GB2354796A

GB2354796A - Vehicular door double lock

Info

Publication number: GB2354796A
Application number: GB0024160A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ichiro Kondo; Hiroshi Ishihara; Toshitsugu Oda
Original assignee: Aisin Seiki Co Ltd
Current assignee: Aisin Corp
Priority date: 1999-09-30
Filing date: 2000-10-02
Publication date: 2001-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-02
Also published as: DE10048330B4; JP2001098820A; DE10048330A1; GB0024160D0; JP4374674B2; GB2354796B

Abstract

In a vehicular door lock device according to the invention, a double locking member (82) is provided on a guide link (83) which is linked to a double lock lever 81. The double locking member (82) rotates about a common rotational axis of a control lever (42) and a lift lever (41) when the control lever (42) and the lift lever (41) rotate. With this common rotational axis, as the double locking member (82) moves it does not experience any distortion with respect control lever (42) and the lift lever (41).

Description

2354796 TITLE VEHICULAR DOOR LOCK DEVICE

DESCRIPTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicular door lock device which is capable of establishing a double locked condition wherein the door is prevented from being opened even upon actuation of a locking manipulation member situated on an indoor side of a vehicle body.

Prior Art

A door lock device of the type discussed above is disclosed in EP Publication No.0775791. In this device, a double locking member is used to selectively engage and disengage a lift lever to and from a control lever, respectively. In the engaged condition, an actuation force operating on an open lever is transmitted to the lift lever. On the other hand, when the double locking member isolates the lift lever from the control lever, an actuation force operating on the open lever is not transmitted to the lift lever. Thus, the door is prevented from being opened even upon actuation of a locking manipulation member situated on an indoor side of a vehicle body.

However, in the foregoing structure, the double locking member is rotatably mounted on a double locking lever and the rotational axis of the double locking member is offset in relation to the rotational axes of the open lever and the control lever respectively. Thus, when the double locking member permits transmission of the actuation force from the open lever to the lift lever, a distortion occurs between the control lever and the double locking member. Similarly, distortion also occurs between the control lever and the lift lever. Therefore, throughout operation each member becomes partially worn die to this friction and a larger force is required to manipulate the device.

Thus, a real need exists to make the assembly operation of the door lock device simpler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed to satisfy the request noted above and a first aspect of the present invention provides a vehicular door lock device which comprises: an open lever operating a latch mechanism by way of a lift lever; a locking member selectively establishing or interrupting the transmission of an opening actuation force from the open lever to the lift lever, the locking member being disposed between the lift lever and the open lever so as to be slidable relative to the lift lever and the open lever; a control lever rotatable about a common rotational axis of the open lever and the lift lever, the control lever being disposed between the open lever and the lift lever so as to be engaged with or disengaged from the open lever by the locking member; a double lock member establishing or interrupting the transmission of the opening actuation force from the control lever to the lift lever, the double lock member being disposed between the lift lever and the control lever so as to be slidable relative to the control lever and the lift lever; a guide link guiding the double lock member such that when the double lock member takes a position at which the double lock member is in engagement with the lift lever and the control lever, the double lock member rotates about the common rotational axis of the open lever, the control lever and the lift lever; and a double lock lever linked to the guide link and establishing sliding movements of the double locking member by way of the guide link in order that the double locking member takes eng aging position or disengaging position at which the double locking member is engages with or disengages from both the lift lever and control lever.

In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, when opening actuation force is transmitted from the control lever to the lift lever by way of the double locking member, the double locking member rotates about the common rotational axis of the control lever and the lift lever in response to the rotations of the control lever and the lift lever. Thus, no distortion is experienced by the double locking member relative to the control lever and the lift lever, which makes it possible to ensure smooth movement of the double locking device.

Preferably, the vehicular door lock device in accordance with the first aspect further comprises an inside lever connected to the control lever for transmitting the opening actuation force from a vehicle body indoor side to the control lever and a cancel lever disposed between the lift lever and the locking member establishing a sliding movement of the locking member from the disengaging position to the engaging position by transmitting the opening actuation force from the lift lever to the locking member.

Claims

The vehicular door lock device in accordance with the first aspect as set forth in Claim 1 is preferred to further comprises a locking lever connected to the locking member in order that the locking member is brought into sliding movements to an engaging position and a disengaging position at which the locking member is engaged with and disengaged from the control lever, respectively, by transmitting a locking operation force from the vehicle body indoor side, a key lever connected to the locking lever in order that the locking member is brought into sliding movements to the engaging position and the disengaging position at which the locking member is engaged with and disengaged from the control lever, respectively, by transmitting a locking operation force from a vehicle body outdoor side, and an engaging portion formed at the key lever and establishing a sliding movement of the double locking member to the engaging position from the disengaging position thereof by being engaged with the double locking lever when the locking member is brought into sliding movement from the disengaging position to the engaging position thereof by the key lever. The Drawings The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which; FIGA illustrates a front view of a vehicular door lock device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.2 illustrates a front view of a latch mechanism of the door lock device illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG.3 illustrates a front view of a double lock mechanism, which is in its double-lock released condition, of the door lock device illustrated in FIG. 1; and FIG.4 illustrates a front view of a double lock mechanism, which is in its double-lock condition, of the door lock device illustrated in FIG.1. Detailed Description of the Present Invention First of all, with reference to FIG. 1, a vehicular door lock device 1 which is provided in a conventional manner in a vehicular door (not shown) includes a base plate 2, a latch mechanism 3, a lever mechanism 4, and a double lock mechanism 8. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the base plate 2 is formed into an L-shaped configuration with a base wall 21 and a transverse wall 22. As illustrated in FIG.2, the latch mechanism 3 includes, as its major elements, a pawl 32 and a latch 33. Within a body 31 which is secured to the base wall 21 of the base plate 2, the pawl 32 and the latch 33 are accommodated. The pawl 32 and the latch 33 are rotatably supported on the body 31 by means of a pin 32a and a pin 33a, respectively. The body 31 is provided therein with a groove 31 a. Whenever the door is closed and opened, a striker 34 moves into and out from the groove 31 a, respectively. An outer periphery of the latch 33 is provided therein with an U-shaped groove 33b, a first pawl portion 33d and a second pawl portion 33c. The Ushaped groove 33b receives the striker 34 when the striker 34 moves into the groove 31 a of the body 3 1. The first pawl portion 33d and the second pawl portion 33c are capable of being engaged or disengaged with the pawl 32. As the vehicle door is closed, the striker 34 passes along the groove 31a, engages the U-shaped groove 33b, and rotates the latch member 33 to one of two positions. In the first of these positions, the door is held in a half-closed condition as the pawl 32 comes into engagement with the first pawl portion 33d of the latch 33. This engagement prohibits the latch member 33 from rotating in the clockwise direction. Further movement of the striker along the groove 31a causes further counterclockwise rotation of the'latch 33 until it finally reaches the second position. In the second position, the door is in the fully-closed condition as the pawl 32 comes into engagement with the second pawl portion 33c of the latch 33. Again, in this condition the pawl 32 prevents the latch 33 from rotating clockwise. In either of the above conditions, when the pawl 32 is rotated clockwise for disengagement from the first pawl portion 33d or the second pawl portion 33c of the latch 33, the door is brought into its open condition. Referring back to FIGA, the lever mechanism 4 includes, as its principal elements, a lift lever 4 1, a control lever 42, an open lever 43, a locking lever 44, a slide bush 45, a key lever 47, a cancel leve r 48, and an inside lever 49. The lift lever 41 is placed on the base wall 21 of the base plate 2 and is rotatably mounted on the pin 32a which supports the pawl 32 of the latch mechanism 3. The lift lever 41 is provided with a fitting flange portion 41a and an engagement flange 41b. The fitting flange portion 41a is in engagement with the pawl 32 to establish concurrent rotations of the lift lever 41 and the pawl 32. The control lever 42, like the lift lever 41, is placed on the base wall 21 of the base plate 2 and is rotatably mounted on the pin 32a. Engaging flanges 42a and 42b are formed at opposite end portions of the control lever 42. When control lever 42 rotates in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1 or in the direction of door opening, the engaging flange 42a is brought; into indirect engagement with the engaging flange 41 b by way of the slide member 82 of the double lock mechanism 8 (as will be detailed later) thereby transmitting the rotation of the control lever 42 to the lift lever 41. Additionally, the control lever 42 is further provided with a support arm 42c which extends integrally from the engaging flange 42a in order to support the slide member 82. The open lever 43 is placed on the base wall 21 of the base plate 2 and is also rotatably mounted on the pin 32a which supports the pawl 32 of the latch mechanism 3. An end arm of the open lever 43 is connected, by way of an open rod (not shown) to an outside door handle (not shown) which is provided at an outdoor side of the -6door. The open lever 43 is provided with a pin portion 43a. The locking lever 44 is placed on the base wall 21 of the base plate 2 and is rotatably mounted on a different pin 44a secured to the base wall 21. The locking lever 44 is connected to a lock knob (not shown) which is provided at an indoor side of the door and is also connected to a key cylinder (not shown) which is provide at the outdoor side of the door. An arcuate slot 44b is formed in the other end arm of the locking lever 44. The center of the slot is in coincidence with the pin 32a. The slide bush 45 is mounted on the other arm portion of the open lever 43 in slidable fashion. The slide bush 45 is provided with a pin portion 45a which is in sliding engagement with the arcuate slot 44b of the locking lever 44. Additionally, the slide bush 45 is provided with an engaging projection 45b which selectively engages with and disengages from the engaging flange 42b of the control lever 42 when the open lever 43 rotates in opposite directions. When the locking lever 44 is rotated, the slide bush 45 moves relative to the other arm of the open lever 43 by way of the engagement between the pin portion 45a and the slot 44b. Thereby, the engaging projection 45b can be moved onto or off a locus which enables the engaging projection 45b to engage with the engaging flange 42b of the control lever 42. Hence, the lever mechanism 4 establishes door unlocked and locked conditions. It is to be noted that the locking lever 44 is under continual bias of a turnover spring 50 which is interposed between base plate 2 and the locking lever 44 for maintaining the unlocked and locked conditions for the vehicular door. The key lever 47, which is placed on upper surface of the base wall 21, is rotatably mounted on the pin 44a which supports the locking lever 44. The key lever 47 is provided an engaging projection 47a which is received in a notch 44c formed in the locking lever 44. Thus when the key lever 47 is turned, the engagement between a side wall of the notch 44c and the engaging projection 47a causes the rotation to be transmitted from the key lever 47 to the locking lever 44. In addition, the key lever 47 is provided with an extended engaging arm portion 47b. The cancel lever 48 has an integrally pin portion 48a which is of a keyshaped -7structure. The pin portion 48a is fitted into the locking lever 44 so that the cancel lever 48 is set to be rotatable in swing fashion relative to the locking lever 48. The cancel lever 48 is provided at its distal ':or free end portion with a longitudinal slot 48b with which the pin portion 43a of the open lever 43 is in sliding engagement. Furthermore, the distal or free end portion of the cancel lever 48 is provided with an engaging projection 48c parallel to the slot 48c which is brought into or out of engagement with the engaging flange 41 b of the lift lever 41. The inside lever 49 is rotatably supported on the base wall 21 of the base plate 2. The inside lever 49 is connected to the control lever and the inside handle (not shown) which is provided at the indoor side of the vehicular door by way of a link member 56 and a cable (not shown), respectively. As can be seen from FIGA and FIG.3, the double lock mechanism 8 includes, as its major elements, a double lock lever 81, a slide member 82, and a guide link 83. The double lock lever 81 is placed on the surface of the base wall 21 and is rotatably mounted on the pin 44a which supports the locking lever 44 and the key lever 47.

1 The slide member 82 is mounted on the support arm 42c of the control lever 42 in slidable fashion. The slide member 82 is formed with an integral engaging wall 82a which engages with the engaging flange 41 b of the lift lever 41 when the control lever 42 is rotated.

The guide link 83 is rotatably connected at one end portion to the double lock lever 81 by means of a pin 83a. The other end portion of the guide link 83 is rotatably connected to the slide member 82 by means of a pin 83b. Thus, the double lock lever 81 and the slide member 82 are interconnected by way of the guide link 83. Employing the aforementioned structure makes it possible to move or slide the slide member 82 when the double lock lever 81 is rotated relative to the support arm 42c of the control lever 42 via the guide link 83. Accordingly, the engaging wall 82a can be positioned on or off the engaging locus with the engaging flange 41b of the lift lever 41. Thus, the double lock mechanism is capable of establishing a double-lock condition which disables the opening of the door and a double-lock released condition which permits the door to be opened.

The guide link 83 is of a substantially inverted U-shaped configuration. When the double lock mechanism 8 assumes the vehicular door double-lock released condition (as shown in FIG.3), the pin 83a of the guide link 83 takes an upper position relative to the pin 32a. On the other hand, when the double lock mechanism 8 is in the door double-lock condition (as shown in FIGA), the engaging arm 47b of the key lever 47 is at a position where it is ready for engagement with the double lock lever 81. Accordingly, when the key lever 41 is rotated, the engaging arm 47b of the key lever 47 is brought into engagement with the double- lock lever 81. Thus, when the key lever 47 is rotated, the double lock lever 81 is concurrently rotated thereby moving its double-lock condition to the double-lock release condition.

In operation, when the vehicular door is it the unlocked condition as illustrated in FIG.1 and a outside handle is manipulated, the resulting rotation is transmitted by way of an open rod (not shown) to the open lever 43, thereby rotating the open lever 43 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG.1. As a result of the rotation of the open lever 43, the engaging projection 45b of the slide bush 45 is brought into engagement with engaging flange 42b of the control lever 42, thereby rotating the control lever 42 in the same direction as the open lever 43. Due to the rotation of the control lever 42, the slide member 82 and the guide link 83 rotate about the pin 83a, the engaging wall 82a is brought into engagement with the engaging flange 41b of the lift lever 41, and accordingly the lift lever 41 and the open lever 43 are rotated in the same direction. Thus, the pawl 32 is released causing the vehicle door to open. At this time, due to the fact that the pin 83a of the guide link 83 is placed above the pin 32a, the locus of movement of the slide member is arc-shaped, having a center that is coincident with the common rotational axis of the lift lever 41, the control lever 42 and the open lever 43. Thus, no distortion of the slide member 82 is established relative to the control lever 42 and the lift lever 41. This ensures that the slide member 82 moves smoothly.

On the other hand, when the door is in the unlocked condition as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.3 and the inside handle 5 is activated, the resultant force is transmitted through the cable and the link 56 to the inside lever 49 and the control lever 42 rotates in the -9counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG.1. In accordance with the rotation of the control lever 42, the slide member 82 moves with the guide link 83 rotating about the pin 83a, the engaging wall 82a is brought into engagement with the engaging flange 41b of the lift lever 41, and the lift lever 41 is rotated in the counterclockwise (opening) direction. Thus the pawl 32 is brought into rotation, which opens the vehicle door.

Assuming that the lock knob is manipulated to lock the door from the condition shown in FIGA. The locking lever 44 is rotated in the clockwise direction. This rotation causes the slide bush 45 to move or slide relative to the open lever 42. Thus, the engaging projection 45b of the slide bush is no longer positioned along the engaging locus and under the resultant condition, rotation of the o pen lever 43 will not be transmitted to the control lever 42. Accordingly manipulation of the outside _door handle will not cause the door to open as the door has shifted from the unlocked condition to the locked condition.

Alternatively, if the key-cylinder mechanism is manipulated so as to rotate the key lever 47 in the clockwise direction in FIG.1, the engaging projection 47a is brought into engagement with the side wall of the notch 44c, which causes the slide bush to move to a position where rotation of the open lever 43 is not transmitted to the control lever 42. Again, the door is shifted from the unlocked condition to the locked condition.

If the vehicle door is in the locked condition as described above and the inside handle 5 is manipulat ed, the control lever 42 and the lift lever 41 are brought into rotation in the counterclockwise direction in FIG.1 and the door is opened. On this occasion, the engaging flange 41b of the lift lever 41 engages the engaging projection 48c of the cancel lever 48. Thereby counterclockwise rotation of the lift lever 41 leads to counterclockwise rotation of the cancel lever which leads to counterclockwise rotation of the locking lever 44. Thereby the door is shifted from its locked condition to its unlocked condition. This is said to be so-called "One-motion Operation".

While the vehicle door is in the locked condition, if the double lock lever 81 is rotated _10clockwise, the slide member 82 moves along the control lever 42 in the rightward direction and assumes the position shown in FIGA. In this position, the engaging wall 82a of the slide member 82 is not on the engaging locus. Accordingly, rotation of the control lever 42 will not be transmitted to the lift lever 41. Thus, the vehicular door is brought into the double-lock condition.

While the vehicle door is in the double-lock condition, if the double lock lever 81 is then rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the slide member 82 will slide relative to the control lever 42 in the leftward direction and re-assumes the position shown in FIG.3. Accordingly, the engaging wall 82a of the slide member 82 is re- positioned on the engaging locus, resulting in that rotation of the control lever 42 will be transmitted to the lift lever 41. Thus the vehicle door assumes the double-lock released condition. This counterclockwise rotation of the double lock lever 81 may be brought about by the key lever 47. Assuming that the door is in the condition illustrated in FIGA. If the key lever 47 is rotated counterclockwise, the engaging arm portion 47b engages with the double lock lever 81 and thereby rotating it in the counterclockwise direction as described above.

The invention has thus been shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, however, it should be understood that the invention is in no way limited to the details of the illustrated structures but changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

CLAIMS 1. A vehicular door lock device comprising: an open lever operating a latch mechanism by way of a lift lever; a locking member selectively establishing or interrupting the transmission of an opening actuation force from the open lever to the lift lever, the locking member being disposed between the lift lever and the open lever so as to be slidable relative to the lift lever and the open lever; a control lever rotatable about a common rotational axis of the open lever and the lift lever, the control lever being disposed between the open lever and the lift lever so as to be engaged with or disengaged form the open lever by the locking member; a double lock member selectively establishing or interrupting the transmission of the opening actuation force from the control lever to the lift lever, the double lock member being disposed between the lift lever and the control lever so as to be slidable relative to the control lever and the lift lever; a guide link guiding the double lock member such that when the double lock member takes a position at which the double lock member is in engagement with the lift lever and the control lever, the double lock member rotates about the common rotational axis of the open lever, the control lever and the lift lever; and a double lock lever linked to the guide link and establishing sliding movements of the double locking member by way of the guide link in order that the double locking member selectively assumes an engaging position or a disengaging position at which the double locking member engages with or disengages from, respectively, both the lift lever and control lever.

2. A device according to claim 1 further comprising an inside lever connected to the control lever for transmitting the opening actuation force from a vehicle body indoor side to the control lever and a cancel lever disposed between the lift lever and the locking member, the cancel lever establishing a sliding movement of the locking member from the disengaging position to the engaging position by transmitting the opening actuation force from the lilt lever to the locking member.

3. A device according to claim 1 further comprising:

-12a locking lever connected to the locking member to slide the locking member selectively to an engaging position or a disengaging position at which the locking member is engaged with or disengaged from the control lever, the locking transmitting a locking actuation force from a vehicle body indoor side to the locking lever to slide the locking member to either the engaging or disengaging position; and a key lever connected to the locking lever that transmits locking actuation force from a vehicle outdoor side to slide the locking member to either the engaging or disengaging position, the key lever having an engaging portion which engages with the double locking lever to slide the double locking member to its engaging position from its disengaging position concurrently as the key lever slides the locking member from its disengaging position to its engaging position.

4. A vehicular door lock device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.