Latch device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348408-A1
Application number	US-201515110330-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 9, 2015
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A latch device includes a case, a rod juts out from inside the case so as to adopt an advanced position, a rod biasing member biases the rod in a jutting out direction pushing the rod out from inside the case, a lock mechanism that includes a slide cam that moves together with the rod in the jutting out direction and a rotation cam that is relatively rotatable with respect to the slide cam about an axis of the rod, with the lock mechanism locking the rod in a retracted position in the case due to the rotation cam engaging with the slide cam and rotating due to the rod being pressed in, a guide mechanism for rotating the rod about the axial direction thereof when the rod is advancing or retracting, and an engagement portion that engages with an engaged portion when the rod has been locked.

First claim

1 . A latch device, comprising:
a tube shaped case that is fixed at a side of a second member that faces a first member; a rod that is retained inside the case so as to be capable of sliding, and that juts out from inside the case to adopt an advanced position pushing out the first member; a rod biasing member that is positioned between the case and the rod, and that is compressed under elastic deformation inside the case, so as to bias the rod in a jutting out direction pushing the rod out from inside the case; a lock mechanism including:
a slide cam that moves together with the rod in the jutting out direction, and
a rotation cam that is provided at a rear side of the slide cam in the jutting out direction and that is capable of relative rotation with respect to the slide cam about an axis of the rod,
with the lock mechanism positioned between the case and the rod, and locking the rod in a retracted position in the case due to the rotation cam engaging with the slide cam and rotating due to the rod being pressed in against a biasing force of the rod biasing member;
a guide mechanism that is provided between the rod and the case, and is for rotating the rod about an axial direction of the rod when the rod is advancing or retracting; and an engagement portion that is provided at the rod, that is capable of disengaging from an engaged portion of the first member due to the rod rotating about the axial direction thereof, and that engages with the engaged portion when the rod has been locked.

2 . The latch device of claim 1 , wherein the lock mechanism further includes:
a jutting out portion that is positioned partway along an axial direction of the rod and that juts out in a radial direction toward an outer side; a lower-side rod section positioned at the rear side in the jutting out direction with the jutting out portion as a boundary, so as to be capable of sliding in the axial direction, the lower-side rod section supporting the slide cam, and supporting the rotation cam at the rear side of the slide cam in the jutting out direction such that the rotation cam is capable of rotating and capable of sliding in the axial direction, and the rotation cam meshing with the slide cam, and disengaging and being imparted with a rotation force in one direction by sliding of the rod; a slide groove that is positioned at one of an outer peripheral face of the slide cam or an inner peripheral face of the case, and that extends along a slide direction of the rod, a slide projection that is positioned at another of the outer peripheral face of the slide cam or the inner peripheral face of the case, and that prevents rotation of the slide cam with respect to the case due to relative sliding of the slide projection inside the slide groove due to sliding of the slide cam; an engagement projection that juts out from one of an outer peripheral face of the rotation cam or the inner peripheral face of the case; a lock groove that is positioned at another of the outer peripheral face of the rotation cam or the inner peripheral face of the case, that includes a lock portion into which the engagement projection fits, the engagement projection that has been fitted into the lock portion being capable of disengaging from the lock portion by the rotation cam rotating due to the rotation cam disengaging from the slide cam; a sleeve that is supported at a rear side of the rotation cam in the jutting out direction by the lower-side rod section so as to be capable of rotating and capable of sliding in the axial direction, and that is capable of abutting the rotation cam; and a grommet that is disposed at a rear side of the sleeve in the jutting out direction, that is inserted at the lower-side rod section, and that limits movement of the rod in the slide direction.

3 . The latch device of claim 1 , further comprising a boot that is provided between the engagement portion and the case, and that covers the rod.

4 . The latch device of claim 3 , further comprising a slide resistance reduction member that is provided between the rod and the boot to reduce slide resistance between the rod and the boot.

5 . The latch device of claim 1 , wherein the second member is a vehicle body, and the first member is a fuel lid attached to the vehicle body so as to be capable of rotating in opening and closing directions.

6 . The latch device of claim 2 , further comprising a boot that is provided between the engagement portion and the case, and that covers the rod.

7 . The latch device of claim 6 , further comprising a slide resistance reduction member that is provided between the rod and the boot to reduce slide resistance between the rod and the boot.

8 . The latch device of claim 2 , wherein the second member is a vehicle body, and the first member is a fuel lid attached to the vehicle body so as to be capable of rotating in opening and closing directions.

9 . The latch device of claim 3 , wherein the second member is a vehicle body, and the first member is a fuel lid attached to the vehicle body so as to be capable of rotating in opening and closing directions.

10 . The latch device of claim 6 , wherein the second member is a vehicle body, and the first member is a fuel lid attached to the vehicle body so as to be capable of rotating in opening and closing directions.

11 . The latch device of claim 4 , wherein the second member is a vehicle body, and the first member is a fuel lid attached to the vehicle body so as to be capable of rotating in opening and closing directions.

12 . The latch device of claim 7 , wherein the second member is a vehicle body, and the first member is a fuel lid attached to the vehicle body so as to be capable of rotating in opening and closing directions.

Assignees

• Nifco Inc

Inventors

• Watanabe Yasuhiro

Classifications

• B60K2015/0584

  the locking bolt is linearly moved to lock or unlock · CPC title

• E05C19/022

  Released by pushing in the closing direction · CPC title

• B60K2015/0561

  Locking means for the inlet cover · CPC title

• B60K2015/0576

  with actuator fixed to the vehicle body · CPC title

• B60K2015/053

  with hinged connection to the vehicle body · CPC title