Outer handle device for vehicle door

An outer handle device is provided in which a cylinder lock placed adjacent to an opposite end portion of an outer handle and operatively connected with a latch mechanism is attached to an outer panel, the outer handle having one end portion pivotally supported by the panel. The device includes a base member sandwiched between an outer surface of the panel and the cylinder lock and a bracket which sandwiches the panel between the bracket and the base member, and is fastened to the cylinder lock. In a temporarily mounted state where the base member and the bracket are held by the panel by engagement of the bracket with the base member, the cylinder lock can be inserted from the outer side of the panel into the base member and the bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an outer handle device for a vehicle door in which an outer handle has one end portion pivotally supported by an outer panel of a door and has an opposite end portion provided with a connection arm portion configured to be connected to and move along with a latch mechanism, thereby allowing transmission of latch release operation power to the latch mechanism, the latch mechanism housed and fixed inside the door such that part of the latch mechanism faces an end wall located at a free end side of the door, and a cylinder lock is attached to the outer panel at a position adjacent to the opposite end portion of the outer handle in a longitudinal direction of the outer handle, the cylinder lock being configured to be connected to and move along with the latch mechanism to switch the latch mechanism between a lock state and an unlock state.

2. Description of the Related Art

There is known, from Japanese Patent No. 3486070, an outer handle device in which an outer handle has one end portion pivotally supported by an outer panel of a door, and a cylinder lock is attached to the outer panel via a base member, at a position adjacent to an opposite end portion of the outer handle in a longitudinal direction thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The outer handle device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3486070 has a structure in which the cylinder lock is attached to the base member by being inserted into the base member from an inner side of the outer panel. However, in a configuration where the cylinder lock is configured to be connected to and move along with a latch mechanism, housed and fixed inside the door, to switch the latch mechanism between a lock state and an unlock state, the cylinder lock is, in some cases, placed at a position overlapping part of the latch mechanism in a view projected in a direction along a rotation axis of the cylinder lock. In such a case, if the latch mechanism is attached to the door before the cylinder lock is attached, it is difficult to assemble the cylinder lock from the inner side of the outer panel.

The present invention has been made in view of such a circumstance, and has an objective of providing an outer handle device for a vehicle door in which a cylinder lock can be inserted and attached from an outer side of an outer panel of a door with a simple attachment work and a simple attachment structure.

In order to achieve the object, according to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided an outer handle device for a vehicle door in which an outer handle has one end portion pivotally supported by an outer panel of a door and has an opposite end portion provided with a connection arm portion configured to be connected to and move along with a latch mechanism, thereby allowing transmission of latch release operation power to the latch mechanism, the latch mechanism housed and fixed inside the door such that part of the latch mechanism faces an end wall located at a free end side of the door, and a cylinder lock is attached to the outer panel at a position adjacent to the opposite end portion of the outer handle in a longitudinal direction of the outer handle, the cylinder lock being configured to be connected to and move along with the latch mechanism to switch the latch mechanism between a lock state and an unlock state, the outer handle device comprising: a base member which has a guide portion guiding movement of the connection arm portion and is sandwiched between an outer surface of the outer panel and the cylinder lock; and a bracket which is in contact with an inner surface of the outer panel while sandwiching the outer panel between the bracket and the base member, and is fastened to the cylinder lock, wherein the base member and the bracket are configured so that the base member and the bracket are allowed to be brought to a temporarily mounted state in which the base member and the bracket are held by the outer panel by engagement of the bracket, from an inner side of the outer panel, with the base member which is in contact with the outer surface of the outer panel, and the cylinder lock is allowed to be inserted from an outer side of the outer panel into the base member and the bracket which are in the temporarily mounted state, and the bracket is fastened to the cylinder lock inserted in the base member, from a side where the end wall of the door is located.

According to the present invention, the base member sandwiched between the outer surface of the outer panel and the cylinder lock and the bracket which is in contact with the inner surface of the outer panel while sandwiching the outer panel between the bracket and the base member, and is fastened to the cylinder lock can be brought to the temporarily mounted state in which the base member and the bracket are held by the outer panel by engagement of the bracket, from the inner side of the outer panel, with the base member which is in contact with the outer surface of the outer panel. The cylinder lock is inserted into the base member in the temporarily mounted state from the outer side of the outer panel, and the bracket is fastened to the cylinder lock inserted in the base member from the side where the end wall of the door is located. Thus, the cylinder lock can be inserted and attached from the outer side of the outer panel of the door with a simple attachment work and a simple attachment structure.

According to a second feature of the present invention, in addition to the first feature, there is provided the outer handle device for a vehicle door, further comprising, as a separate member from the base member having the guide portion, another base member being attached to the outer panel and having a handle support portion supporting the one end portion of the outer handle in such a manner that the one end portion of the outer handle is allowed to pivot.

The above and other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be clear from detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment which will be provided below while referring to the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference toFIGS. 1 to 6attached hereto. First, inFIGS. 1 to 3, an outer handle13made of hard synthetic resin is pivotally supported by an outer panel12of a passenger door11of a passenger vehicle, for example. The outer handle13has: a grip portion13awhich can be gripped by a user of the vehicle, is located at an outer side of the outer panel12, and extends in a front-rear direction of the vehicle (a left-right direction inFIG. 1); a support arm portion13bintegrally connected to one end portion of the grip portion13a(a front end portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in this embodiment); and a connection arm portion13cintegrally connected to an opposite end portion of the grip portion13a(a rear end portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in this embodiment). Further, a first base member14is attached to the outer panel12at the one end side of the outer handle13, and a second base member15is attached to the outer panel12at the opposite end side of the outer handle13.

The outer panel12is provided with a curved portion12abulging to an inner side to form an indentation16which allows the hand of a user of the vehicle to be inserted between the grip portion13aof the outer handle13and the outer panel12. At an outer surface, the outer panel12is provided with first and second attachment seats17and18at front and rear positions, respectively, sandwiching the curved portion12aalong the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

A first seat member19made of synthetic resin is interposed between the first base member14and the first attachment seat17. The first base member14is integrally provided with a handle support portion14apenetrating the first seat member19and the outer panel12and being inserted to the inner side of the outer panel12. Further, a metallic nut20is embedded in a surface of the first base member14, the surface facing the outer panel12. The first base member14is attached to the first attachment seat17of the outer panel12by a bolt21inserted into the outer panel12from the inner side of the outer panel12and screwed tightly into the nut20.

The support arm portion13bis bent into a substantial L shape and is integrally connected to the one end portion of the grip portion13a. The first attachment seat17of the outer panel12, the first seal member19and the first base member14are each provided with a void22for inserting the support arm portion13bto the inner side of the outer panel12. The support arm portion13bplaced inside the handle support portion14ais pivotally supported by the handle support portion14avia a support pin23. In other words, the one end portion of the outer handle13is pivotally supported by the outer panel12via the first base member14.

Also referring toFIG. 4, the second base member15is made of hard synthetic resin, and integrally has: a base member main portion15aplaced at an outer side of the second attachment seat18of the outer panel12; and a guide portion15bextending from the base member main portion15ainto the inner side of the outer panel12in such a manner as to guide the connection arm portion13cconnected to the opposite end portion of the grip portion13aof the outer handle13substantially perpendicularly. The second base member15is attached to the outer panel12. A second seal member24made of an elastic material such as rubber, synthetic resin or the like is interposed between the base member main portion15aand the second attachment seat18.

The base member main portion15aof the second base member15is provided with a rectangular insertion hole25into which the connection arm portion13cis inserted. The guide portion15bis formed into a square tubular shape which is continuous with the insertion hole25.

As shown inFIG. 2, a latch mechanism27is housed and fixed inside the door11, part of the latch mechanism27facing an end wall26of the door11located at a free end side of the door11. The connection arm portion13cis configured to be connected to and move along with the latch mechanism27, allowing transmission of latch release operation power to the latch mechanism27.

A lever29is pivotally supported by the guide portion15bof the second base member15with a spindle28extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle which is orthogonal to a rotation axis of the outer handle13. The lever29engages and is in contact with a contact surface30provided to the connection arm portion13c.

Part of the lever29is inserted into an opening portion31provided to the connection arm portion13cof the outer handle13. The contact surface30is formed at one sidewall of the opening portion31at a tip end side of the connection arm portion13cand faces the outer side. Inside the opening portion31, the lever29is in contact with the contact surface30. Moreover, a spring32is provided between the lever29and the guide portion15b, the spring32biasing the lever29toward the contact surface30.

In other words, the lever29turns about an axis of the spindle28in accordance with a rotational operation on the outer handle13, and operational power produced by an operation on the outer handle13is mechanically transmitted to the latch mechanism27via power transmission members such as a rod connected at one end to the lever29, or the like.

Further, a cylinder lock33switching the latch mechanism27between a lock state and an unlock state is attached to the outer panel12at a position overlapping part of the latch mechanism27in a view projected in a direction along a rotation axis of the cylinder lock33and being adjacent to the opposite end portion of the outer handle13in a longitudinal direction of the outer handle13.

The cylinder lock33includes a cylinder body35having a cylinder hole34, and a rotor36rotatably fitted into the cylinder hole34with the position of an axis of the rotor36being fixed. A cap39having a key insertion hole38corresponding to a key hole37, having a bottom, provided to the rotor36is fitted onto an outer end portion of the rotor36. A power transmission shaft40is connected to an inner end portion of the rotor36at a portion protruding from the cylinder body35. As shown inFIG. 2, the power transmission shaft40is connected to the latch mechanism27with the cylinder lock33being attached to the outer panel12.

A cover42is attached to and covers, from the outer side, the cylinder body35. An engagement projection portion35aof the cylinder body35projecting at a rear edge of an outer end portion of the cylinder body35engages with a locking indentation portion42aprovided to the cover42, and another engagement projecting portion35bof the cylinder body35provided at an inner edge of a front end portion of the cylinder body35engages with another locking indentation portion42bprovided to the cover42at a front edge portion of the cover42.

The cover42is formed into such a shape that is smoothly continuous with the opposite end portion of the outer handle13in a non-operation state when the cover42is attached to the cylinder lock33attached to the outer panel12. The cover42is integrally provided with a tube portion42cslightly projecting to the inner side. The tube portion42cof the cover42is arranged on to the cap39of the cylinder lock33. The tube portion42cforms an insertion hole43for inserting a mechanical key (not shown) into the cylinder lock33.

A cylinder body insertion hole44for inserting the cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33is formed at the base member main portion15aof the second base member15at a position rearward of the insertion hole25. The second attachment seat18of the outer panel12is provided with a void45into which the guide portion15binserted in the insertion hole25and part of the cylinder body35inserted in the cylinder body insertion hole44are inserted. The second seal member24is formed into such a shape surrounding the void45.

A bracket46is in contact with an inner surface of the outer panel12, and the outer panel12is sandwiched between the bracket46and the base member main portion15aof the second base member15. The cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33is fastened to the bracket46with a bolt47.

The bracket46integrally has: a plate-shaped bracket main portion46ahaving an opening portion48into which the cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33can be inserted and which is in contact with the inner surface of the outer panel12; an attachment plate portion46bbeing integrally connected to the bracket main portion46aand extending from a rear end edge of the opening portion48to the inner side of the outer panel12; and an engagement plate portion46cbeing integrally connected to the bracket main portion46aand extending from a front end edge of the opening portion48to the inner side of the outer panel12while facing the attachment plate portion46b.

The attachment plate portion46bis connected to the bracket main portion46awhile inclining in such a manner that the more the attachment plate portion46bextends to the inner side of the outer panel12, the more it approaches a center axis of the cylinder hole34of the cylinder lock33being attached to the outer panel12. The attachment plate portion46bis provided with a bolt insertion hole49.

A flat attachment surface50to be in contact with the attachment plate portion46bis formed at an outer periphery of the cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33, the attachment surface50inclining in such a manner that the more the flat attachment surface50extends to the inner side of the outer panel12, the more it approaches the center axis of the cylinder hole34of the cylinder lock33. The attachment surface50is provided with a screw hole51having a bottom. The cylinder body35is fastened to the bracket46by the bolt47inserted into the bolt insertion hole49and tightly screwed into the screw hole51.

Paired inclined surfaces52parallel to the attachment surface50are formed at the outer periphery of the cylinder body35at a portion opposite from the attachment surface50with respect to the cylinder hole34. The engagement plate portion46cof the bracket46is formed into such a shape as to extend parallel to the attachment plate portion46bso that the engagement plate portion46cmay come into sliding contact with the inclined surfaces52when the attachment surface50of the cylinder body35is brought into sliding contact with the attachment plate portion46bof the bracket46.

The bracket46and the second base member15are configured to be able to be brought to a temporarily mounted state in which the second base member15and the bracket46are held by the outer panel12of the door11by the bracket46engaging, from the inner side of the outer panel12, with the second base member15whose base member main portion15ais in contact with an outer surface of the outer panel12.

Specifically, the bracket main portion46ais provided with an engagement hole55with which an engagement claw54engages in a snapping manner, with the bracket main portion46abeing in contact with the inner surface of the outer panel12. The engagement claw54is provided at a tip end of a projecting portion53, and the projecting portion53is provided to the base member main portion15aof the second base member15. Paired locking protrusions56formed to be sandwiched between a front portion of the bracket main portion46aand the engagement plate portion46cproject integrally from an outer surface of the guide portion15bof the second base member15. The second base member15is integrally provided with insertion projection portions57to be inserted to an upper portion and a lower portion of the opening portion48of the bracket46, the insertion projection portions57projecting from an upper portion side edge and a lower portion side edge, respectively, of the cylinder body insertion hole44of the second base member15.

The cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33is inserted from the outer side of the outer panel12into the cylinder body insertion hole44of the second base member15, the void45of the outer panel12, and the opening portion48of the bracket46, with the second base member15and the bracket46being in the temporarily mounted state in which they are held by the outer panel12of the door11. The bracket46is fastened by the bolt47rotationally operated, through a bolt operation hole58provided to the end wall26of the door11, to be screwed into the cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33inserted in the second base member15. After the rotational operation on the bolt47, the bolt insertion hole58is closed with a lid member59fitted detachably to the end wall26.

As shown inFIG. 5, to assemble the outer handle13and the cylinder lock33to the outer panel12, first, the second base member15is brought into contact with the outer surface of the outer panel12. In this embodiment, the connection arm portion13cof the outer handle13is inserted into the guide portion15bof the second base member15. Part of the lever29supported on the second base member15side is inserted into the opening portion31of the connection arm portion13c. The support arm portion13bat the one end portion of the outer handle13is pivotally supported by the handle support portion14aof the first base member14. Thus, the first base member14is fixed to the outer panel12while being mounted to the outer handle13, and the second base member15is brought into contact with the outer surface of the outer panel12.

The bracket46is engaged, from the inner side of the outer panel12, with the second base member15in contact with the outer surface of the outer panel12, and thus the second base member15and the bracket46are brought to the temporarily mounted state in which they are held by the outer panel12of the door11.

Then, the cylinder lock33having the cover42attached to the cylinder body35thereof is inserted from the outer side of the outer panel12into the second base member15and the bracket46which are in the temporarily mounted state.

Next, as shown inFIG. 6, after the cylinder lock33is inserted into the second base member15and the bracket46until the attachment surface50of the cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33comes into contact with the attachment plate portion46bof the bracket46, the cylinder lock33is further inserted toward the inner side of the outer panel12, bringing the attachment surface50thereof into sliding contact with the engagement plate portion46cand also bringing the inclined surfaces52thereof into sliding contact with the engagement plate portion46c. The cylinder lock33is inserted until the cylinder lock33reaches a position at which the screw hole51coincides with the bolt insertion hole49. In that state, the power transmission shaft40continuous with the rotor36of the cylinder lock33is connected to the latch mechanism27, and the cylinder body35is fastened to the bracket46with the bolt47.

Effects of this embodiment are described next. The one end portion of the outer handle13is pivotally supported at the outer panel12of the door11via the first base member14, and the cylinder lock33is attached to the outer panel12at a position adjacent to the opposite end portion of the outer handle13. The second base member15which has the guide portion15bfor guiding movement of the connection arm portion13cof the outer handle13at the opposite end portion and which is sandwiched between the outer surface of the outer panel12and the cylinder lock33, and the bracket46in contact with the inner surface of the outer panel12which is sandwiched between the bracket46and the second base member15and fastened to the bracket46are configured as follows. They can be brought to the temporarily mounted state in which the second base member15and the bracket46are held by the outer panel12by the bracket46engaging, from the inner side of the outer panel12, with the second base member15in contact with the outer surface of the outer panel12. In addition, the second base member15and the bracket46allow the cylinder lock33to be inserted from the outer side of the outer panel12into the second base member15and the bracket46which are in the temporarily mounted state. The bracket46is fastened to the cylinder body35of the cylinder lock33inserted in the second base member15, from the side where the end wall26of the door11is located. Thus, the cylinder lock33can be inserted and attached from the outer side of the outer panel12of the door11with a simple attachment work and a simple attachment structure.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various design changes can be made without departing from the present invention described in the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, the cylinder lock33is placed at a position overlapping part of the latch mechanism27in a view projected in the direction along the rotation axis of the cylinder lock33. However, the present invention is also applicable to a case where the cylinder lock33is placed away from the latch mechanism27in the projected view. Moreover, the cylinder lock33may be connected to the latch mechanism27so as to move along therewith, after the completion of mounting the cylinder lock33.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the first base member14supporting the one end portion of the outer handle13in such a manner that the one end portion is allowed to pivot and the second base member15having the guide portion guiding the connection arm portion13cof the outer handle13are separate members. However, the present invention is also applicable to a case of using a base member integrally having a portion supporting the one end portion of the outer handle13and a portion guiding the connection arm portion13cof the outer handle13at the opposite end portion.