TITLE OF THE INVENTION

Vehicle Door Lock Device

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

[0001]

The present invention relates to a vehicle door lock device.

2. Related Art

[0002]

Examples of the vehicle door lock device are described in JP2003-41829A and JP1986(S61)-59759U. The vehicle door lock device described in JP2003-41829A includes an operation cable having an outer tube and an inner wire, a housing having a support portion for a cable cap attached to an end of the outer tube, and a rotation lever rotatably assembled to the housing and having a coupling hole to which a coupling tool fixed to an end of the inner wire is coupled. The vehicle door lock device described in JP1986(S61)-59759U includes a rod and a rotation lever for transmitting operation force. A front end of the rod is formed into a crank shape, and the front end is inserted into and retained by a coupling hole (engagement hole) provided in the rotation lever.

[0003]

In the above vehicle door lock device described in JP2003-41829A, the coupling tool is formed into a cylindrical shape, and the end of the inner wire is wound around an outer periphery of an intermediate part thereof, so that the coupling tool is fixed to the end of the inner wire. Furthermore, A folded portion is formed in a front end of the rotation lever. At the folded portion, a slit (part into which the inner wire is inserted) and a coupling hole (part to which an end of the coupling tool is fixed) for assembling the cylindrical coupling tool are formed. Therefore, it is impossible to simplify a shape of the rotation lever; however, by forming the cylindrical coupling tool so as to be fitted to the coupling hole, a backlash in a coupling part between the coupling tool and the coupling hole (rotation lever), that is, backlash in the radial direction of the coupling hole, can be prevented.

[0004]

Meanwhile, in the above-mentioned vehicle door lock device described in JP1986(S61)-59759U, the rotation lever is retained by a crank shape part formed in the rod. Thus, there is no need for providing a folded portion in the rotation lever. However, a loop elastic tongue shape piece for preventing movement of the rod in the thickness direction of the rotation lever (axial direction of the coupling hole) is provided in the rotation lever. Therefore, it is impossible to simplify a shape of the rotation lever. In addition, the front end of the rod is formed into a crank shape, and the coupling hole of the rotation lever is formed in a flat plate part. Thus, there is a need for a desired clearance between the front end of the rod inserted into the coupling hole (intermediate part of the crank shape part) and an inner wall of the coupling hole, and hence, backlash in a coupling part between the rod and the coupling hole (rotation lever), that is, backlash in the radial direction of the coupling hole, cannot sufficiently be prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005]

The present invention is derived in order to solve the above problems, that is, to simplify the shape of the rotation lever and to prevent (to eliminate) the backlash in the coupling part between the coupling tool and the coupling hole (rotation lever). A vehicle door lock device according to the present invention includes an operation cable having an outer tube and an inner wire, a housing having a support portion for a cable cap attached to an end of the outer tube, and a rotation lever having a coupling hole into which a front end of a coupling tool provided in an end of the inner wire is inserted, the rotation lever being rotatably assembled to the housing. The rotation lever has a step portion in which the coupling hole is formed. The front end of the coupling tool has a first bent portion engaged with a one side inner wall of the coupling hole on the one side of the step portion and also engaged with a one side surface of the rotation lever, and a second bent portion engaged with an other side inner wall of the coupling hole on the other side of the step portion and also engaged with an other side surface of the rotation lever.

[0006]

In this case, the second bent portion may have a curved surface in a part thereof placed on the side of the one side inner wall of the coupling hole. The curved surface is configured to be abutted with the one side inner wall of the coupling hole so as to guide assembling of the front end to the coupling hole, or configured not to be brought into contact with the one side inner wall of the coupling hole. A base end of the coupling tool may have a rotation-preventing engagement portion (such as a projection), and a front end of the cable cap may have a locking portion (such as a concave portion) to which the rotation-preventing engagement portion is capable of being fitted.

[0007]

The step portion may be formed into a straight shape along a straight line connecting a center of a support hole serving as a rotation center of the rotation lever and a center of the coupling hole. The housing may have a regulation portion for regulating rotation of the rotation lever. In this case, the housing may have an opening for assembling the inner wire to the rotation lever, and a cover for closing the opening, and the cover may have a regulation cancellation portion for cancelling regulation of the rotation lever by the regulation portion.

[0008]

According to the vehicle door lock device of the present invention, the rotation lever has the step portion in which the coupling hole is formed, and the front end of the coupling tool has the first bent portion engaged with the one side inner wall of the coupling hole on the one side of the step portion and also engaged with the one side surface of the rotation lever, and the second bent portion engaged with the other side inner wall of the coupling hole on the other side of the step portion and also engaged with the other side surface of the rotation lever. The above configuration can be realized by appropriately setting a shape of the front end in the coupling tool and appropriately setting length in the plate thickness direction (step difference) of the step portion in the rotation lever.

[0009]

Therefore, in the present invention, the rotation lever and the coupling tool can be assembled by setting the step portion in the rotation lever. Thus, it is possible to simplify the shape of the rotation lever in comparison to the case where the folded portion is formed in the front end of the rotation lever (case of above-mentioned JP2003-41829A), and the case where the loop elastic tongue shape piece is provided in the rotation lever (case of above-mentioned JP1986(S61)-59759U). Furthermore, in the present invention, the first bent portion and the second bent portion described above are provided in the front end of the coupling tool. Thus, backlash in a coupling part between the coupling tool and the coupling hole (rotation lever), that is, backlash in the radial direction of the coupling hole and backlash in the axial direction of the coupling hole, can be prevented (can be eliminated), and hence, disadvantages due to the backlash (abnormal noise and operation failure of the operation cable) can be prevented. In the present invention, since the operation cable having the outer tube and the inner wire is used, a high degree of freedom for wiring arrangement is provided and thus the operation cable can readily be arranged.

[0010]

Upon implementation of the present invention, in the case where the second bent portion has the curved surface configured to be abutted with the one side inner wall of the coupling hole so as to guide assembling of the front end to the coupling hole, or the curved surface configured not to be brought into contact with the one side inner wall of the coupling hole in the part thereof placed on the side of the one side inner wall of the coupling hole, an assembling property at the time of assembling the front end to the coupling hole is improved. Upon the implementation of the present invention, in the case where the base end of the coupling tool has the rotation-preventing engagement portion (such as a projection), and the front end of the cable cap has the locking portion (such as a concave portion) to which the rotation-preventing engagement portion (such as a projection) is capable of being fitted, by fitting the rotation-preventing engagement portion to the locking portion at the time of assembling the coupling tool to the coupling hole (rotation lever), relative rotation of the outer tube and the inner wire can be restricted, and hence, assembling property (workability) of assembling the coupling tool to the coupling hole (rotation lever) can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]

Fig. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a vehicle door lock device according to the present invention seen from the indoor side of a vehicle; Fig. 2 is a side view of the vehicle door lock device shown in Fig. 1 when a resin cover is opened;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a single body of a rotation lever shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view along the line A-A of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an illustrative view of a process for assembling a coupling tool shown by an imaginary line in Fig. 4 to a coupling hole of the rotation lever shown by a solid line in Fig. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Figs. 1 and 2 show a vehicle door lock device 100 according to the present embodiment. The vehicle door lock device 100 is installed to a door (not shown) disposed on the front right side of a vehicle. The vehicle door lock device 100 includes a latch mechanism 10 and a lock mechanism 20. A resin body 11 of the latch mechanism 10 is fixed to a resin housing 21 of the lock mechanism 20, so that the latch mechanism 10 is assembled to the lock mechanism 20.

[0013]

As already known, the latch mechanism 10 is used for retaining the door of the vehicle (vehicle body (not shown)) in a closed state (state that the door is closed) relative to the body. The latch mechanism 10 includes the resin body 11 described above and a latch 12 engageable with and disengageable from a striker (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body. The lock mechanism 20 includes the resin housing 21 described above, a rotation lever (inside open lever) 23 rotatably assembled to the resin housing 21 at a support hole 23a (refer to Fig. 3), and an operation cable 24 having an outer tube 24a and an inner wire 24b. The resin housing 21 has an opening 21c and a resin cover 22. The opening 21c is formed for assembling the inner wire 24b to the rotation lever 23 from the outside. The resin cover 22 is configured to open and close the opening 21c of the resin housing 21. After assembling the inner wire 24b to the rotation lever 23, the opening 21c is closed by the resin cover 22.

[0014]

In the present embodiment, an inside configuration of the latch mechanism 10 (inside configuration in the resin body 11) is the substantially same as an inside configuration of a latch mechanism in a vehicle door lock device described in JP2010-251512A. An inside configuration of the lock mechanism 20 (inside configuration in the resin housing 21) is the substantially same as an inside configuration of a lock mechanism in the vehicle door lock device described in JP2010-251512A.

[0015]

A tubular cable cap 24c is integrally assembled to an end of the outer tube 24a. The cable cap 24c is assembled to a support portion 21a of the resin housing 21 so as to be incapable of moving in the longitudinal direction. Meanwhile, a coupling tool 24d is integrally fixed to an end of the inner wire 24b. The coupling tool 24d is coupled to a coupling hole 23b (refer to Figs. 3 to 5) provided in the rotation lever 23.

[0016]

In the embodiment, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a front end 24d1 of the coupling tool 24d is formed into a crank shape. As shown in Fig. 3, the coupling hole 23b is provided so as to be overlapped with a step portion 23c formed in the rotation lever 23. That is, the coupling hole 23b is formed on the step portion 23c. The front end 24d1 of the coupling tool 24d is inserted into and retained by the coupling hole 23b. As shown in Fig. 3, the step portion 23c formed in the rotation lever 23 is provided into a L shape, and formed into a straight shape along a straight line connecting a center of the support hole 23a and a center of the coupling hole 23b in a part where the coupling hole 23b is provided.

[0017]

The front end 24d1 of the coupling tool 24d has a first bent portion 24x1 and a second bent portion 24x2. The first bent portion 24x1 engages with a one side inner wall 23b1 , which is a part of an inner wall of the coupling hole 23b. The one side inner wall 23b1 forms the one side part of the inner wall of the coupling hole 23b located at the one side of the step portion 23c (left side of Fig. 4). The first bent portion also engages with a one side surface (upper side surface of Fig. 4) 23d of the rotation lever 23. The second bent portion 24x2 engages with an other side inner wall 23b2, which is another part of the inner wall of the coupling hole 23b. The other side inner wall 23b2 forms the other side part of the inner wall of the coupling hole 23b located at the other side of the step portion 23c (right side of Fig. 4). The second bent portion also engages with the other side surface (lower side surface of Fig. 4) 23e of the rotation lever 23. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a part 24y (part to be inserted into the coupling hole 23b) of the front end 24d1 is formed into an arc shape (curved surface) so that at the time of assembling the coupling tool 24d to the coupling hole (rotation lever) 23b, the front end 24d1 of the coupling tool 24d is abutted with the one side inner wall 23b1 of the coupling hole 23b in a manner that assembling of the front end 24d1 to the coupling hole 23b is guided (or in a manner that the front end 24d1 is not brought into contact with the one side inner wall 23b1 of the coupling hole 23b). The part (curved surface) 24y is provided in a part of the second bent portion 24x2 placed on the side of the one side inner wall 23b1 of the coupling hole 23b.

[00 8]

As shown in Fig. 2, a rotation-preventing projection (engagement portion) 24d2 is provided in a base end of the coupling tool 24d, and a concave portion (locking portion) 24c1 to which the projection (engagement portion) 24d2 is capable of being fitted is provided in an inner periphery of a front end of the cable cap 24c. Furthermore, a regulating projection (regulation portion) 21 b is provided in the resin housing 21. When the opening 21c of the resin housing 21 is opened, rotation about the support hole 23a of the rotation lever 23 is regulated (restricted) by the regulating projection 21b. Since the rotation of the rotation lever 23 is regulated (restricted), assembling property (workability) of assembling the inner wire 24b (the coupling tool 24d) to the rotation lever 23 (coupling hole 23b) can be improved. A pushing projection (regulation cancellation portion) 22a is provided in the resin cover 22. When the opening 21c of the resin housing 21 is closed by the resin cover 22 after assembling the coupling tool 24d to the coupling hole 23b, the regulating projection 21 b is folded by a pushing projection 22a. As a result, the regulation of the rotation lever 23 by the regulating projection 21 b is cancelled, to thereby the rotation lever 23 can be operable.

[0019]

In the vehicle door lock device 100 of the embodiment configured as described above, the coupling hole 23b of the rotation lever 23 is provided in the step portion 23c formed in the rotation lever 23, and the first bent portion 24x1 and the second bent portion 24x2 described above are provided in the front end 24d1 of the coupling tool 24d. The above configuration can be realized by appropriately setting a shape of the front end 24d1 in the coupling tool 24d and also appropriately setting length in the plate thickness direction (step difference) of the step portion 23c in the rotation lever 23.

[0020]

Therefore, the rotation lever 23 and the coupling tool 24d can be assembled by setting the step portion 23c in the rotation lever 23. Thus, it is possible to simplify a shape of the rotation lever 23 in comparison to the case where a folded portion is formed in a front end of a rotation lever (case of above-mentioned JP2003-41829A), and the case where a loop elastic tongue shape piece is provided in a rotation lever (case of above-mentioned JP1986(S61)-59759U). In addition, the first bent portion 24x1 and the second bent portion 24x2 described above are provided in the front end 24d1 of the coupling tool 24d. Thus, backlash in a coupling part between the coupling tool 24d and the coupling hole (rotation lever) 23b (backlash in the radial direction of the coupling hole 23b (transverse direction in Fig. 4) and backlash in the axial direction of the coupling hole 23b (longitudinal direction in Fig. 4)) can be prevented (eliminated), and hence, disadvantages due to the backlash (abnormal noise and operation failure of the operation cable 24) can be prevented. Since the operation cable 24 having the outer tube 24a and the inner wire 24b is used, a high degree of freedom for wiring arrangement is provided and thus the operation cable 24 can readily be arranged.

[0021]

In the embodiment, the second bent portion 24x2 of the coupling tool 24d has the curved surface 24y described above in the part thereof placed on the side of the one side inner wall 23b 1 of the coupling hole 23b. Thus, an assembling property (workability) at the time of assembling the front end 24d1 of the coupling tool 24d to the coupling hole 23b is improved. In the embodiment, the rotation-preventing projection 24d2 is provided in the base end of the coupling tool 24d and the concave portion 24c1 to which the projection 24d2 is capable of being fitted is provided in the front end of the cable cap 24c. Therefore, by fitting the rotation-preventing projection 24d2 to the concave portion 24c1 at the time of assembling the coupling tool 24d to the coupling hole (rotation lever) 23b, relative rotation of the outer tube 24a and the inner wire 24b can be restricted, and hence, the assembling property (workability) of assembling the coupling tool 24d to the coupling hole (rotation lever) 23b can be improved. It should be noted that assembling of the coupling tool 24d to the coupling hole (rotation lever) 23b is performed by bringing the coupling tool 24d and the coupling hole 23b from a state of Fig. 5(a) to Fig. 5(c) via Fig. 5(b). Specifically, as shown in Fig. 5(a), a front end part of the coupling tool 24d is inserted into the coupling hole 23b firstly, and the second bent portion 24x2 of the coupling tool 24d is engaged with the other side inner wall 23b2 of the coupling hole 23b. Next, as shown in Fig. 5(b), in a state that engagement between the second bent portion 24x2 of the coupling tool 24d and the other side inner wall 23b2 of the coupling hole 23b is maintained, the coupling tool 24d is rotated. At this time, the coupling tool 24d is rotated in the direction in which the first bent portion 24x1 of the coupling tool 24d comes close to the one side surface 23d of the rotation lever 23. Then, as shown in Fig. 5(c), the first bent portion 24x1 of the coupling tool 24d is engaged with the one side inner wall 23b1 of the coupling hole 23b. Through such a series of rotation actions of the coupling tool 24, the coupling tool 24d can readily be assembled to the coupling hole 23b of the rotation lever 23. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5(b), the rotation action (assembling) of the coupling tool 24d to the rotation lever 23 is guided by the curved surface 24y.

[0022]

In the above embodiment, the rotation-preventing projection (engagement portion) 24d2 is provided in the base end of the coupling tool 24d and the concave portion (locking portion) 24c1 to which the projection (engagement portion) 24d2 is capable of being fitted is provided in the inner periphery of the front end of the cable cap 24c. However, a rotation-preventing concave portion (engagement portion) may be provided in the base end of the coupling tool (24d) and a projection (locking portion) to which the concave portion (engagement portion) is capable of being fitted may be provided in the front end of the cable cap (24c).

[0023] In the above embodiment, the step portion 23c formed in the rotation lever 23 is provided so as to extend to the vicinity of the support hole 23a. However, only required to the step portion 23c is to have such a size that the step portion is overlapped with the coupling hole 23b, and hence, the step portion may be shorter than that in the above-mentioned embodiment. Since only required to the step portion 23c described above is to have such a size that the step portion is overlapped with the coupling hole 23b, in the case where the rotation lever 23 is formed into a L shape in a manner that a part where the coupling hole 23b is formed is bent relative to a part where the support hole 23a is formed, the step portion 23c may be provided only in the part where the coupling hole 23b is formed (bent part).