JP2009228331A - Electric latch device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric latch device for a vehicle capable of easily opening a side door from the inside when an occupant gets out the vehicle while securing the design property of the inner surface of the side door forming a cabin space. <P>SOLUTION: A movable member 21 is installed on an interior panel 13 which is so installed as to cover the cabin inner side side-surface of a door body 12 and which forms a part of a cabin interior design when the side door 11 is in a closed state rotatably in the opening and closing direction of the side door 11. The movable member 21 also forms a part of the cabin interior design together with the interior panel 13. When the side door 11 of the vehicle is opened from the inside, the movable member 21 functioning as the interior member which forms a part of the cabin interior design when the side door 11 is in a closed state is merely pressed. Namely, since a pressing force on the movable member 21 acts as an operating force for opening the side door 11 from the inside, the user can push open the side door 11 while pressing the movable member 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric latch device for a vehicle that locks and unlocks a side door of a vehicle through operation of an actuator.

  Conventionally, a latch mechanism for keeping the door in a closed state is mounted on the side door of the vehicle. The latch mechanism includes a latch provided on the vehicle body side and a striker provided on the door side and engaged with the latch, and holds the side door in a closed state through the engagement. . When the inside door handle or outside door handle of the door is operated while the side door is locked, the engagement between the latch and the striker is released through the latch opening / closing rod or cable, and the door is opened. It can be opened.

On the other hand, with the recent digitization of vehicles, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, many electric latch devices that unlock the side door through the operation of an electric actuator such as a motor have been proposed. This electric latch device detects the operation of the inside door handle or the outside door handle through a switch or the like provided on the inside door handle, and operates the actuator based on the detection result to release the engagement between the latch and the striker. According to such an electric latch device, a rod for opening / closing a latch or a cable for mechanically connecting the door handle and the latch can be omitted.
JP 2003-20844 A

  In recent years, high design is demanded in the interior of a vehicle from the viewpoint of ensuring comfort when riding or a high-class feeling. For example, the instrument panel provided in the front part of the passenger compartment and the interior panel of the front door are made to be flush with each other to give a sense of unity such that they are connected by a curved surface, It is often performed to give a sense of quality by attaching and decorating interior members. As described above, in the actual situation that the interior of the vehicle interior is produced in various ways, it is increasingly important to ensure the design of the inner surface of the side door.

  However, it is necessary to provide an inside door handle that is operated to unlock the door on the inner surface of the side door (the side surface on the vehicle interior side), whichever is the mechanical type or the electric type described above. For this reason, on the inner surface of the side door, for example, irregularities are likely to be formed at the boundary portion between the inside door handle and the interior panel, and this may impair the uniformity of the side door or the sense of unity of the passenger compartment space. is there. That is, the inside door handle has been an impediment to ensuring the design of the vehicle interior.

  Further, in recent years, there is still a tendency to pursue user convenience when using a vehicle, and this is no exception for door opening and closing operations. In this regard, in the conventional latch device, whether it is a mechanical type or an electric type, when the side door is opened from the inside, the inside door handle is operated and then the door is pushed open. In other words, it is necessary to perform a two-step operation. Such an operation mode may be annoying for some users.

  Thus, in recent years, in the side door, in particular, how to achieve both the design of the inside and the operability of the side door when getting off has become an important issue. Actually, no concrete means for doing so has been proposed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to ensure the design of the inner surface of the side door that constitutes the interior space of the vehicle and to easily remove the side door from the inside when getting off the vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric door latch device for a vehicle that can be opened.

  The invention according to claim 1 detects a user's intention to open the side door from the inside, and a door latch mechanism that locks the side door of the vehicle that opens and closes about a predetermined axis extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. And an electric latch for the vehicle comprising: a detecting means for outputting the detection signal; and a control means for releasing the locked state of the door latch mechanism through the operation of the electric actuator when the detection signal is input from the detecting means. In the apparatus, the side door includes a door main body and an interior member that is attached to a portion of the door main body on the vehicle interior side and forms a part of the design in the vehicle interior when the side door is in a closed state. In addition, at least a part of the interior member is configured as a movable member that is displaced in the opening / closing direction of the side door, and the detection means includes A user who arranges between the main body and the movable member which is a part of the interior member and opens the side door from the inside when the movable member is displaced in the opening direction of the side door. The gist of this is to detect the intention and output the detection signal.

  According to the present invention, when the side door of the vehicle is opened from the inside, only the movable member that is at least a part of the interior member constituting a part of the design in the vehicle interior is pressed when the side door is in the closed state. It's okay. That is, when the movable member is displaced in the opening direction of the side door through the pressing operation of the movable member, this is detected by the detection means as a user's intention to open the side door from the inside. The control means receives the detection signal from the detection means and operates the electric actuator to release the locked state of the door latch mechanism that locks the side door in the closed state. As a result, the side door can be opened from the inside. Since the pressing force to the movable member acts as an operating force when the side door is opened from the inside as it is, the user can push the side door as it is while pressing the movable member. Thus, when getting off, the side door can be easily opened from the inside. Further, since the movable member constitutes at least a part of the interior member, and the detection means is disposed between the door body and the movable member and is not exposed to the vehicle interior, the design of the inner surface of the side door is impaired. There is nothing.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electric latch device for a vehicle according to the first aspect, the interior member is provided so as to cover a side surface of the door body on the vehicle interior side, and the side door is in a closed state. An interior panel constituting a part of a design in the vehicle interior at a time, wherein the movable member is attached to the interior panel as a separate member, and when the side door is in a closed state, The gist of the invention is that it is constructed using other interior members that constitute a part.

  Depending on the vehicle specifications, etc., it has been common practice to attach various interior members as separate members to the interior panel that covers the inside of the side door and decorate it, thereby providing variations in the design of the interior of the vehicle. It has been broken. By configuring the movable member using these various independent interior members, added value is born in the other interior members.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electric latch device for a vehicle according to the first or second aspect, the detection means passes through the movable member when the movable member is displaced in the opening direction of the side door. An operation member that is displaced in the same direction as the movable member when pressed is maintained, and the ON state is maintained only while the pressing force by the movable member is applied to the operating member, and the application of the pressing force is When the operation member is released, it is an automatic return type push button switch that automatically returns to its original position and is turned off. When the application of the pressing force to the movable member is released, the operation member The gist is to return the movable member to the original position by using the return force to the original position.

  According to the present invention, when the push button switch functioning as a detecting means for detecting the user's intention to open the side door from the inside is released, the movable member is returned to the original position when the application of the pressing force to the movable member is released. Also used as a means for returning. For this reason, it is not necessary to separately provide means for returning the displaced movable member to the original position, and the configuration can be simplified.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electric latch device for a vehicle according to the third aspect, the movable member is engaged from the inside with a portion other than the interior member itself constituting the movable member. The gist is that an engaging portion is formed.

  According to the present invention, when the application of the pressing force to the movable member is released, when the movable member returns to the original position, the engaging portion that is a part of the movable member is engaged with a part of the interior member from the inside. By combining, the movable member does not protrude into the vehicle compartment beyond the surface of the interior member. For this reason, the designability of the side surface of the side door on the vehicle interior side, and hence the designability of the vehicle interior can be suitably ensured.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electric latch device for a vehicle according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the movable member is formed to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the front end thereof The gist of the present invention is that it is rotatably supported around an axis extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the detection means is disposed between the rear end portion and the door body.

  According to the present invention, the operation member of the push button switch can be suitably pressed via the movable member.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a side door can be easily opened from an inner side at the time of alighting, ensuring the designability of the inner surface of the side door which comprises vehicle interior space.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an electric latch device that holds a side door of a vehicle in a closed state will be described with reference to FIGS.
<Side door>
As shown in FIG. 1, the side door 11 of the vehicle is provided so as to be openable and closable around a predetermined axis O extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle via a hinge structure (not shown) provided on the front end side thereof. The side door 11 includes a door main body 12 supported by the vehicle body and an interior panel 13 provided on the vehicle interior side of the door main body 12. A window glass 14 is provided on the window frame 12a provided on the upper portion of the door body 12 so as to be movable up and down. The interior panel 13 is provided on the side surface of the door body 12 on the vehicle interior side so as to cover a region below the window frame 12a, and constitutes a part of the design in the vehicle interior when the side door 11 is in a closed state. To do. A window switch 15 a that is operated by the user when the window glass 14 is moved up and down is provided on the upper surface of the box-shaped armrest 15 provided at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the interior panel 13. And the electric latch apparatus 16 which switches the locked state and unlocked state of the side door 11 through the action | operation of an electric actuator is provided in the upper part of the interior panel 13. As shown in FIG.

<Electric latch device>
Next, the electric latch device 16 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 1, the electric latch device 16 includes a movable member 21 provided in a form constituting a part of the interior panel 13. The movable member 21 is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and functions as an interior member that constitutes a part of the design in the vehicle interior together with the interior panel 13 when the side door 11 is in the closed state.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the movable member 21 is supported by the door body 12 in a state where the movable member 21 is accurately disposed in a notch 13 a formed in the upper part of the interior panel 13. Specifically, a shaft member 22 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle is provided at the front end portion of the movable member 21, and the movable member 21 can rotate about the shaft member 22 with respect to the door body 12. It is supported by. That is, the movable member 21 is rotatable in the opening / closing direction of the side door 11. The movable member 21 is formed so as to gradually become thinner in the left-right direction of the vehicle toward the rear end side, and the interior panel 13 (more precisely, the edge of the notch portion 13a) is formed on the rear end portion. An engaging portion 23 is formed to be engaged from the inside.

  Further, a push button switch 24 is disposed between the rear end portion of the movable member 21 and the door body 12. Specifically, a recess 25 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is formed in a portion corresponding to the movable member 21 on the side surface of the door main body 12 on the vehicle interior side. The above-described push button switch 24 is fixed to the portion corresponding to the rear end portion of the movable member 21 on the inner bottom surface of the concave portion 25 via the printed board 26. The push button switch 24 is kept on only while a pressing force (operation load) is applied to the operation member 32, and when the application of the pressing force is released, the operation member 32 automatically returns to the original position. It is of the automatic return type that returns to the off state.

  The push button switch 24 is an operation provided so as to be displaceable in the left-right direction of the vehicle with respect to the switch case 31 fixed to the printed circuit board 26 and including a contact (not shown) and the side surface of the switch case 31 on the movable member 21 side The member 32 is provided. The operation member 32 is constantly urged toward the vehicle interior by an urging force (not shown) built in the switch case 31. Usually, the operation member 32 is held in a state in which the distal end thereof is in contact with the inner surface of the movable member 21, that is, the side surface opposite to the vehicle interior. To be exact, the movable member 21 is constantly urged toward the vehicle interior via the operation member 32, and the rotational displacement of the movable member 21 toward the vehicle interior is caused at the rear end of the movable member 21. The formed engaging portion 23 is regulated by engaging the interior panel 13 from the inside.

  When the movable member 21 is pressed by the user and displaced in the opening direction of the side door 11, the operation member 32 is pressed through the movable member 21 to resist the biasing force of the biasing mechanism. Displaces in the same direction as. Thereby, the contact in the switch case 31 is closed and the push button switch 24 is turned on. When the application of the pressing force by the movable member 21 is released, the operation member 32 is displaced toward the vehicle interior side by the urging force of the urging mechanism and returns to the original position. Thereby, the contact in the switch case 31 is opened, and the push button switch 24 is turned off. Further, when the application of the pressing force by the movable member 21 is released, the movable member 21 is pressed from the inside by the operation member 32 that is displaced toward the inside of the vehicle interior as described above, so that the vehicle is moved around the shaft member 22. Displaces indoors. The movable member 21 then returns to the original position where the engaging portion 23 engages with the interior panel 13 from the inside. As described above, when the application of the pressing force to the movable member 21 is released, the movable member 21 is moved to the original position by using the return force to the original position of the operation member 32 based on the urging force of the urging mechanism. It is made to return to the position.

<Electrical configuration>
Next, the electrical configuration of the electric latch device 16 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, the electric latch device 16 includes a microcomputer 41 that controls the device in an integrated manner. The microcomputer 41 is connected to the push button switch 24 and the vehicle speed sensor 42 described above. In addition, a latch motor 45 constituting a door latch mechanism 44 is connected to the microcomputer 41 via a motor drive circuit 43.

  As described above, the push button switch 24 is turned on through the pressing operation of the movable member 21 by the user, and outputs a detection signal indicating that to the microcomputer 41. That is, the push button switch 24 functions as a detection unit that detects a user's intention to open the side door 11 from the inside and outputs a detection signal.

The vehicle speed sensor 42 detects the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the vehicle and outputs a detection signal to the microcomputer 41.
The door latch mechanism 44 includes a latch (latch) (not shown) provided on the vehicle body side and a striker (holding shaft) (not shown) provided on the side door 11 side and meshing with the latch. The side door 11 is kept closed through the meshing. Through the operation of the latch motor 45, the door latch mechanism 44 is switched to one of two states: a locked state where the latch and the striker are engaged, and an unlocked state where the engagement between the latch and the striker is released. When the door latch mechanism 44 is switched to the locked state, the side door 11 is held in the closed state. When the door latch mechanism 44 is switched to the unlocked state, the side door 11 can be opened.

  The microcomputer 41 controls the operation of the door latch mechanism 44 based on detection signals from the vehicle speed sensor 42 and the push button switch 24. Specifically, when the microcomputer 41 receives a detection signal from the push button switch 24 while the door latch mechanism 44 is held in the locked state, the microcomputer 41 first detects the detection signal (vehicle speed signal) from the vehicle speed sensor 42. ) To determine whether the vehicle is running. When the microcomputer 41 determines that the vehicle is not running, that is, the vehicle is in a stopped state, the microcomputer 41 controls the latch motor 45 through the motor drive circuit 43 to switch the door latch mechanism 44 to the unlocked state. .

<Operation of the embodiment>
Next, the operation mode when opening the side door 11 on which the electric latch device 16 configured as described above is mounted will be described. The side door 11 is held in a closed state, and the door latch mechanism 44 is held in a locked state. Further, it is assumed that the vehicle is stopped.

  In this state, when the movable member 21 is pressed by the user, the movable member 21 rotates about the shaft member 22 in the opening direction of the side door 11. Accordingly, when the operation member 32 of the push button switch 24 is pressed against the urging force of the urging mechanism, the push button switch 24 is turned on, and the push button switch 24 is detected to indicate that. The signal is output to the microcomputer 41. The microcomputer 41 receives the detection signal from the push button switch 24 and drives and controls the latch motor 45 through the motor drive circuit 43, thereby switching the door latch mechanism 44 from the locked state to the unlocked state. Thereby, the side door 11 can be opened. Since the pressing force to the movable member 21 acts as an operating force when the side door 11 is opened from the inside as it is, the user can push the side door 11 as it is while pressing the movable member 21. Thus, when the user gets off the vehicle, the user can easily open the side door 11 from the inside simply by pressing the movable member 21.

  When the user gets off and the side door 11 is closed, this is detected by a door courtesy switch (not shown). When the microcomputer 41 detects that the side door 11 is closed based on the detection result from the door courtesy switch, the microcomputer 41 switches the door latch mechanism 44 from the unlocked state to the locked state through the drive control of the latch motor 45. Thereby, the side door 11 is hold | maintained in a closed state.

<Effect of Embodiment>
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When the side door 11 of the vehicle is opened from the inside, it is only necessary to press the movable member 21 that functions as an interior member constituting a part of the design in the vehicle interior when the side door 11 is in the closed state. . That is, since the pressing force to the movable member 21 acts as an operating force when the side door 11 is opened from the inside as it is, the user can push the side door 11 as it is while pressing the movable member 21. Thus, when getting off, the side door 11 can be easily opened from the inside. Further, the movable member 21 functions as an interior member constituting the design of the vehicle interior, and the push button switch 24 is disposed between the door main body 12 and the movable member 21 and is not exposed to the vehicle interior. The design of the inner surface of the door 11, that is, the side surface on the vehicle interior side is not impaired.

  (2) The movable member 21 is provided as a separate member to the interior panel 13 that is provided so as to cover the side surface of the door body 12 on the vehicle interior side and forms a part of the design in the vehicle interior when the side door 11 is in the closed state. When the side door 11 is attached and is in a closed state, it is configured using an independent interior member that constitutes a part of the design in the vehicle interior together with the interior panel 13.

  Conventionally, various interior members are attached to the interior panel 13 that covers the inside of the side door 11 as a separate member and decorated in accordance with the specifications of the vehicle, thereby providing variations in the design of the vehicle interior. Well done. By configuring the movable member 21 using these various independent interior members, added value is born in the other interior members. In this example, the movable member 21 is used not only for configuring the design in the vehicle interior but also for performing the unlocking operation of the door latch mechanism 44. In some cases, the independent interior member is not applied depending on the specification of the vehicle. In such a case, a part of the interior panel 13 may be simply configured as the movable member 21.

  (3) When the application of the pressing force to the movable member 21 is released, the movable member 21 is returned to the original position by using the return force to the original position of the operation member 32 constituting the push button switch 24. I tried to make it. That is, the push button switch 24 that functions as a detection unit that detects the user's intention to open the side door 11 from the inside moves the movable member 21 to the original position when the application of the pressing force to the movable member 21 is released. It also functions as a means for returning. For this reason, it is not necessary to separately provide means for returning the displaced movable member 21 to the original position, and the configuration can be simplified.

  (4) The movable member 21 is formed with an engaging portion 23 that engages from the inside with a portion other than the interior panel 13 itself constituting the movable member 21 itself. For this reason, when the movable member 21 returns to the original position when the application of the pressing force to the movable member 21 is released, the engaging portion 23, which is a part of the movable member 21, is located inside a part of the interior panel 13. The movable member 21 does not rotate beyond the surface of the interior panel 13 by being engaged from above. For this reason, the designability of the side surface of the side door 11 on the vehicle interior side, and thus the designability of the vehicle interior can be suitably ensured.

  (5) The movable member 21 is formed so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and is supported at the front end portion thereof so as to be rotatable about the shaft member 22 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Between the two, a push button switch 24 is arranged. For this reason, the operation member 32 of the push button switch 24 can be suitably pressed via the movable member 21.

<Other embodiments>
In addition, you may implement this Embodiment as follows.
-In this Embodiment, although the engaging part 23 engaged with a part of interior panel 13 was provided in the movable member 21, this may be abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the movable member 21 is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape. However, the movable member 21 has, for example, a design surface having a flat surface or a curved surface that is flush with the side surface on the vehicle interior side of the interior panel 13 or a combination thereof. You may form as a plate-shaped member. That is, the shape of the movable member 21 can be changed as appropriate according to the required design of the passenger compartment.

  In the present embodiment, the latch motor 45 is employed as the drive source of the door latch mechanism 44, but other electric actuators such as a rotary solenoid or a linear solenoid may be employed. Incidentally, the rotary solenoid has an output shaft that rotates when energized, and the linear solenoid has an output shaft that performs linear motion when energized.

  In the present embodiment, the entire movable member 21 is provided so as to be rotatable. However, for example, in the case where another interior member is provided as a separate member over the entire length of the upper side of the interior panel 13, for example, a side door. A part of the other interior member (for example, a portion in a predetermined range from the front end toward the rear end) is provided as a configuration corresponding to the movable member 21 of the present embodiment so as to be rotatable with respect to the other interior member. You may do it. Even if it does in this way, the effect similar to this Embodiment can be acquired.

  In the present embodiment, the movable member 21 is provided so as to be rotatable about the shaft member 22 provided at the front end thereof, but the direction in which the pressing force is applied, that is, the operation member 32 of the push button switch 24 is provided. You may comprise so that a slide displacement may be carried out to the same direction as a displacement direction.

  In the present embodiment, the user's intention to open the side door 11 from the inside is detected through the mechanical push button switch 24, but a magnetic sensor may be employed as means for detecting the intention. . As the magnetic sensor, a magnetoresistive effect sensor (MR sensor) composed of a magnetoresistive element, a Hall sensor composed of a Hall element, or the like can be used. In this case, a magnet is provided at a portion of the movable member 21 that faces the magnetic sensor. When the magnetic field applied to the magnetic sensor changes with the displacement of the movable member 21, the magnetic sensor outputs a detection signal corresponding to the change of the magnetic field. That is, the magnetic sensor detects the change of the magnetic field as a user's intention to open the side door 11 from the inside.

  The microcomputer 41 may lock or unlock the door latch mechanism 44 through mutual wireless communication with an electronic key held by the user. That is, a so-called electronic key system can be constructed from the electronic key and the electric latch device 16.

The perspective view which shows the interior of the door for vehicles. FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along line 1-1 of FIG. The block diagram which shows the electrical structure of a door latch apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Side door, 12 ... Door main body, 13 ... Interior panel (interior member), 16 ... Electric latch apparatus, 21 ... Movable member, 22 ... Shaft member, 23 ... Engagement part, 24 ... Push button switch (detection means) , 32 ... operating members of push button switches, 41 ... microcomputer (control means), 44 ... door latch mechanism, 45 ... latch motor (electric actuator), O ... shaft.

Claims (5)

A door latch mechanism that locks a side door of a vehicle that opens and closes about a predetermined axis extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle in a closed state, and a detection unit that detects a user's intention to open the side door from the inside and outputs a detection signal thereof And a control means for releasing the locked state of the door latch mechanism through the operation of an electric actuator when the detection signal is input from the detection means.
The side door includes a door main body and an interior member that is attached to a portion of the door main body on the vehicle interior side and forms a part of the design of the vehicle interior when the side door is in a closed state. At least a part of the interior member is configured as a movable member that is displaced in the opening / closing direction of the side door,
The detecting means is disposed between the door main body and the movable member that is a part of the interior member, and when the movable member is displaced in the opening direction of the side door, this is replaced with the side door. An electric latch device for a vehicle that detects the user's intention to open the door from the inside and outputs the detection signal. The electric latch device for a vehicle according to claim 1,
The interior member is an interior panel that is provided so as to cover a side surface of the door body on the vehicle interior side, and forms a part of a design in the vehicle interior when the side door is in a closed state, and the movable member is An electric latch device for a vehicle which is configured using another interior member which is attached to the interior panel as a separate member and forms a part of a design in a vehicle interior together with the interior panel when the side door is in a closed state. The electric latch device for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,
The detection means includes an operation member that is displaced in the same direction as the movable member by being pressed through the movable member when the movable member is displaced in the opening direction of the side door, and the movable member includes the movable member. The on-state is maintained only while the pressing force is applied, and when the application of the pressing force is released, the operation member automatically returns to the original position and is turned off. When the application of the pressing force to the movable member is released, the vehicle electric latch device returns the movable member to the original position by using the return force of the operation member to the original position. . The electric latch device for a vehicle according to claim 3,
The movable latch is a vehicle electric latch device in which an engaging portion that engages from the inside with a portion other than the interior member itself constituting the movable member itself is formed. In the electric latch device for vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The movable member is formed so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and is supported at the front end portion thereof so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and between the rear end portion and the door body. An electric latch device for a vehicle in which the detecting means is provided.

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