Door lock apparatus

• US 7,637,542 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kunimatsu, Yukinobu, Suzumura, Makoto, Muramatsu, Akira, Tanabe, Sigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo; Peter M
• Assistant Examiner(s): FULTON, KRISTINA ROSE
• Application Number:
  US11/348,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG.23
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/34 Protection against weather or dirt, e.g. against water ingress closures or guards for keyholes E05B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/02 Lock casings
• 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 door lock apparatus includes a housing for accommodating a latch mechanism for holding a vehicle door to a vehicle body, a lever mechanism actuated when a door handle is operated, a link mechanism for connecting the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism, the link mechanism having a first position for transmitting operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism and a second position for preventing transmission of the operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism, and a motor drive mechanism for changing the first and second positions of the link mechanism. The housing includes a first accommodating space for accommodating the motor drive mechanism and a second accommodating space adjacently provided to the first accommodating space for accommodating the latch mechanism and a water preventing portion is provided for preventing water from entering the first accommodating space from outside the housing.

Claims

1. A door lock apparatus accommodated in a vehicle door, comprising:

a latch mechanism for holding the vehicle door to a vehicle body in a closed state,

a housing accommodating the latch mechanism,

a lever mechanism actuated when a door handle provided inside or outside the vehicle door is operated,

a link mechanism provided between the lever mechanism and the latch mechanism to connect the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism,

the link mechanism having a first position for transmitting operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism and a second position for preventing transmission of the operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism,

and a motor drive mechanism changing the first and second positions of the link mechanism,

wherein the housing includes a first accommodating space accommodating the motor drive mechanism and a second accommodating space which is adjacently provided to the first accommodating space in a lateral direction of the door lock apparatus and accommodating the latch mechanism, and

the apparatus further includes a water preventing means including a hole provided at a top portion of an upper side of the housing and connecting the outside of the housing and the second accommodating space so that the outside of the housing and the second accommodating space are in communication with each other via the hole to let water flow into the second accommodating space so as to prevent water from entering the first accommodating space from the outside of the housing,

wherein the upper side of the housing faces an upper side of the vehicle door.

2. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water preventing means includes a water stopping plate provided near an upper surface of the housing above the second accommodating space.

3. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cover member for covering an upper surface side of the housing, the cover member having an end portion at the latch mechanism side, wherein the water preventing means is provided on or above the upper surface of the housing in an area from the end portion of the cover member to a position above the first accommodating space.

4. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first accommodating space and the second accommodating space are defined by a separating wall provided in the housing.

5. The door lock apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the separating wall is continuously connected to the water preventing means.

6. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water preventing means is provided at the second accommodating space side from a position between the first accommodating space and the second accommodating space.

7. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one end of the housing at the second accommodating space side is exposed at an outside edge portion of the vehicle door.

8. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inner periphery of the hole is processed by means of round chamfering.

9. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes an opening portion through which the lever mechanism and the door handle are linked.

10. The door lock apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a lid member for covering the opening portion of the housing.

11. The door lock apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the lid member includes a regulating portion for regulating movement of the lever mechanism.

12. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first cover and a second cover.

13. The door lock apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the water preventing means is provided at either one of the first cover and the second cover.

14. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cover member for covering an upper surface side of the housing, the cover member having an end portion at the latch mechanism side, wherein the water preventing means is provided on or above the upper surface of the housing in an area from the end portion of the cover member to a position above the first accommodating space.

15. The door lock apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a cover member for covering the upper surface side of the housing, the cover member having an end portion at the latch mechanism side, wherein the water preventing means is provided on or above the upper surface of the housing in an area from the end portion of the cover member to a position above the first accommodating space.

18. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second accommodating space is horizontally adjacent to the first accommodating space.

21. The door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the housing forming an upper portion of the first accommodating space and an upper portion of the housing forming an upper portion of the second accommodating space are positioned so as to be adjacent to one another in the lateral direction of the door lock apparatus.

16. A door lock apparatus accommodated in a vehicle door, comprising

a latch mechanism for holding the vehicle door to a vehicle body in a closed state,

a housing accommodating the latch mechanism,

a lever mechanism actuated when a door handle provided inside or outside the vehicle door is operated,

a link mechanism provided between the lever mechanism and the latch mechanism to connect the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism,

the link mechanism having a first position for transmitting operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism and a second position for preventing transmission of the operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism,

a motor drive mechanism changing the first and second positions of the link mechanism,

the housing including a first accommodating space accommodating the motor drive mechanism and a second accommodating space which is adjacently provided to the first accommodating space in a lateral direction of the door lock apparatus and accommodating the latch mechanism, and

water preventing means including a hole provided at a top portion of an upper side of the housing and connecting the outside of the housing and the second accommodating space so that the outside the housing and the second accommodating space are in communication with each other via the hole to let water flow into the second accommodating space from a water flow path between the cover member and the upper surface side of the housing,

wherein the upper side of the housing faces an upper side of the vehicle door.

17. The door lock apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the water preventing means includes a water stopping plate provided near an upper surface of the housing above the second accommodating space.

19. The door lock apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second accommodating space is horizontally adjacent to the first accommodating space.

22. The door lock apparatus according to claim 16, wherein an upper portion of the housing forming an upper portion of the first accommodating space and an upper portion of the housing forming an upper portion of the second accommodating space are positioned so as to be adjacent to one another in the lateral direction of the door lock apparatus.

20. A door lock apparatus, comprising

a latch mechanism for holding a vehicle door to a vehicle body in a closed state,

a housing accommodating the latch mechanism,

a lever mechanism actuated when a door handle provided inside or outside the vehicle door is operated,

a link mechanism provided between the lever mechanism and the latch mechanism to connect the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism,

the link mechanism having a first position for transmitting operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism and a second position for preventing transmission of the operational force from the lever mechanism to the latch mechanism,

a motor drive mechanism changing the first and second positions of the link mechanism,

the housing including a first accommodating space accommodating the motor drive mechanism and a second accommodating space which is adjacently provided to the first accommodating space in a lateral direction of the door lock apparatus and accommodating the latch mechanism,

a cover member for covering an upper surface side of the housing so that a space exists between the cover member and the upper surface side of the housing, the space defining a water flow path, and

water preventing means including a hole provided at the housing so that the outside of the housing and the second accommodating space are in communication with each other via the hole, the hole communicating the water flow path and the second accommodating space to let water flow into the second accommodating space so as to prevent water in the water flow path from entering the first accommodating space.

23. The door lock apparatus according to claim 20, wherein an upper portion of the housing forming an upper portion of the first accommodating space and an upper portion of the housing forming an upper portion of the second accommodating space are positioned so as to be adjacent to one another in the lateral direction of the door lock apparatus.