Door latch device
The door latch device simplifies assembly by using a rotating lever system with offset engagement mechanisms, addressing manufacturing challenges and ensuring door security during impacts.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-05-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing door latch devices face complications in manufacturing due to the need for miniaturized components and the assembly of numerous parts, particularly in designs where the lever body and inertia lever section form an open link, which requires a support shaft to be inserted through a screw insertion hole and secured with a retaining screw.
The door latch device incorporates an open link with a lever body and inertia lever portion that rotate relative to each other via a support shaft, featuring an engagement mechanism with offset engagement projections and notches to allow attachment/detachment only at specific positions, eliminating the need for screws and simplifying the assembly process.
This design simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for screws, reducing assembly complexity and costs while ensuring the latch remains engaged during impact forces, preventing unintended door opening.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a door latch device configured so that the door will not be inadvertently opened even when an impact force is applied to the vehicle.
Background Art
[0002] As this type of door latch device, there has already been provided one that constitutes an open link including a lever main body and an inertia lever portion. In this door latch device, in normal use, the inertia lever portion is disposed at the operating position by a biasing means. When the inertia lever portion is disposed at the operating position and the lever main body is disposed at the unlock position, when the door handle is operated to open, the inertia lever portion abuts against the ratchet lever, and the ratchet lever is released, so that the engagement state of the ratchet with the latch is released. On the other hand, when an impact force is applied to the vehicle, the inertia lever portion rotates with respect to the lever main body against the biasing force of the biasing means and is disposed at the non-operating position. In a state where the inertia lever portion is disposed at the non-operating position, even if the lever main body is disposed at the unlock position, the inertia lever portion does not abut against the ratchet lever. As a result, the ratchet is maintained in the engaged state with the latch, and a situation where the door is inadvertently opened is prevented (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] Incidentally, door latch devices installed inside automobile doors have significant limitations on their external dimensions, and miniaturization of individual components housed inside the case is also required. Therefore, manufacturing door latch devices requires assembling numerous miniaturized parts, which complicates the process. In particular, in door latch devices in which the lever body and inertia lever section form an open link, the support shaft of the lever body must be inserted through a screw insertion hole in the inertia lever section, and a retaining screw must be screwed into the end of the support shaft section, raising concerns that this will further complicate the manufacturing process.
[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a door latch device that can prevent the manufacturing process from becoming complicated. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] To achieve the above objective, the door latch device according to the present invention comprises an open link that changes between an unlocked state and a locked state and operates when the door handle is opened, and a ratchet lever that releases the engagement of the ratchet with the latch when an operating force is applied via the open link, wherein the open link comprises a lever body that is displaced to an unlocked position corresponding to the unlocked state and a locked position corresponding to the locked state and moves in conjunction with the opening operation of the door handle, an inertia lever portion that moves to an operating position and a non-operating position by rotating relative to the lever body about a predetermined axis, and a biasing member that biases the inertia lever portion in the rotational direction so that it is maintained in the operating position, wherein the lever body is positioned in the unlocked position and the inertia lever A door latch device in which the operating force can be transmitted to the ratchet lever only when the door handle is opened while the part is positioned in the operating position, wherein a support shaft is provided on either the lever body or the inertia lever part, and an insertion part having an insertion hole is provided on the other of the lever body or the inertia lever part, and the lever body and the inertia lever part are arranged to rotate relative to each other by externalizing the insertion part around the support shaft through the insertion hole, and between the support shaft and the insertion part, there is an engagement mechanism that allows the support shaft to be attached to and detached from the insertion hole when the inertia lever part is in a predetermined attachment / detachment position relative to the lever body, while preventing the support shaft from being attached to and detached from the insertion hole when it is in the operating position or the non-operating position.
[0007] Furthermore, in the above-described door latch device, the support shaft portion and the insertion portion are such that the support shaft portion is attached to and detached from the insertion hole by relative movement along the axial direction, and the attachment / detachment position is provided at a position where the inertia lever portion has rotated further from the operating position beyond the non-operating position relative to the lever body.
[0008] Furthermore, the present invention relates to the above-described door latch device, wherein the engagement mechanism has an engagement projection provided so as to protrude radially from the tip of the support shaft portion, and an insertion notch formed radially from the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole in the insertion portion, wherein the engagement projection aligns with the insertion notch only when the inertia lever portion is in the attachment / detachment position relative to the lever body, and the engagement projection passes through the insertion notch by relative movement of the lever body and the inertia lever portion along the axial direction of the support shaft portion.
[0009] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described door latch device, the engaging projection and the insertion notch are provided at positions offset by 180° from each other in the circumferential direction of the support shaft, and one of the engaging projections is formed to be insertable into one of the insertion notches, but not insertable into the other of the insertion notches.
[0010] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the support shaft portion is provided on the lever body in the door latch device described above.
[0011] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described door latch device, the case housing the inertia lever portion is provided with a stopper portion that allows the inertia lever portion to rotate to the non-operating position relative to the lever body, while preventing it from rotating to the attachment / detachment position by contacting it when the inertia lever portion rotates beyond the non-operating position.
[0012] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described door latch device, the case housing the inertia lever portion is provided with a return portion that contacts the inertia lever portion when the door handle is opened by a preset return stroke amount while the inertia lever portion is in the non-operating position, thereby returning the inertia lever portion to the operating position. [Effects of the Invention]
[0013] According to the present invention, by externally mounting the other insertion portion around the periphery of one support shaft portion, the lever body and the inertia lever portion are arranged to rotate relative to each other, and when the inertia lever portion is positioned in the operating position and non-operating position relative to the lever body, the engagement mechanism prevents the support shaft portion from being attached to or detached from the insertion hole. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare a separate screw or to screw a screw in, making it possible to simplify the manufacturing process of the door latch device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the external appearance of a door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a diagram of Figure 1 with some parts of the case omitted. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a view of the internal structure of the door latch device shown in Figure 1, as seen from the inside of the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a view from the inside of the vehicle showing the main internal structure of the door latch device shown in Figure 1 when it is in the unlocked state. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a view from the inside of the vehicle showing the main internal structure of the door latch device shown in Figure 1 when it is in the locked position. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the main internal structure of the door latch device shown in Figure 1 when the inertia lever is in the operating position. (a) is a view from the inside of the vehicle, and (b) is a perspective view from diagonally below. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the main internal structure of the door latch device shown in Figure 1 when the inertia lever is in the non-operating position. (a) is a view from the inside of the vehicle, and (b) is a perspective view from diagonally below. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the open link of the door latch device shown in Figure 1, viewed from the inside of the vehicle. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the open link of the door latch device shown in Figure 1, viewed from above the vehicle. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a lever body constituting an open link of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1 and an inertial lever portion disposed at an attachment / detachment position with respect to the lever body, as viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 shows a case where the inertial lever portion is in an operating position in the open link of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1. (a) is a view seen from the inner side of the vehicle, (b) is a view seen from the rear side of the vehicle, and (c) is a view seen from the upper side of the vehicle. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 shows a case where the inertial lever portion is in a non-operating position (sensing position) in the open link of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1. (a) is a view seen from the inner side of the vehicle, (b) is a view seen from the rear side of the vehicle, and (c) is a view seen from the upper side of the vehicle. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 shows a case where the inertial lever portion is in a non-operating position (shift position) in the open link of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1. (a) is a view seen from the inner side of the vehicle, (b) is a view seen from the rear side of the vehicle, and (c) is a view seen from the upper side of the vehicle. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 shows the relative positions of the open link of the door latch device shown in FIG. 1 and the case. (a) is a perspective view of a state where the inertial lever portion is disposed at the operating position, and (b) is a perspective view of a state where the inertial lever portion is disposed at the non-operating position.
Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention
[0015] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the door latch device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, for convenience, the respective directions are specified in the state of being mounted on the vehicle.
[0016] Figures 1 to 3 show a door latch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The door latch device illustrated here, although not shown in the figures, is mounted on the side door of a front-hinged vehicle located on the right side, and controls the opening and closing of the side door by changing the engagement state with a striker provided on the vehicle in accordance with opening operations by the door handle or locking and unlocking operations by the key. This door latch device has a latch unit 10 provided inside the case 1.
[0017] The latch unit 10 comprises a latch 12 rotatably mounted via a latch shaft 11 and a ratchet 14 rotatably mounted via a ratchet shaft 13. The latch shaft 11 and the ratchet shaft 13 each extend substantially horizontally along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the latch shaft 11 is provided in the portion of the case 1 that is above the vehicle above the striker entry groove 2, and the ratchet shaft 13 is provided in the portion of the vehicle that is below the striker entry groove 2 and is inward of the vehicle compared to the latch shaft 11. The striker (not shown) enters the striker entry groove 2 from the left side of Figure 1, which is the inward side of the vehicle, when the side door is closed.
[0018] The latch 12 has a striker contact portion 12a and a hook portion 12b, and is biased in the release direction (clockwise in Figure 2) by the spring force of a latch spring (not shown) and positioned in the engagement standby position. The engagement standby position is a state in which the hook portion 12b is retracted upward relative to the striker entry groove 2, while the striker contact portion 12a is positioned on the inner side (right side in Figure 2) of the striker entry groove 2. When the side door is closed and the striker enters the striker entry groove 2, the striker comes into contact with the striker contact portion 12a, causing the latch 12 to rotate counterclockwise in Figure 2 against the spring force of the latch spring, and the hook portion 12b is positioned to cross the opening side of the striker entry groove 2.
[0019] The ratchet 14 prevents the latch 12 from rotating in the release direction by engaging with the hook portion 12b of the latch 12 when the hook portion 12b of the latch 12 is positioned to cross the striker entry groove 2. This ratchet 14 is biased in the direction of engagement with the latch 12 (counterclockwise in Figure 2) by the spring force of a ratchet spring (not shown). Therefore, when the striker enters the striker entry groove 2 and the hook portion 12b of the latch 12 is positioned to cross the striker entry groove 2, the ratchet 14 engages with the hook portion 12b by the spring force of the ratchet spring, and that state is maintained.
[0020] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the ratchet 14 has a ratchet lever 14a integrally attached to it. The ratchet lever 14a extends inward from the portion of the ratchet shaft 13 that is located further forward than the ratchet 14. When the ratchet lever 14a is pressed upward against the spring force of the ratchet spring, the ratchet 14 rotates clockwise in Figure 2, thereby releasing the engagement between the ratchet 14 and the latch 12.
[0021] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, an open link 20 is provided inside the case 1 in the portion below the ratchet lever 14a. The open link 20 is positioned to move vertically by the operation of the outside handle lever 30 and the inside handle lever 40, and is also provided in the case 1 so that it can rotate around an axis along the left and right sides of the vehicle by the operation of the lock unit 50, thereby changing between an unlocked state and a locked state.
[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the outside handle lever 30 is rotatably mounted on an outside lever shaft 31 that runs along the front and rear of the vehicle, in a position outside the ratchet shaft 13 of the vehicle. Although not shown in the figure, the outside door handle of the side door is linked to the end of the outside handle lever 30 located on the outside of the vehicle via an outside cable 32. The open lever 33 is linked to the end 30a of the outside handle lever 30 located on the inside of the vehicle. The open lever 33 is rotatably mounted on an open lever shaft 34 that runs along the front and rear of the vehicle, in a position inside and below the outside lever shaft 31 of the vehicle, with the engaging end 33a located on the inside of the vehicle engaging with the rotation center of the open link 20 (engagement hole 21e, described later).
[0023] When the outside door handle is opened, the outside handle lever 30 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 2 via the outside cable 32, and consequently the open lever 33 rotates clockwise in Figure 2, causing the open link 20 to move upward via the engaging end 33a. When the outside door handle is stopped from this state, the open lever 33 rotates counterclockwise due to the spring force of the return spring 35, and the open link 20 and outside handle lever 30 return to their original positions.
[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the inside handle lever 40 is rotatably mounted below the open link 20 by an inside lever shaft 41 that runs along the left and right sides of the vehicle, with its front end portion 40a facing the lower end surface of the open link 20. Although not shown in the figure, the inside door handle of the side door is linked to the lower end of the inside handle lever 40 via an inside cable 42.
[0025] When the inside door handle is opened, the inside handle lever 40 rotates clockwise in Figure 3 via the inside cable 42, and the open link 20 moves upward via the front end portion 40a of the inside handle lever 40. At this time, the open lever 33 rotates clockwise in Figure 2 as the open link 20 moves upward. Therefore, when the inside door handle is opened, the open lever 33 rotates counterclockwise due to the spring force of the return spring 35, and the open link 20 and inside handle lever 40 return to their original positions.
[0026] As shown in Figure 3, the lock unit 50 includes a lock lever 52 that rotates around the axis of a lock shaft 51 that runs along the left and right sides of the vehicle, and engages with the open link 20 via an engaging piece 52a of the lock lever 52. The lock unit 50 also includes an actuator unit 53 and a lock cable 54 that are linked to the lock lever 52. The actuator unit 53 operates in accordance with the lock and unlock operations of a remote control owned by the vehicle user, causing the lock lever 52 to rotate. The lock cable 54 transmits the lock and unlock operations of a lock knob (not shown) provided on the side door to the lock lever 52, causing it to rotate.
[0027] In this lock unit 50, when the remote control or lock knob is unlocked, the lock lever 52 rotates clockwise in Figure 3 via the actuator unit 53 or the lock cable 54. As a result, the open link 20 is brought into an almost upright unlocked position, as shown in Figure 4, by the spring force of a return spring 35 (not shown).
[0028] On the other hand, when the remote control or lock knob is locked, the lock unit 50 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 3 via the actuator unit 53 or the lock cable 54. As a result, the open link 20 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 3 due to the engagement piece 52a coming into contact with it, resulting in a forward-tilted locked state as shown in Figure 5.
[0029] In this embodiment, the open link 20 described above is configured as shown in Figures 8 to 13, comprising a lever body 21, an inertia lever portion 22, and a torsion coil spring (biasing member) 23. In the figures showing the open link 20, the lever body 21 and the inertia lever portion 22 are clearly distinguished by dots of different characteristics.
[0030] The lever body 21 has a body base 21a and a support shaft 21b at its lower end, and also has a contact projection 21c and an engaging projection 21d projecting upward from the body base 21a. The body base 21a is provided with an engagement hole 21e into which the engaging end 33a, located on the inward side of the vehicle in the open lever 33 described above, engages. The engagement hole 21e is an irregularly shaped hole that penetrates the body base 21a along the left-right direction of the vehicle, and engages with the engaging end 33a in a manner that allows rotation but prevents relative movement in the vertical direction. The support shaft 21b is cylindrical in shape and projects toward the rear of the vehicle from the part of the body base 21a located on the rear side of the vehicle. The contact projection 21c projects upward from the part of the body base 21a above the engagement hole 21e. The engaging projection 21d protrudes upward from the portion of the main body base 21a located on the front side of the vehicle, and has a locking engaging portion 21f at its upper end. The locking engaging portion 21f is a projection that protrudes outward and is constantly engaged with the engaging piece 52a of the lock lever 52 by the spring force of the locking engaging spring 52b (see Figure 3).
[0031] When the outside door handle or inside door handle is opened, the lever body 21 moves upward together with the engaging end 33a of the open lever 33. When the lock lever 52 is rotated counterclockwise in Figure 3 in conjunction with the lock operation of the remote control or lock knob, the lever body 21 rotates around the engaging hole 21e and is positioned in a forward-tilted locked position as shown in Figure 5. On the other hand, when the lock lever 52 is rotated clockwise in Figure 3 in conjunction with the unlock operation of the remote control or lock knob, the lever body 21 rotates in the opposite direction around the engaging hole 21e and is positioned in a nearly upright unlock position as shown in Figure 4. The locked and unlocked positions of the lever body 21 correspond to the locked and unlocked states of the open link 20, respectively. That is, when the lever body 21 is in the locked position, the open link 20 is in the locked state, and when the lever body 21 is in the unlocked position, the open link 20 is in the unlocked state.
[0032] The inertia lever portion 22 has an insertion portion 22a at its lower end, and an inertia mass portion 22b and a block portion 22c that protrude upward from the insertion portion 22a. The insertion portion 22a is provided with an insertion hole 22d through which the support shaft portion 21b of the lever body 21 can be rotatably inserted. The inertia mass portion 22b is configured such that the mass at its upper end is greater than that at its lower end, and has a nearly flat pressing contact surface 22e at its upper end. The block portion 22c protrudes inward from the inertia mass portion 22b on the front side of the vehicle. As shown in Figures 11 to 13, this inertia lever portion 22 is disposed on the lever body 21 by inserting the support shaft portion 21b through the insertion hole 22d. The inertia lever portion 22, which is disposed on the lever body 21, is rotatable around the axis of the support shaft portion 21b relative to the lever body 21, and is also movable along the axis of the support shaft portion 21b. Furthermore, it can be positioned at an angle such that the upper end is towards the rear with the lower end as the center.
[0033] As shown in Figure 11, when the axis of the insertion hole 22d is approximately parallel to the axis of the support shaft portion 21b, and the inertial mass portion 22b is positioned approximately vertically upward in the forward position relative to the lever body 21, the inertial lever portion 22 is in the operating position, and the inertial mass portion 22b is in contact with the portion of the contact projection 21c that is located on the outer side of the vehicle. At this time, the block portion 22c of the inertial lever portion 22 is positioned between the contact projection 21c and the engaging projection 21d of the lever body 21, and the contact projection 21c and the block portion 22c face each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
[0034] On the other hand, when the inertia lever portion 22 rotates clockwise relative to the lever body 21 when viewed from the rear of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 12, the block portion 22c disengages from between the contact projection 21c and the engaging projection 21d of the lever body 21, allowing it to move towards the rear of the vehicle (sensing position of the inertia lever portion 22: non-operating position). Subsequently, as shown in Figure 13, the inertia mass portion 22b is tilted to the rear (shift position of the inertia lever portion 22: non-operating position). At this time, the contact projection 21c and the block portion 22c are arranged to face each other in the circumferential direction.
[0035] In Case 1, a return contact projection (stopper portion: return portion) 3 is provided at the position where it contacts the inertial mass portion 22b and the block portion 22c, so as to limit the rotation range of the inertial lever portion 22. The return contact projection 3 contacts the inertial mass portion 22b and the block portion 22c when the inertial lever portion 22 rotates outward relative to the lever body 21 from the operating position, thereby limiting the subsequent rotation of the inertial lever portion 22. In this embodiment, the return contact projection 3 is configured to contact the inertial mass portion 22b and the block portion 22c only when the inertial lever portion 22 rotates beyond the sensing position relative to the lever body 21. In other words, the return contact projection 3 and the inertia lever portion 22 are configured such that when the inertia lever portion 22 rotates within a range of approximately 20° from the operating position to the sensing position, the return contact projection 3 does not come into contact with the inertia mass portion 22b and the block portion 22c, but only when it rotates beyond the sensing position to approximately 30° does it come into contact with the inertia mass portion 22b and the block portion 22c.
[0036] The torsion coil spring 23 is interposed between the main body base 21a of the lever body 21 and the insertion portion 22a of the inertia lever portion 22, winding around the support shaft portion 21b, with one end connected to the lever body 21 and the other end connected to the inertia lever portion 22. The torsion coil spring 23 functions to maintain the state in which the inertia mass portion 22b of the inertia lever portion 22 is in contact with the contact projection 21c of the lever body 21 by rotationally biasing the support shaft portion 21b, and to maintain the state in which the block portion 22c is in contact with the contact projection 21c by biasing along the axial direction of the support shaft portion 21b.
[0037] A restricting projection 21g is provided on the contact projection 21c of the lever body 21, and a return bulge 22f is provided on the inertial mass portion 22b of the inertial lever portion 22. The restricting projection 21g protrudes outward from the upper end of the contact projection 21c toward the vehicle. This restricting projection 21g functions to prevent the inertial lever portion 22 from moving forward by contacting the front end of the block portion 22c when the contact projection 21c and the block portion 22c are arranged to face each other in the circumferential direction. From this state, by rotating the inertial lever portion 22 clockwise relative to the lever body 21 when viewed from the rear side of the vehicle, against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 23, it is possible to release the contact between the restricting projection 21g and the block portion 22c, and the inertial lever portion 22 can be moved forward relative to the lever body 21.
[0038] The return bulge 22f is a projection provided on the inertia mass portion 22b that is on the rear and outward side of the vehicle. When the inertia lever portion 22 is in the shift position and the outside door handle or inside door handle is opened with a larger stroke than usual, the return bulge 22f contacts the return contact projection 3 provided on the case 1, as shown in Figure 13, and rotates the inertia lever portion 22 toward the outward side of the vehicle relative to the lever body 21 against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 23, and then moves the inertia lever portion 22 toward the front side of the vehicle. In other words, when the inertia lever portion 22 is in the shift position and the outside door handle or inside door handle is opened with a larger stroke than usual, the return bulge 22f contacts the return contact projection 3 of the case 1 and the open link 20 moves upward. When the open link 20 moves upward while the return bulge 22f of the inertia lever portion 22 is in contact with the return contact projection 3 of the case 1, the inertia lever portion 22 rotates relatively outward relative to the lever body 21, and the contact between the restricting projection 21g and the block portion 22c is released. Subsequently, when the inertia lever portion 22 is moved forward relative to the lever body 21 by the return contact projection 3, the restriction on the rotational movement of the inertia lever portion 22 by the return contact projection 3 is released, and as a result, the rotational spring force of the torsion coil spring 23 causes the inertia lever portion 22 to return to the operating position via the sensing position. The return bulge 22f and the return contact projection 3 are configured not to contact each other when the inertia lever portion 22 is in the operating position, and to allow the open link 20 to move upward.
[0039] Furthermore, the door latch device is provided with an engagement mechanism 60 between the support shaft portion 21b of the lever body 21 and the insertion portion 22a of the inertia lever portion 22. The engagement mechanism 60 allows relative movement of the support shaft portion 21b along the axial direction with respect to the insertion hole 22d when the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned in a predetermined attachment / detachment position relative to the lever body 21, while restricting relative movement of the support shaft portion 21b along the axial direction with respect to the insertion hole 22d when it is positioned in the operating position, sensing position, or shift position by engaging with each other. In other words, when the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned in an attachment / detachment position relative to the lever body 21, the engagement mechanism 60 allows the operation of attaching and detaching the inertia lever portion 22 to the lever body 21 by allowing relative movement of the support shaft portion 21b along the axial direction with respect to the insertion hole 22d. If the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned relative to the lever body 21 in a position other than the operating position or other attachment / detachment position, the engagement mechanism 60 functions to prevent the inertia lever portion 22 from being attached to or detached from the lever body 21 by restricting the relative movement of the support shaft portion 21b along the axial direction with respect to the insertion hole 22d.
[0040] In this embodiment, the engagement mechanism 60 is constructed by providing two engagement protrusions 61A and 61B at the end of the support shaft portion 21b, and forming two insertion notches 62A and 62B on the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole 22d. The two engagement protrusions 61A and 61B protrude radially from positions 180° apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the support shaft portion 21b, and are configured to have different widths. The two insertion notches 62A and 62B are formed at positions 180° apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the insertion hole 22d, and are formed to have widths corresponding to the engagement protrusions 61A and 61B. That is, the wider insertion notch 62A allows the wider engagement protrusion 61A to be inserted, while the narrower insertion notch 62B allows the narrower engagement protrusion 61B to be inserted, but the wider engagement protrusion 61A cannot be inserted. As shown in Figure 10, these engaging protrusions 61A, 61B and insertion notches 62A, 62B are provided on the lever body 21 and the inertia lever portion 22 such that when the engaging projection 21d of the lever body 21 is positioned almost vertically upward and the inertia mass portion 22b of the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned almost horizontally toward the outside of the vehicle (attachment / detachment position), the engaging protrusions 61A and insertion notches 62A of corresponding widths align, and the engaging protrusions 61B and insertion notches 62B of corresponding widths align. Therefore, when the inertia lever portion 22 is offset 180° from the lever body 21, the wider engaging protrusion 61A faces the narrower insertion notch 62B. As a result, if the inertia lever portion 22 is not positioned correctly for attachment and detachment relative to the lever body 21, the engaging projection 61A cannot be inserted into the insertion notch 62B, thereby preventing incorrect assembly.
[0041] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, in order to attach the inertia lever portion 22 to the lever body 21, first, a torsion coil spring 23 is attached to the support shaft portion 21b, one end is connected to the lever body 21 and the other end is connected to the inertia lever portion 22. From this state, the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned to be attached and detached against the rotational spring force of the torsion coil spring 23, and then the support shaft portion 21b is inserted into the insertion hole 22d of the insertion portion 22a against the axial spring force of the torsion coil spring 23. After the two engaging protrusions 61A and 61B pass through their respective insertion notches 62A and 62B, the operating force is removed from the inertia lever portion 22, and the rotational spring force of the torsion coil spring 23 rotates the inertia lever portion 22 toward the operating position, so that the positions of the engaging protrusions 61A and 61B are shifted from the insertion notches 62A and 62B. As a result, the engaging protrusions 61A and 61B come into contact with the end face on the rear side of the insertion portion 22a, maintaining the state in which the insertion portion 22a is externally mounted to the support shaft portion 21b. Subsequently, by appropriately moving the inertia lever portion 22 against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 23 and positioning the block portion 22c between the contact projection 21c and the engaging projection 21d of the lever body 21, an open link 20 can be constructed in which the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned in the operating position. Therefore, when assembling the lever body 21, the inertia lever portion 22, and the torsion coil spring 23 to construct the open link 20, it is no longer necessary to prepare or screw a separate part, thus simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs and weight.
[0042] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the open link 20 configured as described above is mounted on the vehicle via the case 1 with the support shaft portion 21b of the lever body 21 aligned with the front and rear of the vehicle and the inertia lever portion 22 positioned in the operating position. Under normal use, the inertia lever portion 22 is maintained in the operating position by the rotational spring force of the torsion coil spring 23. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, when the lever body 21 is in the unlocked position, that is, when the open link 20 is in the unlocked state, the pressing contact surface 22e of the inertia lever portion 22 faces the lower surface of the ratchet lever 14a. As a result, when the lever body 21 moves upward due to the opening operation of the outside door handle or the inside door handle, the ratchet lever 14a moves upward via the pressing contact surface 22e, releasing the engagement of the ratchet 14 with the latch 12, and making it possible to open the side door.
[0043] On the other hand, when the remote control or lock knob is locked, the lock lever 52 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 3, causing the lever body 21 and the inertia lever portion 22 to tilt forward together, and the open link 20 is locked. At this time, as shown in Figure 5, the pressing contact surface 22e of the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned in front of the ratchet lever 14a. Therefore, even if the lever body 21 moves upward due to the opening operation of the outside door handle or the inside door handle, the inertia lever portion 22 does not come into contact with the ratchet lever 14a, and the engagement state of the ratchet 14 with the latch 12 is maintained. As a result, when the door latch device is locked, the side door remains closed relative to the vehicle even when the outside door handle or inside door handle is operated.
[0044] When an impact force is applied to the vehicle in the lateral direction, such as in a side collision, the inertia lever portion 22, whose upper end is the inertia mass portion 22b, rotates relative to the lever body 21 against the rotational spring force of the torsion coil spring 23. At this time, as described above, when the inertia lever portion 22 rotates beyond the sensing position relative to the lever body 21, the return contact projection 3 comes into contact with the inertia mass portion 22b and the block portion 22c, so that the engaging projection 61A and the insertion notch 62A, and the engaging projection 61B and the insertion notch 62B do not align. Therefore, even when an impact force is applied to the vehicle, there is no risk of the inertia lever portion 22 falling off the lever body 21. When the inertia lever portion 22 reaches the sensing position, the inertia lever portion 22 moves to the shift position relative to the lever body 21 due to the axial spring force of the torsion coil spring 23. As a result, the contact projection 21c and the block portion 22c overlap each other in the circumferential direction, and the rotational spring force of the torsion coil spring 23 prevents the inertia lever portion 22 from returning to the operating position via the sensing position. Therefore, from this state, as shown in Figure 13, even if the open link 20 is in the unlocked state and the lever body 21 moves upward due to the opening operation of the outside door handle or the inside door handle, the pressing contact surface 22e does not come into contact with the ratchet lever 14a, and the engagement state of the ratchet 14 with the latch 12 is maintained. This prevents the side door from opening unintentionally immediately after an impact force such as a side collision is applied to the vehicle.
[0045] Furthermore, in the above-described state, when the block portion 22c is positioned beyond the restricting projection 21g, the inertia lever portion 22 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the rear of the vehicle due to the rotational spring force of the torsion coil spring 23, and the front end surface of the block portion 22c is maintained facing the restricting projection 21g. As a result, the inertia mass portion 22b of the inertia lever portion 22 does not move forward relative to the lever body 21. In other words, after the inertia lever portion 22 is positioned in the shift position relative to the lever body 21, even if the outside door handle or inside door handle moves in the same direction as the opening operation due to the effect of an impact force applied to the vehicle, the inertia lever portion 22 will not return to the operating position via the sensing position, thereby more reliably preventing the side door from opening unintentionally.
[0046] In the embodiment described above, a door latch device mounted on the side door of a four-wheeled vehicle is used as an example, but it can of course be mounted on other types of vehicles. In this case, the door does not necessarily have to be located on the side of the vehicle, nor does the hinge axis have to be aligned vertically.
[0047] Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment illustrates a mechanism in which the inertia lever portion 22 rotates to a sensitive position relative to the lever body 21 before moving to the shift position, in the present invention, it is sufficient for the inertia lever portion 22 to be positioned at the sensitive position, and it is not necessarily required for it to move to the shift position.
[0048] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the lever body 21 is provided with a support shaft portion 21b and the inertia lever portion 22 is provided with an insertion portion 22a. However, it is also possible to provide the support shaft portion to the inertia lever portion 22 and the insertion portion to the lever body.
[0049] Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment illustrates a configuration in which the lever body 21 and the inertia lever portion 22 are moved along the axis of the support shaft portion 21b, and the support shaft portion 21b is inserted into the insertion hole 22d of the insertion portion 22a, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it is also possible to form a notch in the insertion portion 22a along the radial direction so as to cut out a part of the insertion hole 22d, and to move the support shaft portion 21b radially through this notch, thereby externalizing the insertion portion around the support shaft portion. In this case, the width of the notch provided in the insertion portion should be smaller than the outer diameter of the support shaft portion, a narrow-diameter portion should be provided in a part of the support shaft portion so as to pass through the notch, and a portion with a larger diameter than the insertion hole should be provided at the end of the support shaft portion. The narrow-diameter portion does not need to have a circular cross-section; for example, it may have a two-sided width.
[0050] In the above embodiment, when the lever body 21 and the inertia lever portion 22 are moved relative to each other along the axis of the support shaft portion 21b, the engagement mechanism 60 is exemplified as having two sets of engagement protrusions 61A, 61B and insertion notches 62A, 62B, but at least one set is sufficient. Also, when two sets of engagement protrusions 61A, 61B and insertion notches 62A, 62B are provided, they are formed at positions offset by 180° from each other in the circumferential direction, but they may be provided at other angularly offset positions. In this case, the widths of the two sets may be the same.
[0051] Furthermore, it is also possible to use an engaging projection that is configured to be press-fitted into the insertion notch. That is, if an engaging projection is configured to be elastically deformable and slightly larger in dimensions than the insertion notch, it will be possible for it to pass through the insertion notch due to elastic deformation, but after passing through the insertion section, the dimensions of the engaging projection will be larger than those of the insertion notch, thus restricting its passage. As a result, once the support shaft of the lever body is inserted into the insertion hole of the inertia lever, there is no risk of the support shaft falling out of the insertion hole due to the spring force along the axial direction of the torsion coil spring immediately afterward, making the assembly process easier.
[0052] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the inertial mass portion 22b and the block portion 22c are brought into contact with the return contact projection 3 of the case 1 to restrict the rotation of the inertial lever portion 22. However, it is sufficient to bring only one of the inertial mass portion 22b or the block portion 22c into contact with the return contact projection 3. Moreover, although the return contact projection 3 also serves the function of returning the inertial lever portion 22 from the shift position to the operating position by contacting the return bulge portion 22f, it is not necessarily required that the return contact projection 3 has the function of returning the inertial lever portion 22. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0053] 1 case 3. Return contact projection (stopper part: return part) 12 Latch 14 Ratchet 14a Ratchet Lever 20 Open Links 21 Lever body 21b Support shaft part 22 Inertia lever section 22a Insertion section 22d Through hole 23. Torsion coil spring (biasing member) 60 Engagement mechanism 61A,61B Engagement protrusion 62A, 62B Insertion notches
Claims
1. It includes an open link that changes between unlocked and locked states and operates when the door handle is opened, and a ratchet lever that releases the engagement of the ratchet with the latch when an operating force is applied via the open link. The aforementioned open link is, A lever body that is displaced to an unlocked position corresponding to the unlocked state and a locked position corresponding to the locked state, and moves in conjunction with the opening operation of the door handle, An inertia lever portion that moves to an operating position and a non-operating position by rotating relative to the lever body about a predetermined axis, A biasing member that biases the lever body in the rotational direction so that the inertia lever portion is maintained in the operating position. A door latch device comprising the following, wherein the operating force can only be transmitted to the ratchet lever when the door handle is opened while the lever body is positioned in the unlock position and the inertia lever portion is positioned in the operating position, A support shaft is provided on either the lever body or the inertia lever portion, and an insertion portion having an insertion hole is provided on the other of the lever body or the inertia lever portion, and the lever body and the inertia lever portion are arranged so as to be rotatable relative to each other by externalizing the insertion portion around the support shaft portion via the insertion hole, Between the support shaft portion and the insertion portion, an engagement mechanism is provided that allows the support shaft portion to be attached to and detached from the insertion hole when the inertia lever portion is in a predetermined attachment / detachment position relative to the lever body, while preventing the support shaft portion from being attached to and detached from the insertion hole when it is positioned in the operating position or the non-operating position. The support shaft portion and the insertion portion are such that the support shaft portion is attached to and detached from the insertion hole by relative movement along the axial direction. The door latch device is characterized in that the attachment / detachment position is provided in a position where the inertia lever portion has rotated further from the operating position beyond the non-operating position relative to the lever body.
2. The engagement mechanism is An engaging projection is provided so as to protrude radially from the tip of the support shaft portion, The insertion portion has an insertion notch formed radially from the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole, The door latch device according to claim 1, characterized in that the engaging projection aligns with the insertion notch only when the inertia lever portion is in the attachment / detachment position relative to the lever body, and the engaging projection passes through the insertion notch by relative movement of the lever body and the inertia lever portion along the axial direction of the support shaft portion.
3. The aforementioned engaging protrusions are provided in pairs at positions offset by 180° from each other in the circumferential direction of the support shaft. The insertion notches are provided in two positions, offset by 180° from each other in the circumferential direction of the support shaft. The door latch device according to claim 2, characterized in that one of the engaging protrusions is formed to be insertable into one of the insertion notches and not insertable into the other of the insertion notches.
4. The door latch device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support shaft portion is provided on the lever body.
5. The door latch device according to claim 1, characterized in that the case housing the inertia lever portion is provided with a stopper portion that allows the inertia lever portion to rotate to the non-operating position relative to the lever body, while preventing it from rotating to the detachable position by contacting it when the inertia lever portion rotates beyond the non-operating position.
6. The door latch device according to claim 1, wherein the case housing the inertia lever portion is provided with a return portion that contacts the inertia lever portion when the door handle is opened by a preset return stroke amount while the inertia lever portion is in the non-operating position, thereby returning the inertia lever portion to the operating position.
Citation Information
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