Vehicle tailgate latch mechanism

Abstract

To provide a latch device for a back door of a vehicle, configured to allow a plurality of door opening methods in case of emergency, while preventing disengagement of gears as much as possible.SOLUTION: A latch device 1 includes a first section exposed from a back door and a second section housed in the back door. The latch device 1 includes: a meshing mechanism which meshes with a striker S of a vehicle; a manual disengagement unit; a motor; a motor-driven disengagement unit which is connected to the motor, includes a gear transmission path for transmitting power of the motor to the meshing mechanism, to release the engagement between the meshing mechanism and the striker S by power of the motor; and a manual cut-off unit which manually cuts off the gear transmission path in the motor-driven disengagement unit. The manual disengagement unit includes at least one main manual operation units 44A, 44B arranged in the first section. The manual cut-off unit includes a sub manual operation unit 92 arranged in the second portion P2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a latch device for a back door of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Some latch devices for the back door of a vehicle are known to have a mechanism that changes a latch in a half-latch state to a full-latch state by the power of a motor. This mechanism is called a power latching mechanism. The motor is also used to open the back door. In some cases, an emergency structure may be provided to enable manual operation of opening the back door when the back door cannot be opened by the motor for some reason. Patent Document 1 discloses a latch device that enables manual opening by removing the mounting bolts of the motor and disengaging the motor from the sector gear. Patent Document 2 discloses a latch device that manually lifts a worm gear and disengages the meshing between a pinion gear provided on the output shaft of the motor and the worm gear. Manual opening can be achieved by operating the ratchet after disengaging the meshing between the pinion gear and the worm gear.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] To reliably open the back door manually, it is preferable to provide a plurality of opening means. The configuration of disengaging the meshing of gears as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is one of the opening means. However, when the meshing of the gears is disengaged, there is a possibility that the gears may not mesh properly when restoring, so it is necessary to check the operation of the latch device at a maintenance factory or the like.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a latch device for a vehicle's back door that allows for multiple opening methods in an emergency and minimizes the risk of disengaging the gears. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The latch device of the present invention is attached to the back door of a vehicle and has a first part exposed from the back door and a second part housed in the back door. The latch device has a meshing mechanism that meshes with a vehicle striker, a manual meshing release unit for manually releasing the meshing of the meshing mechanism with the striker, a motor, a powered meshing release unit connected to the motor and having a gear transmission path that transmits the motor's power to the meshing mechanism and releases the meshing of the meshing mechanism with the striker by the motor's power, and a manual cutting unit for manually cutting the gear transmission path of the powered meshing release unit. The manual meshing release unit has at least one main manual operation unit provided in the first part, and the manual cutting unit has a sub-manual operation unit provided in the second part. The gear transmission path has a first gear and a second gear that mesh with each other. The manual cutting section has a lever member that disengages the meshing of the first gear and the second gear by moving the first gear. The lever member has a holding member that holds the first gear after it has been moved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a latch device for a vehicle's back door that allows for multiple opening methods in an emergency and avoids disengaging the gears as much as possible. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a side view of the first and second latch devices attached to the vehicle's tailgate. [Figure 2] This is an exploded side view of the first and second latching devices. [Figure 3] This is a functional relationship diagram of the main elements of the first latching device. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the first latching device. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view of the first latching device. [Figure 6] This is an exploded perspective view of the engagement mechanism of the first latch device. [Figure 7] This is an exploded perspective view of the upper part of the partition plate of the first latching device. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the gear transmission path of the first latching device. [Figure 9] This is an exploded side view of the vicinity of the manual cutting section of the first latch device. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the first housing of the first latching device. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the ratchet of the first latching device. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view of the third gear and disengagement member of the first latching device. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of the lever member of the first latching device. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view of the meshing mechanism and gear transmission path of the second latching device. [Figure 15] This is a plan view of the engagement mechanism and memory lever of the second latching device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention applies to two types of latch devices for back doors (first and second latch devices 1,101). Of the first and second latch devices 1,101, only the first latch device 1 has a scinting function that uses motor power to pull the striker S into the engagement mechanism 31. The second latch device 101 does not have a scinting function. Depending on the vehicle type and grade, only one of the first latch device 1 or the second latch device 101 may be installed in a single vehicle. For convenience, in this specification, the first latch device 1 and the second latch device 101 will be referred to as a set of latch devices. However, it should be noted that the first latch device 1 and the second latch device 101 may be manufactured and distributed separately. In the following description, terms such as "clockwise direction," "counterclockwise direction," and "top view" are defined as an upward view unless otherwise specified. The term "upward view" means looking from above in a direction perpendicular to the cover plate 2 which is on the horizontal plane. In the diagram, the X direction represents the vehicle width direction, the Y direction represents the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and the Z direction represents the vertical direction. These are defined with the cover plate 2 in a horizontal plane.

[0010] Figure 1(a) shows a side view of the first latch device 1 mounted on the back door D, and Figure 1(b) shows a side view of the second latch device 101 mounted on the back door D. Figure 2(a) shows an exploded side view of the first latch device 1 with the cover plate 2 in a horizontal plane, and Figure 2(b) shows an exploded side view of the second latch device 101 with the cover plate 2 in a horizontal plane. The first and second latch devices 1,101 each include an engagement unit 3, an engagement release unit 6, and a cover plate 2. Mounting portions 21 for attaching the first and second latch devices 1,101 to the back door D are provided on both sides of the cover plate 2 (see also Figure 4). The first and second latch devices 1,101 are attached to the back door D by inserting bolts (not shown) through holes in the mounting portions 21. The engagement unit 3 and the engagement release unit 6 are adjacent to each other and supported on one surface 23 of the cover plate 2. During manufacturing, various components can be attached to one surface 23 of the cover plate 2, thus improving manufacturability.

[0011] The meshing unit 3 and the cover plate 2 are exposed from the back door D. A part of the disengaging unit 6 is exposed from the back door D, and the remaining part is accommodated in the back door D. In the following description, the part exposed from the back door D is referred to as the first part P1, and the part accommodated in the back door D is referred to as the second part P2. The first part P1 corresponds to a part of the disengaging unit 6, the meshing unit 3, and the cover plate 2, and the second part P2 corresponds to the remaining part of the disengaging unit 6. Next, the first latch device 1 will be described. Fig. 3 shows a functional relationship diagram of the main elements.

[0012] (First Latch Device 1) (Meshing Unit 3) Referring to Figures 4-6, the meshing unit 3 includes a meshing mechanism 31 that meshes with the vehicle's striker S, and a first housing 51 that houses the meshing mechanism 31. The meshing mechanism 31 includes a latch 32 that can mesh with the striker S, and a latch shaft 33 that extends in the Z direction and rotatably supports the latch 32. The latch 32 includes a striker meshing groove 34, a half-latch meshing portion 35, and a full-latch meshing portion 36. Viewed from above, the latch 32 is biased by a latch spring (not shown) in the direction that releases the striker S (counterclockwise). The latch shaft 33 is directly supported by the cover plate 2. The meshing mechanism 31 includes a ratchet 41 that can mesh with the latch 32, and a ratchet shaft 42 that extends in the Z direction and rotatably supports the ratchet 41. The ratchet 41 has a pawl portion 43 that can engage with the half-latch engagement portion 35 and the full-latch engagement portion 36 of the latch 32. Viewed from above, the ratchet 41 is biased by a ratchet spring (not shown) in the direction that engages with the latch 32 (clockwise). The ratchet shaft 42 is directly supported by the cover plate 2. When the back door D is closed, the striker S enters the striker engagement groove 34 of the latch 32, causing the latch 32 to rotate clockwise. The pawl portion 43 of the ratchet 41 passes through the half-latch engagement portion 35 and reaches the full-latch engagement portion 36, engaging with the full-latch engagement portion 36. As a result, the back door D is locked by the engagement mechanism 31 (latch 32). The ratchet 41 also has a manual engagement release portion 44 (described later).

[0013] The meshing mechanism 31 is housed in the first housing 51. The first housing 51 is made of resin. Referring mainly to FIG. 10, the first housing 51 has a striker entry groove 52 into which the striker S enters. On the upper surface 53 of the first housing 51, first and second openings 54, 55 for operating first and second main manual operation parts 44A, 44B (described later) of the manual meshing release part 44 are provided respectively. On the upper surface 53 of the first housing 51, there are further provided a third opening 56 through which the latch shaft 33 penetrates and a fourth opening 57 through which the ratchet shaft 42 penetrates. The latch shaft 33 and the ratchet shaft 42 are fixed to a cover member 58 attached to the upper surface 53 of the first housing 51. The latch shaft 33 and the ratchet shaft 42 are supported by the first housing 51, the cover plate 2, and the cover member 58.

[0014] (Manual meshing release part 44) The manual meshing release part 44 manually releases the meshing with the striker S of the meshing mechanism 31. This operation is called operation A. In an emergency such as when the vehicle battery is on or the motor 61 fails, the meshing of the latch 32 and the ratchet 41 cannot be released by the power meshing release part 7 (described later) to open the back door D. Also, when installing the first latch device 1 before mounting the battery on the vehicle at the factory, the meshing of the latch 32 and the ratchet 41 cannot be released by the power meshing release part 7. For this reason, the first latch device 1 has a manual meshing release part 44 for manually releasing the meshing of the latch 32 and the ratchet 41. The manual meshing release part 44 has first and second main manual operation parts 44A, 44B integrally formed with the ratchet 41. The first and second main manual operation parts 44A, 44B are provided in the first part P1. For this reason, the first and second main manual operation parts 44A, 44B can be easily operated from inside the vehicle. When the back door D is closed, the first main manual operation part44A is arranged in front of the vehicle than the second main manual operation part 44B.

[0015] Referring to Figures 6 and 11, the first and second main manual operating parts 44A and 44B are projections located on both sides of the ratchet shaft 42 and extending generally upward from the upper surface of the ratchet 41. The first and second main manual operating parts 44A and 44B are operable through the first opening 54 and the second opening 55 of the first housing 51, respectively. The first main manual operating part 44A is located inside the first housing 51. To operate the first main manual operating part 44A, a vehicle key or a rod-shaped object is inserted into the first opening 54, and the first main manual operating part 44A is pressed downward as shown by the arrow in Figure 11. The upper surface of the first main manual operating part 44A has a downward slope 44C in the clockwise direction. Pressing the first main manual operating part 44A downward causes the ratchet 41 to rotate counterclockwise, and the latch 32 disengages from the ratchet 41. The second main manual operating part 44B penetrates the first housing 51, and its tip protrudes to the outside of the first housing 51. To operate the second main manual operating part 44B, the tip of the second main manual operating part 44B is pushed counterclockwise by hand. This causes the ratchet 41 to rotate counterclockwise, and the latch 32 disengages from the ratchet 41.

[0016] The area where the first main manual control unit 44A is located may have a decorative cover installed to improve appearance or prevent the intrusion of moisture and dust, depending on the vehicle. For this reason, the first main manual control unit 44A is located inside the first housing 51 to allow for the installation of a decorative cover. However, the first main manual control unit 44A may also be provided so as to protrude from the first housing 51, similar to the second main manual control unit 44B. In this case, a removable or openable protective cover may be provided to cover the first main manual control unit 44A to avoid accidental operation. In contrast, the area where the second main manual control unit 44B is located is above the first main manual control unit 44A, making it less susceptible to moisture and dust intrusion, and therefore less likely to have a decorative cover installed. For this reason, the second main manual control unit 44B is provided so as to protrude from the first housing 51, taking operability into consideration. However, the second main manual control unit 44B may be provided inside the first housing 51, similar to the first main manual control unit 44A. By providing two main manual control units, the user can choose whichever of the first and second main manual control units 44A and 44B is easier to operate, depending on the vehicle layout. It is also possible to omit either the first or second main manual control unit 44A or 44B, and it is sufficient to provide at least one main manual control unit 44A or 44B.

[0017] (Disengagement unit 6) The gear engagement release unit 6 includes a motor 61, a powered gear engagement release unit 7, a second housing 81, and a top plate 85. The first housing 51 and the second housing 81 are independent enclosures. Note that the first housing 51 and the second housing 81 are sometimes collectively referred to as the housing. As shown in Figure 7, the motor 61 includes a motor body 62 and an output shaft 63 connected to the motor body 62. A pinion gear 64 is formed on the output shaft 63, which constitutes a connection part 64 with the gear transmission path (described later).

[0018] (Powered mesh release part 7) The powered release unit 7 releases the engagement of the engagement mechanism 31 (latch 32) with the striker S using the power of the motor 61. The powered release unit 7 has a gear transmission path 71 that transmits the power of the motor 61 to the ratchet 41. The gear transmission path 71 is connected to the motor 61 via a connection part 64 (pinion gear 64) on the output shaft 63 of the motor 61. The gear transmission path 71 also functions as a reduction mechanism that reduces the rotation of the motor 61, and in this embodiment, it has multiple gears. As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the gear transmission path 71 has first to third gears 72 to 74, with the first gear 72 and the second gear 73 meshing with each other, and the second gear 73 and the third gear 74 meshing with each other. The first gear 72 and the second gear 73 each have large diameter sections 72A, 73A and small diameter sections 72B, 73B, respectively. The small diameter portion 72B of the first gear 72 meshes with the large diameter portion 73A of the second gear 73, and the small diameter portion 73B of the second gear 73 meshes with the third gear 74. A gear disengagement member 75 is connected to the third gear 74 by a spline. The first gear 72, the third gear 74, and the gear disengagement member 75 rotate around a common first rotation axis R1 extending in the Z direction, and the second gear 73 rotates around a second rotation axis R2 extending in the Z direction. Thus, the powered gear disengagement unit 7 has multiple rotation axes R1, R2 that rotatably support the multiple gears 72-74. Each rotation axis R1, R2 is directly supported by the cover plate 2.

[0019] Referring to Figures 7, 8, and 12, the third gear 74 has a first projection 76. The first projection 76 extends radially outward from the first rotation axis R1. An operating part 45 is provided at the end of the ratchet 41 at the same height as the first projection 76. When opening the back door D, the motor 61 is started and the first to third gears 72 to 74 are rotated via the connecting part 64. The third gear 74 rotates clockwise when viewed from above, the first projection 76 pushes the operating part 45, and the ratchet 41 rotates counterclockwise. This disengages the latch 32 from the ratchet 41, making it possible to open the back door D.

[0020] When the back door D is closed, if the latch 32 stops in a half-latched state, this state is detected by a sensor (not shown), and the motor 61 rotates in the opposite direction. The engagement release member 75 is equipped with a second projection 77. The second projection 77 extends radially outward from the first rotation axis R1 at a different height position than the first projection 76. The second projection 77 is provided at a different height position than the operating part 45 of the ratchet 41. Therefore, when the door is opened, the second projection 77 does not come into contact with the operating part 45 of the ratchet 41. Above the latch 32, a scinting member 78 is positioned coaxially with the latch 32. The scinting member 78 can rotate around the latch axis 33 independently of the latch 32. The second projection 77 comes into contact with the end 79 of the scinting member 78, causing the scinting member 78 to rotate counterclockwise. The latch 32 is equipped with an action portion 37 that protrudes upward, and when the scinting member 78 pushes the action portion 37, the latch 32 rotates clockwise. This causes the latch 32 to retract the striker S, resulting in a fully latched state. Since the first protruding portion 76 is at a different height from the scinting member 78, the first protruding portion 76 does not come into contact with the scinting member 78.

[0021] (Manual cutting section 9) Depending on the position where the motor 61 is stopped, it may not be possible to release the engagement between the latch 32 and the ratchet 41 using the manual engagement release unit 44. For example, if the motor 61 malfunctions and stops (closed lock) while the power scinting mechanism is operating and the back door D is pulled to the fully closed position by the power of the motor 61, it may not be possible to release the engagement between the latch 32 and the ratchet 41 using the manual engagement release unit 44. That is, since the latch 32 is restrained by the scinting member 78, the scinting member 78 is restrained by the second protruding part 77, and the second protruding part 77 is connected to the motor 61 via the gear transmission path 71, in order to move the latch 32, it is necessary to rotate the ratchet 41 against the resistance of the motor 61. However, since the motor 61 is locked, it is not possible to rotate the ratchet 41. Therefore, the first latch device 1 has a manual cutting unit 9 that manually cuts the gear transmission path 71 of the power engagement release unit 7.

[0022] Referring to Figures 9 and 13, the manual cutting section 9 has a lever member 91. The lever member 91 has a third rotating shaft R3 with a sub-manual operating section 92 at one end, and an arm section 93 extending generally radially from the third rotating shaft R3. The third rotating shaft R3 is rotatably supported by the second housing 81 and extends in a Y direction different from that of the first rotating shaft R1, in this embodiment in a direction perpendicular to that of the first rotating shaft R1. The arm section 93 has at least one contact section 94A, 94B that can contact the lower surface 72C of the large diameter section 72A of the first gear 72. The sub-manual operating section 92 has a slit 96 on its operating surface 95. By inserting an operating tool such as a vehicle key into the slit 96 and rotating the sub-manual operating section 92 clockwise in Figure 9, the arm section 93 rotates around the third rotating shaft R3. This operation is called operation B. The contact portions 94A and 94B rotate around the third rotation axis R3 and rise, pushing up the first gear 72. This moves or lifts the first gear 72 upward, disengaging the small diameter portion 72A of the first gear 72 from the large diameter portion 73A of the second gear 73. Since the restraining force of the motor 61 is removed, the first to third gears 72 to 74 and the engagement release member 75 become rotatable. In this state, the engagement between the latch 32 and the ratchet 41 can be released by operating the manual engagement release unit 44 (operation A). The arm portion 93 has multiple contact portions 94A and 94B that contact the lower surface 72C of the large diameter portion 72A of the first gear 72 at different locations, so that the first gear 72 can be reliably lifted upward. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the two contact portions 94A and 94B are provided on both sides of the first rotation axis R1 of the first gear 72, the first gear 72 can be more reliably lifted along the upward Z direction. As a result, damage to the first gear 72 and the second gear 73 is less likely to occur when operation B is performed.

[0023] The lever member 91 has first and second holding members 97A and 97B that hold the first gear 72 after it has been moved (lifted). The first and second holding members 97A and 97B are arm-shaped members that extend generally in the circumferential direction around the third rotation axis R3 and are flexible. The third rotation axis R3, the arm portion 93, and the first and second holding members 97A and 97B that constitute the lever member 91 are integrally formed from resin or metal. The first holding member 97A extends above the third rotation axis R3, and the second holding member 97B extends below the third rotation axis R3. The tip of the first holding member 97A faces the inner surface of the top plate 85, and the tip of the second holding member 97B faces the upper surface of the partition plate 82 (described later). Normally, the first retaining member 97A is separated from the inner surface of the top plate 85, and the second retaining member 97B is separated from the upper surface of the partition plate 82. The portion of the upper surface of the partition plate 82 facing the second retaining member 97B is a curved surface 83 that matches the shape of the second retaining member 97B, and a recess 84 is connected to the end of the curved surface 83.

[0024] In Figure 9, when the lever member 91 rotates clockwise around the third rotation axis R3, the first and second retaining members 97A and 97B also rotate clockwise around the third rotation axis R3. The tip of the first retaining member 97A slides against the inner surface of the top plate 85 and elastically deforms toward the third rotation axis R3. The tip of the second retaining member 97B is offset laterally with respect to the third rotation axis R3, and therefore moves downward as the lever member 91 rotates. The tip of the second retaining member 97B slides against the inner surface of the top plate 85 and elastically deforms toward the third rotation axis R3. As the lever member 91 rotates further, the tip of the second retaining member 97B fits into the recess 84 of the partition plate 82, preventing the lever member 91 from rotating counterclockwise. Since the first retaining member 97A and the second retaining member 97B are also held by frictional force, the recess 84 can be omitted. Similarly, for the same reason, either the first retaining member 97A or the second retaining member 97B can be omitted. However, in order to reliably maintain the posture of the lever member 91 (the height position of the arm portion 93), it is preferable to provide both the first retaining member 97A and the second retaining member 97B.

[0025] Maintaining the position of the lever member 91 facilitates the disengagement of the latch 32 and the ratchet 41. The first gear 72 is biased downward by a spring 86 provided between the top plate 85 and the first gear 72. Note that Figure 9 shows the top plate 85 separated from the partition plate 82 for convenience. If the first and second retaining members 97A and 97B are not provided, after disengaging the first gear 72 and the second gear 73, removing the operating tool may cause the first gear 72 to fall due to the reaction force of the spring 86 and re-engage with the second gear 73. For this reason, it is necessary to operate the sub-manual operating part 92 with the operating tool with one hand (operation B) while moving the ratchet 41 with the other hand (operation A). In this embodiment, since the first gear 72 does not fall and re-engage with the second gear 73 after operation B is performed, the disengagement of the latch 32 and the ratchet 41 can be reliably disengaged by operation A. Since the operating tool can be removed from the sub-manual operating section 92 after the meshing of the first gear 72 and the second gear 73 is released by operation B, operability is also improved.

[0026] As described above, if the first and second retaining members 97A and 97B are absent, after the first gear 72 is lifted, the first gear 72 may fall and re-engage with the second gear 73. In this case, the first gear 72 may become misaligned, preventing proper engagement and potentially leading to a new malfunction. To prevent such a situation, it is desirable to have the first latch device 1 inspected, repaired, tested, and replaced at a vehicle factory or similar facility after performing operation B. In this embodiment, the state in which the engagement between the first gear 72 and the second gear 73 is released is maintained, and thereafter, opening and closing the door by the motor 61 becomes impossible (only operation A is possible), making it easier for the user to recognize or remember a malfunction in the first latch device 1. Furthermore, if the lever member 91 is fitted into the recess 84 of the partition plate 82, the lever member 91 cannot be returned to its initial position by normal operation, thus more reliably preventing the first gear 72 from falling. By providing a recess 84 in the partition plate 82, a malfunction of the first latch device 1 becomes more easily recognizable and remembered by the user. Furthermore, unless operation B is performed, there is no need to inspect, repair, check the operation of, or replace the first latch device 1 at a maintenance factory or similar facility after operation A is performed.

[0027] As described above, since operation B involves inspection and repair at a maintenance shop, etc., it is desirable to perform it as a backup in case operation A is unsuccessful. In this embodiment, the sub-manual operation unit 92 is provided in the second part P2. As shown in Figure 1(a), an opening D1 is provided in the part of the back door D facing the sub-manual operation unit 92 on the passenger compartment side, and the opening D1 is closed by an openable and closable cover C. In order to operate the sub-manual operation unit 92, it is necessary to open the cover C and expose the sub-manual operation unit 92. Therefore, if the back door D cannot be opened by the motor 61, the first latch device 1 can guide the vehicle user to prioritize operation A.

[0028] Operation B can also be performed on the pair of the second gear 73 and the third gear 74, rather than the pair of the first gear 72 and the second gear 73. However, as can be seen from Figure 7, there is space above the first gear 72, so the structure of the manual cutting unit 9 can be simplified by lifting the first gear 72. It is also conceivable to remove the mounting bolts of the motor 61 and disengage the motor 61 from the gears in order to release the meshing of the first gear 72 and the second gear 73. However, this method requires removing the motor 61, which makes the release operation time-consuming. In this embodiment, since it is not necessary to move the motor 61, the gear transmission path 71 of the powered gear release unit 7 can be easily cut.

[0029] (Second Housing 81) The second housing 81 houses the powered release mechanism 7, the motor 61, and the manual cutting mechanism 9. The second housing 81 is made of resin. As mentioned above, the first housing 51 and the second housing 81 are separate enclosures. Therefore, even if moisture such as rainwater or dust enters the first latch device 1 through the striker engagement groove 34, most of the moisture and dust remain in the first housing 51, preventing moisture and dust from entering the second housing 81.

[0030] A partition plate 82 extending horizontally is provided inside the second housing 81. The partition plate 82 separates at least one of the gears (in this embodiment, the second gear 73 and the third gear 74) from the motor 61. That is, as schematically shown in Figure 8, the partition plate 82 divides the second housing 81 into an upper region 83A where the motor 61 is housed and a lower region 83B where the gears are mainly housed. The lower region 83B of the second housing 81 and the first housing 51 are in communication to house the latch 32 and the ratchet 41 and are not completely separated. However, since the partition plate 82 can substantially separate the upper region 83A and the lower region 83B, moisture and dust that have entered the lower region 83B of the second housing 81 are prevented from reaching the vicinity of the motor 61. As shown in Figure 7, the upper region 83A of the second housing 81 is provided with an isolation wall 84 through which the output shaft 63 of the motor 61 passes. The isolation wall 84 separates the motor body 62 from the connection part 64, further suppressing moisture and dust from reaching the motor body 62. Since the motor body 62 and the upper region 83A of the second housing 81 are covered by the top plate 85, the motor 61 is installed in a substantially sealed space surrounded by the top plate 85, the partition plate 82, and the side wall of the second housing 81. This further suppresses moisture and dust from reaching the motor body 62.

[0031] (Second latching device 101) The second latch device 101 will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. The second latch device 101 has the same configuration as the first latch device 1, except that it does not have a scinting function. The following description will focus on the differences from the first latch device 1. Configurations and effects that are not described are the same as those of the first latch device 1.

[0032] The meshing unit 3 of the second latch device 101 is substantially the same as the meshing unit 3 of the first latch device 1. That is, the latch 32 and ratchet 41 of the meshing mechanism 31 of the second latch device 101, as well as the first housing 51, are the same as those of the first latch device 1. The configuration of the manual release mechanism 44 is also the same as that of the first latch device 1. However, since the second latch device 101 does not have a scinting function, the operating part 37 of the latch 32 of the second latch device 101 may be omitted. The scinting member 78 is omitted in the second latch device 101. The cover plate 2 is also common to both the first latch device 1 and the second latch device 101. By standardizing these parts, it is possible to reduce the cost of the parts. When designing the first and second latch devices 1,101, it is possible to standardize the design of the meshing unit 3, which reduces design costs and shortens design time. By standardizing cover plate 2, it becomes possible to standardize manufacturing equipment such as jigs used for cover plate 2 during assembly.

[0033] The disengagement unit 6 of the second latch device 101 includes a motor 61, a powered disengagement unit 7, a second housing 81, and a top plate 85. However, the configuration of the gear transmission path 71 of the powered disengagement unit 7 is simplified, and as shown in Figure 14, only the first gear 172 is provided. The first gear 172 is provided only with a large-diameter portion 172A that meshes with the pinion gear 64. A disengagement member 175 equipped with a first protruding portion 176 is connected to the first gear 172. The manual cutting portion 9 is also omitted. Because the configuration of the powered disengagement unit 7 is significantly different from that of the first latch device 1, the configuration of the second housing 81 and the top plate 85 also differs from that of the first latch device 1. Thus, since there are few parts that can be common to the disengagement unit 6 of the first latch device 1 and the disengagement unit 6 of the second latch device 101, they are designed and manufactured individually. In the first and second latch devices 1,101 of this embodiment, the meshing unit 3, which has a high degree of commonality of parts, is made into a separate unit from the disengaging unit 6, which has a low degree of commonality of parts. This makes it possible to improve manufacturability and reduce costs when considering the first and second latch devices 1,101 as a whole.

[0034] (Memory lever 10) If the lifting amount of the back door D is insufficient, the ratchet 41 may re-engage with the full latch engagement portion 36 or half latch engagement portion 35 of the latch 32 before the back door D is fully open, preventing the back door D from opening. This phenomenon can occur, for example, when the vehicle is parked in a downward-sloping position, when the repulsive force of the weatherstrip is reduced, or when the periphery of the back door D freezes. A memory lever 10 is provided to address this problem. The memory lever 10 is supported by a spring above the ratchet 41. The memory lever 10 is biased counterclockwise by the spring and contacts the protruding second main manual operating portion 44B of the ratchet 41. When the ratchet 41 rotates counterclockwise during opening, the memory lever 10 slides with the second main manual operating portion 44B and moves to the right relative to the ratchet 41, with its end portion 11 engaging with a pocket 46 provided on the second main manual operating portion 44B. This prevents the ratchet 41 from rotating clockwise, preventing it from engaging with the latch 32, and allowing the back door D to be opened further. When the back door D is opened further, the latch 32 rotates, and a projection 38 on the upper surface of the latch 32 pushes the memory lever 10. This disengages the memory lever 10 from the pocket 46, and the memory lever 10 returns to its original position. The memory lever 10 is also applicable to the first embodiment.

[0035] Referring again to Figure 1, the first and second latch devices 1,101 are such that, when the back door D to which they are installed is closed, the rear vehicle end 24 of the cover plate 2 coincides with the rear vehicle end of the first and second latch devices 1,101. That is, when a vertical line L is drawn from the rear vehicle end 24 of the cover plate 2 in the installed state, the entirety of the first and second latch devices 1,101 is located on the passenger compartment side (vehicle front side) of the vertical line L. The thickness of the back door D tends to be thin to reduce vehicle weight and increase interior space, and since electrical components such as switches and handles are installed at the rear of the back door D, the installation location of the latch devices is mainly limited to the passenger compartment side of the back door D. Since the first and second latch devices 1,101 of this embodiment do not protrude to the rear of the back door D, they are highly compatible with a variety of vehicles. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 1,101 First and second latching devices D: Vehicle's back door P1, P2: Parts 1 and 2 R1~R3: 1st to 3rd rotation axes S Strika 2 Cover Plates 3. Interlocking Unit 31. Mechanism of meshing 32 Latch 33 Latch shaft 41 Ratchet 42 Ratchet shaft 44 Manual interlock release mechanism 44A, 44B First and second main manual operation sections 51. First Housing 54 First opening 55 Second opening 6. Disengagement Unit 61 Motor 62 Motor body 63 Output shaft 64 Connection part 7 Powered mesh release unit 71 Gear transmission path 72-74 The 1st to 3rd gears 81 Second Housing 82 Partition Plates 84 Isolation Wall 85 Top Plate 9 Manual cutting section 91 Lever member 92 Sub-manual operation unit 94A,94B Contact part 95 Operation surface 96 Slits Retaining members 97A and 97B

Claims

1. A latch device attached to the back door of a vehicle, having a first portion exposed from the back door and a second portion housed within the back door, A meshing mechanism that engages with the striker of the aforementioned vehicle, A manual engagement release unit for manually releasing the engagement of the engagement mechanism with the striker, Motor and, A power-operated gear release unit is connected to the motor and has a gear transmission path that transmits the power of the motor to the gear mechanism, and releases the gear mechanism from meshing with the striker using the power of the motor. The power-operated gear disengagement unit includes a manual cutting unit for manually cutting the gear transmission path, The manual engagement release unit has at least one main manual operation unit provided in the first part, and the manual cutting unit has a sub-manual operation unit provided in the second part. The gear transmission path has a first gear and a second gear that mesh with each other. The manual cutting unit has a lever member that moves the first gear to release the engagement between the first gear and the second gear. A latching device wherein the lever member has a holding member that holds the first gear after moving the first gear.

2. The latch device according to claim 1, comprising a housing for housing the meshing mechanism, the housing having first and second openings, the at least one main manual operating section having first and second main manual operating sections, the first main manual operating section being operable through the first opening, and the second main manual operating section being operable through the second opening.

3. The latch device according to claim 2, wherein, when the back door is closed, the first main manual operating unit is positioned in front of the vehicle than the second main manual operating unit, the first main manual operating unit is located inside the housing, and the second main manual operating unit penetrates the housing.

4. The latch device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a latch that can engage with the striker and a ratchet that can engage with the latch, and the at least one main manual operating part is provided on the ratchet.

5. The latch device according to claim 1, wherein the lever member has a plurality of contact portions that contact the first gear at different locations, and the lever member releases the meshing of the first gear and the second gear by raising the plurality of contact portions and lifting the first gear.

6. The latch device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of contact portions are provided on both sides of the rotation axis of the first gear.

7. The latch device according to claim 5, wherein the lever member has a rotating shaft with the sub-manual operating part at one end, the rotating shaft extends in a direction different from the rotating shaft of the first gear, and the plurality of contact parts rotate around the rotating shaft of the lever member and rise as the sub-manual operating part rotates.

8. The latch device according to claim 1, wherein the sub-manual operating section has a slit on its operating surface.

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