EP3765697B1

EP3765697B1 - Motorized control device for vehicle doors

Info

Publication number: EP3765697B1
Application number: EP19727511.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claudia Bonetto; Claudio Bonetto; Paola BONETTO; Oriana Pampolini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-03-14
Filing date: 2019-04-29
Publication date: 2024-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2039-04-29
Also published as: CN112154249A; CN112154249B; EP3765697A1; IT201800003561A1; WO2019175857A1

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a motorized control device for vehicle doors. More specifically, the invention relates to a motorized control device for sliding doors of light vehicles, for example vehicles of the minivan type.

Prior Art

Motorized control devices for sliding doors of passenger vehicles such as minivans and buses are known in the art.
Such devices are usually provided with an electric motor, a gear reduction unit for obtaining the desired transmission ratio, and a control assembly for controlling opening and closing of the door.
For safety reasons, the doors of the aforementioned type need to be capable of being opened also in case of failure of the control device. On this ground, the control devices presently used incorporate a release system which disengages the electric motor from the reduction assembly.
These release systems are usually actuatable by means of a pair of safety handles arranged one inside and one outside of the vehicle.
One of the drawbacks of the known devices derives from the need to make a considerable effort in case of emergency, when it becomes necessary to disengage the device in order to allow to manually open the door.
This drawback is particularly serious when thinking that the door must be capable of being opened easily, even by a child or an elderly person, in case of emergency.
Document US5794381A discloses a selectively engageable motor-drive device operable for moving a vehicle door to enable manual operation or motorized operation. The device comprises a motor, a pulley drawing a cable attached to the door, a torque-multiplying arrangement positionable between a fully-engaged position and a partiallydisengaged position, and an actuator mechanism for positioning the torque-multiplying arrangement in accordance with a selection of manual or motorized operation. The actuator mechanism may be actuated by a solenoid.
The main object of the invention is to overcome the prior art drawbacks, in particular those mentioned above, and to provide an alternative solution to that provided by document US5794381A .
These and other objects are achieved by the motorized control device as claimed in the appended claims.

Disclosure of the Invention

The motorized control device for vehicle doors according to the invention mainly comprises a motor assembly, a control assembly and an engagement assembly.
The motor assembly comprises a control pinion and a gear motor adapted to actuate rotation of the control pinion.
The control assembly comprises a helical pulley, a toothed wheel solidly connected coaxially to said helical pulley, and at least one cable, or preferably two cables, for example metal cables, wound on the pulley and having at least one end associated with a leaf of a sliding door of a vehicle for controlling opening and closing of the door. In particular, in the case in which a single cable is present, this will have both ends associated with the leaf, whereas, in the case where a pair of cables are present, each of them will have a first end associated with the pulley and a second end associated with the door leaf.
The engagement assembly, configured to bring the pinion of the motor assembly to an engagement position or a disengagement position relative to the toothed wheel of the control assembly, comprises an electromagnetic actuator. In particular, the engagement assembly is configured to bring the pinion of the motor assembly to a disengagement position relative to toothed wheel of the control assembly and to keep it in said disengagement position by means of a return spring when the electromagnetic actuator is not energized, i.e. is not supplied with power, and to bring the pinion of the motor assembly to an engagement position relative to the toothed wheel of the control assembly and to keep it in said engagement position when the electromagnetic actuator is energized, i.e. it is supplied with power. Advantageously, in case of electric failure or emergency, the aforesaid configuration allows the user to manually move the door leaf, without his/her having to exert considerable efforts in order to disengage the door from the motor assembly or overcome the resistance of the motor assembly.
According to the invention, the engagement assembly comprises a release plate adapted to move according to a rectilinear movement and having a window provided with a first and a second, circumferential peripheral edge, which are arranged at different heights relative to a plane perpendicular to the release plate and situated along the direction of rectilinear movement of the release plate, and are connected to each other by means of central rectilinear edges inclined relative to said perpendicular plane. The engagement assembly further comprises a movable plate which is adapted to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the release plate and to which the electric gear motor, the control pinion of the motor assembly and a release pin are solidly connected. The release pin is adapted to cooperate with the edges of the window of the release plate so as to convert the rectilinear movement of the release plate into a rectilinear movement of the movable plate, said rectilinear movement of the movable plate being substantially perpendicular to the rectilinear movement of the release plate.
According to the invention, the electromagnetic actuator is adapted to impart a rectilinear movement to a movable rod and comprises a fixed ferrule within which said movable rod slides and which is adapted to lock a portion of a return spring coiled around the movable rod. A stop ring against which a free end of the return spring rests is fixed to the movable rod.
According to the invention, the actuation of the electromagnetic actuator causes a rectilinear movement of the movable rod so that the stop ring of the movable rod approaches the fixed ferrule of the electromagnetic actuator, against the action of the return spring, which is compressed. When the electromagnetic actuator is de-energized, the return spring, expanding, tends to move the stop ring of the movable rod away from the fixed ferrule of the electromagnetic actuator.
According to the invention, a movable ferrule is slidably mounted on the movable rod, said movable ferrule being kept in abutment, by means of an engagement spring coiled around the movable rod, against a first nut fixedly mounted on the movable rod. The engagement spring has a first end, proximal relative to the electromagnetic actuator and in abutment against said movable ferrule, and a second end, distal relative to the electromagnetic actuator and in abutment against a second nut fixedly mounted on the movable rod. The movable ferrule is solidly connected to the release plate.
According to the invention, when the electromagnetic actuator is de-energized, the engagement assembly reaches, thanks to the return spring, a rest position in which the movable ferrule and therefore the release plate are distal relative to the electromagnetic actuator and the release pin of the movable plate is in abutment against the first peripheral edge of the window of the release plate, i.e. against the peripheral edge distal relative to the toothed wheel of the control assembly distal relative to the toothed wheel of the control assembly. In this configuration, the movable plate is in a disengagement position in which the control pinion of the motor assembly is not engaged with the toothed wheel of the control assembly.
According to the invention, when the electromagnetic actuator is energized, the movable ferrule and therefore the release plate move, by virtue of the action of the engagement spring, towards a proximal position relative to the electromagnetic actuator in which the release pin of the movable plate comes into abutment against the second peripheral edge of the window of the release plate, i.e. against the peripheral edge proximal relative to the toothed wheel of the control assembly. In this configuration, the movable plate is in an engagement position in which the control pinion of the motor assembly is engaged with the toothed wheel of the control assembly.
According to the invention, the engagement assembly preferably comprises a microswitch having an oscillating arm, and an abutment nut is attached to the movable rod of the electromagnetic actuator. Said abutment nut is adapted to act as abutment surface for said oscillating arm during movement of the movable rod in the direction in which the stop ring of the movable rod approaches the fixed ferrule of the electromagnetic actuator, so as to trigger a signal sent to the gear motor in order to actuate rotation of the control pinion.

Brief Description of the Figures

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the annexed figures, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a further perspective view of the device according an embodiment of to the invention;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device according to an embodiment of the invention, in which some elements have been removed for more clarity of description;
Fig. 4 is a front view of the device according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a top view of the device according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 6 is a side view of the device according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 7 is a front view of the device according to an embodiment of the invention, in which some elements have been removed for the sake of clarity, and in which a solid line and a dashed line represent two configurations of the device;
Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A di Fig.4;
Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B di Fig.4;
Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C di Fig.7.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Referring to the annexed Figures, a motorized control device for vehicle doors has been described, indicated as a whole with reference numeral 10. According to the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention, the device 10 comprises a motor assembly, an engagement assembly and a control assembly.
The motor assembly comprises an electric gear motor 11 having a control pinion 12. The gear motor 11 is preferably of the kind having a CC electric motor, typically with 12 V, powered by the electric circuit of the vehicle on which the control device is installed. The electric motor of the gear motor 11, when energized, actuates rotation of the control pinion 12.
According to the invention, the motor assembly is associated with the engagement assembly, by means of which the control pinion 12 can be brought to an engagement position or a disengagement position relative to a corresponding toothed wheel 15 provided in the control assembly.
The control assembly comprises a helical pulley 16, of known type, solidly connected coaxially to the aforesaid toothed wheel 15. The helical pulley 16 and the toothed wheel 15 associated therewith have a common shaft 22 and are sandwiched between a pair of plates, namely a front plate 25 and a rear plate 26, to which the shaft 22 is suitably fixed by means of nuts 23. The front plate 25 and the rear plate 26 are fixed to each other by means of suitable fixing means, for example nuts and bolts (not shown) passing through the pair of plates at bores 27, 28 provided therein. A pair of metal cables 17 are wound on the helical pulley 16, each of said metal cables having a first end associated with the helical pulley 16 and a second end associated with a leaf of a sliding door, not shown, for controlling, according to prior art, the opening and closing of the door. For example, in a known manner, two pins 18, 19, associatable to rolls of corresponding carriages adapted to slide in a suitable track of the sliding door, are provided at the second ends of the cables 17. Preferably, the control assembly further comprises two retaining ferrules 20, 21 mounted between the front plate 25 and the rear plate 26 and adapted to prevent the cables 17 from moving away from the helical pulley 16.
According to an embodiment variant, the pair of cables may be replaced by a single cable 17 which is anchored to the helical pulley 16 and the ends of which are associated with a leaf of a sliding door in a manner similar to what has been described above for the pair of cables.
Still according to the invention, the engagement assembly comprises an electromagnetic actuator 30, of a known type, which is adapted to impart a rectilinear movement to a movable rod 31. The electromagnetic actuator 30, preferably attached to the bracket 25a of the front plate 25 of the control assembly by means of screws 32, comprises a fixed ferrule 33 within which the movable rod 31 slides and which is adapted to lock a portion of a return spring 34 coiled around the movable rod 31. A stop ring 35, which is solidly connected to the movable rod and against which a free end 34a of the return spring 34 rests, is fixed to the movable rod 31. The electromagnetic actuator 30, when energized, determines a rectilinear movement of the movable rod 31 so that the stop ring 35 of the movable rod 31 approaches the ferrule 33 of the electromagnetic actuator 30, against the action of the return spring 34, which is compressed. Such movement will be referred to hereafter as backward movement of the movable rod 31, i.e., referring to Figure 7, a rectilinear movement of the movable rod 31 leftwards. On the other hand, when the electromagnetic actuator 30 is de-energized, the return spring 34, expanding, tends to move the stop ring 35 of the movable rod 31 away from the ferrule 33 of the electromagnetic actuator 30, thus determining a movement of the movable rod 31 in a direction opposite to said backward movement, i.e., a forward movement of the movable rod 31, i.e., referring to Figure 7, a rectilinear movement of the movable rod 31 rightwards.
The engagement assembly further comprises a microswitch 50, preferably fixed to a supporting bracket 52 which in turn is fixed to the bracket 25a of the front plate 25, to which the electromagnetic actuator 30 is also fixed. The microswitch 50 is provided with an oscillating arm 51 and an abutment nut 53 is attached to the movable rod 31 of the electromagnetic actuator 30, said abutment nut being adapted to act as abutment surface for said oscillating arm 51 during the backward movement of the movable rod 31. According to prior art, the interference between the abutment nut 53 and the oscillating arm 51 of the microswitch 50 causes oscillation of the microswitch and triggering of a corresponding signal which is sent to the electric gear motor 11 in order to actuate rotation of the control pinion 12.
According to the invention, a movable ferrule 36 is slidably mounted on the movable rod 31, said movable ferrule being kept in abutment, by means of an engagement spring 37, against a first nut 38 fixedly mounted on the movable rod 31. The engagement spring 37, coiled around the movable rod 31, has a first end 37a proximal relative to the electromagnetic actuator 30 and in abutment against said movable ferrule 36, and a second end 37b distal relative to the electromagnetic actuator 30 and in abutment against a second nut 39 fixedly mounted on the movable rod 31. The movable ferrule 36 is solidly connected to the release plate 40. Preferably, the release plate 40 is guided, in its lower part, by two bearings 60, fixed between the front plate 25 and the rear plate 26 of the control assembly, and, in its upper part, by a guide block 61 surmounted by a guide support 62, the guide block and the guide support, too, being fixed between the front plate 25 and the rear plate 26. The release plate 40 has a window 41 provided with a first and a second, circumferential peripheral edge 42, 43 which are arranged at different heights relative to a plane perpendicular to the release plate 40 and situated along the direction of rectilinear movement of the release plate 40. Said circumferential peripheral edges 42, 43 are connected to each other by means of central rectilinear edges 44 inclined relative to said perpendicular plane. In particular, considering the control device arranged with the movable rod 31 of the engagement assembly in a horizontal position and the control pinion 12 above the movable rod 31 and below the toothed wheel 15 of the control assembly, as shown in the Figures, the first peripheral edge 42, proximal relative to the electromagnetic actuator 30, is at a height lower than that of the second peripheral edge 43, distal relative to the electromagnetic actuator 30. In other words, the first peripheral edge 42 is distal and the second peripheral edge 43 is proximal relative to the toothed wheel 15 of the control assembly.
The engagement assembly further comprises a movable plate 45 to which the electric gear motor 11 and the control pinion 12 of the motor assembly are solidly connected. A release pin 46, adapted to cooperate, through a bearing 47, with the edges 42, 43, 44 of the window 41 of the release plate 40, is also attached to the movable plate 45 of the engagement assembly. The movable plate 45 further comprises three guide pins 65, 66, 67, adapted to cooperate, preferably by means of corresponding bearings (not shown) with three corresponding guides 68, 69, 70 provided in the rear plate 26 of the control assembly and adapted to guide the guide pins 65, 66, 67 so as to allow said guide pins to move only in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the movable rod 31 and therefore of the release plate 40. Thanks to the above-described structure of the engagement assembly, a horizontal rectilinear forward or backward movement of the release plate 40 is transformed into a vertical rectilinear movement of lifting or lowering, respectively, of the release pin 46 owing to the interference between said release pin 46 and the inclined central rectilinear edges 44 of the window 41 of the release plate 40 and the interaction between the three guide pins 65, 66, 67 and the corresponding guides 68, 69, 70.
Optionally, the rear plate 26 comprises additional guide pins 71 adapted to cooperate with corresponding guides provided in the movable plate 45.
Referring in particular to Figure 7, according to the invention, in a rest position reached by the engagement assembly when the electromagnetic actuator 30 is de-energized, the movable rod 31 is kept, by the return spring 34, in a position in which the movable ferrule 36, abutting against the first nut 38, and therefore the release plate 40 are distal relative to the electromagnetic actuator 30. In this rest position, the release pin 46 of the movable plate 45 is in abutment against the first peripheral edge 42 of the window 41 of the release plate 40, i.e. against the peripheral edge with lower height, distal relative to the toothed wheel 15 of the control assembly. The engagement of the release pin 46 against the first peripheral edge 42 of the window 41 therefore serves as end-stop for the forward movement of the movable rod 31 by virtue of the return spring 34. In this rest position, the movable plate 45 is in a disengagement position, or lowered position, in which the pinion 12 of the motor assembly is not engaged with the toothed wheel 15 of the control assembly. This working condition is shown by a dashed line in Figure 7. The helical pulley 16 of the control assembly can thus rotate idly so that the sliding door of the vehicle can be opened and closed manually by a user without having to carry out any considerable effort. Advantageously, this disengagement condition is reached and maintained also in case of electric failure of the control device 10.
According to the invention, when the electromagnetic actuator 30 is energized, the movable rod 31 withdraws, against the action of the return spring 34, until an end-stop signal of the microswitch 50 is triggered, as illustrated above. During the horizontal backward movement of the movable rod 31, the movable ferrule 36, mounted on the movable rod 31, and the release plate 46, solidly connected to the movable ferrule 36, also withdraw, approaching the electromagnetic actuator 30. However, thanks to the engagement spring 37, the backward movement of the movable ferrule 36 and of the release plate 40 is dampened relative to the movement of the movable rod 31. This results in a consequent movement of the release pin 46 and therefore of the movable plate 45 as well as of the control pinion 12. This feature is of particular advantage when, while the control pinion 12 is approaching the toothed wheel 15, the contact between the control pinion and the toothed wheel takes place between a tooth of the pinion and a tooth of the wheel rather than between a tooth and a valley. In this case, the movable rod 31 can continue its backward movement, whereas the lifting movement of the movable plate 45 will be momentarily prevented by the contact between the tooth of the pinion 12 and the tooth of the toothed wheel 15. As a consequence of this, the engagement spring 37 will be compressed between the second nut 39 of the movable rod 31, which is withdrawing, and the movable ferrule 36, which is stationary because of the interference between the window 41 of the release plate 40, solidly connected to the movable ferrule 36, and the release pin 46. The elastic energy stored by the engagement spring 37 will subsequently enable the movable plate 45 to complete its lifting movement at the time when the control pinion 12 and the toothed will achieve proper coupling between their respective teeth. When this takes place, the movable ferrule 36 comes into abutment against the first nut 38 of the movable rod 31, the movable ferrule 36 and therefore the release plate 40 are proximal relative to the electromagnetic actuator 30 and the release pin 46 of the movable plate 45 comes into engagement against the second peripheral edge 43 of the window 41 of the release plate 40, i.e. against the peripheral edge with greater height, proximal relative to the toothed wheel of the control assembly. The movable plate 45 is therefore in an engagement position, or lifted position, in which the control pinion 12 of the motor assembly is engaged with the toothed wheel 15 of the control assembly. This working condition is shown by a solid line in Figure 7, and is also shown in all the other Figures. The helical pulley 16 of the control assembly is therefore rotated owing to the fact that the toothed wheel 15 is dragged by the control pinion 12 so that the sliding door of the vehicle can be opened and closed by the gear motor 11 actuated by the user.

Claims

Motorized closure device for vehicle doors, comprising:
- a motor assembly comprising a control pinion (12) and a gear motor (11) adapted to actuate rotation of the control pinion (12),

- a control assembly comprising a helical pulley (16), a toothed wheel (15) solidly connected coaxially to said helical pulley (16), and at least one cable (17) wound on the pulley (16) and having at least one end associated with a leaf of a vehicle door for controlling opening and closing of the door,

- an engagement assembly configured to bring the control pinion (12) of the motor assembly to an engagement position or a disengagement position relative to the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly,

wherein the engagement assembly comprises an electromagnetic actuator (30) and is configured to bring the control pinion (12) of the motor assembly to a disengagement position relative to the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly and keep it in said disengagement position when the electromagnetic actuator (30) is not energized, and to bring the control pinion (12) of the motor assembly to an engagement position relative to the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly and keep it in said engagement position when the electromagnetic actuator (30) is energized,

characterized in that the engagement assembly comprises:
- a release plate (40) adapted to move according to a rectilinear movement and having a window (41) provided with a first and a second, circumferential peripheral edge (42, 43) which are arranged at different heights relative to a plane perpendicular to the release plate (40) and situated along the direction of rectilinear movement of the release plate (40) and are connected to each other by means of central rectilinear edges (44) inclined relative to said perpendicular plane, and

- a movable plate (45) which is adapted to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the release plate (40) and to which the electric gear motor (11), the control pinion (12) of the motor assembly and a release pin (46) are solidly connected, said release pin (46) being adapted to cooperate with the edges (42, 43, 44) of the window (41) of the release plate (40) so as to convert the rectilinear movement of the release plate (40) into a rectilinear movement of the movable plate (45), said rectilinear movement of the movable plate (45) being substantially perpendicular to the rectilinear movement of the release plate (40),

and in that the first peripheral edge (42) is distal and the second peripheral edge (43) is proximal relative to the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly;

wherein the electromagnetic actuator (30) is adapted to impart a rectilinear movement to a movable rod (31) and comprises a fixed ferrule (33) within which said movable rod (31) slides and which is adapted to lock a portion of a return spring (34) coiled around the movable rod (31), and wherein a stop ring (35) against which a free end (34a) of the return spring (34) rests is fixed to the movable rod (31);

wherein the actuation of the electromagnetic actuator (30) causes a rectilinear movement of the movable rod (31) so that the stop ring (35) of the movable rod (31) approaches the fixed ferrule (33) of the electromagnetic actuator (30), against the action of the return spring (34), which is compressed, and wherein, when the electromagnetic actuator (30) is de-energized, the return spring (34), expanding, tends to move the stop ring (35) of the movable rod (31) away from the fixed ferrule (33) of the electromagnetic actuator (30);

wherein a movable ferrule (36) is slidably mounted on the movable rod (31), said movable ferrule (36) being kept in abutment, by means of an engagement spring (37) coiled around the movable rod (31), against a first nut (38) fixedly mounted on the movable rod (31), the engagement spring (37) having a first end (37a), proximal relative to the electromagnetic actuator (30) and in abutment against said movable ferrule (36), and a second end (37b), distal relative to the electromagnetic actuator (30) and in abutment against a second nut (39) fixedly mounted on the movable rod (31), the movable ferrule (36) being solidly connected to the release plate (40);

and wherein, when the electromagnetic actuator (30) is de-energized, the engagement assembly reaches a rest position in which the movable ferrule (36) and therefore the release plate (40) are distal relative to the electromagnetic actuator (30) and the release pin (46) of the movable plate (45) is in abutment against the first peripheral edge (42) of the window (41) of the release plate (40), distal relative to the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly, whereby the movable plate (45) is in a disengagement position in which the control pinion (12) of the motor assembly is not engaged with the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly.
Device according to claim 1, wherein, when the electromagnetic actuator (30) is energized, the movable ferrule (36) and therefore the release plate (40) move, by virtue of the action of the engagement spring (37), towards a proximal position relative to the electromagnetic actuator (30) in which the release pin (46) of the movable plate (45) comes into abutment against the second peripheral edge (43) of the window (41) of the release plate (40), proximal relative to the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly, whereby the movable plate (45) is in an engagement position in which the control pinion (12) of the motor assembly is engaged with the toothed wheel (15) of the control assembly.
Device according to any of the claims 1 to 2, wherein the engagement assembly comprises a microswitch (50) having an oscillating arm (51), and wherein an abutment nut (53) is attached to the movable rod (31) of the electromagnetic actuator (30), said abutment nut (53) being adapted to act as abutment surface for said oscillating arm (51) during movement of the movable rod (31) in the direction in which the stop ring (35) of the movable rod (31) approaches the fixed ferrule (33), so as to trigger a signal sent to the gear motor (11) in order to actuate rotation of the control pinion (12).
Device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the release plate (40) is guided by two bearings (60) and a guide block (61) that are attached to plates (25, 26) of the control assembly.
Device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movable plate (45) comprises a plurality of guide pins (65, 66, 67) adapted to cooperate with respective guides (68, 69, 70) which are provided in at least one plate (25) of the control assembly and are adapted to guide said guide pins (65, 66, 67) so that the movable plate (45) is allowed to move only in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the movable rod (31).