DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20110154740A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Tomoaki, Matsumoto, Keisuke, Kato, Yoshitaka, Oda, Toshitsugu
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/359
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/58 including time control, e.g. for controlling run-time of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/66 the bolt position, i.e. the latching status
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/68 by sensing the position of the detent
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/76 Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/40 for sliding doors

Abstract

A door opening and closing apparatus for a vehicle, includes a latch mechanism adapted so as to retain a vehicle door in a closed state relative to a vehicle body, an outside lever provided within a space formed inside of the vehicle door so as to be positioned closer to an interior of the vehicle and linked to an outside handle adapted to be rotatably supported by the vehicle door, a detection switch detecting an operation to the outside handle when the outside lever contacts the detection switch in response to an operation of the outside lever, and a release device releasing a retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by means of the latch mechanism by the release device actuating the latch mechanism when a rotational operation of the outside handle is detected by the detection switch while the vehicle door is in a locked state.

Claims

1. A door opening and closing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a latch mechanism adapted so as to retain a vehicle door in a closed state relative to a vehicle body;

an outside lever adapted to be provided within a space formed inside of the vehicle door so as to be positioned closer to an interior of the vehicle and linked to an outside handle adapted to be rotatably supported by the vehicle door;

a detection switch detecting an operation to the outside handle when the outside lever contacts the detection switch in response to an operation of the outside lever; and

a release device releasing a retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by means of the latch mechanism in a manner where the release device actuates the latch mechanism when a rotational operation of the outside handle is detected by the detection switch while the vehicle door is in a locked state.

2. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising an opening and closing device adapted so as to operate the vehicle door to be opened and closed, wherein the latch mechanism includes a latch adapted to retain the vehicle door to be in a fully-closed state relative to the vehicle body and a full-latch detecting switch for detecting a rotational position of the latch to be reached when the vehicle door is in the fully-closed state, the release device actuates the latch mechanism in a case where the operation of the outside handle is detected by the detection switch while the vehicle door is in the locked state, and the opening and closing device controls the vehicle door to be opened in a case where the rotational position of the larch to be reached when the vehicle door is in the fully-closed state is not detected by the full-latch detecting switch after the operation of the outside handle is detected by the detection switch while the vehicle door is in the locked state.

3. The door opening and closing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a locking-and-unlocking state switching device, wherein the outside lever includes a first lever linked to the outside handle and linkable to the latch mechanism and a second lever linked to the release device and configured so as to transmit a force generated by the release device to the latch mechanism in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the latch mechanism, and wherein the locking-and-unlocking state switching device is configured so as to interrupt a transmission of an operation of the first lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in the locked state and so as to allow the transmission of the operation of the first lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in an unlocked state.

4. The door opening and closing apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a locking-and-unlocking state switching device, wherein the outside lever includes a first lever linked to the outside handle and linkable to the latch mechanism and a second lever linked to the release device and configured so as to transmit a force generated by the release device to the latch mechanism in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the latch mechanism, and wherein the locking-and-unlocking state switching device configured so as to interrupt a transmission of an operation of the first lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in the locked state and to allow the transmission of the operation of the first lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in an unlocked state.

5. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a locking-and-unlocking state switching device and a switching drive device, wherein the outside lever is linked to the release device and is engageable with the latch mechanism, the locking-and-unlocking state switching device is configured so as to interrupt an operation of the outside lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in the locked state and so as to allow the transmission of the operation of the outside lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in an unlocked state, and wherein the switching drive device is configured so as to actuate the locking-and-unlocking state switching device in order to shift a state of the vehicle door between the locked state and the unlocked state.

6. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 further comprising a locking-and-unlocking state switching device and a switching drive device, wherein the outside lever is linked to the release device and is engageable with the latch mechanism, the locking-and-unlocking state switching device is configured so as to interrupt an operation of the outside lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in the locked state and so as to allow the transmission of the operation of the outside lever to the latch mechanism in order to turn the vehicle door to be in an unlocked state, and wherein the switching drive device is configured so as to actuate the locking-and-unlocking state switching device in order to shift a state of the vehicle door between the locked state and the unlocked state.

7. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a relay lever, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms and the relay lever distributes a force generated by the release device to the plurality of the latch mechanisms in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

8. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 further comprising a relay lever, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms and the relay lever distributes a force generated by the release device to the plurality of the latch mechanisms in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

9. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 further comprising a relay lever, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms and the relay lever distributes the force generated by the release device to the plurality of the latch mechanisms in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

10. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 4 further comprising a relay lever, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms and the relay lever distributes the force generated by the release device to the plurality of the latch mechanisms in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

11. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 5 further comprising a relay lever, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms and the relay lever distributes a force generated by the release device to the plurality of the latch mechanisms in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

12. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 6 further comprising a relay lever, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms and the relay lever distributes a force generated by the release device to the plurality of the latch mechanisms in order to release the retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

13. The door opening and closing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a locking lever configured so as to be switchable between an unlock state for allowing an operation force of the outside handle to be transmitted to the latch mechanism and a lock state for not allowing the operation force of the outside handle to be transmitted to the latch mechanism, wherein the locking lever includes a first locking lever, which includes a bearing hole, and a second locking lever, which is adapted to be rotatably supported by the vehicle door and includes a shaft portion that is inserted into the bearing hole so that the second locking lever is rotatably supported by the first locking lever, a biasing device having a coil portion wound around the shaft portion and biasing the first and second locking levers so that the first and second locking levers form a predetermined angle by which the first and second locking levers engage with each other, a first engagement portion, which is formed on the second locking lever and with which a first end portion of the biasing device is engaged, an accommodation recessed portion, which is formed at the first locking lever so as to be positioned radially outwardly of the bearing hole and into which the coil portion is accommodated, and a second engagement recessed portion, which is formed at the accommodation recessed portion and into which a second end portion of the biasing device slidably moving the accommodation recessed portion is fitted in a manner where the first and second locking levers placed on each other in a state where the shaft portion is inserted into the bearing hole are rotated relative to each other and which allows the biasing device to generate a biasing force when the first and second locking levers are further rotated relative to each other until forming a predetermined angle therebetween, and wherein the shaft portion is further inserted into the bearing hole while the first and second locking levers form the predetermined angle, so that the first and second locking levers engage with each other while forming the predetermined angle.

14. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the first locking lever includes a guide surface formed at the second engagement recessed portion, so that the second end portion of the biasing device slidably moving within the accommodation recessed portion is guided to be fitted into the second engagement recessed portion by the guide surface.

15. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 13 further comprising a relay device, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms, and the locking lever is accommodated within the relay device, which is configured so as to distribute and transmit the operation force of the outside handle to the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

16. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 14 further comprising a relay deice, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms, and the locking lever is accommodated within the relay device, which is configured so as to distribute and transmit the operation force of the outside handle to the plurality of the latch mechanisms.

17. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms, the first locking lever is linked to the outside handle and is configured so as to be linkable to an open lever, which is lined to the plurality of the latch mechanisms while the vehicle door is in the locked state, and the second locking lever is linked to a locking actuator in order to operate a lock knob to be unlocked and locked.

18. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle includes a plurality of the latch mechanisms, the first locking lever is linked to the outside handle and is configured so as to be linkable to an open lever, which is lined to the plurality of the latch mechanisms while the vehicle door is in the locked state, and the second locking lever is linked to a locking actuator in order to operate a lock knob to be unlocked and locked.

19. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the first locking lever is linked to the outside handle and is configured so as to be linkable to an open lever, which is lined to the plurality of the latch mechanisms while the vehicle door is in the locked state, and the second locking lever is linked to a locking actuator in order to operate a lock knob to be unlocked and locked.

20. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the first locking lever is linked to the outside handle and is configured so as to be linkable to an open lever, which is lined to the plurality of the latch mechanisms while the vehicle door is in the locked state, and the second locking lever is linked to a locking actuator in order to operate a lock knob to be unlocked and locked.