11 or releasing the restraint of the striker 11 through a claw lever 23 and a pawl lever 25 on a body 21.

The latch unit 20 includes a body 21, a claw lever 23, a pawl lever 25, and an operation lever 27.

That is, a cutout portion is formed on one lower front side of an internal panel of the rear door, and the latch unit 20 is provided in the cutout portion to act on the striker 11 on the vehicle body.

The body 21 is fixed inside the cutout portion on one lower front side of the rear door, and a connection bracket 29 is mounted under the body 21.

The claw lever 23 is provided on the body 21 to be rotatable through a first pin 23a to correspond to the pop-up guide unit 50.

Furthermore, a restraining groove 31 for restraining the striker 11 is formed on one side of the claw lever 23, and a catching end portion 33 protruding for restricting rotation in one direction is formed on the other side of the claw lever 23.

The pawl lever 25 is provided on the body 21 to be rotatable through a second pin 25a to correspond to one side of the claw lever 23.

Furthermore, the pawl lever 25 includes a support end portion 35 acting on the catching end portion 33 on one side thereof and a release end portion 37 protruding on the other side thereof.

Furthermore, the pawl lever 25 includes a protruding end portion 36 protruding on the opposite side of the support end portion 35 and the release end portion 37 to suppress rotation of the pawl lever 25 in one direction thereof.

The operation lever 27 is provided to be rotatable through a third pin 27a on the connection bracket 29 fixed under the body 21.

Furthermore, the operation lever 27 includes an operation end portion 39 acting on the release end portion 37 of the pawl lever 25 on one side thereof and a connection end portion 41 connected to a latch handle wire 61 on the other side thereof.

The latch unit 20 further includes a claw damper 43 and a pawl damper 45.

The claw damper 43 is formed on an external side surface of the catching end portion 33 of the claw lever 23 and supported by one side of the body 21 to suppress rotation in one direction while reducing contact noise.

The pawl damper 45 is provided on the other side of the body 21 to correspond to one side surface of the protruding end portion 36 of the pawl lever 25, and supports the protruding end portion 36 of the pawl lever 25 to suppress rotation in one direction while reducing contact noise.

A claw spring fitted onto the first pin 23a of the claw lever 23 may be provided under the body 21 to elastically support the claw lever 23 in a direction to release the restraint of the striker 11.

Furthermore, a pawl spring fitted onto the second pin 25a of the pawl lever 25 may be provided under the body 21 to elastically support the pawl lever 25 in a direction in which the support end portion 35 of the pawl lever 25 supports the catching end portion 33 of the claw lever 23.

The pop-up guide unit 50 is integrally formed on the front side of the body 21 of the latch unit 20 to guide the striker 11 along one lower front side of the rear door during a pop-up operation of the rear door.

The pop-up guide unit 50 is formed on the front side of the body 21 in a form of a guider including first and second guiders 51 and 53.

That is, in the guider, the first guider 51 is integrally formed on one front side of the body 21, and the second guider 53 is integrally formed on the other front side of the body 21, with a guide groove 55 formed with a predetermined distance between the first guider 51 and the second guider 53.

In the guide groove 55, a distance between the first and second guiders 51 and 53 at an entrance portion 57 of the guide groove 55 is greater than the predetermined distance, so that the striker 11 can easily enter the pop-up guide unit 50.

Here, the first guider 51 is formed to be longer than the second guider 53 so that the entrance portion 57, through which the striker 11 enters the pop-up guide unit 50, faces the outside of the vehicle body.

Furthermore, the locking unit 70 is disposed on the first guider 51 of the pop-up guide unit 50, so that when the rear door is closed in a swing operation, the rear door is prevented from rebounding outwardly from the striker 11 even when a greater force than necessary is applied.

The locking unit 70 includes a locking claw 71, a locking claw link 72, a locking pawl 73, and a release lever 75. That is, when the striker 11 enters the pop-up guide unit 50 while the rear door is closed in a swinging operation, the locking claw 71 locks the striker 11 to prevent the rear door from escaping in a rebound direction thereof.

The locking claw 71 is provided to be rotatable through a fourth pin 71a on one front side of the first guider 51 of the pop-up guide unit 50.

The locking claw 71 includes a locking end portion 81 formed on one side thereof to lock the striker 11 and a locking-caught end portion 82 formed on the other side thereof to restrict rotation in one direction thereof.

Furthermore, a link pin 83 is provided in a vertical direction in a cross-sectional view of the locking claw 71 to be adjacent to the locking-caught end portion 82.

The locking claw 71 includes a switch operation end portion 85 protruding on the opposite side of the locking end portion 81, and the switch operation end portion 85 operates a switch SW provided on the first guider 51 of the pop-up guide unit 50 to recognize that the swing operation of the striker 11 has been completed.

The locking claw link 72 is disposed above the locking claw 71 and is provided to be rotatable together with the locking claw 71 through the fourth pin 71a on one front side of the first guider 51.

At the present time, one side of the locking claw link 72 is supported by the link pin 83 in a rotation direction thereof.

Furthermore, the locking claw link 72 forms a locking groove 84 together with the locking end portion 81 of the locking claw 71 when facing the entrance portion 57 of the guide groove 55 of the pop-up guide unit 50, so that the striker 11 is accommodated to lock the striker 11 when the striker 11 enters the pop-up guide unit 50.

The locking pawl 73 is provided to be rotatable through a fifth pin 73a on the other side of the first guider 51 of the pop-up guide unit 50 to correspond to one side of the locking claw 71.

The locking pawl 73 includes a locking support end portion 86 protruding on one side thereof to act on the locking-caught end portion 82, and first and second contact end portions 87 and 88 supported in both directions by a locking pawl damper 95 fixed to the first guider 51 on both opposite sides of the locking support end portion 86.

The release lever 75 is provided to be rotatable through a sixth pin 75a on one side of the locking pawl 73.

Furthermore, the release lever 75 protrudes toward the guide groove 55 of the pop-up guide unit 50 on one side thereof so that the release lever 75 is operated by the striker 11 during a pop-up closing operation with respect to the striker 11, and the release lever 75 includes a lever end portion 89 protruding on the other side thereof to act on the second contact end portion 88.

That is, during a pop-up closing operation of the rear door, when one side of the release lever 75 is pushed backward and rotated by the striker 11, the lever end portion 89 pushes the second contact end portion 88 of the locking pawl 73 to rotate the locking pawl 73 in a direction in which the locking support end portion 86 of the locking pawl 73 releases the support of the locking-caught end portion 82 of the locking claw 71.

Conversely, during a pop-up opening operation of the rear door, when the release lever 75 is pushed forward and rotated by the striker 11, the lever end portion 89 rotates in a direction opposite to the second contact end portion 88 regardless of the rotation of the locking pawl 73.

The locking unit 70 further includes a locking claw spring 91, a locking pawl spring 92, a link spring 96, and a lever spring 93.

The locking claw spring 91 is fitted onto the fourth pin 71a of the locking claw 71 under the first guider to elastically support the locking claw 71 in both directions.

The locking pawl spring 92 is fitted onto the fifth pin 73a of the locking pawl 73 under the first guider to elastically support the locking pawl 73 in a direction in which the locking support end portion 86 of the locking pawl 73 catches and supports the locking-caught end portion 82 of the locking claw 71.

The link spring 96 is fitted onto the fourth pin 71a of the locking claw 71 on the locking claw link 72 to elastically support the locking claw link 72 toward the link pin 83 with respect to the locking claw 71.

That is, one end portion of the link spring 96 is supported by one side of the locking claw 71, and the other end portion of the link spring 96 is supported by a spring support end portion 72a formed in the locking claw link 72.

The lever spring 93 is fitted onto the sixth pin 75a of the release lever 75 on the release lever 75 to elastically support the release lever 75 in a direction in which one side of the release lever 75 protrudes toward the guide groove 55.

That is, one end portion of the lever spring 93 is supported by the second contact end portion 88 of the locking pawl 73, and the other end portion of the lever spring 93 is inserted into a spring hole 75b formed in a cross-sectional view of the release lever 75 to elastically support the release lever 75.

Furthermore, the locking unit 70 further includes a locking claw damper 94 and a locking pawl damper 95.

The locking claw damper 94 is provided on one side of the first guider 51 of the pop-up guide unit 50 to support one side of the locking claw 71, to restrict rotation of the locking claw 71 in one direction while reducing contact noise.

The locking pawl damper 95 is provided on the first guider 51 to correspond between the first and second contact end portions 87 and 88 of the locking pawl 73, to restrict rotation of the locking pawl 73 in both directions while reducing contact noise when contacting with the first and second contact end portions 87 and 88.

Hereinafter, a step-by-step operation of the door latch device for the vehicle according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11.

FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are plan views exemplarily illustrating step-by-step operation states of the door latch device for the vehicle according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

First, step ST1 of FIG. 9 illustrates a process in which the door latch device 10 starts a swing closing operation by swinging toward the striker 11 for the swing closing operation in a state where the rear door is opened.

Step ST2 of FIG. 9 illustrates a state where, after the striker 11 enters the entrance portion 57 of the guide groove 55 while the swing closing operation of the rear door proceeds, the swing closing operation of the rear door is completed and the striker 11 is inserted into the locking groove 84 of the locking claw 71 so that the door latch device 10 is locked in the rebound direction thereof.

The locking claw 71 rotates together with the locking claw link 72 in a state where the striker 11 is locked through the locking end portion 81, and the rotation of the locking claw 71 is restricted when the locking-caught end portion 82 is caught by the locking support end portion 86 of the locking pawl 73, keeping the door latch device 10 in the locked state in the rebound direction thereof.

In the present state, the switch operation end portion 85 operates the switch SW, so that the locking claw 71 recognizes that the swing closing operation of the striker 11 has been completed.

Step ST3 of FIG. 9 illustrates a process in which while a pop-up closing operation of the rear door proceeds, the striker 11 slides along the guide groove 55 and pushes one side of the release lever 75 backward to rotate release lever 75, and accordingly, the lever end portion 89 pushes the second contact end portion 88 of the locking pawl 73 to rotate the locking pawl 73 in a direction in which the locking support end portion 86 of the locking pawl 73 releases the support of the locking-caught end portion 82 of the locking claw 71.

At the present time, the locking support end portion 86 of the locking pawl 73 escapes from the locking-caught end portion 82 of the locking claw 71, and the locking claw 71 is restored to its initial position by the locking claw spring 91.

Step ST4 of FIG. 10 illustrates a state where the pop-up closing operation of the rear door is completed and the striker 11 is restrained in the restraining groove 31 of the claw lever 23 of the latch unit 20.

At the present time, as the striker 11 completely passes the release lever 75, the locking pawl 73 and the release lever 75 are restored to their initial positions by the locking pawl spring 92 and the lever spring 93, respectively.

In the present way, the closing operation of the rear door is completed through the swinging operation and the pop-up operation performed by the steps ST1 to ST4.

Meanwhile, step ST5 of FIG. 10 illustrates a state where when the connection end portion 41 of the operation lever 27 is pulled through the latch handle wire 61, the operation lever 27 is rotated and the operation end portion 39 pushes the release end portion 37 of the pawl lever 25 to rotate the pawl lever 25.

At the present time, the support end portion 35 of the pawl lever 25 escapes from the catching end portion 33 of the claw lever 23, and the claw lever 23 is restored to its initial position.

Accordingly, the striker 11 becomes movable from the restraining groove 31 of the claw lever 23 along the guide groove 55 of the pop-up guide unit 50, so that a pop-up opening operation of the rear door may be performed.

Step ST6 of FIG. 10 illustrates a state where when the striker 11 slides along the guide groove 55 of the pop-up guide unit 50 while the pop-up opening operation of the rear door proceeds, the striker 11 pushes the release lever 75 in the forward direction to rotate the release lever 75, but the lever end portion 89 rotates in a direction opposite to the second contact end portion 88 regardless of the rotation of the locking pawl 73.

Step ST7 of FIG. 11 illustrates a state where after the striker 11 slides along the guide groove 55 of the pop-up guide unit 50, the striker 11 pushes the locking claw link 72 and not the locking groove 84, which is a state where the pop-up opening operation of the rear door has been completed.

At the present time, in the state where the striker 11 pushes the locking claw link 72, the striker 11 becomes placed at a position where the rear door may be rotated for a swing opening operation.

Step ST8 of FIG. 11 illustrates a process in which the swing opening operation of the rear door proceeds.

At the present time, the striker 11 comes out of the entrance portion 57 of the pop-up guide unit 50, and at the same time, the locking claw 71 and the locking claw link 72 are restored to their initial positions by the locking claw spring 91 and the link spring 96, respectively.

A configuration of a door latch device for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 12, FIG. 13 and FIG. 14.

FIG. 12, and FIG. 13 are perspective views exemplarily illustrating the door latch device for the vehicle according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a locking unit applied to the door latch device for the vehicle according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

The configuration of the door latch device 10 for the vehicle according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure differs from that according to the various exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 6-11 of the present disclosure in the release lever 75 of the locking unit 70, while all of the other components are the same between the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, the detailed description of the same components will not be repeated.

That is, in the locking unit 70 according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the release lever 75 is disposed above the locking pawl 73 as in the various exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 6-11 of the present disclosure, but the release lever 75 is provided to be rotatable together with the locking pawl 73 through the fifth pin 73a and not the sixth pin 75a, on the other side of the first guider 51.

In the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a locking handle wire 99 is connected to one side of the release lever 75, and the release lever 75 includes a lever end portion 89 acting on the first contact end portion 87 on the other side thereof.

However, the release lever 75 according to the various exemplary embodiments is different in that the release lever 75 is formed so that one side thereof does not protrude toward the guide groove 55 of the pop-up guide unit 50, and is configured to rotate through the locking handle wire 99.

Hereinafter, a step-by-step operation of the door latch device for the vehicle according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 15, FIG. 16 and FIG. 17.

FIG. 15, FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 are plan views exemplarily illustrating step-by-step operation states of the door latch device for the vehicle according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

First, step ST11 of FIG. 15 illustrates a process in which the door latch device 10 starts a swing closing operation by swinging toward the striker 11 for the swing closing operation in a state where the rear door is opened.

Step ST12 of FIG. 15 illustrates a state where, after the striker 11 enters the entrance portion 57 of the guide groove 55 while the swing closing operation of the rear door proceeds, the swing closing operation of the rear door is completed and the striker 11 is inserted into the locking groove 84 of the locking claw 71 so that the door latch device 10 is locked in the rebound direction thereof.

The locking claw 71 rotates together with the locking claw link 72 in a state where the striker 11 is locked through the locking end portion