Door locking device

Abstract

The number of parts in a door lock device with two types of locking mechanisms will be reduced. [Solution] The door lock device 10 includes a first lock mechanism 20 that can be switched between a first unlock state and a first lock state, a second lock mechanism 30 that can be switched between a second unlock state and a second lock state, a switching mechanism 40 including a switching plate 46 that can move to a first position, a second position and a third position, and a motor 37 that drives the switching plate 46. The switching mechanism 40 further includes a rotating body 41 that can be rotated by the motor 37, an arm member 43 that can rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating body 41, and a connecting member 45 that can move the switching plate 46 by the rotation of the arm member 43.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a door lock device.

Background Art

[0002] A door lock device includes a lock mechanism that switches a holding state of a latch mechanism that holds a door in a releasable state with respect to a vehicle body by an operation of an inner handle between an unlockable unlocked state and an unswitchable locked state. Also known is a door lock device further including a super lock mechanism or a child lock mechanism.

[0003] The super lock mechanism can switch the lock mechanism between an unsuper lock state where it can be switched between an unlocked state and a locked state by manual operation of a lock knob and a super lock state where it cannot be switched by manual operation. The child lock mechanism can switch a door (latch mechanism) between a child unlock state where it can be opened and a child lock state where it cannot be opened by manual operation of an inner handle. That is, a second lock mechanism including a super lock mechanism and a child lock mechanism can switch an operation of a lock knob and an inner handle, which are manual operation members, between a second unlocked state where transmission is possible (effective) and a second locked state where transmission is impossible (ineffective).

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a door lock device including a lock mechanism (first operating mechanism) and a super lock mechanism (second operating mechanism). The lock mechanism can be switched between an unlocked state and a locked state electrically and manually by a first motor and a lock knob. The super lock mechanism can be switched between an unsuper lock state and a super lock state electrically by a second motor different from the first motor and cannot be switched manually.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] In the door lock device described in Patent Document 1, a motor is required for switching the lock mechanism (first lock mechanism) and the super lock mechanism (second lock mechanism), so there is room for improvement in reducing the number of parts.

[0007] The present invention aims to reduce the number of parts in a door lock device equipped with two types of locking mechanisms. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention comprises a first locking mechanism that can switch the holding state of a latch mechanism that holds a door closed relative to the vehicle body between a first unlocked state that can be released by operating the door handle and a first locked state that cannot be released; a second locking mechanism that can switch the operating force of a manual operating member inside the vehicle between a second unlocked state that can transmit the force to the latch mechanism or the first locking mechanism and a second locked state that cannot transmit the force; a switching mechanism including a switching plate that can move to a first position for switching the first locking mechanism to the first unlocked state, a second position for switching the first locking mechanism to the first locked state and the second locking mechanism to the second unlocked state, and a third position for switching the second locking mechanism to the second locked state; and a motor that drives the switching plate, wherein the switching mechanism includes a rotating body that can rotate from a neutral position to one side and the other side about a first axis, a main body that is pivotably supported on the rotating body, and the rotating The present invention provides a door lock device comprising: an arm member having a pair of arms extending in both directions from the main body along the rotational direction of the body, and engaging portions provided on each of the pair of arms, and being rotatable in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating body; an engaging receiving portion to which the engaging portion can engage and disengage; and a connecting portion connected to the switching plate, the connecting member being able to move the switching plate sequentially from the first position through the second position to the third position by the rotation of the arm member around a second axis, and moving the switching plate sequentially from the third position through the second position to the first position, wherein the connecting member engages with the engaging receiving portion and rotates due to the rotation of the arm member caused by the rotation of the rotating body from the neutral position, thereby moving the switching plate by the connecting portion, while the engagement of the engaging portion with the engaging receiving portion is released by the rotation of the arm member caused by the return of the rotating body to the neutral position.

[0009] Driven by a motor, the switching plate of the switching mechanism can move to a first position where the first locking mechanism is switched to the first unlocked state, a second position where the first locking mechanism is switched to the first locked state and the second locking mechanism is switched to the second unlocked state, and a third position where the second locking mechanism is switched to the second locked state. In this way, since the states of the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism can be switched by a single motor, the number of parts in the door lock device can be reduced and the configuration can be simplified.

[0010] The switching mechanism includes a rotating body that can be rotated by a motor, an arm member that can rotate in conjunction with the rotating body so as to be swingable, and a connecting member that moves the switching plate by the rotation of the arm member. As a result, the switching plate can move in the order of first position to second position and third position, and from third position to second position and first position, thus simplifying motor control. Moreover, in the switching mechanism, the engagement between the arm member and the connecting member is released when the rotating body returns to the neutral position, so in this state the arm member does not obstruct the movement of the switching plate. Therefore, the configuration for manually operating the switching plate can be simplified without becoming complicated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] This invention reduces the number of parts in a door lock device that has two types of locking mechanisms. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A conceptual block diagram showing a vehicle equipped with a door lock device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A block diagram conceptually showing a part of the configuration of the door lock device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows a front view of the door lock device in the unlocked state. [Figure 4A] Front view of the switching mechanism in Figure 3. [Figure 4B] Rear view of the switching mechanism in Figure 3. [Figure 5] State transition diagram of the switching mechanism. [Figure 6] Front view of the connecting mechanism of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] State transition diagram of the connecting mechanism. [Figure 8] Front view of the super lock mechanism of FIG. 3. [Figure 9] State transition diagram of the switching mechanism, lock mechanism, and super lock mechanism. [Figure 10] Front view of the door lock device in the locked state. [Figure 11] Front view of the door lock device in the super locked state. [Figure 12] Block diagram conceptually showing a part of the configuration of the door lock device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] Front view of the door lock device of FIG. 12 in the unlocked state. [Figure 14] State transition diagram of the switching mechanism, lock mechanism, and child lock mechanism.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

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

[0014] (First Embodiment) Referring to FIG. 1, a door lock device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is used for a door 5 that opens and closes an opening (not shown) of a vehicle body 1 in a vehicle. A striker 2 is attached to the opening of the vehicle body 1. A lock knob 6 and an inner door handle 7 are attached to the inside of the door 5. An outer door handle 8 is attached to the outside of the door 5.

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the door lock device 10 includes a latch mechanism 15, a latch motor 18, a lock mechanism 20 (first lock mechanism) 20, a super lock mechanism (second lock mechanism) 30, a motor 37, and a switching mechanism 40 inside a housing 12 (see FIG. 3).

[0016] The latch motor 18 and motor 37 are controlled by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 3 mounted on the vehicle body 1. In addition to the latch motor 18 and motor 37, switches are connected to the ECU 3. The switches include an unlatch switch 4a, a lock changeover switch 4b, and a super lock changeover switch 4c. For the sake of simplicity in the illustration, the switches are shown outside the frame of the vehicle body 1 and door 5. The switches are provided on components that allow for easy operation by the user. For example, the unlatch switch 4a is provided on an electronic key (not shown) carried by the user. However, the unlatch switch 4a may be provided on the door 5, on the vehicle body 1, or on two or more of the electronic key, door 5, and vehicle body 1. When the unlatch switch 4a is provided on the door 5 or vehicle body 1, it is preferable to provide it on at least the outside of the vehicle, but it may also be provided on the inside. The same applies to the lock changeover switch 4b and the super lock changeover switch 4c.

[0017] When the lock mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state, the ECU 3 controls the latch motor 18 to switch the latch mechanism 15 from the latched state to the unlocked state in response to the unlatch signal received from the unlatch switch 4a. However, when the lock mechanism 20 is in the locked state, and when the super lock mechanism 30 is in the super lock state, the ECU 3 does not operate the latch motor 18 even if it receives an unlatch signal from the unlatch switch 4a.

[0018] In response to receiving a switching signal from the lock changeover switch 4b, the ECU 3 controls the motor 37 via the switching mechanism 40 to switch the lock mechanism 20 from either the unlocked state or the locked state to the other. Also, in response to receiving a switching signal from the super lock changeover switch 4c, the ECU 3 controls the motor 37 via the switching mechanism 40 to switch the super lock mechanism 30 from either the unsuper-locked state or the super-locked state to the other. In the following explanation, the term "super lock" will be referred to as "SPL".

[0019] Next, we will continue to describe the overview of the door lock device 10 with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0020] The latch mechanism 15 is configured to hold the door 5 in a closed position relative to the vehicle body 1. The latch mechanism 15 includes a fork 16 and a claw 17, and is switchable between a latched state (holding state) that holds the door 5 in a closed position and an unlatched state (not holding state) that allows the door 5 to be opened. The fork 16 is rotatable between a holding position that holds the striker 2 of the vehicle body 1 and an open position that allows the striker 2 to be released. The claw 17 is rotatable between a locking position that locks the fork 16 when it is rotated to the holding position and an unlocked position that releases the lock from the fork 16.

[0021] Switching the latch mechanism 15 from the latched state to the unlocked state is performed by the user operating the unlatch switch 4a. The latch motor 18 is the drive source that drives the claw 17, and when the lock mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state, it is controlled by the ECU 3 in response to the operation of the unlatch switch 4a. The driving force of the latch motor 18 is transmitted to the claw 17, and as the claw 17 rotates from the locked position to the unlocked position, the fork 16 rotates to the open position, and the latch mechanism 15 switches to the unlocked state. This allows the door 5 to be opened relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0022] The latch mechanism 15 can also be switched from the latched state to the unlocked state by operating the inner door handle 7 and the outer door handle 8. When the lock mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state, the operating force of the inner door handle 7 or the outer door handle 8 is transmitted to the claw 17 via the lock mechanism 20, causing the latch mechanism 15 to switch to the unlocked state, similar to the case of the latch motor 18. This allows the door 5 to be opened relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0023] On the other hand, the latch mechanism 15 switches from the unlatched state to the latched state by closing the door 5 relative to the vehicle body 1. By closing the door 5, the fork 16 into which the striker 2 enters rotates from the open position to the held position, causing the claw 17 to lock onto the fork 16 and the latch mechanism 15 to switch to the latched state. As a result, the door 5 is held closed relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0024] The locking mechanism 20 is interposed between the inner door handle 7 and the outer door handle 8 and the latch mechanism 15, respectively. The locking mechanism 20 can switch between an unlocked state (first unlocked state) in which the latch mechanism 15 can be switched from a latched state to an unlatched state, and a locked state (first locked state) in which the latch mechanism 15 cannot be switched from a latched state to an unlatched state. The state of the locking mechanism 20 is switched by the user using either the lock switching switch 4b or the lock knob (manual operating member) 6 inside the vehicle.

[0025] In the unlocked state, the locking mechanism 20 can transmit the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 to the latching mechanism 15. This allows the latching mechanism 15 to be switched to the unlatched state by operating the door handles 7 and 8, releasing the door 5 from the vehicle body 1. In the locked state, the locking mechanism 20 cannot transmit the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 to the latching mechanism 15. This prevents the latching mechanism 15 from being switched to the unlatched state by operating the door handles 7 and 8, and thus prevents the door 5 from being released from the vehicle body 1.

[0026] The SPL mechanism 30 is interposed between the lock knob 6 and the lock mechanism 20. The SPL mechanism 30 can switch between a non-SPL state (second unlock state) in which the lock mechanism 20 can be switched between the unlocked and locked states, and an SPL state (second locked state) in which the lock mechanism 20 cannot be switched between the unlocked and locked states. The state of the SPL mechanism 30 is switched by the user operating the SPL switch 4c.

[0027] In the non-SPL state, the SPL mechanism 30 can transmit the operating force of the lock knob 6 to the lock mechanism 20. This allows the state of the lock mechanism 20 to be switched by operating the lock knob 6. In the SPL state, the SPL mechanism 30 cannot transmit the operating force of the lock knob 6 to the lock mechanism 20. This prevents the state of the lock mechanism 20 from being switched by operating the lock knob 6. The SPL mechanism 30 is effective in preventing unauthorized unlocking by a third party when the user leaves the vehicle.

[0028] Motor 37 is the drive source for both the locking mechanism 20 and the SPL mechanism 30, and is controlled by the ECU 3 in response to the operation of the changeover switches 4b and 4c. Motor 37 is mechanically connected to the locking mechanism 20 and the SPL mechanism 30 via the changeover mechanism 40, and the generated driving force switches the state of the locking mechanism 20 and the state of the SPL mechanism 30.

[0029] Next, the configurations of the locking mechanism 20, the SPL mechanism 30, and the switching mechanism 40 will be specifically described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The latch mechanism 15 and the latch motor 18 are located on the rear side in the direction of the paper penetration relative to the housing 12 in Figure 3, and are therefore not shown in Figure 3.

[0030] The locking mechanism 20 includes a locking plate 21 and a locking switching unit 22. The SPL mechanism 30 includes an operating lever (first lever) 31, a driven lever (second lever) 32, and a slider 33. The switching mechanism 40 includes a rotating body 41, an arm member 43, a connecting member 45, and a switching plate 46. Of these, the locking plate 21 and the switching plate 46 are connected via a connecting mechanism 25 so as to be able to move relative to each other.

[0031] The motor 37 rotates the rotating body 41 of the switching mechanism 40, thereby moving the switching plate 46 via the arm member 43 and the connecting member 45 to one of the following positions: unlocked (see Figure 3), locked (see Figure 10), or SPL (see Figure 11). The movement of the switching plate 46 between the unlocked position (first position) and the locked position (second position) moves the lock plate 21 of the lock mechanism 20 vertically, switching the lock switching unit 22 to either the unlocked or locked state. The movement of the switching plate 46 between the locked position (second position) and the SPL position (third position) moves the slider 33 of the SPL mechanism 30 vertically, switching the pair of levers 31 and 32 to either the non-SPL state or the SPL state.

[0032] (Configuration of the switching mechanism) The switching mechanism 40 is configured to electrically switch the state of the lock mechanism 20 and the SPL mechanism 30 using a motor 37. The rotating body 41, arm member 43, connecting member 45, and switching plate 46 of the switching mechanism 40 are housed within the housing (base) 12. The rotating body 41, arm member 43, and switching plate 46 are arranged in this order from the back to the front in the direction of the paper in Figure 3. The connecting member 45 is arranged on the same plane as the arm member 43.

[0033] The rotating body 41 is rotatably supported on a pivot shaft (first shaft) 12a provided in the housing 12. As a result, the rotating body 41 can be rotated by the driving force of the motor 37 from the neutral position shown in Figure 3 around the pivot shaft 12a to the locking side (one side) A1 and the unlocking side (the other side) A2 (see Figure 5).

[0034] Referring to Figures 3, 4A, and 4B, the rotating body 41 comprises a main body 41a and a projection 41c. The main body 41a is cylindrical when viewed from the direction in which the pivot shaft 12a extends and is pivotally supported by the pivot shaft 12a. Teeth 41b that mesh with the worm 38, which is rotated by the motor 37, are formed on the outer circumference of the main body 41a. In other words, the main body 41a is composed of a worm wheel. The projection 41c is plate-shaped and protrudes radially outward from the main body 41a toward the arm member 43, on the opposite side from the worm 38.

[0035] The rotating body 41 is biased to a neutral position by a return spring (biasing member) 42. The return spring 42 is located on the inner side in the direction of the paper through the main body 41a in Figure 3. The return spring 42 comprises a spirally wound portion 42a and a pair of ends 42b protruding radially outward from both ends of the wound portion 42a. The wound portion 42a is mounted so as to surround the rotating shaft 12a. One of the pair of ends 42b is locked to a locking portion 12b provided on the housing 12, and the other is locked to a locking projection 41d provided on the main body 41a. As a result, when the driving force from the motor 37 is cut off, the rotating body 41 rotates (returns) to a neutral position where the locking portion 12b and the locking projection 41d are radially adjacent due to the biasing force of the return spring 42 (see Figure 5).

[0036] The arm member 43 is configured to rotate the connecting member 45 by rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating body 41. The arm member 43 is plate-shaped and has a main body portion 43a that is pivotably supported at the tip of the protruding portion 41c of the rotating body 41. Referring to Figure 5, when the rotating body 41 rotates from the neutral position to the locking side A1 (clockwise in Figure 3), the arm member 43 rotates to the same locking side A1. On the other hand, when the rotating body 41 rotates from the neutral position to the unlocking side A2 (counterclockwise in Figure 3), the arm member 43 rotates to the same unlocking side A2.

[0037] Referring to Figures 3, 4A, and 4B, the arm member 43 further comprises a pair of arm portions 43b and an engaging portion 43c. The pair of arm portions 43b extend in both directions from the main body portion 43a along the rotational direction of the rotating body 41. More specifically, the pair of arm portions 43b are arc-shaped and extend in the circumferential direction around the pivot axis 12c of the connecting member 45. The engaging portion 43c is provided at the tip of each of the pair of arm portions 43b and protrudes radially inward from the arm portions 43b.

[0038] The arm member 43 is biased by a biasing spring 44 to an initial position (non-interference position) where the engaging portion 43c does not interfere with the connecting member 45. The biasing spring 44 comprises a spirally wound portion 44a and a pair of ends 44b protruding radially outward from both ends of the wound portion 44a. The wound portion 44a is attached to the protruding portion 41c of the rotating body 41. The pair of ends 44b are locked to locking projections 43d provided on the pair of arm portions 43b. As a result, when no external force is applied, the arm member 43 is held in a position that does not interfere with the connecting member 45.

[0039] The connecting member 45 is configured to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the arm member 43, thereby causing the switching plate 46 to move linearly. The connecting member 45 is rotatably supported on a pivot shaft (second shaft) 12c, which is provided separately from the pivot shaft 12a, relative to the housing 12. The connecting member 45 comprises a gear portion 45a and a connecting portion 45c protruding from the gear portion 45a.

[0040] The gear portion 45a is cylindrical when viewed from the direction in which the pivot shaft 12c extends, is pivotally supported by the pivot shaft 12c, and is positioned between the main body portion 41a and the arm member 43 of the rotating body 41. The axial dimension of the gear portion 45a is greater than the thickness dimension of the arm member 43. Multiple engagement receiving portions 45b are provided on the outer circumference of the gear portion 45a at intervals in the circumferential direction, and the engagement receiving portion 45b of the arm member 43 can engage with and disengage from the engagement portion 43c. The engagement receiving portions 45b are formed by grooves that are recessed radially inward from the outer circumference of the gear portion 45a and penetrate axially.

[0041] The connecting portion 45c protrudes radially outward toward the switching plate 46 from the end of the gear portion 45a located on the front side in the direction of penetration of the paper in Figure 3. The connecting portion 45c is plate-shaped and is located on the front side in the direction of penetration of the paper in Figure 3 relative to the arm member 43. The tip of the connecting portion 45c is provided with a connecting projection 45d that protrudes toward the switching plate 46.

[0042] Referring to Figure 5, the connecting member 45 rotates when the arm member 43 rotates, causing the engaging portion 43c to engage with the engaging receiving portion 45b. More specifically, when the arm member 43 rotates toward the locking side A1, the engaging portion 43c on the rear side in the direction of rotation engages with the engaging receiving portion 45b, causing the connecting member 45 to rotate toward the locking side B1 (clockwise in Figure 3). On the other hand, when the arm member 43 rotates toward the unlocking side A2, the engaging portion 43c on the rear side in the direction of rotation engages with the engaging receiving portion 45b, causing the connecting member 45 to rotate toward the unlocking side B2 (counterclockwise in Figure 3).

[0043] Here, the rotation of the connecting member 45 by the arm member 43 will be explained in more detail. Unlike the pivot axis 12c of the connecting member 45 and the pivot axis 12a of the arm member 43, the movement trajectory of the engaging portion 43c is configured to intersect the outer circumference of the gear portion 45a. This allows the engaging portion 43c to engage with the engaging receiving portion 45b of the connecting member 45 by the rotation of the arm member 43. In addition, the arm member 43 is swingable relative to the protruding portion 41c of the rotating body 41. Therefore, the position of the arm member 43 relative to the protruding portion 41c can be changed according to the rotation toward the locking side A1 or the unlocking side A2. This makes it possible to maintain the engaged state of the engaging portion 43c of the arm member 43 with respect to the engaging receiving portion 45b of the connecting member 45. As a result, the connecting member 45 can be rotated to the locking side B1 by the rotation of the locking side A1 of the arm member 43, and the connecting member 45 can be rotated to the unlocking side B2 by the rotation of the unlocking side A2 of the arm member 43.

[0044] On the other hand, when the rotating body 41 rotates (returns) to the neutral position due to the biasing force of the return spring 42, the arm member 43 rotates in conjunction with the rotating body 41 and returns to its initial position due to the biasing force of the biasing spring 44. Furthermore, when the arm member 43 returns to its initial position, it is in the shape of an arc extending in the circumferential direction around the pivot axis 12c of the connecting member 45. As a result, the arm member 43 takes on a position that extends along the outer circumference of the connecting member 45, and the engagement between the engaging portion 43c and the engaging receiving portion 45b of the connecting member 45 is released.

[0045] Referring to Figure 3, the switching plate 46 is driven by the motor 37 via the rotating body 41, arm member 43, and connecting member 45, and is configured to switch the state of the locking mechanism 20 and the SPL mechanism 30. The switching plate 46 can move linearly between the uppermost unlocked position (see Figure 3) and the lowermost SPL position (see Figure 11), passing through the intermediate locked position (see Figure 10), by the rotation of the connecting member 45. The rotation speed of the motor 37 and the rotation angles of the rotating body 41, arm member 43, and connecting member 45 are set so that the switching plate 46 can be sequentially moved to the unlocked position (see Figure 3), the locked position (see Figure 10), and the SPL position (see Figure 11).

[0046] More specifically, the switching plate 46 is sequentially moved from the unlocked position (see Figure 3) to the locked position (see Figure 10) and then to the SPL position (see Figure 11) by the rotation of the connecting member 45 toward the locked side B1, moving toward the locked side C1 (downward in Figure 3). In other words, with a single drive of the motor 37, the switching plate 46 moves from the unlocked position (see Figure 3) to the locked position (see Figure 10), and from the locked position (see Figure 10) to the SPL position (see Figure 11). The movement of the switching plate 46 from the unlocked position (see Figure 3) to the locked position (see Figure 10) switches the locking mechanism 20 from the unlocked state to the locked state. At this time, the SPL mechanism 30 is maintained in the non-SPL state. The movement of the switching plate 46 from the locked position (see Figure 10) to the SPL position (see Figure 11) switches the SPL mechanism 30 from the non-SPL state to the SPL state. At this time, the locking mechanism 20 is maintained in the locked state.

[0047] On the other hand, the switching plate 46 is sequentially moved from the SPL position (see Figure 11) to the locked position (see Figure 10) and then to the unlocked position (see Figure 3) by the rotation of the connecting member 45 toward the unlocked side B2, toward the unlocked side C2 (upward in Figure 3). In other words, with a single drive of the motor 37, the switching plate 46 moves from the SPL position (see Figure 11) to the locked position (see Figure 10), and from the locked position (see Figure 10) to the unlocked position (see Figure 3). The movement of the switching plate 46 from the SPL position (see Figure 11) to the locked position (see Figure 10) switches the SPL mechanism 30 from the SPL state to the non-SPL state. At this time, the lock mechanism 20 is maintained in the locked state. The movement of the switching plate 46 from the locked position (see Figure 10) to the unlocked position (see Figure 3) switches the lock mechanism 20 from the locked state to the unlocked state. At this time, the SPL mechanism 30 is maintained in a non-SPL state.

[0048] To describe the specific configuration of the switching plate 46, the switching plate 46 is an elongated plate shape and extends vertically from the motor 37 located at the top in Figure 3 to the SPL mechanism 30 located at the bottom in Figure 3. The switching plate 46 is held by the connecting member 45, the lock plate 21 of the lock mechanism 20, and the slider 33 of the SPL mechanism 30. The switching plate 46 is provided with a connecting receiving portion 46a, a connecting groove 46b, a guide groove 46c, and an emergency operation receiving portion 46e.

[0049] The connecting receiving portion 46a is configured for connecting the connecting member 45. The connecting receiving portion 46a is composed of a groove formed between a pair of protruding pieces that project toward the connecting member 45, and is provided adjacent to the connecting projection 45d. The switching plate 46 is connected to the connecting member 45 by the arrangement of the connecting projection 45d on the connecting receiving portion 46a.

[0050] The connecting groove 46b constitutes part of the connecting mechanism 25 that movably connects the lock plate 21 of the lock mechanism 20. The connecting groove 46b is made up of a slit that penetrates in the direction of the plane of the paper and extends vertically in Figure 3, and is provided on the lower side of the connecting receiving portion 46a.

[0051] The guide groove 46c is configured to guide the slider 33 of the SPL mechanism 30. The guide groove 46c is provided at the tip of a projection 46d that protrudes from the lower end of the switching plate 46 on the opposite side from the motor 37. In Figure 3, the guide groove 46c is composed of a slit that penetrates in the direction of the plane of the paper and extends vertically.

[0052] The emergency operation receiving section 46e is configured to receive the operation of the emergency lever 48 for manually unlocking the door lock device 10 in emergencies such as when the vehicle's battery is low in capacity. The emergency operation receiving section 46e is provided at the upper end of the switching plate 46 which extends upward from the connecting receiving section 46a. In Figure 3, the emergency operation receiving section 46e is composed of a protrusion that extends in the direction through the paper.

[0053] As described above, the switching plate 46 of the switching mechanism 40 can be moved sequentially from the unlocked position (see Figure 3) to the locked position (see Figure 10) and the SPL position (see Figure 11), and also sequentially in the reverse direction, by the rotating body 41, the arm member 43, and the connecting member 45. Therefore, the control of the motor 37 can be simplified. Moreover, in the switching mechanism 40, the engagement between the arm member 43 and the connecting member 45 is released when the rotating body 41 returns to the neutral position, so in this state the arm member 43 does not obstruct the movement of the switching plate 46. Therefore, the switching plate 46 can be moved from the SPL position (see Figure 11) to the locked position (see Figure 10) and the unlocked position (see Figure 3) by operating the emergency lever 48. Therefore, the state of the lock mechanism 20, including the SPL mechanism 30, can be reliably switched manually.

[0054] (Configuration of the locking mechanism) Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the locking mechanism 20 switches the lock switching unit 22 to an unlocked or locked state by moving the lock plate 21 in conjunction with the movement of the switching plate 46. The lock plate 21 and the lock switching unit 22 of the locking mechanism 20 are housed within the housing 12. The lock switching unit 22 is located on the rear side of the housing 12 in the direction of the paper penetration in Figure 3, and is therefore not shown in Figure 3.

[0055] The lock plate 21 is positioned on the far side in the direction of the paper plane in Figure 3 relative to the switching plate 46 and is movably connected via a connecting mechanism 25. The lock plate 21 is an elongated plate shape that extends along the switching plate 46. The lock plate 21 moves vertically together with the switching plate 46 due to the linear movement of the switching plate 46 between the unlock position (see Figure 3) and the locked position (see Figure 10). On the other hand, the lock plate 21 moves vertically relative to the switching plate 46 due to the linear movement of the switching plate 46 between the locked position (see Figure 10) and the SPL position (see Figure 11). The lock plate 21 is provided with a connecting portion 21a, an operating receiving portion 21b, a first protrusion 21c, and a second protrusion 21e.

[0056] The connecting portion 21a is the part to which the lock switching portion 22 is connected. The connecting portion 21a is located at the lower end of the lock plate 21 and protrudes to the left in Figure 3, which is the motor 37. The connecting portion 21a switches the lock switching portion 22 between the unlocked state and the locked state by the movement of the lock plate 21 caused by the movement of the switching plate 46 between the unlocked position (see Figure 3) and the locked position (see Figure 10).

[0057] The operating receiver 21b is the part that connects to the driven lever 32 of the SPL mechanism 30. The operating receiver 21b is located at the lower end of the lock plate 21 and protrudes to the right in Figure 3, which is the SPL mechanism 30. When the SPL mechanism 30 is in the non-SPL state, the operating receiver 21b receives the operating force of the lock knob 6 via the SPL mechanism 30 and moves the switching plate 46 via the lock plate 21 to the unlock position (see Figure 3) or the locked position (see Figure 10). This makes it possible to manually switch the state of the lock switching unit 22.

[0058] The first protrusion 21c is located below the switching mechanism 40 in Figure 3 and constitutes part of the coupling mechanism 25. The first protrusion 21c is located at the tip of the projection 21d that protrudes from the lock plate 21 toward the switching mechanism 40. The first protrusion 21c is cylindrical and protrudes toward the front in the direction of penetrating the paper in Figure 3 toward the switching plate 46.

[0059] The second protrusion 21e is provided between the connecting portion 21a and the first protrusion 21c so as to correspond to the connecting groove 46b of the switching plate 46, and constitutes part of the connecting mechanism 25. The second protrusion 21e is cylindrical and protrudes from the lock plate 21 toward the switching plate 46 toward the front side in the direction of penetration of the paper in Figure 3. The second protrusion 21e is formed with the largest possible diameter within the range in which movement within the connecting groove 46b is permitted.

[0060] The lock switching unit 22 has a well-known configuration consisting of multiple levers. For example, the lock switching unit 22 includes a link connected to the connection part 21a of the lock plate 21 and the claw 17 of the latch mechanism 15, and an open lever connected to the door handles 7 and 8. When the switching plate 46 is in the unlock position (see Figure 3), the link is positioned so that it can contact the open lever via the lock plate 21. This allows the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 to be transmitted to the claw 17 of the latch mechanism via the open lever and the link, and the latch mechanism 15 can be switched to the unlatched state. When the switching plate 46 is in the locked position (see Figure 10), the link is positioned so that it cannot contact the open lever via the lock plate 21. As a result, even if the door handles 7 and 8 are operated, the open lever will not move and the link cannot be operated, so the latch mechanism 15 cannot be switched to the unlatched state.

[0061] (Configuration of the coupling mechanism) Referring to Figures 3, 6, and 7, the coupling mechanism 25 is configured to connect the lock plate 21 to the switching plate 46 so that it can move relative to it between an initial position (see Figures 3 and 10) and a holding position (see Figure 11). With respect to the switching plate 46, the lock plate 21 in the initial position (see Figures 3 and 10) is positioned lower in Figure 3 than the lock plate 21 in the holding position (see Figure 11).

[0062] More specifically, when the switching plate 46 moves between the unlocked position (see Figure 3) and the locked position (see Figure 10), the coupling mechanism 25 holds the lock plate 21 in its initial position relative to the switching plate 46. When the switching plate 46 moves from the locked position (see Figure 10) to the SPL position (see Figure 11), the coupling mechanism 25 moves the lock plate 21 from its initial position to its holding position relative to the switching plate 46. When the switching plate 46 moves from the SPL position (see Figure 11) to the locked position (see Figure 10), the coupling mechanism 25 moves the lock plate 21 from its holding position to its initial position relative to the switching plate 46.

[0063] In order to operate the lock plate 21 in this manner, the coupling mechanism 25 is configured to include a coupling groove 46b provided on the switching plate 46, a first protrusion 21c and a second protrusion 21e provided on the lock plate 21, a first ACT spring (first action spring) 26, a second ACT spring (second action spring) 27, and a stopper 28.

[0064] The connecting groove 46b and the second protrusion 21e are provided in the following positional relationship. When the lock plate 21 is in its initial position relative to the switching plate 46, the second protrusion 21e is located at the lower end of the connecting groove 46b. This allows the lock plate 21 to move together with the switching plate 46 to the unlocking side C2 due to the contact between the lower edge of the connecting groove 46b and the second protrusion 21e. On the other hand, when the lock plate 21 is in the holding position relative to the switching plate 46, the second protrusion 21e is located at the upper end of the connecting groove 46b. This prevents excessive movement of the switching plate 46 to the locking side C1 due to the contact between the upper edge of the connecting groove 46b and the second protrusion 21e.

[0065] The first ACT spring 26 is configured to bias the first protrusion 21c of the lock plate 21 and is attached to the housing 12. The first ACT spring 26 is configured to bias the lock plate 21 toward the unlock position and the locked position relative to the housing 12, using the state in which the switching plate 46 has moved to an intermediate position between the unlock position (see Figure 3) and the locked position (see Figure 10) as a reference (boundary). In other words, the first ACT spring 26 uses the intermediate position between the position of the first protrusion 21c when the switching plate 46 is in the unlock position and the lock plate 21 is in its initial position (see Figure 3) and the position of the first protrusion 21c when the switching plate 46 is in the locked position and the lock plate 21 is in its initial position (see Figure 10) as a boundary, and biases the first protrusion 21c toward the unlock position and the locked position relative to the housing 12.

[0066] The first ACT spring 26 comprises a spirally wound portion 26a, a pair of arm portions 26b protruding from both ends of the winding portion 26a, and a biasing portion (first biasing portion) 26c provided on one of the pair of arm portions 26b (the first arm portion). The winding portion 26a is attached to the housing 12. The pair of arm portions 26b extend from the initial position to the holding position (i.e., the unlocking side C2) along the direction of movement of the lock plate 21. Of the pair of arm portions 26b, the one without the biasing portion 26c is locked to the housing 12, while the one with the biasing portion 26c biases the first protrusion 21c.

[0067] The biasing portion 26c comprises a first portion 26d and a second portion 26e, and is positioned between the main body portion of the lock plate 21 and the first protrusion 21c, projecting to the left in Figure 3 toward the first protrusion 21c. The first portion 26d is connected to the arm portion 26b and is bent relative to the arm portion 26b. The first portion 26d is inclined toward the first protrusion 21c toward the unlocking side C2. The second portion 26e is connected to the first portion 26d and is bent relative to the first portion 26d. The second portion 26e is inclined toward the first protrusion 21c toward the unlocking side C2.

[0068] The second ACT spring 27 is configured to bias the second protrusion 21e of the lock plate 21 and is attached to the switching plate 46. The second ACT spring 27 is configured to bias the lock plate 21 toward the initial position and the holding position relative to the switching plate 46, using the state in which the lock plate 21 has moved to an intermediate position between the initial position (see Figures 3 and 10) and the holding position (see Figure 11) as a reference (boundary). In other words, the second ACT spring 27 uses the intermediate position between the position of the second protrusion 21e when the lock plate 21 is in the initial position relative to the switching plate 46 (see Figures 3 and 10) and the position of the second protrusion 21e when the lock plate 21 is in the holding position relative to the switching plate 46 (see Figure 11) as a boundary, and biases the second protrusion 21e toward the initial position and the holding position relative to the switching plate 46.

[0069] The second ACT spring 27 comprises a spirally wound portion 27a, a pair of arm portions 27b protruding from both ends of the winding portion 27a, and a biasing portion (second biasing portion) 27c provided on one of the pair of arm portions 27b (the second arm portion). The winding portion 27a is attached to a mounting portion 46f provided on the switching plate 46. The pair of arm portions 27b extend from the initial position to the holding position (i.e., the unlocking side C2) along the direction of movement of the lock plate 21. Of the pair of arm portions 27b, the one without the biasing portion 27c is locked to the switching plate 46, while the one with the biasing portion 27c biases the second protrusion 21e.

[0070] The biasing portion 27c comprises a first portion (third portion) 27d and a second portion (fourth portion) 27e, and protrudes to the left in Figure 3 toward the second protrusion 21e. The first portion 27d is connected to the arm portion 27b and is bent relative to the arm portion 27b. The first portion 27d is inclined toward the second protrusion 21e toward the unlocking side C2. The second portion 27e is connected to the first portion 27d and is bent relative to the first portion 27d. The second portion 27e is inclined toward the second protrusion 21e toward the unlocking side C2.

[0071] Here, as is most clearly shown in Figure 6, of the biasing portion 26c of the first ACT spring 26, the first portion 26d is inclined with respect to the arm portion 26b at an inclination angle θ1, and the second portion 26e is inclined with respect to the arm portion 26b at an inclination angle θ2. In the first ACT spring 26, the inclination angle θ1 of the first portion 26d and the inclination angle θ2 of the second portion 26e are set to be the same (for example, 45 degrees).

[0072] Of the biasing portion 27c of the second ACT spring 27, the first portion 27d is inclined with respect to the arm portion 27b at an angle θ3, and the second portion 27e is inclined with respect to the arm portion 27b at an angle θ4. In the second ACT spring 27, the inclination angle θ3 of the first portion 27d and the inclination angle θ4 of the second portion 27e are set to be different. Specifically, the inclination angle θ3 of the first portion 27d (for example, 60 degrees) is greater than the inclination angle θ4 of the second portion 27e (for example, 30 degrees). As a result, the resistance force when changing from a state in which the second protrusion 21e is biased by the first portion 27d (see Figures 3 and 10) to a state in which the second protrusion 21e is biased by the second portion 27e (see Figure 11) is greater than the resistance force when changing in the opposite direction.

[0073] As most clearly shown in Figure 7, the two ACT springs 26 and 27 are configured as follows: When the switching plate 46 is in the unlock position and the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, the second portion 26e of the first ACT spring 26 biases the first protrusion 21c, and the first portion 27d of the second ACT spring 27 biases the second protrusion 21e. Also, when the switching plate 46 is in the locked position and the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, the first portion 26d of the first ACT spring 26 biases the first protrusion 21c, and the first portion 27d of the second ACT spring 27 biases the second protrusion 21e. Furthermore, when the switching plate 46 is in the SPL position and the lock plate 21 is in the holding position, the first portion 26d of the first ACT spring 26 biases the first protrusion 21c, and the second portion 27e of the second ACT spring 27 biases the second protrusion 21e.

[0074] Referring also to Figure 6, the inclination angle θ2 of the second portion 26e of the first ACT spring 26 is smaller than the inclination angle θ3 of the first portion 27d of the second ACT spring 27. Therefore, when the protrusions 21c and 21e pass through, the resistance force is smaller for the second portion 26e of the first ACT spring 26 than for the first portion 27d of the second ACT spring 27. As a result, when the switching plate 46 moves from the unlocked position (see Figure 3) to the locked position (see Figure 10), the first ACT spring 26 allows the movement of the lock plate 21 relative to the housing 12, while the second ACT spring 27 prevents the movement of the lock plate 21 relative to the switching plate 46.

[0075] On the other hand, the inclination angle θ1 of the first portion 26d of the first ACT spring 26 is greater than the inclination angle θ4 of the second portion 27e of the second ACT spring 27. Therefore, when the protrusions 21c and 21e pass through, the resistance force is greater in the first portion 26d of the first ACT spring 26 than in the second portion 27e of the second ACT spring 27. As a result, when the switching plate 46 moves from the SPL position (see Figure 11) to the locked position (see Figure 10), the first ACT spring 26 prevents the movement of the lock plate 21 relative to the housing 12, while the second ACT spring 27 allows the movement of the lock plate 21 relative to the switching plate 46.

[0076] The stopper 28 is provided on the housing 12. The stopper 28 abuts against the lower end of the lock plate 21 when it moves from the unlock position (see Figure 3) to the locked position (see Figure 10), and is configured to prevent the lock plate 21 from moving toward the SPL position (see Figure 11). As a result, when the switching plate 46 moves toward the locking side C1, only the switching plate 46 moves toward the SPL position, and the lock plate 21 can move relative to the switching plate 46 from its initial position to its holding position. In other words, when the switching plate 46 moves toward the SPL position from a state where the switching plate 46 is in the locked position and the lock plate 21 is in its initial position, the stopper 28 prevents the lock plate 21 from moving toward the housing 12, and the second ACT spring 27 is configured to allow the lock plate 21 to move toward the switching plate 46.

[0077] As described above, the coupling mechanism 25 holds the lock plate 21 in its initial position relative to the switching plate 46 when the switching plate 46 moves between the unlocked position (see Figure 3) and the locked position (see Figure 10). In other words, when the lock mechanism 20 is switched between the unlocked and locked states, the lock plate 21 is held in its initial position relative to the switching plate 46 and moves together with the switching plate 46. At this time, the SPL mechanism 30 is not switched between the non-SPL state and the SPL state.

[0078] Furthermore, when the switching plate 46 is moved from the locked position (see Figure 10) to the SPL position (see Figure 11), the coupling mechanism 25 moves the lock plate 21 from its initial position to the holding position relative to the switching plate 46. This allows the lock mechanism 20 to be kept in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 to be switched to the SPL state.

[0079] On the other hand, when the switching plate 46 moves from the SPL position (see Figure 11) to the locked position (see Figure 10), the coupling mechanism 25 moves the lock plate 21 from the holding position to the initial position relative to the switching plate 46. This allows the lock mechanism 20 to be kept in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 to be switched to the non-SPL state.

[0080] (Configuration of the SPL mechanism) Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the SPL mechanism 30 switches the operating lever 31 and the driven lever 32 between a non-SPL state (see Figure 10) and an SPL state (see Figure 11) by the movement of a slider 33 linked to the movement of the switching plate 46. The operating lever 31, driven lever 32, and slider 33 of the SPL mechanism 30 are housed within the housing 12. The operating lever 31, driven lever 32, and slider 33 are arranged in this order from the back to the front in the direction of the paper's penetration in Figure 3.

[0081] Referring to Figures 2 and 8, the operating lever 31 is rotatably supported on a pivot shaft (third axis) 12d, which is provided separately from the pivot shafts 12a and 12c, relative to the housing 12. The operating lever 31 comprises a generally semicircular base 31a and a connecting portion 31b that protrudes radially outward from the base 31a. The other end of a cable (not shown), one end of which is connected to the lock knob 6, is connected to the tip of the connecting portion 31b. As a result, the base 31a can be rotated around the pivot shaft 12d to the locking side D1 and the unlocking side D2 by operating the lock knob 6. The operating lever 31 is further provided with contact portions 31c and 31d at the circumferential ends of the base 31a, respectively. The contact portions 31c and 31d protrude toward the front in the direction of penetration of the paper in Figure 3.

[0082] The driven lever 32 is rotatably supported on the same pivot axis 12d as the operating lever 31. The driven lever 32 can rotate to the same locking side D1 in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever 31 to the locking side D1. On the other hand, in the non-SPL state, the driven lever 32 can rotate to the unlocking side D2 together with the operating lever 31, and in the SPL state, it cannot rotate to the unlocking side D2 together with the operating lever 31. Specifically, the driven lever 32 comprises a fan-shaped base 32a, a holding part 32b, and an arm part 32d.

[0083] The base portion 32a rotates integrally with the locking side D1 around the pivot axis 12d when the operating lever 31 is rotated toward the locking side D1, as the contact portion 31c comes into contact with one end of the base portion 32a in the circumferential direction.

[0084] The retaining portion 32b is configured to movably hold the slider 33. The retaining portion 32b protrudes radially outward from the base portion 32a. The retaining portion 32b is provided with a sliding groove 32c to allow movement of the slider 33.

[0085] The arm portion 32d is configured to move the lock plate 21 to the locking side C1 and the unlocking side C2. In Figure 3, the arm portion 32d has a protrusion that extends through the plane of the paper and is connected to the operating receiving portion 21b of the lock plate 21. When the driven lever 32 rotates to the locking side D1, the arm portion 32d moves the lock plate 21 to the locking side C1. When the driven lever 32 rotates to the unlocking side D2, the arm portion 32d moves the lock plate 21 to the unlocking side C2.

[0086] The slider 33 is configured to switch the operating lever 31 and the driven lever 32 between a non-SPL state and an SPL state. The slider 33 is plate-shaped and is positioned in front of the driven lever 32 and the switching plate 46 in the direction of the paper passing through Figure 3. One end of the slider 33 is provided with a guide projection 33a that is inserted and held in the guide groove 46c of the switching plate 46. The other end of the slider 33 is provided with a slide projection 33b that is inserted and held in the slide groove 32c of the driven lever 32. The slide projection 33b penetrates the slide groove 32c in the direction of the paper passing through and extends to a position where it can engage with the contact portion 31d of the operating lever 31 in the circumferential direction. The guide projection 33a and the slide projection 33b are formed with the largest possible diameter within the range in which movement within the corresponding guide groove 46c and slide groove 32c is permitted.

[0087] The slider 33 is movable between a contact position (see Figures 3 and 10) where the operating lever 31 can make contact with it and a separated position (see Figure 11) where the operating lever 31 cannot make contact with it, via the guide groove 46c and the slide groove 32c. The slider 33 is biased toward the contact position by a kick spring 34 attached to the switching plate 46. One end of the kick spring 34 is locked to the switching plate 46, and the other end of the kick spring 34 biases the guide projection 33a.

[0088] When the slider 33 is in the contact position, the contact portion 31d of the operating lever 31 contacts one side of the slide projection 33b in the circumferential direction around the pivot axis 12d, and the holding portion 32b of the driven lever 32 contacts the other side of the slide projection 33b. Therefore, the driven lever 32 can be rotated via the slider 33 by rotating the operating lever 31 toward the unlocking side D2. When the slider 33 is in the separated position, the contact portion 31d of the operating lever 31 cannot contact one side of the slide projection 33b. Therefore, even if the operating lever 31 is rotated toward the unlocking side D2, it will not move, and the driven lever 32 cannot be rotated.

[0089] In the SPL mechanism 30 configured in this way, as shown in Figure 9, when the switching plate 46 moves to the unlock position (see Figure 3) and the locked position (see Figure 10), the slider 33 moves to the contact position and enters a non-SPL state. On the other hand, in the SPL mechanism 30, when the switching plate 46 moves to the SPL position (see Figure 11), the slider 33 moves to the separated position and enters an SPL state.

[0090] When the switching plate 46 is in the unlocked position, the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, and the slider 33 is in the contact position, operating the lock knob 6 causes the operating lever 31 to rotate toward the locking side D1. As a result, the driven lever 32, which is in contact with the contact portion 31c, rotates integrally toward the locking side D1, causing the lock plate 21 to move toward the locked position together with the switching plate 46. Consequently, the locking mechanism 20 can be switched toward the locked state. On the other hand, when the switching plate 46 is in the locked position, the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, and the slider 33 is in the contact position, the lock knob 6 cannot be operated toward the locking position due to its structure.

[0091] When the switching plate 46 is in the locked position, the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, and the slider 33 is in the contact position, when the lock knob 6 is unlocked, the operating lever 31 rotates to the unlocking side D2. As a result, the driven lever 32, which is in contact with the contact portion 31d via the slider 33, rotates together to the unlocking side D2, causing the lock plate 21 to move to the unlock position together with the switching plate 46. Consequently, the lock mechanism 20 can be switched to the unlocked state. On the other hand, when the switching plate 46 is in the unlock position and the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, the lock knob 6 cannot be unlocked due to its structure.

[0092] On the other hand, when the switching plate 46 is in the SPL position, the lock plate 21 is in the holding position, and the slider 33 is in the separated position, when the lock knob 6 is unlocked, the operating lever 31 rotates to the unlocking side D2. However, because the slider 33 is in the separated position, the contact portion 31d cannot contact the sliding projection 33b, so the operating lever 31 swings freely as shown by the dashed line in Figure 9. As a result, the driven lever 32 cannot be rotated to the unlocking side D2, and therefore the lock plate 21 and the switching plate 46 cannot be moved to the unlocked position. Thus, the locking mechanism 20 cannot be switched to the unlocked state.

[0093] Next, the overall operation of the door lock device 10 will be described.

[0094] As shown in Figure 3, when the lock mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state and the SPL mechanism 30 is in the non-SPL state, if the user operates the lock changeover switch 4b (see Figure 1), the ECU 3 (see Figure 1) operates the motor 37. As a result, as shown in Figure 10, the rotating body 41 and the arm member 43 rotate to the locked side A1, causing the connecting member 45 to rotate to the locked side B1 and the changeover plate 46 to move to the locked side C1. At this time, the lock plate 21 is held in its initial position by the connecting mechanism 25 and moves to the locked side C1 together with the changeover plate 46. Therefore, the lock changeover unit 22 (see Figure 2) switches to a locked state in which the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 cannot be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15. In this state, the slider 33 is maintained in the non-SPL position and the SPL mechanism 30 maintains the non-SPL state.

[0095] As shown in Figure 10, when the lock mechanism 20 is in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 is in the non-SPL state, when the user operates the SPL changeover switch 4c (see Figure 1), the ECU 3 (see Figure 1) operates the motor 37. As a result, as shown in Figure 11, the rotating body 41 and the arm member 43 rotate toward the locked side A1, causing the connecting member 45 to rotate toward the locked side B1 and the switching plate 46 to move toward the locked side C1. At this time, the lock plate 21 cannot move toward the locked side C1 due to the stopper 28 of the connecting mechanism 25, so it moves toward the holding position relative to the movement of the switching plate 46 toward the locked side C1. Therefore, the lock switching unit 22 (see Figure 2) maintains a locked state in which the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 cannot be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15. In addition, the SPL mechanism 30 switches to an SPL state in which the operating force of the lock knob 6 cannot be transmitted to the lock mechanism 20 due to the movement of the slider 33 to the separated position.

[0096] As shown in Figure 11, when the lock mechanism 20 is in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 is in the SPL state, when the user operates the SPL changeover switch 4c (see Figure 1), the ECU 3 (see Figure 1) operates the motor 37. As a result, as shown in Figure 10, the rotating body 41 and the arm member 43 rotate to the unlocking side A2, causing the connecting member 45 to rotate to the unlocking side B2 and the changeover plate 46 to move to the unlocking side C2. At this time, the lock plate 21 moves relative to its initial position due to the ACT springs 26 and 27 of the connecting mechanism 25. Therefore, the lock changeover unit 22 (see Figure 2) maintains a locked state in which the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 cannot be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15. In addition, the SPL mechanism 30 switches to a non-SPL state in which the operating force of the lock knob 6 can be transmitted to the lock mechanism 20 by the movement of the slider 33 to the contact position.

[0097] As shown in Figure 10, when the lock mechanism 20 is in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 is in the non-SPL state, if the user operates the lock changeover switch 4b (see Figure 1), the ECU 3 (see Figure 1) operates the motor 37. As a result, as shown in Figure 3, the rotating body 41 and the arm member 43 rotate to the unlocking side A2, causing the connecting member 45 to rotate to the unlocking side B2 and the switching plate 46 to move to the unlocking side C2. At this time, the lock plate 21 is held in its initial position by the connecting mechanism 25 and moves to the unlocking side C2 together with the switching plate 46. Therefore, the lock changeover unit 22 (see Figure 2) switches to the unlocked state, which allows the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 to be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15. Also, the slider 33 is maintained in the non-SPL position and the SPL mechanism 30 maintains the non-SPL state.

[0098] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 10, when the lock mechanism 20 is in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 is in the non-SPL state, if the user operates the lock knob 6 to unlock, the operating lever 31 rotates to the unlock side D2. In this state, since the slider 33 has moved to the contact position, as shown in Figure 3, the driven lever 32 rotates to the unlock side D2, causing the switching plate 46 to move to the unlock side C2. At this time, the lock plate 21 is held in its initial position by the coupling mechanism 25, and moves to the unlock side C2 together with the switching plate 46. Therefore, the lock switching unit 22 (see Figure 2) switches to an unlocked state in which the operating force of the door handles 7 and 8 can be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15. Also, the slider 33 is maintained in the non-SPL position, and the SPL mechanism 30 maintains the non-SPL state.

[0099] When the emergency door handle (not shown) located on the outside of door 5 (see Figure 1) is operated, the emergency lever 48 rotates clockwise in Figure 3. This causes the switching plate 46 to move to the unlocking side D2. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, when the locking mechanism 20 is in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 is in the SPL state, the locking mechanism 20 switches to the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 switches to the non-SPL state, as shown in Figure 10. Also, as shown in Figure 10, when the locking mechanism 20 is in the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 switches to the non-SPL state, the locking mechanism 20 switches to the unlocked state and the SPL mechanism 30 switches to the non-SPL state, as shown in Figure 3.

[0100] The door lock device 10 configured as described above has the following features.

[0101] Driven by the motor 37, the switching plate 46 of the switching mechanism 40 can move to the unlock position, which switches the lock mechanism 20 to the unlocked state; the locked position, which switches the lock mechanism 20 to the locked state and the SPL mechanism 30 to the non-SPL state; and the SPL position, which switches the SPL mechanism 30 to the SPL state. In this way, since the states of both the lock mechanism 20 and the SPL mechanism 30 can be switched by a single motor 37, the number of parts in the door lock device 10 can be reduced and the configuration can be simplified.

[0102] The switching mechanism 40 includes a rotating body 41 that can be rotated by a motor 37, an arm member 43 that can rotate in conjunction with the rotating body 41 so as to be pivotable, and a connecting member 45 that moves the switching plate 46 by the rotation of the arm member 43. As a result, the switching plate 46 can move in the order of unlocked position to locked position and SPL position, and also in the order of SPL position to locked position and unlock position, thus simplifying the control of the motor 37. Moreover, in the switching mechanism 40, the engagement between the arm member 43 and the connecting member 45 is released when the rotating body 41 returns to the neutral position, so in this state the arm member 43 does not obstruct the movement of the switching plate 46. Therefore, the configuration (e.g., emergency lever 48) and arrangement for manually operating the switching plate 46 can be simplified without becoming complicated.

[0103] The switching plate 46 moves to the locked position when it is in the unlocked position and to the SPL position when it is in the locked position, via the connecting member 45, due to the rotation of the arm member 43 caused by the rotation of the rotating body 41 from the neutral position to the locking side A1. On the other hand, the switching plate 46 moves to the locked position when it is in the SPL position and to the unlocked position when it is in the locked position, via the connecting member 45, due to the rotation of the arm member 43 caused by the rotation of the rotating body 41 from the neutral position to the unlocking side A2. This allows the state of the lock mechanism 20 and the SPL mechanism 30 to be reliably switched by a single motor 37.

[0104] The rotating body 41 has a main body 41a that rotates by the motor 37 and a protruding portion 41c to which the arm member 43 is pivotally supported, and is biased to the neutral position by a return spring 42. As a result, the switching plate 46 can be reliably moved sequentially to the unlock position, the locked position, and the SPL position. Moreover, after the sequential movement is complete, the engagement between the arm member 43 and the connecting member 45 can be reliably released by the return of the rotating body 41 to the neutral position by the return spring 42. As a result, for example, in an emergency, the arm member 43 will not interfere with the switching operation by the emergency lever 48.

[0105] The connecting member 45 is positioned between the main body 41a and the arm member 43 and has a gear portion 45a with a plurality of engagement receiving portions 45b formed on its outer circumference, and the connecting portion 45c is provided protruding radially outward from the gear portion 45a. This ensures that the rotation of the arm member 43 caused by the rotation of the rotating body 41 reliably rotates the connecting member 45 and reliably moves the switching plate 46.

[0106] The SPL mechanism 30 includes an operating lever 31 and a driven lever 32 that are rotatable around a pivot axis 12d, with the operating lever 31 connected to the lock knob 6. The SPL mechanism 30 also includes a slider 33 that allows the driven lever 32 to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever 31 when the switching plate 46 is in the unlock and locked positions, while preventing the rotation of the driven lever 32 by the rotation of the operating lever 31 when the switching plate 46 is in the SPL position. By connecting the driven lever 32 to the lock mechanism 20, it is possible to achieve a non-SPL state in which the operating force of the lock knob 6 can be transmitted to the lock mechanism 20 and an SPL state in which it cannot be transmitted.

[0107] Other embodiments and various modifications of the present invention will be described below, but unless otherwise specified, they will be the same as in the first embodiment. In the drawings referred to below, the same elements as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0108] (Second Embodiment) Referring to Figures 12 and 13, the door lock device 10 of the second embodiment differs from the door lock device 10 of the first embodiment in that it is equipped with a child lock mechanism (CHL mechanism) 50 instead of the SPL mechanism 30 shown in Figures 2 and 3. Furthermore, in order to prevent unintended switching of the state of the CHL mechanism 50 due to mechanical switching of the lock mechanism 20, it is preferable that the door lock device 10 of the second embodiment is electrically operated, in which the ECU 3 normally switches the latch mechanism 15 to the unlatched state using the latch motor 18.

[0109] The CHL mechanism 50 can switch between a child unlock state (non-CHL state) in which the operating force of the inner door handle (manual operating member) 7 can be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15, and a child lock state (CHL state) in which the force cannot be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15. The CHL mechanism 50 includes an operating lever 31, a driven lever 32, and a slider 33, similar to the SPL mechanism 30 shown in Figure 3.

[0110] The other end of a wire (not shown), one end of which is connected to the inner door handle 7, is connected to the connecting portion 31b of the operating lever 31. When the inner door handle 7 is operated, the operating lever 31 rotates to the unlocking side D2 as shown by the dashed line in Figure 14, and returns to the initial position shown by the solid line in Figure 14 by the biasing force of a return spring (not shown).

[0111] Referring to Figures 12 and 13, the driven lever 32 is mechanically connected to the lock switching section 22. Furthermore, the arm portion 32d of the driven lever 32 is not connected to the operating receiving portion 21b of the lock plate 21, but is able to abut against the lower end in Figure 13. More specifically, it is as follows:

[0112] Referring to Figures 12 and 14, when the switching plate 46 is in the unlocked position (first position) and the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, operating the inner door handle 7 rotates the operating lever 31 to the unlocking side D2, and via the slider 33, the driven lever 32 rotates to the same unlocking side D2. At this time, the lock plate 21 is positioned outside the rotation trajectory of the arm portion 32d due to the switching plate 46. Therefore, the arm portion 32d cannot come into contact with the operating receiving portion 21b of the lock plate 21. This rotation of the driven lever 32 switches the latch mechanism 15 to the unlatched state via the lock mechanism 20, and the door 5 (see Figure 1) becomes openable.

[0113] When the switching plate 46 is in the locked position (second position) and the lock plate 21 is in the initial position, operating the inner door handle 7 rotates the operating lever 31 to the unlocking side D2, and the driven lever 32 rotates to the same unlocking side D2 via the slider 33. At this time, the lock plate 21 is positioned within the rotational trajectory of the arm portion 32d by the switching plate 46. Therefore, the arm portion 32d can contact the operating receiving portion 21b of the lock plate 21. This rotation of the driven lever 32 moves the lock plate 21 to the unlocking side C2 together with the switching plate 46. As a result, the lock mechanism 20 switches to the unlocked state (override function). However, the rotation of the driven lever 32 at this time cannot switch the latch mechanism 15 to the unlatched state via the lock mechanism 20, which was in the locked state. In other words, the state of the latch mechanism 15 can only be switched when the lock mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state.

[0114] When the switching plate 46 is in the CHL position (third position) and the lock plate 21 is in the holding position, the slider 33 is in the separated position. Therefore, even if the operating lever 31 is rotated to the unlocking side D2 by operating the inner door handle 7, the driven lever 32 cannot be rotated to the unlocking side D2. Consequently, the arm portion 32d of the driven lever 32 cannot operate the operating receiving portion 21b of the lock plate 21. Also, since the driven lever 32 does not rotate, the state of the lock mechanism 20 cannot be switched. In other words, when the CHL mechanism 50 is in the CHL state, operating the inner door handle 7 does not allow the latch mechanism 15 to be switched to the unlatched state, nor does it allow the lock mechanism 20 to be switched to the unlocked state.

[0115] In the second embodiment configured as described above, the same operation and effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, by connecting the driven lever 32 to the latch mechanism 15 via the lock mechanism 20, it is possible to achieve a non-CHL state in which the operating force of the inner door handle 7 can be transmitted to the latch mechanism 15 and a CHL state in which the operating force cannot be transmitted.

[0116] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention.

[0117] For example, the latch mechanism 15 may be separate from the door lock device 10 and configured as a dedicated latch device.

[0118] The configuration of the rotating body 41 can be changed as needed, as long as it can rotate the arm member 43 by receiving the driving force from the motor 37. Furthermore, the configuration of the arm member 43 can be changed as needed, as long as it can be rotated by the rotating body 41 and rotate the connecting member 45. Furthermore, the configuration of the connecting member 45 can be changed as needed, as long as it can be rotated by the arm member 43 and move the switching plate 46. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1. Vehicle body 2 Reflector 3 ECU 4a Unlatching switch 4b Lock selector switch 4c SPL selector switch 5 doors 6. Lock knob (manual operating component) 7. Inner door handle (manual operation component) 8. Outer door handles 10 Door locking device 12 cabinets (base) 12a Rotating axis (first axis) 12b Locking part 12c Rotating axis (second axis) 12d Rotation axis (3rd axis) 15. Latch mechanism 16 Forks 17 Claw 18 Latch motor 20. Locking mechanism (first locking mechanism) 21 Lock Plate 21a Connection part 21b Operation receiver 21c First protrusion 21d protrusion 21e Second protrusion 22 Lock switching section 25 Connection mechanism 26. 1st ACT Spring (1st Action Spring) 26a Winding section 26b Arm section 26c Force section 26d Part 1 26e Part 2 27. Second Action Spring 27a Winding section 27b Arm section 27c Biasing part 27d Part 1 (Part 3) 27e Part 2 (Part 4) 28 Stopper 30 SPL mechanism (Super Lock mechanism, second lock mechanism) 31. Operating lever (1st lever) 31a base 31b Connection part 31c Contact part 31d Contact part 32. Driven lever (second lever) 32a base 32b Holding part 32c slide groove 32d Connecting arm section 33 Slider 33a Guide protrusion 33b Slide protrusion 34 Kick spring 37 Motor 38 Warm 40 Switching mechanism 41 Rotating Body 41a Main body 41b Teeth 41c Protrusion 41d Locking protrusion 42. Return spring (biasing member) 42a Winding section 42b End 43 Arm member 43a Main body 43b Arm 43c Engagement part 43d Locking projection 44. Bias spring 44a Winding section 44b End 45 Connecting member 45a Gear section 45b Engagement receiving part 45c connection part 45d Connecting protrusion 46 Switching Plate 46a Connecting receiver 46b Connection groove 46c guide groove 46d Protrusion 46e Emergency control receiver 46f Mounting section 48 Emergency 50 CHL mechanism (child lock mechanism, second lock mechanism) A1, B1, C1, D1 Locking side (one side) A2, B2, C2, D2 Unlocking side (other side)

Claims

1. A latch mechanism that holds the door closed relative to the vehicle body can be switched between a first unlocked state, which can be released by operating the door handle, and a first locked state, which cannot be released. A second locking mechanism that can switch between a second unlocked state in which the operating force of a manual operating member inside the vehicle can be transmitted to the latch mechanism or the first locking mechanism, and a second locked state in which the operating force cannot be transmitted. A switching mechanism including a switching plate that is movable to a first position for switching the first locking mechanism to the first unlocked state, a second position for switching the first locking mechanism to the first locked state and the second locking mechanism to the second unlocked state, and a third position for switching the second locking mechanism to the second locked state, One motor drives the aforementioned switching plate and Equipped with, The aforementioned switching mechanism is The motor provides a rotating body that can rotate from a neutral position to one side and the other side around the first axis, An arm member having a main body that is pivotably supported by the rotating body, a pair of arms extending in both directions from the main body along the rotational direction of the rotating body, and engaging parts provided on each of the pair of arms, and being able to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating body, The connecting member has an engaging receiving portion that the engaging portion can engage with and disengage from, and a connecting portion connected to the switching plate, and the switching plate can be moved sequentially from the first position through the second position to the third position by rotation around the second axis by the arm member, and the switching plate can be moved sequentially from the third position through the second position to the first position. It further includes, The connecting member is a door lock device in which the connecting member rotates due to the rotation of the arm member caused by the rotation of the rotating body from the neutral position, causing the engaging portion to engage with the engaging receiving portion and rotate, thereby moving the switching plate by the connecting member, while the engagement of the engaging portion with the engaging receiving portion is released due to the rotation of the arm member caused by the return of the rotating body to the neutral position.

2. The door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the switching plate moves to the second position when it is in the first position, and moves to the third position when it is in the second position, via the connecting member, by the rotation of the arm member caused by the rotation of the rotating body from the neutral position to one side.

3. The door lock device according to claim 2, wherein the switching plate moves to the second position when it is in the third position and to the first position when it is in the second position, via the connecting member, by the rotation of the arm member caused by the rotation of the rotating body from the neutral position to the other side.

4. The aforementioned rotating body is The main body portion is circular in shape when viewed from the direction in which the first shaft extends, and has teeth formed on its outer circumference that mesh with a worm rotated by the motor, A protruding portion that extends radially outward from the main body and has the arm member pivotally supported at its tip. A door lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having a biasing member that is biased to the neutral position.

5. The connecting member is circular in shape when viewed from the direction in which the second shaft extends, is positioned between the main body and the arm member, and has a gear portion with a plurality of engagement receiving portions formed on its outer circumference. The connecting portion is provided so as to protrude radially outward from the gear portion. The door lock device according to claim 4.

6. The second locking mechanism is, A first lever connected to the aforementioned manual operating member and rotatable around a third axis, A second lever that can rotate around the aforementioned third axis, A slider that is movable by the movement of the switching plate, and when the switching plate is in the first and second positions, allows the rotation of the second lever in conjunction with the rotation of the first lever, while when the switching plate is in the third position, prevents the rotation of the second lever by the rotation of the first lever. A door lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, including the following:

7. The door lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second locking mechanism is switchable between a second unlocked state in which the operating force of the lock knob, which is a manual operating member, can be transmitted to the first locking mechanism, and a second locked state in which the operating force cannot be transmitted, and the state switching of the first locking mechanism by the lock knob is possible in the second unlocked state, but not in the second locked state.

8. The door lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second locking mechanism is switchable between a second unlocked state in which the operating force of the inner door handle, which is the manual operating member, can be transmitted to the latch mechanism and a second locked state in which the operating force cannot be transmitted, and the inner door handle can release the latch mechanism from holding the door to the vehicle body in the second unlocked state, but cannot release it in the second locked state.

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