Vehicle door lock device

A vehicle door lock device configured to engage a vehicle body and a door, comprising:

• a casing including a base fixed to either of the door or the vehicle body;
• a latch supported by the base such that the latch pivotally moves about a latch shaft oriented in a vertical direction and wherein the latch engages with a striker provided on the other of the door and the vehicle body when the door is closed;
• a ratchet supported on the base such that the ratchet pivotally moves about a ratchet shaft oriented in the vertical direction, wherein the ratchet holds the latch at a latch position when the ratchet is at an engagement position for engaging with the latch, and wherein the ratchet pivotally moves to a release position at which the ratchet moves from the engagement position in a release direction to disengage from the latch and the latch moves to an unlatch position;
• a motor having a rotary shaft disposed on the casing such that the rotary shaft is oriented in a horizontal direction and having a pinion gear fastened to the rotary shaft;
• and
• an actuating member having a gear part supported in the casing to pivotally move such that a rotation axis is oriented in the horizontal direction, and wherein the gear part engages with the pinion gear, and wherein a spiral groove line part directly engages with an end of the ratchet, and wherein the ratchet moves from the engagement position to the release position when the groove line part undergoes one rotation in one direction driven by rotation of the rotary shaft,
• wherein, in a planar view taken along the vertical direction, the actuating member is disposed between the motor and a grouping of the latch and the ratchet such that the gear part is on the latch side and disposed outside a movement range of the latch, the spiral groove line part of the actuating member being arranged within the movement range of the ratchet.