Patent ID: 7188871

Claim:
A door lock mechanism, comprising: a lock claw, a spring attached to the lock claw for urging the lock claw in a direction toward a lock state, a lock release operation piece linked to the lock claw for moving the lock claw in a direction toward a lock release state against a force of the spring when a lock release operation is performed, said lock release operation piece returning the lock claw to the lock state with the force of the spring when the lock release operation is canceled, said lock release operation piece being arranged to be separated from the lock claw with respect to an external force applied to the lock claw when the lock claw returns from the lock release state to the lock state, a transmission member formed separately from the lock claw and the lock release operation piece, said transmission member engaging the lock release operation piece and the lock claw and being arranged such that when the lock release operation piece is actuated to move the lock claw in the direction toward the lock release state, the transmission member is linearly moved in a direction same as that of the lock claw by the lock release operation piece to thereby move the lock claw toward the lock release state, and a damping device engaging the transmission member for applying a damping force to the lock claw through the transmission member.