Door lock apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,267,444 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Akizuki, Ryujiro, Nishio, Takashi, Yamada, Yusuke, Seo, Kazumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERLINO, ALYSON MARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/184,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20090051173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG.23
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/30 allowing opening by means of an inner door handle, even if the door is locked
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/32 allowing simultaneous actuation of locking or unlocking elements and a handle, e.g. preventing interference between an unlocking and an unlatching action
• 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 83/36 Locks for passenger or like doors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1045 Operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5889 For automotive vehicles

Abstract

A door lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a latch mechanism, an open operation lever, an open lever operatively connected to the open operation lever, a locking lever being switchable between an unlocked position and a locked position, a link operation lever operatively connected to the locking lever, a link member operatively connected to the link operation lever, the link member being able to transmit an operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the unlocked position, the link member being unable to transmit the operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the locked position, and a lever member operatively connected to the open lever and the locking lever, the lever member moving the locking lever from the locked position to the unlocked position by means of the operation of the open lever.

Claims

1. A door lock apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a latch mechanism retaining a vehicle door in a closed state relative to a vehicle body;

an open operation lever adapted to operate by operation of an inside door handle provided at the vehicle door;

an open lever operatively connected to the open operation lever;

a locking lever being switchable between an unlocked position and a locked position;

a link operation lever operatively connected to the locking lever by way of a biasing member;

a link member arranged between the latch mechanism and the open lever and operatively connected to the link operation lever, the link member being able to transmit an operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the unlocked position, the latch mechanism being operated to bring the vehicle door to be in an open ready state relative to the vehicle body, the link member being unable to transmit the operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the locked position;

a lever member operatively connected to the open lever through a block member and operatively connected to the locking lever, the lever member moving the locking lever from the locked position to the unlocked position by operation of the open lever;

the block member supported at the open lever to transmit an operation of the open operation lever to the open lever and the lever member;

a rotatable child lock lever positionable in a child lock unset position at which operation of the open operation lever is transmittable to the open lever by way of the block member and positionable in a child lock set position at which operation of the open operation lever is not transmittable to the open lever by way of the block member; and

wherein the lever member is switchable between a locked position and an unlocked position in association with the locking lever, the lever member including an extending portion extending towards the block member, the block member including a push surface able to press the extending portion, and the lever member is switched from the locked position to the unlocked position by a transmission of the operation of the open operation lever to the lever member via the push surface and the extending portion.

2. A door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the block member is slidably supported at the open lever and is switchable between a child unlock position where the operation of the open operation lever is transmittable to the open lever and a child lock position where the operation of the open operation lever is not transmittable to the open lever.

3. A door lock apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the open lever includes a guide piece slidably supporting the block member, and the block member includes an engagement projection that is inserted into an engagement groove provided at the open operation lever when the block member is in the child unlock position and that is retracted from the engagement groove when the block member is in the child lock position.

4. A door lock apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lever member is switchable between a locked position and an unlocked position in association with the locking lever, the lever member including an extending portion extending towards the block member, the block member including a push surface being able to press the extending portion, and the lever member is switched from the locked position to the unlocked position by a transmission of the operation of the open operation lever to the lever member via the push surface and the extending portion when the block member is in the child unlock position and the lever member is in the locked position.

6. A door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lever member includes an input portion directly receiving an operating force from an outside of the door lock apparatus.

7. A door lock apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the block member engages with the child lock lever.

8. A door lock apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the child lock lever includes a rotational center about which the child lock lever is rotatable, the child lock lever having a lever portion extending outwardly away from the rotational center, the lever portion of the child lock lever being provided with a radially extending guide bore, the engagement projection of the block member being positioned in the guide bore so that radial movement of the engagement projection about a rotational axis of the open operation lever is restricted.

10. A door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the child lock lever includes a guide bore in which is positioned the block member.

11. A door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the child lock lever includes a gear part engageable with an output gear portion of an electric motor.

5. A door lock apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a latch mechanism retaining a vehicle door in a closed state relative to a vehicle body;

an open operation lever adapted to operate by operation of an inside door handle provided at the vehicle door;

an open lever operatively connected to the open operation lever;

a locking lever being switchable between an unlocked position and a locked position;

a link operation lever operatively connected to the locking lever by way of a biasing member;

a link member arranged between the latch mechanism and the open lever and operatively connected to the link operation lever, the link member being able to transmit an operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the unlocked position, the latch mechanism being operated to bring the vehicle door to be in an open ready state relative to the vehicle body, the link member being unable to transmit the operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the locked position;

a block member supported at the open lever to transmit operation of the open operation lever to the open lever;

a rotatable child lock lever positionable in a child lock unset position at which operation of the open operation lever is transmittable to the open lever by way of the block member and positionable in a child lock set position at which operation of the open operation lever is not transmittable to the open lever by way of the block member;

a lever member operatively connected to the open lever through the block member and operatively connected to the locking lever, the lever member moving the locking lever from the locked position to the unlocked position by operation of the open lever;

a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle door and supporting the open operation lever, the open lever, the locking lever, and the link operation lever by an identical rotational axis in a rotatable manner; and

wherein the lever member and the locking lever are each rotatable mounted to rotate about respective rotation axes that are spaced apart from one another.

9. A door lock apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the open operation lever, the lever member and the child lock lever are each rotatably mounted to rotate about respective rotation axes that are spaced apart from one another.

13. A door lock apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lever member includes an input portion directly receiving an operating force from an outside of the door lock apparatus.

14. A door lock apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the child lock lever includes a gear part engageable with an output gear portion of an electric motor.

12. A door lock apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a latch mechanism retaining a vehicle door in a closed state relative to a vehicle body;

an open operation lever adapted to operate by operation of an inside door handle provided at the vehicle door;

an open lever operatively connected to the open operation lever;

a locking lever being switchable between an unlocked position and a locked position;

a link operation lever operatively connected to the locking lever by way of a biasing member;

a link member arranged between the latch mechanism and the open lever and operatively connected to the link operation lever, the link member being able to transmit an operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the unlocked position, the latch mechanism being operated to bring the vehicle door to be in an open ready state relative to the vehicle body, the link member being unable to transmit the operation of the open lever to the latch mechanism when the locking lever is in the locked position;

a block member supported at the open lever to transmit an operation of the open operation lever to the open lever;

a rotatable child lock lever positionable in a child lock unset position at which operation of the open operation lever is transmittable to the open lever by way of the block member and positionable in a child lock set position at which operation of the open operation lever is not transmittable to the open lever by way of the block member;

a lever member operatively connected to the open lever through the block member and operatively connected to the locking lever, the lever member moving the locking lever from the locked position to the unlocked position by operation of the open lever; and

wherein the lever member includes a through bore, and the locking lever includes a connecting projection portion positioned in the through bore of the lever member.

15. A door lock apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the lever member includes an input portion directly receiving an operating force from an outside of the door lock apparatus.

16. A door lock apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the child lock lever includes a gear part engageable with an output gear portion of an electric motor.