JP2009228275A - Actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an actuator allowing a member moving in the axial direction to reciprocate and move linearly and stably with low slide resistance and capable of constituting a housing of the actuator in a compact manner. <P>SOLUTION: This actuator is provided with the member moving in the axial direction capable of reciprocating and moving linearly and the housing storing at least a part of the member moving in the axial direction and forms a vertical direction supporting member for restricting the movement in the vertical direction of the member moving in the axial direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an actuator for locking / unlocking a fuel lid, for example.

  The vehicle fuel filler opening lid (hereinafter referred to as “fuel lid”) has a pull control in which one end is connected to the lever and the other end is connected to the vicinity of the fuel filler opening when a lever provided in the driver's seat of the vehicle is operated. The lock of the fuel lid is released via a cable, and the fuel lid is opened by a biasing force of a spring provided in the fuel lid.

  As a recent trend, in order to prevent theft of fuel, there is an increasing number of devices that lock / unlock a fuel lid in conjunction with a vehicle door lock device. In this case, without using a control cable, an actuator driven by an electric motor or the like is fixed near the fuel filler opening to lock the fuel lid, and the fuel lid is unlocked in synchronization with the unlocking of the door lock device. The fuel lid is not provided with a spring, and is manually opened and closed.

  The locking of the fuel lid is performed by inserting a locking claw (lock pin) that moves in the axial direction into a locking hole provided in the fuel lid, and unlocking is performed by retracting the locking pin from the locking hole. (See Patent Document 1).

  As an actuator for operating the lock of the fuel lid, when the output member moves through the reduction gear mechanism by the rotation of the rotating shaft (output shaft) of the electric motor, the fuel lid connected to the output member is opened from the closed side to the open side. There is known an actuator that is driven by a motor to release a locked state and release a fuel lid.

  The invention described in Patent Document 2 includes an electric motor, a worm attached to the electric motor, a worm wheel that rotates while meshing with the worm, and a notch portion that receives a protrusion provided on the worm wheel. An output member is provided, and the output member is slidably supported by output member support portions formed at four positions of the actuator case. The output member support unit can stably move the output member by sandwiching the output member from both sides.

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to provide an installation space for the output member support portion, and there is a problem that the case of the actuator becomes large.

  The invention described in Patent Document 3 includes an electric motor, a pinion fixed to the armature shaft of the electric motor, a plurality of reduction gears and a pinion, a reduction gear mechanism that meshes with the pinion, and a reduction gear mechanism. A rack gear meshed with the final stage pinion, and an output member capable of reciprocating by a predetermined stroke, and urging the output member to move to one stroke end (set position) when the electric motor is stopped. A biasing member that reduces the impact force acting on the output member when the output member is moved to the other stroke end against the biasing force of the biasing member by driving the electric motor; A case for housing the electric motor, a reduction gear mechanism, an output member, an urging member and a damper, and a pinion fixed to the armature shaft and a front A plurality of reduction gears and pinions of the reduction gear mechanism are all constituted by spur gears, a compression coil spring is used as the biasing member, and the compression coil spring is interposed between the output member and the damper in the case. Due to such structural features, when the electric motor is de-energized, the elastic energy accumulated in the compression coil spring acts directly on the output member, and the reduction gear mechanism smoothly reversely rotates and the output member is set. It is always returned to position.

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 3, the top plate portion of the output member is guided by the inner surface of the cover, and the entire top plate portion of the output member and the inner surface of the cover slide, so that the sliding resistance is low. There was a problem of being big.

JP 2004-106584 A JP 2001-295531 A JP 2004-257472 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an actuator in which an axially moving member has a low sliding resistance, can perform a stable reciprocating linear motion, and can have a compact housing.

  The fuel lid actuator of the present invention is an actuator including an axially moving member capable of reciprocating linear movement and a housing that accommodates at least a part of the axially moving member, and restricts the vertical movement of the axially moving member. A vertical support member is formed.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the said vertical direction supporting member is formed in the said axial direction movement member.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the said vertical direction supporting member is formed along the direction of the reciprocating linear motion of an axial direction moving member.

  In addition, the vertical support member is formed at one end of the axial movement member and at a position spaced from the one end of the axial movement member by at least one half of the longitudinal length of the axial movement member. Is preferred.

  The vertical support member is preferably one or a plurality of protrusions.

  In addition, it is preferable that a guide member that contacts the vertical support member is formed along the reciprocating linear movement direction of the axial movement member.

  The housing is preferably composed of an upper support and a lower support, and the guide member is formed on the upper support.

  According to the present invention, the reciprocating linear motion of the axial movement member can be stably performed by the vertical support member that restricts the vertical movement of the axial movement member.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the actuator of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an example of an upper support constituting the actuator of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an illustration of the actuator of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of a housing, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an axial movement member constituting the actuator of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an example of an upper support used in the actuator of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the actuator of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a vertical support member and a guide member of the actuator of the present invention.

Embodiment 1
Referring to FIG. 1, in the actuator 1 according to the present embodiment, the rotational torque generated by the electric motor M fed from the external power source via the wiring is the torque transmission means (10, 11, 12) of the motor M. , Connected to the axially moving member 2 transmitted as the reciprocating linear motion via the means (12, R) for converting the rotational motion into the reciprocating linear motion, and the detachable connecting mechanism 22 provided on the axially moving member 2 And a vertical support member 3.

  In the present embodiment, the torque transmission means (10, 11, 12) is formed coaxially and integrally with the worm 10 fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor M, the worm wheel 11 meshing with the worm 10, and the worm wheel 11. The small gear (pinion) 12 is formed, and an axially moving member 2 in which a rack R meshing with the pinion 12 is formed. In the present embodiment, the rack R is formed integrally with the axial movement member 2, but the rack R can also be configured separately from the axial movement member 2, in which case the rack R and the shaft The direction moving member 2 may be fixed by a conventionally known fixing means such as adhesion or welding. In the present embodiment, the rotational motion is converted into the reciprocating linear motion of the axially moving member by the above configuration, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, conventionally known torque transmission means such as a spur gear and a rack, a key and a key groove, a chain, and a belt can be partially applied, and a reciprocating straight line is reciprocated on the axial movement member 2 using a solenoid. Movement may be transmitted.

  In the present embodiment, the rotational torque transmission means (10, 11, 12) and the axial direction moving member 2 are accommodated in the housing of the actuator 1. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing of the actuator 1 includes an upper support 5 and a lower support 4. The upper support 5 and the lower support 4 do not need to have a shape as shown in FIG. 3A, and the shape and structure are not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the upper support 5 and the lower support 4 are plate-like bodies and may be connected by an intermediate support 7. Further, the upper support 5 and the lower support 4 can be integrally formed by the intermediate support 7 or may be separate. Moreover, as shown in FIG.3 (c), the upper support body 5 may be U-shaped cross-section with the lower part opened, and the lower support body 4 may be a plate-shaped body.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a vertical support member 3 is formed on the axial movement member 2 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 4, the vertical support member 3 has a configuration in which two protrusions are provided apart from both ends of the rack forming portion 21 where the rack R of the axial movement member 2 is formed. The position of the direction supporting member 3 is not limited to both ends of the rack forming portion 21, and the longitudinal direction of the axial moving member 2 from one end of the rack forming portion 21 of the axial moving member 2 and one end of the axial moving member 2. If it is formed at a position spaced apart by a predetermined interval in the direction, for example, one half or more of the length in the longitudinal direction of the axial movement member 2, the axial movement member 2 is stably supported.

  Further, the vertical support member 3 is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure, and for example, it is possible to provide a plurality of protrusions at both ends of the rack forming portion 21, and the short side of the axial movement member 2. A rail-like protrusion can be provided along the direction, and the shape of the protrusion is not particularly limited.

  In the present embodiment, the guide member 6 that contacts the vertical support member 3 is formed on the upper support 5 in the direction of the reciprocating linear motion of the axial movement member 2. The guide member 6 is preferably formed for the moving length of the axial direction moving member 2, but the length is not particularly limited.

  In this embodiment, the guide member 6 is formed on the upper support 5. However, the guide member 6 is formed on the lower support 4 by forming the vertical support member 3 on the lower surface of the axial movement member 2. You can also Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a T-shaped upper support 5 is formed of a first upper support 51 on which a guide member 6 is formed and a second upper support 52 on which a bearing of a gear is formed. You can also. The first upper support body 51 and the second upper support body 52 may be formed integrally or may be formed separately. Similarly, the lower support 4 can be T-shaped. Thus, the upper support 5 and the lower support 4 are not particularly limited as long as they can form the guide member 6 and can support the gear.

  In this embodiment, the guide member 6 is formed on the upper support 5 or the lower support 4. However, the guide member 6 can be provided on the axially moving member 2, or the vertical support member. 3 may be provided on the upper support 5 or the lower support 4.

  Further, the vertical support member and the guide member are provided in the axial movement member, and the guide member and the vertical support member are respectively provided at positions corresponding to the vertical support member and the guide member of the axial movement member of the upper support or the lower support. May be provided.

  Next, the movement of the actuator 1 in the present embodiment will be described. First, the rotational torque generated by the electric motor M fed from an external power source via wiring is concentric with the worm 10, the worm wheel 11 and the worm wheel 11 which are torque transmission means of the motor M, and is integrated with the worm wheel 11. When the pinion 12 and the rack R of the axially moving member 2 are engaged with each other, the rotational motion is converted into a reciprocating linear motion. A lock member is connected to the end of the axially moving member 2 via a detachable coupling mechanism 22 of the axially moving member 2, and the lock member reciprocates linearly as the axially moving member 2 reciprocates linearly. As a result, the fuel lid is locked / unlocked.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, during the reciprocating linear motion of the axial movement member 2, the vertical support member 3 formed on the axial movement member 2 moves on the guide member 6 formed on the upper support 5. It can slide to suppress vertical movement and stabilize reciprocating linear motion. Since the vertical support members 3 are formed at both ends of the rack forming portion 21 of the axial movement member 2, sliding is more stable than when the vertical support members 3 are formed near the center of the rack forming portion 21. To do. The vertical support portion 3 and the guide member 6 stabilize the reciprocating linear motion of the axial movement member 2 so that the axial movement member 2 does not rattle within the actuator 1.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the guide member 6 is formed on the upper support 5 so as to correspond to a location where the vertical support member 3 reciprocates linearly. In FIG. 7, two guide members 6 are formed on the same axis, and a part of the worm wheel 11 is located in the gap between the guide members 6 formed by the two guide members 6. . Thus, by providing a gap between the guide members 6, the reciprocating linear motion of the axial movement member 2 is stabilized, and the actuator 1 formed by the upper support 5, the lower support 4, and the like in the housing width direction. Space saving is possible. That is, when there is no gap between the guide members 6, for example, when the guide members 6 are formed in a row on the upper support 5, the housing of the actuator 1 can be used to prevent the guide member 6 and the worm wheel 11 from interfering with each other. The width direction must be increased by the width of the guide member 6. Since the guide member 6 is notched and a gap is provided as in the present embodiment, a part of the gear can be arranged in the gap, so that it is not necessary to enlarge the housing in the housing width direction of the actuator 1, and the actuator The housing size of 1 can be reduced.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the actuator concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the upper support body which comprises the actuator of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the housing of the actuator of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the axial direction moving member which comprises the actuator of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the upper support body used for the actuator of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows one Embodiment of the actuator of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the vertical direction support member and guide member of the actuator of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Actuator 2 Axial direction moving member 3 Vertical support member 4 Lower support body 5 Upper support body 6 Guide member 10 Worm 11 Worm wheel 12 Pinion 21 Rack formation part 22 Detachable connection mechanism 51 1st upper support body 52 2nd upper support body R rack M motor

Claims (7)

An actuator including an axially movable member capable of reciprocating linear movement and a housing that houses at least a part of the axially movable member,
An actuator comprising a vertical support member for limiting vertical movement of the axially moving member. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the vertical support member is formed on the axial movement member. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the vertical support member is formed along a direction of a reciprocating linear motion of the axially moving member. The vertical support member is formed at one end of the axial movement member and at a position spaced from the one end of the axial movement member by at least one-half of the longitudinal length of the axial movement member. Or the actuator of 2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the vertical support member is one or a plurality of protrusions. The actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a guide member that contacts the vertical support member is formed along a reciprocating linear movement direction of the axial movement member. The actuator according to claim 6, wherein the housing includes an upper support and a lower support, and the guide member is formed on the upper support.

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