Lid lock apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,622,442 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Toshihiro, Imatomi, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US12/941,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20110115239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 292/80, 292/81, 292/87, 292/137, 292/138, 292/144, 292/DIG.38, 292/DIG.63, 292/143
• US Class Current: 292/143
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0561 Locking means for the inlet cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0576 with actuator fixed to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0584 the locking bolt is linearly moved to lock or unlock
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/04 Mounting of lock casings to the vehicle, e.g. to the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/34 for fuel inlet covers essentially flush with the vehicle surface
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/22 Rectilinearly moving bolts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0894 Spring arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/102 Lever

Abstract

A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a retainer, a cap, and a lock pin. The retainer includes a fitting portion to which an end portion of the cap is configured to fit from an outside of the lid box towards an inside of the lid box and a first engaging portion formed to be positioned outward of the lid box relative to the fitting portion. The cap includes an operational lever portion configured to be elastically deformed to tilt by an operation at an outside of the lid box and including a second engaging portion configured to engage with and disengage from the first engaging portion.

Claims

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

a retainer provided at a support wall of a lid box formed at a vehicle body;

a cap detachably assembled to the retainer;

a lock pin assembled to move axially relative to the cap, the lock pin being arranged penetrating through the support wall and protruding within the lid box;

a lid configured to tilt relative to the lid box and opening and closing an opening portion of the lid box, the lid being configured to be retained at a closed state by the lock pin;

the retainer being formed with a fitting portion to which an end portion of the cap is configured to fit from an outside of the lid box towards an inside of the lid box, the retainer being formed with a first engaging portion formed to be positioned outward of the lid box relative to the fitting portion, at least one stopper connected to the first engaging portion, and at least one receiving portion between the stopper and the first engaging portion;

an operational lever portion formed on the cap, the operational lever portion configured to be elastically deformed to tilt by an operation at the outside of the lid box, and the operational lever portion including a second engaging portion configured to engage with and disengage from the first engaging portion; and

a pair of concave and convex fitting portions to be engaged with each other, the pair of concave and convex fitting portions being formed between the retainer and the cap, the cap being fitted from the outside of the lid box towards the inside of the lid box, and the pair of concave and convex fitting portions positioned away from the support wall relative to the fitting portion,

wherein the support wall includes a hole with an inner wall that is received by the receiving portion and is in contact with the stopper of the retainer,

wherein an engaging position of the second engaging portion of the operational lever portion and the first engaging portion of the retainer is positioned at a position which is offset from a facing direction of the pair of concave and convex fitting portions,

wherein the pair of convex and concave fitting portions are aligned to be engaged with each other in a rotational position when the operational lever portion at least partially engages the second engaging portion with the first engaging portion in an axial direction toward the engaging position,

wherein the second engaging portion of the operational lever portion is elastically engaged with the first engaging portion of the retainer to restrict a disengagement of the cap from the retainer when the operational lever portion is not operated in a state where the end portion of the cap is fitted to the fitting portion of the retainer, and

wherein the second engaging portion of the operational lever portion is disengaged from the first engaging portion of the retainer to allow the cap to disengage from the retainer when the operational lever is operated to be in a tilting state.

2. The lid lock apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lock pin is configured to move axially by means of an actuator which includes an electric motor, a converting mechanism converting a rotational output of the electric motor to an axial movement of the lock pin, and a housing accommodating the electric motor and the converting mechanism, and

wherein the housing and the cap are integrally formed.

3. The lid lock apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the electric motor and the converting mechanism are positioned upward of the lock pin and the electric motor is arranged closer to the support wall compared to the converting mechanism in a state where the lock pin is assembled to the cap attached to the retainer provided at the support wall.

4. A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a retainer provided at a support wall of a lid box formed at a vehicle body, the retainer including a fitting portion, a first engaging portion positioned outward of the lid box relative to the fitting portion, at least one stopper connected to the first engaging portion, and at least one receiving portion between the stopper and the first engaging portion;

a cap detachably assembled to the retainer, the cap including an end portion configured to fit with the fitting portion from an outside of the lid box towards an inside of the lid box;

a lock pin assembled to move axially relative to the cap, the lock pin being arranged penetrating through the support wall and protruding within the lid box;

a lid configured to tilt relative to the lid box, the lid opening and closing an opening portion of the lid box, and the lid being configured to be retained at a closed state by the lock pin;

an operational lever portion formed on the cap, the operational lever portion configured to be elastically deformed to tilt by an operation at the outside of the lid box, and the operational lever portion including a second engaging portion configured to engage with and disengage from the first engaging portion; and

a pair of concave and convex fitting portions formed between the retainer and the cap to be engaged with each other from the outside of the lid box towards the inside of the lid box,

wherein the support wall includes a hole with an inner wall that is received by the receiving portion and in is contact with the stopper of the retainer, and

wherein when the end portion of the cap is fitted to the fitting portion of the retainer at least a portion of an engagement between the pair of concave and convex fitting portions is between the lid box and an engagement between a portion of the first engaging portion and a projection of the second engaging portion along a longitudinal axis of the locking pin.