Closure fasteners – Bolts – Swinging
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-27
2001-07-24
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Swinging
C292S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264253
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a door lock apparatus provided with a sensing switch for sensing a door open/closed state by detecting a rotation position of an engagement mechanism of a door lock, especially used for automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho. 61-49471 discloses an automobile door lock apparatus provided with a sensing switch for sensing a door open/closed state in a conventional art. The door lock apparatus comprises a latch that can be engaged into and disengaged from a striker fixed to the car body side as the door is opened and closed, a pole that can be engaged into and disengaged from the latch, the latch and the pole constituting an engagement mechanism, and a sensing switch for sensing a latch position changing in response to a door open/closed state, thereby sensing the door open/closed state, the members being housed in a housing section of a body of the door lock apparatus.
However, with the door lock apparatus as aforementioned, the sensing switch together with the engagement mechanism is fitted into the housing section of the body, thus a space for housing the sensing switch needs to be reserved in the body and the attachment face of the body increases. Since a harness is connected to the sensing switch, the door lock apparatus must be fitted while the harness is being trailed; a problem of a poor fit is involved. Further, it is feared that rainwater, etc., entering the body may cause an operation failure of the sensing switch.
It is therefore a first object of the invention to provide a door lock apparatus provided with a sensing switch intended for suppressing upsizing of a body attachment face and improving a fit of the door lock apparatus.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a door lock apparatus provided with a sensing switch designed for preventing rainwater, etc., entering a door lock main body from causing an operation failure of a sensing switch.
According to the invention, the problems are solved as follows:
(1) In a door lock apparatus comprising an engagement mechanism that can rotate between an open position corresponding to an open position of a door and a full latch position corresponding to a door closed position as the door is opened and closed, the engagement mechanism being housed in a housing section of a body, and a sensing switch having an actuator coming in sliding contact with a cam face of the engagement mechanism and pushed to an actuation position following rotation of the engagement mechanism for sensing a door open or closed state, a switch attachment section having a through hole for allowing the outside and the housing section to communicate with each other is formed in the body, a switch case housing the sensing switch is fixed to the switch attachment section, and the actuator of the sensing switch can come in sliding contact with the cam face of the engagement mechanism through the through hole.
(2) In (1) above, the switch attachment section has a projection part formed in the upper end of the body and projecting upward from the surroundings of the through hole and the switch case covers the projection part and is fixed in a cap-like manner.
(3) In (1) or (2) above, the housing section of the body is provided with a cover part for covering the actuator of the sensing switch.
(4) In (1) or (3) above, the switch attachment section is formed on one side of the body and the actuator of the sensing switch is placed in the housing section of the body from the body side through the through hole.
(5) In any of (1) to (4) above, the cam face of the engagement mechanism is formed as a shape for causing the actuator of the sensing switch to be moved to the actuation position when the engagement mechanism is at the open position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3857001 (1974-12-01), Quantz
patent: 4298223 (1981-11-01), Raffelsiefer et al.
patent: 4593945 (1986-06-01), Arute et al.
patent: 4806712 (1989-02-01), Hoffman et al.
patent: 5137311 (1992-08-01), Brackmann
patent: 5722706 (1998-03-01), Bartel et al.
patent: 61-49471 (1981-06-01), None
Browne Lynne H.
Foley & Lardner
Ohi Seisakusho Co. Ltd.
Walsh John B.
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