Clutch structure of automative mirror adjustment mechanism

• US 20050099710A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hao Yong Automotive Controls Limited
• Original Assignee: PRO Quip International Korea Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ro, Hyuk-Joon
• Granted Patent: US 7,144,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18792 including worm

Abstract

The present invention provides a clutch structure of mirror adjustment mechanism comprising a clutch driving gear with specified gear teeth formed at circumference thereof and hollow fitting chuck formed at center thereof, to be geared with the output axis of a driving motor via a gear train, whereby the fitting chuck is divided by a plurality of slits in circumferential direction and a donut-shape groove is formed collapsed between the gear teeth and the fitting chuck; a pinion gear including a protrusion at one end thereof, to be geared with a rack gear formed at one side of the adjustment member, whereby the protrusion is inserted into the inner surface of the fitting chuck; and a spring pin that provides frictional contact on the contact surface between fitting chuck of the clutch driving gear and protrusion of the pinion gear by applying bias force in radial direction while it is inserted in the groove of the clutch driving gear, or allows slip movement.

Claims

1. An automotive mirror adjustment mechanism comprising a mirror position controller installed in the cabin of an automobile, two driving motors each of which is electrically connected to said mirror position controller, two adjustment members each of which is geared with the corresponding driving motor via a gear train to control position of the mirror, and sensors that sense position of said mirror while connected to the gear train between said driving motors and said adjustment members, and then, transmit signals of the sensed position to said mirror position controller, wherein the automotive mirror adjustment mechanism includes a clutch structure comprising,

a clutch driving gear with specified gear teeth formed at circumference thereof and hollow fitting chuck formed at center thereof to be geared with an output axis of the driving motor via the gear train, whereby said fitting chuck is divided by a plurality of slits in circumferential direction and a donut-shape groove is formed collapsed between said gear teeth and said fitting chuck;

a pinion gear including a protrusion at one end thereof, to be geared with a rack gear teeth formed at one side of the adjustment member, whereby said protrusion is inserted into the inner surface of said fitting chuck of the clutch driving gear; and

a spring pin that provides frictional contact on contact surface between said fitting chuck of said clutch driving gear and said protrusion of said pinion gear by applying bias force in radial direction while said spring pin is inserted in said groove of said clutch driving gear, or allows slip movement.

2. The automotive mirror adjustment mechanism of claim 1, wherein said fitting chuck of clutch driving gear comprises a separation prevention protrusion formed on inner surface thereof in circumferential direction that fits into the corresponding separation prevention groove formed on circumference of said protrusion of said pinion gear.

3. An automotive mirror adjustment mechanism comprising a mirror position controller installed in the cabin of an automobile, two driving motors each of which is electrically connected to said mirror position controller, two adjustment members each of which is geared with the corresponding driving motor via a gear train to control position of the mirror, and sensors that sense position of said mirror while connected to the gear train between said driving motors and said adjustment members, and then, transmit signals of the sensed position to said mirror position controller, wherein the automotive mirror adjustment mechanism includes a clutch structure comprising,

a clutch driving gear with hollow fitting chuck formed at center thereof to be geared with an output axis of the driving motor via the gear train, whereby said fitting chuck is divided by a plurality of slits in circumferential direction and a donut-shape groove with a slope is formed collapsed around said fitting chuck;

a pinion gear including a protrusion at one end thereof to be geared with a rack gear teeth formed at one side of the adjustment member, whereby said protrusion is inserted into the inner surface of said fitting chuck of said clutch driving gear, while center of said pinion gear accepts a spring member that apply compression force in axial direction; and

a pressure member having a wedge-shape cross-section corresponding to the slope of said groove of said clutch driving gear, whereby said pressure member provides frictional contact on the contact surface between said fitting chuck of said clutch driving gear and said protrusion of said pinion gear by applying compression force in radial direction while said pressure member is inserted in said groove of said clutch driving gear, or allows slip movement.

4. The automotive mirror adjustment mechanism of claim 3, wherein said fitting chuck of clutch driving gear comprises a separation prevention protrusion formed on inner surface thereof in circumferential direction that fits into the corresponding separation prevention groove formed on circumference of said protrusion of said pinion gear.

5. The automotive mirror adjustment mechanism of claim 3 or claim 4, wherein each contact surface of said pressure member and said protrusion of said pinion gear is provided with a fitting protrusion and a fitting groove separately to allow a combination of a pressure member with the corresponding protrusion of said pinion gear by insertion.