Abstract: A method for making a striker for a vehicle door latch produces such a striker having a longitudinal plate-like metal base and a U-shaped metal engaging member including a first leg part, a second leg part and a front connecting part. The first leg part has, at a front side portion thereof, a latch engaging part which is engageable with an engaging recess of a latch of the vehicle door latch device. The first leg part has, at a rear side portion thereof, a reinforced large diameter part with a larger diameter than that of the latch engaging part. A length of the reinforced large diameter part is 20% or more in the length of the first leg part.

Abstract: A latch device for a vehicle tailgate having a main door and a sub door, comprises a latch lever moving from an initial position to an operating position by a contact with a sub latch, a return spring urging the latch lever from the operating position toward the initial position, and a block lever connected to the latch lever. The block lever is displaced to a blocked position where the door-opening of the main door by the main open handle is impossible when the latch lever is restored to the initial position by the return spring and to be displaced to an unblocked position where the door-opening of the main door by the main open handle is possible when the latch lever is moved to the operating position by the contact with the sub latch against the elasticity of the return spring.

Abstract: A control method of sliding a vehicle door by a powered sliding device with a clutch mechanism comprises the steps of stopping a motor in a state that a rotation of a wire drum is restricted by an auxiliary brake when the slide door reaches at a desired semi-open position; displacing the clutch mechanism into a second coupled state by the motor while the auxiliary brake is actuated; releasing the restriction by the auxiliary brake when a predetermined time has elapsed.

Abstract: A striker of a vehicle door latch device comprises a longitudinal plate-like metal base and a U-shaped metal engaging member including a first leg part, a second leg part and a front connecting part. The first leg part has, at a front side portion thereof, a latch engaging part which is engageable with an engaging recess of a latch of the vehicle door latch device. The first leg part has, at a rear side portion thereof, a reinforced large diameter part with a larger diameter than that of the latch engaging part. A length of the reinforced large diameter part being 20% or more of the length of the first leg part.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device comprises a pawl lever keeping engagement between a latch and a striker, an output member rotatable in an unlocking direction and in a locking direction by power of a motor and being restored to a neutral position by elasticity of a returning spring when the motor is turned off, a lock lever displaceable between an unlocked position and a locked position by directly receiving rotational movement of the output member, an open link switched between an operative position and a non-operative position by displacement of the lock lever. The open link is directly connected to the lock lever by way of no movable member.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device comprises an open lever (24) for connection to an outside open handle (25), a lock lever (34) for connection to an inside lock button (36) through a rod (101), an over-center spring (42) for elastically keeping the lock lever (34) in one of an unlocked position (U) and a locked position (L), a double action mechanism (27) for connection to an inside open handle (28), and an antitheft mechanism (100) having an antitheft spring (105) with elasticity weaker than elasticity of the over-center spring (42). The antitheft spring (105) is arranged to be compressed without displacing the lock lever (34) from the locked position (L) to the unlocked position (U) when the rod (101) is moved in an unlocking direction by an illegal access while the lock lever (34) is being in the locked position (L).

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device has a child-proof mechanism provided between an inner lever and an open lever, a powered closing mechanism arranged to rotate a latch toward a full-latched position from a half-latched position by motor power, and a safety mechanism arranged to urgently stop actuation of the powered closing mechanism in response to rotation of the open lever. The child-proof mechanism has a transmitting device which transmits the rotation of the inner lever to the safety mechanism to actuate the safety mechanism, without rotating the open lever in the child-proof state.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device comprises a block member (66) displaceable between a blocking position (B) for restricting a displacement of a lock lever (23) to an unlocked position (UL) by a mechanical engagement with the lock lever (23) and an unblocking position (UB), a connecting lever (72) connected to an inside lock button (36) with no substantial lost-motion, and a connecting spring (73) for connecting the connecting lever (72) and the lock lever (23). The connecting lever (72) is substantially displaceable integrally with the lock lever (23) by an action of the connecting spring (73) when the block member (66) is located at the unblocking position (UB). The connecting lever (72) is displaced with respect to the lock lever (23) against a spring force of the connecting spring (73) when the unlocking operation of the inside lock button (36) is carried out at a state where the block member (66) is located at the blocking position (B).

Abstract: A control method of a powered sliding device having a wire drum coupled through a wire cable with a sliding door slidably attached to a vehicle body, a motor for rotating the wire drum by the electric power from a battery, a voltmeter for measuring the battery voltage of the battery, and a sensor for detecting the sliding speed of the sliding door, comprises the steps of: measuring the sliding speed SS by the sensor when a predetermined time has elapsed from an actuation of the motor; comparing the measured sliding speed SS with the lower limited speed LLS of the sliding door determined according to the degree of the battery voltage BV measured by the voltmeter; and stopping or reversing the motor when the sliding speed SS is slower than the lower limited speed LLS.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device comprises a latch engageable with a striker and rotatable from an unlatched position to a full-latched position via a half-latched position, a power closing mechanism rotating the latch from the half-latched position to the full-latched position by motor power, a ratchet holding an engagement state between the latch and the striker by engaging with the latch, and a power opening mechanism releasing the ratchet from the latch by motor power. The power opening mechanism and the power closing mechanism are actuated by a single common motor, respectively.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device has a double action mechanism (27) comprising a release lever (61) for opening the door, an inner lever (55) connected to an inside open handle (28), and a slide link (64). The slide link is displaced between a connective position for connecting the inner lever to the release lever and a non-connective position for disconnecting the inner lever from the release lever. The inner lever has a push arm (57) which transmits an unlocking movement of the inner lever to the lock lever without engagement with the slide link, and a blocking surface (59) which restrict a displacement of the slide link from the non-connective position to the connective position during the unlocking movement of the inner lever.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a vehicle body, an electric folding roof housed in the vehicle body in a folded state, an electric motor operate to unfold the folded electric folding roof, and a rigid roof designed to be attached to the vehicle body when the electric folding roof is folded and housed in the vehicle body. The vehicle also includes an inhibiting device for inhibiting operation of the electric motor upon detection of the attachment of the rigid roof to the vehicle body. With this arrangement, it becomes possible to prevent unfolding of the folded electric folding roof when the rigid roof is attached to the vehicle body. This leads to the further advantage that failure of the motor can be prevented.

Abstract: The present powered sliding device comprises a wire drum, a motor for rotating the drum, and a clutch means provided between the drum and the motor. The clutch means has a coupled state for rotating the drum, an uncoupled state, and a brake state. The clutch means is displaced from the coupled state to the brake state when the wire drum is rotated at an over speed. The clutch means in the brake state transmits the over speed rotation of the wire drum to the motor.

Abstract: The present vehicle door latch device comprises a latch unit for keeping a door in a closed state, and a powered closing unit for supplying the power for fully closing the door, to the latch unit. A motor of the closing unit is connected to a wire lever of the latch unit through a power wire, and an opening lever of the latch unit is connected to a canceling lever of the closing unit through a safety wire. The latch unit has a one-motion door opening mechanism. An inner lever connected to an inside opening handle is engageable with the opening lever. A switch which detects the rotational position of a latch of the latch unit is arranged in such a position as not to be overlapped onto the wire lever.

Abstract: A striker for a vehicle door latch device comprises a metal base plate fastened to a vehicle body, a U-shaped metal rod fastened to the base plate and projected toward a vehicle door, and a block member formed on the base plate. The block member comprises a block stay projected from the base plate toward the door and a block portion formed at a tip of the block stay. The block portion is opposed to an inside metal panel of the door when the door is closed. The block portion is brought into contact with the inside metal panel, when the inside metal panel is deformed by an external force to approach the base plate.

Abstract: An operational apparatus for a vehicle slide door comprises an outer open lever connected to an outside handle of the door, an inside handle of the door rotatable in door-opening and door-closing directions, an inner open lever connected to the inside handle, a child-proof mechanism, a powered closing unit for closing the door from a half-latched position to the full-latched position, a fail-safe lever for interrupting an operation of the powered closing unit, a sub inner lever connected to the inside handle. The inner open lever transmits a door-closing rotation of the inside handle to the fail-safe lever without through the child-proof mechanism. The sub inner lever transmits a door-opening rotation of the inside handle to the fail-safe lever without through the child-proof mechanism. The fail-safe lever is moved in the same direction by either of the door-opening and the door-closing rotations of the inside handle.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device comprises a connecting member for connecting a lock pin with a lock lever. The connecting member has a lever side member connected to a lock lever, a pin side member connected to a lock pin, and a connecting spring for elastically connecting the lever side member with the pin side member. The connecting member changes length thereof against the elasticity of the spring to allow the lock lever to be displaced to an unlocked position from a locked position, when the lock pin cannot be displaced from a disengagement position to an engagement position by a displacement of the lock lever from a locked position toward an unlocked position while the open lever is in a door-opening position.

Abstract: A striker for use in a door latch apparatus comprises a base made of a normal-strength steel plate having a strength of 30 to 40 kg/mm.sup.2 and a U-shaped member made of a high-strength steel rod having a strength equal to or higher than 70 kg/mm.sup.2. The U-shaped member has inner and outer flanges, between which the base is firmly sandwiched. The inner flanges are formed without being heated. The U-shaped member is fixed to the base after hardened and tempered. After the U-shaped member is connected with the base, the base is not hardened or is not tempered.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus comprises a resin part, an attaching hole formed in the resin part, a metallic pin having an anchor inserted into the attaching hole and an exposure portion. Both sides of the attaching hole are opened to an outside of the resin part. The anchor penetrates the resin part through the attaching hole, and a tip end of the anchor is in the outside of the resin part. The exposure portion has a first supporting portion continued with the anchor, a second supporting portion, a flange located between the first and second supporting portions, and a projection continued with the second supporting portion. First and second levers are rotatably fitted on the first and second supporting portions, respectively. A base seat makes a contact with the tip end of the anchor when the anchor is inserted into the attaching hole.