The present invention relates to a structure for connecting a metal lever and a metal link via a metal pin, and can be used, for example, as a component of a vehicle door locking device (such as a vehicle door lock device, a vehicle closer device, a vehicle remote control device, or a vehicle door handle device).
A structure for connecting a metal lever and a metal link to each other is used in, for example, a connecting region between an outside open lever (metal plate lever) and an open link (metal plate link) disclosed in WO 2011/118356 A1. In this connecting structure, as illustrated in
Note that, the outside open lever 11 is pivotably mounted, at a circular support hole 11b formed in an intermediate portion thereof, to a support shaft 91a formed on a housing body 91. In the outside open lever 11, a right end portion 11c illustrated in
Incidentally, in the structure for connecting the metal lever (outside open lever 11) and the metal link (open link 12) to each other disclosed in WO 2011/118356 A1, the connecting leg portion (hook) 12a formed on the metal link (12) is inserted and engaged into the noncircular connecting hole portion 11a formed in the metal lever (11), thereby mounting the metal link to the metal lever. Accordingly, this structure is advantageous in that the structure is simple and can be manufactured at low cost. However, the connecting leg portion (hook) 12a comes off the noncircular connecting hole portion 11a easily at the time of assembly, and hence improvement in mountability is desired.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, according to the present invention, there is provided a structure for connecting a metal lever and a metal link via a metal pin, the structure including:
a metal lever having a circular connecting hole;
a metal pin comprising a support shaft portion, a head portion and a connecting shaft portion; and
a metal link having a coupling hole and being integrally connected to the metal pin, the coupling hole being fitted to the connecting shaft portion.
The support shaft portion is insertable through the connecting hole, and is pivotable and movable in an axial direction of the metal pin by a preset amount with respect to the connecting hole,
the head portion is formed at one end portion of the support shaft portion and has a diameter larger than a diameter of the support shaft portion,
the connecting shaft portion is formed at the other end portion of the support shaft portion and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the support shaft portion, and
the metal pin comprises an allowable portion formed on at least one axial end portion of the support shaft portion of the metal pin, and the allowable portion is configured to increase an amount of swing of the metal lever on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin. Note that, the above-mentioned amount of swing of the metal lever on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin is a relative amount of swing. When the metal lever is incapable of swinging on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin, the metal pin and the metal link swing with respect to the metal lever.
In the above-mentioned connecting structure according to the present invention, the allowable portion is formed on the at least one axial end portion of the support shaft portion of the metal pin, and is configured to increase the amount of swing of the metal lever on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin. Accordingly, the amount of swing of the metal lever on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin can be ensured in a necessary and sufficient manner while minimizing a radial gap between the support shaft portion of the metal pin and the connecting hole of the metal lever at an axial intermediate portion of the support shaft portion of the metal pin.
Incidentally, in the connecting structure according to the present invention, the metal lever and the metal link are connected to each other via the metal pin, and the metal pin includes the support shaft portion pivotable and movable in the axial direction of the metal pin by the preset amount with respect to the connecting hole of the metal lever, the head portion (portion capable of preventing the metal lever from coming off the support shaft portion) being formed at one end portion of the support shaft portion and having the diameter larger than the diameter of the support shaft portion, and the connecting shaft portion (to which the metal link is integrally connected at the coupling hole after the metal lever is mounted onto the support shaft portion) being formed at the other end portion of the support shaft portion and having the diameter smaller than the diameter of the support shaft portion.
Accordingly, under a state in which the metal lever and the metal link are connected to each other via the metal pin, the metal lever is sandwiched and retained between the metal link (connected to the connecting shaft portion of the metal pin) and the head portion of the metal pin. Therefore, under a state in which the metal lever and the metal link are connected to each other via the metal pin, the metal lever and the metal link do not easily come off the metal pin, and mountability at the time of assembly can be improved.
When embodying the present invention, a second allowable portion (chamfered portion such as a C beveled portion or a R beveled portion (a rounded portion)) for increasing the amount of swing of the metal lever on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin can be formed on at least one axial end portion of the connecting hole of the metal lever. In this case, the above-mentioned second allowable portion (chamfered portion such as a C beveled portion or a R beveled portion (a rounded portion)) can also increase the amount of swing of the metal lever on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin.
Further, when embodying the present invention, the allowable portion can be formed so that only the one axial end portion of the support shaft portion of the metal pin has a diameter smaller than that of a center portion of the support shaft portion and only the one axial end portion has a curved surface shape in radial cross-section. In this case, the amount of swing of the metal lever to the one axial end portion side can be larger than the amount of swing to the other axial end portion side. Accordingly, a large amount of swing can be set only for a direction requiring swing.
Further, when embodying the present invention, the allowable portion can be formed so that the entire support shaft portion has a curved surface shape and a center portion of the support shaft portion of the metal pin has a maximum diameter in the support shaft portion. In this case, the amount of swing of the metal lever can be further larger than the above-mentioned case. Further, in this case, the amount of swing to the one axial end portion side and the amount of swing to the other axial end portion side can be increased equally. In this case, the allowable portion can be formed so that the support shaft portion of the metal pin has an arc shape in radial cross-section. In this case, the above-mentioned arc shape (spherical outer shape) enables the metal lever to swing more smoothly.
Further, when embodying the present invention, the metal link or the metal lever can include a protrusion regulating a swinging direction of the metal lever to a specific direction when the metal lever swings on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin. In this case, an abutment portion between the metal lever and the protrusion formed on the metal link, or an abutment portion between the metal link and the protrusion formed on the metal lever can serve as a swinging fulcrum. Accordingly, the swinging direction of the metal lever on the metal pin can be stabilized. Note that, it is desired that the above-mentioned protrusion be formed as a straight protrusion extending in a radial direction of the metal pin, and the present invention can be embodied even when the above-mentioned protrusion is formed of a point-like protrusion.
Further, when embodying the present invention, a second allowable portion for increasing the amount of swing of the metal lever on the metal pin in the axial direction of the metal pin can be formed on the other axial end portion of the connecting hole of the metal lever. In this case, the amount of swing of the metal lever to the one axial end portion side (amount of swing in a case illustrated in
An embodiment of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the drawings.
The outside open lever 21 has a circular connecting hole 21a (see
The open link 22 includes a region, which has a circular coupling hole 22a formed in a lower end portion thereof illustrated in
A support shaft portion 23a is formed in an axial intermediate region of the connecting pin 23. A head portion 23b is formed at one end portion (left end portion illustrated in
The head portion 23b has a diameter larger than that of the support shaft portion 23a, and larger than the inner diameter of the connecting hole 21a of the outside open lever 21. Each vertical end portion of the head portion 23b illustrated in
In this embodiment configured as described above, each axial end portion of the support shaft portion 23a of the connecting pin 23 includes the allowable portion (spherical curved surfaces 23a1) for increasing the amount of swing of the outside open lever 21 on the connecting pin 23 in the axial direction. Accordingly, the amount of swing of the outside open lever 21 on the connecting pin 23 in the axial direction can be ensured in a necessary and sufficient manner while minimizing a radial gap between the support shaft portion 23a of the connecting pin 23 and the connecting hole 21a of the outside open lever 21 at an axial intermediate portion of the support shaft portion 23a of the connecting pin 23.
Incidentally, in the connecting structure 20 according to this embodiment, the outside open lever 21 and the open link 22 are connected to each other via the connecting pin 23, and the connecting pin 23 includes the support shaft portion 23a pivotable and movable in the axial direction by the preset amount with respect to the connecting hole 21a of the outside open lever 21, the head portion 23b (portion capable of preventing the outside open lever 21 from coming off the support shaft portion 23a) being formed at one end portion of the support shaft portion 23a and having a diameter larger than that of the support shaft portion 23a, and the connecting shaft portion 23c and the swaging fixing portion 23d (to which the open link 22 is integrally connected at the coupling hole 22a after the outside open lever 21 is mounted to the support shaft portion 23a) formed at the other end portion of the support shaft portion 23a.
Accordingly, under a state in which the outside open lever 21 and the open link 22 are connected to each other via the connecting pin 23, the outside open lever 21 is sandwiched and retained between the open link 22 and the head portion 23b of the connecting pin 23. Therefore, under a state in which the outside open lever 21 and the open link 22 are connected to each other via the connecting pin 23, the outside open lever 21 and the open link 22 do not easily come off the connecting pin 23, and hence mountability at the time of assembly can be improved.
Further, in the connecting structure 20 according to this embodiment, the support shaft portion 23a of the connecting pin 23 insertable through the connecting hole 21a of the outside open lever 21, and the connecting shaft portion 23c of the connecting pin 23 fitted into the coupling hole 22a of the open link 22 to be connected to the open link 22 can be produced by machining with high accuracy. Thus, the radial gap between the support shaft portion 23a of the connecting pin 23 and the connecting hole 21a of the outside open lever 21 can be produced with high accuracy. Furthermore an axial gap between the outside open lever 21, which is sandwiched and retained between the open link 22 and the head portion 23b of the connecting pin 23, and the open link 22, and an axial gap between the outside open lever 21 and the head portion 23b can be produced with high accuracy. As a result, improvement in accuracy can be achieved.
Further, in the connecting structure 20 according to this embodiment, the open link 22 includes the straight protrusions 22c for regulating the swinging direction of the outside open lever 21 to the specific direction when the outside open lever 21 swings on the connecting pin 23 in the axial direction. Thus, the abutment portion between the outside open lever 21 and each of the straight protrusions 22c formed on the open link 22 can be set as the swinging fulcrum, and the swinging direction of the outside open lever 21 on the connecting pin 23 can be stabilized. Further, in the connecting structure 20 according to this embodiment, the support shaft portion 23a of the connecting pin 23 is formed into an arc shape in radial cross-section (spherical outer shape). Accordingly, the outside open lever 21 can be smoothly swung on the connecting pin 23.
Note that, the connecting structure 20 illustrated in
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the connecting pin 23 includes the connecting shaft portion 23c and the swaging fixing portion 23d. However, when the open link 22 can be firmly fitted and fixed onto the connecting shaft portion 23c of the connecting pin 23, the swaging fixing portion 23d can be omitted. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the spherical curved surfaces 23a1 serving as the allowable portion are formed on each axial end portion of the support shaft portion 23a of the connecting pin 23. However, as in a case of another embodiment illustrated in
Further, a configuration of the connecting structure 20 according to the another embodiment illustrated in
Further, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the spherical curved surface 23a1 serves as the allowable portion (allowable portion for increasing the amount of swing of the outside open lever 21 on the connecting pin 23 in the axial direction) formed on the connecting pin 23. However, the above-mentioned allowable portion only needs to have the radial cross-section having a curved surface shape (a curvature of the curved surface can be set as appropriate), and is not limited to the shape according to the above-mentioned embodiments.
Further, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the connecting structure 20 according to the present invention serves as a component of the vehicle door lock device. However, the connecting structure according to the present invention can be used as a component of vehicle door locking devices (such as a vehicle closer device, a vehicle remote control device, and a vehicle door handle device) except for the vehicle door lock device, and is not limited to the configuration according to the above-mentioned embodiments.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2013-082768 | Apr 2013 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2014/060420 | 4/10/2014 | WO | 00 |