JP3880846B2 - Latch device for vehicle tailgate - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a vehicle tailgate latch device. The vehicle tailgate includes a trunk door, a glass hatch door, a back door, and the like, and is a collective term for doors for luggage compartments.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a latch device for a tailgate includes a latch that engages with a striker, and a ratchet that holds the engagement between the latch and the striker by preventing the door from rotating by engaging with the latch. I have.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the known latch device requires a ratchet that prevents the opening of the latch from opening the door, there is a problem that the number of parts is increased by a corresponding amount and the cost is high.
[0004]
[Means for solving the problems]
Therefore, the present invention forms a substantially U-shaped striker passage 3 in which the striker 2 fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body enters the base plate 1 fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body. A latch 5 that can be engaged with the striker 2 that has entered the striker passage 3 is fixed by a latch shaft 6 at a position near the striker passage 3 of the base plate 1. the contact surface 9 and the engaging holding surface 10 is provided, the movement locus of the striker 2 the latch 5 from off Ru retracted position from the movement locus of the entrance abutment surface 9 and the engaging holding surface 10 and the said striker 2 The latch spring 7 is biased toward the engagement position facing upward, and the striker 2 enters the striker passage 3 in the door closing direction. When the striker 2 comes into contact with the entry contact surface 9 and is pushed out to the retracted position side against the elasticity of the latch spring 7, the striker 2 passes through the entry contact surface 9 and reaches a predetermined position. The engagement holding surface 10 is returned to the movement locus of the striker 2 by being returned to the engagement position by elasticity, and the engagement holding surface 10 is formed in an arc surface centering on the latch shaft 6; with the said engagement holding surface 10 has returned on the moving trajectory vehicle tailgate by moving force you not pushed out of the latch 5 to the retracted position side from the predetermined position of the striker 2 into the opening direction This is a latch device.
[0005]
【Example】
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a base plate of a latch device that is fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body, and its upper portion is gently bent backward with respect to the lower portion. The base plate 1 is formed with a U-shaped striker passage 3 into which a striker 2 fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body enters. An elastic stopper 4 with which the striker 2 abuts is provided on the back side of the striker passage 3.
[0006]
A latch 5 is rotatably attached to the base plate 1 by a latch shaft 6. The latch 5 is rotationally displaced between an engagement position where it overlaps with the striker passage 3 and a retreat position where the latch 5 is retracted from the striker passage 3. The latch 5 is biased toward the engagement position by the elasticity of the latch spring 7 provided on the outer periphery of the latch shaft 6. A latch arm 8 integrally formed with the latch 5 extends in the radial direction of the latch shaft 6 along the striker passage 3 and abuts against the elastic stopper 4 by the elasticity of the latch spring 7 when the door is open. Thus, the latch 5 is elastically held in the engaged position.
[0007]
The latch 5 is provided with an approach contact surface 9 and an engagement holding surface 10. The abutting contact surface 9 and the engagement holding surface 10 constitute a mountain-shaped both surfaces having the corner portion 11 as a top portion, both of which are substantially perpendicular to each other, and the latch 5 is in the engagement position. When it overlaps with the striker passage 3 (movement trajectory of the striker 2). Further, the engagement holding surface 10 is an arc surface centering on the latch shaft 6, whereas the approach contact surface 9 is a surface having a receding angle with respect to the approach direction of the striker 2. For this reason, when the striker 2 is caused to enter the striker passage 3 by the closing operation, the striker 2 comes into contact with the entry contact surface 9 and then pushes the latch 5 toward the retracted position against the elasticity of the latch spring 7. You can enter.
[0008]
When the striker 2 that has entered the striker passage 3 passes through the entry contact surface 9, the latch 5 is returned to the engagement position by the elasticity of the latch spring 7 as shown in FIG. The holding surface 10 overlaps with the striker passage 3 and abuts and engages with the striker 2. In this state, the latch 5 is only held at the engagement position by the elasticity of the latch spring 7, but the latch 5 is not pushed out to the retracted position side even if a force in the door opening direction acts on the striker 2. Therefore, the abutting engagement state between the engagement holding surface 10 and the striker 2 is maintained and is not opened. That is, since the engagement holding surface 10 is an arc surface centered on the latch shaft 6, the force that the striker 2 tries to move in the door opening direction is not a force that rotates the latch 5.
[0009]
Reference numeral 12 denotes an operation mechanism including a door opening mechanism and a lock mechanism of the latch device. The key lever 13 of the operation mechanism 12 is connected to the key cylinder 14 of the tailgate via the rod 15. The key lever 13 is pivotally fixed to the base plate 1 by a mounting shaft 17 inserted into the circular arc long hole 16. The key cylinder 14 has an action of switching the latch device between a locked state and an unlocked state, and an action of releasing the latch device and opening the door. Although the details will be described later, the key cylinder 14 is operated to the unlock side. When the mounting shaft 17 is relatively moved to the unlock point A side of the arc long hole 16 and operated to the lock side, the mounting shaft 17 is relatively moved to the lock point B side of the arc long hole 16. .
[0010]
The key lever 13 is integrally provided with a release arm 19 that opposes the latch protrusion 18 formed at the tip of the latch arm 8 so that the key lever 13 rotates counterclockwise in the unlocked state. The latch 5 is rotated clockwise in contact with the latch protrusion 18, and the striker 2 is released. At this time, since the engagement holding surface 10 of the latch 5 is an arc surface centered on the latch shaft 6, the latch 5 can smoothly rotate clockwise.
[0011]
Reference numeral 20 denotes an open lever of the operation mechanism 12, which is fixed to the base plate 1 by the mounting shaft 17. The first arm 21 of the open lever 20 is connected to a tailgate opener 22 in the vehicle via a wire 23. A return spring 25 is attached between the second arm 24 of the open lever 20 and the base plate 1, the open lever 20 is urged clockwise, and the elasticity of the return spring 25 is applied to the second arm 24. It is also transmitted to the key lever 13 through the bent portion 26 of the release arm 19 that can be contacted.
[0012]
Reference numeral 27 denotes a movable bent piece formed on the key lever 13, and reference numeral 28 denotes a third arm formed on the open lever 20. When the mounting shaft 17 moves relatively to the unlocking point A side of the circular arc long hole 16, the movable bending piece 27 comes close to the mounting shaft 17 as shown in FIGS. The latch device enters the unlocked state on the 28 rotation trajectory. In this unlocked state, the counterclockwise rotation of the open lever 20 is transmitted to the key lever 13 via the third arm 28 and the movable bending piece 27, so that the latch 5 can be rotated. However, when the mounting shaft 17 is relatively moved to the lock point B side of the circular arc long hole 16, the movable bending piece 27 is separated from the mounting shaft 17 and is on the rotation locus of the third arm 28 as shown in FIG. 8. The latch device is unlocked. In this locked state, since the counterclockwise rotation of the open lever 20 is not transmitted to the key lever 13, the tailgate cannot be opened by the tailgate opener 22.
7 and 8, reference numeral 29 denotes a contact piece formed on the base plate 1.
[0013]
[Action]
When the door is closed in the state of FIG. 1, the striker 2 enters the striker passage 3 and abuts against the entry abutment surface 9 of the latch 5, and by this abutment, the latch 5 resists the elasticity of the latch spring 7. 3, the striker 2 can pass through the entry contact surface 9 and advance to a predetermined position as shown in FIG. 3, and when reaching the predetermined position, the latch 5 is returned to the engagement position by the elasticity of the latch spring 7. The engagement holding surface 10 of the latch 5 overlaps with the striker passage 3 and comes into contact with and engages with the striker 2. In this state, the latch 5 is only held at the engagement position by the elasticity of the latch spring 7, but even if a force in the door opening direction acts on the striker 2, the engagement holding surface 10 holds the latch shaft 6. Since the arc surface is the center, no force is applied to the latch 5 to rotate the latch 5 toward the retracted position. Therefore, the striker 2 can be held at a predetermined position by the engagement holding surface 10 without using a ratchet as in the prior art, and the tailgate can be held in a closed state.
[0014]
Thus, when the tailgate is opened by the key cylinder 14, the key lever 13 is rotated counterclockwise by the key cylinder 14. Then, the release arm 19 of the key lever 13 contacts the latch protrusion 18 of the latch 5 to rotate the latch 5 clockwise to release the striker 2 and open the door.
[0015]
Further, when the tailgate is opened by the tailgate opener 22, the open lever 20 is rotated counterclockwise by the operation of the opener 22. Then, the third arm 28 of the open lever 20 contacts the movable bending piece 27 and rotates the key lever 13 counterclockwise. Therefore, the release arm 19 of the key lever 13 contacts the latch protrusion 18 of the latch 5 and rotates the latch 5 clockwise. Let it open.
[0016]
In order to switch the latch device to the locked state, the key lever 14 of FIG. Then, since the release arm 19 of the key lever 13 is in contact with the contact piece 29 of the base plate 1, the mounting shaft 17 is rotated clockwise around this contact portion, and the mounting shaft 17 is relatively locked to the lock point B of the arc long hole 16. 8 to the locked state shown in FIG. In this locked state, the movable bending piece 27 is separated from the mounting shaft 17 and deviates from the rotation locus of the third arm 28. Therefore, even if the open lever 20 is rotated counterclockwise by the tailgate opener 22, the key lever 13 is rotated. Without opening the door.
[0017]
In order to release the locked state, a force for rotating the key lever 13 counterclockwise by the key cylinder 14 is applied. Then, since the release arm 19 of the key lever 13 contacts the latch protrusion 18 of the latch 5 and the return spring 25 is connected to the release arm 19, the key lever 13 rotates counterclockwise around this contact portion. The mounting shaft 17 moves relatively to the unlock point A side of the circular arc long hole 16 to be in the unlocked state of FIG. 7, and when the key lever 13 is rotated counterclockwise by the key cylinder 14, as described above. The latch 5 is opened and rotated.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention is a substantially U-shaped striker passage in which the striker 2 fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body enters the base plate 1 fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body. 3, and a latch 5 engageable with the striker 2 that has entered the striker passage 3 at a position near the striker passage 3 of the base plate 1 is fixed by the latch shaft 6. It provided an entry abutment surface 9 and the engaging holding surface 10, wherein the latch 5 from off Ru retracted position with the engaging holding surface 10 and the entrance abutment surface 9 from moving track of the striker 2 striker 2 The latch 5 is urged by the elastic force of the latch spring 7 toward the engagement position facing the movement trajectory, so that the striker 2 closes the striker passage 3 in the door closing direction. When entering and abutting against the abutting contact surface 9, the latch spring 7 is pushed out to the retracted position side against the elasticity of the latch spring 7, but when the striker 2 passes the entry abutting surface 9 and reaches a predetermined position, the latch spring 7 is returned to the engagement position by the elasticity of 7, and the engagement holding surface 10 returns to the movement locus of the striker 2, and the engagement holding surface 10 is formed in an arcuate surface centering on the latch shaft 6. and, with the said engagement holding surface 10 has returned on the moving trajectory was not pushed out of the latch 5 by the movement force in the opening direction from the predetermined position of the striker 2 in the retracted position side vehicle Since the latch device for the tailgate is used, the engagement of the latch 5 and the striker 2 is maintained and the tailgate is securely closed without using a ratchet that prevents the reverse rotation of the latch as in the prior art. It can be kept in the state. Also, the said engaging holding surface 10 because of the latching device of the vehicle tailgate which is formed in an arcuate surface centered on said latch shaft 6, it is possible to reliably hold the engagement state between the latch 5 and striker 2 At the same time, the latch 5 can be easily opened and rotated.
According to the present invention, in the apparatus, the base plate 1 is provided with an elastic stopper 4 that elastically contacts the striker 2 immediately before the striker 2 enters the striker passage 3 and reaches the predetermined position. The latch 5 urged by the elastic force of the latch spring 7 is a vehicle tailgate latch device that is held in the engagement position by abutting against the elastic stopper 4, so that the operating noise can be reduced reasonably. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a latch device in an opened state.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a latch device.
FIG. 3 is a partial view of the latch device in a closed state.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a latch.
FIG. 5 is a front view of a key lever.
FIG. 6 is a front view of an open lever.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an unlocked state.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a locked state.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Base plate, 2 ... Striker, 3 ... Striker channel | path, 4 ... Elastic stopper, 5 ... Latch, 6 ... Latch shaft, 7 ... Latch spring, 8 ... Latch arm, 9 ... Entrance contact surface, 10 ... Engagement holding surface, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Corner | angular part, 12 ... Operation mechanism, 13 ... Key lever, 14 ... Key cylinder, 15 ... Rod, 16 ... Arc long hole, 17 ... Mounting shaft, 18 ... Latch projection, 19 ... Release lever, 20 ... Open lever, 21 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1st arm, 22 ... Opener, 23 ... Wire, 24 ... 2nd arm, 25 ... Return spring, 26 ... Bending part, 27 ... Moving bending piece, 28 ... 3rd arm, 29 ... Contact piece

Claims (3)

A substantially U-shaped striker passage 3 into which a striker 2 fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body enters is formed in the base plate 1 fixed to either the tailgate or the vehicle body, In the vicinity of the striker passage 3, a latch 5 engageable with the striker 2 that has entered the striker passage 3 is fixed by a latch shaft 6, and the latch 5 is engaged with an entry contact surface 9. a holding surface 10 is provided, the latch 5 engaging position facing the entrance abutment surface 9 and the engaging holding surface 10 and the said striker 2 movement trajectory on the out-Ru retracted position from the moving track of the striker 2 The latch 5 is urged by the elastic force of the latch spring 7, and the striker 2 enters the striker passage 3 in the closing direction as the striker 2 enters the door contact surface. When the striker 2 passes through the entry contact surface 9 and reaches a predetermined position, the latch spring 7 is brought into the engagement position by the elasticity of the latch spring 7. The engagement holding surface 10 is returned to the movement trajectory of the striker 2, and the engagement holding surface 10 is formed in an arc surface centered on the latch shaft 6, and thus returns to the movement trajectory. the engagement holding surface 10 latching device for a vehicle tailgate that was not pushed out of the latch 5 to the retracted position side by the movement force in the opening direction from the predetermined position of the striker 2 with. 2. The vehicle tailgate latch device according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of a portion where the striker 2 abuts against the abutting contact surface 9 and the engagement holding surface 10 is substantially arcuate .   In Claim 1 or Claim 2, the base plate 1 is provided with an elastic stopper 4 that elastically contacts the striker 2 immediately before the striker 2 enters the striker passage 3 and reaches the predetermined position. A latch device for a vehicle tailgate in which the latch 5 biased by the elastic force of the latch spring 7 abuts against the elastic stopper 4 and is held at the engagement position.

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