U.S. patent application number 09/386852 was filed with the patent office on 2001-09-20 for door locking assembly for a vehicle and a door assembly having the same.
Invention is credited to FUKUMOTO, RYOICHI, FUKUSHIMA, KEIICHI, KOKUBO, MOTOHIRO, SHIRAISHI, DAIICHI, TAKAI, HIROSHI, UCHITSUNEMI, MASAYUKI.
Application Number | 20010022051 09/386852 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 17126727 |
Filed Date | 2001-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010022051 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FUKUMOTO, RYOICHI ; et
al. |
September 20, 2001 |
DOOR LOCKING ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE AND A DOOR ASSEMBLY HAVING THE
SAME
Abstract
A door assemble for vehicles includes a space defined between a
door inner panel and a door trimming, in which a door locking
device for holding a vehicle door on a vehicle body is accommodated
so as to be secured on the door inner panel. A key cylinder and a
connecting rod for a door outside handle are arranged between a
door outer panel and the door inner panel, and a locking lever and
an opening lever of the door locking device are placed in the space
connected to the key cylinder and the connecting rod therein.
Inventors: |
FUKUMOTO, RYOICHI;
(NAGOYA-SHI, JP) ; KOKUBO, MOTOHIRO; (KARIYA-SHI,
JP) ; UCHITSUNEMI, MASAYUKI; (CHIRYU-SHI, JP)
; FUKUSHIMA, KEIICHI; (TOYOTA-SHI, JP) ; TAKAI,
HIROSHI; (AICHI-KEN, JP) ; SHIRAISHI, DAIICHI;
(AICHI-KEN, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BURNS DOANE SWECKER & MATHIS L L P
POST OFFICE BOX 1404
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
17126727 |
Appl. No.: |
09/386852 |
Filed: |
August 31, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
49/503 ; 70/237;
70/264; 70/370 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 70/5889 20150401;
Y10T 70/7655 20150401; E05B 79/04 20130101; Y10T 70/65 20150401;
E05B 83/36 20130101; B60J 5/0463 20130101; B60J 5/0412
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
49/503 ; 70/237;
70/264; 70/370 |
International
Class: |
E06B 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 31, 1998 |
JP |
244974/1998 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A door locking assembly for a vehicle comprising: a door locking
device adapted to be fixed on the face of a door inner panel of a
vehicle door on the inner side of a vehicle compartment and
including a locking member and an open member; and a door key
cylinder adapted to be so arranged on the face of a door outer
panel of said vehicle door on the outer side of the vehicle
compartment as to be supported by said door outer panel and said
door inner panel and so extended through said door inner panel as
to be associated with the locking member of said door locking
device.
2. A door locking assembly according to claim 1, further comprising
a first connection rod adapted to be arranged at said door inner
panel on the inner side of the vehicle compartment and connected to
the locking member and the door key cylinder of said door locking
device.
3. A door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said door
locking device is adapted to be fastened and fixed to a horizontal
wall of a lock side panel of said door inner panel.
4. A door locking assembly according to claim 2, further
comprising: a door outside handle adapted to be exposed to the face
of said door outer panel on the outer side of the vehicle
compartment and supported by said door outer panel; and a second
connection rod adapted to be arranged between said door outer panel
and said door inner panel and connected to said door outside
handle, the open member of said door locking device being adapted
to be arranged through said door inner panel and being connected to
said second connection rod.
5. A door assembly for a vehicle comprising: a door outer panel for
providing the external appearance of a vehicle door on the outer
side of a vehicle compartment; a door inner panel fixed on the face
of said door outer panel on the inner side of the vehicle
compartment; a door trimming fixed on the face of said door inner
panel on the inner side of the vehicle compartment for providing
the external appearance of the vehicle door on the inner side of
the vehicle compartment; a door locking device fixed on the face of
said door inner panel on the inner side of the vehicle compartment
and arranged in a space between said door inner panel and said door
trimming for holding said vehicle door on the vehicle body; and a
weather strip contacting with said door inner panel and said
vehicle body for providing a seal between said vehicle door and
said vehicle body.
6. A door assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a door
key cylinder supported by said door outer panel and said door inner
panel so as to be located therebetween and associated with a
locking member of said door locking device.
7. A door assembly according to claim 5, wherein said door inner
panel includes a lock side panel having a horizontal wall for
fastening and fixing said door locking device.
8. A door assembly according to claim 7, wherein said lock side
panel has a seal face continuing from said horizontal wall and
contacted by said weather strip.
9. A door assembly for a vehicle a door outer panel means having a
door outside handle and a key insertion member, a door inner panel
means fixed on the door outer panel means and having a door lock
side panel at one end thereof, a door trimming means fixed on the
door inner panel means so as to provide a space between the door
lock side panel and the door trimming means, a door locking device
for holding the vehicle door on the vehicle body fixed on the door
lock side panel and placed in the space between the door lock side
panel and the door trimming means, a room means for allowing a
window glass to be housed and provided between the door outer panel
means and the door inner panel means, and a first means for
connecting the door inside handle and the key insertion member to
the door locking device, which is provided in the room means.
10. A door assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first
connecting means includes a key cylinder case for the key insertion
member supported by the door outer panel means and the door inner
panel means, and a connecting rod for connecting the door outside
handle and a part of the door locking device.
11. A door assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a
second means for connecting an operation member in the key cylinder
case to the door locking device and connecting the connecting rod
for the door outside handle to the door locking device, the second
connecting means being arranged in said space.
12. A door assembly according to claim 11, wherein the door locking
device has a base plate which is secured to the door lock side
panel so that the first connecting means is able to be connected to
the second connecting means in said space by a hand operation.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a door locking assembly for
a vehicle for operating a door locking device capable of holding a
vehicle door assembly on a vehicle body, and to a vehicular door
having the door locking assembly.
[0002] In a prior art of this kind, a door locking assembly for
vehicles is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
7-17248 (1995), and a vehicular door assembly is disclosed in
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 5-201252 (1993).
[0003] In the former system of the prior art, a door key cylinder
to lock a door assembly with respect to a vehicle body is supported
by a door outer panel. The door key cylinder is supported not only
by a door outer panel but also by a stay fixed on the door outer
panel so that it may be supported at its two ends. On the other
hand, a door locking device to be associated with the door key
cylinder is arranged between the door outer panel and a door inner
panel, and the door key cylinder is associated with the door
locking device by a connection rod which is arranged between the
door outer panel and the door inner panel. In fact, the door
assembly is normally composed of the door outer panel, the door
inner panel, and a door trim which are connected to each other.
[0004] In the latter device of the prior art, on the other hand,
the door locking device is supported by the door inner panel. The
door locking device is fixed on the face of the door inner panel on
the inner side of a vehicle compartment and is covered with the
door trimming. On the other hand, the weather strip is fixed on the
door trimming, and a seal between the vehicle door and the vehicle
body is provided by causing the weather strip to contact with the
vehicle body.
[0005] According to the former system of the prior art, however,
the stay is required for supporting the door key cylinder thereby
to increase the number of parts. Since the door locking device is
interposed between the door inner panel and the door outer panel
and since a connection rod for associating the door locking device
and the door key cylinder device is interposed between the door
inner panel and the door outer panel, on the other hand, the
connection rod and/or the door locking device may be unlawfully
operated along the windshield of the vehicle door from the vehicle
door on the outer side of the vehicle compartment.
[0006] Since the door locking device is interposed between the door
inner panel and the door trimming, according to the latter device
of the prior art, the door locking device is hardly operated
unlawfully. However, there has never been proposed such a
connection structure between the door key cylinder and the door
locking device as is effective for the unlawful operation. In the
latter device of the prior art, on the other hand, the weather
strip for providing the seal between the vehicle door and the
vehicle body is fixed on the door trimming to contact with the door
trimming and the vehicle body. As a result, the sealing force may
be reduced if the door trimming is deformed due to its thermal
shrinkage or aging.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a
door locking assembly for a vehicle, which is improved in an
anti-lawful operation by improving the connection structure between
a door locking device and a door key cylinder, and a vehicle door
assembly having the vehicular door locking assembly.
[0008] In order to achieve the above-specified object, according to
a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a door locking
assembly for a vehicle comprising: a door locking device adapted to
be fixed on the face of a door inner panel of a vehicle door on the
inner side of a vehicle compartment and including a locking member
and an open member; and a door key cylinder adapted to be so
arranged on the face of a door outer panel of said vehicle door on
the outer side of the vehicle compartment as to be supported by
said door outer panel and said door inner panel and so extended
through said door inner panel as to be associated with the locking
member of said door locking device.
[0009] According to this first aspect, the door key cylinder is
supported at its two ends by the door outer panel and the door
inner panel. Unlike the prior art, therefore, the stay is not
required to reduce the number of parts. On the other hand, the door
locking device is arranged at the door inner panel on the inner
side of the vehicle compartment, and the door locking device and
the door key cylinder are connected at the door inner panel on the
inner side of the vehicle compartment. As a result, an anti-lawful
operation can be improved better than the prior art.
[0010] Preferably, the vehicular door locking assembly may further
comprise a first connection rod arranged at said door inner panel
on the inner side of the vehicle compartment and connected to the
locking member and the door key cylinder of said door locking
device.
[0011] In order to achieve the aforementioned object, according to
a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a door assembly
for a vehicle comprising: a door outer panel for providing the
external appearance of a vehicle door on the outer side of a
vehicle compartment; a door inner panel fixed on the face of said
door outer panel on the inner side of the vehicle compartment; a
door trimming fixed on the face of said door inner panel on the
inner side of the vehicle compartment for providing the external
appearance of the vehicle door on the inner side of the vehicle
compartment; a door locking device fixed on the face of said door
inner panel on the inner side of the vehicle compartment and
arranged in a space between said door inner panel and said door
trimming for holding said vehicle door on the vehicle body; and a
weather strip contacting with said door inner panel and said
vehicle body for providing a seal between said vehicle door and
said vehicle body.
[0012] According to this second aspect, the door locking device is
arranged at the door inner panel on the inner side of the vehicle
compartment so that it can be connected at the door inner panel on
the inner side of the vehicle compartment to the door key cylinder
for operating it. As a result, an anti-lawful operation can be
improved better than the prior art. On the other hand, the weather
strip contacts with the door inner panel and the vehicle body so
that it is not influenced by the deformation or the like of the
door trimming but can ensure the seal between the vehicle body and
the vehicle door.
[0013] Preferably, the vehicular door assembly may further comprise
a door key cylinder supported by said door outer panel and said
door inner panel and associated with a locking member of said door
locking device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicular door
according to the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an inner module of
the vehicular door according to the invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the inner module of the
vehicular door according to the invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a door locking
system according to the invention;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a front elevation showing a mounted state of a
door locking device of the door locking system according to the
invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a section taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a section taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 5;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a section taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG.
5;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a section taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 5;
and
[0023] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a weather strip
mounting position of the vehicular door according to the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, a car door 1 is constructed to include:
a door outer panel 2 disposed on the outer side of a car
compartment for providing the external appearance of the car door 1
on the outer side of the car compartment; a door trimming 3
disposed on the inner side of the car compartment for providing the
internal appearance of the car door 1 on the inner side of the car
compartment; and an inner module 4 for providing the skeleton of
the car door 1. The inner module 4 is arranged between the door
outer panel 2 and the door trimming 3 for supporting the door
trimming 3 at its face on the inner side of the car compartment and
the door outer panel 2 at its face on the outer side of the car
compartment.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the inner module 4 includes a door
inner panel 5, a base panel 6, a door frame 7 and a door impact
beam 8.
[0026] The door inner panel 5 is composed of a hinge side panel 51,
a lock side panel 52, an upper reinforcement 53 and a lower panel
54. The hinge side panel 51 is arranged along the front end (as
located on the left-hand side in FIG. 1) of the door outer panel 2
to construct the front end wall of the car door 1. The lock side
panel 52 is arranged along the rear end (as located on the
right-hand side in FIG. 1) of the door outer panel 2 to construct
the rear end wall of the car door 1. The upper reinforcement 53 is
arranged along the upper end (or belt line portion) of the door
outer panel 2 and is bonded at its front end to the hinge side
panel 51 by the welding method and at its rear end to the lock side
panel 52 by the welding method.
[0027] The lower panel 54 is arranged along the lower end of the
door outer panel 2 and is bonded at its front end to the hinge side
panel 51 by the welding method and at its rear end to the lock side
panel 52 by the welding method. As a result, the door inner panel 5
presents a frame shape and fixes the front and rear edges and the
lower edge of the door outer panel 2 by the hemming roll treatment
to form a door internal space A, which is opened at its belt line
portion, together with the door outer panel 2. The door internal
space A thus opened at its belt line portion provides a space for
accommodating the (not-shown) door windshield to open/close a
window portion 1a which is constructed by the later-described door
frame 7.
[0028] On the hinge side panel 51, on the other hand, there are
mounted a pair of hinge members 9 and 10 which support the front
end of the car door 1 swingably on a car body 12. On the lock side
panel 52, there is mounted a door locking device 11 for holding the
rear end of the car door 1 in and out of engagement with the car
body 12. Thus, the car door 1 is supported to be opened from or
closed into the car body 12.
[0029] The base panel 6 is bonded by the welding method to the
hinge side panel 51 and the lock side panel 52 to form an X-shape
and is arranged generally in parallel with the door outer panel 2
to retain the torsional rigidity of the car door 1.
[0030] The door frame 7 constructs the window portion 1a in the car
door 1 and is prepared by bonding two parts, i.e., a front roof
pillar member 71 having a closed sectional shape and a center
pillar member 72 having a closed sectional shape by the welding
method. The door frame 7 is bonded at its end on the side of the
front roof pillar member 71 to the hinge side panel 51 by the
welding method and at its end on the side of the center pillar
member 72 to the lock side panel 52 by the welding method.
[0031] The door impact beam 8 is formed into a long pipe shape and
is arranged in the door internal space A on the outer side of the
car compartment of the base panel 6 and generally in parallel with
the upper reinforcement 53 and the lower panel 54. The door impact
beam 8 is bonded at its two ends by brackets 81 and 82 to the hinge
side panel 51 and the lock side panel 52.
[0032] The base panel 6 and the door impact beam 8 are covered with
a cover 24 which is adhered through a seal member 23 to the face of
the door inner panel 5 on the inner side of the car
compartment.
[0033] Here will be described in detail the door locking system or
an essential portion of the invention.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the lock side panel 52 of the door
inner panel 5 is formed into an inverted L-shape composed of a
horizontal wall 521 and a vertical wall 522 and is so arranged at
the door outer panel 2 on the inner side of the car compartment
that the horizontal wall 521 is parallel at a predetermined spacing
to the door outer panel 2. The lock side panel 52 fixes the rear
edge of the door outer panel 2 with a flange wall 523 which extends
oppositely of the horizontal wall 521 from the vertical wall 522.
At a vertical center portion of the inner face of the car
compartment of the vertical wall 522, on the other hand, there is
formed a recess 525 for forming a horizontal wall 524 generally in
parallel with the horizontal wall 521.
[0035] The door locking device 11 is accommodated in a base plate
111, which has a generally C-shaped section composed integrally of
a vertical wall 111a and mounting flange walls 111b and 111c
extending from the two ends of the vertical wall 111a, and is
provided with a latch mechanism 112, as well known in the art. This
latch mechanism 112 is brought into and out of engagement with a
(not-shown) striker on the side of the car body 12 and is actuated
by the turning motion of a well-known open lever 113, as turnably
supported by the base plate 111, of the door locking device 111 to
come into and out of engagement with the striker thereby to
establish the opened state of the car door 1 with respect to the
car body 12.
[0036] On the other hand, a key lever 114, as turnably supported by
the base plate 111, of the door locking device 11 brings the open
lever 113 and the latch mechanism 112 into and out of engagement
with each other through a (not-shown) locking lever to establish
the locked state of the car door 1. The door locking device 11 thus
constructed is so inserted from the inner side of the car
compartment into the recess 525 of the lock side panel 52 that the
vertical wall 111a of the base plate 111 may confront the vertical
wall 522 of the lock side panel 52 generally in parallel, as shown
in FIG. 7, and is mounted on the face of the door inner panel 5 on
the inner side of the car compartment by fastening and fixing the
paired mounting flange walls 111b and 111c of the base plate 111 on
the horizontal walls 521 and 524 from the inner side of the car
compartment by means of bolts 115 and 116 and nuts 117 and 118.
[0037] The door locking device 11 is thus fastened and fixed from
the inner side of the car compartment on the horizontal walls 521
and 524 of the lock side panel 52 so that it can be easily
assembled.
[0038] In the state where the car door 1 is held in engagement with
the car body 12 by the door locking device 11, on the other hand,
the load in the direction to open the car door 1 is applied as a
tensile load to the bolts 115 and 116 for fastening and fixing the
door locking device 11 so that an advantage in strength can be
achieved. Here, the portion of the lock side panel 52 to be
fastened and fixed by the bolt 115 and the nut 117 is reinforced by
overlying the base panel 6 which is bonded from the outer side of
the car compartment (or from the side of the door internal space A)
to the center pillar portion 72 of the door frame 7 by the welding
method.
[0039] On the other hand, the portion to be fastened and fixed by
the bolt 116 and the nut 118 is reinforced by overlying the lock
reinforcement 22, as welded to the center pillar portion 72 of the
door frame 7, from the outer side of the car compartment (or from
the side of the door internal space A). As a result, the mounting
strength of the door locking device 11 is further improved.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 6, a door outside handle 16 is connected to
the open lever 113 of the door locking device 11 through a
connection rod 14, and a door key cylinder 20 is connected to the
key lever 114 through a connection rod 18.
[0041] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the door outside handle 16 is
arranged in a recess 2a, which is formed in the face of the door
outer panel 2 on the outer side of the car compartment, and is
swingably supported by the door outer panel 2. A connection arm
portion 16a of the door outside handle 16 is inserted into an
opening 2b formed in the door outer panel 2 and is positioned in
the door internal space A between the door outer panel 2 and the
door inner panel 5. The open lever 113 of the door locking device
11 is inserted into a through hole 5a, which extends through the
mounting flange wall 111c of the base plate 111, the horizontal
wall 524 of the lock side panel 52 of the door inner panel 5 and a
lock reinforcement 22, so far in the door internal space A between
the door outer panel 2 and the door inner panel 5, and a connection
clip 119 is fitted on the leading end of the open lever 113.
[0042] On the other hand, the connection rod 14 is arranged in the
door internal space A between the door outer panel 2 and the door
inner panel 5 and is clipped at its one end to the mounting arm
portion 16a of the door outside handle 16. The connection clip 119
is fitted on the other end of the connection rod 14 through a slot
14a. By operating the door outside handle 16, therefore, the
connection rod 14 can be moved downward to turn the open lever 113
of the door locking device 11.
[0043] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the door key cylinder is inserted
and arranged in a through hole 2c which is formed in the door outer
panel 2. The door key cylinder 20 is inserted into a through hole
5b, which is formed across the door internal space A in the
horizontal wall 524 of the lock side panel 52 of the door inner
panel 5, and is supported in a cylinder case 20c by a support clip
20b which is fixed at its two ends on the door outer panel 2 by the
door outer panel 2 and the door inner panel 5. Thus, the door key
cylinder 20 is supported at its two ends by the door outer panel 2
and the door inner panel 5 so that its support can be ensured with
the small number of parts. The connection rod 18 is arranged at the
door inner panel 5 on the inner side of the car compartment and is
rotatably connected at its one end, as located on the side of the
door inner panel 5 facing the inside of the car, to a key rotary
rod 20d using pin 18a at its end to be rotated by the door key
cylinder 20 and inserted and fitted at its other end in the key
lever 114.
[0044] The rotatable connection of the connection rod 18 with
respect to that key rotary rod 20d absorbs the eccentricities of
the two rods 20d and 18, and the excessive rotations of the
connection rod 18 and the key rotary rod 20d are regulated by a
pawl portion 20e, which is formed at the key rotary rod 20d for
abutting against the connection rod 18 in the rotational direction,
thereby to improve the assemblabilities of the two rods 20d and
18.
[0045] Here, the key lever 114 is of the rotary type, in which it
is rotatably snapped on a bracket 111d fixed on the vertical wall
111a of the base plate 111 coaxially with the key rotary rod 20d,
and is connected to the locking lever through a rocking rod 19. By
operating the door key cylinder 20, therefore, the connection rod
can be integrally rotated to rotate the key lever 114 of the door
locking device 11.
[0046] The through holes 5a and 5b, which are formed in the
horizontal wall 524 of the lock side panel 52, as the open lever
113 of the door locking device 11 is inserted into the former hole
whereas the door key cylinder 20 is inserted into the latter hole,
are clogged with seal members 25 and 26 which are arranged around
the open lever 113 and the door key cylinder 20, thereby to provide
a seal between the door internal space A and the door inner panel 5
on the inner side of the car compartment.
[0047] In the door locking system thus constructed, the door
outside handle 16, to which the connection rod 14 is connected, and
the door key cylinder 20, to which the connection rod 18 is
connected, are assembled at first with the door outer panel 2 from
the outer side of the car compartment. After this, the door locking
device 11 is assembled with the door inner panel 5 from the inner
side of the car compartment.
[0048] When the door locking device 11 is to be assembled,
moreover, the connection clip 119 of the connection rod 14 is
inserted and fitted in the open lever 113 of the door locking
device 11 thereby to connect the door outside handle 16 and the
open lever 113 through the connection rod 14, and the connection
rod 18 is inserted and fitted on the key lever 114 of the door
locking device 11 thereby to connect the door key cylinder 20 and
the key lever 114 through the connection rod 18.
[0049] Thus, the door outside handle 16 and the door locking device
11 of the door key cylinder 20 are connected by the inserting and
fitting operations so that they can be easily assembled.
[0050] To the open lever 113 of the door locking device 11, as
shown in FIG. 5, there is connected an inside lever 120 (as shown
in FIG. 8) which is turnably supported on the mounting flange wall
111b of the base plate 111. This inside lever 120 is connected
through a connection rod 15, as arranged at the door inner panel 5
on the inner side of the car compartment, to the door inside handle
17 (as shown in FIG. 1) which is arranged at the door trimming
3.
[0051] Thus, the open lever 113 is also turned by operating a door
inside handle 17. On the other hand, the key lever 114 of the door
locking device 11 is through the connection rod 19, which is
arranged at the door inner panel 5 on the inner side of the car
compartment, to a lock knob 21 which is arranged at the door
trimming 3, so that the key lever 114 is also turned by operating
the lock knob 21.
[0052] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the door locking device 11 is
covered with the door trimming 3, which is supported on the face of
the inner module 4 on the inner side of the car compartment, and is
arranged between the door trimming 3 and the door inner panel 5 so
that it is hidden from the car compartment. On the other hand, the
connection rods 18 and 19, which are connected to the key lever 114
of the door locking device 11 for locking/unlocking the car door 1,
are also arranged between the door trimming 3 and the door inner
panel 5.
[0053] In the door internal space A for accommodating the
windshield, therefore, there is arranged no part for
locking/unlocking the car door 1. This improves an anti-lawful
operation, because the door locking device 11 cannot be unlocked
even when any unlawful tool or the like is inserted along the
windshield from the outer side of the car compartment.
[0054] The door trimming 3 is screwed at its peripheral edge on the
door inner panel 5. The door trimming 3 is arranged, at its end on
the side of the lock side panel 52 of the door inner panel 5, along
the vertical wall 522 but, at its portion accommodating the door
locking device 11, along the base plate 111 of the door locking
device 11, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, because the vertical wall 522
has the recess 525.
[0055] Moreover, the door trimming 3 has a flange portion 31, at
which it is mounted by screws 32 on the vertical wall 111a of the
base plate 111. Thus, the door trimming 3 is screwed on the base
plate 111 of the door locking device 11 so that its deformation or
the like is suppressed to prevent its interference with the car
body.
[0056] On the other hand, the door inner panel 5 is provided along
its front edge, lower edge and upper edge with a weather strip 27
for providing a seal between the car door 1 and the car body 12.
The door inner panel 5 is provided with a seal face (e.g., a seal
face 526 formed at the vertical wall 522 of the lock side panel 52
and continuing from the flange wall 524) generally parallel to the
door outer panel 2 and confronting the car body 12.
[0057] The weather strip 27 contacts with this seal face and the
car body 12 to provide a seal between the car door 1 and the car
body 12. The weather strip 27 is fixed, on the side of the lock
side panel 52 of the door inner panel 5, on the vertical wall 522
of the lock side panel 52 but is fixed, at its portion
accommodating the door locking device 11, on the flange portion 31
of the door trimming 3 because the vertical wall 522 has the recess
525, so that it contacts with the seal face 526 continuing from the
horizontal wall 524.
[0058] Thus, the weather strip 27 contacts with the seal face of
the door inner panel 5 and the car body 12 to provide a seal
between the car door 1 and the car body 12 so that it seals the two
reliably without being influenced by the deformation or the like of
the door trimming 3.
[0059] According to the invention, the door locking device is
arranged between the door inner panel and the door trimming to
support the door key cylinder on the door outer panel and the door
inner panel so that the door key cylinder can be reliably supported
and so that the connection between the door key cylinder and the
door locking device can be effected between the door inner panel
and the door trimming thereby to improve an anti-lawful
operation.
[0060] According to the invention, on the other hand, the seal
between the car door and the car body can be effected by bringing
the weather strip into contact with the door inner panel and the
car body so that it can be ensured without being influenced by the
deformation or the like of the door trimming.
[0061] As many apparently widely different embodiments of the
present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and
scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in
the appended claims.
* * * * *