Vehicle door lock device

• US 8,827,328 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Akizuki, Ryujiro, Nishio, Takashi, Watanabe, Nobuko, Sono, Yasuhiko, Kojima, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US13/696,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20130056996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 292/196, 292/201, 292/216
• US Class Current: 292/201
• 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 79/04 Mounting of lock casings to the vehicle, e.g. to the wing
• 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 81/34 of geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/42 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/02 Lock casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1076 Link and lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A vehicle door lock device includes a housing including: an outer housing body including a covering portion covering an outer side of an electric motor and an outer side of a worm, an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting an active lever, and an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting a worm wheel; and an inner housing body including an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting an active lever, and an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel. An outer surface of the covering portion of the outer housing body and an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the active lever, are formed in the same flat surface, and an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the worm wheel, is formed in a dented surface dented inwardly with respect to the flat surface.

Claims

1. A vehicle door lock device, comprising:

a latch mechanism, which is capable of maintaining a door of a vehicle in a closed state with respect to a body, and is adapted to be assembled to the door together with a housing, the latch mechanism comprising a latch engageable with and disengageable from a striker, a pawl engageable with and disengageable from the latch and capable of maintaining and releasing the engagement of the latch with the striker, and a lift lever provided integrally with the pawl;

an open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be driven along with an operation of a door handle provided on an inner side or an outer side of the door;

an open link, which is interposed between the open lever and the lift lever, and is adapted to be switchable between an unlocked position at which an actuation of the open lever in a door opening direction along with a door opening operation of the door handle is transferred to the lift lever, and a locked position at which the actuation is not transferred to the lift lever; and

an electric actuator for switching the open link between the unlocked position and the locked position,

wherein the electric actuator comprises;

an active lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is capable of switching the open link between the unlocked position and the locked position;

a gear unit arranged on an outer side of the active lever;

an electric motor for rotationally driving the gear unit; and

a converting mechanism provided between the active lever and the gear unit, for converting motion of the gear unit into motion of the active lever,

wherein the gear unit comprises;

a worm, which is rotationally driven by the electric motor; and

a worm wheel, which is rotatably assembled to the housing to mesh with the worm, and is linked to the active lever through the intermediation of the converting mechanism,

wherein the open link is arranged so as to be pivotable with respect to the housing about a rotation axis whose direction is different from a direction of a rotation axis of the active lever and the worm wheel,

wherein the worm wheel is arranged between the latch mechanism and the electric motor,

wherein the housing is made of a resin and comprises;

an outer housing body comprising a covering portion covering an outer side of the electric motor and an outer side of the worm, an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting the active lever, and an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel; and

an inner housing body comprising an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the active lever, and an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel,

wherein an outer surface of the covering portion of the outer housing body and an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the active lever, are formed in the same flat surface,

wherein an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the worm wheel, is formed in a recess or dented region dented inwardly with respect to the flat surface, the recess or dented region dented inwardly with respect to the flat surface functions as a portion for preventing slip of hands of a worker when the vehicle door lock device is assembled to the door of the vehicle by the worker, and the rotation axes of the worm wheel and a lever pass through the recess or dented region,

wherein the open lever comprises;

an inside open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be rotationally driven from an initial position to an actuation position along with a door opening operation of an inside door handle provided on the inner side of the door; and

an outside open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be rotationally driven from an initial position to an actuation position along with a door opening operation of an outside door handle provided on the outer side of the door,

wherein the open link is assembled to a coupling portion so as to be capable of tilting by a predetermined degree, comprises a pushing portion engageable with an engagement portion of the lift lever provided to the latch mechanism, and is pushed from an initial position toward the lift lever when the inside open lever is rotationally driven from the initial position to the actuation position or when the outside open lever is rotationally driven from the initial position to the actuation position, the coupling portion being displaced along with rotation of the outside open lever,

wherein the active lever is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is switched from an unlocked position to a locked position through a locking operation of a lock/unlock operation member to bring the open link into a locked state, and switched from the locked position to the unlocked position through an unlocking operation of the lock/unlock operation member to bring the open link into an unlocked state, and

wherein the vehicle door lock device further comprises;

a spring interposed between the outside open lever and the open link, for biasing the open link so that the open link is brought into the unlocked state, and for retaining the open link movable relative to the lift lever so as to permit the open link to return to the initial position;

an unlocked state maintaining guide for maintaining the open link in the unlocked state when the active lever is at the unlocked position and the outside open lever is rotated between the initial position and the actuation position;

a locked state maintaining guide for maintaining the open link in the locked state when the active lever is at the locked position and the outside open lever is rotated between the initial position and the actuation position; and

a push arm portion provided to the active lever, the push arm portion being engaged with the open link in the unlocked state so as to tilt the open link through switching the active lever from the unlocked position to the locked position when the active lever is at the unlocked position, and being disengageable from the open link in the locked state so as to permit the open link to shift to the unlocked state.

2. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the lever is a locking control lever provided within the housing between the latch mechanism and the electric motor so as to extend in an up-and-down direction, the locking control lever having an upper end portion rotatably supported onto the housing and linked to a key cylinder provided on the outer side of the door, and having a lower end portion linked to the active lever,

wherein an outer surface of an outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the locking control lever, is level and continuous with the recess or dented region.

3. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the recess or dented region is formed into a shape elongated in the up-and-down direction.

4. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 1, wherein the latch mechanism and the electric motor are arranged at the same level with respect to the housing.

5. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 4, wherein the same level means that, under a state in which the vehicle door lock device is assembled to the door, the electric motor is arranged so as to overlap a plane of the latch mechanism projected along a fore-and-aft direction of the door.

6. A vehicle door lock device, comprising:

a latch mechanism, which is capable of maintaining a door of a vehicle in a closed state with respect to a body, and is adapted to be assembled to the door together with a housing;

an open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be driven along with an operation of a door handle provided on an inner side or an outer side of the door;

an open link, which is interposed between the open lever and a lift lever provided to the latch mechanism, and is adapted to be switchable between an unlocked position at which an actuation of the open lever in a door opening direction along with a door opening operation of the door handle is transferred to the lift lever, and a locked position at which the actuation is not transferred to the lift lever; and

an electric actuator for switching the open link between the unlocked position and the locked position,

wherein the electric actuator comprises;

an active lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is capable of switching the open link between the unlocked position and the locked position;

a gear unit arranged on an outer side of the active lever;

an electric motor for rotationally driving the gear unit; and

a converting mechanism provided between the active lever and the gear unit, for converting motion of the gear unit into motion of the active lever,

wherein the gear unit comprises;

a worm, which is rotationally driven by the electric motor; and

a worm wheel, which is rotatably assembled to the housing to mesh with the worm, and is linked to the active lever through the intermediation of the converting mechanism,

wherein the open link is arranged so as to be pivotable with respect to the housing about a rotation axis whose direction is different from a direction of a rotation axis of the active lever and the worm wheel,

wherein the worm wheel is arranged between the latch mechanism and the electric motor,

wherein the housing is made of a resin and comprises;

an outer housing body comprising a covering portion covering an outer side of the electric motor and an outer side of the worm, an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting the active lever, and an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel; and

an inner housing body comprising an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the active lever, and an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel,

wherein an outer surface of the covering portion of the outer housing body and an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the active lever, are formed in the same flat surface,

wherein the vehicle door lock device further comprises a locking control lever provided within the housing between the latch mechanism and the electric motor so as to extend in an up-and-down direction, the locking control lever having an upper end portion rotatably supported onto the housing and linked to a key cylinder provided on the outer side of the door, and having a lower end portion linked to the active lever,

wherein an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the worm wheel, is formed in a recess or dented region dented inwardly with respect to the flat surface, the recess or dented region dented inwardly with respect to the flat surface functions as a portion for preventing slip of hands of a worker when the vehicle door lock device is assembled to the door of the vehicle by the worker, and all points of a straight line passing through the rotation axes of the worm wheel and the locking control lever are in the recess or dented region,

wherein the open lever comprises;

an inside open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be rotationally driven from an initial position to an actuation position along with a door opening operation of an inside door handle provided on the inner side of the door; and

an outside open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be rotationally driven from an initial position to an actuation position along with a door opening operation of an outside door handle provided on the outer side of the door,

wherein the open link is assembled to a coupling portion so as to be capable of tilting by a predetermined degree, comprises a pushing portion engageable with an engagement portion of the lift lever provided to the latch mechanism, and is pushed from an initial position toward the lift lever when the inside open lever is rotationally driven from the initial position to the actuation position or when the outside open lever is rotationally driven from the initial position to the actuation position, the coupling portion being displaced along with rotation of the outside open lever,

wherein the active lever is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is switched from an unlocked position to a locked position through a locking operation of a lock/unlock operation member to bring the open link into a locked state, and switched from the locked position to the unlocked position through an unlocking operation of the lock/unlock operation member to bring the open link into an unlocked state, and

wherein the vehicle door lock device further comprises;

a spring interposed between the outside open lever and the open link, for biasing the open link so that the open link is brought into the unlocked state, and for retaining the open link movable relative to the lift lever so as to permit the open link to return to the initial position;

an unlocked state maintaining guide for maintaining the open link in the unlocked state when the active lever is at the unlocked position and the outside open lever is rotated between the initial position and the actuation position;

a locked state maintaining guide for maintaining the open link in the locked state when the active lever is at the locked position and the outside open lever is rotated between the initial position and the actuation position; and

a push arm portion provided to the active lever, the push arm portion being engaged with the open link in the unlocked state so as to tilt the open link through switching the active lever from the unlocked position to the locked position when the active lever is at the unlocked position, and being disenqaqeable from the open link in the locked state so as to permit the open link to shift to the unlocked state.

7. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 6, wherein the recess or dented region is formed into a shape elongated in the up-and-down direction.

8. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 6, wherein the latch mechanism and the electric motor are arranged at the same level with respect to the housing.

9. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 8, wherein the same level means that, under a state in which the vehicle door lock device is assembled to the door, the electric motor is arranged so as to overlap a plane of the latch mechanism projected along a fore-and-aft direction of the door.

10. A vehicle door lock device, comprising:

a latch mechanism, which is capable of maintaining a door of a vehicle in a closed state with respect to a body, and is adapted to be assembled to the door together with a housing;

an open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be driven along with an operation of a door handle provided on an inner side or an outer side of the door;

an open link, which is interposed between the open lever and a lift lever provided to the latch mechanism, and is adapted to be switchable between an unlocked position at which an actuation of the open lever in a door opening direction along with a door opening operation of the door handle is transferred to the lift lever, and a locked position at which the actuation is not transferred to the lift lever; and

an electric actuator for switching the open link between the unlocked position and the locked position,

wherein the electric actuator comprises;

an active lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is capable of switching the open link between the unlocked position and the locked position;

a gear unit arranged on an outer side of the active lever;

an electric motor for rotationally driving the gear unit; and

a converting mechanism provided between the active lever and the gear unit, for converting motion of the gear unit into motion of the active lever,

wherein the gear unit comprises;

a worm, which is rotationally driven by the electric motor; and

a worm wheel, which is rotatably assembled to the housing to mesh with the worm, and is linked to the active lever through the intermediation of the converting mechanism,

wherein the open link is arranged so as to be pivotable with respect to the housing about a rotation axis whose direction is different from a direction of a rotation axis of the active lever and the worm wheel,

wherein the worm wheel is arranged between the latch mechanism and the electric motor,

wherein the housing comprises;

an outer housing body comprising a covering portion covering an outer side of the electric motor and an outer side of the worm, an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting the active lever, and an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel; and

an inner housing body comprising an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the active lever, and an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel,

wherein an outer surface of the covering portion of the outer housing body and an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the active lever, are formed in the same flat surface,

wherein an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the worm wheel, is formed in a dented surface dented inwardly with respect to the flat surface,

wherein the open lever comprises;

an inside open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be rotationally driven from an initial position to an actuation position along with a door opening operation of an inside door handle provided on the inner side of the door; and

an outside open lever, which is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is adapted to be rotationally driven from an initial position to an actuation position along with a door opening operation of an outside door handle provided on the outer side of the door,

wherein the open link is assembled to a coupling portion so as to be capable of tilting by a predetermined degree, comprises a pushing portion engageable with an engagement portion of the lift lever provided to the latch mechanism, and is pushed from an initial position toward the lift lever when the inside open lever is rotationally driven from the initial position to the actuation position or when the outside open lever is rotationally driven from the initial position to the actuation position, the coupling portion being displaced along with rotation of the outside open lever,

wherein the active lever is rotatably assembled to the housing, and is switched from an unlocked position to a locked position through a locking operation of a lock/unlock operation member to bring the open link into a locked state, and switched from the locked position to the unlocked position through an unlocking operation of the lock/unlock operation member to bring the open link into an unlocked state, and

wherein the vehicle door lock device further comprises;

a spring interposed between the outside open lever and the open link, for biasing the open link so that the open link is brought into the unlocked state, and for retaining the open link movable relative to the lift lever so as to permit the open link to return to the initial position;

an unlocked state maintaining guide for maintaining the open link in the unlocked state when the active lever is at the unlocked position and the outside open lever is rotated between the initial position and the actuation position;

a locked state maintaining guide for maintaining the open link in the locked state when the active lever is at the locked position and the outside open lever is rotated between the initial position and the actuation position; and

a push arm portion provided to the active lever, the push arm portion being engaged with the open link in the unlocked state so as to tilt the open link through switching the active lever from the unlocked position to the locked position when the active lever is at the unlocked position, and being disengageable from the open link in the locked state so as to permit the open link to shift to the unlocked state.

11. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 10, further comprising a locking control lever provided within the housing between the latch mechanism and the electric motor so as to extend in an up-and-down direction, the locking control lever having an upper end portion rotatably supported onto the housing and linked to a key cylinder provided on the outer side of the door, and having a lower end portion linked to the active lever,

wherein an outer surface of an outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the locking control lever, is level and continuous with the dented surface.

12. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 10, wherein the dented surface is formed into a shape elongated in the up-and-down direction.

13. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 10, wherein the latch mechanism and the electric motor are arranged at the same level with respect to the housing.

14. A vehicle door lock device according to claim 13, wherein the same level means that, under a state in which the vehicle door lock device is assembled to the door, the electric motor is arranged so as to overlap a plane of the latch mechanism projected along a fore-and-aft direction of the door.