Door operating apparatus, electromagnetic clutch, and coupling mechanism

• US 8,007,027 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hirofumi, Kakumae, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow; Jason S
• Application Number:
  US12/389,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20090151260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 296/56, 296/146.4, 493/39, 493/40, 493/42, 493/41, 192/48.2, 403/121, 403/122, 403/132, 403/141, 403/144
• US Class Current: 296/146.4
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/50 Crank gear with clutches or retaining brakes, for operating window mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/603 using rotary electromotors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/627 operated by flexible elongated pulling elements, e.g. belts, chains or cables using flexible elongated push-pull mechanisms E05F15/619
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/678 Elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 27/112 with flat friction surfaces, e.g. discs
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/04 Indicating positive or negative direction of a linear movement or clockwise or anti-clockwise direction of a rotational movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/487 delivered by rotating magnets

Abstract

A door operating apparatus includes a motor bracket that covers a driving shaft of a driving motor; an output shaft that is disposed from the motor bracket toward the supporting bracket so as to be orthogonal to an extending direction of the driving shaft; a first rotational element that is linked with the driving shaft, and disposed on the output shaft; a second rotational element that is linked with a door operating mechanism, and disposed between the first rotational element and the supporting bracket on the output shaft; and a clutch unit including a clutch driving section that supports a rotation of the output shaft. When the first rotational element and the second rotational element are engaged by driving of the clutch driving section, the door operating mechanism is actuated by the driving force.

Claims

1. A vehicle backdoor operating apparatus, comprising:

a motor bracket that covers a driving shaft of a driving motor, and holds the driving motor to a supporting bracket;

an output shaft that is disposed from the motor bracket toward the supporting bracket so as to be orthogonal to an extending direction of the driving shaft;

a first rotational element that is linked with the driving shaft of the driving motor, and disposed on the output shaft and disposed within the motor bracket;

a second rotational element disposed between the first rotational element and the supporting bracket on the output shaft;

a clutch unit including a clutch driving section that supports a rotation of the output shaft, wherein the clutch driving section is mounted to and held by the supporting bracket, wherein

when the first rotational element and the second rotational element are engaged by driving of the clutch driving section, a swing arm is actuated by the driving force of the driving motor,

a coupling mechanism comprising;

a first member including a head portion in a spherical shape,

a second member including a recessed portion that fits with the head portion, and

a spacer that is provided between the first member and the second member, and generates an elastic force so that the first member and the second member are separated from each other,

wherein the coupling mechanism rotatably connects one end of the swing arm to one end of a rod which is connected to a backdoor of a vehicle, so that actuation of the swing arm by the driving motor causes the rod to open or close the backdoor of the vehicle via the coupling mechanism.

2. The vehicle backdoor operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving motor is held within a surface projection area of the supporting bracket.

3. The vehicle backdoor operating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a column-shaped member that couples the motor bracket and the supporting bracket with a clearance secured between the motor bracket and the supporting bracket, wherein

a constituent element positioned between the motor bracket and the supporting bracket is covered with a cover member made of resin.

4. The vehicle backdoor operating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the column-shaped member is provided integrally from the motor bracket to the supporting bracket in a projecting manner.

5. A vehicle backdoor operating apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic clutch that is disposed around a rotational shaft, and transmits a driving force of a driving motor to the rotational shaft;

a rotary sensor disposed near an end portion of the rotational shaft that detects the rotating state of the rotational shaft, wherein the rotary sensor includes a sensor gear, a magnet disc plate having a magnetic strip, and a Hall element;

wherein the sensor gear is provided at an end portion of the rotational shaft so that an axial center of the sensor gear and an axial center of the rotational shaft coincide,

wherein the magnet disc plate is rotationally driven according to rotation of the sensor gear and an axial center of the magnet disc plate does not coincide with the sensor gear, and

wherein the Hall element faces the magnetic strip of the magnetic disc;

a swing arm that is actuated by the driving force of the driving motor; and

a coupling mechanism comprising;

a first member including a head portion in a spherical shape,

a second member including a recessed portion that fits with the head portion, and

a spacer that is provided between the first member and the second member, and generates an elastic force such that the first member and the second member are separated from each other,

wherein the coupling mechanism rotatably connects one end of the swing arm to one end of a rod which is connected to a backdoor of a vehicle, so that actuation of the swing arm by the driving motor causes the rod to open or close the backdoor of the vehicle via the coupling mechanism.

6. The vehicle backdoor operating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a supporting unit that elastically supports a position of the magnetic disc with respect to a position of the Hall element.

7. The vehicle backdoor operating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a motor base that fixes the driving motor to a base portion of the door operating apparatus; and

a sensor case that encloses the rotary sensor,

wherein the sensor case is attached to the motor base such that an end portion of the rotational shaft extends outside the motor base, and the rotary sensor is disposed on a side of the end portion of the rotational shaft.