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: 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 device for holding a vehicle sliding door at full-open position comprises a striker fixed to a vehicle body and a latch rotatably mounted on the sliding door. The latch has a U-shaped groove for engaging with the striker when the sliding door is fully opened. The latch is displaceable between a first position in which the U-shaped groove is disengaged with the striker and second position in which the U-shaped groove is engaged with the striker. A resilient member is disposed at a location between the latch and the sliding door for holding the latch in either one of the first position and the second position by resilient force thereof. The resilient member is always in contact with the latch directly.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a latch device for a tailgate of a vehicle having a motorized unit rotatably located on the tailgate along with a manually operated handle. The motorized unit selectively and through mechanical connections rotates either the main open lever to the latch and unlatch the tailgate or the sub open lever to latch or unlatch the window hatch in the tailgate.

Abstract: An initially opening device for a vehicle sliding door comprises an output member rotated by a motor, a winch lever rotated from a stand-by position to an initial-open position, a connecting lever for connecting the output member to the winch lever, a press member provided in the sliding door and connected to the winch lever, a ratchet lever connected to a latch unit provided at rear portion of the door for engaging a striker fixed to a vehicle body, and a contact surface formed in the ratchet lever and brought into contact with the winch lever for rotating the ratchet lever when the winch lever is rotated toward the initial-open position. The press member is brought into contact with the vehicle body to move the rear portion of the sliding door in an initial opening direction when the winch lever is displaced from the stand-by position to the initial-open position.

Abstract: A powered sliding device for a sliding door comprises a wire drum rotated by a motor, a wire cable connecting the wire drum and the sliding door, a clutch mechanism provided between the wire drum and the motor. The clutch mechanism has a first coupling state for opening the door, a second coupling state for closing the door, and an uncoupling state. The wire drum has a cylindrical shape having a substantially closed end and an opposite open end, and an inner space formed inside thereof. The clutch mechanism is substantially provided within the inner space. The clutch mechanism is displaced into the first coupling state when the motor rotates in a given direction and displaced into the second coupling state when the motor rotates in a direction opposite to the given direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening and closing a vehicle door comprises an outer open handle assembly and a latch assembly. The handle assembly has an handle base which is brought into contact with an outer surface of an outer door panel and a handle lever which is rotatably mounted on the handle base. The latch assembly has a bracket which is brought into contact with an inner surface of the outer panel, a latch mechanism which is engaged with a striker and mounted on the bracket, and an opening mechanism which is operative to release the latch mechanism and mounted on the bracket. The handle base and the bracket are fixed to each other with screws or bolts across the outer door panel. The latch assembly is covered with a decorative case.

Abstract: A powered sliding unit attached to a vehicle body slides a sliding door from an open position to a half-latch position where a rear latch unit fixed to the sliding door is initially engaged with a rear striker fixed to the vehicle body, and then a powered closing unit provided to the sliding door moves the sliding door from the half-latch position into a full-latch position where the rear latch unit is completely engaged with the rear striker. The powered sliding unit has a vertical base plate, a wire drum rotatably attached to the base plate by a horizontal shaft, and a wire cable for coupling the wire drum with the sliding door. The powered sliding unit is attached in an inner space inside of a rear outer side panel of the vehicle body.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch device enclosed entirely within a vehicle door comprises a latch unit having a fork member which engages with a striker fixed to a vehicle body and a pawl which engages with the fork member for preventing the fork member from reversing, a power unit for turning the fork member from a half-latch position to a full-latch position, and a cable for transmitting power of the power unit to the fork member. The cable has a middle portion provided in vicinity of a bottom edge of the door, a first end portion which is provided in proximity of a rear edge of the door in such a manner as to extend nearly vertically, and a second end portion which extends almost parallel with the first end portion and is connected to the power unit.

Abstract: A door lock device with an automatic door closing mechanism comprises a lock body having a recess on its front surface side, a latch adapted to be engaged with a striker so as to be rotated from an open position to a full-latch position by way of a half-latch position, a ratchet adapted to be engaged with the latch so as to hold the engagement between the latch and the striker, an actuator adapted to be operated when the latch is rotated to the half-latch position, an output lever adapted to be rotated by power of the actuator, and a link lever adapted to be rotated by rotation of the output lever so as to move the latch from the half-latch position to the full-latch position. The latch, the ratchet and the link lever are stored in the recess of the lock body, and the output lever is provided on the rear surface side of the lock body.

Abstract: An actuator of a vehicle door lock device, which includes an output shaft adapted at one end to be coupled with to a lock lever of the lock device, a sector arm for rotating the output shaft, a reversible motor for rotating the sector arm around said output shaft through speed reduction gears and a plastic-made housing for accommodating the output shaft, the sector arm and the reversible motor. The sector arm has, on an inner surface of its outer arc-shaped flange, an inner toothed portion which meshes with a final gear of the reduction gears and an arc hole centering the output shaft. An intermediate shaft for supporting the final gear is arranged in parallel with the output shaft and projects through the arc hole.

Abstract: The locking apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention has a child-lock mechanism in which a door of the vehicle can be opened not by operating the inner door opener handle but by operating the outer door opener handle. The changeover control portion of this child-lock mechanism is designed to be rotated, pushed or pressed to function. The opening in which the changeover control portion is fitted is formed into the same shape as that of the changeover control portion so that no gap is formed therebetween. A lock-direction and an unlock direction are indicated on the outer surface of the changeover control portion.

Abstract: The vehicular door locking device according to the present invention with a ratchet fastened pivotably to a locking device body via a first shaft, adapted to prevent the reverse turning of a latch and having a first projection; an opening lever mounted pivotably on the first shaft, connected to a door handle and having an elongated bore extending radially with respect to the first shaft; an L-shaped locking lever mounted fixedly on an output shaft of an actuator, adapted to be turned between a locking position and an unlocking position, and having a first arm to which one end portion of a rod extending to a sill knob on a door is connected, and a second arm; and an interlocking member connected pivotably to the second arm via a second shaft and having a second projection engaged with the elongated bore. When the locking lever is in the unlocking position, the first and second shafts are aligned with each other, and the first and second projections are positioned in a mutually opposed state.