# US 2018/0023325 A1 · Vehicle door lock apparatus

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- Number: US 2018/0023325 A1
- Document ID: US20180023325A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/653,700
- Filed: 2017-07-19
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20
- Assignees: Ansel Corporation
- Applicants: ANSEl CORPORATION
- Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI; Satoshi YAMAJI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023325A1

## CPC

- E05B 77/46: Locking several wings simultaneously
- E05B 81/16: operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action
- E05B 81/54: Electrical circuits (for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48)
- E05B 81/64: Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
- E05B 81/66: the bolt position, i.e. the latching status
- E05B 85/20: Bolts or detents
- E05B 77/00: Vehicle locks characterised by special functions or purposes (locks specially adapted for bicycles E05B71/00; locking arrangements for non-fixed vehicle roofs B60J7/185)
- E05B 77/06: by means of inertial forces
- E05B 81/06: using rotary motors
- E05B 85/00: Details of vehicle locks not provided for in groups E05B77/00 - E05B83/00
- E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS

## Abstract

A vehicle door lock apparatus includes housings respectively having a housing chamber and a latch chamber formed therein, a latch mechanism housed in the latch chamber and being configured to retain a door closed with respect to a vehicle frame, and an actuating mechanism housed in the housing chamber for actuating the latch mechanism. A first and a second switch are housed in one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, and respectively detect states of the actuating mechanism and the latch mechanism. A plurality of terminals is arranged in a first row and a second row in the housing. The first switch is connected to terminals in the first row and the second switch is connected to terminals in the second row such that the plurality of terminals is sandwiched by the first switch and the second switch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle door lock apparatus fixed between a vehicle frame and a door openable and closable with respect to the vehicle frame and capable of retaining the door closed with respect to the vehicle frame, the vehicle door lock apparatus comprising:
a housing having a latch chamber and a housing chamber formed in the interior thereof;
a latch mechanism housed in the latch chamber and configured to hold the door closed with respect to the vehicle frame;
an actuating mechanism housed in the housing chamber and configured to actuate the latch mechanism;
a first switch housed in one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, the first switch being configured to detect a first state of the latch mechanism or the actuating mechanism;
a second switch housed in the one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, the second switch being configured to detect a second state of the latch mechanism or the actuating mechanism; and
a plurality of terminals provided in the housing and arranged in a first row and a second row;
wherein the first switch is connected to the first row of the terminals and the second switch is connected to the second row of the terminals such that the first and second rows of the terminals are sandwiched by the first switch and the second switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle door lock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
a striker is affixed to the vehicle frame,
the vehicle door lock apparatus is affixed to the door,
the housing includes a latch housing, in which the latch chamber is formed, and an actuating housing assembled onto the latch housing, the housing chamber being formed in the actuating housing,
an entry opening configured to receive the striker is formed in the latch housing,
the latch mechanism includes:
a fork pivotably provided in the latch housing, the fork being displaceable to a latched position, where the striker is retained in the entry opening, and to an unlatched position, where the striker is released to exit from the entry opening; and
a pawl pivotably provided in the latch housing, the pawl being configured to fix or release the fork;
the actuating mechanism includes:
a first lever displaceably provided in the actuating housing, the first lever being displaceable by opening operation being performed on a door handle to act on the pawl, and being configured to cause the pawl to release the fork;
a second lever displaceably provided in the actuating housing, the second lever being displaceable to a locking position to retain the first lever in a locked position, where the first lever is unable to act on the pawl, and to an unlocking position to not retain the first lever in the locked position, the second lever enabling, in the unlocking position, displacement of the fork disposed in the latched position to the unlatched position and disabling, in the locking position, displacement of the fork disposed in the latched position to the unlatched position;
a third lever pivotably provided in the actuating housing, the third lever being displaceable in response to movement of the fork to an interior light OFF position corresponding to the latched position and being displaceable to an interior light ON position corresponding to the unlatched position; and
a fourth lever pivotably provided in the actuating housing, the fourth lever being configured to pivot in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a key cylinder to displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position and to pivot in response to a locking operation being performed on the key cylinder to displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position,
the first switch and the second switch are housed in the housing chamber,
the first switch detects the first state according to displacement of the third lever, and
the second switch detects the second state according to displacement of the fourth lever.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle door lock apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
a third switch housed in the housing chamber and being configured to detect a state of the second lever,
wherein:
the third switch is connected to the first row of the terminals or to the second row of the terminals, and
the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch surround the plurality of terminals.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The vehicle door lock apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:
an electric motor housed in the housing chamber, the electric motor being configured to generate a driving force for displacing the second lever to the locking position and to the unlocking position,
wherein:
the electric motor is connected to the first row of the terminals or to the second row of the terminals, and
the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the electric motor surround the plurality of terminals.

### Claim 5

A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame;
a door openable and closable with respect to the vehicle frame;
a vehicle door lock apparatus affixed to the door and comprising:
a housing having a latch chamber and a housing chamber formed in the interior thereof;
a latch mechanism housed in the latch chamber and configured to hold the door closed with respect to the vehicle frame;
an actuating mechanism housed in the housing chamber and configured to actuate the latch mechanism;
a first switch housed in one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, the first switch being configured to detect a first state of the latch mechanism or the actuating mechanism;
a second switch housed in the one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, the second switch being configured to detect a second state of the latch mechanism or the actuating mechanism; and
terminals provided in the housing and arranged in a first row and a second row;
wherein the first switch is connected to a first plurality of the terminals in the first row,
the second switch is connected to a second plurality of the terminals in the second row, and
the first and second rows of the terminals are interposed between the first switch and the second switch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein:
a striker is affixed to the vehicle frame,
the housing includes a latch housing, in which the latch chamber is formed, and an actuating housing assembled onto the latch housing, the housing chamber being formed in the actuating housing, and
an entry opening configured to receive the striker is formed in the latch housing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the latch mechanism includes:
a fork pivotably provided in the latch housing, the fork being displaceable to a latched position, where the striker is retained in the entry opening, and to an unlatched position, where the striker is released to exit from the entry opening; and
a pawl pivotably provided in the latch housing, the pawl being configured to fix or release the fork.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the actuating mechanism includes:
a first lever displaceably provided in the actuating housing, the first lever being displaceable in response to an opening operation being performed on a door handle to act on the pawl, and being configured to cause the pawl to release the fork;
a second lever displaceably provided in the actuating housing, the second lever being displaceable to a locking position to retain the first lever in a locked position, where the first lever is unable to act on the pawl, and to an unlocking position to not retain the first lever in the locked position, the second lever enabling, in the unlocking position, displacement of the fork disposed in the latched position to the unlatched position and disabling, in the locking position, displacement of the fork disposed in the latched position to the unlatched position;
a third lever pivotably provided in the actuating housing, the third lever being displaceable in response to movement of the fork to an interior light OFF position corresponding to the latched position and being displaceable to an interior light ON position corresponding to the unlatched position; and
a fourth lever pivotably provided in the actuating housing, the fourth lever being configured to pivot in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a key cylinder to displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position and to pivot in response to a locking operation being performed on the key cylinder to displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein:
the first switch and the second switch are housed in the housing chamber,
the first switch is configured to detect the first state according to displacement of the third lever, and
the second switch is configured to detect the second state according to displacement of the fourth lever.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising:
a third switch housed in the housing chamber and being configured to detect a state of the second lever,
wherein:
the third switch is connected to the first row of the terminals or to the second row of the terminals, and
the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch surround the plurality of terminals.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising:
an electric motor housed in the housing chamber, the electric motor being configured to generate a driving force for displacing the second lever to the locking position and to the unlocking position,
wherein:
the electric motor is connected to the first row of the terminals or to the second row of the terminals, and
the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the electric motor surround the plurality of terminals.

### Claim 12

An apparatus comprising:
a housing having an interior defining a latch chamber and a housing chamber;
a latch mechanism housed in the latch chamber and configured to hold a vehicle door closed with respect to a vehicle frame;
an actuating mechanism housed in the housing chamber and configured to actuate the latch mechanism;
a first switch housed in one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, the first switch being configured to detect a first state of the latch mechanism or the actuating mechanism;
a second switch housed in the one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, the second switch being configured to detect a second state of the latch mechanism or the actuating mechanism; and
terminals provided in the housing and arranged in a first row and a second row;
wherein the first switch is connected to a first plurality of the terminals in the first row,
the second switch is connected to a second plurality of the terminals in the second row, and
the first and second rows of the terminals are interposed between the first switch and the second switch.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:
the housing includes a latch housing, in which the latch chamber is formed, and an actuating housing assembled onto the latch housing, the housing chamber being formed in the actuating housing, and
an entry opening is formed in the latch housing and is configured to receive a striker affixed to the vehicle frame.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the latch mechanism includes:
a fork pivotably provided in the latch housing, the fork being displaceable to a latched position, where the fork is configured to retain the striker in the entry opening, and to an unlatched position, where fork is configured to release the striker so that the striker is capable of exiting from the entry opening; and
a pawl pivotably provided in the latch housing, the pawl being configured to fix or release the fork.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the actuating mechanism includes:
a first lever displaceably provided in the actuating housing, the first lever being displaceable in response to an opening operation being performed on a door handle mounted on the vehicle door to act on the pawl, and being configured to cause the pawl to release the fork;
a second lever displaceably provided in the actuating housing, the second lever being displaceable to a locking position to retain the first lever in a locked position, where the first lever is unable to act on the pawl, and to an unlocking position to not retain the first lever in the locked position, the second lever enabling, in the unlocking position, displacement of the fork disposed in the latched position to the unlatched position and disabling, in the locking position, displacement of the fork disposed in the latched position to the unlatched position;
a third lever pivotably provided in the actuating housing, the third lever being displaceable in response to movement of the fork to an interior light OFF position corresponding to the latched position and being displaceable to an interior light ON position corresponding to the unlatched position; and
a fourth lever pivotably provided in the actuating housing, the fourth lever being configured to pivot in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a key cylinder to displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position and to pivot in response to a locking operation being performed on the key cylinder to displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:
the first switch and the second switch are housed in the housing chamber,
the first switch is configured to detect the first state according to displacement of the third lever, and
the second switch is configured to detect the second state according to displacement of the fourth lever.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:
a third switch housed in the housing chamber and being configured to detect a state of the second lever,
wherein:
the third switch is connected to the first row of the terminals or to the second row of the terminals, and
the plurality of terminals is interposed between the first switch, the second switch and the third switch.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:
an electric motor housed in the housing chamber, the electric motor being configured to generate a driving force for displacing the second lever to the locking position and to the unlocking position,
wherein:
the electric motor is connected to the first row of the terminals or to the second row of the terminals, and
the plurality of terminals is interposed between the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the electric motor.