US Patent 7171832 Door lock device

A door lock device has a lock mechanism configured to allow and not allow opening of a door in an unlocked state and a locked state respectively, and an input shaft configured to switch the lock mechanism between these states when a force is applied to the input shaft. An output shaft is to be engaged with the input shaft so as to transmit the force to the input shaft. The door lock device also has a positioning mechanism configured to hold the input shaft at a position until the output shaft has been engaged with the input shaft and to allow rotation of the input shaft when the engagement has been completed.