Door lock drive unit

• US 6,557,910 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Amano, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Teri Pham
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, ANDRE L
• Application Number:
  US09/987,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG.23
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/21 with means preventing or detecting pinching of objects or body parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A rotating speed of the motor 4 is reduced at a high reduction ratio by using a reduction gear (the first and the second reduction gear), and the unlatch mechanism for conducting unlatch operation of the door lock 1 and the closer mechanism for conducting closer operation of the door lock 1 are separated from each other by the normal and the reverse rotating direction of the second reduction gear. Due to the foregoing, even in the middle of a closing operation conducted by the reverse rotation of the second reduction gear, when the closing operation is stopped and then the motor 4 is normally rotated, it is possible to switch from the stopping position of the closing operation to unlatch operation.

Claims

1. A door lock drive unit comprising:

a door lock in which an open door is closed from an open door state to a closed door state via a half latch state or a full latch state, and a closed door is opened from the closed door state to the open door state via an unlatch state;

an unlatch mechanism to drive the door lock from the full latch state to the unlatch state when the unlatch mechanism is driven by a motor;

a closing mechanism to drive the door lock from the half latch state to the full latch state;

a gear rotated by the motor in a normal and a reverse rotating direction; and

a cam fixed to the gear, the cam driving the closing mechanism when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction from an initial state of the closing mechanism, the cam returning the closing mechanism to the initial state within one revolution of the gear in the reverse rotating direction; and

an engagement member provided in the gear or the cam, the engagement member being capable of engaging with the unlatch mechanism when the closing mechanism is in the initial state, the engagement member being capable of transmitting a drive force of the motor to the unlatch mechanism only when the gear is normally rotated from a state in which the engagement member is capable of engaging with the unlatch mechanism.

2. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the engagement member is composed of an elastic member.

3. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the unlatch mechanism comprises a first output shaft for driving the door lock to the unlatch state when the gear is rotated in the normal rotating direction and when the engagement member transmits the drive force to the unlatch mechanism; and

the closing mechanism comprises a second output shaft for driving the door lock to the closing state,

wherein the second output shaft is not driven while the engagement member transmits the drive force to the unlatch mechanism.

4. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, wherein when the gear is rotated in the normal rotating direction, torque is not transmitted from the cam to the closing mechanism.

5. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit for controlling electrical power supplied to the motor, the control circuit including:

a door opening switch for detecting the open door state;

a half latch switch for detecting the half latch state;

a closing switch for detecting a rotational status of the gear and the cam; and

a microcomputer for controlling each of the door opening switch, half latch switch and closing switch to selectively supply electrical power to the motor for rotating the motor in the normal and reverse rotating directions.

6. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the unlatch mechanism includes a tapered and an untapered section, the untapered section engages with the engagement member when the gear is normally rotated, and the tapered section prohibits the unlatch mechanism from engaging with the engaging member when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.

7. A door lock drive unit according to claim 6, wherein the engagement member is composed of an elastic member.

8. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the unlatch mechanism includes sheet shaped spring member made of metal, and the sheet shaped spring member is arranged at a position capable of engaging with the engagement member.

9. A door lock drive unit according to claim 8, wherein the cam includes a circumferential section, the radius of which is gradually increased when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.

10. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the unlatch mechanism includes a sheet shaped spring member made of metal;

the engagement member includes a tapered and an untapered section; and

the untapered section engages with the sheet shaped spring member when the gear is normally rotated, and the tapered section prevents the sheet shaped spring member from engaging with the engagement member when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.

11. A door lock drive unit according to claim 10, wherein the cam includes a circumferential section, the radius of which is gradually increased when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.

12. A door lock drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the cam is substantially semicircular.

13. A door lock drive unit according to claim 12, wherein the unlatch mechanism includes a tapered and an untapered section, the untapered section engages with the engagement member when the gear is normally rotated, and the tapered section prohibits the unlatch mechanism from engaging with the engaging member when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.

14. A door lock drive unit according to claim 13, wherein the engagement member is composed of an elastic member.

15. A door lock drive unit according to claim 12, wherein:

the unlatch mechanism includes a sheet shaped spring member made of metal;

the engagement member includes a tapered and an untapered section; and

the untapered section engages with the sheet shaped spring member when the gear is normally rotated, and the tapered section prevents the sheet shaped spring member from engaging with the engagement member when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.

16. A door lock drive unit, according to claim 15, wherein the cam includes a circumferential section, the radius of which is gradually increased when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.

17. A door lock drive unit according to claim 12, wherein the cam includes a circumferential section, the radius of which is gradually increased when the gear is rotated in the reverse rotating direction.