JPH0223742Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in cover plates for automobile door locks.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cover plate a in a conventional automobile door lock is fixed to a door lock body b, and supports a pivot shaft d of a latch plate c and a pivot shaft f of a locking plate e. A substantially U-shaped striker entrance g is formed extending from one side edge to the vicinity of the other side edge, and when the striker h enters this striker entrance g, the striker h engages with the latch plate c, and When the striker h reaches the fully latched position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the legs of the latch plate c are engaged with the locking plate e, and the striker h is completely restrained.

However, in such a conventional cover plate a, in the event of a car collision, the impact force F in the longitudinal direction of the car is transmitted via the striker h to the entrance side leg c' of the latch plate c, left in Fig. 2. 2, the lower edge of the striker entrance g in the cover plate a is bent and deformed to the left in FIG. 2 by the inlet side leg c' of the latch plate c. This deformation may cause the latch plate c and locking plate e to disengage, potentially opening the door.

In order to eliminate this fear, the thickness of the cover plate a should be made large enough to withstand the impact force F, but if the thickness is made too large,
The weight increases, supporting the desire for weight reduction, and the material costs are high, resulting in uneconomical problems.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the door lock is installed in an area that includes the periphery of the striker inlet g in the cover plate a and the support portions of the pivot d of the latch plate c and the pivot shaft f of the locking plate e. Some models have reinforced the cover plate a by forming a shallow step i facing the main body b, but simply forming such a step i will prevent the deformation caused by the impact force F in the event of a collision as described above. It cannot be prevented.

In addition, in the cover plate a in which such a striker entrance g is formed, there is a gap between the rear end of the striker entrance g and the left side edge in FIG.
A disadvantage is that a narrow portion j is formed which is extremely narrow, and the strength of this narrow portion j is very weak.

Incidentally, as one means for improving the strength of this narrow portion j, there is
As disclosed in the specification and drawings of Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-119058, there is a device in which a so-called bead in the form of a concave or convex strip is formed in the narrow portion j, but the present invention is completely different from this. By using another configuration, it is also attempted to improve the strength of such a narrow portion.

In other words, the present invention is extremely effective in that a reinforcing plate having almost the same shape as the step i is fitted and fixed in the step i in the above-mentioned conventional example, which was conventionally considered to be a meaningless space. With a simple structure, key points are locally reinforced without increasing the overall board thickness, and it can withstand the impact force in the event of a car collision as mentioned above, while also increasing the strength of narrow parts. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cover plate for an automobile door lock which can be improved.

The present invention will be explained below based on the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and subsequent figures.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a generally rectangular metal cover plate, which is fixed to the open end of a door lock body 2 made of synthetic resin, and is connected to a pivot shaft 4 of a latch plate 3 and a pivot shaft 6 of a locking plate 5 provided inside the door lock body 2. is supported.

A substantially U-shaped striker entrance 7 is formed in the neutral portion of the cover plate 1, extending from the right side edge to the vicinity of the left side edge in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the horizontal shaft portion 9a of the striker 9 fixed to the pillar portion 8a of the vehicle body 8 enters the striker entrance 7, so that the horizontal shaft portion 9a engages with the latch plate 3. When the striker 9 reaches the fully latched position shown in FIG. There is.

Note that in this embodiment, the striker 9
is a U extending toward the other side edge at the middle part of one side edge of the vertical base part 9b fixed to the pillar part 8a of the vehicle body 8.
The arm portions 9c that are bent in a letter shape are arranged in a row, and the arm portions 9c
and the neutral part of the base part 9b, the horizontal shaft part 9
It is designed to support both ends of a.
However, it may be of the type in which a bar is bent into a U-shape, as in the striker h shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the center of the cover plate 1, an area including the periphery of the striker inlet 7 and the support portions of the pivots 4 and 6 of the latch plate 3 and locking plate 5 is recessed toward the striker body 2.
A shallow step portion 1a having a U-shape from the front is formed.

The back surface of this stepped portion 1a is in sliding contact with the latch plate 3, and guides the latch plate 3 to rotate along a plane perpendicular to the pivot shaft 4.

A reinforcing plate 10 as shown in FIG. 4, which has almost the same shape as the step portion 1a, is fitted into the step portion 1a, and is fixed within the step portion 1a by an appropriate fixing means such as spot welding. has been done.

The thickness of the reinforcing plate 10 is approximately equal to the depth of the stepped portion 1a, and when the reinforcing plate 10 is fitted and fixed in the stepped portion 1a, the surface of the reinforcing plate 10 is the same as the depth of the stepped portion 1a of the cover plate 1. It is made to approximately match the other surfaces.

At appropriate locations on the reinforcing plate 10 corresponding to the pivots 4 and 6,
Shaft holes 11 and 12 are drilled, and these shaft holes 11 and 12
The supporting portions of the pivot shafts 4 and 6 of the cover plate 1 are reinforced by inserting the ends of the respective pivot shafts 4 and 6 supported on the stepped portion 1a of the cover plate 1.

Reference numeral 13 denotes mounting holes with countersink holes drilled in the other three corners of the cover plate 1 except for the upper left corner, and with bolts (not shown) inserted into the mounting holes 13, the cover plate 1 and the door lock can be attached. As shown in FIG. 7, the main body 2 is adapted to be fixed to the inner surface of the swinging end of a door 14 of an automobile.

Other configurations of the door lock are not directly related to the present invention, and therefore illustrations and detailed explanations will be omitted.

Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, in the event of a car collision, etc., the car body 8 and the door 14 tend to move away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the car as shown by the arrows in FIG. 9 arm 9c
pulls the leg 3a of the latch plate 3 to the left in FIG.
Even if the peripheral edge of the striker entry port 7 in the cover plate 1 that overlaps with the leg piece 3a is pressed by the impact force F as shown in the figure, this area is reinforced by the reinforcing plate 10 that overlaps with it. Impact force F
Even if it is quite large, it can withstand it sufficiently and there is little risk of deformation like in the conventional case.

Therefore, in the event of a car collision, the cover plate 1 deforms, the latch plate 3 and the locking plate 5 disengage, the door opens, and the occupant is thrown out of the car. This is significant in terms of safety measures.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the reinforcing plate 10 is disposed in the space within the stepped portion 1a of the cover plate 1, which conventionally only served as an unnecessary space, so that the reinforcing plate 10 does not obstruct other parts. There is no fear that the device itself will become larger, which is advantageous.

Moreover, in the present invention, by setting the thickness of the reinforcing plate 10 and the thickness of the cover plate 1 to appropriate values based on strength experiments, etc., the thickness of the cover plate 1 itself is maintained while maintaining sufficient strength. It has the advantage that the plate thickness can be made thinner than conventional ones, resulting in weight reduction.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the cover plate 1
Since the step portion 1a and the reinforcing plate 10 are also present in the narrow portion 1b formed between the rear end of the striker entrance 7 and the left edge in FIG. It can also have the additional effect of being able to compensate for the lack of strength.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an example of a door lock equipped with a conventional cover plate, and FIG. 2 is a front view of an example of a door lock provided with a conventional cover plate.
FIG. 3 is an X-ray longitudinal sectional view, and FIG. 4 is a front view of a door lock equipped with a cover plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a front view of the reinforcing plate, Figure 5 is a front view showing the inside of the door lock body with the cover plate removed, Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the Y-Y line in Figure 3, and Figure 7 is FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a state in which a door lock is attached to an automobile door and a striker is attached to a vehicle body. 1...Cover plate, 1a...Stepped portion, 1b...
... Narrow width part, 2 ... Door lock body, 3 ... Latch plate, 4, 6 ... Pivot, 5 ... Locking plate, 7 ... Striker entrance, 9 ... Striker, 10 ... Reinforcement plate.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A cover plate for an automobile door lock, which is fixed to a door lock body, supports the pivots of a latch plate and a locking plate, and has a substantially U-shaped striker entry opening extending from one side edge to the vicinity of the other side edge. A step portion is formed that is recessed into the door lock main body side in a range that includes the peripheral edge of the striker entrance and the support portions of the pivots of the latch plate and the locking plate. A cover plate for an automobile door lock, characterized in that a reinforcing plate having substantially the same shape as the cover plate is fitted and fixed to the cover plate.