Door latch device for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a door latch device for vehicles capable of supplying electric power to a requiring door with high output and high efficiency.SOLUTION: The door latch device for vehicles includes: a latch mechanism that is provided on multiple vehicle doors to lock and unlock the vehicle door; a control unit that is provided to each latch mechanism to control an actuator unit of the latch mechanism to drive the lock and unlock of the latch mechanism; and a backup power supply that is provided to the multiple vehicle doors for supplying the power to the actuator unit and the control unit when a device gets failure. The door latch device for vehicles further includes an auxiliary power line that connects the multiple backup power supplies to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] It is known that an electric door latch device is used in the doors of a vehicle such as an automobile. Conventionally, electric door latch devices are configured to supply power from a main power source installed in the vehicle through a power supply wiring to the door latch device provided in the door.

[0003] Meanwhile, door latch devices have been developed that are equipped with an emergency backup power source using a supercapacitor in case power to the door latch device from the main power source is cut off due to a vehicle accident or the like. For example, JP 2016-503135 A describes such a door latch device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2016-503135 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional door latch device, a backup power supply using an emergency supercapacitor is installed in each door and is configured to supply power only to the door latch of each door, so the backup power supply for each door has only limited power capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle door latch device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises, for example, a latch mechanism provided in each vehicle door for locking and unlocking the vehicle door, a control unit provided in each latch mechanism for controlling an actuator unit of the latch mechanism and driving the latch mechanism to lock and unlock, a main power supply unit for supplying power to the latch mechanism of each vehicle door, a standby power supply unit provided in each vehicle door for supplying power to the actuator unit and the control unit in the event of a vehicle malfunction, a control line connecting each of the control units to each other, and an auxiliary power supply line connecting each of the standby power supply units to each other.

[0007] In addition, the vehicle door latch device of one embodiment of the present invention is configured such that, when an unlocking instruction is received from the operating unit of one vehicle door during a vehicle failure state, power is supplied to the latch mechanism of the one vehicle door from the standby power supply unit of the other vehicle door via the auxiliary power line. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the vehicle door latch device according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to supply electric power to the door latch device that requires it with high output and high efficiency. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle door latch device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle door latch device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a vehicle door latch device according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that duplicated explanations of elements common to the various drawings may be omitted.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle door latch device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is installed in a vehicle 100 such as an automobile. The vehicle 100 has a main power source 101 that supplies power to each part of the vehicle 100, and a plurality of vehicle doors 110 and 120.

[0012] The vehicle door 110 has a latch mechanism 111 that locks and unlocks the vehicle door 110. The latch mechanism 111 has an actuator unit 112 composed of a door latch motor and the like, a control unit 114 that controls the driving of the actuator unit 111, and a standby power supply unit 115 that supplies power to the actuator unit 112 and the control unit 114.

[0013] Similarly, the vehicle door 120 also has a latch mechanism 121 for locking and unlocking the vehicle door 120, an actuator unit 122 composed of a door latch motor and the like arranged on the latch mechanism 121, a control unit 124 for controlling the drive of the actuator unit 121, and a standby power supply unit 125 for supplying power to the actuator unit 122 and the control unit 124.

[0014] The control units 114 and 124 each include a calculation device such as a microprocessor.

[0015] Furthermore, the actuator units 112 and 122 each have, but are not limited to, a ratchet that can selectively rotate relative to a striker fixed to a door post, and a door latch motor that rotates the ratchet. The control units 114 and 124 each can include a driver circuit for driving and controlling the door latch motor of each actuator unit. In other embodiments, such a driver circuit can be configured as a part of the actuator unit. Here, a door latch motor is shown as an example of the actuator unit, but the actuator unit is not limited to a motor, and an actuator using a solenoid, etc. can also be used.

[0016] A main power supply 101 provided in a vehicle 100 constantly supplies power to latch mechanisms 111 and 121 of the vehicle doors via a power supply line 102. In Fig. 1, the control units 114 and 124 are connected to the power supply line 102, and power is supplied to the actuator units 112 and 122 via the control units 114 and 124. In another embodiment, the power supply line 102 may be connected independently to the actuator units 112 and 122. Although not particularly limited, the main power supply 101 may be a storage battery such as a lead storage battery that is widely used as an automobile battery.

[0017] When the operation unit 113 is operated, the control unit 114 detects the operation and controls the actuator unit 112 to lock or unlock the vehicle door 110 . The operation unit 113 is a door latch switch that allows occupants of the vehicle 100 to lock or unlock the doors, and includes an outer handle installed on the outside of the vehicle 100 and an inner handle located on the inside of the vehicle 100.

[0018] The main power supply 101 is expected to constantly supply power to the control unit and the like, but in an emergency such as a vehicle accident, the power supply from the main power supply 101 may be cut off or the power supply may be interrupted due to a break in the power line 102. The standby power supply units 115 and 125 disposed in each latch mechanism supply power to the respective latch mechanisms 111 and 121 in the event of a vehicle failure such as the interruption of the main power supply 101.

[0019] As described later, the backup power supply units 115 and 125 are configured using, for example, supercapacitors (sometimes called ultracapacitors). The supercapacitor includes an electrolytic double layer capacitor, a pseudocapacitor, or a capacitor that is a combination of these. By providing such a backup power supply unit, power is supplied to the control unit and / or actuator unit of the latch mechanism when the main power supply is interrupted, and the actuator unit can be reliably operated even in a vehicle accident state, thereby ensuring good locking or unlocking of the vehicle door. In general, a supercapacitor has high energy density, high output current characteristics, and is relatively small in size, so that it is suitable as a backup power supply unit provided in a vehicle door. However, the backup power supply unit is not limited to this, and can be configured with a capacitance element other than a supercapacitor, and can also be configured with a secondary battery such as a nickel-metal hydride battery.

[0020] By their very nature, the standby power supplies 115 and 125 store and hold a certain amount of power and therefore have a limited power supply capacity. Therefore, in the vehicle door latch device shown in FIG. 1, the standby power supplies 115 and 125 are configured to be connected to each other via the auxiliary power supply line 104.

[0021] In this way, by providing latch mechanisms provided on multiple vehicle doors for locking and unlocking the vehicle doors, a control unit provided on each latch mechanism for controlling the actuator unit of the latch mechanism and driving the latch mechanism to lock and unlock, a main power supply unit for supplying power to the latch mechanism of each vehicle door, a standby power supply unit provided on each vehicle door for supplying power to the actuator unit and / or the control unit in the event of a vehicle failure, and an auxiliary power supply line for mutually connecting each standby power supply line, it is possible to use the standby power supplies provided on each of the multiple vehicle doors as a common power supply for the vehicle doors to be locked or unlocked. This makes it possible to supply power to the latch mechanisms that require high output and high efficiency.

[0022] 1, the control units 114 and 124 are connected to each other via the control line 103. An in-vehicle communication network using multiplex communication technology can be used to connect the control units. A representative in-vehicle communication network is CAN (Controller Area Network), which is a serial communication protocol.

[0023] In this embodiment, the control units are connected to each other via the in-vehicle communication network, and therefore can communicate with each other. This enables the control units to communicate with each other and control each other so that when an unlock command is received from the operation unit of one vehicle door during a vehicle failure, power is supplied to the latch mechanism of the one vehicle door from the backup power unit of the other vehicle door via the auxiliary power line.

[0024] Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 shows a basic configuration in the case where a vehicle 100 has two vehicle doors, in which at least two vehicle doors each have a latch mechanism, and the respective standby power supplies are connected by an auxiliary power line, and the respective control units are connected by a control line.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment according to the present invention. A vehicle 200 has a main power source 201 and four vehicle doors 210, 220, 230, and 240. Each vehicle door has a latch mechanism 211, 221, 231, and 241, and an operation unit 213, 223, 233, and 243, respectively. Each latch mechanism has an actuator unit 212, 222, 232, and 242, a control unit 214, 224, 234, and 244, and a standby power source unit 215, 225, 235, and 245, respectively. In addition, each standby power source unit 215, 225, 235, and 245 are connected to each other by an auxiliary power source line 204, and each control unit 214, 224, 234, and 244 are connected to each other by a control line 203.

[0026] The configuration and operation of each latch mechanism, etc. are the same as in the case of Fig. 1, and the details are omitted here, but here, since a backup power supply unit is provided for each of the four vehicle doors, when any vehicle door is locked or unlocked, the backup power supply units of the other three vehicle doors can be used. Therefore, even in a vehicle accident state, the actuator unit can be operated more reliably, and the locking or unlocking operation of the vehicle doors can be ensured. In addition, the backup power supplies provided for the multiple vehicle doors can be commonly used as power supplies for the vehicle doors to be locked or unlocked, and power can be supplied to the latch mechanisms that require high output and high efficiency.

[0027] In addition, in FIG. 2, a case has been described in which vehicle 200 has four doors, but this is not limited to this. A similar configuration can be achieved even if the number of vehicle doors is three or five or more, or as long as there are two or more doors as in FIG. 1, by providing a backup power supply unit in each vehicle door.

[0028] Furthermore, it is not necessarily necessary to interconnect all of the auxiliary power supply units of multiple vehicle doors with an auxiliary power line, and it is acceptable for there to be vehicle doors having latch mechanisms that are not connected to the auxiliary power line.

[0029] The vehicle doors shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be any type of door that opens and closes, such as a normal type door that is rotatable relative to the vehicle, a sliding door, a double-door, or a gull-wing door, and the door to be connected to the auxiliary power line can be selected depending on the type, location, number, etc. of the door.

[0030] Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram shows an example in which the vehicle has four doors, but as in the case of Fig. 2, the invention is not limited to this, and the number of vehicle doors can be three, or five or more doors with the same configuration. Furthermore, it is not necessarily required to interconnect all of the auxiliary power supply units of the multiple vehicle doors with the auxiliary power supply line, and it is acceptable for there to be a vehicle door having a latch mechanism that is not connected to the auxiliary power supply line.

[0031] The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 shows a more specific form of the embodiment described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2. Description of the same parts as those in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 will be omitted.

[0032] 3 is installed in a vehicle 300. The vehicle 300 has a main power source 301 and a plurality of vehicle doors 310, 320, 330, and 340.

[0033] The vehicle doors 310, 320, 330, and 340 each have a latch mechanism 311, 321, 331, and 341 that locks and unlocks the vehicle door. The latch mechanism each has an actuator unit 312, 322, 332, and 342 that is composed of a door latch motor and the like, a control unit 314, 324, 334, and 344 that controls the driving of the actuator unit, and a backup power supply unit 315, 325, 335, and 345 that supplies power to the actuator unit and the control unit. Although the door latch motor is given as an example of the actuator unit, as described above, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0034] A main power supply 301 provided in a vehicle 300 constantly supplies power to the latch mechanism of each vehicle door from a power supply line 302 via a charging circuit (not shown). As described above, the main power supply 301 can use a 12V lead-acid battery that is widely used as an automobile battery. The charging circuit may be provided in the control units 314, 324, 334 and 344.

[0035] The control units of the latch mechanisms are supplied with power from the main power source 301, and operate the actuator units according to the operation status of the operating units to lock or unlock the vehicle doors.

[0036] Although not particularly limited, each control unit is configured to include a calculation device such as a microprocessor.

[0037] As described above, each actuator unit has a ratchet that can selectively rotate with respect to a striker fixed to the door post, a pole that prevents the ratchet from rotating, and a door latch motor that rotates the pole. Each control unit can include a driver circuit for driving and controlling the door latch motor of each actuator unit, and in other embodiments, the driver circuit can be configured as a part of the actuator unit.

[0038] A main power supply 301 constantly supplies power to each latch mechanism of each vehicle door via a power supply line 302. In Fig. 3, each control unit is connected to the power supply line 302, and power is supplied to each actuator unit via each control unit, but in other embodiments, each actuator unit may be independently connected to a power supply line.

[0039] When a corresponding operating unit is operated, each control unit detects the operation and controls the corresponding actuator unit to lock or unlock the vehicle door. Each operating portion is a door latch switch that allows an occupant of the vehicle 300 to lock or unlock the door, and includes an outer handle installed on the outside of the vehicle and an inner handle located on the inside of the vehicle. As described above, in the door latch device shown in FIG. 3, even if the power supply from main power source 301 is cut off or power line 302 is broken in the event of an emergency such as a vehicle accident, power is supplied to each latch mechanism from the standby power source unit disposed in each latch mechanism.

[0040] Each of the standby power supplies 315, 325, 335, and 345 is configured by connecting the above-mentioned supercapacitors in series. Although not particularly limited, the maximum operating voltage of such a capacitor is about 2.5V, and by connecting five of them in series, a total voltage of 12.5V can be generated.

[0041] According to another embodiment, it is also possible to provide an equivalent circuit that keeps the voltage stored in each capacitor constant by connecting a constant voltage element (not shown) such as a Zener diode in parallel with each capacitor.

[0042] According to another embodiment, the number of connected capacitors can be reduced to, for example, two, and a boost converter (not shown) for boosting the voltage of each standby power supply unit can be provided in each standby power supply unit or in each control unit. As the standby power supply unit, a capacitance element other than a supercapacitor or a secondary battery such as nickel-hydrogen can also be used. Although not particularly limited, since the nominal voltage of a nickel-hydrogen battery is about 1.2 V, when configuring a standby power supply unit using nickel-hydrogen batteries, about 10 of the batteries can be connected in series, or the number of batteries connected in series can be reduced and the above-mentioned boost converter can be provided.

[0043] One end of the standby power supply unit is connected to a ground potential, and the other end is connected to each of the control units 314, 324, 334, and 344 via standby power supply lines 317, 327, 337, and 347. That is, each standby power supply unit is connected to the power supply line 302 via each of the control units 314, 324, 334, and 344, and is configured to be charged by a charging circuit (not shown) provided in each of the control units 314, 324, 334, and 344 in a normal state in which power is supplied from the main power supply 301.

[0044] In this embodiment, each latch mechanism further has switching units 316, 326, 336, and 346. These switching units are disposed between the respective standby power supply lines 317, 327, 337, and 347 and the auxiliary power supply line 304, and their opening and closing are controlled by the respective control circuits via switching control lines 318, 328, 338, and 348. Note that these switching units can be configured, for example, by relay elements, semiconductor relays, power transistors, or FETs.

[0045] Hereinafter, the control and operation of the door latch device in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4 as well. Each control unit is connected to main power supply 301 via power supply line 302, and is configured to constantly or periodically monitor the voltage of the main power supply. This allows each control unit to determine whether the vehicle is in a normal state where power is being supplied from the main power supply, or in a vehicle failure state where power supply from the main power supply is cut off (or in a main power supply failure state). Note that the control unit can also be configured to detect a state where the voltage of the main power supply has dropped to a certain level as a vehicle failure state, not limited to when power from the main power supply is completely cut off.

[0046] When the control unit detects a vehicle failure state (main power supply failure state) (step 401), power is automatically supplied from the backup power supply unit to the control unit and the actuator unit. For convenience of explanation, the state in which power is supplied from the backup power supply unit may be called a backup mode. As described in steps 411, 421, 431, and 441 in Fig. 4, the vehicle failure state (main power supply failure state) is detected by the control units 314, 324, 334, and 344 of the vehicle doors 311, 321, 331, and 341 in Fig. 3, respectively, and each control unit enters the backup mode.

[0047] At this time, when the operating unit of the vehicle door is operated, the sensor unit (not shown) that is powered by the standby power supply unit in the backup mode detects the operation and sends an operation detection signal indicating that the sensor unit has detected the operation, and the control unit detects the operation of the operating unit from the operation detection signal (step 412). Here, the case where the operating unit 313 of the vehicle door 311 is operated will be described as an example, but the same control is performed when the operating unit of another vehicle door is operated.

[0048] When the control unit 314 detects that the operation unit 313 has been operated, the control unit 314 judges the amount of power of the standby power supply unit 315 and judges whether or not the amount of power is sufficient to operate the actuator unit (step 413). The amount of power can be judged, for example, by measuring the voltage of the standby power supply unit 315 and judging whether or not the measured voltage has a predetermined voltage value. If the voltage of the standby power supply unit 315 is sufficient, the actuator unit 312 is driven using the power of the standby power supply unit 315 (step 414), and the series of processes ends (step 415).

[0049] If the power of the standby power supply unit 315 is insufficient, the control unit 314 transmits a power supply request signal to the other control units 324, 334, and 344 via the control line 303 (step 416). Furthermore, the control unit 314 controls the switching unit 316 via the control line 318 to connect the standby power supply line 317 and the auxiliary power supply line 304 (step 417).

[0050] On the other hand, when the other control units 324, 334 and 344 receive the power supply request signal via the control line 304, they judge the power amount of each of the standby power supply units 326, 336 and 346 and judge whether or not it is possible to supply power to the other standby power supply units (steps 422, 432 and 442). The power amount can be judged, for example, by measuring the voltage of each standby power supply unit and judging whether or not the measured voltage has a predetermined voltage value.

[0051] The control unit that has determined that the standby power supply units 326, 336, and 346 can supply power controls the switching units 326, 336, and 346 to connect the standby power supply lines to the auxiliary power supply line 304 and supply power (steps 423, 433, and 443). The control unit that has determined that the power supply cannot be supplied ends the process without turning on the switching units (steps 424, 434, and 444).

[0052] In the vehicle door 311, the control unit 314 receives power supply from the other standby power supply unit, drives the actuator unit 312 (step 418), and then ends the series of processes (step 419).

[0053] As described above, each backup power supply unit is configured to supply power to the control unit and actuator unit of the latch mechanism when the main power supply is interrupted, and to reliably operate the actuator unit even in a vehicle failure state. This makes it possible to more reliably lock or unlock the vehicle doors even when a single backup power supply does not provide sufficient power to drive the actuator unit. In addition, the backup power supplies provided for multiple vehicle doors can be commonly used as power sources for the vehicle doors that are to be locked or unlocked, and power can be supplied to the latch mechanism, which requires high output and high efficiency.

[0054] In addition, according to the vehicle door latch device of this embodiment, power is supplied from the standby power supply unit of the other vehicle door in response to a power request signal, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption of each standby power supply unit.

[0055] In addition, each control unit determines whether or not there is sufficient backup power in its own backup power supply unit in response to the power request signal and switches the corresponding switching unit, thereby making it possible to suppress inappropriate power consumption.

[0056] 4, after it is detected that the operating unit of the vehicle door 311 has been operated (step 412), a step (step 413) is provided to measure the amount of power of the standby power supply in the door, but this step is not essential, and if operation of the operating unit is confirmed after a failure in the main power supply is detected, the process may proceed directly to step 416, where a power supply request signal is sent to other doors. Also, since deterioration of the capacity and internal resistance of the standby power supply cannot be measured by measuring the voltage value alone, the state of the standby power supply may be diagnosed in advance during normal operation, and the amount of power of the standby power supply may be determined from the capacity and internal resistance values ​​stored in the internal memory of the control unit.

[0057] Also, according to this embodiment, it is assumed that power is supplied from the standby power supply units of the other vehicle doors substantially simultaneously from the other multiple standby power supply units (steps 423, 433, and 443). However, it is also possible to configure each control unit to sequentially switch the control of each switching unit so that standby power is supplied sequentially. In this case, it is possible to prevent all standby power supplies from being consumed at once, and to improve the safety of the vehicle.

[0058] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the backup mode is entered upon detection of a main power supply failure, but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to control the entry into the backup mode by each control unit receiving a signal from a collision sensor (not shown), by a signal from the collision sensor, or by a combination of the signal from the collision sensor and the state of the main power supply.

[0059] Also, as shown in Fig. 3 etc., each control unit is configured to monitor the voltage of each standby power supply unit via each standby power supply line. Therefore, by periodically measuring the voltage of each standby power supply line, it is possible to detect whether the standby power supply line is short-circuited or broken. If a standby power supply line is short-circuited, the control unit can also keep the corresponding switching unit in the off state. Also, if a standby power supply line is broken, it is possible to control so that only the switching unit of the standby power supply line that is not broken is turned on and the switching unit of the broken standby power supply line is kept in the off state.

[0060] In the present embodiment, as in the embodiment described in Fig. 2, the backup power supply units of the four vehicle doors are connected, so that when any vehicle door is locked or unlocked, the backup power supply units of the other three vehicle doors can be used, and the actuator unit can be operated more reliably even in a vehicle accident state, ensuring the locking or unlocking operation of the vehicle doors. Also, the backup power supply units provided in the multiple vehicle doors can be commonly used as power supplies for the vehicle doors to be locked or unlocked, and power can be supplied to the latch mechanism, which requires high output and high efficiency.

[0061] In addition, in FIG. 3, the vehicle 300 has four doors, but the number of vehicle doors is not limited to four, and the same configuration can be used for two, three, or five or more vehicle doors. Furthermore, it is not necessary to interconnect all of the auxiliary power supply units of the vehicle doors with the auxiliary power supply line, and it is acceptable for there to be a vehicle door having a latch mechanism that is not connected to the auxiliary power supply line. In addition, the vehicle doors may be of any type, such as a normal type door that is rotatable relative to the vehicle, a sliding door, a double-door door, or a gull-wing door, and the door to be connected to the auxiliary power supply line can be selected according to the type, location, number, etc. of the door.

[0062] The switching section may be configured to prevent undesired reverse current flow in both cases where power is supplied from the auxiliary power line to the standby power line and where power is supplied from the standby power line to the auxiliary power line.

[0063] The switching unit can also be configured to be in a high impedance state where the standby power line and the auxiliary power line are not connected, and can be configured to be controlled to a high impedance state by the control unit while power is being supplied from the main power source. In this case, each standby power source unit can be disconnected while power is being supplied from the main power source, preventing undesired malfunctions and preventing unintended charging or discharging of the standby power sources. As described above, the switching unit can be configured, for example, by a relay element, a semiconductor relay, a power transistor, an FET, etc.

[0064] As described above, the embodiment of the present invention has been described. In addition, the embodiment of the present invention also includes the following forms.

[0065] (1) A vehicle door latch device comprising: a plurality of vehicle doors; a latch mechanism for locking and unlocking the vehicle doors; a control unit provided in each of the latch mechanisms and controlling an actuator unit of the latch mechanism to lock and unlock the latch mechanism; a main power supply unit for supplying power to the latch mechanism of each of the vehicle doors; a standby power supply unit for supplying power to the actuator unit and the control unit in the event of a vehicle failure state; a control line connecting each of the control units to each other; and an auxiliary power supply line connecting each of the standby power supply units to each other, wherein when controlling the unlocking of the latch mechanism of one of the vehicle doors in the event of a vehicle failure state or a power supply failure state, power is supplied to the latch mechanism of one of the vehicle doors from the standby power supply unit of the other vehicle door via the auxiliary power supply line.

[0066] (2) The vehicle door latch device further includes a backup power supply line provided on each vehicle door, connecting each of the backup power supplies to each of the actuator units and each of the control units, and a switching unit provided between each of the backup power supply lines and the auxiliary power supply line, and in a vehicle failure state or a power supply failure state, at least one of the backup power supply lines is connected to the auxiliary power supply line via the switching unit.

[0067] (3) In addition, when the vehicle door latch device controls the unlocking of the latch mechanism, the control unit of the one of the vehicle doors judges the voltage of the standby power supply of the one of the vehicle doors, and based on the judgment result, controls the switching unit of the one of the vehicle doors to connect the standby power supply line and the auxiliary power supply line.

[0068] (4) In addition, when the vehicle door latch device performs an unlocking operation on the latch mechanism of one of the vehicle doors, the control unit of the one vehicle door transmits a power supply request signal to the control unit of the other vehicle door via the control line, and the other control unit that receives the power supply request signal controls the other switching unit and supplies power to the actuator unit to be unlocked.

[0069] (5) In addition, in the vehicle door latch device, another control unit that receives the power supply request signal determines the amount of power of the other standby power supply, and controls the other switching unit according to the determination result to connect the other standby power supply line and the auxiliary power supply line.

[0070] (6) The vehicle door latch device has at least two vehicle doors, and when an unlock command is received from the operating unit of one of the vehicle doors, the control unit of the one vehicle door transmits a signal requesting a power supply to the control units of the other vehicle doors via the control line.

[0071] (7) Furthermore, in the vehicle door latch device, the control unit of the one vehicle door simultaneously transmits the signal to the control units of the multiple vehicle doors.

[0072] (8) In addition, in the vehicle door latch device, the control unit of the one vehicle door transmits the signal to each of the other control units to switch the switching unit so that power is supplied from each standby power source in sequence.

[0073] (9) The vehicle door latch device further includes an operation unit provided on each of the vehicle doors for instructing locking or unlocking of the vehicle doors, and when the control unit receives an unlocking instruction from the operation unit of one of the vehicle doors in a vehicle failure state and controls the unlocking of the latch mechanism, the control unit supplies power to the latch mechanism of the one of the vehicle doors from the standby power supply unit of the other vehicle door via the auxiliary power line. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 100, 200, 300 vehicles 101, 201, 301 Main power supply 102, 202, 302 Power lines 103, 203, 303 Control lines 104, 204, 304 Auxiliary power lines 110, 120, 210, 220, 230, 240, 310, 320, 330, 340 Vehicle Doors 111, 121, 211, 221, 231, 241, 311, 321, 331, 341 Latch mechanism 112, 122, 212, 222, 232, 242, 312, 322, 332, 342 Actuator section 113, 123, 213, 223, 233, 243, 313,323,333,343 Operation section 114, 124, 214, 224, 234, 244, 314, 324, 334, 344 Control unit 115, 125, 215, 225, 235, 245, 315, 325, 335, 345 Standby power supply unit 316, 326, 336, 346 Switching section 317, 327, 337, 347 Auxiliary power lines 318, 328, 338, 348 Switching section control line

Claims

1. A plurality of vehicle doors; A latch mechanism provided in each vehicle door for locking and unlocking the vehicle door; a control unit provided in each of the vehicle doors and configured to control an actuator unit of the latch mechanism to lock and unlock the latch mechanism; a main power supply unit that supplies power to the latch mechanism of each of the vehicle doors; a standby power supply unit provided in each of the vehicle doors for supplying power to the actuator unit and the control unit when the vehicle is in a fault state; A control line connecting each control unit to each other; an auxiliary power supply line connecting each of the standby power supply units to each other; A vehicle door latch device in which, when the control unit controls the unlocking of the latch mechanism of one of the multiple vehicle doors in a vehicle failure state, the control unit supplies power to the latch mechanism of the one vehicle door from the standby power supply unit of the other of the multiple vehicle doors via the auxiliary power line.

2. a standby power supply line provided in each of the vehicle doors and connecting each of the standby power supplies to each of the actuators and each of the control units; A switching unit is provided between each standby power supply line and the auxiliary power supply line, 2. The vehicle door latch device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the standby power lines is connected to the auxiliary power line via the switching portion during the vehicle failure state.

3. 3. The vehicle door latch device according to claim 2, wherein, when controlling the unlocking of the latch mechanism of the one of the vehicle doors, the control unit of the one of the vehicle doors determines the amount of power of the standby power supply unit of the one of the vehicle doors, and controls the switching unit of the one of the vehicle doors according to the determination result to connect the standby power supply line and the auxiliary power supply line.

4. 4. The vehicle door latch device according to claim 2, wherein, when controlling and unlocking the latch mechanism of one of the vehicle doors, the control unit of the one of the vehicle doors transmits a power supply request signal to the control units of the other vehicle doors via the control line, and the other control units that receive the power supply request signal control the other switching units and supply power to the actuator unit to be unlocked.

5. 5. The vehicle door latch device according to claim 4, wherein the other control unit, upon receiving the power supply request signal, is configured to determine the amount of power of the other standby power supply unit, and, depending on the determination result, control the other switching unit to connect the other standby power supply line and the auxiliary power supply line.

6. 6. The vehicle door latch device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of vehicle doors includes at least two vehicle doors, and when an unlock command is received from an operation unit of one of the vehicle doors, the control unit of the one vehicle door transmits the power supply request signal to the control units of the other plurality of vehicle doors via the control line.

7. The vehicle door latch device according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit of the one vehicle door simultaneously transmits the power supply request signal to the control units of the plurality of vehicle doors.

8. 8. The vehicle door latch device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit of the one vehicle door transmits the power supply request signal to each of the control units of the other vehicle doors, the power supply request signal switching the switching unit so that power is supplied from each of the standby power supply units simultaneously or sequentially to each of the control units of the other vehicle doors.

9. An operation unit is provided on each of the vehicle doors to instruct locking or unlocking of the vehicle doors, The vehicle door latch device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that when the control unit receives an unlocking instruction from the operating unit of one of the vehicle doors and controls the unlocking of the latch mechanism during the vehicle failure state, the control unit supplies power to the latch mechanism of the one of the vehicle doors from the standby power supply units of the other multiple vehicle doors via the auxiliary power line.

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