GB2526685A

GB2526685A - Vehicle door lock apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2526685A
Application number: GB1507018.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eiji Torii; Takeshi Tada; Yusuke Kojima; Sho Sannohe; Makoto Suzumura; Kosuke Tsukamoto; Yoshiki Odaka; Kenji Okada
Original assignee: Aisin Seiki Co Ltd
Current assignee: Aisin Corp
Priority date: 2014-04-24
Filing date: 2015-04-24
Publication date: 2015-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2035-04-24
Also published as: GB201507018D0; JP6303768B2; GB2526685B; JP2015209662A

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a latch mechanism for engaging with a striker, a locking mechanism for locking and releasing the latch with respect to the striker, and a housing for the latch and locking mechanisms, wherein the housing includes a first housing 101a facing outside a vehicle, a second housing 101b towards the interior of the vehicle, and a connecting mechanism 130 between the two housings comprising an engaging claw 140 on one of the housings and an engaging arm 150 on the other, and a protective portion 160 surrounding the engaging arm. The protective portion may be an erected wall, and may have an inclined surface such that the height of the wall decreases with distance from the arm. The wall may have a wall configuration portion disposed above a portion of the arm. The arm may disengage from the claw when it is turned G about the claw.

Description

TITLE

VEHICLE DOOR LOCKAPPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This disclosure relates to a vehicle door lock apparatus attached to a vehicle door.

BACKGROUND DISCUSSION

[0002] An example of a vehicle door lock apparatus is disclosed in JP 2010-248899A (Reference 1). The vehicle door lock apparatus includes a housing that is configured to accommodate a latch mechanism, a locking mechanism, and the like. The housing is configured such that a connecting mechanism integrally connects a first housing disposed to face outside a vehicle to a second housing disposed closer to a vehicle interior than the first housing. The connecting mechanism includes an engaging claw provided in the first housing and an engaging arm provided in the second housing and having an opening portion that is configured to be able to engage with the engaging claw, and the connecting mechanism has a structure in which the engaging claw engages with the opening portion of the engaging arm by being fitted thereinto, that is, a structure using so-called snap-fit engagement".

[0003] In the vehicle door lock apparatus, when a theft tool such as a steel wire is hooked on the engaging arm and is pulled, snap-fit engagement between the engaging arm and the engaging claw may be released. In this case, it is difficult to protect a door locking configuration element such as the locking mechanism in the housing, and for example, the state in which the locking mechanism is switched to an unlocked state by the theft tool, might occur which is a problem.

SUMMARY

[0004] Thus, a need exists for a technology that is effective in improving the reliability of a connection structure using snap-fit engagement in a vehicle door lock apparatus in which a first housing of a housing is connected to a second housing via the snap-fit engagement.

[0005] A vehicle door lock apparatus according to an aspect of this disclosure includes a latch mechanism, a locking mechanism, and a housing. The latch mechanism is configured to be able to hold a vehicle door in a closed state with respect to a vehicle body. The locking mechanism is configured to set the latch mechanism to be in an unlocked state in which the engagement of the latch mechanism with respect to the striker provided in the vehicle body can be released, or in a locked state in which the engagement of the latch mechanism with respect to the striker cannot be released. The housing is configured as an accommodating member that accommodates at least the latch mechanism and the locking mechanism.

[0006] The housing further includes: a first housing disposed to face outside a vehicle; a second housing disposed closer to a vehicle interior than the first housing; and a connecting mechanism configured to connect the first housing to the second housing. The connecting mechanism includes an engaging claw, an engaging arm, and a protective portion. The engaging claw is provided in one housing of the first housing and the second housing in such a manner so as to protrude therefrom. The engaging arm is provided in the other housing of the first housing and the second housing, and has an opening portion that can engage with the engaging claw.

The protective portion is provided in the one housing in such a manner so as to surround an arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm so that the engaging arm can be protected.

Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a theft tool such as a steel wire from acting directly on the engaging arm. For example, it is possible to prevent a theft tool such as a steel wire from intruding into a gap formed between the surface of the first housing and the engaging arm. In this case, it is possible to prevent the release of snap-fit engagement between the engaging claw and the opening portion of the engaging arm, and it is possible to improve the reliability of a connection structure using the snap-fit engagement. As a result, it is possible to enhance the protection of a door locking configuration element in the housing.

[0007] In the vehicle door lock apparatus having the aforementioned configuration, it is preferable that the protective portion is configured as an erected wall that is erected on the one housing in a protruding direction of the engaging claw, and is disposed along the arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm while facing the arm outer circumferential surface. In this case, since the protective portion can be configured as part of the one housing, it is possible to simplify the structure of the vehicle door lock apparatus.

[0008] In the vehicle door lock mechanism having the aforementioned configuration, it is preferable that the erected wall includes an inclined surface which is inclined in such a manner that the wall height of the erected wall decreases as the distance from the arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm increases in a wall thickness direction of the erected wall.

Accordingly, when a theft tool ads on the surface of the erected wall, a distal end portion of the theft tool slips smoothly along the inclined surface, and thereby, it is possible to prevent the theft tool from staying at a specific position on the surface of the erected wall. As a result, a load from the theft tool is unlikely to be concentrated on a specific portion of the erected wall, and it is possible to prevent damage to the erected wall from causing deterioration in anti-theft performance.

[0009] In the vehicle door lock apparatus having the aforementioned configuration, it is preferable that the engaging arm extends along a plane defined by both a vertical direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle door. In this case, it is preferable that the erected wall includes a wall configuration portion disposed above a portion of the arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm, the portion being positioned at the highest location. A theft tool such as a steel wire intruding downward into the vehicle door from outside the vehicle door is highly likely to initially act on a portion (upper portion) positioned at the highest location on the arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm. Since the upper portion is protected by a predetermined wall configuration portion of the erected wall, it is possible to reliably prevent the downward acting theft tool from acting directly on the upper portion of the engaging arm.

[0010] In the vehicle door lock apparatus having the aforementioned configuration, it is preferable that the engaging arm has a fixed end portion that is a portion disposed in the other housing, and a free end portion that is a distal end portion configured to extend from the fixed end portion in a lateral direction of the vehicle door, and the engaging arm is configured to disengage from the engaging claw when the free end portion turns about the fixed end portion. In the engaging arm having the aforementioned configuration, a direction of input of a load required to release the engagement of the engaging arm with the engaging claw is different from a direction of action of a load from a theft tool intruding downward into the vehicle door from outside the vehicle door. Accordingly, even if the wall configuration portion of the erected wall loses a function of protecting the engaging arm due to a load from the theft tool, the load from the theft tool does not cause the engaging arm to be easily operated in a direction in which the engagement of the engaging arm with the engaging claw is released, and as a result, the release of engagement between the engaging arm and the engaging claw is unlikely to occur.

[0011] As described above, in the vehicle door lock apparatus according to the aspect of this disclosure in which the first housing is connected to the second housing via the snap-fit engagement, it is possible to improve the reliability of the connection structure using the snap-fit engagement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with the reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a view of a vehicle door lock apparatus of an embodiment when seen from outside a vehicle; Fig. 2 is a view of the vehicle door lock apparatus in Fig. 1 when seen from the front of the vehicle; Fig. 3 is a view of the vehicle door lock apparatus in Fig. 1 when seen obliquely from a bottom right side; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a connecting mechanism in region A in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the connecting mechanism in Fig. 4 taken along line V-V; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connecting mechanism in Fig. 4 taken along line VI-VI; Fig. 7 is a partial enlarged view of the connecting mechanism in region A in Fig. 3, and is a view illustrating an additional protective function of the connecting mechanism against a theft tool; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of a connecting mechanism that is a modificaon example of the connecting mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment disclosed here will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the front and the rear of a vehicle are respectively denoted by arrow Xl and arrow X2, the top and the bottom of the vehicle are respectively denoted by arrow Yl and arrow Y2, and the right and the left of the vehicle are respectively denoted by arrow Zi and arrow Z2. The definition of the directions can be applied to a vehicle door lock apparatus that is not attached to a vehicle door, and the vehicle door lock apparatus that is attached to the vehicle door.

[0014] A vehicle door lock apparatus (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "door lock apparatus") 100 of an embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 is mounted in a region which is bounded by a door outer panel (panel on the outside of the vehicle) and a door inner panel (panel on the inside of the vehicle) of a vehicle door DR. Fig. 1 illustrates a right vehicle door as a typical example of the vehicle door DR.

[0015] The door lock apparatus 100 includes a housing 101 configured to accommodate a door locking configuration element 110 of the door lock apparatus, and a cover member 120 that is attached to the housing 101 in such a manner as to cover a housing upper surface and a housing front surface of the housing 101. Each of the housing 101 and the cover member 120 is configured as a member made of resin.

[0016] As illustrated in Fig. 2, the door locking configuration element 110 is assembled in a space inside the housing 101, the space being bounded by a first housing lOla disposed to face outside a vehicle and a second housing lOib disposed closer to a vehicle interior than the first housing lOla. The housing 101, the first housing lOla, and the second housing lOib referred to here are equivalent respectively to a "housing", a "first housing", and a "second housing" disclosed here. The cover member 120 has a function of protecting the door locking configuration element accommodated in the housing 101 from the entry of water or a theft tool from outside the vehicle door DR.

[0017] The door locking configuration element 110 include a latch mechanism 111, a locking mechanism 112, and the like, all of which are well known. The latch mechanism 111 is configured so as to be able to hold the vehicle door DR in a closed state by engaging with a striker ST attached to a vehicle body BD. The locking mechanism 112 is configured so as to set the latch mechanism 111 to be in an unlocked state in which the engagement of the latch mechanism 111 with the striker ST can be released, or in a locked state in which the engagement of the latch mechanism 111 with the striker ST cannot be released. The latch mechanism 111 and the locking mechanism 112 are equivalent respectively to a "latch mechanism" and a "locking mechanism" disclosed here. For example, refer to an "engaged mechanism", a "first operation mechanism", and the like disclosed in JF 2010-248899A for a more specific configuration of the door locking configuration element 110.

[0018] As illustrated in Fig. 3, the first housing lola of the housing 101 is integrally connected to the second housing lOlb via a plurality (four in Fig. 2) of connecting mechanisms 130. In the embodiment, one of the connecting mechanism 130 is provided on the front surface of the housing 101, and three connecting mechanisms 130 are provided on a lower surface of the housing 101.

The connecting mechanism 130 is equivalent to a "connecting mechanism" disclosed here.

[0019] Each of the connecting mechanisms 130 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 4 to 6. The connecting mechanism 130 illustrated in these drawings includes an engaging claw 140, an engaging arm 150, and a protective portion 160.

[0020] As illustrated in Fig. 4, the engaging claw 140 is provided in the first housing lOla in such a manner so as to protrude therefrom, and extends from the surface of the first housing lOla in a predetermined protruding direction (a first direction Dl in Fig. 5). The engaging arm 150 is provided in the second housing bib, and includes an opening portion 151 that is configured to engage with the engaging claw 140. The engaging arm 150 extends in a ring shape (annular shape) in a plane placed in a direction (a second direction D2 in Fig. 5) intersecting the protruding direction of the engaging claw 140 such that the engaging arm 150 surrounds the engaging claw 140. The engaging claw 140 and the engaging arm 150 referred to here are equivalent respectively to an "engaging claw" and an "engaging arm" disclosed here.

[0021] In this case, the connecting mechanism 130 adopts a structure in which the engaging claw 140 engages with the opening portion 151 of the engaging arm 150 by being fitted thereinto, that is, a structure using so-called "snap-fit engagement". Specifically, an arm inner circumferential surface 152 of the engaging arm 150 is hooked to a hook side surface 141 of the engaging claw 140, and thereby an engaging force between the engaging claw 140 and the engaging arm 150 is generated. The engaging claw 140 is surrounded by the engaging arm 150 when the engaging claw 140 engages with the opening portion 151 of the engaging arm 150.

Due to the snap-fit engagement, the first housing lOla is integrally connected to the second housing bib, and a relative movement therebetween in a direction (a vertical direction in Fig. 4) in which the first housing lOla and the second housing lOlb separate from each other is prevented.

[0022] As illustrated in Fig. 5, the protective portion 160 is provided in the first housing lOla in such a manner so as to surround an arm outer circumferential surface 153 of the engaging arm so that the engaging arm 150 can be protected. Specifically, the protective portion 160 is configured as an erected wall (also referred to as a "rib") that is erected on the first housing lOla in such a manner so as to protrude in the first direction Di, similar to the engaging claw 140, and is disposed along the arm outer circumferential surface 153 of the engaging arm 150 while facing the arm outer circumferential surface 153. That is, the protective portion 160 faces the arm outer circumferential surface 153 that is positioned on the opposite side of the arm inner circumferential surface 152 in the engaging arm 150 in the second direction D2, and one wall side surface 161 is formed in a shape imitating the arm outer circumferential surface 153. In this case, the engaging arm 150 is interposed in a space 142 that is bounded by the engaging claw 140 of the first housing lOla and the protective portion 160. The protective portion 160 is structured to have two separate erected walls 160, 160 with a space 162, which is a mold-drawing area, therebetween, as a structure taking ease of mold-drawing in molding into consideration, that is, the protective portion is structured to have two erected walls 160, 160 each of which is intermittently provided along the arm outer circumferential surface 153 (refer to Fig. 4).

[0023] The protective portion 160 can prevent a theft tool such as a steel wire intruding into the vehicle door DR from acting directly on the engaging arm 150. For example, it is possible to prevent the theft tool such as a steel wire from intruding into a gap (a gap equivalent to the space 142 in Fig. 4) formed between the surface of the first housing lOla and the engaging arm 150.

Since the protective portion 160 prevents the theft tool from being hooked to the engaging arm 150 and being pulled, it is possible to prevent the release of snap-fit engagement between the engaging claw 140 and the opening portion 151 of the engaging arm 150. The protective portion can be referred to as hooking preventive means" for preventing a theft tool from being hooked to the engaging arm 150, or "snap-fit engagement release preventive means' for preventing the snap-fit engagement from being released.

[0024] As a result, it is possible to improve the reliability of a connection structure between the first housing lOla and the second housing lOib due to the snap-fit engagement, and it is possible to enhance the protection of the door locking configuration element 110 in the housing 101. In addition, the protective portion 160 is an erected wall that is configured as part of the first housing lOla, and thereby, it is possible to simplify the structure of the door lock apparatus 100.

[0025] The protective portion 160 having the aforementioned configuration includes an inclined surface 163 that is inclined in such a manner that the wall height of the erected wall decreases as the distance from the arm outer circumferential surface 153 of the engaging arm 150 increases in a wall thickness direction of the erected wall. The inclined surface 163 may be a flat surface, the degree of inclination of which is constant, or may be a curved surface. With this configuration, when a theft tool acts on the suiface of the protective portion 160, a distal end portion of the theft tool slips smoothly along the inclined surface 163, and thereby, it is possible to prevent the theft tool from staying at a specific position on the surface of the protective portion 160.

As a result, a load from the theft tool is unlikely to be concentrated on a specific portion of the protective poition 160, and it is possible to prevent damage to the protective portion 160 from causing deterioration in anti-theft performance.

(0026] In the door lock apparatus 100 having the aforementioned configuration, the connecting mechanism 130 in region A in Fig. 3 among the plurality (four in the embodiment) of connecting mechanisms 130 is positioned at the highest location, and is likely to be affected by a theft tool such as a steel wire intruding into the vehicle door DR. For this reason, in the embodiment, the connecting mechanism 130 in region A positioned at the highest location is required to have a function in addition to the aforementioned protective function against a theft tool.

The additional function will be described with reference to Fig. 7.

[0027] In the connecting mechanism 130 illustrated in Fig. 7, the engaging arm 150 extends along plane E defined by both a vertical direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle door. The connecting mechanism 130 is configured such that the erected wall 160 includes a wall configuration portion 160a which is disposed above an upper portion (an upper, outer circumferential surface 153a in Fig. 7) of the arm outer circumferential surface 153 of the engaging arm 150, the upper portion being positioned at the highest position. The wall configuration portion 160a is equivalent to a "wall configuration portion" disclosed here. Accordingly, the wall configuration portion 160a has a function of protecting the upper, outer circumferential surface 153a with the highest priority, on which a theft tool such as a steel wire intruding downward into the vehicle door from outside the vehicle door is highly likely to initially act. In Fig. 7, arrow F denotes a direction of action of a theft tool. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably prevent the downward-acting theft tool from acting directly on the upper, outer circumferential surface 153a of the engaging arm 150.

[0028] In addition, the engaging arm 150 has a fixed end portion 150a that is a portion disposed in the second housing bib, and a free end portion 150b that is a distal end portion configured to extend from the fixed end portion 150a in the lateral direction of the vehicle door, and the engaging arm 150 is configured to disengage from the engaging claw 140 when the free end portion 15Db turns about the fixed end portion 150a (a turning axis L) in a direction of arrow S In the engaging arm 150, a direction of input of a load required to release the engagement of the engaging arm 150 with the engaging claw 140 is different from the direction (the direction of arrow F in Fig. 7) of action of a load from a theft tool intruding downward into the vehicle door from outside the vehicle door Accordingly, even if the wall configuration portion lSOa of the erected wall 160 loses a function of protecting the engaging arm 150 due to a load from the theft tool, the load from the theft tool does not cause the engaging arm 150 to be easily operated in a direction in which the engagement of the engaging arm 150 with the engaging claw 140 is released. That is, the engaging arm 150 is likely to be bent in the same direction as the direction of arrow F due to a downward load from the theft tool in the direction of arrow F; however, the engaging arm 150 is less likely to turn in the direction of arrow G. As a result, the release of engagement between the engaging arm 150 and the engaging claw 140 is unlikely to occur [0029] The embodiment disclosed here is not limited to the aforementioned typical embodiment, and can be applied or modified in various forms. For example, it is possible to realize the following embodiments via the application of the aforementioned embodiment.

[0030] In the connecting mechanism 130 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, the protective portion 160 is made up of two erected walls, each of which is intermittently provided; however, in this disclosure, the protective portion can be formed as only one erected wall configured to extend continuously. Fig. 8 is referred to for a configuration of such a protective portion. The only difference between the respective configurations of a connecting mechanism 230 illustrated in Fig. 8 and the connecting mechanism 130 illustrated in Fig. 4 is that a protective portion 260 is used in replacement of the protective portion 160, and the configuration of the connecting mechanism 230 is the same as that of the connecting mechanism 130 in other aspects. The protective portion 260 is formed as only one erected wall that is configured to extend continuously in such a manner so as to surround the entirety of the arm outer circumferential surface 153 of the engaging arm 150.

The protective portion 260 allows elimination of the space 162 in Fig. 4, and thereby, it is possible to more reliably prevent a theft tool such as a steel wire from acting directly on the engaging arm 150.

[0031] In the embodiment, the engaging claw 140 and the protective portions 160 and 260 are provided in the first housing lOla of the housing 101, and the engaging arm 150 is provided in the second housing bib; however, in this disclosure, the engaging arm 150 may be provided in the first housing lOla, and the engaging claw 140 and the protective portions 160 and 260 may be provided in the second housing bib.

[0032] In the embodiment, each of the protective portions 160 and 260 is configured as an erected wall; however, in this disclosure, the protective portion can be implemented using an element other than the erected wall, for example, a protrusion.

[0033] In the embodiment disclosed here, each of the protective portions 160 and 260 is preferably configured in such a manner as to surround at least the arm outer circumferential surface 153 of the engaging arm 150, and it is possible to adopt a structure in which the erected wall disposed along the arm outer circumferential surface 153 while facing the arm outer circumferential surface 153 further includes a covering portion that is configured to cover an arm upper surface (an upper surface in Fig. 5) of the engaging arm 150. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a theft tool from intruding into a gap between the arm outer circumferential surface 153 of the engaging arm 150 and the protective portion 160, or a gap between the arm outer circumferential surface 153 and the protective portion 260 when the theft tool illustrated in Fig. 5 acts in the gap from the top.

[0034] An essential structure of the door lock apparatus 100 disclosed here can be applied to any vehicle door of a vehicle. For example, the essential structure of the door lock apparatus 100 disclosed here can be applied to each of front right and left vehicle doors, each of rear right and left vehicle doors, a door (back door) in a rear portion of a vehicle, or the like.

[0035] The principles, preferred embodiment and mode of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, be embraced thereby.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A vehicle door lock apparatus (100) comprising: a latch mechanism (111) configured to be able to hold a vehicle door (DR) in a closed state by engaging with a striker (ST) attached to a vehicle body (BD); a locking mechanism (112) configured to set the latch mechanism to be in an unlocked state in which the engagement of the latch mechanism with respect to the striker can be released, or in a locked state in which the engagement of the latch mechanism with respect to the striker cannot be released; and a housing (101) configured to accommodate the latch mechanism and the locking mechanism, wherein the housing includes a first housing (lOla) disposed to face outside a vehicle, a second housing (lOib) disposed closer to a vehicle interior than the first housing, and a connecting mechanism configured to connect the first housing to the second housing, and wherein the connecting mechanism includes an engaging claw (140) which is provided in one housing of the first housing and the second housing in such a manner so as to protrude therefrom; an engaging arm (150) that is provided in the other housing of the first housing and the second housing and has an opening portion (151) and that can engage with the engaging claw, and a protective portion (160, 260) which is provided in the one housing in such a manner so as to surround an arm outer circumferential surface (153) of the engaging arm so that the engaging arm can be protected.
2. The vehicle door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protective portion is configured as an erected wall that is erected on the one housing in a protruding direction of the engaging claw, and is disposed along the arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm while facing the arm outer circumferential surface.
3. The vehicle door lock mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the erected wall includes an inclined surface (163) which is inclined in such a manner that the wall height of the erected wall decreases as the distance from the arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm increases in a wall thickness direction of the erected wall.
4. The vehicle door lock apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the engaging arm extends along a plane defined by both a vertical direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle door, and wherein the erected wall includes a wall configuration portion (160a) disposed above a -10-portion of the arm outer circumferential surface of the engaging arm, the portion being positioned at the highest location.
5. The vehicle door lock apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the engaging arm has a fixed end portion (150a) that is a portion disposed in the other housing, and a free end portion (15Db) that is a distal end portion configured to extend from the fixed end portion in a lateral direction of the vehicle door, and the engaging arm is configured to disengage from the engaging claw when the free end portion turns about the fixed end portion.-11 -