EP0122325A2 - Re-opening device for vehicle doors actuated by rotatable shafts, or sliding vehicle doors - Google Patents

Abstract

The device possesses, in addition to a door-actuating means, a force-limiting unit which consists of two relatively displaceable but positively interconnected elements attached to any one of the elements participating in the force transmission and of an element pressing these together. One element of the force-limiting unit is connected to an electrical switch which controls the door-actuating unit with the effect of opening the door. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device which automatically reopens vehicles, in particular vehicles carrying people. (Reversing) the vehicle doors operated with rotating columns or designed as sliding doors guaranteed and then comes into operation when the door is blocked in its movement when closing, e.g. by trapped people or objects.

As is well known, the movement of the doors of vehicles carrying people - their opening and closing - is usually solved by pneumatic linear-cylindrical or rotating-cylindrical drives. The primary aspect of such door controls is that the door must be closed securely. However, with certain types of these door actuators (mainly with internal and external swinging doors, as well as sliding doors), the risk of getting caught on the door leaf or between the door leaf and door frame in vehicle doors, which ensure secure closing and have the necessary performance, increases considerably ; but also the frequency of accidents.

In order to avoid this, the door operating devices of motor vehicles today are required to have an impulse to move the door, if an element, a person or an object preventing the closing, should come into its range of movement when the door is closed should receive in the opening direction insofar as the door has exerted a pressure on the obstructing element that is only permitted within relatively narrow limits.

To avoid such dangerous situations, ie to automatically open (reverse) the door closing in Numerous solutions are known in the manner described above. There are purely electronic solutions, such as the solution described in DE-GM 7 920 273. Its essence is that on a part of the door frame circumference inside the so-called "finger protection rubber" attached there are elements that give the drive cylinder an electrical impulse in the opening direction when the finger protection rubber is pressed in. A disadvantage of such solutions is that the installation of the sensor elements in the finger protection bar is cumbersome and their correct functioning - in particular at the lower and upper edge of the door - is uncertain.

There are also purely pneumatic solutions, such as the solution described in DE-PS 1 809 675, in which the pressure difference between two chambers of the working cylinder is measured with a so-called pressure difference sensor, after which the sensor gives the drive cylinder an impulse to open, when the pressure difference between the two chambers of the cylinder has exceeded a certain value.

The disadvantage of such solutions is that they are extremely temperature-sensitive, so that the magnitude of the force that exerts pressure on the obstructing element cannot be precisely adjusted, or the setting must be corrected regularly depending on the weather. The above disadvantages are avoided by the solution described in DE-OS 2 828 315, in which the automatic, reversing opening of the door is solved electromechanically in such a way that a resilient connecting element is attached to the piston rod of the drive cylinder, which depending on the preload Spring, if the door movement is impeded, by means of the on the piston rod attached pin makes electrical contact. This gives the drive cylinder an opening pulse. The disadvantage of this solution is that the extent of the spring load corresponds to the tensile force awakened on the piston rod, and therefore a strong spring with a large space requirement is required here. When using this solution, line breaks (fatigue breaks) often occur because the electrical switch is attached to the piston rod and therefore the electrical line moves back and forth between two relatively distant end points (the two piston end positions).

The aim of the invention is to eliminate these disadvantages, i.e. the creation of such an automatic door opening device, which can also be retrofitted and takes up little space, in which the size of the spring load can be considerably reduced, or - in order to avoid line tears - the door actuator is only installed in a construction part which is not or only slightly moved. The invention also aims to keep the size of the door closing handicap within the prescribed tolerance limits, but to enable the stepless adjustment of the size of this force with simple means; further that this device for actuating the electrical contact, but via this the drive cylinder brings about a shift.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that if the door closing is impeded to cancel the dynamic balance that arises, each of the elements participating in the power transmission has a force limiting unit, the latter unit consisting of two elements that are positively connected to one another and one of these two elements pressing spring element, one of which is in positive connection standing elements, shift in the direction of the known electrical contact and can thereby actuate the electrical switch. The response value of the force limiting unit is determined by the design of the positive path and the size of the preload of the spring element.

• Fig. 1 ein Oberteil einer durch einen Linearzylinder pneumatisch angetriebenen Schwingtür mit zwischen Arbeitszylinder und Zylinderhalterung eingebauter Reversiervorrichtung gemäß der Erfindung, gesehen vom Fahrzeuginnern,
• Fig. 2 den Schnitt A-A in Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 ein Oberteil einer durch einen Linearzylinder pneumatisch angetriebenen Schwingtür mit zwischen Kolbenstangenanschluß und Drehhebel eingebauter Reversiervorrichtung gemäß der Erfindung, gesehen vom Fahrzeuginnern,
• Fig. 4 eine Einzelheit von Fig. 3,
• Fig. 5 den Schnitt B-B in Fig. 3,
• Fig. 6 ein Unterteil einer durch einen Drehzylinder pneumatisch angetriebenen Schwingtür, mit zwischen Triebstange und Drehsäule eingebauter Drehvorrichtung, gesehen vom Fahrzeuginnern,
• Fig. 7 eine Einzelheit von Fig. 6 teilweise im Schnitt,
• Fig. 8 den Schnitt C-C in Fig. 7,
• Fig. 9 ein Oberteil einer zentral angetriebenen Schwingtür mit zwischen Schwingachse und der Dreheinheit eingebauter _Reversiervorrichtung, gesehen vom Fahrzeuginnern und
• Fig.10 den Schnitt D-D in Fig. 9.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to drawings. It shows:

• 1 shows an upper part of a swing door pneumatically driven by a linear cylinder with a reversing device installed between the working cylinder and cylinder holder according to the invention, seen from the vehicle interior,
• 2 shows the section AA in Fig. 1,
• 3 shows an upper part of a swing door pneumatically driven by a linear cylinder with a reversing device according to the invention installed between the piston rod connection and the rotary lever, as seen from the vehicle interior,
• 4 shows a detail of FIG. 3,
• 5 shows the section BB in Fig. 3,
• 6 shows a lower part of a swing door pneumatically driven by a rotating cylinder, with a rotating device installed between the drive rod and the rotating column, seen from the vehicle interior,
• 7 shows a detail of FIG. 6, partly in section,
• 8 shows the section CC in Fig. 7,
• Figure 9 eversiervorrichtung. An upper part of a centrally driven swinging door with built-in between swing axis and the rotating unit _R, viewed from the vehicle interior and
• 10 shows the section DD in FIG. 9.

1 and 2 show a first exemplary embodiment of the door actuation device according to the invention: i.e. a door opener with an automatic back opening (reversing) mechanism, pneumatically operated by a linear cylinder.

This rotates a rotary column 5 and thereby moves the door 6 via a piston rod connection 3 made on a piston rod 2 of a pneumatic working cylinder 1 by rotating a rotary lever 4.

The door 6 has a force limiting unit E for automatic opening back, which is accommodated in a housing piece 7. The housing piece 7 is connected via a bolt 8 of the force limiting unit E to the working cylinder 1, but is rotatable on the holding element 14 in the horizontal plane. The bolt 8 connects firmly to the working cylinder 1, but is inserted axially displaceably in the bore 7 _{A of} the housing part 7. The bolt 8 has two oblique flats 13, which form a wedge angle 13 _A.

Normally to the bore 7 _A , a bore 7 _{B is} made in the housing piece 7, in which a displaceable shoulder tensioning element 9 is arranged against a tension spring 10, which also forms part of the force limiting unit E. The bias of the spring 10 is determined by the respective position of a shut-off screw 11. The shoulder tensioning element 9 in FIG. 2 likewise has flats 13 with a wedge angle 13 _Ao on its upper part. A switching element 12 is fastened to the housing part 7 with the free end of the shoulder clamping element 9. cooperating contact 12 _A holds.

• Bei dem Schliessen der Tür 6 vollzieht die Kolbenstange 2 des Arbeitszylinders 1 zum Halteelement 14 hin eine annähernde Bewegung. Im Falle, wenn die Tür 6 beim Schliessen auf ein Hindernis stösst, kann sich die Rehsäule 5, und demzufolge der Drehhebel 4, sowie die Kolbenstange 2 aus den vorher angeführten Gründen nicht versohieben, und der Arbeitszylinder 1 ist bestrebt, sich von dem Halteelement 14 zu entfernen. Sowie diese distanzierende Kraft den durch den Keilwinkel 13_A der schrägen Abflachung 13 und die jeweiliege Vorspannung der Feder 9 gegebenen Wert überschreitet, verschiebt sich der Bolzen 8 zusammen mit dem Arbeitszylinder 1 in axialer Richtung.

The mode of operation of the reversing device according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is now as follows:

• When the door 6 is closed, the piston rod 2 of the working cylinder 1 moves approximately towards the holding element 14. In the event that the door 6 encounters an obstacle when it is closed, the roe deer column 5, and consequently the rotary lever 4, and the piston rod 2 cannot be struck for the reasons given above, and the working cylinder 1 strives to separate itself from the holding element 14 to remove. As soon as this distancing force exceeds the value given by the wedge angle 13 _{A of} the oblique flattening 13 and the respective bias of the spring 9, the bolt 8 moves together with the working cylinder 1 in the axial direction.

As a result, the shoulder tensioning element 9 moves outwards due to the inclined flattenings 13 in the bore 7 _B and thereby comes into contact with the contact 12 _A , so that the switching element 12 then brings together the electrical control pulse required to open the door 6 back. The force triggering the back opening is partly dependent on the choice of the wedge angle 13 _{A of} the oblique flattening 13, partly it can be regulated continuously by the extent of the preload of the spring 10 with the help of the locking screw 11.

Another example of an embodiment of the reversing device according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 3-5, likewise for swinging doors with a linear-cylindrical, pneumatic drive. The elements of the force limiting unit E, which is the reversing of the door secures, is housed here in a connecting piece 31 of the piston rod and in a rotary lever 41. The drive of the rotary column 5, and thus the movement of the door 6, is carried out by the working cylinder 1 via the connecting piece 31 connected to the piston rod 2 by turning the rotary lever 41. The connecting piece 31 is fixedly connected to the piston rod 2, and a bolt 20 inserted therein holds a contact roller 15 against a spring 17 with a slope 16 _{A of} a tensioning element 16. The preload value of the spring 17 is determined by the respective position of a shut-off screw 18. The contact roller 15 can move in an opening 41 _{A of} the rotary lever 41, but the shoulder clamping element 16 in a bore 41 _{B of} the rotary lever 41 against the spring 17. (Fig.5).

Dam attached to the rotary lever 41 switching member 19 holds a cooperating with the shoulder clamping element 16 contact ¹ 9 _A.

The operation of the reversing device according to Fig. 3-5 coincides with the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig.l and Fig.2 with the difference that here when closing the door 6, and thereby obstructing the rotation of the rotating column 5 and the rotary lever 41 the piston rod 2 continues to strive to perform an approximate movement towards the working cylinder 1. If this inward force exceeds the value determined by the bevel 16 _{A of} the shoulder clamping element 16 and the bias of the spring 17, then the contact roller 15 moves in the opening 41A. As a result, the shoulder clamping element 16 also moves axially in the bore 41 _B and comes into contact with the contact 19 _A. With this, however, the switching element 19 brings about the control pulse required to open the door back. The setting of the force triggering the opening back is done with the help of the locking screw 18, similar to the previous solution.

The pictures Fig. 6-10 in turn show further examples of embodiments of the reversing device according to the invention in swinging vehicle doors with pneumatic drive by rotating cylinders. Such an arrangement was shown in FIGS. 6-8, in which the force limiting unit E of the reversing device is installed in a housing 23 located between a rotating gear drive rod 22 and the rotating column 24. A support bracket 33 attached to the vehicle body holds the housing 23, which is fixed to the slewing gear drive rod 22, and an elastically supported contact 32 (FIGS. 7 and 8).

On the part of the rotating column 24 protruding into the housing 23, a slope 29 is formed. In the housing 23, however, a bore 36 is provided normally on the axis of the rotary column 24 for the shoulder clamping element 28. The shoulder tensioning element 28 is an element of the force limiting unit E, which can move against the spring 30 in the bore 36 towards the spring-supported contact 32. The inner end of the shoulder clamping element 28 interacts with the inclined surface 29. The bias of the spring 30 is determined by the position of a shut-off screw 34.

The housing 23 also has a permanently installed limiting pin 26 which is provided with a shoulder 27.

The operation of the solution according to FIGS. 6-8 is as follows:. When the door 6 is closed - the direction of rotation being counterclockwise - the rotating column 24 is rotated by means of the inclined surface 29 of the shoulder tensioning element 28. The preload of the spring 30 is determined by the locking screw 34 so that the shoulder tensioning element 28 can normally transmit the torque of the rotating mechanism ejection axis 22 to the rotating column 24 by resting on the inclined surface 29 of the rotating column 24.

If the door 6 encounters an obstacle when the door is closed, then the rotating column 24 is prevented from rotating, but the rotating mechanism drive rod 22 tends to continue rotating. If the torque now exceeds the value determined by the bevel 29 and the pretension of the spring 30, the shoulder tensioning element 28 moves in the axial direction in the bore 36 by means of the inclined surface 29 (counter to the spring 30), and arrives with it an elastically supported contact 32 in electrical connection. In this way, the electrical control pulse required to reopen the door comes about.

In the closed position of the door 6, the fixed connection between the rotating gear drive rod 22 and the rotating column 24 is secured by the shoulder 27 of the limiting bolt 26. The setting of the force triggering the back opening can be done by the appropriate choice of the bevel 29 and by the correct setting of the shut-off screw 34.

Such a variant of the solution according to FIGS. 6-8 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in which the common drive of two doors takes place with a single rotating cylinder.

The slewing gear drive rod 22 is fixed here in the housing 23. Furthermore, the shoulder clamping element 28 of the force limiting unit E, which is connected to a rotating unit 24 _{A, is also} accommodated in the housing. The rotary unit 24 _A is connected to a linkage 51, the latter but articulated to the rotary lever 4. The rotary lever 4 is fixed to the rotary column 5.

From a functional point of view, this variant corresponds in essence to the embodiment according to FIGS. 6-8, but here the torque of the slewing gear drive rod 22 is taken over by the rotating unit 24 _A.

The device according to the invention for securing the automatic opening back can be installed in the automatic door operator in the case of the inner, outer swinging or sliding doors pneumatically driven by linear cylinders as well as by rotating cylinders. The greatest advantage of the invention is that in the event of an obstacle entering or coming into the closing area during closing, the value of the pressure force exerted thereby can be simply and nevertheless safely changed between the with an inclined element and by changing the adjustable prestressing spring force desired tolerance limits can be set. A further advantage is that the device maintains the value once set for a very long time, which means that there is no need to constantly correct the setting. In addition, the device works safely even under extreme weather conditions. The device according to the invention for securing the rear opening of vehicle doors can also be retrofitted to a large part of the door actuators which are customary today, at relatively low cost.

Claims (9)

1. A device for the automatic opening of swinging doors or sliding doors operated by rotating columns in vehicles, characterized in that, in addition to a door actuation unit (1), one attached to any of the elements (7, 41, 31, 24, 24 _A ) participating in the power transmission, has relatively displaceable force limiting unit (E), which consists of two elements (8, 9, 15, 16, 24, 28) that are in positive connection with one another and a spring element (10, 17, 30) that compresses them, the one element ( 9, 16, 28) of the force limiting unit (E) is connected to an electrical switching element (12, 19) which, in one position, controls the door actuating device, preferably a pneumatic working cylinder (1), in an opening sense. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooperating two elements (8, 9) of the force limiting unit (E) and the switching element (12) in a, on the working cylinder (1) attached, at the same time also securing their housing piece (7 ) are accommodated. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the two cooperating elements (15, 16) of the force limiting unit (E) partly in the connection piece (31) permanently connected to the piston rod (2) of the working cylinder (1) and partly in which also holds the switching element (19) holding the rotary lever (41). 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the two elements (28) of the force limiting unit (E) which are positively connected to one another. installed in the housing (23) fixed to the drive rod (22) of the penumatic rotating mechanism normally to the rotating column (24), but its other element as part of the rotating column (24) from the part of the rotating column protruding into the housing (23) (24) is designed. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the elements (28) of the force limiting device (E) which are in positive connection with one another in the housing (23) fixedly fastened to the drive rod (22) of the pneumatic rotating mechanism, normal to the axis of a on the linkage ( 51) of the hinged connecting rotating unit (24 _A ), but the other element is designed as part of the rotating unit (24 _A ) from the part of the rotating unit (24 _A ) protruding into the housing (23). 6. The device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that one element (8, 15) of the force limiting unit (E) is axially displaceable in the opening (7 _A , 41 _A ) designed therefor, its other element (9, 16) but - based on the above direction of movement - is arranged displaceably in the transverse direction. 7. The device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the one element (24) of the force limiting unit (E) can be rotated about its axis of rotation, but the other element (28) can be displaced perpendicularly and axially to the axis of rotation of the former element (24) is designed. 8. The device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that of the two, in force-connected elements of the force limiting unit (E), the range of movement of one element (9, 16, 28) by the on the other element (8, 24) designed positive path, preferably flattened areas (13, 29) is limited. 9. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that of the two, in force-connected elements of the force limiting unit (E), the range of motion of one element (16) through the slope (16 _A ) designed on this element and through the configuration of an opening (41 _A ) of the other element (15) is determined.

Images