Abstract:
A manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus including a detachable hook-shaped portion  26  for holding a locked state and a flexible belt  17 , wherein the hook-shaped portion is locked to a releasing lever  11  of the door locking apparatus  4,  whereby the door locking apparatus  4  is released by pulling the belt.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus. 
   Among vehicles such as automobiles, there are ones having a power tailgate which is operated electrically to open and close an opening at the rear of a vehicle body. Since a power locking apparatus of such a tail gate is constructed such that a releasing lever of the locking apparatus is normally released using a motor, in a case where electric systems are not assembled on an assembly line in an assembly plant, in the event that the tailgate is locked by the locking apparatus in a closed state, a worker needs to get into the vehicle body from a front side thereof to manually operate the releasing lever. Work like this constitutes a load to the worker and serves to make the tact time longer. To deal with this, there has existed a conventional solution in which a cord is passed through the releasing lever of the locking apparatus, a knot is tied in the cord and the cord is drawn to the outside of the vehicle body through a gap between the tailgate and the vehicle body in a state in which the knot is locked to the releasing lever, so that the worker can pull the cord when the releasing lever needs to be operated to open and close the tailgate. 
   [Patent Document] 
   JP-A-2000-179210 
   In the conventional technique, however, since the cord needs to be passed through the locking apparatus of every vehicle in advance, there are problems that the production cost of the locking apparatus is increased and that there is caused a risk that the cord comes off the locking apparatus when the system is handled. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Then, the invention is made with a view to solving the problems and an object thereof is to provide a manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus which does not need to be mounted on every power locking apparatus in advance, which is easy to operate and which can ensure the mounting on a power locking mechanism. 
   With a view to solving the problems, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus including a detachable locking member (for example, locking tools  16 ,  34  in embodiments) for holding a locked state and a flexible operated member (for example, belts  17 ,  35  in the embodiments) mounted on the locking member, wherein the locking member is locked to a releasing lever (for example, releasing levers  11 ,  39  in the embodiments) of the locking apparatus (for example, a door locking apparatus in the embodiments), whereby the locking apparatus is released by pulling the operated member. 
   According to the construction, the operated member can be mounted when the worker thinks it necessary, and hence the operated member can be used repeatedly as needed. 
   According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, wherein the locking member has a locking plate on which the operated member is mounted and which is brought into abutment with the releasing lever, whereby the locking plate rotates the releasing lever when the operated member is pulled. 
   According to the construction, an input from the operated member can be transmitted efficiently to the releasing lever via the locking plate. 
   According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus as set forth in the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the operated member is a belt-like member. 
   According to the construction, the operated member can be easily passed through the outside or inside of the closing body having the power locking apparatus, and an operation force can be transmitted to the releasing lever in an ensured fashion. 
   According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus as set forth in any of the first to third aspects of the invention, wherein the locking member has a hook-shaped portion. 
   According to the construction, a locked state between the releasing lever and the locking member can be ensured. 
   According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus as set forth in the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the hook-shaped portion of the locking member has an elasticity for holding a locked state of the releasing lever. 
   According to the construction, locking and unlocking of the locking member to and from the releasing lever can be effected in a one-touch fashion. 
   According to the first aspect of the invention, since the operated member can be mounted when the worker thinks it necessary and hence the operated member can be used repeatedly as needed, there is provided an advantage that costs can be attempted to be reduced. 
   According to the second aspect of the invention, since an input from the operated member can be transmitted efficiently to the releasing lever via the locking plate, in addition to the advantage provided by the first aspect of the invention, there is provided an advantage that the cancellation of locking of the closing body can be ensured with less force. 
   According to the third aspect of the invention, since the operated member can be easily passed through the outside or inside of the closing body having the power locking apparatus and an operation force can be transmitted to the releasing lever in an ensured fashion, in addition to the advantage provided by the first or second aspect of the invention, there is provided an advantage that the operation of the operated member from the outside can be improved. 
   According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since a locked state between the releasing lever and the locking member can be ensured, in addition to the advantage provided by any of the first to third aspects of the invention, there is provided an advantage that the working efficiency can be improved. 
   According to the fifth aspect of the invention, since locking and unlocking of the locking member to and from the releasing lever can be effected in a one-touch fashion, in addition to the advantage provided by the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an advantage that the working time can be reduced. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a back side view of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an electric locking apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a state in which a manual releasing device according to the first embodiment of the invention is mounted in place. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the releasing device and a releasing lever according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the first embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, which corresponds to  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention, which corresponds to  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional taken along the line C-C in  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   First Embodiment 
   A first embodiment of the invention will be described below by reference to the drawings. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a tailgate  3  is supported to freely open and close a rear opening  2  of a vehicle body  1 . A door locking apparatus  4  (a locking apparatus) is provided at a central portion of a lower side of the tailgate  3 , and a striker  5  is provided at a central portion of a lower side of the rear opening  2  of the vehicle body  1  so as to correspond to the door locking apparatus  4 , whereby the tailgate  3  is locked in such a manner as to be freely opened and closed. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the door locking apparatus  4  has a casing  6 , and a mounting bracket  7  and a driving motor  8  are provided on a top portion of the casing  6 . The door locking apparatus  4  is fixed to a bottom portion of the tailgate  3  by the mounting bracket  7 . The driving motor  8  is such as to latch and unlatch the striker  5  that is accommodated in a recessed portion  9  provided in a bottom portion of the casing  6  via a driving mechanism, not shown, which is provided within the casing  6 , and in the first embodiment, the tailgate  3  is opened and closed electrically in a state in which the door locking apparatus  4  is unfastened from the striker  5 . Note that a second embodiment, which will be described later on, has the same door locking apparatus driving mechanism. 
   A releasing lever  11  (a releasing lever) is provided within the casing  6  in such a manner as to freely rotate about a hinge pin  10 . This releasing lever  11  is formed substantially into an L-shape, and a locking piece  12  is provided at an upper end thereof in such a manner as to protrude into a passenger compartment side. Then, an opening  13  is provided in a side wall of the casing  6  in such a manner as to correspond to the locking piece  12 . The releasing lever  11  is such as to release the door locking apparatus  4  from a locked state to the striker  5  by manually operating the driving mechanism, not shown, which is provided within the casing  6 , and to be specific, the releasing lever  11  is rotated in a transverse direction of the vehicle when the worker operates the locking piece  12  in a direction indicated by an arrow in  FIG. 2  from the opening  13 , whereby the engagement of the door locking apparatus  4  with the striker  5  is released. 
   Consequently, in assembly lines of vehicle bodies  1 , when various assembling operations are carried out with a tailgate  3  mounted, a worker is normally required to get into a vehicle which is being assembled to operate the releasing lever  11  from the inside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle so as to open the tailgate  3  which is in a closed state every time the tailgate  3  needs to be opened, so that needed work is done. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , an engagement hole  15  is provided in a proximal portion  14  of the locking piece  12  of the releasing lever  11 . A locking tool  16  (a locking member) is mounted in the engagement hole  15 , and when a belt  17  (an operated member) attached to the locking tool  16  is pulled in a direction indicated by an arrow B as shown in  FIG. 3 , the leasing lever  11  is operated, whereby the door locking apparatus  4  is released, thereby allowing the tailgate  3  to be opened in a rearward direction Rr and closed in a forward direction Fr. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the locking tool  16  is such that a pair of a first locking plate  19  and a second locking plate  20 , which are supported by a pin  18  at proximal ends thereof, are biased in an opening direction with a torsion spring  21 . These first locking plate  19  (a locking plate) and the second locking plate  20  are metallic members formed by pressing, as shown in  FIG. 6 , and each of the plates has a base portion  22  and an erect portion  23 . The first and second plates  19 ,  20  are connected to each other by the pin  18  and are biased in the opening direction by the torsion spring  21  wound around the pin  18 . A through hole  24  is provided in the first locking plate  19  at a proximal end thereof so that the belt  17  is passed therethrough, and a substantially triangular locking projection  25  is provided on the first locking plate  19  at a distal end thereof. 
   This locking projection  25  has a hook-shaped portion  26  (a hook-shaped portion) which is constricted inwardly, and the hook-shaped portion  26  is designed to be locked on upper and lower edges of the engagement hole  15  in the releasing lever  11 . In addition, a proximal end of the second locking plate  20  is formed into an arc-like shape which follows the pin  18 , and a locking projection  25 , which is similar to that on the first locking plate  19 , is also provided on the second locking plate  20  at a distal end thereof. In addition, a hook-shaped portion  26 , which is similar to that on the first locking plate, is also formed on the locking projection  25 . Then, these locking projections  25 ,  25  are set such that when the locking projections  25 ,  25  are biased by virtue of the biasing force of the torsion spring  21  in a direction in which the projections are separated apart from each other, the locking projections  25 ,  25  are locked in the engagement hole  15 , whereas when the locking projections  25 ,  25  are pressed to be contracted in a direction in which the first locking plate  19  and the second locking plate  20  are made to approach each other against the biasing force of the torsion spring  21 , outer edges of the first and second locking plates  19 ,  20  become smaller than the height-wise dimension of the locking hole  15  in the releasing lever  11  as indicated by double-dashed lines in  FIG. 5 . 
   Here, each of the locking projections  25 ,  25  has inclined surfaces  27 ,  27  which approach each other as they extend outwardly to a distal end of the projection, and when the locking tool  16  is pushed into the engagement hole  15  in the releasing lever  11 , the locking projections  25 ,  25  are naturally passed through the engagement hole  15 , whereby the hook-shaped portions  26 ,  26  are expanded by virtue of the biasing force of the torsion spring  21  so as to be locked in the engagement hole  15  in a one-touch fashion. 
   Note that the strength and rigidity of the first locking plate  19  and the second locking plate  20  are secured by the aforesaid erect portions  23  thereof, so that, as will be described later on, sufficient strength and rigidity can be secured when the worker pulls the belt  17 . 
   According to the first embodiment, the locking tool  16  is mounted sequentially on vehicles that are carried to the assembly line of vehicle bodies  1 . In this state, the belt  17  attached to the first locking plate  19  is left in a state in which the belt  17  extends to the outside of a vehicle through a gap between the rear opening  2  in the vehicle body  1  and the tailgate  3 . 
   Thus, in the event that a needed component is assembled to the interior of the passenger compartment of the vehicle on which the door locking apparatus  4  is already mounted, the releasing lever  11  rotates in a releasing direction when the belt  17  is pulled, whereby the door locking apparatus  4  is put in an unlatched state, so that the worker can manually open the tailgate  3  so as to perform a needed operation in the interior of the passenger compartment. 
   Then, with the needed operation completed, just before the vehicle, which is being assembled, is transferred to the assembly line where no work needs to be carried out in the interior of the passenger compartment, when the worker compresses the first locking plate  19  and the second locking plate  20  of the locking tool  16  so as to release the locked state and then pulls the locking plates, the locking projections  25 ,  25  are simply released from the engagement hole  15 , and consequently, the removing work of the locking tool  16  can be performed in a one-touch fashion. Then, the locking tool  16  so removed is similarly mounted on a releasing lever  11  of a door locking apparatus  4  of a vehicle that is carried to the relevant part of the assembly line for reuse. 
   Consequently, since the assembly worker can mount a needed number of locking tools  16  at a needed timing, costs associated with the door locking apparatus  4  can be reduced largely when compared with the conventional case where a cord is attached to every vehicle. In addition, since the attaching and detaching work of the locking tool  16  can be performed in the one-touch fashion, the work can be completed within a short period of time, whereby the number of man-hours involved in production can be reduced largely when compared with the conventional case where the cord is passed through the door locking apparatus on every vehicle. 
   In addition, as is described before, since only a required number of locking tools  16  may produced, the production costs can be reduced largely in this respect. 
   Furthermore, since the locking plate  20  ( 19 ) is rotated on the principle of lever by pulling the belt  17 , the locking piece  12  of the releasing lever can be rotated securely with less operating force. 
   Then, since the locking tool  16  is mounted in the releasing lever  11  so as to be supported by the locking piece  12  functioning as a supporting portion in such a manner that the through hole  24  through which the belt  17  is passed projects toward the inside of the passenger compartment from the opening  13  in the casing  6 , friction or the like which is generated when the belt  17  interferes with the casing  6  or the like is reduced, when the worker pulls the belt  17 , and therefore, the operation force of the releasing lever  11  borne by the worker is reduced, thereby making it possible to reduce the load borne by the worker. 
   In addition, since the belt  17  used needs to be thin when considering the environment where it is used, there are provided the following advantages: a risk is reduced that the belt is caught while being pulled when compared with a case where something like a cord is used, furthermore, a risk is reduced that the vehicle body is damaged, and moreover, the releasing operation can be implemented with less operation force. 
   Then, since the hook-shaped portions  26 ,  26  are provided on the aforesaid locking projections  25 ,  25 , the locked state relative to the engagement hole  15  in the releasing lever  11  is ensured, and hence there is no risk that the locking tool  16  is caused to come off in the midst of carrying out the needed operation, this improving the reliability. 
   Note that since the locking force exerted while the locked state is maintained can be set freely by means of the torsion spring  21 , the degree of freedom in design can be increased, and the locked state can be ensured further by setting an appropriate elastic force by virtue of the elastic force of the torsion spring  21 . 
   Second Embodiment 
   Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be described by reference to  FIGS. 7 to 9 . 
   The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a locking tool and an engagement hole on a releasing lever side according to the second embodiment are different from those of the first embodiment. 
   Note that while, in the first embodiment, since the locking plate is constituted by the first locking plate  19  and the second locking plate  20 , these locking plates are made to get together to constitute the locking tool  16 , in the second embodiment, a locking tool  34  corresponds to the locking plates of the first embodiment. 
   While, in the aforesaid first embodiment, the engagement hole  15  is provided at an upper end of the releasing lever  11 , in the second embodiment, a tumbler-shaped locking hole  33 , which is so shaped by being provided with a large-diameter portion  31  at a proximal end thereof and a small-diameter portion  32  at a distal end thereof, is formed in a locking piece  30  of a releasing lever  39  (a releasing lever). On the other hand, a detachable locking tool  34  (a locking member), which maintains its locked state in the engagement hole  33 , has in a proximal end thereof a through hole  36  through which a belt  35  (an operated member), which is similar to that of the first embodiment, is passed, and a locking plate  38  is mounted on a distal end thereof via pin  37 . The locking plate  38  is made to be smaller in diameter than the large-diameter portion  31  in the locking piece  30 , and the pin  37  which supports the locking plate is made to be smaller in diameter than the small-diameter portion  32  in the locking piece  30 . 
   Note that the pin  37  is made to have a diameter which allows the pin  37  to maintain a locked state while being allowed to fin appropriately in the small-diameter portion  32 . 
   Consequently, when the locking tool  34  is mounted in the engagement hole  33  in the locking piece  30  via this pin  37 , in a state in which the locking plate  38  provided on a distal end of the locking tool  34  is first passed through the large-diameter portion  31  in the locking piece  30 , the locking tool  34  is pulled toward the operator so that the pin  37  on the locking tool  34  fits in the small-diameter portion  32  in the locking piece  30 , whereby the locking tool  34  is mounted in place as required. Here, as shown in  FIG. 9 , a spring  40  is mounted on an end portion of the pin  37  which is opposite to the end portion thereof where the locking plate  38  is provided for biasing the locking tool  34  in a direction in which the locking tool  34  is separated apart from the releasing lever  39  with the pin  37  being positioned in the small-diameter portion  32  in the locking piece  30 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the spring  40  is such as to be formed substantially into an L-shape, and a bent portion at a distal end thereof is designed to be brought into an elastic abutment with a vertical wall  41  of the releasing lever  39  so as to maintain the locked state of the locking tool  34  relative to the locking piece  30 . 
   Consequently, as shown in  FIG. 9 , in order to mount the locking tool  34  in the engagement hole  33  in the locking piece  30 , firstly, in a state in which the spring  40  is pressed against the vertical wall  41  of the releasing lever  39  with the bent portion thereof being in abutment therewith, the locking plate  38  on the locking tool  34  is passed through the large-diameter portion  31  in the locking piece  30 , and when the hand is removed in that state, the pin  37  on the locking tool  34  is pushed in a direction indicated by an arrow D in  FIG. 9  by virtue of the elastic force of the spring  40  in the one-touch fashion, whereby the pin  37  is automatically put in a state in which the pin  37  is locked in the small-diameter portion  32 . 
   Consequently, also in the second embodiment, as with the first embodiment that is described before, since a required number of locking tools  34  can be mounted at a required timing by the assembly worker, the costs associated with the door locking apparatus  4  can be reduced largely when compared with the conventional case. In addition, since this mounting and dismounting work can be performed in the one-touch fashion, the required work can be completed within a short period of time. 
   Then, since the locking tool  34  is mounted in the releasing lever  39  so as to be supported by the locking piece  30  functioning as a supporting portion in such a manner that the through hole  36  through which the belt  35  is passed projects toward the inside of the passenger compartment from the opening  13  in the casing  6 , whereby friction or the like which is generated when the belt  35  interferes with the casing  6  or the like is reduced, when the worker pulls the belt  35 , the operation force of the releasing lever  39  borne by the worker is reduced, thereby making it possible to reduce the load borne by the worker. 
   In addition, since the belt  35  used needs to be thin when considering the environment where it is used, there is provided an advantage that the releasing operation can be performed with a small operation force without a risk that the vehicle body is damaged. 
   Then, since the spring  40  is formed substantially into the L-shape, the locked state of the locking tool  34  relative to the engagement hole  33  in the locking piece  30  is ensured, and hence there is no risk that the locking tool  34  is caused to come off in the midst of carrying out the needed operation, this improving the reliability. 
   In particular, in contrast to the first embodiment which is constructed to use the two locking plates  19 ,  20  are used, in the second embodiment, since the simple construction is adopted, there are provided advantages that the occurrence of failure is reduced and that the locking apparatus  4  can be produced at low costs. 
   Note that while, in this second embodiment, a bending force acts on the locking tool  34  about the pin relative to the locking piece  30 , since a force like this is held by the L-shaped spring  40  to thereby restrict the rotation of the locking tool  34 , there is caused no problem with actual work. 
   Note that the invention is not limited to the respective embodiments, and while, for example, the engagement hole  15 ,  33  is provided in the releasing lever  11 ,  39 , and the locking projections  25  or the locking plate  38  is provided on the locking tool  16  or  34 , the locking projections  25  or the locking plate  38  may be provided on the releasing lever  11  or  39 , and the engagement hole  15 ,  33  may be provided in the looking tool  16 ,  34 .