JP7780362B2 - Vehicle door lock device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle door lock device.

A vehicle door lock device is provided on a vehicle door. The vehicle door lock device comprises a handle mechanism including an outer handle, and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism comprises a fork that engages and disengages with a striker on the vehicle body, and a claw lever. The latch mechanism can be switched from a latched state to an unlatched state by the occupant operating the outer handle. In the latched state, the claw lever holds the fork in a position where it is engaged with the striker. In the unlatched state, the claw lever releases the fork's hold, and the fork disengages from the striker. Unlatching allows the door to be opened.

Patent Document 1 states that in the event of a collision, the inertia acting on the vehicle can cause the outer handle to move in the same way as when operated by a passenger, that is, move outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the door. This movement can cause the latch to be released.

The vehicle door lock device described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a stopper member that prevents the movement of the rod that transmits the movement of the outer handle to the latch mechanism when inertia acts on the vehicle during a collision. This stopper member is intended to prevent the latch from being released due to movement of the outer handle caused by inertia during a collision.

JP 2009-243102 A

During a collision, particularly a side collision, the door is deformed by the collision load. The vehicle door lock device described in Patent Document 1 leaves room for improvement in terms of preventing the latch from being released due to such door deformation.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a vehicle door lock device that can prevent the latch from being released due to door deformation caused by collision load input.

One aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle door lock device comprising: a handle mechanism including a handle base arranged inside an outer panel of a vehicle door; an outer handle movably held on the handle base; a latch mechanism including a lever for releasing the latch; a rod for transmitting the operation of the outer handle to the lever; an opposing portion facing the handle base in the direction in which the outer panel and the inner panel of the door oppose each other; and a displacement suppression member provided between the handle base and the opposing portion so as to be located above the handle base, wherein the handle base has a plate-shaped upper wall portion extending along a direction perpendicular to the vehicle height direction, and the displacement suppression member is attached to the upper wall portion of the handle base, the upper wall portion having a through hole penetrating in the vehicle height direction, and the displacement suppression member has an insertion groove into which the upper wall portion is inserted, a groove wall that defines an upper side of the insertion groove and is arranged on the upper surface of the upper wall portion, and a mounting hole provided in the groove wall corresponding to the through hole and through which a fastening member is passed .

During a collision, particularly a side collision, the outer panel of the door is deformed by the impact of the collision load. Depending on the door design, which is long in the vehicle longitudinal direction, or the vehicle weight, the impact of the collision load may cause the outer panel to deform so that the upper part of the handle base approaches the inner panel and rotates downward. When the outer panel begins to deform due to the impact of the collision load, the displacement suppression member quickly contacts the opposing portion and supports the impact of the collision load. In other words, the displacement suppression member is sandwiched between the handle base and the opposing portion, restricting the relative displacement of the handle base with respect to the opposing portion. This displacement restriction prevents the upper part of the handle base from rotating downward as it approaches the inner panel, which would cause the rod to move downward and displace the lever. As a result, the latch release caused by the impact of the collision load can be prevented.

The displacement suppression member is attached to the handle base. With this configuration, the handle base to which the displacement suppression member is attached can be integrally attached within the narrow door space between the outer panel and the inner panel, ensuring ease of assembly of the vehicle door lock device.

The handle base has a plate-shaped upper wall extending in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle height direction, and the displacement suppression member is attached to the upper wall. With this configuration, the displacement suppression member can reliably support the collision load when the outer panel begins to deform due to the collision load input. As a result, the upper part of the handle base can be reliably prevented from rotating downward while approaching the inner panel.

The upper wall portion has a through hole penetrating in the vehicle height direction, and the displacement suppression member has an insertion groove into which the upper wall portion is inserted, a groove wall that defines the upper side of the insertion groove and is arranged on the upper surface of the upper wall portion, and a mounting hole that is provided in the groove wall to correspond to the through hole and through which a fastening member is passed. With this configuration, the displacement suppression member can be attached in a fixed position on the upper wall portion of the handle base.

A gap is provided between the displacement suppression member and the handle base, or between the displacement suppression member and the opposing portion.

This configuration ensures ease of assembly when assembling the handle base and displacement suppression member within the narrow door space between the outer and inner panels. Furthermore, it also reduces the generation of abnormal noise caused by the displacement suppression member, which can move slightly due to vehicle vibrations, interfering with the handle base or the opposing part.

The displacement suppression member may extend in a direction perpendicular to the opposing portion.

This configuration allows the displacement suppression member to reliably support the collision load when the outer panel begins to deform due to the collision load. As a result, the upper part of the handle base is reliably prevented from rotating downward while approaching the inner panel.

A tip end surface of the displacement suppression member that faces the facing portion may be inclined downward from the upper side in a direction away from the facing portion.

With this configuration, when the outer panel begins to deform due to the input of a collision load, the upper end of the tip surface of the displacement suppression member comes into line contact with the opposing portion. As a result, the upper part of the handle base is reliably prevented from approaching the inner panel and rotating downward.

The upper end of the tip surface of the displacement suppression member may extend in a direction parallel to the opposing portion.

This configuration ensures that the opposing portion can reliably absorb the collision load acting through the tip of the displacement suppression member when the outer panel begins to deform due to the collision load input. As a result, the upper part of the handle base can be more reliably prevented from rotating downward as it approaches the inner panel.

The latch mechanism may include the opposing portion.

With this configuration, the latch mechanism also serves as the opposing part, minimizing the number of parts required. Furthermore, because the latch mechanism is located closer to the handle base than the inner panel, the overall length of the displacement suppression member can be shortened compared to when the inner panel serves as the opposing part. This ensures the rigidity of the displacement suppression member against input collision loads.

The displacement suppression member may include a plate-shaped base extending in a direction perpendicular to the opposing portion, a frame wall provided on the outer periphery of the base, and a rib provided within the frame wall and extending in a direction perpendicular to the opposing portion.

This configuration minimizes the weight increase that accompanies the placement of the displacement suppression member while ensuring the rigidity of the displacement suppression member against the input collision load. Therefore, when the outer panel begins to deform due to the input collision load, the displacement suppression member can reliably support the input collision load. As a result, the upper part of the handle base can be reliably prevented from approaching the inner panel and rotating downward.

The door may be a rear door located at the rear side of the vehicle, the handle base may be attached rearward of the center of the rear door in the vehicle length direction, and the displacement suppression member may be located forward of the rod in the vehicle length direction.

Deformation of the outer panel due to collision load input near the vehicle's center pillar is greater at the front end of the vehicle length than at the rear end. In response to this, the displacement suppression member is positioned on the front side of the handle base rod, which is attached to the rear end of the rear door length. This minimizes rod displacement due to deformation of the outer panel.

The vehicle door lock device of the present invention can prevent the latch from being released due to door deformation caused by collision load input.

1 is a view of a side door of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle door lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a side door of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle door lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3 . FIG. 4 is a view of the handle mechanism, the support member, and the rod as seen from the inside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door lock device. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door lock device. 2 is a view of the vehicle door lock device as seen from above in the vehicle height direction. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle door lock device taken along line XI-XI in FIG.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction indicate the vehicle length direction, vehicle width direction, and vehicle height direction, respectively.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a vehicle door lock device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a vehicle door 2, constitutes a door structure 3. In this embodiment, the door 2 is a rear side door. The present invention can also be applied to vehicle doors other than rear side doors.

The door 2 comprises an outer panel 4, an inner panel 5, and an end panel 6. The outer panel 4 and the inner panel 5 face each other in the vehicle width direction (first direction). The outer panel 4, the inner panel 5, and the end panel 6 of the door 2 define a closed space 7 (see also Figures 3 and 4). In the following description, the terms "inside" and "outside" may be used to refer to the surfaces of the outer panel 4, the inner panel 5, and the end panel 6 that face the closed space 7, and "outside" to refer to the surfaces opposite the closed space 7.

Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the vehicle door lock device 1 includes a handle mechanism 10, a latch mechanism 20, a rod 30, and a support member (displacement suppression member) 40, and is disposed rearward of the door 2 in the vehicle length direction.

(Handle mechanism)
1 to 3, the handle mechanism 10 includes a handle base 11 disposed inside the outer panel 4 (inside the closed space 7) and an outer handle 12 disposed outside the outer panel 4. Both the handle base 11 and the outer handle 12 are disposed along the vehicle length direction.

Referring also to Figure 5, the outer handle 12 is movably held by the handle base 11. That is, the first end 12a of the outer handle 12, protruding from the front side in the vehicle length direction (second direction), penetrates the outer panel 4 and is rotatably supported by the handle base 11, and the second end 12b of the outer handle 12, protruding from the rear side in the vehicle length direction, also penetrates the outer panel 4 and is supported by the handle base 11 so as to be movable back and forth in the vehicle width direction. Under normal circumstances, when the occupant rotates the outer handle 12 outward in the vehicle width direction (door opening operation), the latch mechanism 20 switches from a latched state to an unlatched state, allowing the door 2 to be opened.

Referring to Figures 5 and 8, the handle base 11 is provided with a support shaft 16 at the rear in the vehicle length direction and at the upper side in the vehicle height direction. A lever arm 14 equipped with a counterweight 13 is rotatably supported on this support shaft 16. The held portion (connection portion) 30a of the rod 30 is inserted into the rod holding portion 14a at the upper end of the lever arm 14 and is held in a rotatable state.

The lever arm 14 rotates in the direction indicated by arrow A1 in FIG. 8 in conjunction with the movement of the second end 12b of the outer handle 12 during the door-opening operation. This rotation causes the rod holding portion 14a to move downward in the vehicle height direction, which in turn causes the rod 30 to descend downward in the vehicle height direction. As the rod 30 descends, an engagement portion 30c (described below) on the rod 30 presses down and rotates an open lever 25 (described below) on the latch mechanism 20 downward. As a result, the latch mechanism 20 switches from a latched state to an unlatched state. A coil spring 15 that elastically biases the lever arm 14 is attached to the support shaft 16. As shown in FIG. 8, the coil spring 15 biases the lever arm 14 to rotate in the direction indicated by arrow A2 (opposite to the aforementioned arrow A1), i.e., the direction opposite to the direction in which the latch mechanism 20 switches from a latched state to an unlatched state.

(latch mechanism)
3, 4, and 8 to 11, the latch mechanism 20 is disposed inside the inner panel 5 (inside the closed space 7). The latch mechanism 20 includes a base portion 21 and a protruding portion 22. The base portion 21 is disposed so as to extend in the vehicle length direction along the inside of the inner panel 5. The protruding portion 22 protrudes in the vehicle width direction from a rear portion of the base portion 21 in the vehicle length direction toward the outer panel 4. The protruding portion 21 is disposed along the inside of the end panel 6. The base portion 21 and the protruding portion 22 are formed by a casing 23 having a split structure.

The protrusion 22 houses a fork 24 (shown only in Figure 8) that engages and disengages with a striker (not shown) on the vehicle body, and a claw lever (not shown).

The base portion 21 is provided with an open lever 25 for releasing the latch. The base portion 21 also houses a mechanism (not shown) including elements such as a link and a motor for switching the latch mechanism 20 between an unlocked state and a locked state. Normally, when the latch mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state, pressing down the open lever 25 by operating the outer handle 12 switches the latch mechanism 20 from the latched state (a state in which the claw lever holds the fork 24 in a position where it is engaged with the striker) to the unlatched state (a state in which the claw lever releases the hold of the fork 24 and the fork 24 disengages from the striker). On the other hand, when the latch mechanism 20 is in the locked state, pressing down the open lever 25 by operating the outer handle 12 does not switch the latch mechanism from the latched state to the unlatched state.

(rod)
8, the rod 30 transmits the operation of the outer handle 12 of the handle mechanism 10 to the open lever 25 of the latch mechanism 20. Specifically, under normal circumstances, when the outer handle 12 is operated to open the door, the rod 30 moves downward in the vehicle height direction as the lever arm 14 of the handle mechanism 10 rotates in the direction of arrow A1, and the engaging portion 30c presses down the open lever 25.

Referring to Figures 5 and 8, as already explained in relation to the handle mechanism 10 and latch mechanism 20, a lever arm 14 is rotatably supported on the upper side of the handle base 11 in the vehicle height direction, and a rod holding portion 14a provided at the upper end of the lever arm 14 holds a held portion (connection portion) 30a of a rod 30. In other words, in this embodiment, one end of the rod 30 is connected via the lever arm 14 to the upper part of the handle base 11 in the vehicle height direction.

The rod 30 has a held portion (connection portion) 30a, an inclined portion 30b, an engaging portion 30c, and an insertion portion 30d. The held portion 30a is located at one end of the rod 30, and the engaging portion 30c and insertion portion 30d are located at the other end.

The held portion 30a extends linearly in the vehicle length direction and is inserted into the rod holding portion 14a of the lever arm 14 from the rear side in the vehicle length direction. The held portion 30a is rotatably held by the rod holding portion 14a.

The inclined portion 30b is connected to the rear end of the held portion 30a in the vehicle length direction. The inclined portion 30b extends linearly from the held portion 30a downward in the vehicle height direction toward the open lever 25. More specifically, the inclined portion 30b is inclined downward in the vehicle height direction from the end of the held portion 30a located rearward in the vehicle length direction of the open lever 25 toward the front side of the open lever 25 in the vehicle length direction.

The engagement portion 30c is connected to the lower end of the inclined portion 30b in the vehicle height direction. The engagement portion 30c extends linearly rearward in the vehicle length direction from the inclined portion 30b to above the open lever 25, and is slightly inclined downward in the vehicle height direction. When the rod 30 descends downward in the vehicle height direction, the engagement portion 30c presses down and rotates the open lever 25 of the latch mechanism 20.

The insertion portion 30d is connected to the lower end of the engagement portion 30c in the vehicle height direction. The insertion portion 30d extends linearly downward from the engagement portion 30c in the vehicle height direction. The insertion portion 30d is inserted into the open lever 25 so that the rod 30 can be raised and lowered relative to the open lever 25.

(Support member)
8 to 11, the support member 40 is disposed between the handle base 11 of the handle mechanism 10 and the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20, and provides support between the handle mechanism 10 and the latch mechanism 20 when the outer panel 4 (see FIG. 2) is deformed due to the input of a collision load, which will be described in detail later. The support member 40 is attached to an upper portion of the handle base 11 in the vehicle height direction. Here, the upper portion of the handle base 11 refers to a portion that is higher than half of the overall height H of the handle base 11 excluding the lever arm 14 including the counterweight 13.

More specifically, the support member 40 is attached to the upper wall portion 11d of the handle base 11. Referring to Figures 5 and 11, the handle base 11 includes a handle base main body 11a, a pivot support portion 11b that supports the first end 12a of the outer handle 12, and an insertion portion 11c through which the second end 12b of the outer handle 12 is inserted. A lever arm 14 is rotatably attached to the upper portion of the insertion portion 11c. The handle base main body 11a includes an upper wall portion 11d, a lower wall portion 11e, a pair of end wall portions 11f, and a partition wall portion 11g that closes the space defined by these walls 11c-11f. Reinforcing ribs 11h and 11i are provided between the upper wall portion 11d and the lower wall portion 11e. Referring to Figures 9 and 11, the upper wall portion 11d includes a protrusion 11j that protrudes toward the latch mechanism 20 on the insertion portion 11c side, which is the rear side in the vehicle length direction. A through-hole 11k that penetrates in the vehicle height direction is provided in this protrusion 11j, and a support member 40 is attached to it.

The support member 40 is frame-shaped overall and includes an insertion groove 40a into which the protrusion 11j is inserted. When attached to the upper wall portion 11d, the support member 40 is located forward of the rod 30 in the vehicle length direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface 21a in the vehicle width direction of the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20. This inner surface 21a faces the handle base 11 in the vehicle width direction and is an example of a facing portion of the present invention. When multiple ribs protrude from the surface, as in the base portion 21 of this embodiment, the inner surface 21a can also be defined as an imaginary surface consisting of the tips of the multiple ribs.

The support member 40 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 6, 7, and 11.

The support member 40 has a base 40b located in the center of the vehicle height direction and a frame wall 40f attached to the outer periphery of the base 40b. The support member 40 also has a pair of ribs 40j attached to the frame wall 40f and mounting holes 40k for attaching the support member 40 to the upper wall portion 11d of the handle base 11.

The base 40b includes a base body 40c that protrudes from the upper wall 11d of the handle base 11 toward the base 21, a first groove wall 40d that is located on the upper surface of the upper wall 11d, and a second groove wall 40e that is located on the lower surface of the upper wall 11d. The base body 40c is plate-shaped and extends along the XY plane so as to intersect with the inner surface 21a of the base 21. The first groove wall 40d and the second groove wall 40e are both plate-shaped and extend along the XY plane. They are positioned on either side of the base body 40c, spaced apart in the vehicle height direction, and protrude outward from the base body 40c in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle width dimension of the first groove wall 40d is greater than the vehicle width dimension of the second groove wall 40e. The insertion groove 40a is defined by the vehicle width outer end of the base body 40c, the first groove wall 40d, and the second groove wall 40e.

The frame wall 40f has a pair of side walls 40g, an inner end wall 40h, and an outer end wall 40i.

The pair of side walls 40g are plate-shaped and protrude along the YZ plane from both ends of the base 40b in the vehicle length direction. The side walls 40g are not provided in the area where the insertion groove 40a is formed. In other words, the side walls 40g have a first portion that protrudes vertically from the base main body 40c, a second portion that protrudes upward from the first groove wall 40d, and a third portion that protrudes downward from the second groove wall 40e.

The inner end wall 40h is continuous with the inner ends of the base body 40c and the pair of side walls 40g in the vehicle width direction. As shown most clearly in Figure 11, the outer surface (tip surface) of the inner end wall 40h that faces the inner surface 21a of the base portion 21 is flat and slopes downward, away from the inner surface 21a. The angle θ between the outer surface of the inner end wall 40h and the inner surface 21a is set in the range of 15 degrees to 30 degrees, and in this embodiment is set to 20 degrees.

Referring to Figure 10, when viewed from the vehicle height direction, the inner end wall 40h extends in the vehicle length direction. In other words, the upper end of the inner end wall 40h extends in the vehicle length direction parallel to the inner surface 21a of the base portion 21. A gap G is provided between the inner end wall 40h and the latch mechanism 20, more specifically, the inner surface 21a of the base portion 21. Referring to Figure 11, the gap G at the upper end portion where the distance between the inner end wall 40h and the inner surface 21a is smallest is set in the range of 5 mm to 15 mm, and in this embodiment it is set to 10 mm.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the outer end wall 40i is continuous with the outer ends of the first groove wall 40d and the pair of side walls 40g in the vehicle width direction. No outer end wall is provided at the outer ends of the second groove wall 40e and the pair of side walls 40g in the vehicle width direction.

The pair of ribs 40j are each provided between the pair of side walls 40g with a gap in the vehicle length direction. Like the side walls 40g, each of the pair of ribs 40j is plate-shaped and extends along the YZ plane, and has a first portion that protrudes vertically from the base body 40c, a second portion that protrudes upward from the first groove wall 40d, and a third portion that protrudes downward from the second groove wall 40e.

The mounting hole 40k is provided in the first groove wall 40d so as to correspond to the through-hole 11k in the handle base 11. More specifically, the mounting hole 40k penetrates the first groove wall 40d, the outer end wall 40i, and the thick-walled portions 40m that are provided so as to be connected to each of the pair of ribs 40j.

A boss 40n is provided on the second groove wall 40e so as to be positioned below the mounting hole 40k in the vehicle height direction. A screw (fastening member) (not shown) is inserted from above the mounting hole 40k, passed through the through-hole 11k, and screwed into the boss 40n, thereby immovably attaching the support member 40 to a fixed position on the upper wall portion 11d of the handle base 11. However, rivets or bolts and nuts may also be used as fastening members, as long as they are configured to attach the support member 40 to the upper wall portion 11d.

(Behavior of vehicle door lock device during collision)
Assuming that the support member 40 is not employed, the vehicle door lock device 1 behaves as follows in the event of a collision, particularly a side collision.

The outer panel 4 of the door 2 is deformed by the input of a collision load. Depending on the design of the door 2, which is long in the vehicle longitudinal direction, or the vehicle weight, the input of a collision load may cause the outer panel 4 to deform so that the upper part of the handle base 11 rotates downward while approaching the inner panel 5, as conceptually shown by arrow B in Figure 3. When the upper part of the handle base 11 rotates as indicated by arrow B in Figure 3, the rod 30 moves downward and the open lever 25 is pushed down. As a result, the latch mechanism 20 may switch from a latched state to an unlatched state, causing the door 2 to open.

In contrast, in the vehicle door lock device 1 of this embodiment, when the outer panel 4 begins to deform due to the input of a collision load, the support member 40 quickly abuts against the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20, more specifically, the inner surface 21a of the base portion 21, and the support member 40 bears the input of the collision load. In other words, the support member 40 is sandwiched between the handle base 11 and the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20, restricting relative movement of the handle base 11 with respect to the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20. This restriction of movement causes the upper portion of the handle base 11 to rotate downward while approaching the inner panel 5, thereby preventing the rod 30 from moving downward in the vehicle height direction. Furthermore, by preventing the rod 30 from descending, the rod 30 is prevented from pressing down the open lever 25. As a result, the latch mechanism 20 can be prevented from being unlatched due to deformation of the outer panel 4 due to the input of a collision load.

As mentioned above, a gap G is provided between the support member 40 and the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20. This ensures ease of assembly when assembling the handle base 11 and support member 40 through the service hole 5a (see Figure 2) in the inner panel 5 within the narrow door 2 space between the outer panel 4 and inner panel 5. Furthermore, this prevents abnormal noise caused by the support member 40, which may move slightly due to vehicle vibrations, interfering with the handle base 11 or the inner surface 21a of the latch mechanism 20.

As mentioned above, the support member 40 extends in the vehicle width direction, perpendicular to the inner surface 21a of the latch mechanism 20. Therefore, when the outer panel 4 begins to deform due to the collision load, the support member 40 can reliably support the collision load. As a result, the upper part of the handle base 11 can be reliably prevented from rotating downward while approaching the inner panel 5.

As mentioned above, the support member 40 is attached to the handle base 11. Therefore, the handle base 11 with the support member 40 attached can be installed integrally within the door 2 through the service hole 5a. This ensures ease of assembly of the vehicle door lock device 1. However, the support member 40 may also be attached to the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20, or to the outer panel 4 or inner panel 5.

As mentioned above, the outer surface of the inner end wall 40h of the support member 40 is inclined downward, away from the inner surface 21a. Therefore, when the outer panel 4 begins to deform due to the input of a collision load, the upper end of the tip surface of the support member 40 comes into line contact with the inner surface 21a of the latch mechanism 20. As a result, the upper part of the handle base 11 is reliably prevented from rotating downward while approaching the inner panel 5.

As mentioned above, the upper end of the inner end wall 40h of the support member 40 extends in the vehicle length direction, parallel to the inner surface 21a of the latch mechanism 20. Therefore, when the outer panel 4 begins to deform due to a collision load, the inner surface 21a of the latch mechanism 20 can reliably absorb the collision load acting via the support member 40. As a result, the upper part of the handle base 11 can be more reliably prevented from rotating downward while approaching the inner panel 5.

As mentioned above, the support member 40 is attached to the upper wall portion 11d of the handle base 11. Therefore, when the outer panel 4 begins to deform due to the collision load input, the support member 40 can reliably support the collision load input. As a result, the upper part of the handle base 11 can be reliably prevented from rotating downward while approaching the inner panel 5.

As mentioned above, the support member 40 has an insertion groove 40a into which the upper wall portion 11d of the handle base 11 is inserted, and an attachment hole 40k through which a fastening member passes. This allows the support member 40 to be attached in a fixed position on the upper wall portion 11d of the handle base 11.

As mentioned above, the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20, against which the support member 40 abuts when the outer panel 4 begins to deform due to the input of a collision load, also functions as the opposing portion of the present invention, thereby supporting the collision load. This reduces the number of parts required compared to when a separate part is provided to function as the opposing portion. Furthermore, because the latch mechanism 20 is located closer to the handle base 11 than the inner panel 5, the overall length of the support member 40 can be shorter compared to when the inner panel 5 is used as the opposing portion. This ensures the rigidity of the support member 40 against the input collision load. However, a portion other than the base portion 21 of the latch mechanism 20 may serve as the opposing portion, or a separate part may be provided to function as the opposing portion.

As described above, the support member 40 is frame-shaped and includes a base 40b extending perpendicular to the inner surface 21a of the latch mechanism 20 and a frame wall 40f located on the outer periphery of the base 40b. Ribs 40j extending perpendicular to the inner surface 21a are provided within the frame wall 40f. This minimizes the weight increase associated with the placement of the support member 40, while ensuring the rigidity of the support member 40 against the input collision load. Therefore, when the outer panel 4 begins to deform due to the input collision load, the support member 40 can reliably support the input collision load. As a result, the upper part of the handle base 11 can be reliably prevented from rotating downward while approaching the inner panel 5.

As mentioned above, the door 2 on which the vehicle door lock device 1 is installed is a rear door located at the rear side of the vehicle. In this case, deformation of the outer panel 4 due to collision load input near the center pillar is greater at the front end of the vehicle length than at the rear end of the vehicle length. In contrast, in this embodiment, the handle base 11 is attached rearward of the center of the rear door 2 in the vehicle length direction, and the support member 40 is positioned forward of the rod 30 in the vehicle length direction. Therefore, displacement of the rod 30 due to deformation of the outer panel 4 can be minimized.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle door lock device 2 door 3 door structure 4 outer panel 5 inner panel 5a service hole 6 end panel 7 closed space 10 handle mechanism 11 handle base 11a handle base main body 11b shaft support portion 11c insertion portion 11d upper wall portion 11e lower wall portion 11f end wall portion 11g partition wall portion 11h reinforcing rib 11i reinforcing rib 11j protrusion portion 11k through hole 12 outer handle 12a first end portion 12b second end portion 13 counterweight 14 lever arm 14a rod holding portion 15 coil spring 16 support shaft 20 latch mechanism 21 base portion 21a inner surface (facing portion)
22 Protrusion 23 Casing 24 Fork 25 Open lever 30 Rod 30a Held portion (connection portion)
30b: Oblique portion 30c: Engagement portion 30d: Insertion portion 40: Support member (displacement suppression member)
40a Insertion groove 40b Base 40c Base body 40d First groove wall 40e Second groove wall 40f Frame wall 40g Side wall 40h Inner end wall 40i Outer end wall 40j Rib 40k Mounting hole 40m Thick portion 40n Boss G Gap A1 Rotation direction of lever arm A2 Opposite direction to rotation of lever arm B Movement of upper part of handle base during collision

Claims (8)

a handle mechanism including a handle base disposed inside an outer panel of a vehicle door and an outer handle movably held by the handle base;
a latch mechanism having a lever for releasing the latch;
a rod that transmits the movement of the outer handle to the lever;
a facing portion facing the handle base in a direction in which the outer panel and the inner panel of the door face each other;
a displacement suppression member provided between the handle base and the opposing portion so as to be located above the handle base ,
the handle base includes a plate-shaped upper wall portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle height direction,
the displacement suppression member is attached to the upper wall portion of the handle base,
The upper wall portion has a through hole that penetrates in the vehicle height direction,
The displacement suppression member is
an insertion groove into which the upper wall portion is inserted;
a groove wall defining an upper side of the insertion groove and disposed on an upper surface side of the upper wall portion;
a mounting hole provided in the groove wall to correspond to the through hole, and through which a fastening member passes;
A vehicle door lock device comprising : The vehicle door lock device of claim 1, wherein a gap is provided between the displacement suppression member and the handle base, or between the displacement suppression member and the opposing portion. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the displacement suppression member extends in a direction perpendicular to the opposing portion. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1 , wherein a tip surface of the displacement suppression member facing the facing portion is inclined downward from an upper side so as to move away from the facing portion. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 4 , wherein an upper end of the tip surface of the displacement suppression member extends in a direction parallel to the facing portion. The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1 , wherein the latch mechanism includes the opposing portion . The displacement suppression member is
a plate-shaped base portion extending along a direction perpendicular to the facing portion;
a frame wall provided on the outer periphery of the base;
The vehicle door lock device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a rib provided within the frame wall and extending in a direction perpendicular to the facing portion. the door is a rear door disposed at a rear side of the vehicle,
the handle base is attached to the rear side of the center of the rear door in the vehicle length direction,
The displacement suppression member is disposed forward of the rod in the vehicle length direction.
The vehicle door lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 .