Reciprocating drive device having relative-movement preventing unit

• US 6,320,335 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Saitou, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US09/538,497
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 318/9, 318/15, 495/01, 495/02, 744/69, 744/70, 296/146.1
• US Class Current: 318/9
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/445 for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/697 Motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

In a reciprocating drive device, for example, in a power window device for a vehicle, a drive member is reciprocated by transmitting a rotating force from a motor to a regulator. A driven gear of the regulator is engaged with a drive gear fixed outside a synthetic resin housing of the motor to an output shaft of the motor. In the reciprocating drive device, a relative movement between the housing of the motor and a support base to which the housing is attached with screws is surely prevented by a relative-movement preventing unit having an engagement structure between the support base and the housing.

Claims

1. A reciprocating drive device for reciprocating a drive member, comprising:

a motor including an output shaft having a housing, and a drive gear disposed outside the housing to be rotatable integrally with the output shaft;

a regulator having a driven gear meshing with the drive gear, the driven gear being operatively linked with the drive member;

a support base for supporting the driven gear and for fixing the housing;

a screw-fixing unit through which the housing is directly screwed to the support base; and

a relative-movement preventing unit, being provided by an engagement between the support base and the housing, for preventing a relative movement between the support base and the housing.

2. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 1, wherein:

the relative-movement preventing unit includes a mating projection provided on one of the housing and the support base, and a mating concavity provided on the other of the housing and the support base; and

the mating projection is fitted into the mating concavity when the housing is fixed to the support base by the screw-fixing unit.

3. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 2, wherein:

the mating projection has a projection end;

the mating concavity has a concavity end defining the matting concavity; and

the projection end contacts the concavity end at least in a radial direction of the drive gear when the drive member locks.

4. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 2, wherein the mating projection and the mating concavity are fitted in a vicinity of the drive gear.

5. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 2, wherein:

the mating projection is provided on a facing surface of the housing at an interface between the support base and the housing in a vicinity of the output shaft; and

the mating concavity is provided in a facing surface of the support base at the interface between the support base and the housing in a vicinity of the output shaft.

6. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a circular arc-shaped reinforcing rib provided on the facing surface of the housing around said output shaft,

wherein the mating projection is disposed to be connected to the reinforcing rib.

7. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a cover part covering the drive gear and the reinforcing rib,

wherein the cover part is disposed to be connected to the mating concavity.

8. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 7, wherein:

the cover part has a support bearing; and

one end of the output shaft is rotatably supported in the support bearing of the cover part.

9. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 7, wherein:

the driven gear and the housing are disposed on opposite sides relative to the support base; and

the cover part has a pressing part pressing the driven gear toward the support base.

10. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 2, wherein the mating projection and the mating concavity are disposed on an extending line intersecting with the output shaft from a meshing position where the drive gear and the driven gear mesh.

11. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 2, wherein:

the mating projection includes plural projection portions disposed at positions line-symmetrical relative to a line intersecting with the output shaft from a meshing position where the drive gear and the driven gear mesh; and

the mating concavity includes plural concavity portions provided to correspond to the positions of the plural projection portions.

12. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 1, wherein:

the screw-fixing unit includes a plurality of screws;

the support base includes a plurality of through holes from which said screws are screwed into the housing; and

a periphery of at least one screw of the screw-fixing unit contacts an inner periphery of one of the through holes in the support base.

13. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 1, wherein:

the support base is made of metal; and

the housing is made of synthetic resin.

14. The reciprocating drive device according to claim 1, wherein the reciprocating drive device is a power window device for reciprocating a window glass.

15. A reciprocating drive device for reciprocating a drive member, comprising:

a motor including an output shaft having a housing made of resin, and a drive gear disposed to be rotatable integrally with the output shaft;

a regulator having a driven gear meshing with the drive gear, the driven gear being operatively linked with the drive member;

a support base for supporting the driven gear, said support base being connected to the housing;

a screw-fixing means through which the housing and the support base are directly screwed; and

relative-movement preventing means for preventing a relative movement between the support base and the housing, the relative-movement preventing means being an engagement between the support base and the housing.