JPS6153498B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention improves the operability of an automobile door lock by improving the structure of the door lock itself and the structure of the door handle device linked thereto. The present invention also relates to an operating device for an automobile door lock that reduces the adverse effects of wind pressure during driving.

In a conventional pull-up door handle for an automobile, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the handle a always protrudes from the outer surface of the door panel b, and a gap is secured inside the lower part of the handle a to allow a hand to be inserted. Therefore, the presence of such protrusions (handle a) and recesses c causes turbulence in the air flow when the car is running at high speed, making it difficult to drive. The resistance increases,
It also caused wind noise and had disadvantages such as an unsightly appearance.

According to the present invention, when the handle is not operated, the handle sinks into the recess and closes the entrance thereof, and the outer surface of the handle becomes flush with the outer surface of the handle, thereby eliminating the possibility of the above-mentioned drawbacks occurring. Another object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for an automobile door lock, in which the handle protrudes from the recess when a key or knob is unlocked, thereby securing a gap between the handle and the door panel in which a hand can be inserted. The following description will be given based on the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 9.

2 to 4 show an automobile door lock A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Since most of the structure of this door lock A is known, the known structure will first be briefly explained.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a base plate, and an open lever 3 with a shaft 2 is pivotally attached to the left middle portion of the base plate. This open lever 3 is rotatable between the locking position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the release position shown in FIG. By being biased and brought to the release position, the latch (not shown) provided on the back side of the board 1 and the striker (not shown) provided on the vehicle body side can be disengaged and the door can be opened. .

An intermediate portion of a release lever 5 extending in the left-right direction is pivotally mounted at the center of the upper part of the substrate 1 with a shaft 4. This release lever 5 constitutes a release member for releasing the engaged state of the door lock A, and can be rotated between an inoperative position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and a release position shown in FIG. 4. It is always biased toward the inoperative position with an appropriate spring (not shown). The left end of the release lever 5 is connected to the inside handle device of the door via a suitable lever and link (not shown), and the left end of the release lever 5
The right end of the handle is connected to an outside handle device B with the structure of the present invention which will be described later.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a locking lever serving as a locking/unlocking member, the central portion of which is pivoted to the center of the lower part of the base plate 1 with a shaft 7. This lock/unlock lever 6 can be switched to either the locked position shown in FIG. 2 or the unlocked position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 by the spring action of the over-center spring 8a. ing. The left end of the locking/unlocking lever 6 is connected to a locking/unlocking knob (not shown) via an appropriate lever and connecting rod (not shown), and the right end of the locking/unlocking lever 6 is connected to a connecting rod 8b.
are linked to key cylinders (not shown) via the lock levers 6 and 6.
can be switched to either the locked position or the unlocked position.

9 is an intermediate lever, the upper end of which is connected to the release lever 5.
A long hole 1 is connected so as to be able to rotate slightly between the right end and the shaft 4, and is bored near the lower end.
0 is slidably fitted into a pin 11 protruding from the free end of a U-shaped bent portion at the right end of the lock/unlock lever 6.

Thus, when the lock/unlock lever 6 is in the unlocked position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the intermediate lever 9 is pushed down by setting the release lever 5 to the release position as shown in FIG. intermediate lever 9
With a projecting piece 9a projecting to the left from the middle part of the
The door can be opened by rotating the open lever 3 to the release position.

Further, when the lock/unlock lever 6 is in the locked position as shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the intermediate lever 9 is
As the lock/unlock lever 6 is rotated toward the locked position, it is rotated to the right and the protrusion 9a is removed from the locus of movement in which it can engage with the open lever 3. Even if the opening lever 3 is moved to the release position, the protruding piece 9a simply swings in vain, and the opening lever 3 cannot be rotated to the release position to open the door.

The above configuration is the same as the known configuration, and the present invention is characterized by adding the following new configuration to this known configuration.

That is, a long hole 12 extending in a substantially vertical direction is bored at the right end of the release lever 5, and a lower end of a connecting rod 13 extending in a vertical direction is connected to the long hole 12 at its upper end with an outside handle device B, which will be described later. Side bend part 1
3a is engaged.

Further, a protruding piece 14 is provided in a row downward from the central part of the locking/unlocking lever 6, and a bell crank-shaped member is attached to the free end of the protruding piece 14 and the base plate 1 below the free end thereof with a shaft 15. The free end of the upward arm portion 16a of the connecting lever 16 is linked with a pin 17, and the free end of the right arm portion 16b of the connecting lever 16 and the lower end of the vertically extending connecting link 18 are connected to each other with a pin 17.
They are linked together by a shaft 19.

A long hole 20 extending substantially in the vertical direction is formed at the upper end of the connecting link 18, and the lower end side bent portion 13a of the above-mentioned connecting rod 13 is engaged with this long hole 20.

Regarding the engagement relationship between the lower end bent portion 13a of the connecting rod 13 and the elongated hole 20 of the connecting link 18, and the engaging relationship between the lower end bent portion 13a of the connecting rod 13 and the elongated hole 12 of the release lever 5. will be explained in more detail later.

5 to 8 show an outside handle device B according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This outside handle device B includes a case 22 made of hard synthetic resin that is fixed in place on a door panel 21 of an automobile.

A relatively shallow rectangular recess 23 is formed in the center of the front surface of the case 22, and a pair of left and right upright pieces 24, 25 are formed upwardly from the rear surface.
A pair of left and right handle arms 28 and 29 are pivotally connected to these upright pieces 24 and 25 with shafts 26 and 27 extending in the left and right direction, respectively.

Each handle arm 28, 29 has a shaft 26, 27
Arm portions 28a and 29 that hang down slightly more rearward
a, and the shaft 2 is connected to the front from the free end of the shaft 2.
An arcuate portion 28 having a circular arc shape with centers 6 and 27
b, 29b.

The arcuate portions 28b and 29b are located in the recess 2 of the case 22.
The recess 2 is inserted through the opening 30 bored at the rear end of the recess 2.
3, and the protruding end portions thereof are fixed to the vicinity of both sides of a plate-shaped handle 31 extending in the left-right direction.

Thus, the handle arms 28 and 29 are in the fully closed position shown in FIG. 6, where the handle 31 closes the entrance side of the recess 23 and the outer surface of the handle 31 is substantially flush with the outer surface of the door panel 21, and in the fully closed position shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the shaft 26 moves between the half-open position where there is enough clearance between the handle 31 and the door panel 21 to allow a hand to be inserted, and the fully open position shown in FIG. , 27.

Reference numeral 32 denotes a coiled spring wound around the shaft 26 between one handle arm 28 and the upright piece 24, and one extending end 32a of the spring 32 is connected to the upright piece 2.
4 and the other extending end 32b are respectively locked to the handle arm 28, and the coiled spring 32
As a result, the handle arms 28 and 29 are always urged toward the fully closed position (clockwise in FIG. 6).
The biasing force of this coiled spring 32 is substantially smaller than the holding force of the lock/unlock lever 6 by the overcenter spring 8a.

Another coiled spring 33 is wound around the shaft 27 between the other handle arm 29 and the upright piece 25, and one extending end 33a of this coiled spring 33 is attached to the upright piece 25. , and the other extending end portion 33b is respectively engaged with the upper edge of a bent piece 34a that is bent rightward from the lower front edge of the pivot plate 34 which is pivotally connected to the shaft 27 inside the handle arm 29. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the coiled spring 33 causes the pivot plate 34 to rotate in such a way that the right end of the bent piece 34a abuts the front edge of the upright piece 25 as shown in FIG. Forced clockwise.

An abutment piece 34b facing rearward is bent at the lower left edge of the bending piece 34a, and when the handle arm 29 is between the half-open position and the fully open position, the abutment piece 34b has an abutment piece 34b that is bent toward the rear. arm 29
The front edge of a is brought into contact with it.

Thus, when the handle arms 28, 29 are between the fully closed position and the half open position, the coil spring 3
When the handle arms 28, 29 are between the half-open position and the fully open position, the handle arms 28, 29 are biased only by the coil springs 32, 33 toward the fully closed position.
The biasing force of the spring is set in two stages so as to bias 29 toward the half-open position.

At the upper end of one of the handle arms 28, an operating coupling part 35 extending rearward and upward is provided, and the free end of this operating coupling part 35 is linked to the upper end side bent part 13b of the above-mentioned connecting rod 13. There is.

Thus, when the handle arms 28, 29 are in the fully closed position, the free end of the actuating connection 35 is in the uppermost position as shown in FIG.
The lower end of No. 3 is also located at the uppermost position as shown in FIG.

When the handle arms 28, 29 are in the half-open position as shown in FIG. 7, the lower end of the connecting rod 13 is in the neutral position as shown in FIG. When in the fully open position as shown, the lower end of the connecting rod 13 is located at the lowest position as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the relationship between the lower end bent portion 13a of the connecting rod 13 and the elongated hole 20 of the connecting link 18 can be adjusted by operating the locking/unlocking lever 6 by operating the key cylinder or the locking/unlocking knob.
When the connecting link 18 is moved downward via the connecting lever 16 by changing from the locked position to the unlocked position, the connecting lever 13 is pulled down and the handle arms 28 and 29 are driven from the fully closed position to the half open position. In this unlocked position, when the handle arms 28 and 29 are moved between the half-open position and the fully open position, the lower bent portion 13a of the connecting rod 13 moves freely within the elongated hole 20, and the handle arms 28 and 29 move freely within the long hole 20. 2
8 and 29 are pushed in the opposite direction to move from the half-open position to the fully closed position, the connecting rod 13 pulls up the connecting link 18, and the lock/unlock lever 6 is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position. .

Further, the relationship between the lower end bent portion 13a of the connecting rod 13 and the elongated hole 12 of the release lever 5 is such that when the release lever 5 is in the inoperative position, the handle arm 2 is
8, 29 are moved between the fully closed position and the half open position by locking and unlocking, the lower bent portion 13a of the connecting rod 13 moves freely within the elongated hole 12, and the handle arm 28 is moved by the unlocking operation. , 29 are moved from the half-open position to the fully open position, the release lever 5 is driven toward the release position.

Next, the operation and handling of the device of the present invention will be explained.

If the door is closed and locked,
The door lock A is in the state shown in FIG. 2, and the outside handle device B is in the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In this state, the handle 31 is in the fully closed position where it closes the recess 23 of the door panel 21, and is flush with the door panel 21, so the handle 31
1. There are no protrusions or recesses on the surface, which does not impede high-speed driving of automobiles or generate wind noise.

To open the door, the lock/unlock lever 6 in the door lock A is moved to the unlocked position by first operating the lock/unlock knob from inside the vehicle or by operating a key from outside the vehicle. Then, along with this movement, the connecting link 18 is pulled down via the connecting lever 16, and the handle arms 28, 29 are further moved to the half-open position via the connecting lever 13 (third
Fig. 7).

As a result, a gap is secured between the handle 31 and the door panel 21 in which the hand can be inserted, so by inserting the hand here and pulling the handle 31 forward and upward to the fully open position, the connecting rod 13 is pressed down, the release lever 5 is moved to the release position, the protrusion 9a of the intermediate lever 9 is used to rotate the open lever 3 to the release position, the engagement between the latch and the striker is released, and the door can be opened. Figures 4 and 8).

When you release your hand from the handle 31, the coiled springs 32 and 33
Due to the urging force, the handle arms 28 and 29 are returned to the half-open position, and accordingly, the release lever 5
is also returned to its inoperative position (Figures 3 and 7).

After reaching the half-open position, the handle arm 28,
29 is biased only by one coiled spring 32,
Furthermore, the biasing force of the wire-wound spring 32 is substantially smaller than the holding force of the locking/unlocking lever 6 by the over-center spring 8a, so that the handle arms 28, 29 are stopped at the half-open position.

In this state, the door can be opened and closed any number of times by fully opening the handle 31.

In this embodiment, when the handle arms 28 and 29 are further pushed from the half-open position to the fully closed position, the connecting rod 13 is pulled up, and the connecting link 18 is also pulled up accordingly, and the lock/unlock lever 6 is moved to the locked position. (Fig. 2, 6)
figure). Therefore, there is an advantage that a so-called keyless lock can be easily performed by simply pushing the handle 31 from the half-open position to the fully closed position.

If you want to move the handle arms 28, 29 to the fully closed position after getting on the vehicle and closing the door with the handle arms 28, 29 in the half-open position, a separate device is used to move the handle arms 28, 29 to the fully closed position. As such a device, for example, a known actuator that operates simultaneously with the running of the vehicle can be used.

In addition, even if the handle is forcibly pulled out from fully closed to half open or fully open position in the locked state,
The locking/unlocking lever 6 is not moved to the unlocking position, but is simply operated in vain, and the engagement between the latch and the striker cannot be released, making it safe against theft.

As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, the handle can be recessed into the recess and the outer surface of the handle can be flush with the outer surface of the door panel except when the handle is operated. There is no risk of the handle creating turbulence in the airflow, increasing running resistance or generating wind noise, and there are no protrusions on the outside of the vehicle, improving safety and looking good. Therefore, it is meaningful.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the handle automatically protrudes to the half-open position when the lock is unlocked using the locking/unlocking knob or key, so there is no need for a separate operation to protrude the handle to the half-open position, which is extremely convenient for operation. be.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is applied to an outside handle, but
The present invention can also be applied to inside handles. In this case, since the handle does not protrude into the interior of the vehicle, it does not interfere with the passengers inside the vehicle, and it is safe, and the interior space of the vehicle can be used effectively.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, when the lock is in the locked state, the outside handle device B is opened half-open by releasing the inside handle (not shown) due to an erroneous operation and rotating the release lever 5 to the release position. There is a risk that the vehicle may end up traveling with the handle 31 protruding.

In order to eliminate this fear, Figures 9 to 1
A configuration like the second embodiment shown in FIG. 1 can be adopted.

In this second embodiment, the release lever 5 in the first embodiment is connected to the substrate 1 with a common shaft 4'.
The first release lever 5' is divided into two levers, a first release lever 5' and a second release lever 5'', which are pivotally connected to each other, and an inside handle is linked to one end of the first release lever 5', and an intermediate lever is connected to the other end. 9 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the second release lever 5'', and the lower end bent portion 13a of the connecting rod 13 is connected to the free end of the second release lever 5''. Only when the handle is rotated from the half-open position to the fully open position, the contact piece 36 bent at the middle edge of the second release lever 5'' comes into contact with the edge of the first release lever 5'. Then, press the first release lever 5'.
is driven toward a release position (Fig. 11) that releases the engaged state of the door lock,
In other cases, the first release lever 5' and the second release lever 5'' are prevented from interfering with each other.Other constructions are the same as those of the first embodiment.

It should be noted that FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 2 showing the first embodiment, and
FIG. 10 is the same as FIG. 3, and FIG. 11 is,
Similarly, they are shown in correspondence with FIG. 4.

With the configuration of this second embodiment, the release operation inside the vehicle can be performed independently of the release operation outside the vehicle, so that the first
In this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the fear that the handle on the outside of the vehicle will protrude from the door panel when operating inside and outside the vehicle. .

The present invention is capable of such changes and modifications.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the main parts showing an example of a conventional outside handle device for an automobile door, and FIG.
The figure is a front view showing the locked state of the door lock in one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a front view showing the unlocked state, and FIG. 4 is the front view showing the door lock state when the door is opened. 5 is a front view showing the outside handle device in an embodiment of the present invention in a fully closed state, FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view, and FIG. 7 is a partially opened state. Side view showing,
FIG. 8 is a side view showing the door lock in the fully open state, FIG. 9 is a front view of the main parts showing the door lock in the locked state in the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is the same in the unlocked state. A front view showing the state, FIG. 11 is a front view showing the state at the time of the door opening operation. A... Door lock, B... Outside handle device, 1... Board, 3... Open lever,
5, 5', 5''...Release lever, 6...Lock/unlock lever, 8a...Over center spring, 9...
...Intermediate lever, 12...Long hole, 13...Continuous rod, 1
3a...Lower end side bending part, 13b...Upper end side bending part, 16...Connection lever, 18...Connection link,
20... Long hole, 21... Door panel, 22... Case, 23... Recessed portion, 24, 25... Upright piece, 2
6,27...shaft, 28,29...handle arm, 30...opening, 31...handle, 32,33...
... Wound spring, 34... Pivot plate, 35... Operating connection portion, 36... Contact piece.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An operating device for an automobile door lock comprising a release member for releasing the engaged state of the door lock, and a locking/unlocking member that is linked to a key cylinder and a locking/unlocking knob and locks/unlocks the door lock by operating the key cylinder and the locking/unlocking knob, which has a handle at one end. A handle arm is pivotally connected to a door panel, and the handle arm is provided with:
The handle moves to a fully closed position in which the handle closes a recess formed in the door panel, a half-open position in which a gap is secured between the handle and the door panel in which a hand can be inserted, and a fully open position in which the handle is further opened from the half-open position. The handle arm and the locking member are linked together so that the handle arm is moved from a fully closed position to a half open position by an unlocking operation of an unlocking field member, and the handle arm and the release member are
1. An operating device for a door lock for an automobile, characterized in that the handle arm moves from a half-open position to a fully open position, thereby causing a release member to move in a direction to release the door lock.