicle.

[0152] (6) A door latch device according to any one of (1) to (5), The inner lever of the manual release mechanism is a cancel operation lever (cancel operation lever 62) that is actuated by manually operating the in-vehicle operation unit and transmits the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit to the cancel mechanism; a latch release lever (latch release lever 63) that operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever and that transmits the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit to the latch mechanism when in a connected state to release the latched state, When the inner lever is in the set state, the connection between the cancel operation lever and the latch release lever is released, and the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit is transmitted to the cancel mechanism by the cancel operation lever. Door latch device.

[0153] According to (6), even when the door is set, the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit is transmitted to the cancel mechanism by the cancel operating lever, so even if the motor does not operate due to a power outage or malfunction, the unlatched state can be canceled by manually operating the in-vehicle operating unit. This ensures safety and anti-theft capabilities.

[0154] (7) The door latch device according to (6), The latch release lever is connected to the cancel operation lever via a pin (pin 250) and is provided so as to be able to transition between the connected state in which it operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever and the unconnected state in which it is no longer connected via the pin and does not operate in conjunction with the cancel operation lever, The in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism has a pin operation lever (pin operation lever 220, 225) that selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by moving the pin. Door latch device.

[0155] According to (7), the set state and the unset state are selectively switched by moving the pin, so that the state can be switched with good operability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0156] 1 Door latch device 3 Inner handle (in-car operation part) 5 Key cylinder (external operation part) 7 Mechanical Key (Tool) 20 Latch mechanism 24 Latch 40 Electric release mechanism 41 Motor 44 Electric release lever 51 First Lever 52 Second Lever 60 Manual release mechanism 61 Inner lever 62 Cancel operation lever 63 Latch release lever 71 Outer lever 100 Cancellation mechanism 200 In-car operation disable mechanism 201 Motor 220 Pin operation lever 225 Pin operation lever 250 pins D-door S Striker

Claims

1. A door latch device attached to a vehicle door, a latch mechanism having a latch engageable with a striker provided on a vehicle body, the latch engaging the striker to maintain the door closed relative to the vehicle body; an electric release mechanism that can release the latched state by driving a motor; a manual release mechanism that can release the latched state by manual operation, the electric release mechanism has an electric release lever that is actuated by driving the motor, The electric release lever is a first lever that is actuated by driving the motor; a second lever that operates in conjunction with the first lever and engages with the latch mechanism in a connected state to release the latched state, The manual release mechanism has an inner lever that is actuated by manually operating an in-vehicle operating unit provided in the vehicle compartment, The door latch device is a cancel mechanism that is provided independently of the motor and that releases the connection between the first lever and the second lever in response to the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit transmitted via the inner lever, thereby allowing the second lever to retract from a predetermined position; and The vehicle further includes an in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism that selectively switches between a set state in which the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit cannot be transmitted from the manual release mechanism to the latch mechanism and an unset state in which the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit can be transmitted from the manual release mechanism to the latch mechanism. Door latch device.

2. 2. The door latch device according to claim 1, The manual release mechanism further includes an outer lever that is actuated by manually operating an external operation unit provided outside the vehicle compartment with a tool, The outer lever is actuated by manually operating the exterior operation unit, and engages with the latch mechanism to release the latched state. Door latch device.

3. 2. The door latch device according to claim 1, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by driving the motor of the electric release mechanism or another motor different from the motor. Door latch device.

4. 4. The door latch device according to claim 3, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by driving the motor of the electric release mechanism. Door latch device.

5. 3. The door latch device according to claim 2, the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by driving the motor of the electric release mechanism or another motor different from the motor; the in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism is switched from the set state to the unset state by manually operating the outside-vehicle operation unit using the tool; Door latch device.

6. 6. The door latch device according to claim 1, The inner lever of the manual release mechanism is a cancel operation lever that is actuated by manually operating the in-vehicle operation unit and that transmits the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit to the cancel mechanism; a latch release lever that operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever and that transmits the operating force of the in-vehicle operation unit to the latch mechanism when the vehicle is in a connected state to release the latched state, When the inner lever is in the set state, the connection between the cancel operation lever and the latch release lever is released, and the operating force of the in-vehicle operating unit is transmitted to the cancel mechanism by the cancel operation lever. Door latch device.

7. 7. The door latch device according to claim 6, the latch release lever is connected to the cancel operation lever via a pin, and is provided so as to be transitionable between the connected state in which it operates in conjunction with the cancel operation lever, and the unconnected state in which it is no longer connected via the pin, and does not operate in conjunction with the cancel operation lever; The in-vehicle operation disabling mechanism has a pin operating lever that selectively switches between the set state and the unset state by moving the pin. Door latch device.

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