Patent ID: 6866310

Claim:
A vehicle door latch operation device comprising: a latch mechanism provided on a vehicle door that is adapted to be opened and closed relative to a vehicle body for effecting a latched condition in which the vehicle door is maintained at a closed condition relative to the vehicle body and an unlatched condition in which the vehicle door is adapted to be opened relative to the vehicle body; a mechanical operation member provided in an interior compartment of the vehicle for operating the latch mechanism from the latched condition to the unlatched condition; a mechanical identification operation member provided outside the vehicle for operating the latch mechanism from the latched condition to the unlatched condition; a lift lever operatively connected to the latch mechanism; an inside lever operatively connected to the mechanical operation member; an open link provided between the lift lever and the inside lever, the open link being adapted to be operatively connected to the mechanical operation member and the mechanical identification operation member to move the open link and cause the open link to engage the lift lever, the open link also being rotatable to permit selective engagement of the open link with the inside lever to effect a locked state and an unlocked state; a rotatable key lever operatively connected to the mechanical identification operation member and engageable with the open link, with movement of the key lever causing operation of the lift lever only by way of the open link; the inside lever moving the lift lever, without rotating the key lever, upon operation of the mechanical operation member in the unlocked state to operate the latch mechanism; and a guiding mechanism for movably and rotatably guiding the open link.