Door latch device

Abstract

To suppress the increase in size.SOLUTION: Provided is a door latch device 10 including: a cam wheel 76 rotationally driven with respect to a case 20; a knob lever 78 and an open lever 84 rotatably arranged with respect to the case 20 and operated by a cam portion 110 provided on the cam wheel 76; a lock mechanism 46 subjected to unlock operation when the knob lever 78 is rotated; and a latch mechanism 44 subjected to release operation when the open lever 84 is rotated. The cam portion 110 is provided only on an end surface 76b of the cam wheel 76 on a vehicle inner side. A first cam 111 that operates the knob lever 78 and a second cam 112 that operates the open lever 84 are separately provided. The first lever 78 and the second lever 84 are provided on the vehicle inner side. A passive portion 56a of a ratchet lever 56 is provided on the vehicle inner side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] A door latch device mounted on a vehicle is usually provided with a latch mechanism and a lock mechanism. The latch mechanism, for example, engages with a striker provided on the vehicle body to keep the door closed relative to the vehicle body. The lock mechanism switches between an unlocked state in which the latch mechanism is released from its engaged state when the door is opened by the door handle, and a locked state in which the operation of the door handle is invalidated to keep the latch mechanism engaged. As this type of door latch device, a device configured to release the latch mechanism from its engaged state and to switch the locked state to its unlocked state by driving a single actuator has already been provided. More specifically, a rotor having a protrusion on one end surface for operating the latch mechanism and a protrusion on the outer circumferential surface for operating the lock mechanism is rotated by a motor, and the respective protrusions are made to act on the latch mechanism and the lock mechanism to sequentially release the latch mechanism from its engaged state and unlock the lock mechanism (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6213927 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the door latch device described above, a single motor can be used to release the latch mechanism and unlock the lock mechanism, which has the advantage of reducing the number of parts, etc. However, parts such as levers that engage with the protrusions and are operated must be provided in the area facing the end face of the rotating body and the area facing the outer circumferential surface of the rotating body, which may result in an increase in the size of the device.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a door latch device that can prevent an increase in size. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the door latch device of the present invention is a door latch device including a latch mechanism that maintains a door closed relative to a vehicle body by being in a latched state in which the door engages with a striker, an electric release means capable of releasing the latched state by power of a motor, a manual release means capable of releasing the latched state by manual operation, and a lock mechanism that is switchable between a locked state for disabling an operation of releasing the latched state by the manual release means and an unlocked state for enabling an operation of releasing the latched state by the manual release means, wherein the electric release means includes a rotating body that is rotationally driven relative to a case, and the lock mechanism includes a first lever and a second lever that are rotatably disposed relative to the case and are operated by a cam portion provided on the rotating body, and a lock mechanism that is switchable between a locked position and an unlocked position. and an open link that can be moved to a locked position, wherein the open link is in the locked state when placed in the locked position, and is in the unlocked state when placed in the unlocked position, and the open link moves to the unlocked position when the first lever is operated by the cam portion, and the latch mechanism is characterized in that the latched state is released by a ratchet lever when the second lever is rotated by the cam portion, the cam portion is provided only on the end face of the rotating body on the vehicle inner side, a first cam that operates the first lever and a second cam that operates the second lever are provided separately, the first lever and the second lever are provided on the vehicle inner side, and an operating portion of the ratchet lever is provided on the vehicle inner side.

[0007] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the above-mentioned door latch device, the first cam and the second cam each have a cam surface on their outer periphery, and the cam surface of the first cam and the cam surface of the second cam are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the rotating body.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the door latch device described above, the cam surface of the first cam and the cam surface of the second cam are configured so as to partially coincide with each other.

[0009] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the above-mentioned door latch device, an elastic member is provided between the case and the other end face of the rotating body, which maintains the rotating body in a neutral position relative to the case. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, since the cam portion is provided only on one end face of the rotating body, the first lever and the second lever only need to be disposed in an area facing one end face of the rotating body, and these levers are not disposed in an area facing the outer circumferential surface of the rotating body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the device from becoming large in size. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen obliquely from the outside and rear of a vehicle. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the door latch device as viewed obliquely from the front outside the vehicle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a side view showing the inside of the door latch device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lock mechanism as viewed obliquely from the inside rear. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the lock mechanism as viewed obliquely from the outside and front. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a cam wheel, where (a) is an end view and (b) is a perspective view. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the operation of the locking mechanism when the cam wheel rotates forward, as viewed from the inside of the vehicle. (a) is a diagram showing the basic state in which the cam wheel is in the reference position, and (b) is a diagram showing the state in which the cam wheel has rotated forward by approximately 100° from the reference position. [Figure 9]FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the operation of the locking mechanism when the cam wheel rotates in the reverse direction and forward direction from the outside of the vehicle, where (a) is a diagram showing the basic state in which the cam wheel is in the reference position, (b) is a diagram showing the state in which the cam wheel has rotated approximately 40° from the reference position, (c) is a diagram showing the state in which the cam wheel has rotated approximately 40° forward from the state in (b), and (d) is a diagram showing the state in which the cam wheel has rotated approximately 40° forward from the state in (c). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a door latch device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] 1 to 3 show a door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although not shown in the figures, the door latch device exemplified here is mounted on a side door located on the right side of a four-wheeled vehicle, and controls the opening and closing of the side door by changing the engagement state with a striker provided on the vehicle body in response to opening and closing operations using the door handle and locking and unlocking operations using a key.

[0014] 1 and 2, in the door latch device 10, a latch member 12 that latches a striker is provided at the back of a striker entrance groove 14. The latch member 12 is part of a latch mechanism 44 described below. The striker entrance groove 14 is formed as part of a cover plate 16. A body 18 is provided around the cover plate 16. The vehicle inward side and vehicle rear side of the latch mechanism 44 are covered by the cover plate 16 and the body 18.

[0015] The door latch device 10 is covered by a case 20, a first cover 22, and a second cover 24, in addition to the cover plate 16 and the body 18. The case 20 mainly covers the outer side of the vehicle, the first cover 22 mainly covers the inner side of the vehicle, and the second cover 24 further covers the front upper part of the inner side of the vehicle of the case 20. The cover plate 16, the body 18, the case 20, the first cover 22, and the second cover 24 form the housing of the door latch device 10.

[0016] The door latch device 10 further includes a waterproof cover 26 that covers the upper part, a cable cover 28 on the lower inside of the vehicle, a coupler 30 provided on the upper inside of the vehicle, and a key cylinder connection part 32 provided on the upper outside of the vehicle. The waterproof cover 26 covers the boundary between the case 20 and the first cover 22 to prevent water from entering. The cable cover 28 covers the connection part with the cable 35. The cable 35 connects with an inner handle (not shown). The coupler 30 is connected to a harness connector (not shown). The key cylinder connection part 32 is a part into which a key is inserted and operated. An end of an outer lever 34 connected to an outer handle (not shown) is provided on the part located on the outside of the vehicle so as to protrude to the outside.

[0017] 3, an accommodation space 36 is formed on the vehicle interior side of the door latch device 10. The accommodation space 36 is an area whose vehicle exterior side is covered by the case 20 and whose vehicle interior side is mainly covered by the first cover 22. The vehicle interior side of the accommodation space 36 is covered by the cover plate 16, the body 18, and the cable cover 28 in addition to the first cover 22.

[0018] The accommodating space 36 generally has a mechanism area 40 in which the mechanical mechanism 38 is disposed, and an electrical component area 42 in which electrical components are disposed. The electrical component area 42 occupies an upper portion on the front side of the vehicle, and the mechanism area 40 occupies the remaining portion. The mechanical mechanism 38 accommodates a latch mechanism 44 that latches and unlatches the striker by the latch member 12, and a lock mechanism 46 that switches between a locked state and an unlocked state. The latch mechanism 44 is disposed on the vehicle rear side in the accommodating space 36, and is covered by the cover plate 16 and the body 18.

[0019] The mechanical mechanism 38 also accommodates an electric release means capable of releasing the latched state of the striker by the latch mechanism 44 with the power of a motor 94, and a manual release means capable of releasing the latched state of the striker by a manual operation. The electric release means has a motor 94 and a cam wheel (rotating body) 76, which will be described later, and the like, and unlatches the striker. The manual release means unlatches the striker via an outer lever 34 that is mechanically linked to manual operation, and an inner lever 59, which will be described later.

[0020] 4, the latch mechanism 44 has, in addition to the latch member 12 and outer lever 34, a base bracket 50, a ratchet 52, a ratchet holder 54, a ratchet lever 56, an anti-panic lever 58, and an inner lever 59. Each element of the latch mechanism 44 is supported by the base bracket 50.

[0021] The latch member 12 is rotatably supported on the housing via a latch shaft 60, and has a striker engagement groove 12a and a ratchet engagement portion 12b. When the striker enters the striker engagement groove 12a as the door is closed from the open state, the latch member 12 rotates against the elastic force of a spring (not shown), and the ratchet 52 engages with the ratchet engagement portion 12b, thereby latching the striker at the full latch position.

[0022] The ratchet 52 has a base lever 64 rotatably supported on the housing via a ratchet shaft 62, and a pole lever 66 rotatably supported on the base lever 64 via a root shaft portion 66a. The base lever 64 is elastically biased by a base spring 65. The pole lever 66 is bent within a predetermined angle range relative to the base lever 64. The ratchet 52 is maintained in a substantially linear position by being supported laterally by the ratchet holder 54, and the tip of the pole lever 66 engages with the ratchet engagement portion 12b to hold the latch member 12 in the fully latched position.

[0023] The ratchet holder 54 is rotatably supported on the housing via the shaft portion 68, and is elastically biased by the holder spring 70 to support the side of the base lever 64. When the ratchet lever 56 rotates, the ratchet holder 54 rotates against the elastic force of the holder spring 70 and moves away from the base lever 64. When the ratchet holder 54 moves away from the base lever 64, the base lever 64 and the pole lever 66 of the ratchet 52 are in a bent state centered on the base shaft portion 66a, and the pole lever 66 is released from the ratchet engagement portion 12b to release the latch member 12. As a result, the latch member 12 rotates due to the elastic force of a spring (not shown), and the striker is unlatched. When the ratchet 52 is operated via the ratchet holder 54, it is possible to operate it with a lighter force than when the ratchet 52 is operated directly.

[0024] The ratchet lever 56 is rotatably supported by the base bracket 50, and includes a passive portion 56a that protrudes toward the inside of the vehicle from the rotation shaft, and a rotation acting portion 56b that protrudes toward the outside of the vehicle from the rotation shaft. When the passive portion 56a of the ratchet lever 56 moves upward, the rotation acting portion 56b rotates the ratchet holder 54.

[0025] The outer lever 34 is rotatably supported on the housing via a shaft portion 72, and has a handle operating portion 34a that protrudes outward from the vehicle beyond the shaft portion 72, and an acting portion 34b and a lever passive piece 34c that protrude inward from the vehicle beyond the shaft portion 72. The handle operating portion 34a is a portion that is operated by the outer handle. The acting portion 34b is inserted into a hole 58a of the anti-panic lever 58 and a deformed hole 80b of an open link 80 (described later). The lever passive piece 34c is disposed below the acting portion 34b, and is operated by the inner lever 59. The outer lever 34 rotates due to the operation of the handle operating portion 34a or the lever passive piece 34c, and pushes up the anti-panic lever 58.

[0026] The inner lever 59 is rotatably supported on the housing via a shaft portion 74, and rotates by operating the cable 35, causing the operating piece 59a to push up the lever passive piece 34c.

[0027] The anti-panic lever 58 has a hole 58a into which the acting portion 34b is inserted, and an acting piece 58b bent upward. When an open link 80, which will be described later, is in the unlocked position, the anti-panic lever 58 is pushed up by the acting portion 34b as the outer lever 34 rotates, and the acting piece 58b pushes up the passive portion 56a of the ratchet lever 56. This causes the ratchet holder 54 and the ratchet 52 to perform an unlatching operation. The anti-panic lever 58 is a separate structure from the open link 80 due to the anti-panic mechanism.

[0028] 5 and 6, the lock mechanism 46 includes a cam wheel 76 rotatably supported on the housing via a shaft 76a, a knob lever (first lever) 78 rotatably supported on the housing via a shaft 78a and driven by the cam wheel 76, an open link 80 driven by the knob lever 78, a sub-lock lever 82 interlocked with the open link 80, and an open lever (second lever) 84 rotatably supported on the housing via a shaft 84a and driven by the cam wheel 76. The lock mechanism 46 further includes a lock lever 86 and an auxiliary lever 88 interlocked with the sub-lock lever 82, and a key lever 90 and a sub-key lever 92 that drive the sub-lock lever 82 in conjunction with a key operation. In each drawing, the lock lever 86 is indicated by fine dots and the open link 80 is indicated by coarse dots to facilitate component identification.

[0029] The cam wheel 76 is disk-shaped with teeth (not shown) on its outer periphery, and meshes with a worm 94a provided on the drive shaft of the motor 94 via the teeth on its outer periphery, and can rotate when the motor 94 is driven. For convenience, the following description will refer to the case where the cam wheel 76 rotates clockwise in FIG. 5 as forward rotation, and the case where the cam wheel 76 rotates counterclockwise as reverse rotation.

[0030] The cam wheel 76 is provided with a cam portion 110. The cam portion 110 is provided only on an end face 76b (hereinafter simply referred to as an inner end face 76b) of the cam wheel 76 located on the vehicle inner side, and protrudes toward the vehicle inner side. The cam portion 110 is provided with a first cam 111 and a second cam 112. The first cam 111 and the second cam 112 are provided with cam surfaces 111a and 112a having different shapes on their outer peripheries. The cam surfaces 111a and 112a are formed so that the distance from the center of the cam wheel 76 increases when the cam wheel 76 rotates counterclockwise.

[0031] More specifically, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 located on the side of the cam portion 110 close to the inner end surface 76b of the cam wheel 76 has a minimum outer diameter portion close to the center of the cam wheel 76 as a starting end 111a1, and extends in a counterclockwise rotating direction in Fig. 7. In the example shown in Fig. 7, the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 is provided in a range of approximately 270° from the starting end 111a1. As is clear from Fig. 7, the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 is configured so that the distance from the center gradually increases in a range of approximately 100° from the starting end 111a1, and becomes an arc having a constant outer diameter after 100°. The maximum outer diameter of the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 is set to a distance at which the open lever 84 described later can be rotated to the maximum in the counterclockwise direction in Fig. 5 and the ratchet holder 54 and the ratchet 52 can be unlatched via the ratchet lever 56.

[0032] On the other hand, the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 located on the side away from the inner end surface 76b of the cam wheel 76 in the cam portion 110 is at a position rotated counterclockwise by approximately 120° from the starting end 111a1 of the first cam 111, and extends in a counterclockwise rotating direction in FIG. 7. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 is configured so that the distance from the center gradually increases in a range of approximately 100° from the starting end 112a1, and from 100° onwards, it becomes an arc having the same constant outer diameter as the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111. The maximum outer diameter of the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 is set to a distance at which the knob lever 78 described later rotates maximum counterclockwise in FIG. 5 and the open link 80 takes an upright position.

[0033] The starting end 112a1 of the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 is located on the outer periphery side of the starting end 111a1 of the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111, and the rate at which the outer diameter of the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 increases is smaller than the rate at which the outer diameter of the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 increases.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 6, the cam wheel 76 is provided with an auxiliary part 77 on an end surface 76c (hereinafter, simply referred to as the outer end surface 76c) located on the vehicle outer side. The auxiliary part 77 is attached to the cam wheel 76 and integrated with it in a state where relative rotation is prevented. A torsion coil spring (elastic member) 75 is provided inside a cylindrical part 77a formed by the auxiliary part 77. The torsion coil spring 75 is configured to have a cylindrical coil part by winding a thin metal wire, and one spring end is engaged with the cam wheel 76 and the other spring end is engaged with the case 20. This torsion coil spring 75 allows the cam wheel 76 to rotate forward and backward relative to the case 20 when an external force is applied to the cam wheel 76, and biases the cam wheel 76 to maintain a neutral reference position when the external force is removed.

[0035] The auxiliary part 77 includes a restricting protrusion 77b protruding toward the inside of the vehicle near the outer periphery, and a first inclined wall 77c provided on the substantially opposite side of the restricting protrusion 77b. When the cam wheel 76 rotates in the reverse direction, the restricting protrusion 77b abuts against an elastic member 96a of a rotation stopper 96 provided on the case 20, thereby restricting the rotation of the cam wheel 76. The first inclined wall 77c is inclined from the outer periphery of the cylindrical part 77a toward the outer periphery so as to be gradually positioned clockwise in FIG. 6. The first inclined wall 77c is provided so as to secure a gap between the outer end surface 76c of the cam wheel 76 and the first inclined wall 77c.

[0036] The cam wheel 76 further includes a second inclined wall 76d and a retaining wall 76e. The second inclined wall 76d is inclined from the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 77a of the auxiliary part 77 toward the outer circumferential side so as to be gradually positioned counterclockwise in FIG. 6. The first inclined wall 77c and the second inclined wall 76d extend from a position close to the cylindrical portion 77a toward the outer circumferential side so as to be gradually separated from each other. The first inclined wall 77c of the auxiliary part 77 is disposed on the vehicle outer side than the second inclined wall 76d. The retaining wall 76e is an arc-shaped wall extending in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6 from a portion located on the outer circumferential side of the second inclined wall 76d. As shown in FIG. 6, the clockwise end of the retaining wall 76e is closed at a portion constituting the second inclined wall 76d, while the counterclockwise end is adjacent to a notch 76f that opens to the outer circumferential surface of the cam wheel 76.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5, the knob lever 78 is provided with a driven surface 78d that abuts against the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 of the cam portion 110. When the cam wheel 76 rotates forward, the driven surface 78d is driven by the second cam 112 and functions to rotate the knob lever 78 counterclockwise against the lever spring 78b. A knob 78c is provided at the tip of the knob lever 78. The knob 78c is engaged with a side guide groove 80a provided in the open link 80. When the knob lever 78 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 5, the knob 78c moves upward along the side guide groove 80a, thereby uprighting the inclined open link 80, whereas when the knob lever 78 rotates clockwise in FIG. 5, the knob 78c moves downward along the side guide groove 80a, thereby uprighting the upright open link 80 toward the front of the vehicle.

[0038] The open link 80 has a shaped hole 80b at its lower end, and by rotating about its lower end, it switches between an upright position (unlocked position) and an inclined position (locked position) as described above. When the open link 80 is placed in the locked position shown in FIG. 5, the lock mechanism 46 is in a locked state, and when the open link 80 is placed in the unlocked position, the lock mechanism 46 is in an unlocked state. That is, when the open link 80 is in the locked position, the anti-panic lever 58 is inclined together with the open link 80, and therefore does not come into contact with the ratchet lever 56 even when it is lifted by the outer lever 34. Therefore, the ratchet lever 56 does not operate, and the door is kept closed and in a locked state. On the other hand, when the open link 80 is in the unlocked position, the anti-panic lever 58 is also upright together with the open link 80, and therefore when it is lifted by the outer lever 34, it comes into contact with the ratchet lever 56 and pushes it up. Therefore, the ratchet lever 56 operates, and the door is in an unlocked state in which it can be opened.

[0039] Furthermore, the action portion 34b of the outer lever 34 is inserted into the irregular hole 80b of the open link 80. When the outer lever 34 operates, the open link 80 moves in the vertical direction. An anti-panic lever 58 is attached to the lower end of the open link 80. The anti-panic lever 58 moves integrally with the open link 80.

[0040] The sub-lock lever 82 is rotatably supported on the housing via a shaft 82a, engaged with the lock lever 86 via an outer knob 86c of the lock lever 86, and engaged with the open link 80 disposed at the locked position via an inner knob 86i. That is, when the sub-lock lever 82 rotates counterclockwise in Fig. 5 by the rotation of the key lever 90 and the sub-key lever 92, the lock lever 86 rotates clockwise in Fig. 5 via the outer knob 86c, and is further pushed out by the inner knob 86i, so that the open link 80 is in the unlocked position. When the sub-lock lever 82 rotates clockwise to return to its original position, the open link 80 is returned to the locked position by the knob lever 78 which rotates clockwise in Fig. 5 due to the elastic force of the lever spring 78b.

[0041] The open lever 84 is a component of the electric release means. That is, the open lever 84 operates to open the door when the motor 94 is driven by the driver's switch operation or the like, and has a cam follower 84b extending from the shaft 84a toward the front of the vehicle and a ratchet operation part 84c extending toward the rear of the vehicle. An open spring 84d is provided between the open lever 84 and the housing. The open spring 84d biases the cam follower 84b in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5 so that the cam follower 84b abuts against the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 in the cam part 110 of the cam wheel 76. When the cam wheel 76 rotates forward in FIG. 5, the first cam 111 presses down the cam follower 84b, and the open lever 84 rotates counterclockwise around the shaft 84a against the open spring 84d, and the ratchet operation part 84c rises. When the ratchet operating portion 84c rises, the passive portion 56a of the ratchet lever 56 is pushed up, the latch mechanism 44 is unlatched, and the door is opened. When the cam wheel 76 returns to the neutral reference position, the open lever 84 is also returned to its original position by the open spring 84d.

[0042] The open lever 84 can operate the ratchet lever 56 independently of the open link 80. Therefore, in the door latch device 10 equipped with the open lever 84, the door can be opened by the electric release means even when the lock mechanism 46 is in a locked state (i.e., the open link 80 is in the locked position).

[0043] 6, the lock lever 86 is rotatably supported on the housing via a shaft 86a, and has an arm 86b extending upward, an outer knob 86c protruding from the tip of the arm 86b toward the outside of the vehicle, a downward extending portion 86d extending downward, a first protrusion 86e protruding from the downward extending portion 86d toward the front side of the vehicle, a second protrusion 86f protruding from the vicinity of the shaft 86a on the arm 86b toward the front side of the vehicle, a spring receiving portion 86g protruding from the downward extending portion 86d toward the outside of the vehicle, and two extrusion portions 86h protruding toward the inside of the vehicle from the surface of the downward extending portion 86d that is the inside of the vehicle. The outer knob 86c is engaged with the sublock lever 82 by being fitted into a guide hole 82b formed at the lower end of the sublock lever 82. The lock lever 86 is rotated via the outer knob 86c by the rotation of the sub-lock lever 82, and can be displaced between an operating position that switches the open link 80 from the locked position to the unlocked position, and a non-operating position that does not act on the open link 80.

[0044] The spring receiving portion 86g abuts against a bent portion 100a of a lock spring 100. The lock spring 100 determines the position of the sub-lock lever 82 via the spring receiving portion 86g.

[0045] The first protrusion 86e comes into contact with the first inclined wall 77c when the cam wheel 76 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 6. When the cam wheel 76 continues to rotate counterclockwise with the first inclined wall 77c in contact with the first protrusion 86e, the lock lever 86 rotates clockwise in FIG. 6. The second protrusion 86f comes into contact with the second inclined wall 76d when the cam wheel 76 rotates clockwise in FIG. 6. When the cam wheel 76 continues to rotate clockwise with the second inclined wall 76d in contact with the second protrusion 86f, the lock lever 86 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 6. The second protrusion 86f is provided on the vehicle inner side than the first inclined wall 77c, and enters the gap between the first inclined wall 77c and the outer end surface 76c of the cam wheel 76, and does not come into contact with the first inclined wall 77c. The two pushing portions 86h come into contact with the auxiliary lever 88 when the lock lever 86 rotates clockwise in FIG.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 5, the auxiliary lever 88 is rotatably supported on a shaft portion 86a of the lock lever 86, and includes an arm 88a protruding from the shaft portion 86a toward the front side of the vehicle, and an arcuate projection 88b provided on the upper end portion of the arm 88a. The arcuate projection 88b abuts against the retaining wall 76e of the cam wheel 76 when rotated counterclockwise in Fig. 6. An auxiliary lever spring 88c is interposed between the auxiliary lever 88 and the lock lever 86, which biases the auxiliary lever 88 in a direction to rotate the auxiliary lever 88 counterclockwise in Fig. 5 relative to the lock lever 86. The elastic force of the auxiliary lever spring 88c keeps the lower surface of the auxiliary lever 88 in abutment against the extrusion portion 86h.

[0047] 8(a) and 8(b) are views showing the operation of the lock mechanism 46 when the cam wheel 76 rotates forward (clockwise in FIG. 8) from the inside of the vehicle. The operation of the lock mechanism 46 will be described below with reference to these drawings as appropriate.

[0048] 8(a), in the basic state where the cam wheel 76 is in the reference position, the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 is separated from the driven surface 78d of the knob lever 78, and at the position where the open lever 84 has rotated most clockwise, the cam follower 84b is separated from the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111. At this time, the open link 80 is disposed in the locked position, and the knob 78c of the knob lever 78 is located below the side guide groove 80a.

[0049] When the cam wheel 76 starts to rotate forward by being driven by the motor 94 from this basic state, a portion of the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112 adjacent to the starting end 112a1 abuts against the driven surface 78d of the knob lever 78, and the knob lever 78 starts to rotate counterclockwise in Fig. 8. Almost simultaneously, a portion of the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 adjacent to the starting end 111a1 abuts against the cam driven portion 84b of the open lever 84, and the open lever 84 starts to rotate counterclockwise in Fig. 8.

[0050] As described above, the cam surface 111a of the first cam 111 has a larger increase in outer diameter than the cam surface 112a of the second cam 112. Therefore, when the cam wheel 76 rotates forward, the passive part 56a of the ratchet lever 56 is pushed up sufficiently by the open lever 84 early on, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the latch mechanism 44 unlatches the striker, and the door is opened. Meanwhile, the knob lever 78 is also rotated as far as possible in the counterclockwise direction by the cam surface of the second cam 112, and the knob 78c moves upward along the side guide groove 80a, causing the open link 80 to rotate gradually in the clockwise direction, and then to the unlocked position. The sub-lock lever 82, the lock lever 86, and the auxiliary lever 88 do not operate during this time, and maintain the basic state of FIG. 8(a).

[0051] During the above-mentioned operation, the torsion coil spring 75 interposed between the case 20 and the cam wheel 76 is gradually bent. Therefore, when the power supply to the motor 94 is subsequently stopped, the cam wheel 76 rotates counterclockwise by the elastic force of the torsion coil spring 75 to the reference position, and the lock mechanism 46 returns to the basic state shown in FIG. 8(a).

[0052] During such an electric release, as shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the open lever 84 rotates by being driven by the motor 94 and acts on the latch mechanism 44 to unlatch the striker. At this time, the open link 80 also reciprocates between the locked position and the unlocked position. Although the open link 80 does not act on other parts, it operates at appropriate time intervals in synchronization with the electric release, which prevents hardening due to aging of the grease and rusting of springs, levers, etc. made of steel, thereby ensuring smooth operation of the lock mechanism 46 at all times.

[0053] Furthermore, when the power is released, only the open link 80 operates synchronously, and the lock lever 86 does not operate. Therefore, the spring receiving portion 86g of the lock lever 86 does not overcome the bent portion 100a, and no noise is generated, so the user does not feel uncomfortable.

[0054] 9(a) to 9(d) are views showing the operation of the lock mechanism 46 when the cam wheel 76 rotates in the reverse direction (clockwise in FIG. 9) and in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 9) from the outside of the vehicle. The operation of the lock mechanism 46 will be further described below with reference to these figures as appropriate.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 9(a), in the basic state in which the cam wheel 76 is positioned at the reference position, the lock lever 86 is in the position rotated most clockwise, and the first protrusion 86e and the second protrusion 86f are not in contact with the cam wheel 76.

[0056] From this reference state, the cam wheel 76 starts to rotate in the opposite direction by the drive of the motor 94, and when the rotation of the cam wheel 76 progresses to approximately 40° as shown in Fig. 9(b), the second inclined wall 76d of the cam wheel 76 abuts against the second protrusion 86f. This causes the lock lever 86 to rotate counterclockwise, and the spring receiving portion 86g is displaced until it overcomes the bent portion 100a of the lock spring 100.

[0057] When the lock lever 86 rotates, the sub-lock lever 82 rotates clockwise via the outer knob 86c, the open link 80 rotates counterclockwise via the inner knob 86i, and the auxiliary lever 88 rotates counterclockwise by the extrusion portion 86h. As a result, the sub-lock lever 82 and the open link 80 are placed in the unlocked position, and the arc protrusion 88b of the auxiliary lever 88 is displaced to a position close to the cylindrical portion 77a via the notch 76f.

[0058] When the spring receiving portion 86g overcomes the bent portion 100a of the lock spring 100, the cam wheel 76 starts to rotate forward by the drive of the motor 94. As shown in FIG. 9(c), when the forward rotation of the cam wheel 76 progresses to about 40° from the state of FIG. 9(b), the cam wheel 76 returns to the reference position shown in FIG. 9(a). However, since the spring receiving portion 86g is held by the bent portion 100a, the lock lever 86, the sub-lock lever 82, and the open link 80 are held in the postures shown in FIG. 9(b). As a result, the lock mechanism 46 is in an unlocked state. At this time, due to the forward rotation of the cam wheel 76, the retaining wall 76e is disposed on the outer circumferential side of the arcuate projection 88b, and the arcuate projection 88b is engaged with the inner circumferential surface of the retaining wall 76e.

[0059] When the cam wheel 76 rotates forward by approximately 40° from the state shown in Fig. 9(c), the first inclined wall 77c of the cam wheel 76 comes into contact with the first protrusion 86e. This causes the lock lever 86 to rotate clockwise, and as shown in Fig. 9(d), the spring receiving portion 86g overcomes the bent portion 100a of the lock spring 100 and returns to the reference state shown in Fig. 9(a).

[0060] When the lock lever 86 rotates clockwise, the sub-lock lever 82 rotates counterclockwise via the outer knob 86c, and the open link 80 rotates clockwise due to the knob lever 78 rotating due to the elastic force of the lever spring 78b, and the sub-lock lever 82 and the open link 80 each return to their standard states shown in Figure 9(a).

[0061] Meanwhile, the auxiliary lever 88 is maintained in a state rotated counterclockwise against the elastic force of the auxiliary lever spring 88c because the arcuate projection 88b is engaged with the retaining wall 76e of the cam wheel 76. When the cam wheel 76 continues to rotate forward from this state, the restricting projection 77b eventually comes into contact with the rotation stopper 96 of the case 20 via the elastic member 96a, and the rotation of the cam wheel 76 is stopped. This prevents the cam wheel 76 from rotating excessively.

[0062] After the restricting projection 77b abuts against the rotation stopper 96 and the rotation of the cam wheel 76 stops, the cam wheel 76 starts to rotate in the reverse direction by the drive of the motor 94. When the cam wheel 76 rotates in the reverse direction to the position shown in FIG. 9(a), the engagement between the arc projection 88b and the holding wall 76e is released. This causes the auxiliary lever 88 to rotate clockwise by the elastic force of the auxiliary lever spring 88c and return to the position shown in FIG. 9(a). In this way, the locking mechanism 46 as a whole returns to the basic state shown in FIG. 9(a).

[0063] In this way, according to the above-described door latch device 10, it is possible to perform the unlatching operation of the latch mechanism 44 and switch the lock mechanism 46 between the locked state and the unlocked state with a single motor 94. Moreover, since the cam portion 110 is provided only on one inner end face 76b of the cam wheel 76, it is sufficient to dispose the knob lever 78 and the open lever 84 only in an area facing the inner end face 76b of the cam wheel 76, and these levers 78, 84 are not provided in an area facing the outer circumferential surface of the cam wheel 76. This makes it possible to prevent the door latch device 10 from becoming large.

[0064] In addition, since the knob lever 78 and the open lever 84 are brought into contact with individual cam surfaces 111a, 112a, by appropriately changing the profiles of the cam surfaces 111a, 112a, it is possible to operate these levers 78, 84 at any desired timing without affecting the operation of the other levers, making it possible to apply the door latch device 10 according to the user's needs.

[0065] In the above-described embodiment, the first cam and the second cam are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cam portion, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and either one or both of the cam surfaces may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cam portion.

[0066] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the actuator is applied to a door latch device, but it can also be applied as an actuator for other devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 10 Door latch device 20 cases 44 Latch mechanism 46 Locking mechanism 75 Torsion coil spring 76 Cam Wheel 76b Inner end surface 78 Knob Lever 84 Open Lever 110 Cam section 111 First Cam 111a Cam surface 112 2nd Cam 112a Cam surface

Claims

1. a latch mechanism that maintains the door closed relative to the vehicle body by engaging with the striker in a latched state; an electric release means capable of releasing the latched state by the power of a motor; A manual release means capable of releasing the latched state by manual operation; a lock mechanism switchable between a locked state in which the manual release means disables an operation of releasing the latched state and an unlocked state in which the manual release means enables an operation of releasing the latched state; A door latch device comprising: The electric release means includes a rotor that is rotatably driven relative to the case, the lock mechanism is rotatably disposed with respect to the case, and includes a first lever and a second lever operated by a cam portion provided on the rotating body, and an open link movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the lock state is achieved when the open link is disposed at the locked position, and the unlock state is achieved when the open link is disposed at the unlocked position, and the open link moves to the unlocked position when the first lever is operated by the cam portion, When the second lever is rotated by the cam portion, the latch mechanism is released from the latched state by a ratchet lever, the cam portion is provided only on an end surface of the rotating body on the vehicle inner side, and a first cam that operates the first lever and a second cam that operates the second lever are provided separately, The first lever and the second lever are provided on an inner side of the vehicle, 2. A door latch device according to claim 1, wherein an operating portion of the ratchet lever is provided on an inner side of the vehicle.

2. The door latch device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first cam and the second cam each have a cam surface on their outer periphery, and the cam surface of the first cam and the cam surface of the second cam are arranged parallel to each other in the axial direction of the rotating body.

3. 3. The door latch device according to claim 2, wherein the cam surface of the first cam and the cam surface of the second cam are configured so as to partially coincide with each other.

4. 2. The door latch device according to claim 1, wherein an elastic member is provided between the case and the other end surface of the rotating body for maintaining the rotating body in a neutral position relative to the case.

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