Waterproof structure of door latch device

Abstract

To facilitate both a connecting work of an input lever to a cable and an assembling work of a door latch device.SOLUTION: A waterproof structure of a door latch device, in which one end portion of a cable 50 is connected to an input lever 30 with one end protruding outside a case 10 and transmission of an operating force to the input lever 30 via the cable 50 causes a latch unit 20 provided inside the case 10 to operate, includes a waterproof cover 60 which has a cover body 610 formed into a box shape with a cover aperture 610a and in which the one end of the input lever 30 and the cable 50 are accommodated via the cover aperture 610a when the cover body is in contact with the case 10, and a cover support body 630 extending from the cover body 610, such that the waterproof cover 60 is attached to the case 10 via the cover support body 630 in a state in which the cover body 610 is movable between a closing position abutting on the case 10 and an opening position separated from the case 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a waterproof structure for a door latch device that keeps a door closed relative to a vehicle body. [Background technology]

[0002] A door latch device installed on a vehicle door requires a waterproof structure to prevent rainwater and other water from reaching the inside of the device even if it penetrates the inside of the door. The main components of the door latch device, such as the latch that engages with the striker and the ratchet that limits the movement of the latch, can be housed inside a case to prevent them from being exposed to rainwater and other water. However, the input lever that inputs the operating force of the door handle requires a cable to be connected to the door handle, so the end to which the cable is connected must protrude outside the case through a notch. For this reason, conventional door latch devices have been proposed that provide a cover member on the outside of the case to cover the protruding end of the input lever and the cable, thereby preventing water from penetrating into the device through the notch in the case (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-166286 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the waterproof structure of the door latch device described in Patent Document 1, the input lever and cable are housed inside a cover member composed of three parts: a bottom, a frame, and a lid. Although the bottom and frame are fixed to the case, the lid can be opened and closed relative to the frame, which makes it possible to easily connect the input lever and the cable. However, this waterproof structure requires a seal between the frame and the case, as well as between the frame and the lid. This not only increases the number of parts, but also raises concerns about complicating the assembly process of the door latch device.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof structure for a door latch device that can facilitate both the work of connecting the input lever and the cable and the work of assembling the door latch device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the waterproof structure of the door latch device of the present invention is a waterproof structure of a door latch device in which one end of a cable is connected to an input lever whose one end protrudes outside the case, and a latch mechanism provided inside the case is operated by transmitting an operating force to the input lever via the cable, and is characterized in that it comprises a cover member that is box-shaped with a cover opening and has a cover body that, when abutted against the case, accommodates one end of the input lever and one end of the cable through the cover opening, and a cover support member extending from the cover body, and the cover member is attached to the case via the cover support in a state in which the cover body is movable between a closed position in which it abuts against the case and an open position in which it is separated from the case.

[0007] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the waterproof structure of the above-mentioned door latch device, the cover support is attached to the case by an engaging member, and the cover main body is provided with a cover engaging portion that engages with the engaging member when the cover is placed in the closed position, thereby limiting movement to the open position.

[0008] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the waterproof structure of the above-mentioned door latch device, a mutual engagement portion is provided between the cover support body and the cover body, which engages with each other when the cover body is positioned in the closed position, thereby limiting movement to the open position.

[0009] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the waterproof structure of the above-mentioned door latch device, the cover support has a plurality of support plate elements that are foldably connected to each other, and the cover body is moved between the closed position and the open position by changing the folding state of the plurality of support plate elements.

[0010] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the waterproof structure of the above-mentioned door latch device, the cover support is configured so that when the cover body is placed in the closed position, two support plate elements are overlapped with each other, and a support plate engagement portion is provided between one support plate element and the other support plate element which detachably engages with the other support plate element when they are overlapped with each other, thereby restricting movement in the direction of releasing the overlapped state.

[0011] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the waterproof structure of the above-mentioned door latch device, the cover body is provided with a temporary retaining piece that detachably engages with the case when the cover body is placed in the open position.

[0012] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the waterproof structure of the above-mentioned door latch device, a series of sealing members are provided at the abutment portion between the case and the cover body, and at least one of the case and the cover body is provided with a series of pressing protrusions that press the sealing member over its entire length when the cover body is positioned in the closed position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, a box-shaped cover body is used to house one end of the input lever and the cable, and the cover body is attached to the case via the cover support, so the seal member only needs to be provided between the cover body and the case, which makes it possible to reliably prevent water from entering the case without increasing the number of parts and making the assembly process of the door latch device more complicated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a door latch device to which a waterproof structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the door latch device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of a case, an input lever, and a cable of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a case and a cover member of the door latch device shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover body is attached to the case of the door latch device via the cover support body from the state shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B show a cover member applied to the waterproof structure of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1, where (a) is a perspective view seen from the outside, and (b) is a perspective view seen from the inside. [Figure 7]Figure 7 shows the cover support of the cover member shown in Figure 6 in a folded state, viewed from the inside, where (a) is an oblique view of two support plate elements stacked on top of each other, and (b) is an oblique view of the support plate elements in a different folded state. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1 with the cover member placed in the closed position. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a view of the door latch device of FIG. 8 as seen from the front side. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B show the main parts of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1, where (a) is a cross-sectional bottom view of the case, and (b) is a cross-sectional bottom view of the case with the cover member placed in the closed position. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows the main parts of the door latch device shown in Figure 1, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the case from the rear side, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the case from the rear side with the cover member placed in the closed position. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1 with the cover member placed in the open position. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a view of the door latch device of FIG. 12 as seen from the front side. [Figure 14] Figure 14 shows the main parts of the door latch device shown in Figure 1, where (a) is a cross-sectional view from the front side when the cover member is in the closed position, and (b) is a cross-sectional view from the front side when the cover member is in the open position. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1 with the cover member positioned at an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a view of the door latch device of FIG. 15 as seen from the front side. [Figure 17] Figure 17 shows modified examples, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of a door latch device that is modified example 1, seen from the front side, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of a door latch device that is modified example 2, seen from the front side. [Figure 18]FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a door latch device to which a waterproof structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the door latch device shown in FIG. [Figure 20] 20 is an exploded perspective view showing a case and a cover member of the door latch device shown in FIG. [Figure 21] 21 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover body is attached to the case of the door latch device via the cover support body from the state shown in FIG. 20. FIG. [Figure 22] 22A and 22B show a cover member applied to the waterproof structure of the door latch device shown in FIG. 18, where (a) is a perspective view seen from the outside, and (b) is a perspective view seen from the inside. [Figure 23] Figure 23 shows the cover support of the cover member shown in Figure 22 in a folded state, viewed from the inside, where (a) is an oblique view of two support plate elements stacked on top of each other, and (b) is an oblique view of the support plate elements in a changed folded state. [Figure 24] 24 is a perspective view of the door latch device shown in FIG. 18 with the cover member placed in the closed position. [Figure 25] Figure 25 shows the state in which the cover member of the door latch device shown in Figure 18 is placed in the open position and temporarily held, where (a) is a perspective view from the front side and (b) is a perspective view from the rear side. [Figure 26] Figure 26 shows the main parts of the door latch device shown in Figure 18, where (a) is a cross-sectional plan view of the state in which the mounting wall portion of the cover body is fitted into the blocking fitting portion of the cover support body, and (b) is a cross-sectional plan view of the state before the mounting wall portion of the cover body is fitted into the blocking fitting portion of the cover support body. [Figure 27] 27 is a cross-sectional side view of the door latch device shown in FIG. 18, seen from the front side, with the cover member in the open position. [Figure 28]Figure 28 shows the door latch device shown in Figure 18 from above, where (a) is a perspective view of the cover member in the closed position, and (b) is a perspective view of the cover member temporarily held in the open position. [Figure 29] 29 is a cross-sectional side view of the door latch device shown in FIG. 18 with the cover member in the closed position, as viewed from the front side. [Figure 30] 30 is a cross-sectional side view of the door latch device shown in FIG. 18, seen from the front side, with the cover member temporarily held in the open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a waterproof structure for a door latch device according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] (Embodiment 1) 1 to 3 show a door latch device to which a waterproof structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. Although not shown in the figures, the door latch device illustrated here is built into a front-hinged side door located on the right side of a four-wheeled vehicle and controls the opening and closing of the side door relative to the vehicle body. The configuration of a typical door latch device will be described below, but this is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the waterproof structure of the present invention. For convenience, the configuration of the door latch device will be specified in terms of the orientation in which it is mounted on a side door in a closed state. In terms of the left-right direction, the interior (center) side of the vehicle body is referred to as the inward side, and the exterior side is referred to as the outward side.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the door latch device includes a latch unit (latch mechanism) 20 and an outside handle lever (input lever: indicated by a dot in the drawings) 30 housed within a case 10. Although not shown in the drawings, the case 10 includes a device main body 11 extending longitudinally along the inside panel of the side door, and a latch accommodating portion 12 extending outward at a substantially right angle from a portion located rearward of the device main body 11, and is configured to be approximately L-shaped in plan view. The latch accommodating portion 12 primarily accommodates the latch unit 20. The device main body 11 primarily accommodates a locking mechanism 40 for switching the latch unit 20 between a locked state and an unlocked state, and a reduction mechanism consisting of an electric motor 41, a worm 42, and a worm wheel 43 for driving the door latch device. As is clear from the drawings, the vertical dimension of the latch accommodating portion 12 is approximately half that of the device main body 11, and it is located in the upper half of the rear side of the device main body 11. Although not shown in the drawings, the latch accommodating portion 12 has a rear portion exposed to the outside from the back panel of the side door, and the exposed portion has a striker entrance groove 12a. The striker entrance groove 12a is a notch into which a striker provided on the vehicle body enters when the side door is closed against the vehicle body, and is formed approximately horizontally along the left-right direction. Although not shown in the drawings, a window glass provided on the side door is arranged to be able to move up and down on the outer surface 11a of the device main body 11 and forward of the front surface 12b of the latch accommodating portion 12. As shown in FIG. 1, a series of case seal members 44 are arranged on the inner surface 11b of the device main body 11 facing the side panel of the side door, from a portion forward of the striker entrance groove 12a to a portion above it. This case seal member 44 is disposed in the latch accommodating portion 12, extending outward from a portion above the striker entry groove 12a, and then extending downward to a portion that is an extension of the striker entry groove 12a.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the latch unit 20 includes a latch 22 rotatably disposed on the case 10 via a latch shaft 21, and a ratchet 24 rotatably disposed on the case 10 via a ratchet shaft 23. The latch shaft 21 and the ratchet shaft 23 each extend substantially horizontally along the front and rear of the vehicle body. In the illustrated example, the latch shaft 21 is provided above the striker entrance groove 12a, and the ratchet shaft 23 is provided below the striker entrance groove 12a and inward of the latch shaft 21. When the side door is closed against the vehicle body, a striker (not shown) enters the striker entrance groove 12a from the left in the drawing.

[0019] Although not shown in the figure, the latch 22 is constantly biased in the disengagement direction (clockwise in the figure) by the spring force of a latch spring provided between the latch 22 and the case 10. The ratchet 24 is constantly biased in the engagement direction (counterclockwise in the figure) by the spring force of a ratchet spring provided between the latch 22 and the case 10, with its outer end abutting against the circumferential surface of the latch 22. When the side door is closed and the striker that has entered the striker entrance groove 12a abuts against the latch 22, the latch 22 rotates counterclockwise against the spring force of the latch spring. When the latch 22 rotates to a predetermined engagement position, the ratchet 24 engages with the latch 22, preventing the latch 22 from rotating in the release direction (the state shown in FIG. 2). As a result, the striker is prevented from moving out of the striker entrance groove 12a, and the side door is maintained closed relative to the vehicle body.

[0020] A ratchet lever 25 is provided on the ratchet 24 so as to rotate integrally therewith. The ratchet lever 25 extends in the left-right direction from a portion of the ratchet shaft 23 that is located forward of the ratchet 24. When the ratchet lever 25 is rotated against the spring force of the ratchet spring and the inner end portion is moved upward, the ratchet 24 rotates clockwise, disengaging from the latch 22, and the latch 22 rotates clockwise due to the spring force of the latch spring. As a result, the striker is allowed to move out of the striker entrance groove 12a, allowing the side door to be opened relative to the vehicle body.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the outside handle lever 30 is rotatably disposed below the ratchet shaft 23 by an outside lever shaft 31 that runs along the front and rear of the vehicle body. An outer end (one end) 30a of the outside handle lever 30, located on the outside, protrudes to the outside through a notch 10b (see FIG. 4) provided in the case 10 and is connected to an outside door handle of a side door (not shown) via an outside cable (cable) 50. More specifically, the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30 protrudes to the outside of the case 10 through a notch 10b provided near the lower end of the latch housing 12 on the rear side of the device main body 11. An open link 32 is engaged with the inner end 30b of the outside handle lever 30 that is located inside the vehicle body, as shown in FIG. 2. The open link 32 is disposed inside the case 10 below the ratchet lever 25, and can move up and down relative to the case 10 by operation of the outside handle lever 30. When the open link 32 moves upward, it abuts against the inner end of the ratchet lever 25, causing the ratchet 24 to rotate in the disengagement direction (clockwise in the drawing) against the spring force of the ratchet spring. Although not shown in the drawing, the outside door handle is movably supported on a handle bracket and is attached to the side door via the handle bracket.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , the outside cable 50 has an inner cable 52 disposed inside an outer tube 51, and a cable end is provided at one end of the inner cable 52. One end of the inner cable 52 of the outside cable 50 is connected to the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30 via a cable end 52a, and one end of the outer tube 51 is fixed to the device main body 11 via a cable bracket (indicated by a dot in the drawings) 55. As shown in FIG. 2 , the upper half of the cable bracket 55 is disposed inside the latch housing 12, and the lower end protrudes downward from the lower surface of the latch housing 12. Although not clearly shown in the drawings, at the other end of the outside cable 50, the inner cable 52 is connected to the outside door handle via a cable end, and the outer tube 51 is fixed to the handle bracket. In other words, when the outside door handle of the side door is operated to open, the inner cable 52 in the door latch device retracts relative to the outer tube 51, causing the outside handle lever 30 to rotate clockwise in Figure 3. Therefore, when the outside door handle is operated to open when the side door is closed relative to the vehicle body, the open link 32 moves upward, disengaging the ratchet 24 from the latch 22, allowing the side door to open relative to the vehicle body. In the illustrated example, the outside cable 50 and the cable bracket 55 are each inclined relative to the outer surface 11a of the device body 11 so that they gradually move inward downward from the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30, minimizing the amount by which the outside cable 50 and the cable bracket 55 protrude from the case 10.

[0023] In the door latch device having the above configuration, a waterproof cover (cover member) 60 is disposed in a portion of the case 10 that is outward of the device main body 11 and below the latch accommodating portion 12. The waterproof cover 60 is integrally molded from resin and includes a cover main body 610 and a cover support 630. The cover main body 610 is box-shaped and large enough to simultaneously accommodate the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30, one end of the outside cable 50 connected to the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30, and the cable bracket 55. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the cover main body 610 includes an upper wall 611, an outer wall 612, a bottom wall 613, a front wall 614, a rear wall 615, a front edge wall 616, a mounting wall 617, an upper edge front wall 618, and an upper edge outer wall 619.

[0024] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the upper wall portion 611 is the part that forms the upper surface of the cover body 610 when the cover body 610 is abutted against the outer surface 11a of the device main body 11 and the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, etc. is stored inside (hereinafter, this state will be referred to as the closed position of the cover body 610. The postures of the other components of the cover body 610, which will be described later, will also be identified when they are placed in the closed position), and extends slightly forward from the front surface 12b of the latch accommodating portion 12 and extends outward from the outer surface 12c of the latch accommodating portion 12.

[0025] The outer wall portion 612 is a portion located outward of the cover body 610, and extends downward from the outer edge portion of the upper wall portion 611. In the example shown in the figure, the outer wall portion 612 is provided so as to gradually slope inward as it extends downward.

[0026] The bottom wall 613 is a portion located below the cover main body 610, and extends inward almost horizontally from the lower edge of the outer wall 612. A cable slit 613a is provided in this bottom wall 613. The cable slit 613a is a cutout having a width that allows the outer tube 51 of the outside cable 50 to be inserted therethrough, and opens at an edge portion located inward of the bottom wall 613.

[0027] The front wall 614 is a portion located in front of the cover body 610 and is provided so as to cover the area from the front edge portions of the upper wall 611 and outer wall 612 to the outer surface 11 a of the device body 11 .

[0028] The rear wall portion 615 is a portion located at the rear of the cover body 610 and is provided so as to face the front wall portion 614 at the rear edge portions of the outer wall portion 612 and the bottom wall portion 613 .

[0029] The front edge wall 616 extends forward from the inner edge of the front wall 614 along the outer surface 11a of the device body 11. A locking piece 616a is provided at the lower end of the front edge wall 616. The locking piece 616a protrudes inward from the front edge wall 616 approximately horizontally and has a locking projection 616b at the protruding end. When the cover body 610 is placed in the closed position, the locking projection 616b of the locking piece 616a can be locked with a locking receiving portion 11c provided on the underside of the device body 11, thereby restricting movement of the cover body 610 in a direction away from the device body 11.

[0030] The mounting wall 617 extends forward and upward from the inner corner of the upper corner where the top wall 611 and the front wall 614 intersect along the outer surface 11a of the device body 11, and has a width greater than that of the front edge wall 616. The mounting wall 617 has a mounting hole 617a and multiple cover engagement pieces (cover engagement pieces) 617b at its upper end. The mounting hole 617a is a substantially circular opening that penetrates the mounting wall 617 in the left-right direction. The cover engagement pieces 617b protrude from equally spaced portions of the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 617a, gradually inclining outward toward the center. In the illustrated example, three cover engagement pieces 617b are provided from the inner circumferential edge of the mounting hole 617a toward the center. These cover engagement pieces 617b are elastically deformable, allowing the gaps between their protruding ends to be expanded. Furthermore, in the mounting wall portion 617 of the first embodiment, a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 617c is provided in the portion of the mounting wall portion 617 surrounding the mounting hole 617a so as to cover the cover engaging piece 617b.

[0031] The upper front wall portion 618 protrudes upward from the rear edge portion of the upper wall portion 611. An inward portion of the upper front wall portion 618 is continuous with the upper end portion of the front wall portion 616 via the attachment wall portion 617.

[0032] The upper edge outer wall portion 619 is provided so as to protrude rearward beyond the rear wall portion 615 from a portion located outward from the upper edge front wall portion 618. As is clear from the drawing, a positioning pin 619a is provided on the inner surface of the portion of the upper edge outer wall portion 619 that protrudes rearward beyond the rear wall portion 615. The positioning pin 619a is a cylindrical member that extends approximately horizontally in the left-right direction, and can be fitted into a positioning hole 12d provided in the latch accommodating portion 12 when the cover main body 610 is placed in the closed position.

[0033] When the cover body 610 having the above configuration is placed in the closed position, the inner side portion facing the device main body 11, the inner side portion of the upper wall portion 611, and the portion spanning the upper portion of the rear wall portion 615 open as a series of cover openings 610a, and through this cover opening 610a it is possible to accommodate inside the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, one end of the outside cable 50 connected to the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, and the cable bracket 55.

[0034] 10 and 11, the cover body 610 is provided with a support ridge 620 and a pressing ridge 621 on a surface located on the inside of the front edge wall 616, a surface located on the inside of the mounting wall 617, a surface located behind the upper edge front wall 618, and a surface located on the inside of the upper edge outer wall 619. The support ridges 620 come into contact with the outer surfaces 11a, 12c of the case 10 when the cover body 610 is placed in the closed position, and are provided on edges close to the interior of the cover body 610 on the surface located on the inside of the front edge wall 616, the surface located on the inside of the mounting wall 617, the surface located behind the upper edge front wall 618, and the surface located on the inside of the upper edge outer wall 619. The pressing ridges 621 are protrusions provided closer to the outer surface of the cover body 610 than the support ridges 620, and are provided at positions that ensure a gap between them and the support ridges 620. The protruding dimension of the pressing ridges 621 is set smaller than that of the support ridges 620. In other words, the pressing ridges 621 are configured to ensure a substantially uniform gap between them and the outer surfaces 11 a, 12 c of the case 10 when the support ridges 620 are brought into contact with the outer surfaces 11 a, 12 c of the case 10. The width of the pressing ridges 621 is set larger than that of the support ridges 620. The support ridges 620 and the pressing ridges 621 are formed on the cover body 610 so that they are continuous over their entire lengths.

[0035] Furthermore, the cover body 610 is provided with a temporary holding piece 622 on the upper surface of the upper wall portion 611 at a portion located slightly outward from the upper edge outer wall portion 619. The temporary holding piece 622 is shaped like a thin plate that protrudes upward, protrudes above the upper edge outer wall portion 619, and can be detachably attached to a temporary holding groove 12e provided on the outer surface 12c of the latch accommodating portion 12.

[0036] Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 4, the case 10 is provided with a seal receiving groove 14 and a mounting boss 15. As shown in Figs. 4, 10, and 11, the seal receiving groove 14 is formed by providing an inner wall portion 14a and an outer wall portion 14b on the outer surfaces 11a, 12c of the case 10 with a gap between them, and is provided in a portion facing the support ridge portion 620 and the pressing ridge portion 621 when the cover body 610 is in the closed position. The gap between the inner wall portion 14a and the outer wall portion 14b is formed to a dimension that can receive the pressing ridge portion 621. As is clear from the figures, the protruding height of the outer wall portion 14b is greater than the protruding height of the inner wall portion 14a. The protruding height of the inner wall portion 14a is formed to a dimension that allows it to be accommodated in the gap between the support ridge portion 620 and the pressure ridge portion 621 provided on the cover main body 610 when the support ridge portion 620 is abutted against the outer surfaces 11a, 12c of the case 10.

[0037] A series of seal members 16 are disposed in this seal receiving groove 14. The seal members 16 are formed in a strip shape from elastic resin such as rubber, and the thickness thereof is set so that they are pressed by the pressing ridges 621 when the support ridges 620 are brought into contact with the outer surfaces 11 a, 12 c of the case 10.

[0038] The mounting boss 15 is cylindrical with a screw hole 15a in the center, and is provided on the outer surface 11a of the device body 11 at a portion corresponding to the mounting hole 617a of the mounting wall 617. The outer diameter of the mounting boss 15 is set to a dimension that allows it to fit into the mounting hole 617a of the waterproof cover 60.

[0039] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the cover support 630 of the waterproof cover 60 has a first support plate portion (support plate element) 631, a second support plate portion (support plate element) 632, and a third support plate portion (support plate element) 633 connected to each other in a straight line, and is configured to have approximately the same width.

[0040] The first support plate portion 631 is a thin, rectangular plate member that is bendably provided on the upper edge of the mounting wall portion 617. An engagement notch (support plate engagement portion) 631a is provided in this first support plate portion 631. The engagement notch 631a is a square-shaped through-hole formed in the center portion in the width direction.

[0041] The second support plate portion 632 is a rectangular, thin plate-like member that is bendably provided on an extending edge portion of the first support plate portion 631. The second support plate portion 632 is provided with an engagement claw piece (support plate engagement portion) 632a. The engagement claw piece 632a has an engagement claw 632b at its tip, and is provided at a position corresponding to the engagement notch 631a of the first support plate portion 631. When the first support plate portion 631 and the second support plate portion 632 are bent and overlapped with each other, the engagement claw piece 632a penetrates the engagement notch 631a, thereby engaging with the first support plate portion 631, and functions to maintain the first support plate portion 631 and the second support plate portion 632 in an overlapping state. The engagement of the engaging claw piece 632a with the first support plate portion 631 can be released by bending the engaging claw piece 632a.

[0042] The third support plate 633 is a bendable thin plate member provided on the extended edge of the second support plate 632, with the extended edge formed in an arc. The third support plate 633 is provided with a mounting hole 633a and multiple mounting pieces 633b. The mounting hole 633a is circular and sized to fit over the mounting boss 15 of the case 10, and is provided so as to penetrate the third support plate 633. The multiple mounting pieces 633b are thick plate-like members that protrude from the surface of the third support plate 633 around the mounting hole 633a and are provided at equal intervals. As shown in FIG. 7, the mounting pieces 633b are provided on the surface that faces inward of the cover main body 610 when the third support plate 633 is linearly arranged with the first support plate 631 and the second support plate 632. The protruding height of the mounting piece 633b is set so that when the mounting boss 15 is passed through the mounting hole 633a and the third support plate portion 633 is abutted against the outer surface 11a of the device main body portion 11, it approximately coincides with the protruding end face of the mounting boss 15.

[0043] 4 and 5, the waterproof cover 60 configured as described above is supported on the case 10 via the cover support body 630 by threading a screw member (engagement member) 71 equipped with a washer (engagement member) 70 into the screw hole 15a of the mounting boss 15 via the mounting hole 633a of the third support plate portion 633. In consideration of workability, it is preferable to position the waterproof cover 60 so that the first support plate portion 631 and the second support plate portion 632 of the cover support body 630 extend upward relative to the mounting boss 15. The washer 70 has an outer dimension that is smaller than the spacing between the cover engagement pieces 617b provided on the mounting wall portion 617 and that can pass through the interior of the cover engagement pieces 617b when the spacing between the cover engagement pieces 617b is elastically expanded.

[0044] 12 to 14, by bending the second support plate 632 outward relative to the third support plate 633, bending the first support plate 631 downward relative to the second support plate 632, and further bending the cover body 610 outward relative to the first support plate 631, the cover body 610 can be disposed on the outer side of the latch accommodating portion 12 with the portion of the cover opening 610a facing the outer wall portion 612 facing downward (hereinafter referred to as the open position of the cover body 610). Furthermore, by inserting the temporary holding piece 622 into the temporary holding groove 12e of the latch accommodating portion 12 from this state, the cover body 610 disposed in the open position can be maintained in a state temporarily held to the case 10. Therefore, in this temporarily held state, the cover body 610 can be prevented from accidentally moving relative to the case 10, which is advantageous in terms of ease of handling. As a result, when installing a door latch device inside a side door, for example, the installation work can be facilitated by temporarily holding the cover body 610 in the case 10. Furthermore, when the cover body 610 is placed in the open position, the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30 and the cable bracket 55 remain exposed to the outside, making it possible to easily and reliably attach the outside cable 50 to the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30 and the cable bracket 55.

[0045] After the installation of the outside cable 50 is completed, the temporary holding piece 622 is pulled out from the case 10, and then the bending state of the cover support 630 is appropriately changed, thereby making it possible to move the cover main body 610 relative to the case 10. Therefore, for example, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the cover main body 610 can be placed in the same position as the closed position at a position separated from the outer surfaces 11a, 12c of the case 10, and by abutting the cover main body 610 against the outer surfaces 11a, 12c of the case 10 from this state, the cover main body 610 can accommodate the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30, one end of the outside cable 50, and the cable bracket 55 inside the cover main body 610, as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0046] At this time, the positioning pin 619a of the cover body 610 is fitted into the positioning hole 12d of the case 10, thereby positioning the cover body 610 and the case 10, and the pressing protrusion 621 of the cover body 610 can be reliably abutted against the seal member 16 provided on the case 10. Therefore, by engaging the locking piece 616a of the cover body 610 with the lock receiving portion 11c and passing the washer 70 between the cover engaging piece 617b of the mounting wall portion 617, the cover body 610 is maintained in the closed position relative to the case 10. The outside cable 50 is led out of the cover body 610 through the cable slit 613a provided in the bottom wall portion 613.

[0047] When the cover body 610 of the waterproof cover 60 is positioned in the closed position as described above, the pressing ridge 621 is pressed against the seal member 16. Furthermore, at the upper edge and front portions of the cover body 610, the inner wall 14a and outer wall 14b of the case 10, the support ridge 620, and the pressing ridge 621 form a labyrinth-shaped path from the outside to the inside of the cover body 610. As a result, the front edge wall 616, the mounting wall 617, the upper edge front wall 618, and the upper edge outer wall 619 of the cover body 610 abut against the outer surfaces 11a and 12c of the case 10, respectively, ensuring watertightness. Therefore, even if water seeps into the side door, there is no risk of the water reaching the inside of the case 10. In particular, in the first embodiment, since the box-shaped cover main body 610 is used, the seal member 16 only needs to be provided between the cover main body 610 and the case 10. This prevents an increase in the number of parts and does not lead to a situation in which the assembly work of the door latch device becomes complicated. Furthermore, when the cover main body 610 is placed in the closed position, the engaging claw pieces 632a engage with the first support plate portions 631, thereby maintaining the cover support body 630 in a tightly closed folded state, and therefore the amount of protrusion of the cover support body 630 from the case 10 can be reduced. This prevents an increase in the space occupied by the door latch device inside the side door, and eliminates concerns about problems such as the cover support body 630 interfering with a window glass provided in the side door. Note that even if the first support plate portion 631 and the second support plate portion 632 are bent and overlapped with each other and the engagement claw piece 632a is engaged with the first support plate portion 631 via the engagement notch 631a before the washer 70 is passed between the cover engagement pieces 617b of the mounting wall portion 617, it is possible to temporarily hold the cover main body 610 in the case 10 in a state close to the closed position. Therefore, when this method of use is applied, it is not necessarily required to provide the temporary holding piece 622 on the cover main body 610 or the temporary holding groove 12e on the latch accommodating portion 12.

[0048] In the above-described first embodiment, the screw member 71 and the washer 70 are used as common engaging members for attaching the cover support 630 and the cover main body 610 to the case 10, and the cover engaging piece 617b is engaged with the washer 70 to maintain the cover main body 610 in a closed position relative to the case 10, but it is not necessarily necessary to use an engaging member separate from the waterproof cover 60.

[0049] For example, as shown in Modification 1 in FIG. 17(a), a cylindrical boss portion 640 having a flange (mutual engagement portion) 640a may be integrally formed with the third support plate portion 633 of the cover support member 630, and the flange 640a of the boss portion 640 may be used as an engagement member. That is, the boss portion 640 may have a flange 640a with a diameter larger than the outer diameter formed at its protruding end, and the cover engagement piece (mutual engagement portion) 617b of the cover main body 610 may be engaged with the flange 640a, thereby maintaining the cover main body 610 in the closed position. In Modification 1, the mounting boss 15 of the case 10 provided in Embodiment 1 is omitted, and only a screw hole 15a is formed. A screw member 71 is threaded into the boss portion 640 via the boss portion 640, thereby attaching the cover main body (not shown) to the case 10 via the cover support member 630.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Modification 2 in FIG. 17(b), the cover member may be attached to the case without using screws. That is, in Modification 2, a boss portion 640 having a flange (interlocking portion) 640a is integrally formed on the outer surface of the third support plate portion 633, and an attachment pin 650 is integrally formed on the inner surface. The waterproof cover 60 is attached to the case 10 by fitting a hook portion 650a at the tip of the attachment pin 650 into the locking hole 17 of the case 10. Even in Modification 2, the cover main body 610 can be maintained in the closed position by engaging the cover engagement piece (interlocking portion) 617b of the cover main body 610 with the flange 640a. Furthermore, by eliminating the screw member, the number of parts can be reduced, further simplifying the assembly of the door latch device. Note that in Modifications 1 and 2, the same components as those in Embodiment 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0051] (Embodiment 2) 18 and 19 show a door latch device to which a waterproof structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. The door latch device illustrated here, like the first embodiment, is for controlling the opening and closing of a front-hinged side door located on the right side of a four-wheeled vehicle, but differs from the first embodiment mainly in the configuration for holding the waterproof cover, which is a cover member, in the closed position. Below, configurations that differ from the first embodiment will be described in detail, and configurations that are the same as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0052] 20 to 24, the waterproof cover 160 is formed by integrally molding a cover body 1610 and a cover support body 1630 from resin. The cover body 1610 is box-shaped and has an upper wall portion 611, an outer wall portion 612, a bottom wall portion 613, a front wall portion 614, a rear wall portion 615, a front edge wall portion 616, a mounting wall portion 1617, an upper edge front wall portion 618, and an upper edge outer wall portion 619, and is configured to be large enough to simultaneously accommodate the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, one end of the outside cable 50 connected to the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, and the cable bracket 55.

[0053] The upper wall 611, outer wall 612, bottom wall 613, front wall 614, rear wall 615, front edge wall 616, upper edge front wall 618, and upper edge outer wall 619 of the cover body 1610 are configured almost the same as in the first embodiment.

[0054] In contrast, the mounting wall 1617 has a different configuration from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, the mounting wall 1617 of the second embodiment extends upward from the leading edge wall 616 and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open interior side. The mounting wall 1617 is configured to have a greater front-to-rear dimension than the leading edge wall 616. The mounting wall 1617 has guide slits 162 formed in the upper peripheral holding wall 1617a located above and the lower peripheral holding wall 1617b located below, respectively, and an engaging holding piece (mutual engaging portion) 163 formed in the front peripheral holding wall 1617c located forward. The guide slits 162 are notches that extend inward and outward and are open interiorly, and are provided in approximately the center of the upper peripheral holding wall 1617a and the lower peripheral holding wall 1617b. The engaging retaining piece 163 is formed by cutting out the upper and lower edges of the front peripheral retaining wall portion 1617c, and has an engaging protrusion 163a on its outer peripheral surface. The engaging protrusion 163a is a protruding portion whose protrusion amount gradually decreases toward the tip of the engaging retaining piece 163.

[0055] Furthermore, the cover main body 1610 of the second embodiment has an additional locking projection 615a on the rear wall 615. The locking projection 615a is a spherical projection formed so as to protrude rearward from an upper inner corner of the rear wall 615. As shown in FIG. 25 , this locking projection 615a can be engaged with the engaging hole 55a provided in the cable bracket 55 when the rear wall 615 is brought into contact with the surface located on the front side of the cable bracket 55 and the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30 and a portion of one end of the outside cable 50 are housed inside the cover main body 1610.

[0056] When the cover body 1610 having the above configuration is placed in the closed position, the inner side portion facing the device main body 11, the inner side portion of the upper wall portion 611, and the portion spanning the upper portion of the rear wall portion 615 open as a series of cover openings 610a, and through this cover opening 610a it is possible to accommodate inside the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, one end of the outside cable 50 connected to the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, and the cable bracket 55.

[0057] The cover support 1630 of the waterproof cover 160 has a first support plate portion (support plate element) 1631, a second support plate portion (support plate element) 1632, and a blocking fitting portion 1633, which are connected to each other in a straight line. The first support plate portion 1631 is a rectangular thin plate member provided on the outer edge of the upper edge of the mounting wall portion 1617 in a bendable manner, and the second support plate portion 1632 is a rectangular thin plate member provided on an extending edge of the first support plate portion 1631 in a bendable manner. In the cover support 1630 of the second embodiment, the first support plate portion 1631 and the second support plate portion 1632 are identical to each other and are configured to have a width smaller than that of the mounting wall portion 1617.

[0058] The blocking fitting portion 1633 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is open on the outward side, and the extended edge portion of the second support plate portion 1632 is foldably connected to the outward edge portion of the lower edge portion. When the first support plate portion 1631 and the second support plate portion 1632 are folded so that they overlap each other, the blocking fitting portion 1633 can be fitted into the opening of the mounting wall portion 1617. This blocking fitting portion 1633 is provided with a screw insertion hole 1633a, a guide rib 164, and a locking wall portion (mutual engagement portion) 165. The screw insertion hole 1633a is provided so as to penetrate a bottom plate portion 1633b located on the inward side of the blocking fitting portion 1633. The guide ribs 164 are protrusions provided on the upper fitting peripheral wall portion 1633c located above the occluding fitting portion 1633 and the lower fitting peripheral wall portion 1633d located below, and are formed so as to be inserted into the guide slits 162 of the mounting wall portion 1617 when the occluding fitting portion 1633 is fitted to the mounting wall portion 1617. The locking wall portion 165 is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the front fitting peripheral wall portion 1633e while maintaining a gap between it and the outer surface of the front fitting peripheral wall portion 1633e located on the front side of the occluding fitting portion 1633. The dimension between the locking wall portion 165 and the outer surface of the front fitting peripheral wall portion 1633e is set to be slightly larger than the plate thickness of the engagement holding piece 163. As is clear from Figure 26, this locking wall portion 165 has a dimension along the inward / outward direction that is shorter than that of the front fitting peripheral wall portion 1633e, and is positioned biased toward the inner side of the front fitting peripheral wall portion 1633e, so that when the blocking fitting portion 1633 is inserted into the mounting wall portion 1617, it is possible to lock the locking protrusion 163a of the locking retaining piece 163.

[0059] Meanwhile, the case 10 is provided with a mounting base 18 on the outer surface 11a of the device main body 11. The mounting base 18 is a rectangular parallelepiped protrusion with a screw hole 18a in the center, and is formed with dimensions that allow the blocking fitting portion 1633 to be fitted therein. The mounting base 18 is provided at a position that faces the inside of the opening of the blocking fitting portion 1633 when the first support plate portion 1631 and the second support plate portion 1632 are bent so that they overlap each other, and the blocking fitting portion 1633 is fitted into the inside of the opening of the mounting wall portion 1617, and then the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, one end portion of the outside cable 50, and the cable bracket 55 are covered with the cover main body 1610, as shown in FIG. 23(a).

[0060] 20 and 21 , the waterproof cover 160 configured as described above is in a state in which the cover main body 1610 is supported on the case 10 via the cover support body 1630 by screwing the screw member (engagement member) 72 into the screw hole 18a of the mounting base portion 18 via the screw insertion hole 1633a of the blocking fitting portion 1633. In consideration of workability, it is preferable to arrange the waterproof cover 160 so that the first support plate portion 1631 and the second support plate portion 1632 of the cover support body 1630 extend upward relative to the mounting base portion 18.

[0061] From this state, as shown in Fig. 27, when the second support plate portion 1632 and the first support plate portion 1631 are bent outward relative to the closed fitting portion 1633 and the mounting wall portion 1617 is fitted to the closed fitting portion 1633, the engaging protrusion 163a of the engaging holding piece 163 is locked to the locking wall portion 165, as shown in Figs. 24, 28(a), and 29. The locking piece 616a is also locked to the lock receiving portion 11c provided on the underside of the device main body 11. As a result, the outer end portion 30a of the outside handle lever 30, one end portion of the outside cable 50, and the cable bracket 55 are each housed inside the cover main body 1610, and this state is maintained (closed position of the cover main body 1610). At this time, the positioning pin 619a of the cover body 1610 is fitted into the positioning hole 12d of the case 10, thereby positioning the cover body 1610 and the case 10, and the pressing protrusion 621 (see FIG. 22) of the cover body 1610 can be reliably abutted against the seal member 16 provided on the case 10. Moreover, at the upper edge and front portion of the cover body 1610, the inner wall 14a and outer wall 14b provided on the case 10, the support protrusion 620, and the pressing protrusion 621 form a labyrinth-like path from the outside to the inside of the cover body 1610. Therefore, even if water enters the inside of the side door, there is no risk of the water reaching the inside of the case 10. In particular, in the second embodiment, the box-shaped cover body 1610 is used, and therefore the seal member 16 need only be provided between the cover body 1610 and the case 10. This prevents an increase in the number of parts and prevents the assembly work of the door latch device from becoming complicated. Furthermore, when the cover main body 1610 is placed in the closed position, the engaging protrusions 163a of the engaging retaining pieces 163 are engaged with the engaging wall portions 165, thereby maintaining the cover support body 1630 in a folded state, thereby reducing the amount of protrusion of the cover support body 1630 from the case 10. This prevents an increase in the space occupied by the door latch device inside the side door and eliminates concerns about problems such as the cover support body 1630 interfering with the window glass provided in the side door.

[0062] On the other hand, from the state shown in Figure 21, while pushing the cover body 1610 forward, the second support plate portion 1632 and the first support plate portion 1631 are bent outward relative to the closed fitting portion 1633, and as shown in Figures 25, 28(b), and 30, the rear wall portion 615 is abutted against the surface located on the front side of the cable bracket 55, and the locking protrusion 615a is engaged with the engagement hole 55a, and the elastic force of the cover support body 1630 presses the locking protrusion 615a against the engagement hole 55a, and the above-mentioned closed fitting portion 1633 and the mounting wall portion 1617, the locking receiving portion 11c and the locking piece 616a, and the positioning pin 619a and the positioning hole 12d do not engage or fit together, thereby restricting inadvertent movement of the cover body 1610 relative to the case 10 (temporarily held state of the cover body 1610). This makes it possible to simplify the work of installing a door latch device inside a side door, for example. Moreover, from this state, by pulling the cover body 1610 outward, the outer end 30a of the outside handle lever 30 and the cable bracket 55 can be exposed to the outside, as shown in Figure 27, making it possible to easily and reliably install the outside cable 50.

[0063] In the above-described first embodiment, the cover main body 610 is illustrated as having an upper wall portion 611, an outer wall portion 612, a bottom wall portion 613, a front wall portion 614, a rear wall portion 615, a front edge wall portion 616, an attachment wall portion 617, an upper edge front wall portion 618, and an upper edge outer wall portion 619. In the second embodiment, the cover main body 1610 is illustrated as having an upper wall portion 611, an outer wall portion 612, a bottom wall portion 613, a front wall portion 614, a rear wall portion 615, a front edge wall portion 616, an attachment wall portion 1617, an upper edge front wall portion 618, and an upper edge outer wall portion 619. However, the detailed configurations of the cover main bodies 610 and 1610 are not limited to those of the first and second embodiments, and other shapes may be applied as long as they are box-shaped and have a cover opening. Furthermore, although the seal member 16 is provided on the case 10, the seal member may be provided on the cover member. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the cover support body 630 is exemplified as having three support plate elements 631, 632, 633, and in the second embodiment, the cover support body 1630 is exemplified as having two support plate elements 1631, 1632, but the number of support plate elements may be four or more. Furthermore, although a cover member is provided using the outside handle lever 30 as the input lever, the present invention can be applied to any other input lever as long as one end protrudes from the case to the outside and a cable is connected to this protruding end, and the input lever operates the latch mechanism. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 10 cases 16 Sealing material 20 Latch unit 30 Outside handle lever 30a Outer end 50 Outside Cable 60 Waterproof Cover 70 Washer 71,72 Screw members 163 Engagement holding piece 165 Locking wall 610,1610 Cover body 610a Cover opening 616a Locking piece 617b Cover engagement piece 621 Pressurized ridge 622 Temporary holding piece 630,1630 Cover support 631,1631 1st support plate part 631a Engagement notch 632,1632 Second support plate part 632a Engaging claw piece 633 Third support plate section 640a flange

Claims

1. A waterproof structure for a door latch device in which one end of a cable is connected to an input lever whose one end protrudes outside a case, and a latch mechanism provided inside the case is operated by transmitting an operating force to the input lever via the cable, a cover member including a cover main body having a box shape with a cover opening and having one end of the input lever and one end of the cable housed therein through the cover opening when the cover main body is abutted against the case, and a cover support member extending from the cover main body; the cover member is attached to the case via the cover support in a state in which the cover body is movable between a closed position in which the cover body abuts against the case and an open position in which the cover body is separated from the case, A waterproof structure for a door latch device, characterized in that the cover body moves between the closed position and the open position along a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the input lever.

2. The cover support is attached to the case by an engagement member; The waterproof structure of the door latch device described in claim 1, characterized in that the cover body is provided with a cover engagement portion that engages with the engagement member when the cover body is positioned in the closed position, thereby limiting movement to the open position.

3. 2. The waterproof structure of a door latch device according to claim 1, wherein an interlocking portion is provided between the cover support and the cover body, which interlocks with each other when the cover body is positioned in the closed position, thereby limiting movement of the cover body to the open position.

4. 2. The waterproof structure of a door latch device according to claim 1, wherein the cover support has a plurality of support plate elements foldably connected to each other, and the cover body is moved between the closed position and the open position by changing the bending state of the plurality of support plate elements.

5. The cover support is configured so that two support plate elements overlap each other when the cover body is placed in the closed position, The waterproof structure of the door latch device described in claim 4, characterized in that a support plate engagement portion is provided between one support plate element and the other support plate element, which detachably engages with each other when they are overlapped, thereby limiting movement in the direction of releasing the overlapped state.

6. 2. The waterproof structure of a door latch device according to claim 1, wherein the cover body is provided with a temporary holding piece that is detachably engaged with the case when the cover body is placed in the open position.

7. A series of sealing members are provided at the contact portion between the case and the cover body, The waterproof structure of the door latch device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the case and the cover body is provided with a series of pressing protrusions that press the seal member along its entire length when the cover body is positioned in the closed position.

Images