JP4523794B2 - Vehicle locking device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle locking device, and more particularly to a casing support structure that supports a rotation member provided in both a lock mechanism and a lock release operation mechanism thereof.

  There are various types of doors such as left and right doors, back doors, luggage doors (trunks), and bonnet doors, and each vehicle is provided with a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism basically has a hook for gripping and releasing the striker and a lock release lever (rotating member) for releasing the lock by the hook. On the other hand, the lock release operation mechanism of these lock mechanisms has an operation lever (rotation lever, rotation member), and this operation lever and the lock release lever of the lock mechanism are coupled via an operation wire. .

  The operation wire is slidably inserted into the outer cable (outer casing), and is bent and arranged using its flexibility. Further, both ends of the outer cable are fixed to a lock casing that rotatably supports the lock release lever and a handle casing that rotatably supports the operation lever.

  In this lock device, when the operation lever is pulled to pull the operation wire, the lock release lever is pulled and the lock mechanism is unlocked. When the operation wire is pulled in this unlocking operation, the outer cable tries to return to a straight line. For this reason, a reaction force is applied to the handle casing and the lock side casing to which the outer cable is fixed. The same applies when the hand is released from the operation lever and the lock release lever rotates in the lock direction.

Conventionally, the handle casing and the lock casing have been designed and defined so as to receive the reaction force of the outer cable. For this reason, the increase in thickness and size is inevitable, which hinders the overall size reduction.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-32138

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a lock device that can obtain sufficient support strength without increasing the size of the casing on the lock mechanism side and the operation handle mechanism side for fixing both ends of the outer cable.

The present invention includes a housing pivotally attached to a rotating member; a fixed panel for fixing the housing; an operation wire connected to the rotating member; and an slidable inside of the operation wire. An outer cable having a portion fixed to the housing ; and an outer cable support wall having a groove portion that fits and fixes an end groove of the outer cable in the housing, and the outer cable support wall It is characterized in that a tip part formed by extending a part is provided with a series of reaction force receiving protrusions that are free and a reaction force receiving recess for inserting and supporting the reaction force receiving protrusions is formed in the fixed panel. .

The reaction force receiving projection comes into contact with the reaction force receiving recess so as to resist the force received by the outer cable support wall when the outer cable is going to return to a straight line.

  The lock device includes a lock mechanism and a lock release operation mechanism, and the lock mechanism and the lock release operation mechanism are coupled via an operation wire inserted into the outer cable. The present invention can be applied to any fixing mechanism of a housing that supports a rotation member (operation lever) of a lock release operation mechanism and a housing that supports a rotation member (lock release lever) of a lock mechanism.

  When the housing is formed of a synthetic resin material molded product, it can be screwed to the fixed panel. Moreover, when comprising from a metal material, it can fix to a fixed panel by welding.

  According to the present invention, since the free end portion of the outer cable support wall that supports the end portion of the outer cable is supported by the hole or groove of the fixed panel, the support strength is increased. Therefore, the housing can be reduced in thickness, size, and weight.

  1 to 5 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an inside handle (lock release operation mechanism) provided inside a vehicle door. The inner panel (fixed panel) 11 of the vehicle door includes an inner plate portion 11a, an outer plate portion 11b, and an oblique plate portion 11c that connects the inner plate portion 11a and the outer plate portion 11b. The inner plate portion 11 a is provided with a weld nut 12 fixed by welding and one or more latching through holes 13. The outer plate portion 11 b is opposite to the latching through hole 13 with respect to the weld nut 12. One reaction force receiving through hole 14 located on the side is formed. Reference numeral 15 is a trim on the inner surface of the vehicle door, 16 is a window glass, and 17 is an outer panel.

  The housing 20 of the unlocking operation mechanism fixed to the inner panel 11 is made of a synthetic resin material molded product, and includes an operation lever storage portion 21 fixed to the inner plate portion 11a and one side portion of the operation lever storage portion 21. The bearing hole (portion) 22 is formed on the outer plate 11b and the outer cable receiving portion 23 extends further from the bearing hole 22 toward the outer plate 11b. An L-shaped latching protrusion 24 that is inserted into the latching through hole 13 is provided on the rear surface of the operation lever storage portion 21, and a screw hole portion 25 is formed corresponding to the position of the weld nut 12. Yes.

  An operating lever (rotating member) 27 is pivotally attached to the bearing hole 22 via a shaft 26. The operating lever 27 is attached to the shaft 26 in a direction in which the operating lever 27 is stored in the operating lever storage portion 21. A biasing torsion coil spring 28 (FIG. 2) is latched. The operation lever 27 has a force applying arm 27a and a wire coupling arm 27b extending on opposite sides of the shaft 26, and one end portion of the operation wire 30 is coupled to the wire coupling arm 27b. The operation wire 30 is inserted and supported so as to be slidable relative to the outer cable 31, and an end annular groove 31 a is formed at one end of the outer cable 31. The other end of the operation wire 30 is coupled to a vehicle door locking mechanism, and the other end of the outer cable 31 is fixed to the locking mechanism. The operation wire 30 and the outer cable 31 are arranged to be bent in a space in the vehicle so as to couple the housing 20 and the lock mechanism.

  The outer cable receiving portion 23 has an outer cable support wall 23a substantially orthogonal to the inner panel 11, and a U-groove portion (bifurcated) for fitting and fixing the end annular groove 31a of the outer cable 31 to the outer cable support wall 23a. Part, outer cable fixing part) 23b. The outer cable receiving portion 23 is also formed with a reaction force receiving projection (wall) 23c that is continuous with the outer cable support wall 23a and has a free distal end portion (see FIG. 4). The reaction force receiving projection 23c fits in the reaction force receiving through hole 14 of the inner panel 11.

  The housing 20 has the L-shaped latching projection 24 and the reaction force receiving projection 23c fitted in the latching through hole 13 and the reaction force receiving through hole 14 of the inner panel 11, respectively. When the tip part is slid so as to be located on the back surface of the inner panel 11, the positions of the screw hole part 25 and the weld nut 12 are matched. When the fixing bolt 19 is inserted and screwed into the screw hole 25 and the weld nut 12 in this state, the fixing operation of the housing 20 to the inner panel 11 is completed. The positional relationship between the reaction force receiving projection 23c and the one edge portion 14X of the reaction force receiving through hole 14 in the fixed state is that the force received by the outer cable support wall 23a when the outer cable 31 tries to return to a straight line is received. The protrusion 23c and the one edge portion 14X are set to receive and resist.

  That is, in the vehicle locking device, when the arm 27a is pulled against the force of the torsion coil spring 28 and the operation lever 27 is rotated about the shaft 26, the operation wire 30 is pulled and the lock mechanism is unlocked. Is done. Such a locking device itself is well known. When the lock is released, both the bent operation wire 30 and the outer cable 31 try to return to a straight line, and the outer cable support wall 23a attempts to deform under the force of the outer cable 31 returning to a straight line. To do. However, the force applied to the outer cable support wall 23 a is received by the contact relationship between the reaction force receiving projection 23 c and the one edge portion 14 </ b> X of the reaction force receiving through hole 14. For this reason, it is not necessary to increase the strength of the outer cable support wall 23a (housing 20) so that the outer cable support wall 23a (housing 20) can be reduced in thickness and size.

  The reaction force receiving through hole 14 can be formed in a shape in which the reaction force receiving projection 23c fits with a minimum clearance, but only one edge portion 14X of the reaction force receiving through hole 14 as in the above embodiment. If it is made to contact | abut to the reaction force receiving protrusion 23c, position accuracy other than one edge part 14X will become unnecessary.

  6 to 9 show an embodiment in which the locking device according to the present invention is applied to a locking mechanism for a back door of a vehicle. The back door 40 can be rotated (opened / closed) about an axis perpendicular to the upper surface of FIG. A lock mechanism 43 that engages and disengages with a striker 42 fixed to a vehicle body (fixed panel) 41 is provided at the lower end of the back door 40. The operation wire for unlocking the lock mechanism 43 can be guided from the back door 40. However, in this embodiment, the operation wire is guided from the vehicle body 41 side, and the lock mechanism 43 is operated on the vehicle body 41 side. An intermediate lever 44 (rotating member, FIGS. 6 to 8) is provided. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a housing 45 that supports the intermediate lever 44.

  The intermediate lever 44 has a wire coupling arm 44 a and an operation arm 44 b, and an intermediate portion of both arms is rotatably supported by the housing 45 by a shaft 46. A tension spring 47 is stretched between the operation arm 44 b and the housing 45, and the operation arm 44 b urges the intermediate lever 44 to rotate away from the striker 42. One end of an operation wire 30 for rotating the intermediate lever 44 against the force of the tension spring 47 is coupled to the wire coupling arm 44a. The operation wire 30 is inserted and supported so as to be slidable relative to the outer cable 31, and an end annular groove 31 a is formed at one end of the outer cable 31. The other end portion of the operation wire 30 is connected to the unlocking operation mechanism of the back door, and the other end portion of the outer cable 31 is fixed to the unlocking operation mechanism.

  The housing 45 is made of a press-molded product made of a metal material, and the end portion on the striker 42 side is welded and fixed to the lower surface of the striker plate 42a to which the striker 42 is fixed. The housing 45 has an outer cable support wall 45a substantially orthogonal to the fixed panel 41 at the end opposite to the striker 42 side. The outer cable support wall 45a has an end annular groove 31a of the outer cable 31 formed therein. A U-groove portion (bifurcated portion, outer cable fixing portion) 45b to be fitted and fixed is formed. The housing 45 is also formed with a reaction force receiving projection 45c which is continuous with the outer cable support wall 45a and has a free end portion. The reaction force receiving projection 45 c is fitted into a reaction force receiving through hole 50 formed in the vehicle body (fixed panel) 41. The positional relationship between the reaction force receiving projection 45c and the one edge portion 50X of the reaction force receiving through hole 50 in a state where the housing 45 is fixed to the vehicle body 41 is the same as in the previous embodiment, and the outer cable 31 tries to return to a straight line. The reaction force receiving projection 45c and the one edge portion 50X receive and resist the force received by the outer cable support wall 45a.

  In the vehicle locking device, when the operation handle of the unlocking operation mechanism in the vehicle is pulled, the operation wire 30 is pulled, and the intermediate lever 44 rotates around the shaft 46 against the force of the tension spring 47 to operate the vehicle. The arm 44b hits a ratchet (lock release member) of the lock mechanism 43 on the back door 40 side to release the lock of the lock mechanism 43. Such a locking device itself is well known. When the lock is released, both the bent operation wire 30 and the outer cable 31 try to return to a straight line, and the outer cable support wall 45a tends to be deformed by receiving a force for the outer cable 31 to return to a straight line. To do. However, the force applied to the outer cable support wall 45a is received by the contact relationship between the reaction force receiving projection 45c and the one edge portion 50X of the reaction force receiving through hole 50. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the strength of the outer cable support wall 45a (housing 45) so that the outer cable support wall 45a (housing 45) can be reduced in thickness and size. Regarding the relationship between the reaction force receiving projection 45c and the one edge portion 50X of the reaction force receiving through hole 50, the relationship between the reaction force receiving projection 23c and the one edge portion 14X of the reaction force receiving through hole 14 in the previous embodiment is appropriate.

  As described in the above two embodiments, the present invention can be applied to both the lock mechanism and the lock release operation mechanism that constitute the lock device. That is, the present invention can be applied to a general locking device that rotates a rotating member with an operation wire inserted in an outer cable so as to be relatively slidable. Although not realistic, if the operation wire 30 and the outer cable 31 of the first embodiment are considered to be the same as the operation wire 30 and the outer cable 31 of the second embodiment, the operation lever 27 of the first embodiment. The intermediate lever 44 (rotating member) of the second embodiment can be rotated by (rotating member).

It is a perspective view which shows a part which shows embodiment which applied the locking device for vehicles by the present invention to the inside handle as a section. It is a cross-sectional view of FIG. It is the same front view. It is a perspective view of the principal part of a housing. It is a perspective view of the door which has an inside handle. It is a perspective view which shows embodiment which applied the locking device for vehicles by this invention to the locking mechanism of the back door. It is the same top view. FIG. 8 is a front view of FIG. 7. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the whole back door including a lock mechanism.

Explanation of symbols

11 Inner panel (fixed panel)
14 50 Reaction force receiving through hole 14X 50X One edge portion 20 45 Housing 23a 45a Outer cable support wall 23b 45b U groove (outer cable fixing portion)
23c 45c Reaction force receiving projection 27 Operation lever (rotating member)
30 Operation wire 31 Outer cable 31a End annular groove 40 Back door 41 Vehicle body (fixed panel)
43 Locking mechanism 44 Intermediate lever (rotating member)
45 housing

Claims (5)

A housing pivotally mounted with a rotating member;
A fixing panel for fixing the housing;
An operation wire connected to the rotating member;
An outer cable having the operation wire slidable inside and having an end fixed to the housing;
An outer cable support wall having a groove portion for fitting and fixing the end groove of the outer cable to the housing, and a reaction force receiving protrusion having a free end formed by extending a part of the outer cable support wall. Provided in a series,
A vehicle locking device, wherein a reaction force receiving recess for inserting and supporting the reaction force receiving protrusion is formed in the fixed panel. The vehicle locking device according to claim 1,
The reaction force receiving projection is a vehicle locking device that comes into contact with the reaction force receiving recess so as to resist a force received by the outer cable support wall when the outer cable is going to return to a straight line . The vehicle locking device according to claim 1 or 2,
The above-mentioned rotation member is a vehicle locking device which is an operation lever of a lock release operation mechanism that releases the lock of any lock mechanism of the vehicle. The vehicle locking device according to claim 1 or 2,
The vehicle locking device, wherein the rotating member is a lock release lever of a lock mechanism connected to the operation lever via the operation wire. The vehicle locking device according to claim 1 or 2,
The rotation member is a lock device for a vehicle, which is a lock release lever of any lock mechanism of the vehicle.

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