This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. ยง119 to Japanese Patent Applications 2014-239004, 2014-239005 and 2014-239006, all filed on Nov. 26, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
This disclosure relates to a closer device and a vehicle door locking device.
In the related art, vehicle door locking devices for closing vehicle doors in a half-shut state to a completely closed state are known. A vehicle door locking device disclosed in JP2007-138533A (Reference 1) has a latch that is rotated and displaced, and the device is provided with a latch mechanism that switches opened and closed states of a vehicle door by cooperation between the latch and a striker provided at a vehicle body, and a door closer device that transmits drive force of a motor to the latch mechanism in order to rotate and displace the latch and causes the latch to perform an operation of closing the vehicle door. The latch mechanism is coupled to a door lever and the latch is rotated and displaced from a position at which disengagement of the striker is not permitted to a position at which the disengagement is permitted, in response to pulling of the door lever. In doing so, the vehicle door can be opened.
Incidentally, force of rotating and displacing the latch to the position at which the disengagement of the striker by the door closer device is not permitted and force of rotating and displacing the latch to the position at which the disengagement of the striker is permitted in response to the operation of the door lever are imparted on the latch if the door lever is pulled during the transmission of the drive force of the motor from the door closer device to the latch mechanism. In order to prevent such a state, the door closer device disclosed in Reference 1 is provided with a cancellation mechanism that prevents the drive force of the motor from being transmitted to the latch.
The cancellation mechanism mentioned in Reference 1 is provided with a cancellation gear that is displaced between a position at which the cancellation gear meshes with a ring gear in a planetary gear mechanism that forms a deceleration mechanism for decelerating rotation of the motor and restricts rotation of the ring gear and a position at which the cancellation gear does not mesh with the ring gear and permits the rotation of the ring gear. The cancellation gear generally meshes with the ring gear and restricts the rotation of the ring gear. Since the rotation of the ring gear is restricted, decelerated rotation of the motor is transmitted to a sun gear that forms the planetary gear mechanism. The cancellation gear is displaced from the position at which the cancellation gear meshes with the ring gear to the position at which the cancellation gear does not mesh with the ring gear in response to the operation of the door lever. In response to the operation, the rotation of the ring gear is permitted, and the rotation of the motor is not transmitted to the sun gear.
Incidentally, such a vehicle door locking device is provided inside a vehicle door. Since various configurations including a window glass are provided inside the vehicle door, there is a problem that the door closer device that employs a planetary gear mechanism as a deceleration mechanism has a large scale as a whole and it is difficult to mount other configurations.
Thus, a need exists for a small-scaled closer device and a vehicle door locking device.
A closer device according to an aspect of this disclosure includes: a threaded shaft that rotates by drive force of a motor; a shaft-like member that threadedly engages with the threaded shaft to transmit decelerated rotation of the threaded shaft and permit displacement in an axial direction between a first axial position and a second axial position; and a restriction member that is displaced between a first position at which the shaft-like member is displaced from the side of the first axial position to the side of the second axial position by restricting rotation of the shaft-like member that accompanies the rotation of the threaded shaft and a second position at which the displacement of the shaft-like member from the side of the first axial position to the side of the second axial position is restricted by permitting the rotation of the shaft-like member that accompanies the rotation of the threaded shaft, in which the shaft-like member drives a locking member of a latch mechanism by being displaced from the first axial position to the second axial position, and in which the restriction member is displaced from the first position to the second position in conjunction with an operation unit that is operated by a user.
The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with the reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Hereinafter, a description will be given of an embodiment of a vehicle door locking device with reference to drawings.
Configuration of Vehicle Door Locking Device
As shown in
The latch mechanism 2 is provided with a latch 21 (see
The closer device 3 is provided with a motor 31 (see
Latch Mechanism
As shown in
The case 23 is provided with a loading/unloading portion 24 that is formed by notching an outer surface in a slit shape. The loading/unloading portion 24 permits loading and unloading the striker 11 to and from the case 23 that accompanies the relative movement. In addition, two support shafts 25 and 26 are provided in the case 23 so as to stand with the loading/unloading portion 24 interposed therebetween in a groove width direction (vertical direction in
In addition, a lever 28 that is coupled to the closer device 3 via wire 27 is pivotally supported to the case 23 in a rotatable fashion. The lever 28 can be rotated and displaced in the clockwise direction from an initial position (the position illustrated in
The latch 21 with a plate shape is provided with an engagement groove 21a that opens in an outer circumferential surface thereof. The latch 21 is constantly biased by a latch bias spring, which is not shown in the drawings, so as to be rotated and displaced in the clockwise direction in the drawings. In addition, rotation and displacement of the latch 21 in the clockwise direction by the latch bias spring are restricted at a position, at which the loading/unloading portion 24 and an opening end of the engagement groove 21a coincide with each other (hereinafter, referred to as an unlatched position), by abutting on a stopper portion that is provided at the case 23 and is not shown in the drawings. Therefore, if a closing operation is performed on the vehicle door 10 in a state in which the latch 21 is at the unlatched position, the engagement groove 21a engages with the striker 11 that advances from the loading/unloading portion 24. Then, the engagement groove 21a is pressurized against the striker 11 by the striker 11 further advancing against the bias force of the latch bias spring (not shown), and the latch 21 is then rotated and displaced in the counterclockwise direction. The latch 21 is rotated and displaced from the unlatched position that is shown in
As shown in
In addition, a third engagement portion 21d that can be engaged with the lever 28 that rotates in the clockwise direction when the latch 21 is positioned between the half-latched position and the fully-latched position is provided in the outer circumferential surface of the latch 21. The latch 21 that is positioned between the half-latched position and the fully-latched position is rotated and displaced in the counterclockwise direction up to the fully-latched position by being pressurized by the lever 28 that rotates in the clockwise direction via the third engagement portion 21d.
The pole 22 is constantly biased so as to be rotated and displaced in the counterclockwise direction by a pole bias spring that is not shown in the drawings. The pole 22 is maintained at a position (hereinafter, referred to as a restriction position) at which the pole can be engaged with the first engagement portion 21b and the second engagement portion 21c of the latch 21 by abutting on the stopper portion that is provided at the case 23.
In addition, the pole 22 is coupled to an inside door handle 12 and an outside door handle 13 (see
As shown in
Closer Device
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The spindle 34 can be displaced between a first axial position that is shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The spindle guide 35 corresponds to the tubular member and is accommodated in the inner space that is formed by the body 32 and the housing 33 in a state in which rotation about the axial direction is permitted and displacement in the axial direction is restricted. As shown in
As shown in
The distance between the support shaft 37b and the swing center of the cancellation lever 36, which will be described later, when the cancellation pole 37 is located at the rotation restriction position will be referred to as a first distance, and the distance between the support shaft 37b and the swing center of the cancellation lever 36 when the cancellation pole 37 is located at the rotation permission position will be referred to as a second position. The cancellation pole 37 corresponds to the restriction member. In addition, the curved surface 37a corresponds to the engagement surface.
As shown in
The cancellation lever 36 includes a guide groove 36a provided so as to follow the arc of the fan. The width of the guide groove 36a is set to be slightly wider than the outer diameter of the support shaft 37b of the cancellation pole 37. The support shaft 37b of the cancellation pole 37 is inserted into the guide groove 36a. In addition, the guide groove 36a is set such that the distance between an end thereof on the side of the motor 31 and the swing center is the first distance and the distance between an end thereof on the opposite side to the motor 31 and the swing center is the second distance. Therefore, the cancellation pole 37 is located at the rotation restriction position when the cancellation lever 36 is located at a first swing position, and the cancellation pole 37 is located at the rotation permission position when the cancellation lever 36 is located at a second swing position. In addition, the cancellation pole 37 is displaced between the rotation restriction position and the rotation permission position by the cancellation lever 36 swinging.
The cancellation lever 36 is constantly biased toward the clockwise direction in
As shown in
The cancellation collar 38 includes a columnar portion 38a and a cylindrical portion 38b from the side of the spindle 34. The columnar portion 38a and the cylindrical portion 38b are coaxially provided.
An end surface of the columnar portion 38a, which faces the spindle 34, is a plane 38c that perpendicularly intersects the axial direction of the spindle 34. In contrast, an end of the columnar portion 38a on the opposite side to the plane 38c is a flange 38d with a larger diameter than that of the main body of the columnar portion 38a. The outer diameter of the flange 38d is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cancellation assist spring 39 that is formed of a coil spring.
The cylindrical portion 38b continues to the flange 38d. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 38b is set to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cancellation assist spring 39.
The cancellation assist spring 39 is interposed between the cancellation collar 38 and the inner wall of the spindle 34 in the axial direction, which is formed by the body 32 and the housing 33, in a state in which the end thereof on the side of the spindle 34 surrounds the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion 38b and is elastically pressurized. The cancellation assist spring 39 constantly biases the spindle 34 toward the side of the latch mechanism 2 via the cancellation collar 38. In addition, the cancellation collar 38 and the cancellation assist spring 39 correspond to the bias member.
As shown in
The first connecting portion 41b is connected to the end of the spindle 34 on the side of the latch mechanism 2. The second connecting portion 41c is connected to the wire 27 (see
The spherical first connector 43 is fixed to an end of the wire 27 on the opposite side to an end connected to the lever 28. A notch groove 43a that opens on the side of the spindle 34 is formed at a portion, which faces the spindle 34, of the first connector 43. The ring-shaped portion that forms the second connecting portion 41c of the swivel 41 can be inserted into the notch groove 43a. In addition, a cylindrical portion 43b that perpendicularly intersects the notch groove 43a is formed at the first connector 43. The first connector 43 and the second connecting portion 41c are connected to each other by inserting a pin 51 and swaging opposite ends of the pin 51 in a state in which the cylindrical portion 43b and the ring portion that forms the second connecting portion 41c match in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 43b.
As shown in
A semi-ring-shaped engagement projecting portion 32c is provided at a tip end of the semi-cylindrical portion 32a on the side of the inner circumference. The engagement projecting portion 32c corresponds to the supporting portion. The engagement projecting portion 32c can be engaged with a ring-shaped engagement groove 44a that is provided so as to be recessed in an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical second connector 44 into which the wire 27 is inserted.
A first ring-shaped water-proof groove 45 is provided so as to be recessed in the engagement groove 44a of the second connector 44 on the side of the latch mechanism 2.
In addition, an annular region that is formed of a root of the semi-cylindrical portion 32a of the body 32, which continues by attaching the body 32 and the housing 33 to each other, and a tip end of the housing 33 on the side of the latch mechanism 2 is referred to as a ring-shaped portion 46. An outer diameter of the ring-shaped portion 46 is set to be larger than an outer diameter of the second connector 44. A second ring-shaped water-proof groove 47 is provided so as to be recessed in the ring-shaped portion 46.
The wire 27 is inserted into a cylindrical water-proof cap 48. The water-proof cap 48 is molded by using a resin material (for example, a transparent resin material). An inner diameter of the water-proof cap 48 on the side of the latch mechanism 2 is set to be equal to the outer diameter of the second connector 44. In addition, an inner diameter of the water-proof cap 48 on the opposite side to the latch mechanism 2 is set to be equal to the outer diameter of the ring-shaped portion 46 that is formed by attaching the body 32 and the housing 33 to each other.
The water-proof cap 48 is attached to the ring-shaped portion 46 that is formed by attaching the body 32 and the housing 33 to each other and the second connector 44 by being displaced from the side of the latch mechanism 2 to the side of the spindle 34 in a state in which the engagement projecting portion 32c of the semi-cylindrical portion 32a and the engagement groove 44a of the second connector 44 are engaged with each other. Here, O rings 49 and 50 that have larger diameters than those of the first water-proof groove 45 and the second water-proof groove 47, respectively are disposed. That is, the O ring 49 surrounds the circumference of the second connector 44, and the O ring 50 surrounds the circumference of the ring-shaped portion 46. In doing so, the O rings 49 and 50 are pressed by the water-proof cap 48 attached to the outer circumference of the second connector 44 and the ring-shaped portion 46 and suppress the entrance of liquid through the water-proof cap 48. Thus, the entrance of foreign matter including liquid to the inside of the body 32 and the housing 33 is suppressed.
As shown in
In addition, a bearing 55 is interposed between the wheel that forms the worm wheel 40 and the reduced diameter portion 53. The wheel is rotatably supported by the body 32 and the housing 33 via the bearing 55.
Operations
Next, a description will be given of operations of the door locking device 1. As an assumption of the following description, the closer device 3 is in a state in which the spindle 34 is located at the first axial position, the cancellation lever 36 is located at the first swing position, and the cancellation pole 37 is located at the rotation restriction position as shown in
First, a description will be given of a case in which the door locking device 1 is normally operated, that is, a case in which the inside door handle 12 and the outside door handle 13 (see
The control unit that controls the door locking device 1 detects that the latch mechanism 2 has been brought into the half-latched state (see
The control unit that controls the door locking device 1 detects that the door locking device 1 has shifted to the fully-latched state and then stops the driving of the motor 31. In doing so, the drive force of the motor 31 does not act on the spindle 34, that is, only the bias force of the cancellation assist spring 39 acts on the spindle 34. Therefore, the spindle 34 is displaced from the second axial position to the first axial position. In doing so, the lever 28 is rotated and displaced in the counterclockwise direction and returns to the initial position. In addition, the latch mechanism 2 is maintained in the fully-latched state.
Next, a description will be given of a case in which the inside door handle 12 or the outside door handle 13 (see
As shown in
Since the drive force of the motor 31 is transmitted as rotation to the spindle 34 via the worm wheel 40, the spindle 34 and the spindle guide 35 are rotated together if the rotation of the spindle guide 35 is permitted. Therefore, the force of causing displacement from the first axial position to the second axial position by the drive force of the motor 31 does not act on the spindle 34. That is, since only the bias force of the cancellation assist spring 39 acts on the spindle 34, the spindle 34 is displaced from the side of the second axial position to the first axial position as shown in
Since the spindle 34 is threadedly inserted into the wheel of the worm wheel 40, the spindle 34 causes rotation about the axial direction when the spindle 34 is displaced from the side of the second axial position to the first axial position by the bias force of the cancellation assist spring 39.
As described above in detail, the following effects can be achieved according to the embodiment.
(1) The closer device 3 is configured such that the latch mechanism 2 is driven by the displacement of the spindle 34, to which the drive force of the motor 31 is transmitted by the worm wheel 40, in the axial direction. It is possible to obtain a relatively higher deceleration ratio by the worm wheel 40 as compared with a planetary gear mechanism that is employed in the related art and to thereby employ a smaller-scaled motor 31 as compared with a motor employed in the related art. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size of the closer device 3 and thus the size of the door locking device 1.
(2) The spindle guide 35 is provided with the substantially regular octagonal engagement portion 35b. In addition, the cancellation pole 37 is provided with the curved surface 37a that is in surface contact with the engagement portion 35b. The cancellation pole 37 restricts rotation of the spindle guide 35 by being brought into surface contact with the engagement portion 35b at the rotation restriction position and permits the rotation of the spindle guide 35 by being separated from the engagement portion 35b at the rotation permission position. As described above, it is possible to restrict the rotation of the spindle guide 35 by the surface contact, which is a simple configuration.
(3) The swivel 41 is used for connection between the spindle 34 and the wire 27. In doing so, the rotation of the spindle 34 is not transmitted to the wire 27. Since the rotation is not transmitted to the wire 27 that is formed of a twisted metal wire member, defects such as a defect that the wire member is untwisted and a defect that the wire member is twisted off do not easily occur in the wire 27.
(4) The outer diameter of the end of the spindle guide 35 on the side of the latch mechanism 2 is set to be smaller than the outer diameter of the end on the opposite side. In addition, the inner space that is formed by attaching the body 32 and the housing 33 to each other and corresponds to a portion for accommodating the spindle guide 35 is set such that the space on the side of the latch mechanism 2 is narrower than the space on the opposite side. In doing so, the insertion of the spindle guide 35 into the inner space in a state in which the axial direction of the spindle guide 35 is reversed is restricted. Therefore, erroneous assembly of the closer device 3 is suppressed.
(5) The water-proof cap 48 connects the second connector 44 into which the wire 27 is inserted and the ring-shaped portion 46 that is formed of the body 32 and the housing 33. In doing so, a state in which the connecting portion between the wire 27 and the spindle 34 is accommodated in the water-proof cap 48 is obtained. That is, since the ring-shaped portion 46 that serves as an opening of the inner space that is formed of the body 32 and the housing 33 is covered with the water-proof cap 48, the entrance of foreign matter to the inner space is suppressed. In doing so, the closer device 3 is preferably operated.
(6) The second connector 44 is supported by the semi-cylindrical portion 32a through the engagement between the engagement groove 44a and the engagement projecting portion 32c. In doing so, the second connector 44 is not displaced relative to the body 32 and the housing 33 when the water-proof cap 48 is attached to the second connector 44 and the ring-shaped portion 46. Therefore, the water-proof cap 48 can be easily attached.
(7) The water-proof cap 48 is attached to the second connector 44 and the ring-shaped portion 46 in a state in which the semi-cylindrical portion 32a is accommodated. In doing so, the second connector 44 has a structure of being supported at the body 32 and the housing 33 by both the semi-cylindrical portion 32a and the water-proof cap 48, and strength is secured.
(8) The water-proof cap 48 is attached to the second connector 44 and the ring-shaped portion 46 in a state in which the O rings 49 and 50, which have larger diameters than the depths of the first water-proof groove 45 and the second water-proof groove 47, are disposed at both the water-proof grooves. In doing so, the entrance of liquid through the water-proof cap 48 is suppressed. Thus, the entrance of foreign matter including liquid to the inside of the body 32 and the housing 33 is suppressed.
(9) The tip end of the spindle 34 on the side of the cancellation collar 38 is formed into a spherical shape, and the end surface of the cancellation collar 38 on the side of the spindle 34 is formed into a plane 38c. In doing so, the spindle 34 and the cancellation collar 38 are brought into point contact. Since the spindle 34 and the cancellation collar 38 are brought into point contact, frictional force caused between the spindle 34 and the cancellation collar 38 during the rotation of the spindle 34 becomes smaller than that in a case in which other shapes that result in another contact form are employed. Therefore, since attenuation of the bias force of the cancellation assist spring 39 due to the frictional force caused between the spindle 34 and the cancellation collar 38 is small when the spindle 34 is displaced from the side of the second axial position to the first axial position, it is possible to employ a small-scale spring as the cancellation assist spring 39. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the size of the closer device 3 and thus the size of the door locking device 1.
(10) The configuration is employed in which the cancellation assist spring 39 is disposed in the axial direction of the spindle 34 and the spindle 34 and the cancellation collar 38 abut on each other in the axial direction. In doing so, since a rotation moment by the bias force of the cancellation assist spring 39 is not easily input to the spindle 34, the occurrence of the frictional force due to contact between the spindle 34 and other members is suppressed.
(11) The spindle 34 is threadedly inserted into the wheel of the worm wheel 40. Therefore, the spindle 34 does not deviate from the axis even if the spindle 34 is rotated about the axial direction. Accordingly, the rotation moment due to the bias force of the cancellation assist spring 39 is not easily input to the spindle 34.
(12) The reduced diameter portion 53 that abuts the projections 34a for the purpose of restricting the displacement of the spindle 34 from the side of the first axial position to the side of the second axial position abuts on the bearing 55 on the side of the second axial position. That is, the reduced diameter portion 53 is pinched between the projections 34a and the bearing 55 when the reduced diameter portion 53 restricts the displacement of the spindle 34 from the side of the first axial position to the side of the second axial position. For this reason, the reduced diameter portion 53 is pressurized from both the pinching directions when the reduced diameter portion 53 restricts the displacement of the spindle 34. Therefore, the occurrence of defects at the reduced diameter portion 53 during the restriction is suppressed.
In addition, the aforementioned embodiment can be modified as follows.
A spindle 60 shown in
A spindle 70 shown in
In a case of employing such a configuration, it is desirable that the tip end of the cancellation collar 38 is formed into a spherical shape. With such a configuration, the tip end of the cancellation collar 38 and the flange portion 71 are brought into point contact, and frictional force caused between the cancellation collar 38 and the flange portion 71 during rotation and displacement of the spindle 70 about the axial direction can be reduced.
A closer device according to an aspect of this disclosure includes: a threaded shaft that rotates by drive force of a motor; a shaft-like member that threadedly engages with the threaded shaft to transmit decelerated rotation of the threaded shaft and permit displacement in an axial direction between a first axial position and a second axial position; and a restriction member that is displaced between a first position at which the shaft-like member is displaced from the side of the first axial position to the side of the second axial position by restricting rotation of the shaft-like member that accompanies the rotation of the threaded shaft and a second position at which the displacement of the shaft-like member from the side of the first axial position to the side of the second axial position is restricted by permitting the rotation of the shaft-like member that accompanies the rotation of the threaded shaft, in which the shaft-like member drives a locking member of a latch mechanism by being displaced from the first axial position to the second axial position, and in which the restriction member is displaced from the first position to the second position in conjunction with an operation unit that is operated by a user.
According to this configuration, the shaft-like member by which the rotation of the motor is decelerated and then transmitted due to the threaded engagement is employed, and the locking member of the latch mechanism is driven by the displacement of the shaft-like member in the axial direction. For this reason, the closer device is reduced in size as compared with a closer device that employs a planetary gear mechanism as a deceleration mechanism as in the related art.
In the configuration, it is preferable that the closer device further includes a tubular member, into which the shaft-like member is inserted, which is integrally rotated with the shaft-like member, that at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the tubular member is formed into a polygonal shape with corners, and that the restriction member includes an engagement surface that is in surface contact with a surface having the polygonal shape.
According to this configuration, it is possible to easily restrict the rotation of the tubular member by surface contact, which is a simple configuration.
In the configuration, it is preferable that the shaft-like member is connected to the latch mechanism via a rotation absorption member that absorbs the rotation of the shaft-like member and a transmission member that transmits the displacement of the shaft-like member in the axial direction.
According to this configuration, since the rotation of the shaft-like member is not transmitted to the transmission member, defects in the transmission member and the latch mechanism are suppressed during the displacement of the shaft-like member in the axial direction.
In the configuration, it is preferable that the rotation absorption member is a swivel.
According to this configuration, defects in the transmission member and the latch mechanism are suppressed by employing a simple configuration of the swivel.
In the configuration, it is preferable that a space that accommodates the tubular member is formed to have different sizes in an axial direction thereof and that an outer shape of the tubular member is set to have different sizes on one end side and the other end side.
With such a configuration, erroneous assembly of the tubular member is suppressed.
A vehicle door locking device according to another aspect of this disclosure is preferably provided with the closer device according to any one of the above descriptions.
The closer device and the vehicle door locking device according to the aspects of this disclosure are small in size.
The principles, preferred embodiment and mode of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, be embraced thereby.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2014-239004 | Nov 2014 | JP | national |
2014-239005 | Nov 2014 | JP | national |
2014-239006 | Nov 2014 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5441315 | Kleefeldt | Aug 1995 | A |
20100194122 | Akizuki | Aug 2010 | A1 |
20130033045 | Worm | Feb 2013 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2007-138533 | Jun 2007 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160145928 A1 | May 2016 | US |