EP1422375A1 - Motor drive of a closure device, such as a sliding door, for an opening in a vehicle and corresponding door and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The motorized drive includes a cable (611) connected to the door and to a motor drive (63). The cable is attached to a pair of cable drums (62ab) which are driven synchronously by a worm drive to operate the sliding door. A detector may be provided to prevent obstacles being trapped in the door. The system provides a motorized drive for a sliding door mounted in the bodywork of a vehicle. It includes a cable (611) connecting the door to the motor drive (63) to move the door along a guide rail. The cable is attached by one of its ends to a first cable drum (62a), and by its second end to a second cable drum (62b). The intervening length of cable extends out to the door and along its path. The first and second drums (62a, 62b) are mounted on separate axes of rotation but a coupled to the common drive motor (63). The drive is such as to synchronize the movement of the two drums. The drums may be driven by a reducing gear mechanism, which includes an endless screw worm drive engaging a toothed wheel. The rotation of the worm drive is reversible. The gear provides a reduction ratio of between 10 and 20, and the worm drive has a helical angle of more than 5 degrees.

Description

The field of the invention is that of devices for closing a opening in the body of a vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to the motorized drive of a shutter device such as a door sliding.

The invention applies to motor vehicles, and also to buses, coaches, trucks or rail vehicles.

Such vehicles are commonly fitted with sliding doors. It is also widespread to provide motorization means for opening and closing of these sliding doors.

We know in particular a motorization technique according to which the door can be slid along suitable guide means, to using cable drive means.

According to this technique, the two ends of the cable are integral with a same and unique winding drum designed to ensure the winding of the cable by one of its ends and the unwinding of the cable by the other of its ends, the cable being shaped by a return system so as to extend between the drum and the door.

It is understood that such a drum is dimensioned accordingly. In in other words, this drum is generally relatively long important to ensure two partial windings of the cable, one next to the other.

However, the motorized drive devices are most often mounted between the trim and the vehicle body. We therefore see that the traditional drums, by their size require for their assembly to use all or almost all the space available between the bodywork and the garnish.

At the same time, the current trend is to seek to release the most possible surfaces and volumes of a vehicle, in particular concerning motor vehicles.

It is therefore desirable to reduce as much as possible the clutter motorized drive means of the doors.

In addition, the training devices as mentioned previously generally allow the user to switch from a mode automatic opening / closing (motorized) in manual mode.

For this, a system is conventionally implemented clutch / clutch or electromagnet, to switch from one mode to the other.

Of course, such systems involve space and cost which is obviously not satisfactory.

In addition, these systems tend to make the manufacturing, mounting, or even maintenance, of the entire device motorized drive.

The invention particularly aims to overcome the drawbacks of prior art.

More specifically, the invention aims to provide a device motorized cable drive of a shutter device, such as a sliding door, a bay in the body of a vehicle, which is less bulky than those proposed by the prior art.

The invention also aims to provide such a device motorized drive that allows the passage from an automatic mode to a manual mode, without the need for clutch systems complex or expensive, even bulky, such as those of the prior art.

The invention also aims to provide such a device motorized drive that is simple in design and easy to set up artwork. In this sense, the invention also aims to provide such a device motorized drive which can be easily assembled and quickly inside a vehicle.

These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, have been achieved thanks to a motorized drive device of a shutter device, such that a sliding door, a bay formed in the body of a vehicle, said drive device being of the type comprising at least one cable connecting said door to motorization means, for moving said door door along at least one guide rail. According to the invention, said cable is secured by one of its ends to a first winding drum and by the other of its ends of a second winding drum, said first and second drums being mounted on separate axes of rotation and being coupled to said motorization means.

In this way, smaller drums can be used than those of the prior art, the winding of the cable being distributed over two drums and no longer just one.

Part of the distance from the body trim to the vehicle can therefore be released, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 which schematically represent a drum 3 for winding a cable 31 according to the prior art (Figure 1) and two drums 4 for winding a cable 41 according to the invention (Figure 2), mounted between a body element 1 and a vehicle trim 2.

The space freed up can therefore be used for the installation other organs and / or to offer new storage spaces for vehicle occupants.

Advantageously, the motorized drive device comprises means for synchronizing said first and second drums.

This ensures the reliability of the two-drum drive according to the invention, in a manner comparable to that obtained with a single drum according to prior art.

According to a preferred solution of the invention, said means of motorization are unique, the device comprising means for coupling said first and second take-up drum to said motorization means unique.

In this case, the device preferably comprises a rotary member acting in counter-rotation on each of said first and second drums winders.

This arrangement provides reliable and efficient the rotational drive as well as the synchronization of the two drums, this with space-saving and inexpensive means as will appear clearly later.

Advantageously, said rotary member comprises a reduction gear, and preferably a wheel meshing with a worm.

According to a particularly advantageous solution, said rotary member is reversible.

Reversible means that the rotation of the rotary member can be caused, when opening or closing the door, both by the couple transmitted by motorization means only by sliding the door operated manually. In other words, the operation of the device is arranged so that the rotary member can transmit a movement of rotation to the drums and reversibly that the drums can transmitting a rotational movement to the rotary member.

Thus, one can pass from an automatic mode to a manual mode without whether it is necessary to use a clutch or an electromagnet such as this is the case in traditional solutions.

In this case, said worm and said wheel are advantageously designed to cause a reduction of between 10 and 20.

Preferably, said worm has a greater helix angle at 5 °.

Such a reduction ratio and such a helix angle make it possible to minimize the effort that the user must produce when opening or manual closing, this effort being linked to the residual torque of the means of motorization.

Advantageously, said rotary member is connected to said means of motorization by flexible transmission means.

The use of such a flexible transmission makes it possible to position the motorization means in an optimized manner, in order to form an assembly compact with the other organs of the device according to the invention.

Alternatively, said cable comprises two strands interconnected in the extension of one another by one of their ends, and integral by their other end of one of said winding drums.

Advantageously, the device comprises means for putting and / or maintain said cable or cables in tension.

In this case, said means for putting and / or maintaining said one or more tensioned cables preferably comprise at least one pressure roller mounted on a pivoting support coupled to elastic means.

Preferably, the device comprises two pairs of pressure rollers each associated with one of said winding drums.

According to another characteristic, the device comprises a casing forming protection means at least to one of said winding drums.

Thanks to such an arrangement, the various organs are protected in particular rotating the device against any dirt that could harm their operation.

In this case, said winding drums are preferably mounted at rotation on said housing.

Advantageously, said one or more supports of said roller or of said rollers pressers are pivotally mounted on said housing.

According to yet another characteristic, the device comprises means anti-pinch to detect an obstacle to the closure of said door.

In this case, said anti-pinch means comprise advantageously at least one Hall effect sensor making it possible to detect certain operating parameters of said motorization means.

According to a preferred solution, the device comprises means for stopping the operation of the anti-pinch means, acting prior to the complete closing of said door.

Thus, at the very end of closing the door, the anti-pinch function is removed to allow use of all available power of the means of motorization in order to engage the door lock strike.

According to yet another characteristic, the device comprises means cutting off the supply of said motorization means capable of being controlled from said door.

Such means for cutting off the power supply to the motorization means can be accessed by the user from inside and / or outside the vehicle.

The invention also relates to a door equipped with a device motorized drive as described above.

The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a device motorized drive as described above.

• la figure 1 illustre de façon schématique l'encombrement, entre un élément de carrosserie et une garniture intérieure de véhicule, d'un tambour enrouleur de câble d'un dispositif d'entraínement motorisé selon l'art antérieur ;
• la figure 2 illustre de façon schématique l'encombrement, entre un élément de carrosserie et une garniture intérieure de véhicule, de deux tambours enrouleurs de câble d'un dispositif d'entraínement motorisé selon l'invention ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'une portière équipée d'un dispositif d'entraínement motorisé selon l'invention ;
• les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues de détail, respectivement en perspective et de dessus d'un dispositif d'entraínement motorisé selon l'invention ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective d'un dispositif d'entraínement motorisé selon l'invention, dans sa forme carénée.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and of the appended drawings among which:

• Figure 1 schematically illustrates the size, between a body element and an interior trim of a vehicle, cable drum cable reel of a motorized drive device according to the prior art;
• Figure 2 schematically illustrates the size, between a body member and a vehicle interior trim, of two cable drum reels of a motorized drive device according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a door equipped with a motorized drive device according to the invention;
• Figures 4 and 5 are detail views, respectively in perspective and from above of a motorized drive device according to the invention;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a motorized drive device according to the invention, in its streamlined form.

As indicated above, the principle of the invention is based on the fact to provide that the winding of the door drive cable (s) is made using two separate drums, preferably driven by unique means of motorization.

Referring to Figure 3, a door 5 is slidably mounted along a guide rail 51 secured to a fixed structural element of the vehicle.

The door 5 is moved along the rail 51 using the device motorized drive 6, which includes a cable 61 connected to the door 5, by example via a ball joint system.

According to the invention the cable 61 is connected by one of its ends to a first drum 62a and by the other of its ends to a second drum reel 62b, these reel drums 62a, 62b being coupled to means motorization 63 (Figures 4 and 5).

According to the present embodiment of the invention, the means of motorization 63 are unique and cause each of the drums 62a to rotate, 62b via a flexible transmission 631 and a reduction gear 64.

This reducer 64 consists of an endless screw (coupled to the transmission flexible 631) and a wheel meshing with the worm.

This wheel of the reducer 64 is integral in rotation with a spur gear 641 acting in counter-rotation on each of the gears 621a and 621b, carried respectively by the drums 62a and 62b.

The reducer 64 thus forms means for synchronizing the drums 62a and 62b.

We note that the reducer 64 is reversible (as defined above), this by providing a reduction ratio of between 10 and 20 between the wheel and the worm gear of the reducer, and providing a propeller angle greater than 5 ° on the worm.

As shown clearly in Figures 4 to 6, the cable 61 comprises two strands 611, 612 interconnected by means of pins 6111 and 6121 carried by one of their ends. The other end of strands 611 and 612 is secured respectively to the drums 62b and 62a.

According to the present embodiment, the strands 611, 612 are maintained tensioned respectively by pressure rollers 651, 652.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the strand 611 is shaped using guide rollers 6112 and the strand 612 is shaped using a guide wheel guide 6122, so that these strands 611, 612 extend appropriately between their respective drum and the door.

• à rotation, les tambours 62a et 62b ;
• à pivotement, les supports des galets presseurs 651 et 652, des moyens de rappel élastiques (par exemple des ressorts de torsion) étant montés entre les supports et le carter.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the motorized drive device according to the invention is faired by a casing 66 on the blanks of which are mounted:

• in rotation, the drums 62a and 62b;
• pivotally, the supports of the pressure rollers 651 and 652, elastic return means (for example torsion springs) being mounted between the supports and the casing.

Furthermore, the device includes a Hall effect sensor (not shown) mounted at one end of the motor 63, which makes it possible to detect certain operating parameters of the motor 63, in particular with a view to exercising a door anti-pinch function.

The operation of the motorized drive device according to the invention will now be explained in more detail.

When opening, as soon as the user activates an order (indoor / outdoor or by remote control), the door electronics triggers the unlocking of an electric strike.

Then, the rotation of the motor is triggered which has the effect to drive the reducer 64 and the intermediate spur gear 641, itself driving each of the drums: the drum 62b winds the cable strand 611 to pull the door and the reel 62b unrolls the cable strand 612 to follow the door.

This operation continues until a fully open position of the door which is then locked in position by a control hook after the engine has stopped. The position of the door is known thanks to the Hall effect sensor placed at the end of the engine, this sensor counting the number of system rotation and frequency.

It is recalled that the variations in cable tension are taken up by the tension rollers 651 and 652 mounted on torsion springs.

If there is an obstacle (disturbance of the rotation frequency detected by the Hall effect sensor), the system can for example reverse the operation and stop after a certain distance (this protocol can obviously be adapted according to the choice of the motor vehicle manufacturer.)

On the other hand if the user wishes to take "the hand" (by actuating manually the door from the start of the maneuver or by intervening during automatic mode): it can activate an opening command (indoor or outdoor) which triggers, via the electronics, the shutdown power supply.

The system is reversible, the door can then be moved manually. As mentioned earlier, the user must provide a slight extra effort compared to a conventional manual door, since must overcome the residual couples of the system. However the reduction in reducer is designed to minimize this effort.

When closing, the operation is simply reversed.

Only at the end of closing (at a predetermined distance from the body, for example less than the diameter of a child's finger), the anti-pinch function is removed to have all the engine power available in view of the strike lock.

Claims (23)

Motorized drive device of a shutter device, such as a sliding door (5), of a bay formed in the body of a vehicle, said drive device being of the type comprising at least one cable ( 61) connecting said door (5) to motorization means (63), for moving said door (5) along at least one guide rail (51),
characterized in that said cable (61) is integral by one of its ends with a first winding drum (62a) and by the other of its ends with a second winding drum (62b), said first and second drums (62a, 62b) being mounted on separate axes of rotation and being coupled to said motorization means (63). Motorized drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for synchronizing said first and second drum (62a, 62b). Motorized drive device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said motorization means (63) are unique and in that it comprises means for coupling said first and second drum (62a), (62b ) reel to said single motor means (63). Motorized drive device according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a rotary member acting in counter-rotation on each of said first and second winding drums (62a, 62b). Motorized drive device according to claim 4, characterized in that said rotary member comprises a reduction gear (64). Motorized drive device according to one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said rotary member comprises a wheel meshing with a worm. Motorized drive device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said rotary member is reversible. Motorized drive device according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that said worm and said wheel are designed to generate a reduction of between 10 and 20. Motorized drive device according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that said worm has a helix angle greater than 5 °. Motorized drive device according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that said rotary member is connected to said motorization means (63) by flexible transmission means (631). Motorized drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said cable (61) comprises two strands (611, 612) connected together in extension of one another by one of their ends, and secured by their other end to one of said winding drums (62a, 62b). Motorized drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises means for putting and / or maintaining said cable or cables in tension. Motorized drive device according to claim 12, characterized in that said means for putting and / or maintaining said tensioned cable (s) comprise at least one pressure roller (651), (652) mounted on a pivoting support coupled to means elastic. Motorized driving device according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises two pairs of pressure rollers (651), (652) each associated with one of said winding drums (62a, 62b). Motorized drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a casing (66) forming protection means at least at one of said winding drums (62a, 62b). Motorized drive device according to claim 15, characterized in that said winding drums (62a, 62b) are rotatably mounted on said housing (66). Motorized drive device according to claims 13 and 15, characterized in that said one or more supports of said roller or said pressure rollers (651, 652) are pivotally mounted on said casing (66). Motorized drive device according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it comprises anti-pinch means making it possible to detect an obstacle to the closing of said door (5). Motorized drive device according to claim 18, characterized in that said anti-pinch means comprise at least one Hall effect sensor making it possible to detect certain operating parameters of said motorization means (63). Motorized drive device according to one of claims 18 and 19, characterized in that it comprises means for stopping the operation of the anti-pinch means, acting before the complete closing of said door (5). Motorized drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that it comprises means for cutting off the supply of said motorization means (63) capable of being controlled from said door (5). Door, characterized in that it is equipped with a motorized drive device of the type comprising at least one cable (61) connecting said door (5) to motorization means (63), for moving said door (5) along at least one guide rail (51), said cable (61) being secured by one of its ends to a first winding drum (62a) and by the other of its ends to a second drum reel (62b), said first and second drums (62a, 62b) being mounted on separate axes of rotation and being coupled to said motor means (63). Vehicle characterized in that it comprises a motorized drive device, a shutter device, such as a sliding door (5), of a bay formed in the body of said vehicle, said drive device being of the type comprising at least one cable (61) connecting said door (5) to motorization means (63), for moving said door (5) along at least one guide rail (51), said cable (61 ) being secured by one of its ends to a first winding drum (62a) and by the other of its ends to a second winding drum (62b), said first and second drums (62a, 62b) being mounted on separate axes of rotation and being coupled to said motor means (63).

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