Opening and closing apparatus

• US 8,336,255 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Masaaki, Sakamaki, Ryousuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US12/870,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 49/26, 49/27, 49/28, 493/60, 494/901, 494/981, 200/61.43
• US Class Current: 49/27
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/44 responsive to changes in electrical conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/334 by using pulse generators
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

An opening and closing apparatus is disclosed that includes an opening and closing body, a force transmitting portion, an elongated sensor body, a support member, and a control section. The opening and closing body is actuated to selectively open and close an opening. The force transmitting portion has a drive portion that generates drive force. The force transmitting portion transmits the drive force from the drive portion to the opening and closing body. The sensor body detects an object between a closing-side end of the opening and closing body and a facing part of the periphery of the opening that faces the closing-side end of the opening. The closing-side end is at an advancing side of the opening and closing body when the opening and closing body is in a closing operation. The support member is fixed either to the closing-side end or the facing part. The support member supports the sensor body. The control section controls the drive portion based on a detection result of the object received from the sensor body. The support member includes an attachment main body and a reinforcing member that is embedded in the attachment main body and reinforces the attachment main body. The reinforcing member has a sensor holding portion that is exposed to the outside from the attachment main body and holds the sensor body.

Claims

1. An opening and closing apparatus comprising:

an opening and closing body that is actuated to selectively open and close an opening;

a force transmitting portion having a drive portion, the force transmitting portion transmitting drive force from the drive portion to the opening and closing body;

an elongated sensor body for detecting an object between a closing-side end of the opening and closing body and a facing part of the periphery of the opening that faces the closing-side end of the opening and closing body, the closing-side end being at an advancing side of the opening and closing body when the opening and closing body is in a closing operation;

an elongated support member fixed either to the closing-side end or the facing part, the support member being formed independently from the sensor body and supporting the sensor body;

a control section that controls the drive portion based on a detection result of the object received from the sensor body; and

a double-faced adhesive tape that fixes the sensor body to the support member,

wherein the support member includes an attachment main body made of an insulating resin material and a reinforcing member that is embedded in the attachment main body and reinforces the attachment main body,

the reinforcing member has a sensor holding portion that is exposed to an outside from the attachment main body, and

the double-faced adhesive tape is provided between the sensor holding portion and the sensor body.

2. The opening and closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member includes an elongated reinforcing core that extends along a longitudinal direction of the support member, and

the reinforcing core is exposed to the outside from the attachment main body so as to function as the sensor holding portion.

3. The opening and closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member includes:

an elongated reinforcing core that extends along the longitudinal direction of the support member; and

a plurality of reinforcing extensions that extend from both sides in a widthwise direction of the reinforcing core at several positions along the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing core, the reinforcing extensions being bent or curved relative to the reinforcing core.

4. The opening and closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor body includes:

a sensor line having a plurality of sensing electrodes, the sensing electrodes being separated from each other and facing each other inside a hollow insulator having elasticity and an insulating property, and when the sensing electrodes contact each other due to elastic deformation of the hollow insulator, at least one of a current value and a voltage value of current flowing between the sensing electrodes changes; and

an elastic insulating member that has elasticity and an insulting property, the elastic insulating member being integrated with the sensor line such that no clearance exists between the elastic insulating member and the outer circumferential surface of the sensor line, the elastic insulating member having a held portion that is held by the sensor holding portion.

5. The opening and closing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the elastic insulating member is formed of a urethane resin.

6. The opening and closing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a wind roar preventing portion is formed integrally with the elastic insulating member, and the wind roar preventing portion is located between the closing-side end of the opening and closing body and the facing part when the opening and closing body closes the opening, the wind roar preventing portion preventing wind roar generated by wind flowing on the side of the opening and closing body.

7. The opening and closing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the support member is fixed to the closing-side end, and

the wind roar preventing portion extends toward the closing-side end, and the distal end of the wind roar preventing portion is directed to the closing side end.