JP2001303820A - Door lock actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a door lock actuator, by which whether or nor a child locking mechanism and an antitheft locking mechanism are released can be recognized easily to a crew and trouble generated by the forgetfulness of the release of these locking mechanisms, the impossibility of the going-out of a passenger on a rear-section seat to the outside and the impossibility of a return into a car, can be solved. SOLUTION: A position detecting switch 18 detecting the position of the operation of an output member 16 for a child safety lock is installed to the door lock actuator 1, and whether or not a child safety locking mechanism is released in response to a detecting signal from the position detecting switch 18 is displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a door lock actuator used for automatically locking or unlocking a door of an automobile in response to an electric signal based on a switch operation or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to further improve occupant safety and security, a door lock system of an automobile, for example, an infant touches a door lock knob or an inside handle.
Even if the inside handle is pulled in the unlocked state, the door will not be opened from the inside of the car (it can be opened by pulling the outside handle from outside the car) Child safety lock (hereinafter, referred to as (Abbreviated as "Child lock") and anti-theft lock mechanism that prevents the door from opening even if you forget to lock the door (can be opened from the inside of the car or from the outside by using the door key) Some have been provided.

[0003]

However, these mechanisms are extremely convenient as long as their functions are fully understood and used, but they do not recognize that these locking mechanisms are working. Causes various inconveniences.

[0004] For example, in the state where the child lock is engaged, even if a passenger in the rear seat tries to get out of the car, the door cannot be opened by himself. However, there is a problem that the door lock actuator cannot return to the normal state. Note that levers for enabling and disabling the child lock mechanism and theft lock mechanism are usually provided on the surface between the door and the door frame, so that the door cannot be reached when the door is closed. Also, the passenger cannot release the lock mechanism by himself.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems in a conventional door lock actuator provided with an output member for a child lock mechanism and an antitheft lock mechanism. The occupant can easily recognize the position, that is, whether the door is locked or unlocked, and whether the child lock mechanism or the anti-theft lock mechanism is in the activated state or the released state. An object of the present invention is to provide a door lock actuator that can prevent the above-described inconvenience caused by forgetting to release a lock mechanism or a security lock mechanism.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a door lock actuator comprising a first position or a second position;
, An output member that switches the door lock mechanism to an effective state or an invalid state, and a motor that rotates the worm forward or backward according to the supply of current,
A door lock actuator having a rotating member coupled to the output member and having a tooth portion meshed with the worm, and an actuator case accommodating the motor and rotatably supporting the rotating member; , A first and a second conductive plate fixed to the actuator case in an insulated state from each other, and electrically contactable and separable from the first and the second conductive plate; And a contactor for making the conductive plate conductive or non-conductive, and comprising a position detecting means for detecting whether the output member is at the first position or the second position. The rotating member is rotatably supported by the actuator case, and the output member has a portion protruding from the actuator case. A rotating shaft fixedly fixed, a connecting portion extending from the rotating shaft, a connecting portion extending from the connecting portion, and arranged in parallel with the rotating shaft, and the outer peripheral portion having the teeth. And a contactor fixing portion to which the contactor is fixed is formed, and the door lock actuator according to claim 2 of the present invention includes:
A door lock actuator having a child safety lock output member that moves between an on position and an off position according to a current supply and switches a child safety lock mechanism of a door lock between an effective state and an invalid state; The door lock actuator according to claim 3 of the present invention is configured to include a position detection unit that detects a movement position of the output member.
Similarly, in a door lock actuator including a burglarproof output member that moves between an on position and an off position according to a current supply to switch a burglarproof lock mechanism of a doorlock between an effective state and an invalid state, The present invention is characterized in that it is provided with a position detecting means for detecting the moving position of the output member, and such a structure in the door lock actuator is a means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the door lock actuator according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a motor that rotates forward and reverse in response to a current supply, and controls the rotation of the motor. The door lock actuator according to the fifth aspect is characterized in that the motor is detachable.

[0008]

The door lock actuator according to the first aspect of the present invention has first and second conductive plates fixed to an actuator case, and fixed to the rotating member side. A contactor which is separated from and connected to the conductive plate to bring the conductive plate into a conductive or non-conductive state; therefore, the position of the output member is determined by the output from the position detector, that is, the output member. The driver always recognizes whether or not the door lock mechanism connected to is operated.

A door lock actuator according to a second or third aspect of the present invention includes an output member for child lock or an output member for anti-theft lock, and a position detecting means for detecting an operating position of these output members. Since it is provided, it is possible for the driver to determine whether or not the child lock mechanism and the anti-theft lock mechanism are in operation by performing a display using a lamp, an LED, or a sound based on the output from the position detection means. Forgetting to release the child lock mechanism or theft lock mechanism eliminates the inconvenience that the passengers in the rear seats cannot get out of the car or return to the car. .

In a door lock actuator according to a fourth aspect, as a specific structure of the door lock actuator according to the second or third aspect, a motor;
Since it is equipped with a reduction gear that transmits the rotation of the motor to the output member, the output member for child lock or anti-theft lock operates steadily between the ON position and the OFF position according to the current supply to the motor. Therefore, the valid / invalid switching of the child lock or theft lock mechanism is ensured.

Further, in the door lock actuator according to the fifth aspect, the drive motor of the output member is made detachable, so that the motor is removed to enable / disable the child lock or theft lock mechanism. Even when the manual operation is performed, the current position of the output member is detected by the position detecting means, so that the driver always recognizes whether the child lock mechanism or the antitheft lock mechanism is in the operating state, It is not necessary to forget to release these lock mechanisms.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining a structure of an embodiment of a door lock actuator according to the present invention, in which a cover of the door lock actuator is removed.

The door lock actuator 1 shown in FIG.
A first drive unit 10 for door lock and a second drive unit 20 for child lock are integrally provided in the actuator case 2.
Instead of a child lock, it can be used for a security lock.

The first drive unit 10 and the second drive unit 2
No. 0 has basically the same structure, and includes motors 3 and 13, worms 4 and 14, sector gears (rotating members) 5 and 15, an output lever (output member) 6 for door lock, and a child, respectively. It mainly comprises an output lever 16 which is an output member for locking.

The motor 3 constituting the first drive unit 10 is a DC motor that rotates forward and backward in accordance with the direction of current supply, and is fixed in the actuator case 2 with the worm 4 attached to the armature shaft 3a. Have been.

The worm 4 attached to the armature shaft 3a is formed with four threads each having a lead angle of 30 degrees, and is rotatably supported on the actuator case 2 by the rotating shaft 5a. The rotation of the armature shaft 3a is reduced by the worm 4 and transmitted to the sector gear 5 via the worm 4, so that the rotation of the armature shaft 3a is transmitted to the sector gear 5.
Rotates. Since the advance angle of the worm 4 is as large as 30 degrees as described above, not only is the rotation of the armature shaft 3a transmitted to the sector gear 5 side, but also when the sector gear 5 is rotated. Also, the rotation of the sector gear 5 is transmitted to the armature shaft 3a via the worm 4, and the armature shaft 3a rotates together with the worm 4.

The output lever 6 is connected to the actuator case 2
The armature shaft 3a of the motor 3 is fixed to the tip of the rotary shaft portion 5a of the sector gear 5 protruding to the back side of the motor 3.
In accordance with the rotation of the lever, it rotates integrally with the sector gear 5 to lock or unlock the door lock connected to the lever 6.

On the other hand, the second drive unit 20 is also basically configured in the same manner as the first drive unit 10, and the motor 13
Of the rotating shaft portion 15 according to the rotation of the armature shaft 13a
The child lock output lever 16 rotates between the on position and the off position integrally with the sector gear 15 around the center a, and the child lock mechanism connected to the lever 16 is activated (the door is opened from the inside of the vehicle). The state is switched to a state of disappearing) or invalid (a child lock mechanism is released). The motor 13 of the second drive unit 20 can be easily removed from the actuator case 2 in order to comply with the manual specification of the child lock.

The second drive unit 20 is mounted on the lower surface of the sector gear 15 and two conductive plates 2a and 2b formed integrally with the actuator case 2 as shown in an enlarged manner in FIGS. A position detection switch 18 including a contactor 17 provided is provided, and functions as a position detection unit that detects the movement position of the output lever 16, that is, the output member for child lock.

That is, the sector gear 15 which is a rotating member
Are a rotating shaft 15a rotatably supported by the actuator case 2, a connecting portion 15b extending from the rotating shaft 15a, and a rotating shaft 15a further extending from the connecting portion 15b. A main body 15c which is arranged in parallel and has teeth 15d on its outer periphery which mesh with the worm 4
An output lever 16 is fixed to a portion of the rotary shaft portion 15a protruding from the actuator case 2 and a contactor fixing portion 15e located at a lower end of the main body portion 15c. , The contactor 17 of the position detection switch 18 is fixed.

The contactor 17 slides while constantly contacting the first contact 17a, which comes into contact with the first conductive plate 2a with the rotation of the sector gear 15 and the output lever 16, and the second conductive plate 2b. The two-contacts 17b are integrally provided, and the position of the lever 16 is detected based on the presence or absence of electrical conduction between the first conductive plate 2a and the second conductive plate 2b based on the movement of the output lever 16. Can be.

The actuator case 2 has a connector 2c on the outside of a case main body for accommodating the above components,
Internal wiring connecting the brush terminals of the motors 3 and 13 is collectively connected to the connector 2c, and current from external wiring is supplied to the motors 3 and 13 via the common connector 2c. It has become. Further, a sealing material 2e made of synthetic rubber is fitted in a groove formed on the opening end surface of the case main body. Watertightness is maintained.

The actuator 1 having such a structure
Is connected to a door lock control device via an external wiring connected to a connector 2a, the door lock output lever 6 of the first drive unit 10 is connected to the door lock, and The child lock output lever 16 of the drive unit 20 is connected to the child lock lever of the door lock.

By operating the door lock switch of the driver's seat, a current in a predetermined direction is supplied from the door lock control device to the motor 3 via the external wiring and the connector 2a, and the armature shaft 3a of the motor 3
As a result, the sector gear 5 meshing with the worm 4 rotates together with the output lever 6 about the rotation shaft 5a, and the door lock connected to the output lever 6 is locked or unlocked.

At this time, when a lock knob (not shown) provided on the door is manually operated, the rotation is transmitted as a rotation of the output lever 6 and the sector gear 5 via a lock knob rod connected to the lock knob, and the rotation of the sector gear 5 is transmitted. Is transmitted as the rotation of the armature shaft 3a via the worm 4 as described above, so that the output lever 6 easily rotates by manual operation, and locks or unlocks the door even by manual operation of the lock knob. Or you can.

When a current in a predetermined direction is supplied to the motor 13 from the door lock control device via the external wiring and the connector 2a by operating the child safety switch in the driver's seat, the rotation of the motor 13 is controlled via the worm 14. Is transmitted to the sector gear 15, and the child lock output lever 16 is rotated together with the sector gear 15 by the rotating shaft 15 a.
, And moves to the on position or the off position, so that the child lock mechanism of the door lock connected thereto can be set to the effective (functional) state or the invalid (released) state. In this state, prevent the danger that the door will open even if the infant mischiefs the door lock knob or inside handle while driving and pulls the inside handle in the unlocked state. Will be able to

At this time, the worm 14 is
As with the worm 4 of the drive unit 10, the thread is provided with four threads having a lead angle of 30 degrees, so that it can be rotated by the rotational force from the sector gear 15 side. The child gear is rotated with the sector gear 15 by the operation, and the output lever 16 easily moves to the on position or the off position. Therefore, the child lock mechanism can be enabled or disabled not only by the switch operation but also by the manual operation. It has become.

When the output lever 16 moves to the ON position, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3A, the first contact 17a of the contactor 17 of the position detecting switch 18 is turned on.
Contact the first conductive plate 2a, the first conductive plate 2a and the second conductive plate 2b
7, the output lever 16 is in the ON position by detecting this,
In other words, it is possible to electrically detect that the child lock mechanism is enabled, and to forget that the child lock has been activated, for example, by letting the driver recognize by turning on the child lock lamp or the like. Therefore, it is possible to prevent various inconveniences caused by the above, that is, a trouble that a passenger in the rear seat cannot open the door by himself.

When the output lever 16 moves to the off position, as shown in FIG.
Since the first contact 17a of the contactor 17 is separated from the first conductive plate 2a, the electrical continuity between the first conductive plate 2a and the second conductive plate 2b is cut off.
By detecting this, it can be electrically detected that the output lever 16 is in the off position, that is, the child lock mechanism is released. For example, when the child lock lamp is off, the child lock is released. The driver can confirm that the vehicle is operating.

The door lock actuator 1 can be adapted to a manual child lock system by removing only the motor 13.
Also in this case, the position of the output lever 16, that is, the position of the child lock lever of the door lock can be detected by the position detection switch 18, so that the position of the child lock lever, which normally becomes invisible when the door is closed, is set as described above. This can be similarly grasped by a suitable display and an alarm sound, and the inconvenience that the passenger in the rear seat cannot be taken out by forgetting to release the child lock mechanism can be solved.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
The door lock actuator according to the present invention is, in particular, fixed to a rotating member and first and second conductive plates fixed to an actuator case, and makes a conductive or non-conductive state between the first and second conductive plates. Since the position detecting means including the contactor is provided, the driver constantly checks the position of the output member, that is, whether or not the door lock mechanism connected to the output member is in operation by the output from the position detecting means. You can figure out. Also,
A rotating shaft part in which the rotating member is rotatably supported by the actuator case, a connecting part extending from the rotating shaft part, a main body part arranged in parallel with the rotating shaft part, and a contactor fixed Since the actuator has a U-shaped cross section, the thickness of the actuator can be reduced, and the contactor is directly fixed to the contactor fixing portion of the rotating member. This provides an extremely excellent effect of being able to directly detect the state.

In the door lock actuator according to the second or third aspect of the present invention, the current position of the child lock output member or the anti-theft lock output member can be detected by the position detecting means. Is displayed on the switch panel or instrument panel,
By issuing a sound or an alarm sound, it is possible to make the driver recognize whether or not the child lock mechanism and the antitheft lock mechanism are released. An extremely excellent effect that the inconvenience of can be eliminated. Further, as an embodiment of the door lock actuator, the door lock actuator according to the fourth aspect includes a motor and a reduction gear as a drive source, so that a child lock or a security lock is provided according to a current supply to the motor. In the door lock actuator according to the fifth aspect, it is possible to reliably operate the output member for ON or OFF position.
Since the motor for driving the output member is removable,
Even when the motor is removed, the current position of the output member can be detected by the position detecting means, and the detection result is displayed in the same manner. It is possible to always know whether the lock mechanism or the anti-theft lock mechanism is released, and an excellent effect that various inconveniences caused by forgetting to release the lock mechanism can be eliminated is brought about.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state where a cover of a door lock actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention is removed.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of a position detection switch portion in the door lock actuator shown in FIG. FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing an ON state of the position switch shown in FIG. (C) It is explanatory drawing which shows the OFF state of the position switch shown in FIG.2 (a).

FIG. 3A is an explanatory sectional view showing a structure of the position switch shown in FIG. 2; (B) It is arrow explanatory drawing from arrow B direction of FIG.3 (a).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Door lock actuator 2 Actuator case 2a 1st conductive plate 2b 2nd conductive plate 13 Motor 14 Worm 15 Sector gear (rotation member) 15a Rotation shaft part 15b Connection part 15c Body part 15d Teeth part 15e Contactor fixing part 16 Output Lever (output member) 17 Contactor 18 Position detection switch (position detection means)

Claims (5)

[Claims] An output member that is movable to a first position or a second position and switches a door lock mechanism between an effective state and an invalid state; and a motor that rotates the worm forward or backward according to the supply of current. A door having a tooth portion formed in mesh with the worm and coupled to the output member; and an actuator case that houses the motor and rotatably supports the rotary member. In the lock actuator, a first and a second conductive plate fixed to the actuator case in an insulated state from each other; and a first conductive plate electrically contactable with and separated from the first and the second conductive plates. A contactor for making the second conductive plate conductive or non-conductive, and determining whether the output member is in the first position or the second position. Comprising a position detecting means for output, the rotating member forms a substantially U-shaped cross section, this rotating member, rotatably supported on the actuator case,
A rotating shaft portion integrally fixed with the output member at a portion protruding from the actuator case, a connecting portion extending from the rotating shaft portion, and a rotating portion extending from the connecting portion and rotating A door lock actuator, comprising: a main body portion arranged in parallel with a shaft portion and having the tooth portion formed on an outer peripheral portion; and a contactor fixing portion to which the contactor is fixed. 2. A door lock actuator including a child safety lock output member that moves between an on position and an off position in response to a current supply and switches a child safety lock mechanism of a door lock between an effective state and an invalid state. A door lock actuator comprising a position detecting means for detecting a moving position of the child safety lock output member. 3. A door lock actuator having a security lock output member that moves between an on position and an off position according to a current supply and switches a security lock mechanism of a door lock between an effective state and an ineffective state. A door lock actuator comprising a position detecting means for detecting a moving position of a lock output member. 4. The door lock actuator according to claim 2, further comprising a motor that rotates forward and backward in response to a current supply, and a reduction gear that transmits rotation of the motor to the output member. . 5. The door lock actuator according to claim 4, wherein the motor is detachable.