Door device

A door device has a plurality of doors that open or close a single opening in a vehicle. The doors have mutually opposing opening ends. A door interlock mechanism interlocks the opening ends of the doors when the doors receive an impact from the exterior of the vehicle while both the doors are in closed states.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a door device and particularly relates to a door device that has two doors to close a single opening in a vehicle body.

2) Description of the Related Art

Some of the vehicles are provided with a door device that has a hinged front door and a slidable rear door and there is no center pillar between the two doors. In other words, these door devices have a so-called center-pillarless-structure. The center pillar becomes an obstruction when entering the vehicle; however, it gives sturdiness to the vehicle and protects the people inside the vehicle in case of a side collision. Since these vehicles do not have the center pillar they need some protective measures in case of a side collision.

As a safety measure against side collisions, such door devices have an interlock mechanism. This interlock mechanism locks the doors to each other when both the doors in closed states. This interlock mechanism includes a striker in one of doors, and a latch unit, which engages with the striker, in the other door. The latch unit includes a close actuator, which interlocks the doors when they are in the closed states. The latch unit further includes a release actuator, which releases the lock of the doors when the doors are opened. Such a door device has been disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-27726.

However, according to the conventional door device, the doors are locked when they are in the closed states; in other words, it need to be first detected whether the doors are in the closed states before actuating the close actuator. Erroneous operation prevention control, premised on the erroneous detection of the closed states despite the doors being in opened states, is thus required. Also, when the rear door is made to open and close automatically, the actuation of the respective actuators of the interlock mechanism must be controlled in accordance with the automatic opening and closing of the rear door. Complex operations, which are in accordance with the opening and closing of the doors, are thus required with the conventional door device.

Moreover, since the interlock mechanism is actuated by means of actuators, when a malfunction of the electrical system, such as an actuator malfunction or malfunction of a detection unit for detecting the closed state of the respective doors, occurs, the action of the interlock mechanism becomes disabled or the doors become unable to be opened in a normal door opening operation. In addition, since the two actuators of the close actuator and the release actuator are used, the cost is high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a door device has a plurality of doors that open or close a single opening in a vehicle. The doors have mutually opposing opening ends. A door interlock mechanism interlocks the opening ends of the doors when the doors receive an impact from the exterior of the vehicle while both the doors are in closed states.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of a door device according to the present invention shall now be explained in detail with reference to the attached drawings. This invention is not restricted to these embodiments.

FIG. 1is a schematic side view of a vehicle to which a door device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied,FIG. 2is a sectional plan view of a door interlock mechanism of the door device, andFIG. 3is an external rear view (taken on arrows A-A ofFIG. 2) of the door interlock mechanism shown inFIG. 2.

As shown inFIG. 1, the door device is applied to the so-called center pillarless vehicle1. The vehicle1has a single opening1aand the door device closes this opening1a. The door device has two doors2and3. The opening1ain the present embodiment is formed to be continuous in the lengthwise direction at a side of the vehicle1. The door2is is a front door that is rotatably supported at the front side of the opening1aby means of a front hinge. The door3is is a rear door that is supported in a manner enabling sliding along the lengthwise direction of the vehicle1. The opening1acan be closed by the front door2and the rear door3. The doors2and3may instead be biparting doors that are both rotatably supported at the front side of the opening by means of hinges.

An upper latch mechanism10is located at an upper rear portion and a lower latch mechanism11is located at a lower rear portion of the front door2. These are known latch mechanisms that close the front door2by engaging with strikers (not shown) mounted on a main vehicle body.

The upper latch mechanism10and the lower latch mechanism11have a release function, which keeps the front door2closed when the front door2is subject to a door closing operation and yet enables the opening of the front door2by releasing the closed state of the front door2in accordance with the operation of a front remote controller13.

An inside handle14is located at the interior side of the front door2and an outer handle15is located at the exterior side. The inside handle14and the outer handle15are connected to the front remote controller13. When the inside handle14or the outer handle15is operated, the front remote controller13operates the upper latch mechanism10and the lower latch mechanism11to release the closed state of the front door2.

A lock/unlock knob16, which is connected to the front remote controller13, is positioned at the interior side of the front door2. When the lock/unlock knob16is in the locked state, the front remote controller13makes ineffective the operations from the inside handle14and the outer handle15and the upper latch mechanism10and the lower latch mechanism11keep the front door2in the closed state even when the inside handle14or the outer handle15is operated. On the other hand, when the lock/unlock knob16is in the unlocked state, the front remote controller13operates the upper latch mechanism10and the lower latch mechanism11in accordance with an operation of the inside handle14or the outer handle15and releases the closed state of the front door2.

Rollers (not shown), which support the rear door3, are positioned at an upper front portion, a lower front portion, and a central rear portion of the rear door3. The rollers (not shown) roll along rail units4, which are mounted on an upper portion, a lower portion, and a central rear portion of the opening formed in the main vehicle body, and the rear door3is thereby enabled to be opened and closed along the lengthwise direction of the vehicle.

A rear latch mechanism21is located at substantially the center of a rear portion of the rear door3. The rear latch mechanism21is a known latch mechanism and closes the rear door3by engaging with a striker (not shown) mounted to the main vehicle body.

The rear latch mechanism21has a release function, which keeps the rear door3closed when the rear door is subject to a door closing operation and yet enables the opening of the rear door3by releasing the closed state of the rear door3in accordance with the operation of a rear remote controller22.

An inside handle23is located at the interior side of the rear door3and an outer handle24is located at the exterior side. The inside handle23and the outer handle24are connected to the rear remote controller22. When the inside handle23or the outer handle24is operated, the rear remote controller22operates the rear latch mechanism21to release the closed state of the rear door3.

A lock/unlock knob25, which is connected to the rear remote controller22, is positioned at the interior side of the rear door3. When the lock/unlock knob25is in the locked state, the rear remote controller22makes ineffective the operations from the inside handle23and the outer handle24and the rear latch mechanism21keeps the rear door3in the closed state even when the inside handle23or the outer handle24is operated. On the other hand, when the lock/unlock knob25is in the unlocked state, the rear remote controller22operates the rear latch mechanism21in accordance with an operation of the inside handle23or the outer handle24and releases the closed state of the rear door3.

As shown inFIG. 2, the front door2has a rear end face2athat is formed to incline slightly towards the front of the vehicle from the exterior side to the interior side. The rear end face2aof the front door2forms the opening end of the front door2. In opening or closing the front door2, the opening end moves in the exterior or interior direction as shown by the arrows B inFIG. 2. The rear door3has a front end face3athat is formed substantially parallel to the rear end face2aof the front door2from the exterior side to the interior side. The front end face3aof the rear door3forms the opening end of the rear door3. In opening or closing the rear door3, the opening end moves mainly in the rear or front direction of the vehicle1and incliningly towards the interior side near the closed position as shown by an arrow C inFIG. 2. When the front door2and the rear door3are closed, the rear end face2aof the front door2and the front end face3aof the rear door3oppose each other.

A latch unit40is provided at the rear end face2aof the front door2. Moreover, a striker50is provided at the front end face3aof the rear door3. The latch unit40and the striker50form the door interlock mechanism that interlocks the front door2and the rear door3. Although the door interlock mechanism is shown on the left side, i.e., passenger side, the door interlock mechanism can be provided on the right side, i.e., driver side.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the latch unit40has a cover plate41and a housing42. The cover plate41has the form of a plate and forms a vehicle rear side casing of the latch unit40. The housing42box-shaped and covers the front vehicle side of the cover plate41and forms a vehicle front side casing of the latch unit40. A container43, which contains the latch unit40in the interior, is thus formed by the cover plate41and the housing42. The container43has a notch groove44, which extends substantially horizontally from the interior side to the exterior side, at a position that is substantially at the center in the height direction. The notch groove44is formed as a notch41a, which extends from the interior side to the exterior side, at the cover plate41, and as a notch42aat the interior side of the housing42. This notch groove44is an entry groove into which the striker50enters.

The latch unit40has a latch45and a ratchet46disposed in the interior of the container that is formed by the cover plate41and the housing42.

The latch45is disposed rotatably via a latch shaft47, which extends substantially horizontally along the lengthwise direction of the vehicle1, at a position above the notch groove44of the container43, and has an engaging groove45a, a hooking portion45b, and a latching portion45c. The engaging groove45ais formed towards the latch shaft47from the outer peripheral surface of the latch45and has a width enabling the striker50to be contained therein. The hooking portion45bis positioned on the interior side of the engaging groove45awhen the engaging groove45ais opened towards the lower direction. This hooking portion45bopens the notch groove44and then stops when the latch45is rotated counterclockwise (seeFIG. 3), and extends inside the notch groove44of the container43when the latch45is rotated clockwise (seeFIG. 5andFIG. 7). The latching portion45cis positioned on the exterior side of the engaging groove45awhen the engaging groove45ais opened towards the lower direction. When the latch45is rotated counterclockwise, the latching portion45ccrosses the notch groove44of the container43and stops in a state of gradually inclining upwards towards the inner side (interior side) of the notch groove44(seeFIG. 3). Moreover, between the latch45and the container43is disposed a latch spring45d, which elastically urges the latch45in the counterclockwise direction constantly. In the normal state in which the latch45is not involved with the striker50, the latch45of the present arrangement has the hooking portion45bside put in contact with the inner wall of the housing42and is stopped in rotation while being urged by the latch spring45das shown inFIG. 3. In this normal state, the latching portion45ccrosses the notch groove44and is gradually inclined upwards towards the inner side (interior side) of the notch groove44.

The ratchet46is rotatable with respect to a ratchet shaft48. The ratchet shaft48extends substantially horizontally along the lengthwise direction of the vehicle1, at a position below the notch groove44of the container43, and has an engaging portion46aand an acting portion46b. The engaging portion46aextends radially outwards from the ratchet shaft48to the exterior side and, when the ratchet46rotates clockwise, can engage via its protruding end face with the hooking portion45band the latching portion45cof the latch45. The acting portion46bextends radially outward from the ratchet shaft48towards the lower side. The acting portion46bextends to the exterior of the container43and its extension end has a curved release operation portion46c. The release operation portion46cprotrudes outside the rear end face2aof the front door2from an operation hole49, provided in the rear end face2a. The operation hole49is formed to be an arc centered about the ratchet shaft48and thus allows the movement of the release operation portion46cwhen the ratchet46rotates about the ratchet shaft48. Also, a ratchet spring46d, which elastically urges the ratchet46in the clockwise direction constantly, is disposed between the ratchet46and the container43. In the normal state in which the latch45is not involved with the striker50, the ratchet46of the present arrangement is stopped in rotation by the engaging portion46abeing put in contact with the latching portion45cof the latch45while being urged by the ratchet spring46das shown inFIG. 3.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the striker50is substantially U-shaped with two rod portions50aand50b, extending in parallel, and a connecting portion50c, connecting the ends at one side of the respective rod portions50aand50b. The striker50has the ends at the other side of the respective rod portions50aand50bfixed to the front end face3aof the rear door3with the respective rod portions50aand50bpositioned substantially horizontally, the rod portion50apositioned towards the interior side, the rod portion50bpositioned towards the exterior side, and the connecting portion50cpositioned towards the front of the vehicle1. The striker50is thus disposed so as to enable insertion and extraction of the respective rod portions50aand50band the connecting portion50cin and out of the notch groove44of the container43at the latch unit40.

The operations of the door interlock mechanism shall now be explained.FIG. 4is a sectional plan view for explaining an operation of the door interlock mechanism by this invention,FIG. 5is an external rear view of the door interlock mechanism ofFIG. 4, andFIG. 6is an external rear view for explaining a further operation of the door interlock mechanism shown inFIG. 5.

In regard to the opening and closing of the doors2and3, in closing the rear door3while the front door2is in the closed state, the striker50enters into the notch groove44from the vehicle rear side towards the vehicle front side and incliningly from the exterior side to the interior side as shown inFIG. 2. Moreover, in opening the rear door3while the front door2is in the closed state, the striker50separates from the notch groove44from the vehicle front side towards the vehicle rear side and incliningly from the interior side to the exterior side. With regard to the directions of opening and closing the rear door3, a gap H1is provided to prevent the mutual contact of the striker50and the latching portion45cof the latch45of the latch unit40in the interior/exterior directions in the normal state.

Meanwhile, in closing the front door2while the rear door3is in the closed state, the striker50enters into the notch groove44from the interior side to the exterior side. Moreover, in opening the front door2while the rear door3is in the closed state, the striker50separates from the notch groove44from the exterior side to the interior side. With regard to the directions of opening and closing the front door2, a gap H2is provided to prevent the mutual contact of the striker50and the peripheral edge of the notch42aof the housing42of the latch unit40in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle.

Thus, due to presence of the gaps H1and H2, the striker50and the latch unit40do not contact each other when the doors2and3are opened and closed. Moreover, when the front door2and the rear door3are in the closed state, the striker50and the latch unit40are in a disengaged state since there is a gap H3between the striker50and the latching portion45cof the latch45of the latch unit40.

If, when the doors2and3are in the normal closed state, the doors2and3receive an impact from the exterior (exterior side) of the vehicle1, the front door2, which is a hinged door, will be pushed in towards the interior side. That is, the latch unit40that is disposed in the front door2moves towards the interior side and the latch unit40and the striker50approach each other relatively as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 5. The rod portion50aof the striker50thus enters into the inner side (interior side) of the notch groove44of the latch unit40. The rod portion50aof the striker50, which has entered into the inner side of the notch groove44, enters into the engaging groove45awhile contacting the latching portion45cof the latch45. Consequently, the latch45rotates in the clockwise direction ofFIG. 5against the elastic force of the latch spring45d.

In this process, the elastic force of the ratchet spring46dcauses the protruding end face of the engaging portion46ato slide against the outer peripheral shape of the latch45, and the ratchet46thus rotates about the shaft center of the ratchet shaft48in accordance with the outer peripheral shape of the latch45. Then, when the latching portion45cof the latch45, which rotates clockwise, moves beyond the protruding end face of the engaging portion46aof the ratchet46due to the entry of the rod portion50aof the striker50into the engaging groove45aof the latch45, the ratchet46is rotated clockwise by the elastic force of the ratchet spring46das shown inFIG. 5and the protruding end face of the engaging portion46acontacts the hooking portion45bof the latch45and contacts the latching portion45cas well.

At this point, since the latching portion45ccontacts the engaging portion46aof the ratchet46, the latch45will not rotate counterclockwise even if the elastic force of the latch spring45dis applied. Moreover, since the engaging portion46acontacts the hooking portion45bof the latch45, the ratchet46will not rotate clockwise even if the elastic force of the ratchet spring46dis applied. The latch45and the ratchet46thus prevent each other's rotation against the elastic forces of the latch spring45dand the ratchet spring46d. Consequently, by the engaging portion46aof the ratchet46closing the open portion of the engaging groove45aof the latch45, into which the rod portion50aof the striker50has entered, the rod portion50aof the striker50is confined inside the engaging groove45a, thereby interlocking the doors2and3(engaged state).

If, in this engaged state, an external force acts in a direction of separating the doors2and3(mainly the rear door3) in the vehicle lengthwise direction, since the hooking portion45bof the latch45of the latch unit40, the engaging portion46aof the ratchet46, and the connecting portion50cof the striker50are overlapped, the overlapping portion prevents the movement of the connecting portion50c, by which the connecting portion50cof the striker50tends to separate from the latch45and the ratchet46. By the overlapping portion thus receiving the external force, the separation of the doors2and3in the vehicle lengthwise direction is prevented.

Also, if, in the engaged state, an external force acts in a direction of separating the doors2and3(mainly the front door2) in the interior and exterior directions, since the engaging portion46aof the ratchet46closes off the engaging groove45aof the latch45of the latch unit40, the movement of the rod portion50a, by which the rod portion50aof the striker50tends to separate from the engaging groove45a, is prevented. Since the ratchet shaft48mainly receives, via the engaging portion46a, the force of movement of the rod portion50a, rigidity is provided. Since the ratchet46(ratchet shaft48) thus receives the external force, the separation of the doors2and3in the interior and exterior directions is prevented.

When the striker50moves further towards the exterior side from the state shown inFIG. 5, the rod portion50areaches the inner side of the notch groove44as shown inFIG. 6. In this case, by the latch45rotating clockwise further against the elastic force of the latch spring45d, the ratchet46is pushed by the hooking portion45bof the latch45and rotates counterclockwise against the elastic force of the ratchet spring46d(another engaged state).

If in this another engaged state, an external force acts in the direction of separating the doors2and3(mainly the rear door3) in the vehicle lengthwise direction, since the hooking portion45bof the latch45of the latch unit40, the engaging portion46aof the ratchet46, and the connecting portion50cof the striker50are overlapped, the overlapping portion prevents the movement of the connecting portion50c, by which the connecting portion50cof the striker50tends to separate from the latch45and the ratchet46. By the overlapping portion thus receiving the external force, the separation of the doors2and3in the vehicle lengthwise direction is prevented.

Also, if, in the another engaged state, an external force acts in a direction of separating the doors2and3(mainly the front door2) in the interior and exterior directions, since the engaged state shown inFIG. 5is attained, the ratchet46(ratchet shaft48) likewise receives the external force and thereby prevents the separation of the doors2and3in the interior and exterior directions.

When the front door2or the rear door3is in the opened state, the latch unit40is in the state shown inFIG. 3. That is, when the front door2or the rear door3is in the opened state, since the rear end face2aof the front door2is exposed, the latching portion45cof the latch45is positioned so as to be exposed from the notch groove44. If at this point, the latching portion45cis pushed to the exterior side, an abnormal engaged state is entered wherein the latch45and the ratchet46are engaged without the striker50entering into the engaging groove45aof the latch45. In this abnormal engaged state, though the doors2and3can be put in the closed states, the door interlock mechanism will not operate when an impact is applied to the doors2and3from the exterior of the vehicle1. When the abnormal engaged state is entered, the abnormal engaged state can be exited by moving the release operation portion46cof the ratchet48that protrudes from the operation hole49, provided in the rear end face2aof the front door2, in the counterclockwise direction shown inFIG. 5for example and thereby disengaging the engagement of the latching portion45cof the latch45with the engaging portion46aof the ratchet46.

The abnormal engaged state is entered since the latching portion45cof the latch45of the latch unit40is exposed from the notch groove44when the front door2or the rear door3is in the opened state. A cover member55, which covers the latching portion45cof the latch45that is exposed from the notch groove44, is thus provided as shown inFIG. 7. The cover member55is, for example, disposed in a movable manner at the exterior side and is elastically urged by an not shown spring member, etc., to be in the state shown inFIG. 7. This cover member55is positioned so as not to be contacted by the striker50that enters into the notch groove44when the doors2and3are opened or closed. Also, when the latch unit40and the striker50are in the engaged state, the cover member55is pushed by the striker50and is moved to the interior side against the elastic force of the not shown spring member. The cover member55thus prevents the latch unit40(the latching portion45cof the latch45) from being accessed from the exterior to avoid the abnormal engaged state.

Thus, according to the door device of the present invention, the opening ends of the doors2and3are interlocked by the door interlock mechanism only when the doors2and3receive an impact from the exterior of the vehicle1while the doors2and3are in the closed states. Since there is thus no need to actuate the door interlock mechanism in opening or closing the doors2and3, complex control is not required in relation to the normal opening and closing of the doors2and3. Circumstances that disable the normal opening and closing operations of the door are also prevented. Furthermore, the door interlock mechanism does not require an actuator since an engaged state is obtained by the relative movements of the latch unit40and the striker50upon receiving an impact. Electrical control is thus made unnecessary and the arrangement is inexpensive.

Although the latch unit40is explained to be arranged in the front door2and the striker50is arranged in the rear door3, the striker50can be arranged in the front door2and the latch unit40can be arranged in the rear door3.

Thus, according to the present door device, the opening ends of the doors are interlocked by the door interlock mechanism only when the doors receive an impact from the exterior of the vehicle while the doors are in the closed states. As a result, there is thus no need to actuate the door interlock mechanism in opening or closing the doors, complex control is not required in relation to the normal opening and closing of the doors. Moreover, circumstances that disable the normal opening and closing operations of the door are also prevented. Furthermore, the door interlock mechanism does not require an actuator since an engaged state is obtained by the relative movements of the latch unit and the striker upon receiving an impact. Electrical control is thus made unnecessary so that and the device becomes inexpensive.