Vehicle door latch apparatus

• US 20090160198A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoda, Yuji
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/32 allowing simultaneous actuation of locking or unlocking elements and a handle, e.g. preventing interference between an unlocking and an unlatching action
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/16 operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/34 of geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5403 Dog having a dog
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5407 Related dogging means for latch-bolt

Abstract

An operating mechanism unit includes a motor, a worm wheel being rotated by the motor, a sector gear meshing with a pinion provided on one side of the worm wheel and rotating to an unlocking position and a locking position, switch levers connected to the sector gear and shifting to an unlocking position where engagement with a meshing mechanism is releasable and a locking position where the engagement cannot be released, and a key sub-lever pivotally supported on the same pivot on which the sector gear pivots. The key sub-lever is rotatable from a neutral position in an unlocking direction and a locking direction in synchronism with operation of a key cylinder so as to rotate the sector gear to the unlocking position by rotating in the unlocking direction and to rotate the sector gear in the locking direction by rotating in the locking direction.

Claims

1. A vehicle door latch apparatus comprising:

a meshing mechanism unit that is configured to engage with and disengage from a striker provided on a vehicle body;

an operating mechanism unit that is configured to operate the meshing mechanism unit, the operating mechanism unit comprising;

a gearwheel comprising a pinion on one side thereof;

a motor that rotates the gearwheel;

a sector gear, which is pivotally supported by a pivot, which meshes with the pinion, and which is rotated by the pinion of the gearwheel;

a switch lever, which is connected to the sector gear, and which is shiftable to;

an unlocking position where engagement between the meshing mechanism unit and the striker is releasable; and

a locking position where the engagement is unreleasable; and

a key sub-lever, which is pivotally supported on the pivot, which is rotatable in an unlocking direction and a locking direction in synchronism with operations of a operation key cylinder provided on an external side of a door, and which is configured to;

rotate the sector gear to the unlocking position by rotating in the unlocking direction; and

rotate the sector gear in the locking direction by rotating in the locking direction.

2. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the sector gear comprises the key sub-lever on a first side thereof, and

wherein the sector gear is provided such that the first side of the sector gear faces the one side of the gearwheel.

3. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the operating mechanism unit further comprises:

a lock lever, which is pivotally supported on the pivot so as to rotate together with the sector gear, and which is linked with a lock knob provided on an internal side of the door,

wherein the lock lever is provided on a second side, which is opposite to the first side, of the sector gear.

4. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the sector gear, the key-sub lever and the lock lever are pivotally supported on the pivot such that the key-sub lever rotates independently of the sector gear and the lock lever rotates together with the sector gear.

5. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the operating mechanism unit further comprises a body,

wherein the meshing mechanism unit is pivotally fixed to the body, the meshing mechanism unit further comprising:

a latch, which is pivotally fixed to the body, and which is engagable with a striker secured to the vehicle body; and

a ratchet, which is pivotally fixed to the body, which is engagable with and disangagable from the latch, and which comprises an engagement pin at a rotating end portion thereof, and

wherein the engagement pin is engagable with the switch lever.

6. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the switch lever is movable in a direction in which the switch lever engages with the engagement pin when the sector gear and the switch lever are in the locking position, and

wherein the switch lever is movable in a direction in which the switch lever fails to engage with the engagement pin when the sector gear and the switch lever are in the unlocking position.

7. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the sector gear comprises a projecting portion on one side thereof, and

wherein the switch lever is operated to follow a rotation of the sector gear, the switch lever comprising:

a first switch lever comprising an elongated hole that is brought into slidable engagement with the projecting portion of the sector gear; and

a second switch lever that is rotatable independently of the first switch lever and is engagable with the engagement pin.

8. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the operating mechanism unit further comprises a lock lever that is pivotally supported on the pivot, and

wherein the sector gear, the key-sub lever and the lock lever are pivotally supported on the pivot such that the lock lever is provided on the one side of the sector gear and the key-sub lever is provided on the other side of the sector gear, the other side of the sector gear facing the one side of the gearwheel.

9. The vehicle door latch apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating mechanism unit further comprises:

a body, to which the meshing mechanism is pivotally fixed;

a cover for covering one side of the body; and

an outside lever that is pivotally supported within the cover, the switch lever being connected to an end portion of the outside lever; and

an inside lever, which is pivotally supported within the cover, and which is abuttable with the outside lever.