VEHICLE DOOR LOCK APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A vehicle door lock apparatus comprising:
- a housing fixed to a door that is openable and closable with respect to a vehicle frame, the housing having an entry opening, into which a striker fixed to the vehicle frame can enter;
a fork pivotably provided in the housing and that is displaceable to a latched position, where the fork retains the striker in the entry opening, and to an unlatched position, where the fork allows the striker to separate from the entry opening;
a pawl pivotably provided in the housing, the pawl being configured to move so as to fix or release the fork;
a first lever provided in the housing, the first lever being displaceable in response to an opening operation being performed on a door handle to act on the pawl and being configured to cause the pawl to release the fork;
a second lever provided in the housing, the second lever being displaceable to a locking position, where the second lever retains the first lever in a locked position where the first lever is unable to act on the pawl, and to an unlocking position where the second lever does not retain the first lever in the locked position, wherein, in the unlocking position, the second lever enables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position and, in the locking position, the second lever disables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position;
a third lever provided in the housing, the third lever being configured to displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator and to displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator;
a fourth lever provided in the housing, the fourth lever being linked with the fork such that the fourth lever is displaceable to an unblocking position when the fork displaces to the latched position and to a blocking position when the fork displaces to the unlatched position, wherein in the unblocking position, the fourth lever is spaced apart from the second lever, and, in the blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever located in the unlocking position and blocks the second lever from being displaced to the locking position; and
a fifth lever provided in the housing and linked with the fourth lever, the fifth lever being configured to detect whether the fork is located in the latched position or the unlatched position, and to turn ON and turn OFF a switch.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a vehicle door lock apparatus, when disposed in an unlocking position, a second lever enables a fork to be displaced to an unlatched position and, in a locking position, it disables the fork from being displaced to the unlatched position. Third levers displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator and displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator. In an unblocking position, a fourth lever linked to the fork separates from the second lever. In a blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever and blocks it from being displaced to the locking position. A fifth lever is linked with the fourth lever, detects the position of the fork, and disconnects or connects a switch.
9 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle door lock apparatus comprising:
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a housing fixed to a door that is openable and closable with respect to a vehicle frame, the housing having an entry opening, into which a striker fixed to the vehicle frame can enter; a fork pivotably provided in the housing and that is displaceable to a latched position, where the fork retains the striker in the entry opening, and to an unlatched position, where the fork allows the striker to separate from the entry opening; a pawl pivotably provided in the housing, the pawl being configured to move so as to fix or release the fork; a first lever provided in the housing, the first lever being displaceable in response to an opening operation being performed on a door handle to act on the pawl and being configured to cause the pawl to release the fork; a second lever provided in the housing, the second lever being displaceable to a locking position, where the second lever retains the first lever in a locked position where the first lever is unable to act on the pawl, and to an unlocking position where the second lever does not retain the first lever in the locked position, wherein, in the unlocking position, the second lever enables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position and, in the locking position, the second lever disables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position; a third lever provided in the housing, the third lever being configured to displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator and to displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator; a fourth lever provided in the housing, the fourth lever being linked with the fork such that the fourth lever is displaceable to an unblocking position when the fork displaces to the latched position and to a blocking position when the fork displaces to the unlatched position, wherein in the unblocking position, the fourth lever is spaced apart from the second lever, and, in the blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever located in the unlocking position and blocks the second lever from being displaced to the locking position; and a fifth lever provided in the housing and linked with the fourth lever, the fifth lever being configured to detect whether the fork is located in the latched position or the unlatched position, and to turn ON and turn OFF a switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle frame; a striker affixed to the vehicle frame; a vehicle door that is openable and closable with respect to the vehicle frame; a door handle movably disposed on the vehicle door; a housing affixed to the vehicle door and having an entry opening configured to receive the striker; a fork pivotably provided in the housing such that the fork is displaceable to a latched position, where the fork retains the striker in the entry opening, and to an unlatched position, where the fork allows the striker to separate from the entry opening; a pawl pivotably provided in the housing, the pawl being configured to move so as to fix or release the fork; a first lever provided in the housing, the first lever being displaceable in response to an opening operation being performed on the door handle to act on the pawl and being configured to cause the pawl to release the fork; a second lever provided in the housing, the second lever being displaceable to a locking position, where the second lever retains the first lever in a locked position where the first lever is unable to act on the pawl, and to an unlocking position where the second lever does not retain the first lever in the locked position, wherein, in the unlocking position, the second lever enables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position and, in the locking position, the second lever disables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position; a third lever provided in the housing, the third lever being configured to displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator operably coupled to the third lever and to displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator; a fourth lever provided in the housing, the fourth lever being linked with the fork such that the fourth lever is displaceable to an unblocking position when the fork displaces to the latched position and to a blocking position when the fork displaces to the unlatched position, wherein in the unblocking position, the fourth lever is spaced apart from the second lever, and, in the blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever located in the unlocking position and blocks the second lever from being displaced to the locking position; a switch located in the housing; and a fifth lever provided in the housing and linked with the fourth lever, the fifth lever being configured to turn ON the switch when the fork is located in the latched position and to turn OFF the switch when the fork is located in the unlatched position. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing configured to be affixed to a vehicle door, the housing having an entry opening configured to receive a striker affixed to a vehicle frame; a fork pivotably provided in the housing such that the fork is displaceable to a latched position, where the fork retains the striker in the entry opening, and to an unlatched position, where the fork allows the striker to separate from the entry opening; a pawl pivotably provided in the housing, the pawl being configured to move so as to fix or release the fork; a first lever provided in the housing, the first lever being displaceable in response to an opening operation being performed on a vehicle door handle to act on the pawl and being configured to cause the pawl to release the fork; a second lever provided in the housing, the second lever being displaceable to a locking position, where the second lever retains the first lever in a locked position where the first lever is unable to act on the pawl, and to an unlocking position where the second lever does not retain the first lever in the locked position, wherein, in the unlocking position, the second lever enables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position and, in the locking position, the second lever disables displacement of the fork located in the latched position to the unlatched position; a third lever provided in the housing, the third lever being configured to displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator and to displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator; a fourth lever provided in the housing, the fourth lever being linked with the fork such that the fourth lever is displaceable to an unblocking position when the fork displaces to the latched position and to a blocking position when the fork displaces to the unlatched position, wherein in the unblocking position, the fourth lever is spaced apart from the second lever, and, in the blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever located in the unlocking position and blocks the second lever from being displaced to the locking position; a switch located in the housing; and a fifth lever provided in the housing and linked with the fork via the fourth lever, the fifth lever being configured to turn ON the switch when the fork is located in the latched position and to turn OFF the switch when the fork is located in the unlatched position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification