Door lock device for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle door lock device capable of preventing or suppressing opening of a vehicle door upon deformation of an outer panel of the vehicle door.SOLUTION: A vehicle door lock device 10 includes: an open lever 49 whose one end is connected to a cable 30 that transmits the movement of a door handle and which switches a latch mechanism 111 from a latched state to an unlatched state when moved from an initial position to an operating position in conjunction with the operation of the door handle, and a cable bracket 13 for holding an end connected to the open lever 49 of the cable 30. One end of the open lever 49 protrudes from a base member 41 toward an outer panel 203 of a vehicle door 20, and an end on the side of the outer panel 203 of a bracket fixing part 428 of a base plate 42 protrudes further toward the side of the outer panel 203 of the vehicle door 20 than one end of the open lever 49.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Some vehicle door lock devices have a latch mechanism that can be switched between a latched state, which holds the vehicle door closed, and an unlatched state, which allows the vehicle door to open. Such door lock devices are configured so that when a door handle provided on the vehicle door is operated, the movement of the door handle switches the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state. For example, the door lock device described in Patent Document 1 (referred to as a "door latch device" in Patent Document 1) has an open lever, which is connected to the door handle by a cable. The door lock device described in Patent Document 1 is configured so that when the outside door handle is operated, the operating force (movement) of the outside door handle is transmitted to the open lever via the cable, moving the open lever, and the movement of the open lever switches the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-166286 Summary of the Invention

[0004] (Problem to be solved by the invention) However, when a collision or the like occurs, the outer panel that forms the exterior surface of the vehicle door may deform so as to move toward the interior of the vehicle. In this case, if the deformed outer panel comes into contact with the open lever and moves the open lever, the latch mechanism may switch from a latched state to an unlatched state. Note that Patent Document 1 does not disclose any configuration for preventing or suppressing the movement of the open lever when a collision or the like occurs.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a door lock device for a vehicle that can prevent or suppress the latch mechanism from switching from a latched state to an unlatched state (opening of the vehicle door) in the event of a collision or the like, by preventing or suppressing the open lever from moving due to being pushed by the deformed outer panel, even if the outer panel constituting the outer surface of the vehicle door is deformed so as to intrude into the vehicle interior.

[0006] (Means for solving the problem) In order to achieve the above object, a door lock device for a vehicle according to the present invention comprises: A door lock device for a vehicle that is disposed on an interior side of a panel member that forms an exterior surface of a vehicle door, a latch mechanism including a latch rotatably supported on a support member fixed to a base member and configured to be movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch being positioned at the latched position to hold the vehicle door in a closed state, and the latch being positioned at the unlatched position to allow the vehicle door to be opened; a lever member rotatably supported on the base member, one end of which is connected by a cable to a door handle provided on the vehicle door, configured to move from an initial position to an actuated position when the door handle is operated, and configured to switch the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state by moving from the initial position to the actuated position; a cable holding member that holds an end of the cable that is connected to the lever member; Equipped with the one end of the lever member protrudes from the base member toward the panel member, the support member protrudes from the base member toward the panel member and has a holding member fixing portion to which the cable holding member is fixed, The end of the holding member fixing portion of the support member on the panel member side protrudes further toward the panel member than the one end of the lever member.

[0007] According to the present invention, when a panel member constituting the exterior surface of a vehicle door is deformed to intrude toward the interior side of the vehicle (inward in the vehicle width direction) due to a collision or the like, the lever member is prevented or inhibited from being pushed and moved by the deformed panel member. Specifically, when a panel member of a vehicle door is deformed to intrude toward the interior side of the vehicle due to a collision or the like, the deformed panel member comes into contact with the retainer fixing portion of the support member, thereby preventing or inhibiting further deformation toward the interior side of the vehicle. Furthermore, because the end of the retainer fixing portion of the support member facing the panel member is located closer to the panel member than one end of the lever member (the end closer to the panel member), the retainer fixing portion of the support member prevents or inhibits the deformed panel member from contacting the lever member. Therefore, when a collision or the like occurs, the latch mechanism of the door lock device is prevented or inhibited from switching from a latched state to an unlatched state.

[0008] the lever member is configured to move from the initial position to the actuated position by rotating the one end in a downward direction, an upper end of the holding member fixing portion is located above the one end of the lever member when viewed in the direction of the rotation center line of the lever member; The configuration may be as follows.

[0009] In a configuration in which one end of the lever member (the end closest to the panel member) rotates downward to move from the initial position to the actuated position, if the panel member, deformed to intrude into the vehicle interior due to a collision or the like, comes into contact with the one end of the lever member from above, the lever member is more likely to move from the initial position to the actuated position. In a configuration in which the upper end of the retainer fixing portion is located above the one end of the lever member (in other words, a configuration in which the retainer fixing portion is provided above the one end of the lever member), the effect of preventing or suppressing the panel member, deformed to intrude into the vehicle interior, from coming into contact with the one end of the lever member from above can be enhanced. Therefore, the effect of preventing or suppressing the latch mechanism of the door lock device from switching from the latched state to the unlatched state in the event of a collision or the like can be enhanced.

[0010] an end portion of the cable holding member on the panel member side is located closer to the panel member than the one end portion of the lever member; The configuration may be as follows.

[0011] With this configuration, when the panel member of the vehicle door is deformed so as to intrude into the interior of the vehicle, the cable holder also prevents or suppresses the deformed panel member from contacting the lever member, thereby enhancing the effect of preventing or suppressing the latch mechanism of the door lock device from switching from the latched state to the unlatched state in the event of a collision or the like.

[0012] When viewed in the direction of the rotation center line of the lever member, an upper end of the cable holding member is located above the one end of the lever member located at the initial position, and a lower end of the cable holding member is located below the one end of the lever member located at the initial position. The configuration may be as follows.

[0013] With this configuration, the cable holder can prevent or suppress the panel member, which has deformed to intrude into the interior of the vehicle, from contacting the lever member from above, below, and horizontally, thereby enhancing the effect of preventing or suppressing the latch mechanism of the door lock device from switching from a latched state to an unlatched state in the event of a collision or the like.

[0014] an assembly including the base member, the support member, and the latch; the assembly is located on one side of a housing that accommodates an actuator that can switch the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state, and is fixed to the housing by a screw that is inserted into the housing from one side opposite to the one side of the housing; the cable holding member is fixed to the holding member fixing portion by a screw inserted into the holding member fixing portion from one side opposite to the holding member fixing portion; The configuration may be as follows.

[0015] With this configuration, the screw direction for fixing the cable holder to the holder fixing part and the screw direction for fixing the assembly including the latch mechanism to the housing can be the same, which makes it possible to assemble the assembly and the cable holder in one direction, making it easier to manufacture the door lock device (the assembly process can be simplified). [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle door. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vehicle door. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a door lock device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a door lock device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a door lock device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic front view showing an example of the configuration of a door lock device. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the configuration and operation of the latch mechanism. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the configuration and operation of the latch mechanism. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C is a diagram showing the configuration and operation of the latch mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] A vehicle door lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, the directions of the door lock device and the components constituting the door lock device are based on the directions of the vehicle (the directions of the vehicle door when the vehicle door to which the door lock device is attached is in a fully closed position (described later)). In each drawing, the front of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow Fr, the rear of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow Rr, the inside (inside of the vehicle) in the vehicle width direction (left and right direction) is indicated by an arrow In, the outside (outside of the vehicle) in the vehicle width direction is indicated by an arrow Up, and the bottom is indicated by an arrow Dw. In the following description, a direction inclined vertically with the front rising and the rear falling relative to the front-to-rear direction will be referred to as a first direction, and a direction inclined rearward relative to the up-to-down direction and perpendicular to the first direction will be referred to as a second direction. In each drawing, the arrow D Fr indicates the first direction forward, and arrow D Rr indicates the first direction backward, and arrow D Up indicates the second direction upward, and arrow D Dw indicates the second direction downward. The inclination angle of the first direction with respect to the front-rear direction is not particularly limited, but is, for example, an angle closer to the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) than to the up-down direction (vertical direction). Therefore, the first direction can be said to be approximately the front-rear direction, and the second direction can be said to be approximately the up-down direction.

[0018] (Vehicle door configuration) 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing a configuration example of a vehicle door 20 to which a door lock device 10 is applied. FIG. 1A is a side view of the vehicle door 20, seen from the outside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the rear end of the vehicle door 20, taken along line IB-IB in FIG. 1A. The vehicle door 20 has a front end rotatably supported relative to the vehicle body 1, and is movable between a fully closed position, a half-closed position, and an open position by rotating around an axis parallel to the front end and an axis substantially parallel to the up-down direction (in other words, it can be opened and closed). The fully closed position is a position where the vehicle door 20 blocks an opening for getting in and out of the vehicle body 1, and is one end position of the movable range. The open position is a position where the opening is not blocked. The half-closed position is a position where the vehicle door 20 blocks the opening, and is a position slightly moved toward the open position from the fully closed position.

[0019] 1A, vehicle door 20 includes door body 201 that forms the lower half thereof, and door sash 202 that is provided on the upper half thereof. As shown in FIG. 1B, door body 201 includes outer panel 203, inner panel 204 that is fixed to the interior side of outer panel 203, and resin trim 205 that is fixed to the interior side of inner panel 204 and forms the interior side of door body 201.

[0020] The outer panel 203 is an example of a panel member of the present invention, and is a member that constitutes the outer surface of the vehicle door 20 (note that the outer surface of the vehicle door 20 is also the outer surface of the vehicle). An outside door handle 206 is attached to the outer panel 203 so as to be rotatable with respect to the vehicle door 20. The outside door handle 206 is an example of a door handle of the present invention. An inside door handle 207 is attached to the trim 205 so as to be rotatable with respect to the vehicle door 20. The outside door handle 206 and the inside door handle 207 are each rotatable between an initial position and a door open position, and are constantly elastically biased to their initial positions by a biasing member such as a spring. A vehicle user or the like can manually move the inside door handle 207 and the outside door handle 206 from the initial position to the door open position.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1B, the door lock device 10 is disposed inside the outer panel 203 in the vehicle width direction, in an internal space of the vehicle door 20 formed by the outer panel 203 and inner panel 204 of the vehicle door 20. The door lock device 10 is fixed to the inner panel 204. The door lock device 10 and the outside door handle 206 are connected by a cable 30. The cable 30 includes an inner cable 301 that transmits the movement of the outside door handle 206 from its initial position to the door open position to the door lock device 10, and an outer cable 302 that covers the inner cable 301 (see FIGS. 4, 5, and 6A to 6C).

[0022] (Door lock device configuration) 2 to 4 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the door lock device 10. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the door lock device 10 as seen from the front exterior side of the vehicle, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the door lock device 10 as seen from the front exterior side of the vehicle, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the door lock device 10 as seen from the rear exterior side of the vehicle. As shown in these figures, the door lock device 10 has a mating body 11 and an actuator body 12. A cable bracket 13 is fixed to the mating body 11, and the end of a cable 30 that connects the outside door handle 206 and the door lock device 10 is held by this cable bracket 13 (see Fig. 3).

[0023] The interlocking body 11 includes a base member 41, a base plate 42, a sub-plate 43, a latch support shaft 44, a pole support shaft 45, a latch 46, a pole 47, a pole lift lever 48, an open lever 49, and an open link 50 (see FIGS. 6A to 6C for the latch 46, the pole 47, the pole lift lever 48, the open lever 49, and the open link 50). The interlocking body 11 constitutes a sub-assembly including these members (see FIG. 2). This sub-assembly is an example of an assembly of the present invention.

[0024] The base member 41 is a member to which the various components that make up the mating body 11 are assembled. The base member 41, together with a housing 121 of the actuator body 12 (described later), constitutes the housing of the door lock device 10. The base member 41 is made of a resin material and is formed by injection molding or the like. The base member 41 has a main body portion (hereinafter referred to as the "base main body 411") that extends substantially in the vehicle width direction and the second direction, and a plate-like portion 412 that extends forward in the first direction from the end of the base main body 411 on the vehicle interior side. The base member 41 is provided with a striker entrance groove 413, an open lever support shaft 416, a plurality of base plate fixing screw holes 417, and a plurality of actuator body fixing screw holes 418.

[0025] The striker entrance groove 413 of the base member 41 is a groove configured to allow the striker 21 provided on the vehicle body 1 to be inserted and removed in the vehicle width direction from the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the striker entrance groove 413 is a groove that extends in the vehicle width direction and is open to the rear side and the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The open lever support shaft 416 is configured to rotatably support the open lever 49, which will be described later. Specifically, the open lever support shaft 416 has a cylindrical configuration that protrudes forward in the first direction from the base main body 411. In addition, the base member 41 is provided with a latch support shaft insertion hole and a pole support shaft insertion hole, both of which are not shown. The latch support shaft insertion hole is configured to allow the latch support shaft 44 to be inserted therethrough, and the pole support shaft insertion hole is configured to allow the pole support shaft 45 to be inserted therethrough. Note that the latch support shaft insertion hole and the pole support shaft insertion hole are both through-holes that penetrate the base main body 411 of the base member 41 in the first direction.

[0026] The plurality of base plate fixing screw holes 417 (see FIG. 4) are screw holes (female threads) into which screws can be inserted (screwed) for fixing the base plate 42 to the rear side of the base member 41. The plurality of base plate fixing screw holes 417 are screw holes that open on the rear side and are configured so that screws (not shown) can be inserted (screwed) from the rear side. The plurality of actuator body fixing screw holes 418 are screw holes into which screws can be inserted (screwed) for screwing the base member 41 to the actuator body 12. The plurality of actuator body fixing screw holes 418 are screw holes that open on the front side and are configured so that screws can be inserted (screwed) from the front side. Note that one of the plurality of actuator body fixing screw holes 418 may be provided in the open lever support shaft 416.

[0027] The base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 are members that rotatably support the latch 46 via the latch support shaft 44, and rotatably support the pole 47 via the pole support shaft 45. The base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 are both made of metal plate and formed by press working. The latch support shaft 44 and the pole support shaft 45 are both round bar-shaped members made of metal material, and are arranged with their longitudinal direction (axial direction) parallel to the first direction.

[0028] The base plate 42 is an example of a support member of the present invention. The base plate 42 includes a plate main body 421, an inner extension portion 426, an outer extension portion 427, and a bracket fixing portion 428. The main body portion of the base plate 42 (hereinafter referred to as the "plate main body 421") has a flat plate-like configuration extending in the vehicle width direction and the second direction (in other words, extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction). The inner extension portion 426 is a portion that extends forward in the first direction from an inner end portion (an inner edge in the vehicle width direction) of the plate main body 421 in the vehicle width direction. The outer extension portion 427 is a portion that extends forward in the first direction from an outer end portion (an outer edge in the vehicle width direction) of the plate main body 421 in the vehicle width direction. The inner extension portion 426 and the outer extension portion 427 have a flat plate-like configuration extending in the first direction and the second direction (in other words, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction).

[0029] The plate main body 421 is provided with a striker entrance groove 422, a latch support shaft fixing hole 423, a pole support shaft fixing hole 424, and a plurality of first screw insertion holes 425. The striker entrance groove 422 is a through hole extending in the vehicle width direction and configured to allow the striker 21 provided on the vehicle body 1 to be inserted and removed in the vehicle width direction from the inside in the vehicle width direction. The latch support shaft fixing hole 423 and the pole support shaft fixing hole 424 are through holes penetrating in the first direction and configured to allow the rear end of the latch support shaft 44 and the rear end of the pole support shaft 45 to be inserted therethrough, respectively. The rear end of the latch support shaft 44 inserted into the latch support shaft fixing hole 423 and the rear end of the pole support shaft 45 inserted into the pole support shaft fixing hole 424 are fixed to the base plate 42 by crimping or the like. The plurality of first screw insertion holes 425 are through holes penetrating in the first direction and configured to allow screws to be inserted therethrough from the rear side for fixing the base plate 42 to the base member 41. In this embodiment, "a screw can be inserted" means that "the threaded portion and the body portion of the male screw can be inserted, but the head portion cannot be inserted."

[0030] The bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 is an example of a holding member fixing portion of the present invention, and is a portion to which a cable bracket 13 (described later) is fixed with a screw 33. The bracket fixing portion 428 is a portion that extends from the front end (front edge) of the outer extending portion 427 toward the outside in the vehicle width direction (in other words, toward the outer panel 203 side of the vehicle door 20). The bracket fixing portion 428 has a flat plate-like configuration that extends in the vehicle width direction and the second direction (in other words, extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction). A predetermined number of second screw insertion holes 429 are formed in the bracket fixing portion 428. Each drawing shows a configuration in which two second screw insertion holes 429 are formed. The second screw insertion holes 429 are through-holes that penetrate in the first direction and are configured so that screws 33 for fixing the cable bracket 13 to the bracket fixing portion 428 can be inserted from the front side.

[0031] The sub-plate 43 is provided with a latch support shaft fixing hole 431, a pole support shaft fixing hole 432, and a predetermined number of third screw insertion holes 433. The latch support shaft fixing hole 431 and the pole support shaft fixing hole 432 are both through-holes that penetrate in a first direction (the thickness direction of the sub-plate 43) and are configured to allow the front ends of the latch support shaft 44 and the pole support shaft 45 to be inserted therethrough, respectively. The front end of the latch support shaft 44 inserted into the latch support shaft fixing hole 431 and the front end of the pole support shaft 45 inserted into the pole support shaft fixing hole 432 are fixed to the sub-plate 43 by crimping or the like. The predetermined number of third screw insertion holes 433 are through-holes that penetrate in the first direction and are configured to allow screws for fixing the sub-plate 43 to the base member 41 to be inserted therethrough from the front side.

[0032] The latch 46 (see FIGS. 6A to 6C) is rotatably supported relative to the base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 via a latch support shaft 44. The pole 47 and the pole lift lever 48 (see FIGS. 6A to 6C) are rotatably supported relative to the base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 via a pole support shaft 45. The pole 47 and the pole lift lever 48 are engaged with each other and configured to rotate integrally and coaxially. The open lever 49 is rotatably supported by the base member 41. The open lever 49 is an example of a lever member of the present invention. The open lever 49 can be moved between an initial position and an actuated position by rotating. A cable connecting portion 492, which will be described later, is provided at one end of the open lever 49 in the longitudinal direction, which is located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction (in other words, the end closer to the outer panel 203 of the vehicle door 20). An end of the inner cable 301 of the cable 30 is connected to this cable connecting portion 492. The configurations and operations of the latch 46, the pole 47, the pole lift lever 48, and the open lever 49 will be described later.

[0033] The cable bracket 13 is an example of a cable holding member of the present invention and is a member that holds the door lock device 10-side end of the outer cable 302 of the cable 30 that connects the door lock device 10 and the outside door handle 206. The cable bracket 13 is made of a metal plate and manufactured by press working. The cable bracket 13 has a first portion 131 and a second portion 132. The first portion 131 includes a portion that is fixed to the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 and has a flat plate-like configuration that extends in the second direction and the vehicle width direction (in other words, extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction). The first portion 131 is provided with screw holes 133 (female threads) for fixing the cable bracket 13 to the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42. Each figure shows a configuration in which two screw holes 133 are provided. These screw holes 133 penetrate in the first direction.

[0034] The second portion 132 of the cable bracket 13 is configured to hold an end of the outer cable 302 of the cable 30 and extends forward in the first direction from the lower end (lower edge) of the first portion 131. In this embodiment, the second portion 132 has a flat plate-like configuration extending in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and the vehicle width direction. When viewed in the first direction, the second portion 132 is located closer to the interior of the vehicle than the end (the outer edge of the vehicle exterior) of the first portion 131 on the vehicle width outer side (i.e., on the outer panel 203 side of the vehicle door 20). Each drawing shows a configuration in which the second portion 132 is inclined in the vehicle width direction relative to the horizontal direction (inclined so as to rotate around an imaginary straight line extending in the front-rear direction). The second portion 132 of the cable bracket 13 is provided with a cable holding groove 134 capable of holding the outer cable 302. The cable holding groove 134 is a slit-shaped groove that extends in the vehicle width direction and penetrates in the up-down direction, and the cap member 31 provided at the end of the outer cable 302 is fitted into this groove, thereby holding the end of the outer cable 302 in the second part 132. More specifically, the groove (a groove provided on the outer peripheral surface and extending in the circumferential direction) provided in the cap member 31 of the outer cable 302 engages with the inner peripheral edge of the cable holding groove 134 of the second part 132, thereby holding the end of the outer cable 302 in the cable bracket 13 so as not to move in its axial direction.

[0035] The actuator body 12 includes a housing 121, which is a housing. The housing 121 is made of a resin material and is formed by injection molding. A portion of the housing 121 near its rear end protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the housing 121 has a generally "L" shape when viewed in the vertical direction. A predetermined number of fourth screw insertion holes 122 are provided in the portion protruding outward in the vehicle width direction near the rear end, through which screws for fixing a sub-assembly of the mating body 11 to the housing 121 can be inserted. Each drawing shows a configuration in which two fourth screw insertion holes 122 are provided. These fourth screw insertion holes 122 are through holes that penetrate in the first direction.

[0036] In addition, the door lock device 10 may have a waterproof cover to prevent water or the like from entering the inside of the outer cable 302 of the cable 30. The waterproof cover has, for example, a box-like configuration with a space (cavity) formed inside. The outer end of the open lever 49 in the vehicle width direction (more specifically, the portion protruding outside the base member 41 and the housing 121) and the end of the cable 30 are covered (housed in) this waterproof cover. The waterproof cover is fixed to, for example, the first portion 131 of the cable bracket 13.

[0037] (Door lock device assembly structure) The base plate 42 is disposed on the rear side of the base member 41. Specifically, the plate main body 421 of the base plate 42 is located on the rear side of the base member 41, the inner extension portion 426 of the base plate 42 is located on the inner side of the plate-shaped portion 412 of the base member 41 in the vehicle width direction, and the outer extension portion 427 of the base plate 42 is located on the outer side of the base main body 411 of the base member 41 in the vehicle width direction. The base plate 42 is fixed to the base member 41 from the rear side with screws (not shown). The sub-plate 43 is disposed on the front side of the base member 41. Note that the intermediate portions of the latch support shaft 44 and the pole support shaft 45 in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) are inserted into the latch support shaft insertion hole and the pole support shaft insertion hole of the base member 41, respectively, and the front end and rear end are fixed to the base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43, respectively.

[0038] The latch 46 and the pole 47 (see FIGS. 6A to 6C) are disposed between the plate body 421 of the base plate 42 and the base body 411 of the base member 41 (rear side of the base member 41). The latch support shaft 44 is inserted into the latch shaft hole 461 of the latch 46. Therefore, the latch 46 is rotatably supported by the base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 via the latch support shaft 44. Similarly, the pole support shaft 45 is inserted into the pole shaft hole 471 of the pole 47. Therefore, the pole 47 is rotatably supported by the base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 via the pole support shaft 45. The pole lift lever 48 is disposed between the base member 41 and the sub-plate 43 (i.e., front side of the base member 41). The pole support shaft 45 is inserted into a lift lever shaft hole 481 (described later) of the pole lift lever 48. Therefore, the pole lift lever 48 is rotatably supported on the base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 via the pole support shaft 45. The pole 47 and the pole lift lever 48 are engaged with each other through an opening (a through-hole penetrating in the front-rear direction) provided in the base member 41 so as to rotate together.

[0039] The open lever 49 is rotatably supported relative to the base member 41 in an orientation in which the end portion on which the cable connecting portion 492 is provided is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction (in other words, on the side closer to the outer panel 203 of the vehicle door 20). The cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49 protrudes (is exposed) from the base member 41 and the housing 121 outward in the vehicle width direction (on the side closer to the outer panel 203 of the vehicle door 20) when viewed in the front-rear direction (or when viewed in the first direction).

[0040] By assembling the various components as described above, the mating body 11 constitutes a sub-assembly including the base member 41, base plate 42, sub-plate 43, latch 46, pole 47, pole lift lever 48, and open lever 49. The sub-assembly of the mating body 11 is then disposed on the rear side of the actuator body 12, and is fixed to the housing 121 of the actuator body 12 with screws 34. Specifically, the screws 34 are inserted from the front into a predetermined number of fourth screw insertion holes 122 provided in the housing 121, and the inserted screws 34 are threaded into the actuator body fixing screw holes 418 of the base member 41 of the mating body 11, thereby fixing (screwing) the sub-assembly of the mating body 11 to the rear side of the actuator body 12.

[0041] The cable bracket 13 is fixed to the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42. Specifically, the first portion 131 of the cable bracket 13 is disposed on the rear side of the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42. Then, the screw 33 is inserted from the front side of the bracket fixing portion 428 into the second screw insertion hole 429 provided in the bracket fixing portion 428, and the inserted screw 33 is threaded into the screw hole 133 of the cable bracket 13. In this manner, the cable bracket 13 is fixed to the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 by the screw 33 inserted from the front side of the base plate 42. Furthermore, the outer cable 302 of the cable 30 is held by the second portion 132 of the cable bracket 13, and the inner cable 301 is connected to the open lever 49.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a view of the door lock device 10 as viewed from the front side in the first direction. As shown in FIG. 5, when the sub-assembly of the mating body 11 is attached to the housing 121 of the actuator body 12, the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction (toward the outer panel 203) from the housing 121 of the actuator body 12. The vicinity of the end (cable connecting portion 492) of the open lever 49 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction (toward the outer panel 203) protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the base member 41 and the housing 121 of the actuator body 12. The two-dot chain line L0 in FIG. 5 indicates the outer end (outer edge) of the base member 41 and the housing 121 of the actuator body 12 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The outer end (outer edge) of the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 is located outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer end of the open lever 49 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. 5 indicates the outer end (outer edge) of the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 in the vehicle width direction, and the chain double-dashed line L2 indicates the outer end of the open lever 49 in the vehicle width direction.

[0043] Similarly, the end (outer edge) of the first portion 131 of the cable bracket 13 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction (the side closer to the outer panel 203) is also located more outward in the vehicle width direction (closer to the outer panel 203) than the end of the open lever 49 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction (the side closer to the outer panel 203). Note that the two-dot chain line L3 in FIG. 5 indicates the outer end of the first portion 131 of the cable bracket 13 in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the upper ends of the bracket fixing portion 428 and the cable bracket 13 are located higher than the upper end of the cable connecting portion 492 (the portion exposed from the housing 121) of the open lever 49 when it is in the initial position. In FIG. 5, the two-dot chain line L4 indicates the upper end (upper edge) of the open lever 49 when it is in the initial position, and the two-dot chain line L5 indicates the upper ends of the bracket fixing portion 428 and the cable bracket 13. The lower end of the cable bracket 13 is located lower than the lower end of the cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49 when it is in the actuated position. 5, a two-dot chain line L6 indicates the lower end (lower side) of the open lever 49 located at the operating position, and a two-dot chain line L5 indicates the lower end of the cable bracket 13. In addition, in FIG. 5, the open lever 49 located at the operating position is indicated by a dashed line.

[0044] The cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49 is located in front of the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42. The cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49 and the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 are close to each other in the first direction. The distance in the front-to-rear direction between the cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49 and the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it be as small as possible.

[0045] (Configuration and operation of latch mechanism) The latch 46, the pawl 47, and the pawl lift lever 48 of the mating body 11 constitute a latch mechanism 111. The latch mechanism 111 is configured to be switchable among a fully latched state in which the vehicle door 20 is held in a fully closed position, an unlatched state in which the vehicle door 20 is allowed to move to an open position (a position in which the vehicle door 20 does not block an opening provided in the vehicle body 1), and a half-latched state in which the vehicle door 20 is held in a half-closed position that is a position slightly moved from the fully closed position toward the open position. The open lever 49 and the open link 50 are configured to move from an initial position to an actuated position when at least one of the outside door handle 206 and the inside door handle 207 is operated. The open lever 49 and the open link 50 are configured to switch the latch mechanism 111 from the fully latched state and the half-latched state to the unlatched state by moving from the initial position to the actuated position.

[0046] 6A, 6B, and 6C are diagrams illustrating the configuration and operation of the latch mechanism 111 and the open lever 49. As shown in these figures, the latch 46 of the latch mechanism 111 is provided with a latch shaft hole 461, a full latch claw 462, a half latch claw 463, and a striker holding groove 464. The latch support shaft 44 is inserted into the latch shaft hole 461 of the latch 46, and the latch 46 is rotatable about the latch support shaft 44. The rotation of the latch 46 allows the latch 46 to move among a full latched position (see FIGS. 6A and 6B), a half latched position, and an unlatched position (see FIG. 6C). The full latched position is a position where the striker 21 provided on the vehicle body 1 is held to hold the vehicle door 20 in a fully closed position (the vehicle door 20 is not allowed to be opened). The half latched position is a position where the striker 21 is held to hold the vehicle door 20 in a half closed position. The half-latched position is a position between the fully latched position and the unlatched position, and in Figures 6A and 6B, it is a position rotated a predetermined angle counterclockwise from the fully latched position. The unlatched position is a position where the latch 46 can be freely engaged with and disengaged from the striker 21 provided on the vehicle body 1, thereby allowing the vehicle door 20 to open (move to the open position). The latch 46 is constantly elastically biased toward the unlatched position by a latch return spring (not shown).

[0047] The pole 47 and the pole lift lever 48 are rotatably supported on the base plate 42 and the sub-plate 43 via the pole support shaft 45. Specifically, the pole support shaft 45 is inserted through a pole shaft hole 471, which is a through-hole provided in the pole 47, and a lift lever shaft hole 481, which is a through-hole provided in the pole lift lever 48. The pole 47 and the pole lift lever 48 are engaged with each other and are configured to rotate integrally and coaxially.

[0048] The pole 47 and the pole lift lever 48 are configured to be movable between an engaged position shown in FIG. 6A and a retracted position shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C by rotation. The engaged position is a position where the engaging portion 472 of the pole 47 engages with the full latch claw 462 of the latch 46, which is positioned at the latched position, thereby holding the latch 46 at the latched position (preventing movement from the latched position to the unlatched position). Specifically, the engaged position of the pole 47 is a position where the engaging portion 472 of the pole 47 is inside the rotation trajectory of the full latch claw 462 and half latch claw 463 of the latch 46. The retracted position is a position where movement of the latch 46 from the full latched position to the unlatched position and movement in the opposite direction are permitted. Specifically, the retracted position of the pole 47 is a position where the entire pole 47, including the engaging portion 472, is outside the rotation trajectory of the full latch claw 462 and half latch claw 463 of the latch 46. The pole 47 and the pole lift lever 48 are constantly elastically biased toward the engagement position by a pole return spring (not shown).

[0049] The open lever 49 is rotatably supported by the base member 41. The open lever 49 has a long plate-like configuration, and is disposed with its longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction. An open lever shaft hole 491, which is a through-hole penetrating in a first direction (thickness direction), is provided in the middle of the open lever 49 in the longitudinal direction. An open lever support shaft 416 provided in the base member 41 is inserted into this open lever shaft hole 491, so that the open lever 49 is rotatably supported relative to the base member 41 about a straight line parallel to the first direction. The open lever 49 can be moved by rotation between an initial position shown in FIG. 6A and an actuated position shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C. The open lever 49 is constantly elastically biased toward the initial position by an open lever return spring (not shown).

[0050] A cable connecting portion 492 to which an end of the inner cable 301 is connected is provided at one end of the open lever 49 in the longitudinal direction, which is an end on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The cable connecting portion 492 is configured to be able to hold the inner cable 301 of the cable 30 via the cable holder 32. The configuration of the cable connecting portion 492 is not particularly limited. For example, the cable connecting portion 492 has a flat plate-like configuration extending forward in the first direction, and is provided with a groove 493 (an opening that penetrates in the vertical direction) through which the inner cable 301 of the cable 30 can be inserted. Then, the cable holder 32 is fixed to an upper surface of the cable connecting portion 492, whereby the inner cable 301 of the cable 30 is fixed to the cable connecting portion 492. The configuration of the cable holder 32 is also not particularly limited. The cable holder 32 may be configured to be able to hold the end of the inner cable 301 of the cable 30.

[0051] When the inner cable 301 is pulled by operating the outside door handle 206 (moving it from the initial position to the door open position), the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the actuated position. When the inside door handle 207 is operated, the open lever 49 is configured to move from the initial position to the actuated position by the movement of the inside door handle 207 being transmitted via a linkage mechanism (not shown). Note that while neither the outside door handle 206 nor the inside door handle 207 is operated, the open lever 49 is held in the initial position by an open lever return spring (not shown).

[0052] An open link 50 is connected to the other longitudinal end of the open lever 49, which is the end on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The open link 50 can be moved between an unlocked position and a locked position by rotating relative to the open lever 49. FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C show the open link 50 in the unlocked position. The unlocked position of the open link 50 is a position where, when the open link 50 moves together with the open lever 49 from the initial position to the actuated position, it can engage (contact) with the pressed portion 483 of the pole lift lever 48, thereby pressing the pressed portion 483 of the pole lift lever 48. The locked position of the open link 50 is a position rotated a predetermined angle counterclockwise from the position shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C. The locked position of the open link 50 is a position where, when the open link 50 moves together with the open lever 49 from the initial position to the actuated position, it does not engage (contact) with the pressed portion 483 of the pole lift lever 48.

[0053] When the vehicle door 20 is in the fully closed position, the latch 46 is in the fully latched position, as shown in Fig. 6A. If the open lever 49 is in the initial position in this state, the pawl 47 and the pawl lift lever 48 are held in the engaged position by the biasing force of the pawl return spring. When the pawl 47 and the pawl lift lever 48 are in the engaged position, the full latch claw 462 of the latch 46 engages with the engagement portion 472 of the pawl 47, preventing the latch 46 from moving toward the unlatched position. Therefore, the striker 21 cannot come out of the striker retaining groove 464 of the latch 46, and the vehicle door 20 is held in the fully closed position (the vehicle door 20 is not allowed to open).

[0054] When the outside door handle 206 is operated from the state shown in FIG. 6A to move from the initial position to the door open position, the movement of the outside door handle 206 is transmitted to the open lever 49 via the cable 30 (specifically, the open lever 49 is pulled), and the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the actuated position as shown in FIG. 6B. In this embodiment, the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the actuated position as the cable connecting portion 492 descends and the end of the open link 50 connected thereto rotates upward. In this case, if the open link 50 is in the unlocked position, the raised open link 50 engages (contacts) with (is in contact with) the pressed portion 483 of the pawl lift lever 48, which is in the engaged position, and pushes up the pressed portion 483. As a result, the pawl 47 and the pawl lift lever 48 move from the engaged position to the retracted position. As a result, the rotation of the latch 46 is no longer restricted by the pawl 47 as shown in FIG. 6B, and the latch 46 moves from the fully latched position to the unlatched position due to the biasing force of the latch return spring as shown in FIG. 6C. When the latch 46 is in the unlatched position, the striker 21 is free to disengage from the latch 46 (is removed from the striker holding groove 464), so that the vehicle door 20 is in an openable state (a state in which it can be moved to the open position).

[0055] In this way, the latch mechanism 111 of the door lock device 10 of this embodiment is configured to switch from a latched state, which holds the vehicle door 20 closed, to an unlatched state, which allows the vehicle door 20 to be opened, when the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the operating position.

[0056] When the open link 50 is in the locked position, even if the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the actuated position, the engaging portion 502 of the open link 50 does not come into contact with the pressed portion 483 of the pawl lift lever 48. Therefore, the pawl 47 does not move from the initial position, and the latch 46 is held in the fully latched position. Therefore, the vehicle door 20 is held in the closed state (the vehicle door 20 is not allowed to open).

[0057] The actuator body 12 accommodates an actuator (not shown) that selectively moves the open link 50 to either the unlocked position or the locked position, and an actuator (not shown) that moves the open lever 49 from the initial position to the actuated position. In this way, the door lock device 10 is configured to be able to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state, and from the latched state to the unlatched state, by the driving force of the actuator. The configuration of the actuator body 12 is not particularly limited, and various known configurations can be applied. The actuator body 12 according to this embodiment only needs to have a housing 121 to which the above-mentioned sub-assembly can be fixed with screws.

[0058] When a vehicle collision (e.g., a side collision) occurs, the outer panel 203 of the vehicle door 20 may be deformed so as to intrude inward in the vehicle width direction. If the deformed outer panel 203 comes into contact with the open lever 49 (particularly if it comes into contact with the cable connecting portion 492 protruding outward in the vehicle width direction from the base member 41 and the housing 121), the open lever 49 may move from the initial position to the actuated position depending on the direction of the force received from the outer panel 203. As described above, the latch mechanism 111 is configured to switch from the latched state to the unlatched state when the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the actuated position. Therefore, if the outer panel 203 is deformed so as to intrude inward in the vehicle width direction due to a collision or the like, the latch mechanism 111 may switch from the latched state to the unlatched state, and the vehicle door 20 may become openable (or may open).

[0059] In this embodiment, the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 prevents or suppresses the deformed outer panel 203 from contacting the open lever 49 (the deformed outer panel 203 pushing and moving the open lever 49). Specifically, the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 extends outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the outer end (L0) of the housing 121 in the vehicle width direction. The outer end (L1) of the bracket fixing portion 428 in the vehicle width direction is positioned more outward in the vehicle width direction than the outer end (L2) of the open lever 49 in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, when the outer panel 203 of the vehicle door 20 is deformed so as to intrude inward in the vehicle width direction, the deformed outer panel 203 comes into contact with the bracket fixing portion 428, and is prevented or suppressed from further deforming so as to intrude inward in the vehicle width direction. This prevents or suppresses the deformed outer panel 203 from contacting the open lever 49 (pushing the open lever 49). In other words, the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 prevents or suppresses deformation that would cause contact with the open link 50 of the outer panel 203. Therefore, when a collision or the like occurs, the latch mechanism 111 of the door lock device 10 is prevented or suppressed from switching from the latched state to the unlatched state.

[0060] In this embodiment, the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the actuated position by rotating the cable connecting portion 492 in a downward direction. Therefore, if the deformed outer panel 203 comes into contact with the open lever 49 from diagonally above, the open lever 49 is likely to move from the initial position to the actuated position. In this embodiment, the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 is located diagonally above (outside and above in the vehicle width direction) the cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49. More specifically, the upper end portion' (L5) of the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 is located above the upper end portion (L4) of the open lever 49. Therefore, with this configuration, the bracket fixing portion 428 of the base plate 42 can effectively prevent or suppress the deformed outer panel 203 from coming into contact with the cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49 from diagonally above.

[0061] Furthermore, the bracket fixing portion 428 is a part of the base plate 42 (in other words, the bracket fixing portion 428 is integrally formed with the base plate 42). This does not result in an increase in the number of parts or an increase in the number of assembly steps. Furthermore, the base plate 42 has a high strength so that the latch 46 can withstand the force and impact that it receives from the striker 21. Therefore, if the bracket fixing portion 428 is configured to be integrally formed with the base plate 42, it is possible to enhance the effect of preventing or suppressing the deformed outer panel 203 from coming into contact with the open lever 49.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cable bracket 13 also has the function of preventing or suppressing the deformed outer panel 203 from contacting the open lever 49. Specifically, the outer end (L3) of the cable bracket 13 in the vehicle width direction is also located further outward in the vehicle width direction than the outer end (L2) of the open lever 49, similar to the bracket fixing portion 428. This enhances the effect of preventing or suppressing the deformed outer panel 203 from contacting the open lever 49.

[0063] In particular, the upper end (L5) of the cable bracket 13 is located higher than the upper end (L4) of the cable connecting portion 492 (the portion protruding outward in the vehicle width direction from the housing 121) of the open lever 49. In addition, the lower end (L7) of the cable bracket 13 is located lower than the lower end (L6) of the cable connecting portion 492 of the open lever 49 that is located in the actuated position. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to prevent or suppress the deformed outer panel 203 from coming into contact with the open lever 49 from diagonally above and diagonally below.

[0064] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, assembly of the door lock device 10 is facilitated. Specifically, as described above, the mating body 11 constitutes a sub-assembly, and this sub-assembly is fixed to the housing 121 of the actuator body 12 by the screws 34 inserted from the front side thereof. Similarly, the cable bracket 13 is fixed to the bracket fixing portion 428 by the screws 33 inserted into the bracket fixing portion 428 from the front side thereof. In this way, the sub-assembly of the mating body 11 and the cable bracket 13 can be screwed together from the same direction. Therefore, the screwing work in the assembly process can be simplified, making assembly easier.

[0065] Although the embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications.

[0066] For example, the configuration of the latch mechanism 111 is not limited to the configuration shown in the above embodiment, as long as the latch mechanism 111 is configured to switch from a latched state to an unlatched state when the open lever 49 moves from the initial position to the actuated position.

[0067] The configuration of the open lever 49 is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment. The open lever 49 may be configured to switch the latch mechanism 111 from a latched state to an unlatched state by moving from the initial position to the operating position. Furthermore, the configurations of the outside door handle 206 and the inside door handle 207 are not particularly limited, and various known configurations may be applied. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1...vehicle body, 10...door lock device, 11...engagement body (sub-assembly), 12...actuator body, 13...cable bracket, 20...vehicle door, 30...cable, 32...cable holder, 41...base member, 42...base plate, 49...open lever, 121...housing, 206...outside door handle, 429...second screw insertion hole

Claims

1. A door lock device for a vehicle that is disposed on an interior side of a panel member that forms an exterior surface of a vehicle door, a latch mechanism including a latch rotatably supported on a support member fixed to a base member and configured to be movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch being positioned at the latched position to hold the vehicle door in a closed state, and the latch being positioned at the unlatched position to allow the vehicle door to be opened; a lever member rotatably supported on the base member, one end of which is connected by a cable to a door handle provided on the vehicle door, configured to move from an initial position to an actuated position when the door handle is operated, and configured to switch the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state by moving from the initial position to the actuated position; a cable holding member that holds one end of the cable that is connected to the lever member; Equipped with the one end of the lever member protrudes from the base member toward the panel member, the support member protrudes from the base member toward the panel member and has a holding member fixing portion to which the cable holding member is fixed, an end portion of the holding member fixing portion of the support member on the panel member side protrudes toward the panel member further than the one end portion of the lever member; A door lock device for a vehicle.

2. 2. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, the lever member is configured to move from the initial position to the actuated position by rotating the one end in a downward direction, an upper end of the holding member fixing portion is located above the one end of the lever member when viewed in the direction of the rotation center line of the lever member; A door lock device for a vehicle.

3. 3. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, an end portion of the cable holding member on the panel member side is located closer to the panel member than the one end portion of the lever member; A door lock device for a vehicle.

4. 4. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 3, When viewed in the direction of the rotation center line of the lever member, an upper end of the cable holding member is located above the one end of the lever member located at the initial position, and a lower end of the cable holding member is located below the one end of the lever member located at the initial position. A door lock device for a vehicle.

5. 5. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 3, an assembly including the base member, the support member, and the latch; the assembly is located on one side of a housing that accommodates an actuator that can switch the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state, and is fixed to the housing by a screw that is inserted into the housing from one side opposite to the one side of the housing; the cable holding member is fixed to the holding member fixing portion by a screw inserted into the holding member fixing portion from one side opposite to the holding member fixing portion; A door lock device for a vehicle.

Images