JP2005344415A - Unlocking auxiliary device for vehicle door locking device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform door lock release operation from the outside of a vehicle without requiring usual operating force. <P>SOLUTION: This unlocking auxiliary device is provided with an unlocking operation detector 11 for detecting the unlocking operation of a vehicle door locking device 1 by an outside handle 2 linked with the door locking device 1 to perform opening/closing operation of a door D, before the unlocking operating force to the door locking device 1 by the outside handle 2 works, and an unlocking device 12 for releasing locking performed by the door locking device 1, by a detection signal from the unlocking operation detector 11. Unlocking is thereby performed during play before the usual unlocking of the door locking device 1 performed by the operation of the outside handle 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to an unlocking assist device for a vehicle door lock device that is useful when opening a vehicle door from the outside of the vehicle.

Conventionally, in order to open and close a vehicle door from the outside of the vehicle, an operation of an outside handle provided outside the door is performed.
The outside handle is connected to a door lock device provided on the vehicle door via a link mechanism, and a latch and a vehicle body incorporated in the door lock device by operating the outside handle to open the door from the outside of the vehicle. The door is opened by releasing the engagement with the striker provided on the side (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Edited by the Automotive Engineering Complete Book Editorial Committee, “Automotive Engineering Complete Book Vol. 13, Passenger Car Body”, Sankai-do Co., Ltd., issued April 20, 1980, p. 130-133

However, with the conventional outside handle, when the vehicle door is opened, an operation force sufficient to operate the link mechanism to unlock the door lock device at the initial stage, that is, to release the engagement with the striker by the latch. Because it is necessary, it is often difficult for a handicapped person with weak gripping force to operate the outside handle with a force sufficient for unlocking the door lock device.

The present invention detects the unlocking operation of the door lock device by the outside handle before the unlocking operation force to the door lock device by the outside handle linked to the vehicle door lock device is operated. By providing an unlocking assisting device for a vehicle door lock device, comprising: an unlocking motion detection device for unlocking and a unlocking device for unlocking the door lock device by a detection signal from the unlocking motion detection device. The above problem is solved by performing the unlocking during play before the door lock device is normally unlocked by the operation of the side handle.

In short, according to the present invention, before the unlocking operation force to the door lock device by the outside handle works, the outside handle can be moved in the unlocking operation direction of the door lock device even with a light operation force (outside The unlocking motion detecting device detects the movement of the outside handle during the play of the handle, and the unlocking device operated by the detection signal from the detecting device is locked by the door lock device, that is, the striker by the latch Can be disengaged,
Even handicapped people with weak grip can easily unlock and open the door from the outside of the vehicle simply by operating the outside handle within the range where it can be moved with light force.
Moreover, because the door locking device is unlocked, the closing force of the vehicle door is eliminated, and the door is slightly opened by the reaction force of the weather strip attached between the door and the vehicle body that is in a compressed state when the door is closed. Convenient to open fully without needing much power.
Therefore, according to the present invention, not only a handicapped person with weak grip but also a healthy person, for example, when trying to open the door from the outside with the shopping bag held in both hands, it is possible to move out with a light fingertip force. By moving the side handle a little in the direction of opening the door, the door opens slightly, so it is easy to fully open it.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an unlocking assisting device according to the present invention installed inside a vehicle door D.
Outside the door D, an outside handle 2 that is connected to the vehicle door lock device 1 and that opens and closes the door D is provided.
The door lock device 1 is provided in the door D, and a striker (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body side is provided with a latch (not shown) that can be engaged and disengaged, and is engaged with the striker by the latch ( A lock release lever 1a for releasing the lock by the door lock device 1 is provided, and the engagement state is released when the lock release lever 1a is pressed downward.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outside handle 2 has a pull-type structure in which the door D is opened by pulling a long handle portion on the lateral side corresponding to the concave portion provided in the exterior panel of the door D.
In the outside handle 2, a hinge portion 3 protrudes from the inside of the base end in the longitudinal direction, and the hinge portion 3 is pivotally attached to the base end side in the bracket 4 fixed to the inside of the exterior panel. .
A guide claw piece 5 inserted through the bracket 4 protrudes from the inner end of the outside handle 2 in the longitudinal direction, and the guide claw piece 5 is formed in a substantially L shape in plan view with the tip side bent in a hook shape. ,
The arm portion 6 extending from the bent portion to the distal end is provided with a retaining locking piece 6 a that is locked on the upper and lower sides of the bracket 4 around the insertion opening of the guide claw piece 5.
In FIG. 2, a decorative member 2a (a key hole is provided depending on the door to be attached) of the outside handle 2 is provided adjacent to the longitudinal end of the outside handle 2. 2a is omitted in the other FIGS.

A bent portion of the substantially bell-shaped bell crank 7 is pivotally attached to the upper end of the bracket 4 at its upper end side, and the lower end of the bell crank 7 abuts against the inner surface of the arm portion 6 of the guide claw piece 5. The upper end of the crank 7 has a connecting rod 8 whose one end is connected to the lock release lever 1a of the door lock device 1.
The other end is pivotally attached.
Further, a torsion coil spring 10 is externally fitted to the support shaft 9 of the bent portion of the bell crank 7 pivotally attached to the bracket 4, and the lower end portion of the bell crank 7 is guided by the torsion coil spring 10. While urging the arm 6 toward the inside of the door D, the upper end of the bell crank 7 is connected to the connecting rod 8.
Is biased upward.

The unlocking assisting device includes an unlocking motion detection device 11 that detects a pulling motion during play of the outside handle 2 when the outside handle 2 is pulled outward when the door D is opened from the outside of the vehicle, It is mainly composed of an unlocking device 12 for releasing the lock by the door lock device 1 by a detection signal from the lock operation detecting device 11.

The unlocking operation detection device 11 includes a micro switch, and the micro switch 11 is fixed to the bracket 4 so that the switch lever 11 a faces the outer surface of the arm portion 6 of the guide claw piece 5.
The switch lever 11a is pressed by the arm portion 6 of the guide claw piece 5 that is abutted and urged by the lower end portion of the bell crank 7 in the closed state of the door D (see FIGS. 2 and 3), and is within the range of the play. When the outside handle 2 is pulled and the guide claw piece 5 is slightly moved outward, the pressing by the arm portion 6 against the switch lever 11a is released and the micro switch 11 is turned on (FIG. 4).
The detection signal from the microswitch 11 is input to a control unit (not shown) of the unlocking device 12, and the unlocking device 12 is operated.
The play of the outside handle 2 is the door by the outside handle 2 during the operation of pulling the outside handle 2 outward when the door D is opened from the outside of the vehicle (the unlocking operation of the door lock device 1 by the outside handle 2). Before the unlocking operation force to the lock device 1 is applied (needed), that is, by pulling the outside handle 2, the door is connected to the unlock lever 1a via the guide claw piece 5, bell crank 7 and connecting rod 8. This is before the downward pressing force for unlocking the locking device 1 is applied (needed). In this embodiment, when the arm portion 6 of the guide claw piece 5 moves outward by about 5 mm, as described above. Is set so that the microswitch 11 is turned on.

The unlocking device 12 is installed in the vicinity of the door lock device 1 and includes a control unit connected to the microswitch 11 and a drive unit 13 that is controlled by the control unit. The drive unit 13 is electrically operated. The motor is provided with a drive shaft 14 that can be expanded and contracted appropriately through a transmission mechanism, and an operation wire 15 is provided at the tip of the drive shaft 14.
The other end of the operation wire 15 is connected to the other end of the connecting rod 8 pivotally attached to the upper end portion of the bell crank 7.
The operation wire 15 is externally fitted with a spiral line 16 for inserting and supporting the operation wire 15, and one end of the spiral line 16 is connected to the unlocking device 12.
The other end of the operating wire 15 is fixed between the other end of the spiral strip 16 and the other end of the operating wire 15 protruding from the other end. A return spring 18 that is externally fitted is interposed.
In this embodiment, the operation wire 15 is connected to the other end of the connecting rod 8 pivotally attached to the upper end of the bell crank 7, and the drive shaft 14 is contracted by the operation of the unlocking device 12 to connect the connecting rod 8. Shows that the lock release lever 1a is pressed in the unlocking direction of the door lock device 1, but the other end of the operation wire 15 is incorporated in the door lock device 1 and is unlocked.
1a may be connected to an adapter (not shown) that can be pressed in the unlocking direction, and the unlocking device 12 may be operated to press the unlocking lever 1a in the unlocking direction via the adapter. .
The unlocking device 12 is set so that after the drive shaft 14 contracts, the drive shaft 14 returns and stops.

In the door D equipped with the unlocking assist device as described above, when the door D is opened from the outside of the vehicle, the switch lever 11a by the arm portion 6 of the guide claw piece 5 is immediately after the outside handle 2 is pulled outward. Is released, the micro switch 11 is turned on, and the micro switch
11 is input to the control unit of the unlocking device 12, the drive unit 13 is operated, the drive shaft 14
Shrink.
As a result, the operation wire 15 is pulled against the elastic force of the return spring 18 and the torsion coil spring 10, and the connecting rod 8 connected to the operation wire 15 is moved to the lock release lever 1a.
Is pressed in the unlocking direction of the door lock device 1, and the engagement with the striker by the latch of the door lock device 1 is released.
As the door lock device 1 is unlocked, the closing force of the vehicle door is eliminated, so that the door D is slightly opened by the reaction force of the weather strip attached between the door D and the vehicle body.
Thereafter, the door D is fully opened by pulling it in the opening direction.
When the unlocking assisting device is not operated, the outside handle 2 is substantially the same as the normal outside handle not equipped with the unlocking assisting device except for the arm portion 6 of the guide claw piece 5. Is pulled out outward (corresponding to the position of the outside handle 2 indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 2 and 4), and the upper end of the bell crank 7 swings downward to connect the door through the connecting rod 8. By pressing the lock release lever 1a of the lock device 1 downward, the engagement with the striker by the latch is released, and the door D can be opened.

It is a simplified view of a vehicle door equipped with an unlocking assist device. It is a top view of the outside handle in a door closed state. It is a side view of the outside handle in a door closed state. It is a side view of the outside handle at the time of unlocking of a door lock device.

Explanation of symbols

1 Door lock device 2 Outside handle
11 Unlocking motion detection device
12 Unlocking device D Door

Claims (1)

An unlocking operation for detecting the unlocking operation of the door lock device by the outside handle before the unlocking operation force to the door lock device by the outside handle linked to the door lock device for the vehicle is opened and closed. An unlocking assisting device for a vehicle door lock device, comprising: a detection device; and an unlocking device that releases the lock by the door lock device according to a detection signal from the unlocking operation detection device.

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