Power unit for automotive trunk lid

• US 6,601,903 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ohi Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakagome, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Application Number:
  US10/011,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20020070579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 296/76, 296/56, 296/146.8, 493/39, 493/40, 493/41
• US Class Current: 296/76
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/12 Parts or details thereof locks E05B, E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; springs, e.g. pneumatic springs F16F
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/224 Stops
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by auxiliary motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/624 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids

Abstract

A base plate has mutually opposed first and second side surfaces. A first group of parts are arranged on the first side surface, which includes an electric motor, a speed reduction unit and an electromagnetic clutch. The speed reduction unit has a gear member which is projected to the second side surface from the first side surface through an opening formed in the base plate and driven by the motor when the electromagnetic clutch assumes ON condition. A second group of parts are arranged on the second side surface, which includes an intermediate gear which is rotatably connected to the base plate and meshed with the gear member, an output gear which is rotatably connected to the base plate through a shaft secured to the output gear and meshed with the intermediate gear and an output arm which is connected to the output gear to rotate therewith. The output arm is connected to the lid through a link.

Claims

1. A power unit for moving a lid between open and closed positions with the aid of electric power, comprising:

a base plate having mutually opposed first and second side surfaces;

first group of parts arranged on said first side surface, said first group of parts including an electric motor which outputs rotation, a speed reduction unit which reduces a speed of the rotation outputted from said motor and an electromagnetic clutch, said speed reduction unit having a gear member which is projected to said second side surface from said first side surface through an opening formed in said base plate and driven by said motor when said electromagnetic clutch assumes ON condition; and

second group of parts arranged on said second side surface, said second group of parts including an intermediate gear which is rotatably connected to said base plate and meshed with said gear member, an output gear which is rotatably connected to said base plate through a shaft and meshed with said intermediate gear and an output arm which is connected to said output gear to rotate therewith, said output arm being linked to said lid.

2. A power unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said shaft is secured to said output gear to rotate therewith and in which said output arm has one end secured to said shaft thereby to rotate together with said output gear, said output arm having the other end which is linked to said lid.

3. A power unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said gear member, said intermediate gear, said output gear and said output arm are flatly arranged on said second side surface in a manner to constitute a layered structure.

4. A power unit as claimed in claim 3, in which said gear member having a gear shaft which is left at the first side surface, said gear shaft being incorporated with said electromagnetic clutch so that, upon ON condition of the electromagnetic clutch, the rotation force of said motor is transmitted to said gear shaft.

5. A power unit as claimed in claim 4, in which said electromagnetic clutch comprises:

a gear arranged at said first side surface and rotatably disposed on said gear shaft, said gear constantly connected with an output member of said motor;

an annular core tightly disposed on said gear shaft to rotate therewith;

an annular coil connected to said base plate and surrounding said annular core;

a bearing unit arranged between said annular core and said annular coil to smooth rotation of the annular core relative to said annular coil; and

a disc plate member integral with said annular core, said disc plate member being put between said annular coil and said gear, so that upon energization of said coil, a magnetic force produced by said coil strongly pulls said gear toward said disc plate member thereby to couple said gear and said annular core.

6. A power unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said base plate is formed with a flange which is bent toward said second side surface thereby to surround said second group of parts.

7. A power unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising first and second position sensors which sense predetermined angular ositions of said output arm, said first and second position ensors being set in respective openings formed in said base plate so that each position sensor is exposed to both the first and second side surfaces.

8. A power unit as claimed in claim 7, in which said first position sensor has a detector member exposed to said second side surface, and in which said output arm has a flange, said flange being brought into contact with said detector member when said output arm is turned to a first predetermined position.

9. A power unit as claimed in claim 8, in which said second position sensor has a detector member exposed to said second side surface, and in which said output arm has a projection, said projection being brought into contact with said detector member when said output arm is turned to a second predetermined position.

10. A power unit as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a temporarily holding arrangement which temporarily holds said output arm when said output arm is turned to a third predetermined position which is beyond said second predetermined position.

11. A power unit as claimed in claim 10, in which said temporarily holding arrangement comprises:

an engaging opening formed in said output arm; and

an engaging projection formed on said base plate,

wherein when said output arm is turned to said third predetermined position, said engaging opening catches said engaging projection thereby to achieve a soft latched engagement therebetween.

12. A power unit as claimed in claim 11, in which said output arm is arranged and sized to cover said detector member of said second position sensor when said output arm is in said third predetermined position.

13. A power unit as claimed in claim 3, in which said output gear is meshed with a smaller gear integral with said intermediate gear.

14. A power unit for pivoting an automotive trunk lid between open and closed positions with the aid of electric power, comprising:

a base plate having mutually opposed first and second side surfaces;

first group of parts arranged on said first side surface, said first group of parts including an electric motor which outputs rotation, a speed reduction unit which reduces a speed of the rotation outputted from said motor and an electromagnetic clutch, said speed reduction unit having a gear member which is projected to said second side surface from said first side surface through an opening formed in said base plate and driven by said motor when said electromagnetic clutch assumes ON condition;

second group of parts arranged on said second side surface, said second group of parts including an intermediate gear which is rotatably connected to said base plate and meshed with said gear member, an output gear which is rotatably connected to said base plate through a shaft secured to said output gear and meshed with said intermediate gear and an output arm which has one end secured to said shaft thereby to rotate together with said output gear, said output arm having the other end which is adapted to be linked to said trunk lid, said second group of parts being arranged flatly on said second side surface in a manner to constitute a layered structure; and

a temporarily holding arrangement for temporarily holding said output arm at a predetermined given angular position, said temporarily holding arrangement including an engaging opening formed in said output arm; and

an engaging projection formed on said base plate, wherein when said output arm is turned to said given angular position, said engaging opening catches said engaging projection thereby to achieve a soft latched engagement therebetween.

15. A power unit as claimed in claim 14, in which said first side surface of said base plate faces toward the interior of the trunk room and said second side surface of said base plate faces toward outside of the vehicle body.