The present invention relates to a slide assist mechanism which assists an operation switching a moving body from a first position to a second position, or from the second position to the first position on a main body side by using an urging force.
a) and 12(b) show a slide assist mechanism of Patent Document 1. In the example, a main body is disposed to freely slide a sliding door; a projection body 9 which is an operation member is provided in the sliding door; and the sliding door is drawn in through the projection body 9 by a draw-in unit which is an essential portion of the slide assist mechanism provided in the main body. The draw-in unit comprises a case 1 attached to the main body; sliders 2A and 2B disposed freely slidably in the case 1; latches 5 and 5 rotatably supported through a shaft 8 relative to each slider; and urging devices 3. The projection body 9 is provided to project on an upper end surface of the sliding door.
Here, the case 1 is required to be slender and also thin due to a relation wherein the case 1 is disposed along a guide rail on the main body side. Also, each slider 2A and 2B, and the latch 5 are disposed so as to be stabilized and excellent due to the following structure relative to the case 1. Specifically, each projected portion 22 provided on upper and lower surfaces is fitted in guide grooves 12b and 16b provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the case 1, and each slider slides while the slider is guided by a guide device on upper and lower sides. Also, each latch 5 slides while each projection 52 provided on the upper and lower surfaces is being guided by guide grooves 14 and 19 provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the case 1. Each of guide grooves 14 and 19 respectively comprises a straight-line groove 14a and 19a parallel to the guide groove 12b and 16b; and an approximately L-shaped locking groove 14b and 19b provided on both sides of the straight-line groove 14a and 19a.
In the aforementioned slide assist mechanism, both-side latches 5 in
In the slide assist mechanism, when the sliding door is operated to be closed, due to the urging force of the urging device, the sliding door is automatically switched up to the closed position from a middle of a closing operation to prevent an occurrence of an incomplete closed state of the sliding door. However, in the conventional mechanism, if a coil spring is used as the urging device, a handling property or an assured urging force can be easily provided. On the other hand, for example, in a draw-in process, an urging force in an early phase differs substantially from an urging force just before a final phase, and due to that, a sliding property can be easily damaged. As a measure for this, in addition to reducing a sliding speed of the slider by a braking device, a usage coil spring whose entire size is made as long as possible is used.
Specifically, as a preferable coil spring, in a case of the example in
An object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems, and even in a case where the coil spring whose entire size is long is used as the urging device, an operation property, simplification, and the flat downsizing can be maintained, or easily improved.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a slide assist mechanism comprising a case attached to one of a main body or a moving body; a slider disposed freely slidably in the case; a latch supported by the slider so as to be switched between a standby position which locks in a corresponding portion of the case and a draw-in position which releases the aforementioned locking; a draw-in unit comprising an urging device; and an operation member attached to another of the main body or the moving body and switching the latch from the standby position to the draw-in position, or switching the latch from the draw-in position to the standby position. When the latch is switched from the standby position to the draw-in position, due to an urging force which has been accumulated in the urging device, the slide assist mechanism allows the moving body to move from a first position to a second position on a main body side through the operation member. In the slider, the urging device is disposed on a lower surface side, and also one end in a sliding direction includes an attachment device for the urging device.
Preferably, the slider includes a spring placement portion provided along a longitudinal direction on the lower surface side, wherein a coil spring which is the urging device is placed; a latch placement portion wherein one portion on the lower surface side is provided in a reversed concave shape so as to place the latch; and an escape groove dividing the latch placement portion and provided in an upper wall portion. Preferably, the latch has a thickness so as to be nearly housed in the latch placement portion, and includes an engaging portion engaging with and disengaging from the operation member; and a projection fitted in a guide groove provided on an upper surface side of the case through the escape groove. In this case, since the slider includes the spring placement portion wherein the coil spring which is the urging device is placed along the longitudinal direction on the lower surface side, and at the same time, one portion on the lower surface side of the latch placement portion is provided in the reversed concave shape, a width of the case is allowed to be set according to a width of the slider so as to be capable of realizing flat downsizing further. Also, in a state wherein the latch is placed in the latch placement portion including the reversed concave shape, the projection is fitted in the guide groove on the upper surface side of the case from the escape groove, so that a guide device provided between the latch and the upper surface of the case shown in the Patent Document 1 can be adopted. Thereby, while maintaining an excellent operation property, simplification can be also obtained.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the slide assist mechanism comprising the case attached to one of the main body or the moving body; the slider disposed freely slidably in the case; the latch supported by the slider so as to be switched between the standby position which locks in the corresponding portion of the case and the draw-in position which releases the aforementioned locking; the draw-in unit comprising the urging device; and the operation member attached to another of the main body or the moving body and switching the latch from the standby position to the draw-in position, or switching the latch from the draw-in position to the standby position. When the latch is switched from the standby position to the draw-in position, due to the urging force which has been accumulated in the urging device, the slide assist mechanism allows the moving body to move from the first position to the second position on the main body side through the operation member. The slide assist mechanism includes a control device which is provided between the latch and the slider, and when the latch is switched between the standby position and the draw-in position through the operation member, the control device prevents the latch from inclining relative to the slider so as to maintain a horizontal rotational movement of the latch.
Further preferably, the present invention is realized as follows.
(A) The control device comprises an arc-like supporting groove provided in the slider and notched as a center of a pivotal supporting portion for the latch; and a supporting shaft for suspending which includes a neck portion provided in the latch and inserted to pass through the supporting groove freely slidably, and a head portion retaining the neck portion in a state wherein the neck portion is inserted to pass through the guide groove. In this case, as the control device, the latch is supported in a suspending state through the supporting shaft without damaging a rotation of the latch relative to the supporting groove on a slider side so as to be capable of maintaining a horizontal rotation of the latch with a simplified structure.
(B) The control device comprises a collar portion provided in a shaft portion rotatably supporting the latch to the slider, and projecting around a shaft; and a level difference provided in the slider and fitted in the collar portion. In this case, the control device comprises the collar portion projecting around the shaft of the shaft portion by using the shaft portion rotatably supporting the latch to the slider; and the level difference provided in the slider and fitted in the collar portion so as to be capable of maintaining the horizontal rotation of the latch with the simplified structure.
(C) The control device comprises an abutting piece projecting upward from one portion of the latch, and contacting freely slidably with a corresponding portion of the slider. In this case, the control device comprises the abutting piece projecting upward from one portion of the latch, and contacting freely slidably with the corresponding portion of the slider, so that the horizontal rotation of the latch is allowed to be maintained with the simplified structure.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the draw-in unit used in the slide assist mechanism according to the first or the second aspect of the present invention is provided.
Incidentally, the aforementioned moving body includes a drawer and the like in addition to a sliding door. The main body includes a frame for the sliding door, a housing portion for the drawer, and the like. The first position shows a complete closed position or a complete open position of the moving body, and also includes the closed position wherein the moving body is completely pushed in the housing portion, or the open position wherein the moving body is completely pulled out. The second position shows the complete opened position or the complete closed position of the moving body, and also includes the open position wherein the moving body is completely pulled out of the housing portion, or the closed position wherein the moving body is completely pushed into the housing portion.
As for the slide assist mechanism according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the slider, the urging device is disposed on the lower surface side, and one end in the sliding direction includes the attachment device for the urging device, so that even in a case where the coil spring whose entire size is long is used as the urging device, the slide assist mechanism of the present invention allows to easily prevent from buffering with the latch so as to be capable of maintaining the simplification, the flat downsizing, and the excellent operation property.
As for the slide assist mechanism according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the latch is switched between the standby position and the draw-in position through the operation member on a moving body side, due to the control device provided between the latch and the slider, the horizontal rotation relative to the slider is maintained to prevent from oscillating or inclining. Thereby, in the present invention, as in the case of an embodiment, even in a case where the coil spring (the coil spring with a length corresponding to a length between a left end of a left-side slider and a right end of a right-side slider in a state wherein the urging force is released) whose entire size is the longest is used as the urging device, since the control device for the latch is provided between the latch and the slider, even if the guide device (for example, the projection on a lower surface of the latch, and the guide groove on a lower surface of the case) provided between the latch and the lower surface of the case shown, for example, in the Patent Document 1 is omitted, a position switchover of the latch is allowed to be maintained stably and assuredly so as to be capable of improving the operation property.
The draw-in unit according to the third aspect of the present invention becomes useful in obtaining advantages of the slide assist mechanism.
a) is a plan view in a state wherein a cover is removed from the draw-in unit;
a) is a cross sectional view taken along a line B-B in
a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a modified example 1 with an illustrative embodiment of
a) is a plan view wherein a case is viewed from an upper side, and
a) is a bottom view wherein the cover is viewed from a lower side, and
a) and 7(b) show one slider;
a) and 8(b) show another slider;
a) to 9(d) show a latch (a latch on one slider side);
a) to 10(d) show operations of the draw-in unit;
a) shows a specific example of a main body and a moving body, and
a) and 12(b) show a slide assist mechanism of the Patent Document 1;
Embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to drawings.
(Mechanism characteristics) The slide assist mechanism of the embodiment comprises a draw-in unit 6 attached to one of a main body 7 or a sliding door as a moving body; and projection bodies 8 which are the operation member attached to another of the main body 7 or the sliding door. In the following embodiment, there is shown a case wherein the draw-in unit 6 is attached to the main body 7, and the projection bodies 8 are attached to a sliding door A (B). However, the draw-in unit 6 can be attached to the sliding door A (B), and the projection bodies 8 can be attached to the main body 7. Also, the draw-in unit 6 and the projection bodies 8 are broadly divided into three kinds of the following structures by the moving body for an object or draw-in operation setting.
The first structure is in a case in which the draw-in unit 6 shown in
A second structure is in a case in which the sliding doors A and B in
A third structure is in a case in which the moving body is drawn in only in one direction. For example, in
(Draw-in unit) Detailed portions of the draw-in unit 6 will be demonstrated. As shown in
The cover 15 includes an approximately concave-like guide groove 19a facing the guide grooves 11b; an approximately concave-like guide groove 19b approaching the guide groove 19a and provided to line up in the same direction; an approximately concave-like latch guide portion provided at a middle of the right and left; and an approximately concave-like guide groove 19c extending to right and left inside the guide portion 16. The guide portion 16 comprises a straight-line groove 16a extending to right and left between the guide groove 19b and the guide groove 19c; and approximately L-shaped locking grooves 16b provided on both sides of the straight-line groove 16a.
On the both-side surfaces 12 on the case side and both sides 17 on a cover side, there are provided hook-like locking portions 12a and hole-like engaging portions 17a mutually engaging when the cover 15 is disposed in the space portion 10, as a plural pair. Also, on the attachment portions 10a on the case side and right-and-left end surfaces 18 on the cover side, there are provided concave-like locking portions 10d and convex-like engaging pieces 18a mutually engaging when the cover 15 is disposed in the space portion 10. Then, in the example, the cover 15 is placed in the case 1 through the aforementioned engagements. The right-and-left attachment portions 10a have a cross-sectional surface of a reversed concave shape in a width direction, and the projection bodies are slidable along the guide hole 11a from a reversed concave-like portion thereof.
The sliders 2A and 2B have a resin block shape, and as shown in
The slider 2A and the slider 2B have the following respects in common. Connecting portions 21 and 31 for the braking device form one portion of upper and lower surfaces 2a and 2b, or 3a and 3b, and also include a convex portion 22 or 32 provided in the upper and lower surfaces 2a and 2b and the upper and lower surfaces 3a and 3b, and extending to right and left. There are included guide portions 23 and 33 whose cross-sectional surface is arc-like provided in parallel to one side, i.e., a connecting portion side so as to guide the braking device 5; and spring placement portions 25 and 35 provided along a longitudinal direction on a lower surface side on the another side. There is included a concave-like latch-and-hold portion 25a or 35a provided in one end side of each spring placement portion 25 and 35, and locking a corresponding end portion of the coil spring which is the urging device 3. There are included latch placement portions 20 and 30 positioned on sides of the spring placement portions 25 and 35, and forming one portion of the lower side in the reversed concave shape. There are included escape grooves 28 and 38 which divide each latch placement portion 20 and 30 and are provided in upper wall portions; supporting grooves 27 and 37; and shaft holes 26 and 36 for pivotally supporting.
Here, the connecting portion 21 includes an insertion hole 24a provided in an inner end surface, and an escape portion 24b notched from an outside. On the other hand, the connecting portion 31 includes an approximately U-shaped clamp portion 34a provided by maintaining a gap 34b between the clamp portion 34a and the inner end surface. Also, in the latch placement portions 20 and 30, the shaft holes 26 and 36 are provided on an angle portion side which is off the center, and pass through up and down. As shown in
As shown in
The supporting portion 40 includes a shaft portion 43 for pivotally supporting which is positioned on an upper surface side and provided to be projected on an end portion side; a supporting shaft 41 for suspending which is provided to be projected near the center; and a projection 46 which is provided to be projected on the end portion side separated from the shaft portion 43. The shaft portion 43 is fitted in the shaft hole 26 or 36 on the slider side, so that the latch 4 is rotatably assembled relative to the slider 2A or 2B. The supporting shaft 41 constitutes the control device 9 of the present invention together with the supporting groove 37, and includes a neck portion 41a inserted to pass through the supporting groove 37 to freely slide; and a head portion 41b retaining the neck portion 41a in a state wherein the neck portion 41a is inserted to pass through the supporting groove 37. The projection 46 is formed higher than the shaft portion 43 and the supporting shaft 41. In a state wherein the latch 4 is pivotally supported at each slider rotatably, the projection 46 is fitted in the guide portion 16 on the cover side; slides along the straight-line groove 16a; and engages the locking grooves 16b so as to lock the sliding of the latch 4 (and the slider).
The assist engaging device 47 engages the projection body 8 when the latch 4 comes to the draw-in position in a non-engagement state due to an improper operation so as to allow the latch 4 to be switched from the draw-in position to the standby position. In the example, the assist engaging device 47 comprises an inclined-surface guide portion 45a on an end side which is made to have a level difference whose end side is broadly depressed at the lower surface side of the latch, and guides the projection body 8; and a concave portion 47 continuing into the inclined-surface guide portion 45a, and deepening one step. The inclined-surface guide portion 45a is a taper whose end becomes lower. In a usage illustrative embodiment, when the projection body 8 abuts against the inclined-surface guide portion 45a upwardly, the projection body 8 slides while reducing a projecting amount, and when the projection body 8 enters the concave portion 47, the projection body 8 increases the projecting amount again so as to maintain an engagement with the concave portion 47. Also, in the latch 4, a portion C forming the engaging portion 42 comprises a material different from portions except for the portion C. Specifically, the latch 4 is molded in a two-color molding method, and latch aggregate (the portions except for the portion C) is a hard resin portion formed by primary molding, and the portion C forming the engaging portion 42 is a soft resin portion formed by secondary molding. This is because when the projection body 8 bumps into a U-shaped corresponding portion of the engaging portion 42, a noise tends to be generated easily. However, by constituting the U-shaped corresponding portion by the soft resin portion, the generation of that kind of hitting sound can be prevented. Regarding the detailed portions, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-149908.
A compression coil spring is used for the urging device 3. A whole size of the spring is nearly equal to a sum of a length of the slider 2A and the slider 2B in a state wherein the urging force is released. By lengthening the spring to its fullest extent, a spring property is allowed to be provided excellently. On both ends, there are provided radius-small-spiral spring portions 3a for attaching.
The piston-type damper is used for the braking device 5. For the piston-type damper, the heretofore known piston-type damper (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-29564 and the like) may be used provided that the piston-type damper includes a cylinder 50 and a piston rod 51 which gently comes in and out of the cylinder 50, and has a structure that the piston rod 51 is gently driven relative to the fixed cylinder 50, or the cylinder 50 is gently driven relative to the fixed piston rod 51. Also, as shown in
(Operation member)
(Assembly) For example, after each latch 4 is pivotally supported at the sliders 2A and 2B, the aforementioned respective members are connected by disposing both the sliders 2A and 2B between the piston-type damper, which is the braking device 5, and the coil spring, which is the urging device 3. Next, the above is built in the case 1, and the cover 15 is attached to the case 1 so as to be completed as the draw-in unit 6.
First, each latch 4 is rotatably supported relative to the sliders 2A and 2B by the fitting between the shaft portion 43 and the shaft hole 26, or between the shaft portion 43 and the shaft hole 36. In the supported state, the supporting shaft 41 is supported relative to the arc-like supporting groove 27 or 37 in a suspending state, and the projection 46 is protruded to an upper surface side of the slider by passing through the escape groove 28 or 38. After that, both the sliders 2A and 2B are connected through the piston-type damper which is the braking device 5. In this case, the piston rod 51 is connected relative to the connecting portion 21 of the slider 2A in a state wherein the front end is inserted into the insertion hole 24a, as shown in
Next, the sliders 2A and 2B with the aforementioned latch 4 are disposed relative to the case 1 together with the braking device 5 and the urging device 3. In the example, as a guide device between the sliders and the case, in a state wherein a convex portion 22d or 32d on the lower surface of each slider is fitted in the guide groove 11c on the case side; wherein the convex portion 22 or 32 on the upper and lower surfaces of each slider is fitted in the guide grooves 11b on the case side and the guide groove 19a on the cover side; wherein a convex portion 22a or 32a on the upper surface of each slider is fitted in the guide groove 19b on the cover side; and wherein a convex portion 22b or 32b provided on the upper surface of each slider is fitted in the guide groove 19c on the cover side, i.e., at upper and lower plural portions, the sliders and the case are guided with excellent accuracy. Also, in the latch 4, the projection 46 is fitted in the guide portion 16 on the case side from the escape groove 28 of the slider, and the latch 4 is switched between the draw-in position, which is slid along the straight-line groove 16a accompanied by the sliding of the slider, and the standby position which is entered into the locking grooves 16b from the straight-line groove 16a so as to be locked.
(Operation)
(1)
Incidentally, a load is applied to the latch 4 through the slider 2A due to the urging device 3, for example, when the latch 4 receives a large oscillation, the latch 4 oscillates as a supporting point of pivotal supporting portions (the shaft portion 43 and the shaft hole 26 on the slider side), and an end side which is separated from the shaft portion 43 inclines downwardly, so that there is the possibility that the projection 46 could be unlocked from the locking grooves 16b carelessly. As a measure for that, in the conventional mechanism in
(2)
In the aforementioned position switchover, when the latch 4 is rotated counterclockwise as the supporting point of the pivotal supporting portions (the shaft portion 43 and the shaft hole 26 on the slider side), the supporting shaft 41 is slid along the supporting groove 37 on the slider side (in a state of being received in a level difference 37a of the supporting groove 37), so that the control device 9 prevents the latch 4 from inclining relative to the slider 2A so as to assuredly maintain the horizontal rotational movement. Thereby, when the latch 4 is switched between the standby position and the draw-in position through the projection body 8 which is the operation member, the mechanism of the present invention prevents the possibility that the projection 46 could come off from the guide portion 16 due to an incline of the latch and the like so as to cause the improper operation. Also, even if a further long coil spring is used as the urging device 3, the mechanism of the present invention prevents from buffering with the latch, and also flat downsizing can be easily obtained.
(3)
In the aforementioned position switchover, when the latch 4 is rotated clockwise as the supporting point of the pivotal supporting portions (the shaft portion 43 and the shaft hole 26 on the slider side), the supporting shaft 41 is slid along the supporting groove 37 on the slider side (in the state of being received in the level difference 37a of the supporting groove 37), so that the control device 9 prevents the latch 4 from inclining relative to the slider 2A so as to maintain the horizontal rotational movement. Thereby, the possibility of the improper operation is also prevented. Also, in this process, the urging force is accumulated in the urging device 3. The accumulated state is maintained as long as the latch 4 is in the standby position.
Incidentally, the slide assist mechanism and the draw-in unit 6 excel in the following respects in addition to advantages by the control device 9 as mentioned above. Specifically, in a relation between the striker 2A or 2B and the latch 4, a placement portion of the latch 4 relative to the striker 2A or 2B is allowed to be set arbitrarily. As imagined from
a) and 4(b) show two modified examples, wherein the aforementioned control device 9 (comprising the supporting shaft 41 and the supporting groove 27) is changed, by corresponding them to
A control device 9A in
A control device 9B in
All contents of the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract of Japanese Patent Applications No. 2009-149779 filed on Jun. 24, 2009 are cited in their entireties herein and are incorporated as a disclosure of the specification of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-149779 | Jun 2009 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2010/060789 | 6/24/2010 | WO | 00 | 2/6/2012 |