Vehicle door lock device

a door lock device for a vehicle comprising:

• a latch mechanism (3) configured to be fixed to a mounting surface (1a) of an end portion of a vehicle door for maintaining the vehicle door in a closed position relative to a vehicle body, said latch mechanism (3) having a latch (32) defining a latch plane;
• and
• an operational lever (56) operatively linked to an operational handle (12) provided to the vehicle door and being operatively linked to the latch mechanism for operating the latch mechanism for releasing the vehicle door from the vehicle body;
• characterized by
• a locking lever (72) arranged perpendicular to the latch plane such that a side surface of the locking lever (72) faces toward the side panel of the vehicle door, the locking lever operable to allow and disallow operable linkage between the operational lever and the latch mechanism;
• an emergency operational member (76) arranged to face toward the side panel of the vehicle door and operatively linked to the locking lever;
• an active lever (71) arranged perpendicular to the latch plane such that a side surface of the active lever (71) faces toward the side panel of the vehicle door and including an output shaft (71a) that supports the locking lever and the emergency operational member;
• an electric motor (73) operatively linked to the active lever for operating the locking lever via the active lever;
• a sub-locking lever (74) connected to a base end of the output shaft to rotate therewith;
• and
• a spring (75) wound around the output shaft between the emergency operational member and the locking lever, a first end of the spring being engaged with the sub locking lever and a second end of the spring being engaged with the locking lever;
• wherein the emergency operational member is connected to an end of the output shaft to rotate therewith, and the locking lever is supported to be relatively rotatable about the output shaft.