JP5213190B2 - Vehicle door latch device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle door latch device that can avoid a panic condition.

  In a vehicle door latch device, in a locked state, a panic state that occurs when an unlocking operation is performed almost simultaneously with the opening operation or immediately after the opening operation can be avoided. Some have been disclosed.

  The vehicle door latch device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a lock lever that can move between an unlock position and a lock position, a main lever that is coupled to the locking / unlocking member side, and a shaft that is coaxially supported by the main lever. By dividing into a sub-lever that can move relative to the main lever, an unlocking operation is performed immediately after the opening operation in the locked state, and the open link (open member in Patent Document 1) is an open lever. (Similarly, lift lever) can move to the unlocked position against the urging force of the spring acting between the main lever and sub-lever when a panic condition occurs that cannot be operated in the other direction The sub-lever is biased toward the initial position before moving relative to the main lever by the biasing force of the spring. It is.

  In the door latch device for a vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 2, a guide pin provided on an open link can be freely moved on a lock lever (active lever in Patent Document 2) that can move between an unlock position and a lock position. A guide hole that can be inserted and driven only in the direction of the lock position is provided, and a pressing means that presses the open link in the direction of the unlock position is provided. Enables movement to the locked position.

  In the door latch device for a vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 3, when a panic condition occurs, the lock lever (the knob lever in Patent Document 3) is moved in either the unlock direction or the lock direction by an elastic member (also an over-center spring). Panic by making the open link (also sub-lever) contact the open lever from the non-rotatable direction at a position that has passed the dead point position (also dead point) that is not biased by The state can be avoided.

Japanese Patent No. 4196617 JP 2009-127278 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-3650

  However, in the vehicle door latch device disclosed in Patent Document 1, in addition to the structure in which the lock lever is divided into two parts, a spring that applies a biasing force is provided between the two divided levers. The vehicle door latch device disclosed in Document 2 has a configuration in which pressing means for pressing the open link in the direction of the unlock position is provided, so that the number of parts is large and the device becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases. Has a point. In addition, the vehicle door latch device disclosed in Patent Document 3 has an advantage that the number of parts is small compared to Patent Documents 1 and 2, but when a panic condition occurs, the open link is opened by the biasing force of the elastic member. Since it is pressed against the lever, it is difficult to obtain a smooth operation.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle door latch device that can smoothly avoid a panic state without increasing the number of components.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a vehicle door latch device according to the present invention includes a meshing portion that can be engaged with and disengaged from a striker, and an open lever that can be rotated in an open direction capable of releasing the engagement between the meshing portion and the striker. An operation force input lever that can be rotated in an open direction based on an opening operation of an operation handle provided on the door, and connected to the operation force input lever and moved in an open direction based on the rotation of the operation force input lever The open link that can be moved to the unlock position where the open lever can be rotated in the open direction and the lock position where the open lever cannot be rotated is connected to the open link, and the open link is unlocked by the locking / unlocking member. A lock lever movable to an unlock position and a lock position where the open link is a lock position, and the lock When the lock lever is positioned closer to the lock position than the dead point position with the dead point position set between the lock position and the unlock position of the bar as a boundary, the lock lever is urged to the lock position, An elastic member capable of urging the lock lever to the unlock position when the lock lever is positioned closer to the unlock position than the dead point position, and the open link pivots in the opening direction of the operation force input lever When the open link moves in the unlocking direction in accordance with the movement of the lock lever in the unlocking direction from the state in which the lock lever is moved in the unlocking direction, the lock lever moves the dead point position. After passing and before reaching the unlocked position, the contact portion of the open link The movement of the lock lever and the open link in the unlocking direction is prevented by bringing the open lever into contact with the contacted portion of the open lever from a non-rotatable direction. As the open link moves as the input lever moves toward the initial position before moving in the open direction, the open link is disengaged from the open lever, and the lock lever and the open link are moved by the biasing force of the elastic member. It is movable to the unlock position, and at least one of the contact portion of the open link or the contacted portion of the open lever is moved in the unlock direction of the elastic member acting on the open link. With the urging force of the operating force input lever against the open link Tilt so that a force in the direction of returning to the initial position acts.

  According to the present invention, when the panic condition occurs, after the lock lever passes the dead point position and before reaching the unlock position, the contact portion of the open link is in contact with the contact portion of the open lever. The open lever can be abutted from a non-rotatable direction, and at least one of the abutment portion of the open link or the abutted portion of the open lever is moved in the unlocking direction of the elastic member acting on the open link. With the urging force, the panic state can be smoothly avoided without increasing the number of parts by tilting the operating force input lever against the open link so that the force in the direction to return to the initial position acts. Can do.

It is a perspective view of the door latch device concerning the present invention. It is an exploded perspective view of a door latch device similarly. It is a vehicle inner side view of the operation unit and the meshing unit in the unlocked state. It is a vehicle inner side view of the operation unit and the meshing unit in the locked state. It is a vehicle interior side view of the principal part of the operation unit in an idling state. It is a vehicle interior side view of the principal part of the operation unit just before a panic state occurs. It is a vehicle interior side view of the principal part of the operation unit at the time of a panic state occurring.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the door latch device 1 is attached to a rear end portion of a front door (hereinafter referred to as a door) of an automobile, and meshes with a meshing unit 2 for holding the door in a closed state. And an operation unit 3 assembled to the unit 2.

  The meshing unit 2 includes a synthetic resin body 4 fixed in a door by a bolt (not shown), a metal cover plate 5 that closes an opening on the rear side (right side in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the body 4. A latch 7 which is engaged with a striker (not shown) which is pivotally supported between the body 4 and the cover plate 5 by a latch shaft 6 which faces in the front-rear direction and which is fixed to the vehicle body when the door is closed; A ratchet 9 that is pivotally supported by a ratchet shaft 8 that faces in the front-rear direction between the cover plate 5 and the latch 7, a metal back plate 10 that is fixed to the front side of the body 4, 4 and the back plate 10 include an open lever 11 which is pivotally supported coaxially with the ratchet 9 and can rotate integrally with the ratchet 9.

  The open lever 11 is coaxial with the ratchet 9 and can be rotated integrally with the ratchet 9, and a to-be-released portion 111 bent to the vehicle outer side is provided at the rotating end portion.

  When the door is closed, the striker enters the striker entry grooves 41 and 51 provided in the body 4 and the cover plate 5 from the inside of the vehicle and engages the latch 7. The latch 7 rotates about the latch shaft 6 against the urging force of the spring 71 wound around the latch shaft 6, and the ratchet 9 is moved by the urging force of the spring 12 supported below the ratchet 9. Engage with the latch 7 to prevent the latch 7 from rotating and keep the door closed.

  When the door is held in a closed state, an outside handle (not shown) forming an operation handle provided on the outside of the door or an inside handle (not shown) forming an operation handle provided on the inside of the door is provided. When the opening lever 11 is rotated in the opening direction as will be described later, the ratchet 9 is detached from the latch 7 and the door can be opened.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the operation unit 3 includes a synthetic resin casing 13 that is substantially L-shaped in plan view and is fixed to the front surface of the body 4, and the vehicle interior side of the casing 13 (the front side in FIG. 3) A cover 14 made of synthetic resin that closes the opening facing the motor, a motor 15, a worm wheel 16, a lock lever 17, an open link 18, an inside lever 19, an internal key lever 21, and a printed circuit board 22 disposed between the casing 13 and the cover 14. And an outside lever 23 disposed between the casing 13 and the back plate 10 and an external key lever 24 disposed outside the casing 13. 3 and 4 omit the body 4 and the cover 14 in order to clearly show the internal structures of the meshing unit 2 and the operation unit 3.

  The motor 15 forms a locking / unlocking member according to the present invention, and the outside lever 23 forms an operating force input lever according to the present invention.

  The outside lever 23 is pivotally supported by a shaft part 133 protruding rearward at the lower part of the casing 13, and an operating force transmission member (not shown) facing the up-down direction is provided to the outside connection part 231 provided at the outer end part of the vehicle. And the lower part of the open link 18 is connected to the vehicle inner end 232, so that a spring disposed around the shaft portion 133 based on the opening operation of the outside handle. 27 against a biasing force of 27 from the initial position (position when the vehicle inner end 232 is in the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) to the opening direction (direction in which the vehicle inner end 232 moves upward). Rotate. Further, below the vehicle inner end portion 232 of the outside lever 23, an open action portion 233 capable of contacting an open action portion 191 described later provided on the inside lever 19 is provided.

  The inside lever 19 is pivotally supported by a shaft portion 134 that faces the inside and outside of the vehicle between the casing 13 and the cover 14, and an operation force transmission member 28 such as a cable that can transmit the operation force of the inside handle is connected to the lower connection portion 192. Are connected, and based on the opening operation of the inside handle, it is rotated from the initial position (see FIGS. 3 and 4) by a predetermined angle in the opening direction (clockwise in FIGS. 3 and 4).

  The inside lever 19 is provided with an open action portion 191 that can come into contact with the open action portion 233 of the outside lever 23. As a result, when the inside lever 19 rotates from the initial position in the opening direction, the opening action portion 191 comes into contact with the to-be-opened action portion 233 from below, and the outside lever 23 rotates from the initial position in the opening direction.

  The external key lever 24 has a shaft portion 241 facing the inside / outside direction of the vehicle pivotally supported by a cylindrical portion 131 provided at the lowermost portion of the casing 13, and a key cylinder (not shown) having a lever portion 242 provided outside the vehicle door. Are connected to each other through a rod (not shown) in the up and down direction, so that a predetermined angle of rotation from the neutral position (not shown) to the locking direction (clockwise in FIGS. 3 and 4) is performed based on the key cylinder locking operation. Similarly, based on the unlocking operation, it is rotated by a predetermined angle from the neutral position in the unlocking direction (counterclockwise in FIGS. 3 and 4).

  The internal key lever 21 rotates integrally with the external key lever 24 by connecting the shaft portion 211 facing the vehicle outer side to the shaft portion 241 of the external key lever 24 by the cylindrical portion 131 of the casing 13. The internal key lever 21 is formed with an arc-shaped long hole 212 centered on the shaft portion 211.

  The lock lever 17 is pivotally supported between the casing 13 and the cover 14 by a shaft portion 132 facing inward and outward of the vehicle, and operates a key cylinder, an operation of a lock knob (not shown) serving as a locking / unlocking member provided inside the door. Based on the power of the motor 15, it can be rotated between an unlock position (see FIG. 3) and a lock position (see FIG. 4) rotated counterclockwise by a predetermined angle from the unlock position and supported by the casing 13. The spring 26 constituting the elastic member is elastically held in the unlock position and the lock position by the urging force of the spring 26. The casing 13 is provided with a stopper (not shown) for stopping the lock lever 17 at the unlock position and the lock position, respectively.

  An end portion of the operating force transmission member 25 formed by a cable or the like connected to the lock knob is inputted to a connecting portion 171 provided at a portion extending obliquely downward and forward of the lock lever 17 in order to input an operating force of the lock knob. Are connected, and the protrusion 172 provided at the tip of the portion extending obliquely downward rearward is slidably engaged with the elongated hole 212 of the internal key lever 21.

  The lock lever 17 has an operating arm portion 173 extending upward, and a vertical guide groove 181 provided on a side surface of the operating arm 173 facing the vehicle exterior of the open link 18 in the vertical direction. Engagement projections 174 that are slidably engaged and first and second engagement arm portions 175 and 176 extending in the centrifugal direction from the rotation center of the lock lever 17 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the lock lever 17 is in the unlock position, the key cylinder is locked and the internal key lever 21 rotates together with the external key lever 24 from the neutral position in the locking direction (clockwise in FIG. 3). When the lower end of the long hole 212 of the key lever 21 contacts the lower surface of the protrusion 172 of the lock lever 17, the lock lever 17 moves to the lock position against the urging force of the spring 26. As shown in FIG. 4, when the lock lever 17 is in the locked position, the key cylinder is locked, and the internal key lever 21 is rotated together with the external key lever 24 from the neutral position in the unlocking direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 4). When moved, the lock lever 17 moves to the unlock position against the urging force of the spring 26 by the upper end of the long hole 212 coming into contact with the upper surface of the protrusion 172.

  The spring 26 includes a coil portion 261 supported by the protrusion 136 of the casing 13, a linear first leg portion 262 extending outward from the coil portion 261 and locked to the casing 13, and an outer portion from the coil portion 261. And a substantially leg-shaped second leg portion 263 capable of coming into contact with a protrusion 177 provided on the rotation surface of the lock lever 17.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the lock lever 17 is in the unlocked position, the protrusion 177 of the lock lever 17 abuts the portion closer to the coil portion 161 than the top portion 263 a of the second leg portion 263. The leg portion 263 applies an urging force in the unlocking direction (clockwise in FIG. 3) to the lock lever 17, and when the lock lever 17 is in the lock position as shown in FIG. 4, the lock lever 17 When the projection 177 of the second abutment comes into contact with a portion of the second leg 263 that is more distal than the top 263a, the second leg 263 moves in the locking direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 4) with respect to the lock lever 17. Grants an energizing force. Furthermore, when the lock lever 17 moves from the unlock position to the lock position or vice versa, the dead point position where the lock lever 17 is set between the lock position and the unlock position (the protrusion 177 is the top of the second leg 263). The protrusion 177 gets over the top 263a of the second leg 263, and the urging direction acting on the lock lever 17 changes from the lock direction to the unlock direction or the Turn in the opposite direction. In the present embodiment, the dead point position is set closer to the lock position than the intermediate position between the lock position and the unlock position of the lock lever 17.

  The worm wheel 16 is pivotally supported between the casing 13 and the cover 14 by a shaft portion 135 that faces inward and outward of the vehicle, and meshes with a worm 151 fixed to the rotation shaft of the motor 15, thereby Forward and reverse.

  A pair of first engagement protrusions 161 and 161 that can come into contact with the first engagement arm portion 175 of the lock lever 17 are provided on one rotating surface of the worm wheel 16 (the surface facing the cover 14). Similarly, a pair of second engaging projections (not shown) that can come into contact with the second engaging arm portion 176 are formed on the other rotating surface (the surface facing the casing 13) opposite to the one surface. ) Is provided. Note that the first engagement protrusion 161 and the second engagement protrusion have the same shape and are provided at symmetrical positions.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the lock lever 17 is in the unlocked position and the operation switch provided in the vehicle or the portable operation switch is locked, the rotation of the motor 15 causes the worm wheel 16 to lock. The first engagement protrusion 161 that is rotated upward (clockwise in FIG. 3) is in contact with the first engagement arm 175 in the rotation direction. As a result, the lock lever 17 rotates in the lock direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 3) and moves to the lock position. Then, the first engagement protrusion 161 is disengaged from the first engagement arm 175, and the second engagement protrusion is at the tip of the second engagement arm 176, that is, in the rotational direction of the second engagement arm 176. The worm wheel 16 stops rotating.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the operation switch is unlocked when the lock lever 17 is in the locked position, the rotation of the motor 15 causes the worm wheel 16 to be unlocked (counterclockwise in FIG. 4). The second engagement protrusion located on the lower side contacts the second engagement arm 176 in the rotation direction. As a result, the lock lever 17 rotates in the unlocking direction (clockwise in FIG. 4) and moves to the unlocking position. Then, the second engagement protrusion is disengaged from the second engagement arm 176, and the first engagement protrusion 161 is at the tip of the first engagement arm 175, that is, in the rotation direction of the first engagement arm 175. The worm wheel 16 stops rotating.

  The printed circuit board 22 is fixed above the motor 15 in the casing 13, and the distal end of the operating arm portion 173 of the lock lever 17 contacts or separates from the rear end thereof, thereby unlocking the lock lever 17. A detection switch 221 capable of detecting the position and the lock position is provided.

  In the open link 18, a drum-shaped support hole 182 provided in a lower portion is engaged and connected to a vehicle inner end 232 of the outside lever 23 so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction, and the engagement of the lock lever 17 in the guide groove 181. When the mating protrusion 174 is slidably engaged, the unlocking position of the lock lever 17 and the movement of the locking lever 17 to the locking position are followed, and the unlocking position (see FIG. 3) and the locking centered on the vehicle inner end 232 While moving to a position (refer FIG. 4), it moves to an open direction (upward) based on rotation of the outside lever 23 to an open direction.

  When the open link 18 moves in the open direction from the unlocked position, it contacts the released portion 111 of the open lever 11 from below (the rotation direction of the open lever 11). A possible release 183 is provided.

  When the open link 18 is in the unlocked position, the release portion 183 of the open link 18 is positioned directly below the released portion 111 as shown in FIG. 3, and when it is in the locked position, as shown in FIG. It is located forward and obliquely below the released portion 111.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the lock lever 17 and the open link 18 are in the unlocked position and the outside lever 23 is in the initial position, the outside lever 23 rotates in the open direction and the open link 18 is unlocked. When moving from the lock position to the opening direction, the release portion 183 contacts the released portion 111 of the open lever 11 from below. As a result, the open lever 11 rotates in the opening direction, and the ratchet 9 is detached from the latch 7 to allow the door to be opened.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the lock lever 17 and the open link 18 are in the locked position, the open link 18 moves from the lock position to the open direction based on the rotation of the outside lever 23 in the open direction. Even if it moves, as shown in FIG. 5, the release part 183 moves across the front of the released part 111 of the open lever 11 and swings with respect to the released part 111 so that the open lever 11 moves in the opening direction. The door cannot be opened.

  Next, the operation in the panic state in the embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the unlocked state is a state in which both the lock lever 17 and the open link 18 are in the unlocked position, and the locked state is a state in which both the lock lever 17 and the open link 18 are in the locked position.

  In the locked state shown in FIG. 4, when the outside lever 23 rotates in the opening direction from the initial position based on the opening operation of the outside handle or the inside handle, the vehicle inner end 232 moves upward, as shown in FIG. 5. As described above, the open link 18 moves in the opening direction from the lock position, and moves in front of the released portion 111 while the release portion 183 is in an idling state without coming into contact with the released portion 111 of the open lever 11. In this idling state, a slight gap g is generated between the contact portion 184 at the rear edge of the release portion 183 in the open link 18 and the contact portion 112 that is the front end of the release portion 111 in the open lever 11.

  The contact portion 184 of the open link 18 is formed by a flat surface facing backward, and as can be understood from FIG. 7 in particular, in the panic state, the rotation axis of the open lever 11 is oriented so that the flat surface faces obliquely upward. It abuts against the abutted portion 112 in a state inclined with respect to (left and right direction in FIG. 7).

  In the idling state shown in FIG. 5, the operation switch or the lock knob is unlocked, and the worm wheel 16 that is rotated by the power of the motor 15 or the operation force transmission member 25 that is operated by unlocking the lock knob is unlocked to the lock lever 17. When the lock operation force is input, the lock lever 17 rotates in the unlocking direction from the lock position against the urging force of the spring 26.

  Then, the lock lever 17 is rotated by a predetermined angle in the unlocking direction, and a dead point position (see FIG. 6) where the protrusion 177 of the lock lever 17 just contacts the top 263a of the second leg 263 in the spring 26 is set. Immediately after the urging direction of the spring 26 passing through and acting on the lock lever 17 is changed from the lock direction to the unlock direction, the open link 18 is moved from the lock position by an angle corresponding to the gap g as shown in FIG. Before reaching the unlocked position at the position rotated in the unlocking direction, the contact part 184 contacts the contacted part 112 of the open lever 11 from the non-rotatable direction and opens. A panic state occurs in which movement of the link 18 and the lock lever 17 in the unlocking direction is prevented. In this case, the contact portion 184 of the open link 18 contacts the front surface of the contacted portion 112 with a biasing force to the spring 26 in a state where the flat surface is inclined obliquely upward. A downward component force acts on. As a result, a force in a direction to return the outside lever 23 to the initial position acts on the open link 18.

  As shown in FIG. 7, when a panic condition occurs, the lock lever 17 stops at a position that has passed the dead point position from the lock position, and the spring 26 moves against the open link 18 via the lock lever 17. A biasing force in the unlocking direction is applied. Accordingly, the opening operation of the outside handle (or the inside handle) is interrupted, and the outside lever 23 is returned to the initial position as shown in FIG. 3 so that the contact portion 184 of the open link 18 is the contacted portion of the open lever 11. When the link 18 is disengaged from the position 112, the open link 18 moves from the stop position to the unlock position together with the lock lever 17 by the biasing force of the spring 26 in the unlock direction.

  In the panic state, the outside lever 23 returns to the initial position because the downward force is applied to the contact portion 184 of the open link 18 with the biasing force of the spring 26 in the unlocking direction. Sometimes, the abutting part 184 smoothly slides on the abutted part 112 and moves downward. As a result, the open link 18 can smoothly and surely move downward and reliably move to the unlock position.

  Then, after the displacement to the unlocked state, the door can be opened again by opening the outside handle (or the inside handle).

  As described above, even if a panic condition occurs, the opening operation of the outside handle (or the inside handle) is interrupted, and the outside lever 23 is returned to the initial position, whereby the lock lever 17 and the urging force of the spring 26 are applied. The open link 18 can be moved to the unlocked position, and the unlocked state can be smoothly and reliably set.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the following various modifications and changes can be made to the present embodiment without departing from the gist of the present invention.

(A) Instead of the spring 26 of this embodiment, an elastic member for applying an urging force in the locking direction and the unlocking direction to the lock lever 17 is formed by a turnover spring (torsion spring) which is a well-known technique. , One end is engaged with the casing 13 and the other end is locked with the lock lever 17) or other springs. Alternatively, a tongue piece that can be elastically deformed is provided in the casing 13, and this tongue piece is used as an elastic member.

(B) Instead of the motor 15, the locking / unlocking member is an electromagnetic solenoid. In this case, the worm wheel 16 can be omitted by connecting the solenoid directly or indirectly to the lock lever 17.

(C) When the contact portion 184 of the open link 18 contacts the contacted portion 112 of the open lever 11, a configuration in which a downward component force is applied to the contact portion 184 is used instead of the above embodiment. Alternatively or additionally, a flat surface that is inclined obliquely forward and downward is formed in the contacted portion 112 of the open lever 11.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Door latch apparatus 2 Meshing unit 3 Operation unit 4 Body 5 Cover plate 6 Latch axis | shaft 7 Latch (meshing part)
8 Ratchet shaft 9 Ratchet (meshing part)
10 Back plate 11 Open lever 12 Spring 13 Casing 14 Cover 15 Motor (locking / unlocking member)
16 Worm wheel 17 Lock lever 18 Open link 19 Inside lever 21 Internal key lever 22 Printed circuit board 23 Outside lever (operation force input lever)
24 External key lever 25 Operating force transmission member 26 Spring (elastic member)
27 Spring 28 Operation force transmission member 41 Striker entry groove 51 Striker entry groove 71 Spring 111 Release part 112 Contact part 131 Cylindrical part 132 Shaft part 133 Shaft part 134 Shaft part 135 Shaft part 136 Projection part 151 Worm 161 First engagement Joint projection 171 Connection portion 172 Projection portion 173 Actuation arm portion 174 Engagement projection portion 175 First engagement arm portion 176 Second engagement arm portion 177 Projection portion 181 Guide groove 182 Support hole 183 Release portion 184 Contact portion 191 Open Action part 192 Connection part 211 Shaft part 212 Long hole 221 Detection switch 231 Outside connection part 232 Car inner side end part 233 Open action part 241 Shaft part 242 Lever part 261 Coil part 262 First leg part 263 Second leg part 263a Top part

Claims (1)

An engaging portion that can be engaged with and disengaged from the striker;
An open lever that is rotatable in an open direction capable of releasing the engagement between the meshing portion and the striker;
An operation force input lever that can be rotated in the open direction based on an opening operation of an operation handle provided on the door;
Connected to the operating force input lever, and moves in the open direction based on the rotation of the operating force input lever, thereby moving the open lever to an unlocked position where the open lever can be rotated and a non-rotatable locked position. Possible open links,
A lock lever that is connected to the open link and is movable to an unlock position with the open link as an unlock position and a lock position with the open link as a lock position by a locking and unlocking member;
With the dead point position set between the lock position and the unlock position of the lock lever as a boundary, when the lock lever is located closer to the lock position than the dead point position, the lock lever is biased to the lock position, An elastic member capable of biasing the lock lever to the unlock position when the lock lever is positioned closer to the unlock position than the dead point position;
The open link is unlocked in accordance with the movement of the lock lever in the unlock direction from the state in which the open link is moved in the open direction from the lock position following the rotation of the operating force input lever in the open direction. When moving in the locking direction, after the lock lever has passed the dead point position and before reaching the unlock position, the contact portion of the open link is in contact with the contact portion of the open lever. Then, the lock lever and the open link are prevented from moving in the unlocking direction by contacting the open lever from the direction in which the open lever cannot be rotated. When the open link moves as it moves, the open link is the open lever. Disengaged, the lock lever and the open link is movable in the unlocked position by the biasing force of the elastic member,
Further, at least one of the contact portion of the open link or the contacted portion of the open lever is applied to the open link with a biasing force in the unlocking direction of the elastic member acting on the open link. On the other hand, the vehicle door latch device is characterized in that the operation force input lever is tilted so that a force in a direction to return the lever to the initial position acts.

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