Door locking apparatus

• US 8,870,247 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2011
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: U-Shin Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: U-Shin Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamagata, Mikio, Akagi, Nobuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US13/275,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG.23
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0065 Operating modes; Transformable to different operating modes
• 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 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5155 Door

Abstract

A door locking apparatus that can be used for both manual operating specifications and automatic operating specifications and that is capable of miniaturization and weight reduction in a use for the manual operating specifications includes a latch mechanism, a door opening mechanism and a manual locking mechanism wherein, a first housing (10) in which the door opening mechanism and the manual locking mechanism are disposed and a second housing (42) in which an automatic locking mechanism that moves the door opening mechanism to the unlocking position or the locking position based on an input of an electric signal is disposed are provided, and a second housing attaching portion (23) to which the second housing can be attached is provided on the first housing.

Claims

1. A door locking apparatus comprising:

a latch mechanism that can latch and release a striker;

a door opening mechanism that can switch between an unlocking position where the striker latched by the latch mechanism can be released and a locking position where the striker latched by the latch mechanism cannot be released, wherein the door opening mechanism can be operated by a manipulation of an inner handle or an outer handle for opening a door;

a manual locking mechanism that moves the door opening mechanism to the unlocking position or the locking position by a manipulation of a locking knob for use from inside a vehicle or a key cylinder for use from outside the vehicle;

an automatic locking mechanism that moves the door opening mechanism to the unlocking position or the locking position based on an input of an electric signal;

a first housing in which at least the door opening mechanism and the manual locking mechanism are disposed; and

a second housing in which the automatic locking mechanism is disposed; and

a second housing attaching portion to which the second housing is attached is provided on an outside of the first housing,

wherein first and second communication holes through which a rotational driving torque of the automatic locking mechanism is transmitted to the door opening mechanism are made in the first and second housings so as to be communicated with each other; and

a locking state detector that detects an unlocking state or a locking state of the door opening mechanism to output the detection state as an electric signal and a connector that externally outputs the electric signal from the locking state detector, wherein the locking state detector and the connector are disposed in the first housing,

wherein a connector placing portion of the first housing, in which the connector is disposed, is provided so as to be located inside the second housing attaching portion, and a terminal insertion hole through which a connection terminal is disposed is made in the connector placing portion in order to supply an electric power to the automatic locking mechanism.

2. The door locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a switching lever constituting the manual locking mechanism is turnably disposed in the first communication hole of the first housing, an output shaft that outputs the rotational driving torque of the automatic locking mechanism is disposed in the second communication hole of the second housing,

the switching lever and the output shaft are coupled through the first and second communication holes so as not to be able to relatively turn, and the automatic locking mechanism moves the door opening mechanism to the unlocking position and the locking position through the manual locking mechanism.

3. The door locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an annular sealing member is disposed between the first and second housings so as to surround the first and second communication holes.

4. A door locking apparatus comprising:

a latch mechanism that can latch and release a striker;

a door opening mechanism that can switch between an unlocking position where the striker latched by the latch mechanism can be released and a locking position where the striker latched by the latch mechanism cannot be released, wherein the door opening mechanism can be operated by a manipulation of an inner handle or an outer handle for opening a door; and

a manual locking mechanism that moves the door opening mechanism to the unlocking position or the locking position by a manipulation of a locking knob for use from inside a vehicle or a key cylinder for use from outside the vehicle;

a first housing in which at least the door opening mechanism and the manual locking mechanism are disposed;

a second housing attaching portion to which a second housing can be attached is provided in the first housing;

an automatic locking mechanism that moves the door opening mechanism to the unlocking position or the locking position based on an input of an electric signal disposed in the second housing; and

a locking state detector that detects an unlocking state or a locking state of the door opening mechanism to output the detection state as an electric signal and a connector that externally outputs the electric signal from the locking state detector, wherein the locking state detector and the connector are disposed in the first housing,

wherein a connector placing portion of the first housing, in which the connector is disposed, is provided so as to be located inside the second housing attaching portion, and a terminal insertion hole through which a connection terminal is disposed is made in the connector placing portion in order to supply an electric power to the automatic locking mechanism.

5. The door locking apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a communication hole through which a rotational driving torque of the automatic locking mechanism disposed in the second housing is transmitted to the door opening mechanism is closed in the first housing to which the second housing is not attached.