JP2021067149A - Door latch device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a device for preventing water immersion that causes malfunction.SOLUTION: A door latch device 10 comprises: a fork 26 rotatable to an open position and a full-latch position; a claw 28 rotatable to an engaging position and a non-engaging position; an inner lever that rotates by operation of a first operation member 6 and that rotates the claw 28 on the engaging position to the non-engaging position; a fence block 20 having an attachment part 20d in which the fork 26 and the claw 28 are attached and an exposed part 20f for exposing a connection part of the inner lever to the outside; a support plate 21 for covering the attachment part 20d; a cover 23 for covering the exposed part 20f; and a seal member 24 arranged so as to cover the upper side of the support plate 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a door latch device.

The door latch device that leasably locks the door of the vehicle includes a latch mechanism having a fork that leasably holds the striker of the vehicle body and a claw for locking the fork in the full latch position. Patent Document 1 discloses an electric release type door latch device in which a fork is unlocked (door is opened) by a claw by a release mechanism including an electric motor in a steady state.

The electric release mechanism may become inoperable due to insufficient power of the battery or the like. Therefore, the door latch device of Patent Document 1 is provided with a manual release mechanism for emergency. The manual release mechanism includes an inner lever that is connected to an inner handle located inside the car of the door. The inner handle is hidden and never used at all times.

International Publication No. WO2016 / 174753

It is inevitable that rainwater will enter the door from between the door panel and the window of the vehicle, and if the water enters the door latch device and freezes, it will cause malfunction. There is room for improvement in Patent Document 1 regarding measures against water intrusion into the door latch device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a door latch device capable of effectively preventing the ingress of water that causes malfunction.

One aspect of the present invention is a fork that can rotate to an open position where the striker can be released, a full latch position for holding the striker, a locking position for locking the fork at the full latch position, and the fork. The first operating member has a claw that can rotate to the unlocked position and a first connecting portion for connecting the first cable connected to the first operating member inside the vehicle. An inner lever that is rotated by an operation to rotate the claw at the locked position to the unlocked position, an outer portion extending in the vertical direction facing the striker, and the fork and the outer portion formed on the outer portion. It has a fence block having a mounting portion to which a claw is mounted, an exposed portion formed below the mounting portion and exposing the first connecting portion to the outside, and an insertion groove through which the striker can enter. Provided is a door latch device including a support plate covering the mounting portion, a cover covering the exposed portion, and a sealing member arranged so as to cover the upper side of the support plate.

The seal member covering the support plate is attached in a state of being pressed against the door panel. Therefore, it is possible to prevent water that has entered from above the seal member from entering the door latch device through the insertion groove, the gap between the mounting portion and the support plate, and the gap between the exposed portion and the cover. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress the malfunction of the door latch device due to flooding.

The door latch device of the present invention can effectively prevent the ingress of water that causes malfunction.

The side view which shows the state which attached the door latch device which concerns on embodiment of this invention to a vehicle. The perspective view of the door latch device of FIG. An exploded perspective view of the door latch device of FIG. 1. Front view of the outer part of the fence block. Front view of the inside of the fence block. Front view of the second arrangement part of the housing body. The front view which shows the open state of a latch mechanism. The front view which shows the 1st state of the operation of a closure lever. The front view which shows the 2nd state of the operation of a closure lever. The front view which shows the open operation state by an electric release mechanism. The front view which shows the open operation state by an inner lever. The front view which shows the open operation state by an outer lever. The perspective view which shows the relationship between a housing and a seal member. The front view which shows the relationship between a housing and a seal member. The side view which shows the relationship between a housing and a seal member. The perspective view which shows the structure of the exposed part.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show a door latch device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the door latch device 10 is arranged in a door 3 that can be opened and closed with respect to the vehicle body 1. The door latch device 10 keeps the door 3 in the closed state by closing the open door 3 and holding the striker 2 of the vehicle body 1. The door 3 includes a general-purpose door pivotally supported by a hinge shaft extending in the vertical direction, a galwing door pivotally supported by a hinge shaft extending in the horizontal direction, a sliding door moving along the side panel 1a of the vehicle body 1, and the like. It may be in the form.

Referring to FIG. 2, the door latch device 10 includes an L-shaped housing 15 when viewed from above in the Z direction, and a fence block 20 arranged in the housing 15. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4B, the door latch device 10 includes a latch mechanism 25, an electric release mechanism 35, a manual release mechanism 45, and a closure mechanism 55. Referring to FIG. 1, a connector 16 for electrically connecting to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 4 of a vehicle is arranged in the housing 15. The electric release mechanism 35 and the closure mechanism 55 are controlled by the ECU 4.

The latch mechanism 25 holds the striker 2 detachably. The electric release mechanism 35 electrically releases the holding of the striker 2 by the latch mechanism 25 so that the door 3 can be opened. The manual release mechanism 45 is used when the electric release mechanism 35 cannot operate, and the latch mechanism 25 manually releases the holding of the striker 2 so that the door 3 can be opened. The closure mechanism 55 electrically operates the latch mechanism 25 to bring the half-locked door 3 (so-called "half-door") into a fully-locked state.

The manual release mechanism 45 is for emergency use and is not used in steady state. An inner handle (first operating member) 6 arranged inside the vehicle and a key cylinder (second operating member) 7 arranged outside the vehicle are connected to the manual release mechanism 45, but these are covers and the like. Hidden by.

No exposed door handle is provided inside or outside the door 3 on which the door latch device 10 is mounted for a manual opening operation in a steady state. When opening the door 3 from the inside of the vehicle, the user operates a switch 5 provided inside the vehicle (for example, the door 3) instead of the door handle. When opening the door 3 from outside the vehicle, the user operates, for example, an electronic key (not shown).

As described above, since the door 3 does not have a door handle used in the steady state, the door latch mechanism 25 of the present embodiment includes a transmission mechanism for transmitting the operating force of the door handle used in the steady state to the latch mechanism. There is no lock mechanism that switches the transmission of the operating force by the transmission mechanism between a possible state and an impossible state. Therefore, the electric door latch device 10 is smaller than the door latch device having these mechanisms.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the door latch device 10 of the present embodiment will be specifically described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 15 is made of resin and includes a housing main body 17 having a first arrangement portion 17a and a second arrangement portion 17b integrally, and a cover 18. A fence block 20 in which the latch mechanism 25 and the manual release mechanism 45 are arranged is arranged in the first arrangement portion 17a, and an electric release mechanism 35 is arranged in the second arrangement portion 17b. The second arrangement portion 17b is covered with a cover 18. By attaching the cover 18 to the second arrangement portion 17b, the cover 18 constitutes an outer surface integrated with the vehicle inner end surface 20a of the fence block 20.

Referring to FIG. 1, the first arrangement portion 17a in which the fence block 20 including the latch mechanism 25 is arranged is arranged so as to face the end panel 3a of the door 3. The second arrangement portion 17b in which the electric release mechanism 35 is arranged is arranged along the inner panel (not shown) facing the outer panel 3b.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fence block 20 is made of resin and has an outer portion 20b facing the striker 2 (see FIG. 1) and the end panel 3a and an inner portion located on the opposite side of the outer portion 20b. 20c (see FIG. 4B). The outer portion 20b extends in the vertical direction along the YZ plane. The fence block 20 is arranged in the first arrangement portion 17a so that the inner portion 20c faces the first arrangement portion 17a. A part of the fence block 20 projects from the first arrangement portion 17a to the inside of the vehicle, and this protruding portion is located in the arrangement space between the second arrangement portion 17b and the cover 18. The fence block 20 is provided with a mounting portion 20d for attaching the latch mechanism 25 and an exposed portion 20f for exposing a part of the manual release mechanism 45 to the outside.

The mounting portion 20d is a recess provided so that the outer portion 20b opens. The mounting portion 20d is formed with an insertion groove 20e through which the striker 2 is inserted by opening and closing the door 3. The insertion groove 20e extends from the inside of the vehicle located on the left side in the Y direction in FIG. 2 to the outside of the vehicle located on the right side in the Y direction in FIG. 2, and is recessed from the outer portion 20b toward the inner portion 20c.

The exposed portion 20f is provided for improving the assembling property of the cables 47 and 49 to the manual release mechanism 45. The exposed portion 20f is a recess provided so that the outer portion 20b opens. Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the exposed portion 20f is provided with two through holes 20g and 20h penetrating from the outer portion 20b to the inner portion 20c. The first through hole 20g exposes the connection portion 46a of the inner lever 46, which will be described later, to the outside. The second through hole 20h exposes the connecting portion 48a of the outer lever 48, which will be described later, to the outside. These through holes 20g and 20h will be described in detail later.

The outside (outer side portion 20b) of the mounting portion 20d is covered with a metal cover plate (support plate) 21 having an insertion groove 21a corresponding to the insertion groove 20e. Referring to FIG. 4B, a metal back plate 22 is arranged at a position corresponding to the mounting portion 20d on the inner portion 20c of the fence block 20. The outside of the exposed portion 20f is covered with a resin cable cover 23.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper portion of the housing 15 is covered with a waterproof cover 19. Further, on the upper side of the cover plate 21, a sealing member 24 for sealing between the housing 15 and the end panel 3a and between the housing 15 and the inner panel is arranged.

Referring to FIG. 3, the waterproof cover 19 includes a first portion 19a that covers the upper side of the first arrangement portion 17a and a second portion 19d that covers the upper side of the second arrangement portion 17b including the cover 18.

The first portion 19a covers the range from the upper surface located on the upper side of the fence block 20 to the outer surface located on the side opposite to the surface facing the fence block 20 in the first arrangement portion 17a. In the first portion 19a, the end surface 19b facing the end panel 3a constitutes an outer surface integrated with the outer portion 20b of the fence block 20. The first portion 19a is formed with an extending portion 19c that covers the cable 58 of the closure mechanism 55.

The second portion 19d covers the range from the outer surface located on the outer side of the vehicle to the outer surface of the cover 18 located on the inner side of the vehicle in the second arrangement portion 17b. Specifically, the second portion 19d includes an outer surface portion 19e that covers the outside of the vehicle of the second arrangement portion 17b, an inner surface portion 19f that covers the inside of the vehicle of the cover 18, and a continuous portion 19g that is connected to the upper ends thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 9A, the sealing member 24 includes a first portion 24a that seals a portion facing the end panel 3a and a second portion 24e that seals a portion facing the inner panel.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the first portion 24a covers the upper surface of the insertion groove 21a, the outer surface of the fence block 20 (outer portion 20b), the outer surface of the cover plate 21, and the outer surface of the waterproof cover 19 (outer surface 20b). It is arranged so as to straddle the end face 19b). That is, the first portion 24a covers the boundary portion between the fence block 20 and the cover plate 21, the boundary portion between the fence block 20 and the waterproof cover 19, and the boundary portion between the cover plate 21 and the waterproof cover 19 on the upper side of the insertion groove 21a. ing.

The shape of the upper end portion 24b of the first portion 24a corresponds to the shape of the upper end portion of the first portion 19a. The fence block 20 and the cover plate 21 are provided with stepped portions 20i and 21b, and the shape of the lower end portion 24c of the first portion 24a corresponds to the shape of the stepped portions 20i and 21b. Of the first portion 24a, a protruding portion 24d that projects downward along the extending portion 19c of the waterproof cover 19 is provided at the vehicle outer end portion located on the right side in the Y direction in FIG. 9A.

Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9C, the second portion 24e is arranged so as to straddle the vehicle inner end surface 20a of the fence block 20, the outer surface of the cover 18, and the outer surface (inner surface portion 19f) of the waterproof cover 19. That is, the second portion 24e locally covers the boundary portion between the fence block 20 and the cover 18 and the boundary portion between the cover 18 and the waterproof cover 19 on the surface facing the inner panel.

The second portion 24e includes a continuous portion 24f that is connected to the first portion 24a and extends in the X direction, and a protruding portion 24g that is connected to the continuous portion 24f and projects downward in the Z direction. The continuous portion 24f is arranged so as to straddle the fence block 20, the cover 18, and the waterproof cover 19. The protrusion 24g is arranged so as to straddle the fence block 20 and the cover 18. The lower end of the protrusion 24g is located at the lower end of the fence block 20 and the cover 18.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the latch mechanism 25 integrally rotates the fork 26 that holds the striker 2 detachably, the claw 28 that locks the fork 26 at the full latch position, and the claw 28. A receiving member 29 is provided.

The fork 26 is arranged in the mounting portion 20d so as to be located between the fence block 20 and the cover plate 21, and is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft 27 provided above the insertion groove 20e. The rotating shaft 27 is erected on the cover plate 21 and the back plate 22 and extends in a direction orthogonal to the cover plate 21 and the back plate 22. The fork 26 includes a holding groove 26a for holding the striker 2 and is rotatable between the open position shown in FIG. 6 and the full latch position shown in FIG. 7B. The fork 26 is urged toward the open position by a spring (not shown).

The claw 28 is arranged in the mounting portion 20d so as to be located between the fence block 20 and the cover plate 21. The claw 28 is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft 30 provided below the insertion groove 20e, and is arranged adjacent to the fork 26. The rotating shaft 30 is erected on the cover plate 21 and the back plate 22 and extends in parallel along the rotating shaft 27 of the fork 26. The claw 28 includes a locking portion 28a that locks to the fork 26 and is rotatable between the locking position shown in FIG. 7A and the non-locking position shown in FIG. The claw 28 is urged toward the locking position by the spring 31.

The operation receiving member 29 is arranged on the inner side 20c side of the mounting portion 20d, is pivotally supported by the same rotating shaft 30 as the claw 28, and rotates integrally with the claw 28. The operation receiving member 29 includes a plate-shaped base portion 29a extending along the inner portion 20c, a first protruding portion 29b that receives the operation of the electric release mechanism 35, and a second protruding portion 29c that receives the operation of the manual release mechanism 45. Be prepared. Referring to FIG. 5, the protruding portions 29b and 29c project in a direction away from the base portion 29a with respect to the inner portion 20c.

When the door 3 in the open state is closed, the striker 2 enters the holding groove 26a of the fork 26 in the open position shown in FIG. Subsequently, the fork 26 is rotated to the full latch position shown in FIG. 7B via the half latch position shown in FIG. 7A by the pressing of the striker 2. At the half-latch position shown in FIG. 7A, the claw 28 is locked to one side (temporary fixing portion) of the holding groove 26a to hold the door 3 in the half-locked state. At the full latch position shown in FIG. 7B, the claw 28 is locked to the locking step portion 26b to hold the door 3 in the fully locked state.

When the operation receiving member 29 is operated by the electric release mechanism 35 or the manual release mechanism 45, the claw 28 rotates from the locked position shown in FIG. 7B to the non-locked position shown in FIG. The fork 26 released from the lock by the claw 28 rotates from the full latch position shown in FIG. 7B to the open position shown in FIG. 6 by the urging of the spring. As a result, the door 3 can be opened. When the operation of the operation receiving member 29 is released, the operation receiving member 29 and the claw 28 rotate from the non-locking position shown in FIG. 6 to the locked position shown in FIG. 7B by the urging of the spring 31.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the electric release mechanism 35 is arranged in the second arrangement portion 17b, and includes an electric motor 36, a worm 37, and an opening operation member 38.

The electric motor 36 is a DC motor capable of forward rotation and reverse rotation. The worm 37 is attached to the output shaft of the electric motor 36 and has spiral teeth on the outer peripheral portion.

The opening operation member 38 is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft 39 extending in a direction orthogonal to the rotating shaft 30. The opening operation member 38 has a fan shape, and a gear portion 38a that meshes with the worm 37 is formed on the outer peripheral portion. The opening operation member 38 is provided with an operation portion 38b that abuts on the first protrusion 29b to rotate the claw 28.

The electric motor 36 is rotated forward by the signal from the ECU 4, and the opening operation member 38 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 5 via the worm 37. As a result, the operation receiving member 29 is rotated counterclockwise by the operation unit 38b from the angular position (locking position) shown in FIG. 4B to the angular position (unlocking position) shown in FIG. 8A. As a result, the claw 28 rotates from the locked position shown in FIG. 7B to the non-locked position shown in FIG. 6, and the fork 26 rotates to the open position. When this opening operation is completed, the electric motor 36 is reversed and the opening operation member 38 is returned to the initial position. As a result, the operation receiving member 29 and the claw 28 are integrally rotated from the non-locking position to the locked position by the urging force of the spring 31.

Referring to FIG. 5, two switches 40A and 40B for outputting the state of the electric release mechanism 35 to the ECU 4 are arranged above the opening operation member 38. When the opening operation member 38 is rotated to the initial position shown in FIG. 5, the switch 40A outputs an on signal and the switch 40B outputs an off signal. When the opening operation member 38 rotates counterclockwise to the opening operation completion position, the switch 40A outputs an off signal and the switch 40B outputs an on signal. Based on these signals, the ECU 4 controls the electric release mechanism 35.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4B, the manual release mechanism 45 includes an inner lever 46 and an outer lever 48. The inner lever 46 is connected to the inner handle 6 inside the vehicle by a cable 47. The outer lever 48 is connected to the key cylinder 7 on the outside of the vehicle by a cable 49.

The inner lever 46 is made of metal, is arranged on the inner side 20c side of the fence block 20 so as to be located on the lower side of the operation receiving member 29, and is pivotally supported by the rotating shaft 50. The rotating shaft 50 is integrally provided with the fence block 20 and extends in parallel with the rotating shaft 27 of the fork 26 and the rotating shaft 30 of the claw 28. The inner lever 46 is provided with a connecting portion 46a for connecting the cable 47. The connecting portion 46a is arranged in the exposed portion 20f and is exposed to the outside when the cable cover 23 is removed. The inner lever 46 is provided with an engaging portion 46b that engages with the outer lever 48 and integrally rotates the outer lever 48 by operating the inner handle 6.

The outer lever 48 is made of metal, is arranged on the inner side 20c side of the fence block 20, and is pivotally supported by the same rotating shaft 50 as the inner lever 46. The outer lever 48 is provided with a connecting portion 48a for connecting the cable 49. The connecting portion 48a is arranged in the exposed portion 20f and is exposed to the outside when the cable cover 23 is removed. The outer lever 48 is provided with a stepped portion 48b that projects outward from the rotation shaft 50 and is engaged with the engaging portion 46b. Further, the outer lever 48 is provided with an operation portion 48c that comes into contact with the second protrusion 29c and rotates the claw 28 via the operation receiving member 29.

Here, referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the connecting portion 46a of the inner lever 46 is arranged at the end of the exposed portion 20f in the Y direction located inside the vehicle. The connecting portion 48a of the outer lever 48 is arranged at the center of the exposed portion 20f in the Y direction. The first through hole 20g that exposes the connecting portion 46a to the outside is provided at the end of the exposed portion 20f in the Y direction located inside the vehicle and extends in the Z direction. The second through hole 20h that exposes the connecting portion 48a to the outside is formed in a substantially fan shape centered on the rotation shaft 50.

A non-penetrating wall portion 20j is provided between the through holes 20g and 20h in the exposed portion 20f. The wall portion 20j is continuous from the upper end to the lower end of the outer peripheral wall 20k that defines the concave exposed portion 20f. Referring to FIG. 10, a pair of ribs 20l extending in the Z direction are formed on the wall portion 20j. These ribs 20l also have a function of a reinforcing wall that suppresses insufficient rigidity due to the provision of through holes 20g and 20h.

Subsequently, referring to FIG. 10, the cables 47 and 49 include wires 47b and 49b that can move forward and backward in the tubes 47a and 49a, tubes 47a and 49a, and connecting members 47c and 49c provided at the ends of the wires 47b and 49b. Be prepared. The exposed portion 20f is formed with a first holding portion 20m for holding the tube 47a of the inner handle 6 and a second holding portion 20n for holding the tube 49a of the outer lever 48.

The first holding portion 20m is provided on the lower portion of the outer peripheral wall 20k located at the lower end of the fence block 20. The first holding portion 20m is formed of a U-shaped insertion groove having an opening at an edge facing the end panel 3a. A pair of flange portions 47d are provided at the end of the tube 47a, and a mounting groove 47e to be held by the first holding portion 20m is formed between them. By having the first holding portion 20m hold the end of the tube 47a, the cable 47 extends downward from the fence block 20.

The second holding portion 20n is provided on the outer wall of the outer peripheral wall 20k located on the outer side of the vehicle. The second holding portion 20n is formed of a U-shaped insertion groove having an open lower end. A pair of flange portions 49d are provided at the end of the tube 49a, and a mounting groove 49e to be held by the second holding portion 20n is formed between them. By having the second holding portion 20n hold the end of the tube 49a, the cable 49 extends laterally from the fence block 20.

When the inner handle 6 is operated, the inner lever 46 rotates clockwise from the non-operating position shown in FIG. 4B to the operating position shown in FIG. 8B. When the engaging portion 46b engages with the outer lever 48, the outer lever 48 rotates clockwise together with the inner lever 46. As a result, the operation receiving member 29 is rotated counterclockwise by the operating portion 48c of the outer lever 48, and the claw 28 is integrally rotated from the locked position to the unlocked position. As a result, the fork 26 rotates from the full latch position to the open position. That is, the outer lever 48 and the operation unit 48c operate the opening operation member 38 as a part of the inner lever 46.

When the key cylinder 7 is operated, the outer lever 48 independently rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. 8C. That is, the inner lever 46 does not rotate when the key cylinder 7 is operated. When the outer lever 48 rotates, the operation receiving member 29 is rotated counterclockwise by the operating portion 48c, and the claw 28 is integrally rotated from the locked position to the unlocked position. As a result, the fork 26 rotates from the full latch position to the open position.

The closure mechanism 55 includes a closure lever 56 for rotating the fork 26 at the half latch position shown in FIG. 7A to the full latch position shown in FIG. 7B. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the closure lever 56 is connected to the actuator 62 by a cable 58. The actuator 62 is arranged in the door 3 separately from the door latch device 10.

The closure lever 56 is arranged adjacent to the fork 26 on the upper side. The closure lever 56 is erected between the cover plate 21 and the back plate 22 and is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft 57 extending along the rotating shaft 27 of the fork 26. The closure lever 56 is urged by the spring 59 shown in FIG. 4B toward the non-operating position shown in FIG. 4A.

The closure lever 56 has a substantially semicircular shape, and a connecting portion 56a for connecting the cable 58 is provided on one end side in the circumferential direction located on the upper side in FIG. 4A. Referring to FIG. 3, a guide groove 56b through which the wire 58b of the cable 58 is inserted is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the closure lever 56 so as to be recessed inward in the radial direction. The tube 58a of the cable 58 is arranged along the outer surface of the fence block 20.

Of the closure lever 56, an operating portion 56c for rotating the fork 26 at the half latch position to the full latch position is provided on the other end side in the circumferential direction located on the lower side in FIG. 4A. The fork 26 is provided with an operation receiving portion 26c that protrudes within the rotation range of the operating portion 56c and receives an operation (pressing) by the operating portion 56c.

With reference to FIG. 4B, a switch lever 60 that is pivotally supported by the rotating shaft 27 and rotates integrally with the fork 26 and two switches 61A and 61B are arranged on the inner portion 20c of the fence block 20. When the fork 26 is rotated to the open position shown in FIG. 6, the switch lever 60 interferes with both the switches 61A and 61B, so that the switches 61A and 61B both output an ON signal. When the fork 26 is rotated to the half latch position shown in FIG. 7A, the switch lever 60 interferes only with the switch 61A, so that the switch 61A outputs an on signal and the switch 61B outputs an off signal. When the fork 26 is rotated to the full latch position shown in FIG. 7B, the switch lever 60 does not interfere with both the switches 61A and 61B, so that the switches 61A and 61B both output an off signal.

The ECU 4 controls the actuator 62 based on the input signals from the switches 61A and 61B. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A, when the fork 26 in the open position rotates to the half latch position, the actuator 62 is driven and the wire 58b of the cable 58 is pulled. As a result, the closure lever 56 rotates clockwise, and the operating portion 56c comes into contact with the operating receiving portion 26c.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7B, the operation unit 56c presses the operation receiving unit 26c, so that the fork 26 rotates to the full latch position. When the ECU 4 detects that the full lock state has been achieved by the signals from the switches 61A and 61B, the drive of the actuator 62 is stopped. As a result, the closure lever 56 is returned to the non-operating position shown in FIG. 4A by the urging of the spring 59.

In the door latch device 10 configured in this way, the electric release mechanism 35 is driven by the operation of the switch 5 or the electronic key in the steady state, and the holding of the striker 2 by the latch mechanism 25 is released. As a result, the door 3 can be opened with respect to the vehicle body 1.

When the electric release mechanism 35 cannot operate due to insufficient power of the battery or the like, the holding of the striker 2 by the latch mechanism 25 is released by the operation of the manual release mechanism 45. Specifically, when the user is present in the vehicle, the cover is removed and the inner handle is operated. As a result, the rotation of the inner lever 46 releases the holding of the striker 2 by the latch mechanism 25, and the door 3 can be opened with respect to the vehicle body 1. When the user is outside the vehicle, a dedicated mechanical key is inserted into the key cylinder 7 and rotated. As a result, the outer lever 48 rotates, so that the striker 2 is released from being held by the latch mechanism 25, and the door 3 can be opened with respect to the vehicle body 1.

When closing the door 3 at all times, it is sufficient to push the door 3 with a force such that the fork 26 in the open position rotates to the half-latch position. When the fork 26 rotates from the open position to the half latch position, the closure mechanism 55 is driven and the fork 26 at the half latch position is rotated to the full latch position. As a result, the latch mechanism 25 holds the door 3 so that it cannot be opened with respect to the vehicle body 1.

The door latch device 10 configured as described above has the following features.

The door latch device 10 includes an electric release mechanism 35 that releases the striker 2 from being held by the latch mechanism 25 by the electric motor 36. Therefore, since the door 3 can be opened electrically, the convenience of the occupant can be improved.

The electric release mechanism 35 and the manual release mechanism 45 for emergency are collectively arranged on the inner side 20c side of the fence block 20. Therefore, since the arrangement of the release mechanisms 35 and 45 can be simplified, the entire door latch device 10 can be miniaturized.

As shown in FIG. 1, the seal member 24 is arranged so as to cover the upper side of the cover plate 21, and is attached to the door 3 in a state of being in pressure contact with the door panels 3a and 3b. Therefore, water that has entered through the gap between the outer panel 3b and the window, which is above the seal member 24, enters the door latch through the insertion groove 20e, the boundary portion between the mounting portion 20d and the cover plate 21, and the gap between the exposed portion 20f and the cable cover 23. It is possible to prevent water from entering the device 10. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress the malfunction of the door latch device 10 due to flooding.

The fence block 20 includes an exposed portion 20f, and the exposed portion 20f is covered with a detachable cable cover 23. Further, the connecting portion 46a of the inner lever 46 is exposed to the outside through the first through hole 20g, and the connecting portion 48a of the outer lever 48 is exposed to the outside through the second through hole 20h. Therefore, the assembling property when connecting the cables 47 and 49 to the connecting portions 46a and 48a of the individual levers 46 and 48 can be improved.

The inner lever 46 and the outer lever 48 are pivotally supported by one rotating shaft 50. Therefore, since the connecting portions 46a and 48a of both can be arranged in the vicinity, the area of the exposed portion 20f can be reduced. As a result, the strength of the fence block 20 can be improved as compared with the case where a large exposed portion 20f is formed. Moreover, since the number of fitting portions that cause water ingress is reduced, waterproofness can be improved.

A non-penetrating wall portion 20j is provided between the first through hole 20g that exposes the inner lever 46 and the second through hole 20h that exposes the outer lever 48. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the lack of rigidity due to the provision of the plurality of through holes 20g and 20h in the fence block 20. Further, since the deformation of the exposed portion 20f due to insufficient rigidity can be suppressed, it is possible to prevent a gap from being generated between the exposed portion 20f and the cable cover 23, and the waterproof property can be improved.

The cable 47 connected to the inner handle 6 is held by the first holding portion 20m formed in the exposed portion 20f, and extends downward from the fence block 20. Therefore, even if the water that has entered the door 3 reaches the vicinity of the fence block 20 through the cable 47, it is possible to prevent the water from entering the exposed portion 20f through the first holding portion 20m.

The door latch device 10 of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

For example, the sealing member 24 may be composed of only the first portion 24a that seals between the fence block 20 and the end panel 3a without providing the second portion 24e. Further, the seal member 24 (first portion 24a) is not limited to the configuration in which it is arranged so as to straddle the fence block 20, the cover plate 21, and the waterproof cover 19, and may be arranged only along the waterproof cover 19. As long as it covers the upper side of the cover plate 21, it can be changed as needed.

The seal member 24 is not limited to the electric door latch device 10, and may be applied to a manual door latch device that transmits the operating force of the door handle to the latch mechanism via the transmission mechanism and the switching mechanism.

The connecting portion 46a of the inner lever 46 and the connecting portion 48a of the outer lever 48 may be exposed to the outside through one through hole.

At least one of the inner lever 46 and the outer lever 48 may be arranged in the second arrangement portion 17b. The inner lever 46 and the outer lever 48 may be pivotally supported by different rotation shafts.

In the above embodiment, the inner handle 6 is adopted as the first operating member, but for example, a T-shaped knob that can be pulled and operated may be adopted. Further, the end of the wire of the cable may be tied in a ring shape, and the ring-shaped portion may be used as the first operating member. Further, although the key cylinder 7 is adopted as the second operating member, for example, an outer handle exposed to the outside of the vehicle may be adopted. In this case, the outer handle may be provided with a lock mechanism that makes the outer handle inoperable.

1 Body 1a Side panel 2 Striker 3 Door 3a End panel 3b Outer panel 4 ECU
5 Switch 6 Inner handle (1st operating member)
7 key cylinder (second operating member)
10 Door latch device 15 Housing 16 Connector 17 Housing body 17a 1st placement 17b 2nd placement 18 Cover 19 Waterproof cover 19a 1st part 19b End face 19c Extension 19d 2nd part 19e Outer surface 19f Inner surface 19g Continuous part 20 Fence Block 20a Car inner end face 20b Outer part 20c Inner part 20d Mounting part 20e Insertion groove 20f Exposed part 20g First through hole 20h Second through hole 20i Step part 20j Wall part 20k Outer wall 20l Rib 20m First holding part 20n Second holding Part 21 Cover plate (support plate)
21a Insertion groove 21b Step 22 Back plate 23 Cable cover (cover)
24 Seal member 24a 1st part 24b Upper end part 24c Lower end part 24d Protruding part 24e 2nd part 24f Continuous part 24g Protruding part 25 Latch mechanism 26 Fork 26a Holding groove 26b Locking step part 26c Operation receiving part 27 Rotating shaft 28 Claw 28a Stop 29 Operation receiving member 29a Base 29b 1st protruding part 29c 2nd protruding part 30 Rotating shaft 31 Spring 35 Electric release mechanism 36 Electric motor 37 Warm 38 Opening operating member 38a Gear part 38b Operating part 39 Rotating shaft 40A, 40B Switch 45 Manual release mechanism 46 Inner lever 46a Connection part (1st connection part)
46b Engagement part 47 cable (first cable)
47a Tube 47b Wire 47c Connecting member 47d Flange 47e Mounting groove 48 Outer lever 48a Connection (second connection)
48b Step 48c Operation 49 Cable (2nd cable)
49a Tube 49b Wire 49c Connecting member 49d Flange 49e Mounting groove 50 Rotating shaft 55 Closure mechanism 56 Closure lever 56a Connecting part 56b Guide groove 56c Operating part 57 Rotating shaft 58 Cable 58a Tube 58b Wire 59 Spring 60 Switch lever 61A, 61B Actuator

Claims (7)

A fork that can rotate to an open position where the striker can be released and a full latch position that holds the striker,
A claw that can rotate to a locking position that locks the fork at the full latch position and a non-locking position that unlocks the fork.
It has a first connecting portion for connecting a first cable connected to a first operating member inside the vehicle, is rotated by the operation of the first operating member, and locks the claw at the locked position. An inner lever that rotates to the position and
An outer portion extending in the vertical direction facing the striker, a mounting portion formed on the outer portion and to which the fork and the claw are mounted, and a mounting portion formed on the lower side of the mounting portion to form the first connecting portion. A fence block having an exposed part to be exposed to the outside,
A support plate having an insertion groove through which the striker can enter and covering the mounting portion,
A cover that covers the exposed portion and
A door latch device including a sealing member arranged so as to cover the upper side of the support plate. A housing having a first arrangement portion on which the fence block is arranged and a second arrangement portion extending in a direction intersecting the first arrangement portion.
An opening operation member for rotating the claw at the locking position to the non-locking position, and an electric motor for driving the opening operation member, and a release mechanism arranged in the second arrangement portion. The door latch device according to claim 1. The exposed portion has a first through hole that penetrates from the outer portion to the inner portion on the side opposite to the outer portion.
The door latch device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner lever is arranged in the inner portion, and the first connection portion is exposed to the outside through the first through hole. It has a second connecting portion for connecting a second cable connected to a second operating member on the outside of the vehicle, is rotated by the operation of the second operating member, and locks the claw at the locked position. Equipped with an outer lever that rotates to the position
The door latch device according to claim 3, wherein the outer lever is pivotally supported on the same rotating shaft as the inner lever. The exposed portion includes a second through hole that penetrates from the outer portion to the inner portion to expose the second connection portion to the outside, and a wall provided between the first through hole and the second through hole. The door latch device according to claim 4, further comprising a part. The first cable has a tube and a wire that can move back and forth in the tube.
The door latch device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a holding portion for holding the tube is formed in the exposed portion. The door latch device according to claim 6, wherein the holding portion is provided on the lower side of an outer peripheral wall defining the exposed portion, and the tube extends downward.

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