JP2003240424A - Operation auxiliary device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a door opening operation auxiliary device for releasing adhesion of a magnet door of a refrigerator, etc. <P>SOLUTION: A cam gear 20 is rotated by energizing to a motor 12. A gently inclined surface 22d of a starting cam 22 rotates a cam follower 24 to unlock an output wheel 26 by a starting arm 29, the output wheel 26 engaged with one end of a driving spring 28 is rotated together with a fan-shaped gear 34 by energizing force. A rod 30 provided continuously to the engaged rack 32 is projected from a case 11 to release adhesion of the door. During one rotation of the cam gear 20, rotation of the output wheel 26 is locked by the starting arm 29 to fix one end of the driving spring 28, and the other end engaged to the cam gear 20 is held in an excited state for a standby by squeezing the driving spring 28 up to a position where a locking cam 23 is locked by a locking lever 25. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an auxiliary device for manual operation when opening an operating member such as a refrigerator door or a drawer, and more specifically, it relates to a magnet used for a door for ensuring certain closure. The present invention relates to a power unit that assists in overcoming a magnetic force and an inertial mass of a door to reduce human power required to open a door or a drawer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional motion assisting device comprises a motor, a speed reducing mechanism for reducing the rotation of the motor, a rod having a final output pinion and a rack meshing with the rack, and a case for accommodating the motor. Rotation causes the rod to linearly act on the door, the operating position detection means is provided in the rod or the speed reduction mechanism, and the motor is normally rotated to project the rod from the case to assist in starting the door opening. After confirming that the door was opened and freed, the motor was stopped and the motor was rotated in reverse to retract the rod into the case.

[0003]

However, in this device, since the rod linearly moves by the rotational force of the motor, the rotational speed becomes the opening speed of the door as it is, and the motor is started after the opening signal is input. It does not move until the rod starts moving. Also, when a general DC motor is used as a drive source, there is a delay in the time until effective operation due to mechanical backlash and the size of the load, so follow the speed sensation of a person trying to open a door. Is difficult and causes discomfort. Further, since it is necessary to provide a switching operation position detecting means for rotating the motor in the forward, stop, and reverse directions and an operation circuit for controlling the motor based on the signal thereof, the unit structure becomes complicated, and the reliability is reduced accordingly. On the contrary, the cost increases.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to realize a higher-speed operation than the rotation of a motor by utilizing a spring force which is not influenced by the rising time. A second object is to realize a mechanism in which a constant opening force is always obtained by utilizing a spring force that does not depend on an electromagnetic force affected by ambient temperature and a change in operating time due to a high load. Further, the third purpose is to make a mechanism in which the rack provided on the rod disengages from the pinion immediately after the rod acts on the driven part, so that the rod easily returns to the origin, and the motor rotational force is changed to the spring force. Use only for livestock,
That is, the motor rotation is not reversed. A fourth object is to use a stepping motor capable of detecting a position by the number of steps, simplify the unit structure by omitting the position sensor, reduce the cost, and improve the reliability.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a motion assisting device according to the present invention operates in a predetermined range at the time of starting, out of the entire motion range of motion members such as a door and a drawer of a refrigerator. In the movement assisting device to assist
A rod for operating the operating member by engaging the operating member, a gear for operating the rod, a biasing means for operating the gear, and a driving means for biasing the biasing force of the biasing means, The holding means holds the biasing means in a predetermined biased state, and the releasing means for releasing the biased state by the holding means. When the releasing state is released by the releasing means, the biasing force is released. Then, the operating member is operated by the rod.

The gear is connected to a storage gear driven by the drive source via a coil spring as the biasing means, and the gear is driven in the driving direction by one locking means as the holding means. When the coil spring reaches the predetermined biasing state by driving the energy storage gear in the locked state, the coil spring is locked by the other locking means as the holding means to lock the coil spring to the predetermined biasing state. Hold in force.

Further, the one locking means is provided with a sliding portion that slides on a cam surface formed on the energy storage gear, and the locking by the one locking means is released by this sliding portion. The releasing means is configured. In addition, a stepping motor is used as the drive source, and the step number of the drive signal is counted to control a series of operations in each auxiliary cycle.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a motion assisting device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a motion assisting device according to the present invention, in which the mechanism of the motion assisting device 10 in a pre-operation state is shown by removing a cover 11a of a unit case (hereinafter abbreviated as case) 11 It is shown in a schematic plan view. FIG. 2 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 and shows a state in which the power saving device is released immediately after the operation assisting device 10 is activated. FIG. 3 is a sectional view developed along the line III-III in FIG.
FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of the switch portion.

Reference numeral 12 is a stepping motor which is a drive source, and a drive pinion 14 fixed to the case 11 and mounted on the output shaft meshes with a large gear 16a of the intermediate first reduction gear 16. The small gear 16b, which rotates integrally with the large gear 16a of the intermediate first reduction gear 16, rotates integrally with the intermediate second reduction gear 17.
Meshes with the large gear 17a. Then, the small gear 17 that rotates integrally with the large gear 17a of the second intermediate reduction gear 17 coaxially.
b meshes with a cam gear 20 rotatably supported by a main shaft 18 fixed to the case 11. The cam gear 20 functions as an energy storage gear, and rotates in one direction together with a starting cam 22 that integrally has a cam surface that serves as a releasing means.

A cam follower 24, which constitutes a releasing means in cooperation with the starting cam 22, is rotatably supported by a support shaft 24a standing upright from the outer circumference of the cam gear 20, and is urged by a torsion coil spring 24b to provide a tip portion 24c. Is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the starting cam 22 and slides. Outer peripheral surface 22 of starting cam 22
a is a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the cam gear 20, and a part of the protrusion 22b
Is formed. In the projection 22b, a leading surface from the small-diameter outer peripheral surface 22a to the projection top portion 22c located substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the cam gear 20 according to the rotation is formed as a gentle slope 20d, and the tip 22c is relatively steep arc ahead. It returns to the small diameter outer peripheral surface 22a again via the surface 22e.

Further, a locking cam 23 is integrally provided in parallel with the cam gear 20, and the projection 2 with the main shaft 18 sandwiched therebetween is provided on the outer periphery thereof.
A notch 23b having a shape that complementarily engages with the tip portion 25c of the locking lever 25 is provided at a corresponding position on the side opposite to 2b. The notch 23b cooperates with the locking lever 25 to form the other locking means of the biased state holding means. Locking lever 25
Is rotatably supported by a support shaft 25a provided outside the outer periphery of the cam gear 20, and the tip portion 25 is urged by a torsion coil spring 25b until the engagement with the notch 23b.
c is pressed against the outer peripheral surface 23a of the locking cam 23 and slides.
The relative positional relationship between the protrusion 22b and the notch 23b is the notch 2
When 3b engages with the locking lever tip 25c, the protrusion 2
2b is always at a position where the leading end of the gently sloped surface 22d is in contact with the cam follower tip portion 24c.

Reference numeral 26 is an output vehicle which constitutes a driving means.
The main shaft 18 is rotatably supported in parallel with the cam gear 20,
It is connected to the cam gear 20 via a torsion coil spring (hereinafter referred to as a drive spring) 28 which is a biasing means. Hooks 28a and 28b are formed on both ends of the drive spring 28, and one hook 28a is provided on the side surface of the cam gear 20 to support the pillar 2
0a, and the other hook 28b is locked to a column 26a protruding from the side surface of the output wheel 26. Therefore, output vehicle 2
6 is interlocked with the rotation of the cam gear 20 via the torsion coil spring 28 in the unrestrained state.

Further, the outer diameter of the output wheel 26 is equal to that of the cam gear 20.
Of the cam follower 2 which is a releasing means on the outer peripheral surface 26b.
A notch 26c having a shape that complementarily engages with a tip end portion 29a of a starting arm 29 that is coaxially and integrally rotated in association with No. 4 is provided. The notch 26c cooperates with the activation arm 29 to form one locking means of the holding means. Also, output vehicle 2
6, a fan-shaped gear 34 that is meshed with a rack 32 engraved on a rod 30 that operates an operating member (not shown) is integrally formed.

The sector gear 34 does not restrain the rod 30 except that the tooth portion 34a faces the rod 30 except that the gear portion 34a meshes with the rack 32 when the rod 30 operates an operating member (not shown). . That is, the sector gear 34 is a gear that operates the rod. One of the holding means as the holding means is a notch 26c and a starting arm 29.
The other locking means is composed of the notch 23b and the locking lever 25. In the releasing means for releasing the biased state by the holding means, the cam follower 24 integrated with the starting arm 29 cooperates with the starting cam 22.

The rod 30 set to the initial position at the innermost portion of the case 11 is driven by the gear portion 34a of the rotating fan gear 34 meshing with the rack 32 that is continuously provided.
That is, the rotation of the sector gear 34 causes the rod 30 to move along the guide 30a (hatched portion) provided on the case cover 11a. By the movement of the rod 30, the push lever 30b at the tip portion linearly projects from the through hole 11b having the same shape as the cross section of the rod 30 formed on the side surface of the case 11 to push the operating member (for example, the door of the refrigerator), and It assists the opening operation against the attraction force of the closed holding magnet. Then, at the maximum stroke position of the rod 30, the rack 32 is disengaged from the mesh with the gear portion 34a of the sector gear 34.

A compression coil spring 30c at the rear end of the rod 30.
Serves to buffer the contact with the rear surface of the guide 30a that restricts the projection of the rod 30, and to pull the push lever 30b into the case after the door is operated.
When the rod 30 is pulled in by the compression coil spring 30c, the gear portion 34a is rotated to a position where it does not mesh with the rack 32, and the rack 32 is free to move along the toothless portion 34b. Further, the rod 30 is reliably set to the initial position in association with the return of the operating member due to the closing of the door or the like.

Next, the switch mechanism interlocking with the locking cam 23 will be described with reference to FIG. The L-shaped return lever 35 that rotates integrally with the locking lever 25 coaxially includes a short lever 35a that locks one end of the torsion coil spring 25b and a long lever 35b. Further, a swing lever 38 for operating the switch 36 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 38a standing on the case 11 at a position separated from the support shaft 25a of the locking lever 25. The swing lever 38 includes levers 38b, 38c, 38d having substantially equal lengths that project in three directions, and the second lever 3
The third coil 38d is elastically biased in the counterclockwise direction (arrow L1) in the figure by the tension coil spring 40 stretched on 8c so as to push the actuator 36a of the switch 36.

On the other hand, in the return lever 35, the long lever 35b elastically biased in the counterclockwise direction (arrow L2) in the figure by the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 25b contacts the first lever 38b of the swing lever, The third lever 38d is elastically biased in the clockwise direction (arrow R1) in the drawing, which is separated from the actuator 36a, and the pivoting of the swing lever 38 by the tension coil spring 40 is suppressed. Further, the rotation of the rocking lever 38 due to the urging force of the long lever 35b is restricted by the second lever 38c coming into contact with the end surface of the switch 36, and the third lever 38 is held at the separated position from the actuator 36a.

The motion assisting device 10 according to the present invention will be described below.
An explanation will be given of an embodiment in which the explanation of the operation is applied as an auxiliary device for opening the refrigerator door. First, the motion assisting device 10
The rod 30 that causes the push lever 30b housed in the case 11 to project from the side surface of the case 11 is in the initial position at the end of the stroke operation range in the initial storage state, and the output wheel 26 has the notch 26c. Starting arm 2
The rotation is blocked by engaging with the tip portion 29a of the shaft 9. Further, the cam gear 20 is driven by the stepping motor 12, and is stopped at a position where the notch 23b of the locking cam 23 provided integrally is engaged with the tip portion 25c of the locking lever 25, and this position is the starting point of the cam gear 20. And is the end point.

At this time, the relative position of the support column 20a of the cam gear 20 and the support column 26a of the output wheel 26 is determined by the hooks 28a and 28b of the drive springs 28 which are engaged with each other.
8 is in a state where it is twisted and deformed, narrowed down, and energized,
This position is held by the locking lever 25 and the starting arm 29 to stand by.

A push-on type panel switch (not shown) provided separately in the refrigerator is operated to energize the stepping motor 12, and the drive pinion 14 to the reduction gear train 16,
The rotation is transmitted to the cam gear 20 via 17. Cam gear 2
When 0 starts rotating, the tip end 24c of the cam follower 24, which rotates integrally with the starting cam 22 and presses against the outer peripheral surface 22a and slides, moves to the projection top 22c along the gentle slope 22d of the projection 22b. , The cam follower 24 rotates in the direction away from the starting cam 22.

The starter arm 28 integrated with the starter cam 22 is rotated together so that the tip 28a is provided with a notch 26c in the output wheel 26.
Disengage the. The output wheel 26 immediately rapidly rotates by the restoring force of the torsion coil spring 28 that is energized, and the gear portion 34a of the fan gear 34 integrally formed with the rack 32 meshes with the rack 32 so that the rod 30 connected to the rack 32 is connected. Push.
In the case 11, the rod 30 that is in the standby state at the initial position at the end of the movement range has the through hole 11 b on the side surface of the case 11.
The push lever 30c is protruded from the door to assist the pivoting operation of the refrigerator door in the releasing direction from the close contact state. After that, the operating member can be manually operated by the force of a weak person such as an elderly person, a child, or a disabled person.

When the rod 30 is moved in the protruding direction, the rack 32 is disengaged from the fan gear portion 34a, and the rod is free. The compression coil spring 30c causes the case 11 to move.
It is biased inward. Then, when the door is manually returned to the closed position, the push lever 30c is pushed by the door and pushed into the case 11, and the rod 30 can be returned to the initial position at any time without being interfered with by the sector gear portion 34a.

The first rotation of the cam gear 20, which is driven by energizing the stepping motor 12 by a push-on type panel switch (not shown), rotates the locking cam 23 together with the starting cam 22, so that the slope 2 of the cutout 23b is formed.
3c pushes up the tip end portion 25c of the locking lever 25 against the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 25b, and rotates the return lever 35 in the clockwise direction in the figure (arrow R2) in conjunction with it. The swing lever 38 is released from the long lever 35b of the return lever 35, and the tension lever spring 40 biases the third lever 38d.
Closes the circuit of switch 36. Energization of the stepping motor 12 from the push-on type panel switch is switched to the circuit from the switch 36 to rotate the cam gear 20.

The output wheel 26 rotates in conjunction with the cam gear 20 via a free-form drive spring 28 that has released the energy force, but the torsion coil spring 24 of the cam follower 24.
Actuator arm tip portion 29a that is biased by c and slides on the outer periphery
Moreover, the rotation is blocked at the position where the notch 26c is engaged.
That is, in the output wheel 26, the position of one hook 28b of the drive spring 28 is fixed by the column 26a. Output car 2 at this time
The fan-shaped gear 34 that rotates together with 6 rotates until the leading end of the gear portion 34a is manually returned to the initial position, immediately before the meshing of the starting position near the front end of the rack 30, and waits. The cam gear 20 continues to rotate while further twisting the drive spring 28, and the notch 23b of the engaging cam 23 engages with the engaging lever tip 25c which is biased by the torsion coil spring 25b and slides on the outer circumference.

By this occlusal action, the locking lever 25 rotates the return lever 35 in the counterclockwise direction (arrow L2) in the figure to release the operation of the switch 36 by the third lever 38d of the swing lever 38, The switch circuit for driving the stepping motor 12 is cut off to stop the stepping motor 12. Since the stopped stepping motor 12 does not have a force for retaining the energy, the cam gear 20 is connected to the other end of the drive spring 28 by the column 20a at a position where the notch 23b of the locking cam 23 meshes with the locking lever tip 25c. Hook 2
The position of 8a is fixed, and the drive spring 28 is kept in the energized state. The notch 23b of the locking cam 23 is the tip 2 of the locking lever.
The position at which 5c is engaged is the end point where the cam gear 20 completes one rotation, and at the same time, the starting point of the next auxiliary operation, and the initial energy saving state is reproduced. Hereinafter, the above operation is repeated every time the door of the refrigerator is opened.

The origin of the stepping motor 12 corresponds to the starting point of the cam gear 20, and the stepping motor 1 is counted several pulses more than the number of pulses for one rotation of the cam gear 20.
Enter 2. Therefore, the cam gear 20 is locked by the locking cam 23.
The stepping motor 12 is located at a position where the notch 23b slightly exceeds the starting point of accurately engaging the locking lever tip portion 25c.
Energization is stopped. Since the stepping motor 12 does not have a holding force at the stop position, the cam gear 20 is pulled back by the action of the restoring force of the driving spring 28 that is energized, and the notch 23b is formed.
The leading surface 23d of the locking surface 25 of the locking lever tip portion 25c
By contacting d, the accurate position can always be the starting point. When a DC motor is used as the energy saving means, a similar purpose is achieved by inserting a delay timer in the switch circuit and providing a time lag between when the switch 36 is activated and when the DC motor is de-energized. be able to.

Although the embodiment of the motion assisting device according to the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and its shape and configuration are as follows.
It is anticipated that various modifications may be made such as various changes in details, reconfiguration of parts, and exchange of combinations in the embodiments without departing from the constituent features of the invention. For example, a DC motor or a solenoid can be used to store the spring, and a tension coil spring or a compression coil spring can be used as the spring. Further, those skilled in the art can easily infer that even if the start cam 22 or the start arm 29 is mechanically directly manually operated, the same effect can be obtained by performing the energizing action of the spring by the motor. It should be possible.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, the motion assisting device according to the present invention is, according to the description of claim 1, a motion assisting device which assists a motion of a predetermined range of the motion range of the motion member. In the device, a rod that engages with the operating member to operate the operating member, a gear that operates the rod, a biasing unit that operates the gear, and a drive that biases the biasing force of the biasing device. Means, holding means for holding the urging means in a predetermined urging state, and releasing means for releasing the urging state by the holding means. When the urging state is released by the releasing means, the urging means is operated. Since the force is released and the operating member is actuated by the rod, the opening speed of the rod is given by the elastic force of the torsion coil spring,
It can be operated several times faster than the conventional motor rotation. Moreover, by applying the motion assisting device according to the present invention, the starting force for opening a heavy door such as a refrigerator in a strong contact state becomes unnecessary, and
Manual operation is possible even with the power of weak people such as children and persons with disabilities.

According to a second aspect of the motion assisting apparatus of the present invention, the gear is connected to the energy storage gear driven by the drive source via a coil spring as the biasing means. When the coil spring reaches the predetermined biasing state by driving the energy storage gear in a state where the gear is locked in the driving direction by one locking means as the holding means, Since the coil spring is held in the predetermined biased state by being locked by the other locking means, the rotational force of the motor is only used for energizing the torsion coil spring, and the operation assistance of this torsion coil spring is used. Since the structure uses mechanical force, it is possible to always obtain a constant opening force unlike the electromagnetic force affected by the change in operating time due to high load found in the mechanism that assists the operation by the motor and the ambient temperature. Kill.

Further, the motion assisting device according to the present invention is
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the one locking means is provided with a sliding portion that slides on the cam surface formed on the energy storage gear, and the sliding portion allows the one locking means to move. Since the releasing means for releasing the lock is configured, the motor control circuit including the timing detection for reversing the rotation of the motor in only one direction can be omitted, and the mechanism can be simplified.

The motion assisting device according to the present invention is
According to the fourth aspect, a stepping motor is used as the drive source, and a series of operations in each operation auxiliary cycle is controlled by counting the number of steps of the drive signal. Therefore, the position sensor can be omitted and the unit configuration can be improved. Can be simplified to reduce cost and improve reliability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a storage state in an embodiment of a motion assisting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an operating state of the motion assisting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the movement assisting device shown in FIG. 1, taken along line III-III.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view explaining the operation of the switch of the motion assisting device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols] 10 Motion assistance device 11 cases 12 stepping motor 18 spindle 20 cam gear 22 Starting cam 23 Locking cam 24 Cam Follower 25 Locking lever 26 output cars 28 Drive torsion coil spring 29 Activation Arm 30 rod 32 racks 34 fan gear

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A motion assisting device for assisting a motion of a motion member within a predetermined range of the motion range, a rod for engaging the motion member to actuate the motion member, and a gear for actuating the rod. An urging means for operating the gear, a driving means for urging the urging force of the urging means, a holding means for holding the urging means in a predetermined urging state, and an urging state by the holding means. And a releasing means for releasing the urging state by the releasing means, the urging force is released, and the operating member is operated by the rod. 2. The gear is connected to a storage gear driven by the drive source via a coil spring as the biasing means, and the gear is driven in the driving direction by one locking means as the holding means. When the coil spring reaches the predetermined biasing state by driving the energy storage gear in the locked state, the coil spring is locked by the other locking means as the holding means to lock the coil spring to the predetermined biasing state. The motion assisting device according to claim 1, wherein the motion assisting device is held in a biased state. 3. The one locking means includes a sliding portion that slides on a cam surface formed on the energy storage gear, and the locking portion releases the locking by the one locking means. The operation assisting device according to claim 2, wherein the releasing means is configured to operate. 4. The operation according to claim 1, wherein a stepping motor is used as the drive source, and the step number of the drive signal is counted to control a series of operations in each operation auxiliary cycle. Auxiliary device.