VEHICLE DOOR LOCK DEVICE

• US 20100327609A1
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yusuke, Akizuki, Ryujiro, Nishio, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,146,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/85
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/28 for anti-theft purposes, e.g. double-locking or super-locking
• 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 81/36 Geared sectors, e.g. fan-shaped gears
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/09 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/102 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/108 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/18 Free-end-engaging means

Abstract

A vehicle door lock device includes an active lever freely switchable between an unlock position and a lock position, a switching actuator, and a switching lever receiving drive force of the switching actuator to move a bushing. The active lever includes a first engagement piece and a second engagement piece. When the active lever is located at the unlock position, the second engagement piece engages with the first engagement piece located at a set position of the bushing to limit movement of the switching lever so that movement of the bushing is restricted within a range between an unset position and the set position. When the active lever is located at the lock position, the first engagement piece is arranged at a position avoiding engagement with the second engagement piece to allow the switching lever to move the bushing between the unset position and a double lock position.

Claims

1. A door lock device for a vehicle comprising:

a latch mechanism that holds a vehicle door in a closed state with respect to a vehicle body;

an inside lever operable from a passenger compartment of the vehicle;

an inside open lever linked to the latch mechanism and the inside lever and capable of releasing the vehicle door from the closed state held by the latch mechanism;

a locking lever freely switchable to an unlock position, which enables transmission of movement of the inside open lever and operation force from outside the vehicle to the latch mechanism in order to operate the latch mechanism so that the vehicle door is permitted to open the vehicle body, and a lock position, which disables the transmission of the movement of the inside open lever and the operation force from outside the vehicle to the latch mechanism;

a movable body movable to an unset position, which enables transmission of movement of the inside lever to the inside open lever when the locking lever is located at the unlock position, a set position, which disables the transmission of the movement of the inside lever to the inside open lever when the locking lever is located at the unlock position, and a double lock position, which disables the transmission of the movement of the inside lever to the inside open lever when the locking lever is located at the lock position;

an electrical drive unit;

a switching lever linked to the movable body and driven by the electrical drive unit to move the movable body; and

a first engagement piece arranged on the locking lever and a second engagement piece arranged on the switching lever;

wherein when the locking lever is located at the unlock position, the second engagement piece engages with the first engagement piece located at the set position of the movable body to limit movement of the switching lever so that movement of the movable body is restricted within a range between the unset position and the set position; and

when the locking lever is located at the lock position, the first engagement piece is arranged at a position avoiding engagement with the second engagement piece to allow the switching lever to move the movable body between the unset position and the double lock position.

2. The door lock device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a middle lever connected to the vehicle door and slidably supporting the movable body;

wherein the movable body is pushed by the switching lever as the switching lever moves thereby moving between the unset position, the set position, and the double lock position while sliding the middle lever.

3. The door lock device according to claim 2, wherein the middle lever is linked to the inside lever by the movable body when the movable body is located at the set position so as to move integrally with the inside lever, and the middle lever includes a pushing piece, the door lock device further comprising:

a release lever linked to the locking lever, in which the release lever is pushed by the pushing piece as the inside lever moves when the locking lever moves to the lock position in a state in which the movable body is located at the set position and thereby operates to move the locking lever to the unlock position.

4. The door lock device according to claim 3, wherein the release lever is pushed by the pushing piece as the inside lever moves when the movable body is located at the unset position and the locking lever is located at the lock position and thereby operates to move at least the locking lever to the unlock position.

5. The door lock device according to claim 2, wherein the inside lever, the inside open lever, and the middle lever are supported by the vehicle door rotatably about the same axis.

6. The door lock device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an urging member that selectively holds the switching lever to hold the movable body at the unset position, the set position, and the double lock position.

7. The door lock device according to claim 6, wherein the switching lever is selectively switched to pivotal positions corresponding to the unset position, set position, or double lock position of the movable body in accordance with the unlock position or lock position of the locking lever by a drive force of the electrical drive unit and an urging force of the urging member.

8. The door lock device according to claim 7, wherein the urging member is a restraining spring.

9. The door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the first engagement piece is arranged in a movement path of the second engagement piece when the locking lever is located at the unlock position, and the first engagement piece is arranged outside the movement path of the second engagement piece when the locking lever is located at the lock position.

10. The door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is movable, via the set position, between the unset position and the double lock position.

11. The door lock device according to claim 3, wherein the inside lever, the inside open lever, and the middle lever are supported by the vehicle door rotatably about the same axis.

12. The door lock device according to claim 11, further comprising:

an urging member that selectively holds the switching lever to hold the movable body at the unset position, the set position, and the double lock position.

13. The door lock device according to claim 12, wherein the switching lever is selectively switched to pivotal positions corresponding to the unset position, set position, or double lock position of the movable body in accordance with the unlock position or lock position of the locking lever by a drive force of the electrical drive unit and an urging force of the urging member.

14. The door lock device according to claim 12, wherein the urging member is a restraining spring.

15. The door lock device according to claim 4, wherein the inside lever, the inside open lever, and the middle lever are supported by the vehicle door rotatably about the same axis.

16. The door lock device according to claim 15, further comprising:

an urging member that selectively holds the switching lever to hold the movable body at the unset position, the set position, and the double lock position.

17. The door lock device according to claim 16, wherein the switching lever is selectively switched to pivotal positions corresponding to the unset position, set position, or double lock position of the movable body in accordance with the unlock position or lock position of the locking lever by a drive force of the electrical drive unit and an urging force of the urging member.

18. The door lock device according to claim 16, wherein the urging member is a restraining spring.

19. The door lock device according to claim 2, wherein the movable body is movable, via the set position, between the unset position and the double lock position.

20. The door lock device according to claim 3, wherein the movable body is movable, via the set position, between the unset position and the double lock position.