Patent Publication Number: US-2022228405-A1

Title: Door opening device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a door opening device for an access door. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     As a side door of a vehicle such as an automobile, there is known a side door including a swing door which is swung to be opened and closed about a longitudinal front end portion thereof as an axis and an access door which is provided adjacent to a longitudinal rear side of the swing door and is opened and closed about a longitudinal rear end portion thereof as an axis. 
     A side door described in PTL 1 includes a front door (a swing door) and a rear door (an access door). The rear door is fastened in a closed state by an upper lock device which can be locked by locking an upper striker provided on a body roof portion and a lower lock device which can be locked by locking a lower striker provided a body floor portion. Then, the front door is fastened in a closed state by a lock device which can be locked by locking a striker provided at a front end portion of the rear door. 
     The lock device, which fastens the front door in the closed state, can be unlocked by operating a handle on the front door. In addition, the upper lock device and the lower lock device, which fasten the rear door in the closed state, can be unlocked by operating a handle device on the rear door. This handle device has an opening handle provided on a transversely inner side of the rear door and a lever connected with the upper lock device and the lower lock device by way of cables, and the lever is rotated in response to an unlocking operation inputted into the opening handle. The cables are pulled as the lever is rotated, as a result of which the upper lock device and the lower lock device are actuated, whereby the upper lock device and the lower lock device are unlocked. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         PTL 1: Japanese Patent No. 4206288 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     In the side door described in PTL 1, in a case that an unlocking operation is inputted into the opening handle with the front door closed, the opening handle is brought into abutment with the front door to thereby restrict the unlocking operation. As a result, the upper lock device and the lower lock device do not react to the unlocking operation, whereby the upper lock device and the lower lock device are left locked. That is, there is no case in which the rear door is opened alone, and hence, the rear door is basically opened with the front door opened. 
     However, with the front door left ajar or in a half locked state, the restriction of the unlocking operation becomes less severe. In this case, when vibrations of the vehicle are allowed to act on the upper lock device and the lower lock device, the upper lock device and the lower lock device are actuated, leading to a risk of the upper lock device and the lower lock device being unlocked. In order to prevent the occurrence of unexpected unlocking like this, it is considered, for example, to form a connecting portion of the lever with the cables into an elongated hole so as to set a play allowing the lever to rotate without pulling the cables. However, this can produce a slack in the cables. When the cables slacken, abnormal noise can be produced in the upper lock device and the lower lock device, as well as the handle device to which the cables are connected. 
     The present invention provides a door opening device for an access door which can prevent an unexpected unlocking while suppressing the generation of abnormal noise. 
     Solution to Problem 
     A door opening device according to one illustrative aspect of the present invention is a door opening device for an access door that is provided adjacent to a longitudinal rear side of a swing door opened and closed about a longitudinal front end portion thereof as an axis and is configured to be opened and closed about a longitudinal rear end portion thereof as an axis with the swing door left open, the door opening device including: an upper lock device configured to lock an upper striker provided on a body roof portion and having an upper opening lever configured to unlock the locked upper lock device; a lower lock device configured to lock a lower striker provided on a body floor portion and having a lower opening lever configured to unlock the locked lower lock device; and a handle device configured to actuate the upper opening lever and the lower opening lever in an unlocking direction by way of an upper cable and a lower cable, the upper cable being connected to the upper opening lever, and the lower cable being connected to the lower opening lever, wherein the upper lock device and/or the lower lock device includes a first bias member configured to bias the upper opening lever and/or the lower opening lever in an opposite direction to the unlocking direction, wherein the handle device includes: a handle, an unlocking operation to actuate the upper opening lever and the lower opening lever in the unlocking direction being inputted into the handle; a first lever, the upper cable and the lower cable being connected to the first lever; a second lever configured to rotate in a first direction in response to the unlocking operation and to transmit the rotation to the first lever; and a second bias member configured to bias the second lever in a second direction opposite to the first direction to thereby restore the second lever to an initial position, and wherein the second lever has a play stroke defined between a point in time when the second lever starts to rotate from the initial position and a point in time when the rotation is transmitted to the first lever. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, the door opening device for an access door can be provided which can prevent an unexpected unlocking while suppressing the generation of abnormal noise. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an example of a door opening device to describe an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a lower lock device of the door opening device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the lower lock device shown in  FIG. 2  with a part thereof omitted from illustration. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a handle device of the door opening device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the handle device shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the handle device shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view showing an operation of the handle device shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view showing a fixing structure of the handle device shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A side door  1  of a vehicle shown in  FIG. 1  includes a swing door  2  and an access door  3  provided adjacent to a longitudinal rear side of the swing door  2 . The swing door  2  is opened and closed about a longitudinal front end portion thereof as an axis, and the access door  3  is opened and closed about a longitudinal rear end portion thereof as an axis. A door opening device  10  is provided on the access door  3  and causes the access door  3  to be opened and closed. 
     The door opening device  10  includes an upper lock device  11 , a lower lock device  12 , and a handle device  13 . The upper lock device  11  is placed at an upper end portion of the access door  3  and can be locked by locking an upper striker S 1  provided on a body roof portion. The lower lock device  12  is placed at a lower end portion of the access door  3  and can be locked by locking a lower striker S 2  provided on a body floor portion. Then, the access door  3  is fastened in a closed state as a result of the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  being locked by locking the upper striker S 1  and the lower striker S 2 , respectively. The handle device  13  is placed at a front end portion of the access door  3 . The handle device  13  is connected to the upper lock device  11  by way of an upper cable  14  and is connected to the lower lock device  12  by way of a lower cable  15  so as to unlock the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12 . 
     A lock device  16  and a door handle  17  are provided on the swing door  2 . The lock device  16  is placed at a rear end portion of the swing door  2  and can be locked by locking a striker S 3  provided at the front end portion of the access door  3 . A full latching state and a half latching state are set as locking states of the striker S 3 . In a case that the lock device  16  is locked in the full latching state, the swing door  2  is fastened in a fully closed state, whereas in a case that the lock device  16  is locked in the half latching state, the swing door  2  is fastened in an ajar or half locked state. The handle  17  is placed on a transversely outer side of the swing door  2  and is connected with the lock device  16  by way of a cable, not shown, whereby the handle  17  can unlock the lock device  16 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show the lower lock device  12 . 
     The lower lock device  12  includes a body  20 , a cover plate  21 , a back plate  22 , a latch  24 , a ratchet  25 , a relay lever  26 , and an opening lever  27 . In  FIG. 3 , the body  20  and the back plate  22  are omitted from illustration. 
     The body  20  is made from a resin material, while the cover plate  21  and the back plate  22  are made of a metallic material, and the cover plate  21  and the back plate  22  are assembled to the body  20  with the body  20  interposed therebetween. A striker groove  30  is provided in the cover plate  21 , so that the lower striker S 2  enters the striker groove  30  in response to a closing action of the access door  3 , whereas the lower striker S 2  exits from the striker groove  30  in response to an opening action of the access door  3 . 
     The latch  24  and the ratchet  25  are accommodated between the body  20  and the cover plate  21 . The latch  24  is supported rotatably by a latch shaft  31  provided on the cover plate  21  in such a manner as to be erected therefrom, and the ratchet  25  is supported rotatably by a ratchet shaft  32  provided on the cover plate  21  in such a manner as to be erected therefrom. The latch  24  has an engagement groove  33 , which is brought into engagement with the lower striker S 2 , and can rotate between an unlatching position where an opening portion of the engagement groove  33  is disposed so as to match the striker groove  30  and a latching position where the opening portion of the engagement groove  33  is disposed so as to deviate from the striker groove  30 . The ratchet  25  has an engagement portion  34  which is brought into engagement with the opening portion of the engagement groove  33  of the latch  24  when the latch  24  is disposed in the latching position. The rachet  25  is rotatable between a locking position where the engagement portion  34  is brought into engagement with the opening portion of the engagement groove  33  and an unlocking position where the engagement portion  34  is brought into disengagement from the opening portion of the engagement groove  33 . The ratchet  25  is biased in the direction of an arrow A from the unlocking position towards the locking position by means of a spring. 
     The lower striker S 2  enters the striker groove  30  in the cover plate  21  in association with a closing action of the access door  3  and is then accommodated in the engagement groove  33  in the latch  24 . When it is accommodated in the engagement groove  33 , the lower striker S 2  presses against the latch  24 , whereby the latch  24  so pressed rotates in an opposite direction to the direction of the arrow A from the unlatching position towards the latching position. When the latch  24  is disposed in the latching position, the opening portion of the engagement groove  33  is closed by one side wall of the striker groove  30 , whereby the lower striker S 2  cannot exit from the engagement groove  33 . As a result, the lower striker S 2  is locked by the latch  24 . 
     Then, when the latch  24  is disposed in the latching position, the ratchet  25  rotates in the direction of an arrow B from the unlocking position towards the locking position, whereby the opening portion of the engagement groove  33  is brought into engagement with the engagement portion  34  of the ratchet  25 . The rotation of the latch  24  from the latching position towards the unlatching position is prevented as a result of the engagement of the opening portion of the engagement groove  33  with the engagement portion  34 . As a result, the latch  24  is locked in such a state that the latch  24  locks the lower striker S 2 , whereby the access door  3  is fastened in the closed state. 
     The relay lever  26  is supported rotatably by the ratchet shaft  32  on the back plate  22  and is disposed concentrically with the ratchet  25 , rotating together with the ratchet  25 . The opening lever  27  is supported rotatably by a lever shaft  35  provided on the back plate  22  in such a manner as to be erected therefrom. The opening lever  27  has an engagement portion  36  configured to be brought into engagement with the relay lever  26  at one end portion thereof and can rotate between an initial position where the engagement portion  36  is disposed apart from the relay lever  26  and an unlocking position where the engagement portion  36  is brought into engagement with the relay lever  26  and presses against the relay lever  26 . One end of the lower cable  15  is fixed to the other end portion of the opening lever  27 . 
     In a case that an unlocking operation is performed on the handle device  13  with the access door  3  fastened in the closed state, the lower cable  15  is pulled towards the handle device  13 , whereby the opening lever  27 , to which the one end of the lower cable  15  is fixed, rotates in the direction of an arrow C (an unlocking direction) from the initial position towards the unlocking position. The engagement portion  36  is brought into engagement with the relay lever  26  in association with the rotation of the opening lever  27 , whereby the opening lever  27  presses against the relay lever  26 . Then, the relay lever  26  so pressed against rotates in the direction of an arrow D, and the ratchet  25  also rotates in the direction of the arrow D together with the relay lever  26  to move from the locking position to the unlocking position. As a result, the engagement portion  34  of the ratchet  25  is brought into disengagement from the opening portion of the engagement groove  33  in the latch  24 , whereby the latch  24  can rotate from the latching position towards the unlatching position. This allows the latch  24  to unlock the lower striker S 2 . 
     Although its illustration is omitted here, the upper lock device  11  is basically configured similar to the lower lock device  12 . That is, the upper lock device  11  includes a latch, a ratchet, and an opening lever. One end of the upper cable  14  is fixed to the opening lever. In a case that the unlocking operation is performed on the handle device  13 , the upper cable  14  is pulled towards the handle device  13 , whereby the opening lever rotates from an initial position to an unlocking position. The ratchet rotates in association with the rotation of the opening lever, and the ratchet moves from a locking position to an unlocking position. This allows the latch to unlock the upper striker S 1 . 
     Then, at least one of the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  has a first bias member for biasing the opening lever towards the initial position, and in this embodiment, the lower lock device  12  has a torsion spring  28  as the first bias member. The upper lock device  11  may have the first bias member in place of the lower lock device  12 , or the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  both may have the first bias member. 
     The torsion spring  28  biases the opening lever  27  in an opposite direction to the direction of the arrow C towards the initial position. In a case that no unlocking operation is performed on the handle device  13 , that is, in a case that the lower cable  15  is not pulled, the opening lever  27  is retained in the initial position. Further, the biasing effort of the torsion spring  28  is transmitted to the opening lever of the upper lock device by way of the lower cable  15 , the handle device  13 , and the upper cable  14 . As a result, the opening lever of the upper lock device is also retained in the initial position. 
       FIGS. 4 to 6  show the handle device  13 . 
     The handle device  13  includes a bracket  40 , a handle  41 , a first lever  42 , and a second lever  43 . An unlocking operation to unlock the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  is inputted into the handle  41 . The upper cable  14  and the lower cable  15  are connected to the first lever  42 . The second lever  43  is interposed between the handle  41  and the first lever  42  and rotates in response to an unlocking operation, transmitting the rotation thereof to the first lever  42 . As a result, the first lever  42  rotates, whereby the upper cable  14  and the lower cable  15  are pulled, and the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  are unlocked. 
     The bracket  40  is made of a metallic plate material and configures a single member formed by bending work such as folding, or cutting and raising. The bracket  40  holds a handle shaft  50  which configures a rotational shaft of the handle  41 . Additionally, the bracket  40  holds a lever shaft  51  which configures a common rotational shaft for the first lever  42  and the second lever  43 . 
     The handle  41  is supported rotatably by the handle shaft  50 . The handle  41  has an operation portion  52 , which is disposed on the transversely inner side of the access door  3  in such a manner as to be exposed therefrom, and a pressing portion  53 , which is configured to be brought into engagement with the second lever  43 . In response to an unlocking operation, the handle  41  rotates about the handle shaft  50  in the direction of an arrow F from an initial position shown in  FIG. 6 . The operation portion  52  is moved transversely outwards along an arc-like trajectory that is substantially parallel to a body floor at a longitudinal front side of the front end portion of the access door  3 . The pressing portion  53  is also moved along an arc-like trajectory that is substantially parallel to the body floor. 
     The trajectory of the operation portion  52  intersects a rear end portion of the swing door  2  which is fastened in the fully closed state or the ajar or half locked state, and the operation portion  52  is brought into abutment with the rear end portion of the swing door  2  in a case that the swing door  2  is fastened in the fully closed state or the ajar or half locked state. This restricts the unlocking operation. On the other hand, with the swing door  2  left in an opened state, the rear end portion of the swing door  2  deviates from the trajectory of the operation portion  52 . As a result, the unlocking operation can be completed. 
     The second lever  43  is supported rotatably by the lever shaft  51 . The second lever  43  has a pressed or pressing target portion  54 , which is configured to be brought into engagement with the handle  41 , and a pressing portion  55 , which is configured to be brought into engagement with the first lever  42 . The pressing target portion  54  is disposed at a front side of the pressing portion  53  of the handle  41  which moves in association with an unlocking operation on the trajectory of the pressing portion  53 . In association with an unlocking operation, the pressing target portion  54  is pressed by the handle  41  which rotates in the direction of the arrow F, and the second lever  43  rotates in the direction of an arrow G (a first direction) from an initial position shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The second lever  43  is biased in an opposite direction (a second direction) to the direction of the arrow G by means of a torsion spring  56 , which configures a second bias member. Further, the contact of the pressing portion  53  of the handle  41  with the pressing target portion  54  of the second lever  43  is maintained at all times, and the handle  41  is also biased by the torsion spring  56 . In a case that no unlocking operation is performed, the handle  41  and the second lever  43  are both retained in their initial positions. 
     The first lever  42  is disposed concentrically with the second lever  43  and is supported rotatably by the lever shaft  51 . The first lever  42  has a pressing target portion  57  which is configured to be brought into engagement with the second lever  43 , an upper cable connecting portion  58 , to which one end of a core wire of the upper cable  14  is fixed, and a lower cable connecting portion  59 , to which one end of a core wire of the lower cable  15  is fixed. The pressing target portion  57  is disposed at a front side of the pressing portion  55  which moves in association with an unlocking operation on a trajectory of the pressing portion  55  of the second lever  43 . In association with an unlocking operation, the pressing target portion  57  is pressed against by the second lever  43  rotating in the direction of the arrow G, and the first lever  42  also rotates in the direction of the arrow G from the initial position shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Then, the upper cable connecting portion  58 , to which one end of a core wire  14   a  of the upper cable  14  is fixed, moves downwards in association with the rotation of the first lever  42 . In addition, the lower cable connecting portion  59 , to which one end of a core wire  15   a  of the lower cable  15  is fixed, is provided at an opposite side to the upper cable connecting portion  58  across the lever shaft  51 , and moves upwards in association with the rotation of the first lever  42 . As a result, the upper cable  14  and the lower cable  15  are both pulled towards the handle device  13 . As a result, the opening levers of the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  rotate in the unlocking direction from their initial positions, whereby the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  are unlocked. 
     Here, the opening lever  27  (refer to  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the lower lock device  12  is biased in the opposite direction to the unlocking direction by the torsion spring  28  (refer to  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). When the pulling of the lower cable  15  towards the handle device  13  is released, the opening lever  27  is automatically restored to the initial position, and the lower cable  15  is pulled back towards the lower lock device  12 . As a result, in a case that no unlocking operation is performed, the first lever  42  is retained in the initial position shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     With the handle  41 , the first lever  42 , and the second lever  43  all disposed in their initial positions, the pressing portion  53  of the handle  41  and the pressing target portion  54  of the second lever  43  are in contact with each other. On the other hand, the pressing portion  55  of the second lever  43  and the pressing target portion  57  of the first lever  42  are spaced apart from each other. As a result, when an unlocking operation is inputted into the handle  41 , the second lever  43  rotates immediately, while the first lever  42  rotates after the pressing portion  55  and the pressing target portion  57  are brought into engagement with each other by the rotation of the second lever  43 . That is, the second lever  43  has a play stroke θ that is defined between: a point in time when the second lever  43  starts to rotate from its initial position; and a point in time when the rotation of the second lever  43  is transmitted to the first lever  42 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an operation of the handle device  13  in a case that the swing door  2  is fastened in the ajar or half locked state. 
     As has been described heretofore, the trajectory of the operation portion  52  of the handle  41  intersects the rear end portion of the swing door  2  which is fastened in the fully closed state or the ajar or half locked state, and in a case that the swing door  2  is fastened in the fully closed state or the ajar or half locked state, the operation portion  52  is brought into abutment with the rear end portion of the swing door  2 . This restricts the unlocking operation. However, the swing door  2  which is fastened in the ajar or half locked state is opened slightly compared with the swing door  2  which is fastened in the fully closed state. As a result, the restriction of the unlocking operation becomes less severe in a case that the swing door  2  is fastened in the ajar or half locked state. 
     However, the second lever  43  has the play stroke θ (refer to  FIG. 5 ) that is defined between: the point in time when the second lever  43  starts to rotate from its initial position; and the point in time when the rotation of the second lever  43  is transmitted to the first lever  42 . Even though the stroke of the handle  41  over which the operation portion  52  is brought into abutment with the rear end portion of the swing door  2  is increased as a result of the restriction of the unlocking operation getting less severe, an increase in the stroke of the handle  41  can be absorbed by the play stroke θ of the second lever  43 , whereby the transmission of the rotation of the second lever  43  to the first lever  42  therefrom can be cut off. As a result, an unexpected unlocking can be prevented. 
     In addition, with no unlocking operation performed, the handle  41  and the second lever  43  are retained in their initial positions by the torsion spring  56  which biases the second lever  43 . Then, the first lever  42  is retained in its initial position by the torsion spring  28  (refer to  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) which biases the opening lever  27  (refer to  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the lower lock device  12  by way of the lower cable  15 . The opening lever  27  of the lower lock device  12  is retained in its initial position by, needless to say, the torsion spring  28 , and further, the opening lever of the upper lock device  11  is also retained in its initial position by the torsion spring  28  by way of the upper cable  14  and the lower cable  15 , as well as the first lever  42 . Since the handle  41 , the first lever  42 , the second lever  43 , the opening lever  27 , and the opening lever of the upper lock device, which are all movable, are retained in their initial positions as described heretofore, the generation of abnormal noise in the upper lock device  11 , the lower lock device  12 , and the handle device  13  can be suppressed. 
     A stroke of the second lever  43  over which the operation portion  52  of the handle  41  is brought into abutment with the rear end portion of the swing door  2  which is left fastened in the ajar or half locked state is preferably set at the play stroke θ of the second lever  43  or smaller. In other words, the pressing portion  55  of the second lever  43  comes into contact with the pressing target portion  57  of the first lever  42  or a gap is caused to remain between the pressing portion  55  and the pressing target portion  57  at the timing at which the operation portion  52  is brought into abutment with the rear end portion of the swing door  2  which is left fastened in the ajar or half locked state. As a result, even though the stroke of the handle  41  defined until the operation portion  52  is brought into abutment with the rear end portion of the swing door  2  increases higher than a designed value and/or the play stroke θ of the second lever  43  decreases lower than a designed value due to an production error, an unexpected unlocking can be prevented in a more ensured fashion in such a state that the swing door  2  is fastened in the ajar or half locked state. 
       FIG. 8  shows a fixing structure of the handle device  13 . 
     The bracket  40  of the handle device  13  has a plurality of fastening holes  60  and is fixed to a panel  4  of the access door  3  with bolts which are passed through the fastening holes  60 . In addition, the bracket  40  has, separately from the fastening holes  60 , a projecting portion  61  with which the handle device  13  is temporarily fixed to the panel  4  of the access door  3 . The projecting portion  61  is folded into a crank-like configuration in such a manner as to be inserted into a locking hole  62  provided in the panel  4 , so that the projecting portion  61  is disposed to extend along a front surface and a rear surface of the panel  4 . In addition, the bracket  40  has an upper cable holding portion  63  and an upper cable holding portion  64 . The upper cable holding portion  63  holds a terminal end portion  14   b  of an outer sheath of the upper cable  14 , while the lower cable holding portion  64  holds a terminal end portion  15   b  of an outer sheath of the lower cable  15 . 
     In fixing the handle device  13  to the panel  4 , firstly, the upper lock device  11  and the lower lock device  12  are fixed to the access door  3 . The upper cable  14  is connected to the upper lock device  11  in advance, while the lower cable  15  is connected to the lower lock device  12  in advance. Subsequently, the terminal end portion  14   b  of the sheath of the upper cable  14  is held to the upper cable holding portion  63  of the bracket  40 . Then, the upper cable  14  is fixed to a clip  65  placed on the panel  4 . The handle device  13  is suspended on the upper cable  14  fixed to the panel  4 . 
     Subsequently, the projecting portion  61  of the bracket  40  is inserted into the locking hole  62  in the panel  4 . The bracket  40  is suspended on the upper cable  14 , and the projecting portion  61  is inserted into the panel  4 , whereby the bracket  40  is temporarily fixed to the panel  4 . With the bracket  40  temporarily fixed to the panel  4 , the fastening holes  60  in the bracket  40  are disposed so as to match, in position, bolt holes  66  in the panel  4 . Bolts are passed through the fastening holes  60 , whereby the bracket  40  is fixed to the panel  4 . 
     Thus, as has been described heretofore, according to the disclosure of the present specification, there is provided a door opening device for an access door that is provided adjacent to a longitudinal rear side of a swing door opened and closed about a longitudinal front end portion thereof as an axis and is configured to be opened and closed about a longitudinal rear end portion thereof as an axis with the swing door left open, the door opening device including an upper lock device configured to lock an upper striker provided on a body roof portion and having an upper opening lever configured to unlock the locked upper lock device, a lower lock device configured to lock a lower striker provided on a body floor portion and having a lower opening lever configured to unlock the locked lower lock device, and a handle device configured to actuate the upper opening lever and the lower opening lever in an unlocking direction by way of an upper cable connected to the upper opening lever and a lower cable connected to the lower opening lever, the upper lock device and/or the lower lock device has a first bias member configured to bias the upper opening lever and/or the lower opening lever in an opposite direction to the unlocking direction, the handle device has a handle, an unlocking operation to actuate the upper opening lever and the lower opening lever in the unlocking direction being inputted into the handle, a first lever, the upper cable and the lower cable being connected to the first lever, a second lever configured to rotate in a first direction in response to the unlocking operation and to transmit the rotation to the first lever, and a second bias member configured to bias the second lever in a second direction opposite to the first direction to thereby restore the second lever to an initial position, and the second lever has a play stroke defined between a point in time when the second lever starts to rotate from the initial position and a point in time when the rotation is transmitted to the first lever. 
     In the door opening device according to the disclosure of the present specification, the first lever and the second lever have engagement portions configured to be brought into engagement with each other when the second lever rotates in the first direction in response to the unlocking operation of the handle, and the engagement portion of the first lever and the engagement portion of the second lever are left apart from each other with the second lever placed in the initial position. 
     In the door opening device according to the disclosure of the present specification, the handle device is provided at a front end portion of the access door, and when the swing door is left in a fully closed state and in an ajar or half locked state, the handle, into which the unlocking operation is inputted, is brought into abutment with a rear end portion of the swing door, and the unlocking operation is restricted by the abutment. 
     In the door opening device according the disclosure of the present specification, the play stroke is equal to or greater than a stroke of the second lever over which the handle is brought into abutment with the rear end portion of the swing door left in the ajar or half locked state. 
     In the door opening device according the disclosure of the present specification, the door opening device includes a single bracket configured to support the handle rotatably and to support the first lever and the second lever rotatably and concentrically. 
     In the door opening device according the disclosure of the present specification, the upper cable is fixed to a panel of the access door, the bracket has an upper cable holding portion configured to hold a terminal end portion of the upper cable, a projecting portion inserted into the panel of the access door, and a plurality of fastening holes through which a bolt is passed, the bracket is temporarily fixed to the panel by the bracket being suspended on the upper cable fixed to the panel and the projecting portion being inserted into the locking hole, and with the bracket temporarily fixed to the panel, the fastening holes in the bracket match, in position, bolt holes in the panel. 
     The present patent application is based on Japanese Patent Application (No. 2019-124640) filed on Jul. 3, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
         
           
               1  side door 
               2  swing door 
               3  access door 
               4  panel 
               10  door opening device 
               11  upper lock device 
               12  lower lock device 
               13  handle device 
               14  upper cable 
               15  lower cable 
               16  lock device 
               17  door handle 
               20  body 
               21  cover plate 
               22  back plate 
               24  latch 
               25  ratchet 
               26  relay lever 
               27  opening lever 
               28  torsion spring (first bias member) 
               30  striker groove 
               31  latch shaft 
               32  ratchet shaft 
               33  engagement groove 
               34  engagement portion 
               35  lever shaft 
               36  engagement portion 
               40  bracket 
               41  handle 
               42  first lever 
               43  second lever 
               50  handle shaft 
               51  lever shaft 
               52  operation portion 
               53  pressing portion 
               54  pressing target portion 
               55  pressing portion 
               56  torsion spring (second bias member) 
               57  pressing target portion 
               58  upper cable connecting portion 
               59  lower cable connecting portion 
               60  fastening hole 
               61  projecting portion 
               62  locking hole 
               63  upper cable holding portion 
               64  lower cable holding portion 
               65  clip 
               66  bolt hole 
             S 1  upper striker 
             S 2  lower striker 
             S 3  striker 
             θ play stroke