Vehicle door lock device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle door lock device capable of preventing a door from being unlatched due to the deformation of the door caused by the collision load input.SOLUTION: A rod 30 for transmitting the operation of an outer handle 12 to an open lever 25 of a latch mechanism 20 includes a first portion 30b that extends toward a base 21 of the latch mechanism 20 and a second portion 30c that extends in the vehicle length direction from the first portion 30b. When outer panel 5 starts deforming due to the input of collision load, the second portion 30c of the rod 30 comes into contact with the base 21 of the latch mechanism 20, and the rod 30 is displaced in the opposite direction to the direction in which the latch mechanism 20 is switched from the latched state to the unlatched state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] A vehicle door lock device is provided on a vehicle door. The vehicle door lock device includes a handle mechanism including an outer handle and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism includes a fork that engages with and disengages from a striker of the vehicle body and a claw lever. The latch mechanism can be switched from a latched state to an unlatched state by an operation of the outer handle by an occupant. In the latched state, the claw lever holds the fork in a position where it is locked to the striker. In the unlatched state, the holding of the fork by the claw lever is released and the fork disengages from the striker. The door can be opened by the unlatched state.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes that due to the inertia acting on the vehicle during a collision, the outer handle can move in the same manner as during an operation by an occupant, that is, move outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the door. This movement can cause the latch to be released.

[0004] The vehicle door lock device described in Patent Document 1 includes a stopper member that blocks the movement of a rod that transmits the movement of the outer handle to the latch mechanism when inertia acts on the vehicle during a collision. This stopper member is intended to prevent the latch from being released due to the movement of the outer handle caused by inertia during a collision.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] During a collision, especially a side collision, the door deforms due to the input of a collision load. The vehicle door lock device described in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in preventing the latch from being released due to such deformation of the door.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle door lock device capable of preventing the latch from being released due to deformation of the door caused by the input of a collision load.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0008] One aspect of the present invention includes a handle mechanism including a handle base disposed inside an outer panel of a vehicle door and an outer handle movably held by the handle base, a latch mechanism including a lever for releasing the latch, a connection portion having one end connected to an upper portion of the handle base, an engagement portion having the other end engageable with the lever, a rod for transmitting the operation of the outer handle to the lever, and an opposing portion opposing the outer panel and the inner panel of the door in a first direction which is a direction in which the outer panel and the inner panel of the door face each other with respect to the handle base. The rod includes a first portion extending upward and inclined from the connection portion toward the opposing portion, and a second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction and along the opposing portion. A vehicle door lock device is provided.

[0009] During a collision, especially a side collision, the outer panel of the door deforms due to the input of a collision load. Depending on the design of the door having a large length in the vehicle longitudinal direction or the vehicle weight, the outer panel may deform such that the upper portion of the handle base rotates downward while approaching the inner panel due to the input of a collision load. At the start of deformation of the outer panel due to the input of a collision load, the second portion of the rod quickly abuts against the opposing portion, and the rod is displaced relatively upward with respect to the handle base as the deformation of the outer panel progresses by the first portion inclined upward. In other words, the rod tends to be displaced in a direction opposite to the direction in which the latch mechanism is switched from the latched state to the released state with respect to the lever. As a result, it is possible to prevent the latch from being released due to the deformation of the outer panel caused by the input of a collision load.

[0010] A gap may be provided between the second portion of the rod and the opposing portion.

[0011] With this configuration, the operation required for the rod during normal times is ensured.

[0012] The rod is rotatably attached to the handle base.

[0013] With this configuration, due to the deformation of the outer panel caused by the input of a collision load, the rod can be rotated with respect to the handle base and displaced relatively upward.

[0014] The second portion of the rod may extend along a direction parallel to the opposing portion.

[0015] With this configuration, at the start of deformation of the outer panel due to the input of a collision load, the opposing portion with which the second portion of the rod is in line contact can surely receive the input of the collision load acting through the first portion of the rod. As a result, the rod can be surely displaced in a direction opposite to the direction in which the latch mechanism is switched from the latched state to the unlatch state.

[0016] The first direction is the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, the second direction is the vehicle length direction of the vehicle, the second portion of the rod extends toward the rear side in the vehicle length direction, the rod includes a third portion extending downward in the vehicle height direction from the end portion on the rear side in the vehicle length direction of the second portion, and the lower end of the third portion of the rod may be connected to the engaging portion.

[0017] According to this configuration, since most of the rod is located on the rear side in the vehicle length direction of the door, the assemblability of the vehicle door lock device can be ensured.

[0018] The latch mechanism includes a base portion disposed inside the inner panel, and a protruding portion that protrudes from a rear portion of the base portion in the vehicle length direction toward the outer panel in the vehicle width direction. The base portion includes the opposing portion, and the second portion of the rod may be located closer to the base portion side than the tip of the protruding portion.

[0019] According to this configuration, since the base portion of the latch mechanism also serves as the opposing portion, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed.

Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the vehicle door lock device according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the latch from being released due to deformation of the door caused by an input of a collision load.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction indicate the vehicle length direction, the vehicle width direction, and the vehicle height direction, respectively.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a vehicle door lock device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention constitutes a door structure 3 together with a door 2 of a vehicle. In the present embodiment, the door 2 is a rear side door. The present invention can also be applied to doors of vehicles other than the rear side door.

[0024] The door 2 includes an outer panel 4, an inner panel 5, and an end panel 6. The outer panel 4 and the inner panel 5 face each other in the vehicle width direction (the first direction). A closed space 7 is defined by the outer panel 4, the inner panel 5, and the end panel 6 of the door 2 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 together). In the following description, with respect to the outer panel 4, the inner panel 5, and the end panel 6, the terms "inner side" for the surface on the closed space 7 side and "outer side" for the surface on the side opposite to the closed space 7 may be used, respectively.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the vehicle door lock device 1 includes a handle mechanism 10, a latch mechanism 20, and a rod 30, and is disposed on the rear side in the vehicle length direction of the door 2.

[0026] (Handle mechanism) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the handle mechanism 10 includes a handle base 11 disposed inside the outer panel 4 (inside the closed space 7) and an outer handle 12 disposed outside the outer panel 4. Both the handle base 11 and the outer handle 12 are disposed along the vehicle length direction.

[0027] Referring also to Fig. 5, the outer handle 12 is movably held by the handle base 11. That is, a first end portion 12a protruding from the front side in the vehicle length direction (second direction) of the outer handle 12 penetrates the outer panel 4 and is rotatably supported by the handle base 11, and a second end portion 12b protruding from the rear side in the vehicle length direction of the outer handle 12 also penetrates the outer panel 4 and is supported by the handle base 11 so as to be movable forward and backward in the vehicle width direction. Normally, the latch mechanism 20 switches from the latched state to the unlatched state by an operation (door opening operation) of turning the outer handle 12 by the occupant outward in the vehicle width direction, and the door 2 can be opened.

[0028] Referring to Figs. 5 and 8, the handle base 11 includes a support shaft 16 on the rear side in the vehicle length direction and on the upper side in the vehicle height direction. A lever arm 14 having a counterweight 13 is rotatably supported on the support shaft 16. A held portion (connection portion) 30a of the rod 30 is inserted into a rod holding portion 14a at the upper end of the lever arm 14 and is held in a rotatable state.

[0029] The lever arm 14 rotates in the direction indicated by arrow A1 in Fig. 8 in conjunction with the movement of the second end portion 12b of the outer handle 12 by the door opening operation. By this rotation, the rod holding portion 14a moves downward in the vehicle height direction, and accordingly, the rod 30 descends downward in the vehicle height direction. When the rod 30 descends, an engaging portion 30c provided on the rod 30, which will be described later, pushes down and rotates downward an open lever 25 provided in the latch mechanism 20. As a result, the latch mechanism 20 switches from the latched state to the unlatched state. A coil spring 15 that elastically biases the lever arm 14 is attached to the support shaft 16. As shown in Fig. 8, the coil spring 15 biases the lever arm 14 so as to rotate in the direction of arrow A2 (opposite to the direction of arrow A1 described above), that is, in the direction opposite to the direction in which the latch mechanism 20 switches from the latched state to the unlatched state.

[0030] (Latch mechanism) Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 8 to 11, the latch mechanism 20 is disposed inside the inner panel 5 (within the closed space 7). The latch mechanism 20 includes a base portion 21 and a protruding portion 22. The base portion 21 is disposed to extend in the vehicle length direction along the inside of the inner panel 5. The protruding portion 22 protrudes from the rearward portion of the base portion 21 in the vehicle length direction toward the outer panel 4 in the vehicle width direction. The protruding portion 21 is disposed along the inside of the end panel 6. The base portion 21 and the protruding portion 22 are constituted by a semi-split casing 23.

[0031] The protruding portion 22 houses a fork 24 (shown only in FIG. 8) that engages and disengages with a striker (not shown) of the vehicle body and a claw lever (not shown).

[0032] The base portion 21 is provided with an open lever 25 for releasing the latch. Further, the base portion 21 houses a mechanism (not shown) including elements such as a link and a motor for switching the latch mechanism 20 between an unlocked state and a locked state. Normally, if the latch mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state, when the open lever 25 is pushed down by operating the outer handle 12, the latch mechanism 20 switches from the latched state (the state where the claw lever holds the fork 24 engaged with the striker) to the latch release state (the state where the holding of the fork 24 by the claw lever is released and the fork 24 disengages from the striker). On the other hand, when the latch mechanism 20 is in the locked state, even if the open lever 25 is pushed down by operating the outer handle 12, the latch mechanism does not switch from the latched state to the latch release state.

[0033] (Rod) The rod 30 in the present embodiment is formed by bending a steel round bar with a diameter of 4.0 to 6.0 mm into a shape to be described later.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 8, the rod 30 transmits the operation of the outer handle 12 of the handle mechanism 10 to the open lever 25 of the latch mechanism 20. Specifically, in the normal state, when the outer handle 12 is operated to open the door, as the lever arm 14 of the handle mechanism 10 rotates in the direction of arrow A1, the rod 30 moves downward in the vehicle height direction, and the engaging portion 30g presses down the open lever 25.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, as already described in relation to the handle mechanism 10 and the latch mechanism 20, the lever arm 14 is rotatably supported above the handle base 11 in the vehicle height direction, and the rod holding portion 14a provided at the upper end of the lever arm 14 holds the held portion (connection portion) 30a of the rod 30. That is, in the present embodiment, one end of the rod 30 is connected to the upper part of the handle base 11 in the vehicle height direction via the lever arm 14.

[0036] Hereinafter, the details of the rod 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11.

[0037] The rod 30 includes a held portion (connection portion) 30a, a first portion 30b, a second portion 30d, a third portion 30d, an engaging portion 30g, and an insertion portion 30h. The held portion 30a is at one end of the rod 30, and the engaging portion 30g and the insertion portion 30h are at the other end.

[0038] As clearly shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, the held portion 30a extends linearly in the vehicle length direction and is inserted into the rod holding portion 14a of the lever arm 14 from the front side in the vehicle length direction. The held portion 30a is held by the rod holding portion 14a in a rotatable state.

[0039] A first portion 30b is connected to the front end of the held portion 30a in the vehicle length direction. As most clearly shown in FIG. 11, the first portion 30b extends linearly while inclining upward from the held portion 30a toward the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20. In other words, when viewed from the front side in the vehicle length direction, the first portion 30b inclines in a direction away from the open lever 25 as it approaches the latch mechanism 20 from the handle mechanism 10. That is, the first portion 30b inclines upward in the vehicle height direction from the held portion 30a toward the inner surface 21a in the vehicle width direction of the base portion 21. This inner surface 21a faces the handle base 11 in the vehicle width direction and is an example of the opposing portion of the present invention. When a plurality of ribs protrude from the surface as in the base portion 21 of the present embodiment, the inner surface 21a can also be defined as a virtual surface formed by the tips of the plurality of ribs.

[0040] The upper end of the first portion 30b is located between the upper ends of the held portion 30a and the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20 in the vehicle height direction. As shown in FIG. 10, when viewed from the upper side in the vehicle height direction, the first portion 30b extends in a direction orthogonal to the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20. Thereby, the total length of the first portion 30b is minimized, and elastic deflection is reduced.

[0041] A second portion 30c is connected to the inner end of the first portion 30b in the vehicle width direction. The second portion 30c extends rearward in the vehicle length direction from the first portion 30b. In other words, the second portion 30c extends from the first portion 30b in a direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction and parallel to the inner surface 21a.

[0042] A gap G is provided between the second portion 30c of the rod 30 and the latch mechanism 20, more specifically, the inner surface 21a of the base portion 21. This gap G ensures the operation required for the rod 30 during normal times. The gap G is set to 5 to 15 mm, for example, 10 mm.

[0043] As most clearly shown in FIG. 10, the second portion 30c of the rod 30 is located on the base portion 21 side of the protrusion 22 of the latch mechanism 20, rather than at the tip of the protrusion 22, and more specifically on the inner surface 21a side, which is an example of the opposing portion of the present invention as described above.

[0044] A third portion 30d is connected to the rearward end of the second portion 30c in the vehicle length direction. As a whole, the third portion 30d extends downward in the vehicle height direction from the second portion 30c. The lower end of the third portion 30d is connected to the engaging portion 30g.

[0045] The third portion 30d includes an inclined portion 30e and a downward portion 30f.

[0046] One end of the inclined portion 30e is connected to the second connecting portion 30c, and the other end is connected to the downward portion 30f. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 10, when viewed from the upper side in the vehicle height direction, the inclined portion 30e extends linearly and is inclined so as to head toward the front side in the vehicle length direction as it approaches the steering wheel base 11 from the rearward end of the second portion 30c in the vehicle length direction. Referring to FIG. 11, when viewed from the front side in the vehicle length direction, the inclined portion 30e extends linearly and is inclined so as to head downward in the vehicle height direction as it approaches the steering wheel base 11.

[0047] One end of the downward portion 30f is connected to the inclined portion 30e, and the other end is connected to the engaging portion 30g. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 11, the downward portion 30f extends linearly downward in the vehicle height direction from the inclined portion 30e.

[0048] The engaging portion 30g is connected to the lower end of the downward portion 30f in the vehicle height direction. The engaging portion 30g extends linearly rearward in the vehicle length direction from the downward portion 30f to above the open lever 25 and is slightly inclined downward in the vehicle height direction. As can be understood by referring to FIG. 8, when the rod 30 descends downward in the vehicle height direction, the engaging portion 30g pushes down and rotates the open lever 25 of the latch mechanism 20.

[0049] An insertion part 30d is connected to the lower end of the engagement part 30g in the vehicle height direction. The insertion part 30d extends linearly downward in the vehicle height direction from the engagement part 30g. The insertion part 30d is inserted into the open lever 25 so that relative lifting and lowering of the rod 30 with respect to the open lever 25 is allowed.

[0050] (Behavior of Vehicle Door Lock Device during Collision) Assuming that the above-described shape of the rod 30 is not adopted, during a collision, particularly a side collision, the vehicle door lock device 1 exhibits the following behavior.

[0051] The outer panel 4 of the door 2 is deformed by the input of a collision load. Depending on the design of the door 2 with a large length in the vehicle length direction or the vehicle weight, due to the input of the collision load, as conceptually shown by the arrow B in FIG. 3, the outer panel 4 is deformed so that the upper part of the handle base 11 approaches the inner panel 5 and rotates downward. When the upper part of the handle base 11 rotates as shown by the arrow B in FIG. 3, the rod 30 moves downward and the open lever 25 is pushed down. As a result, the latch mechanism 20 may switch from the latched state to the unlatch state, and the door 2 may be opened.

[0052] On the other hand, in the case of the vehicle door lock device 1 of the present embodiment, when the deformation of the outer panel 4 starts due to the input of a collision load, the second part 30c of the rod 30 quickly contacts the base part 21 of the latch mechanism 20, more specifically, the inner surface 21a of the base part 21. As a result, the rod 30 is displaced relatively upward with respect to the handle base 11 as the deformation of the outer panel 4 progresses by the first part 30b inclined upward. In other words, the rod 30 tends to be displaced in a direction opposite to the direction in which the latch mechanism 20 is switched from the latched state to the unlatch state with respect to the open lever 25 into which the insertion part 30h is inserted so that relative lifting and lowering is allowed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the latch from being released due to the deformation of the outer panel 4 caused by the input of a collision load.

[0053] As described above, the rod 30 is rotatably attached to the handle base 11. Therefore, due to the deformation of the outer panel 4 caused by the input of the collision load, the rod 30 can be rotated with respect to the handle base 11 and relatively displaced upward.

[0054] As described above, the second portion 30c of the rod 30 extends along a direction parallel to the inner surface 21a. Therefore, at the start of the deformation of the outer panel 4 caused by the input of the collision load, the inner surface 21a with which the second portion 30c of the rod 30 is in line contact can surely receive the collision load input acting through the first portion 30b of the rod 30. As a result, the rod 30 can be surely displaced in a direction opposite to the direction in which the latch mechanism 20 is switched from the latched state to the unlatch state.

[0055] As described above, the second portion 30c of the rod 30 extends toward the rear side in the vehicle length direction, the third portion 30d of the rod 30 extends from the second portion 30c toward the lower side in the vehicle height direction, and the third portion 30d is connected to the engaging portion 30g. Therefore, most of the rod 30 is disposed on the rear side in the vehicle length direction of the door 2. Due to such rearward arrangement of the rod 30, when the latch mechanism 20 is disposed in the closed space 7 from the service hole 5a (see FIG. 2) of the inner panel 5 during the assembly of the vehicle door lock device 1, interference of the rod 30 with the latch mechanism 20 can be avoided. Thus, the assemblability of the vehicle door lock device 1 can be ensured.

[0056] As described above, the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20 also serves as a function of the portion that the rod 30 contacts when the deformation of the outer panel 4 starts due to the input of the collision load, that is, the function of the opposing portion of the present invention. Therefore, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed as compared with the case where a separate part serving as the opposing portion is provided. However, a portion other than the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20 may be used as the opposing portion, or a separate part serving as the opposing portion may be provided.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0057] 1 Vehicle door lock device 2 Door 3 Door structure 4 Outer Panel 5 Inner Panel 5a Service Hole 6 End Panel 7 Closed Space 10 Handle Mechanism 11 Handle Base 12 Outer Handle 12a First End 12b Second End 13 Counterweight 14 Lever Arm 14a Rod Holding Part 15 Coil Spring 16 Support Shaft 20 Latch Mechanism 21 Base Part 21a Inner Surface (Opposing Part) 22 Protrusion 23 Casing 24 Fork 25 Open Lever 30 Rod 30a Held Part (Connection Part) 30b First Part 30c Second Part 30d Third Part 30e Diagonal Part 30f Downward Part 30g Engaging Part 30h Insertion Part G Gap A1 Direction of Rotation of the Lever Arm A2 Direction Opposite to the Rotation of the Lever Arm B Movement of the Upper Part of the Handle Base at the Time of Collision

Claims

1. A handle mechanism including a handle base disposed inside an outer panel of a vehicle door and an outer handle movably held by the handle base, a latch mechanism including a lever for releasing the latch, a rod having a connection portion connected to an upper portion of the handle base at one end and an engagement portion engageable with the lever at the other end, the rod transmitting the operation of the outer handle to the lever, and an opposing portion opposing in a first direction which is the direction in which the outer panel and the inner panel of the door face each other with respect to the handle base and comprising, wherein the rod includes a first portion extending obliquely upward from the connection portion toward the opposing portion, and a second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction and along the opposing portion A vehicle door lock device.

2. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, wherein a gap is provided between the second portion of the rod and the opposing portion.

3. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rod is rotatably attached to the handle base.

4. The vehicle door lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second portion of the rod extends along a direction parallel to the opposing portion.

5. The first direction is the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, the second direction is the vehicle length direction of the vehicle, the second portion of the rod extends toward the rear side in the vehicle length direction, the rod includes a third portion extending downward in the vehicle height direction from an end portion of the second portion on the rear side in the vehicle length direction, and a lower end of the third portion of the rod is connected to the engagement portion. The vehicle door lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The latch mechanism includes a base portion disposed inside the inner panel, and a protruding portion protruding from a portion of the base portion on the rear side in the vehicle length direction toward the outer panel in the vehicle width direction and comprising, wherein the base portion includes the opposing portion, and the second portion of the rod is located closer to the base portion side than the tip of the protruding portion. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 5.

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