JP2941171B2 - Waterproof structure of visor drive mechanism for electric retractable door mirror - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a waterproof structure of a visor driving mechanism for an electric storage door mirror.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electric retractable door mirrors generally include:
A visor, which is the casing of the mirror body, is rotatably attached to a fulcrum shaft provided on a stay fixed to the door of the car, and the rotation output of the motor fixed to the visor side is fixed to the fulcrum shaft of the stay. When the motor is started, the motor turns around the fulcrum shaft, and the visor operates accordingly. More specifically, a rigid-structure bracket to which the visor is fixed is supported by a fulcrum shaft, and a drive mechanism is configured by a motor and a reduction gear between the fulcrum shaft and the bracket.

[0003] By the way, in order to prevent water from splashing on the drive mechanism, a cover for covering the drive mechanism is conventionally attached to the bracket. In order to attach this cover, a cylindrical peripheral wall is formed on the bracket, and an outer cylindrical portion is formed on the cover so as to be fitted onto the peripheral wall from above.

[0004]

On the other hand, with the recent spread of coin car wash areas, high pressure water is often used at the time of car washing. When high-pressure water is used for car washing in this manner, in the above-described structure in which the outer cylindrical portion of the cover is merely fitted to the peripheral wall of the bracket, water may enter the bracket from the clearance of the fitting portion. . On the other hand, if a sealing material is used for the fitting portion, it is possible to obtain sufficient waterproofness. However, in that case, there is a problem that the configuration is complicated and the cost is increased.

Accordingly, a technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a waterproof structure for a drive mechanism for an electric storage door mirror which has a sufficient waterproof effect and has a simple structure.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems and Action / Effect In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the waterproof structure of the drive mechanism for the electric storage door mirror according to the present invention is configured as follows. That is, in this waterproof structure, a projection that is continuous in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the bracket, and a groove is formed on the inner surface of the outer cylinder portion of the cover so that the projection is fitted closely. In addition, a contact surface that is in close contact with the upper end of the peripheral wall is formed in the outer cylindrical portion. Further, the peripheral wall and the outer cylindrical portion are dimensioned such that the first connecting portion extending downward from the fitting portion between the projection and the groove is a loose fit, and the second connecting portion extending upward from this fitting portion. The dimension is set so that a space having a larger clearance dimension than the first connecting portion is formed in the portion.

[0007] In the above configuration, when water is strongly applied to the lower end of the cover when the car is washed with high-pressure water or the like,
Water enters the first connecting portion from the gap between the lower end of the cover and the peripheral wall of the bracket. When water is continuously applied to this portion, the water gradually rises through the first connecting portion to the fitting portion between the groove and the projection. Although the grooves and the projections are closely fitted, the water does not completely seal, so if water is continuously discharged, water will further enter the second connecting portion little by little from this fitting portion, and the space formed there will be formed. Accumulate in

If there is no space provided in the second connecting portion, there is a risk that water will immediately rise and enter the bracket, but in the above configuration, the space is provided in the second connecting portion. , The rise in water level is slow. Thus, the risk of water entering the bracket is reduced. Further, even if the water continues to rise and reaches the upper end of the peripheral wall, the water does not easily enter the bracket because the upper end of the peripheral wall is in close contact with the contact surface of the outer cylindrical portion.

[0009] On the other hand, when the car washing is completed or when the water discharge to the door mirror is interrupted and the lower end portion of the cover cannot be watered, the water between the cover and the bracket loses its own weight and the first connecting portion. Due to the capillary phenomenon that occurs in step (1), it does not rise any more, but instead continuously descends from the second connecting portion to the first connecting portion, and as a result, is gradually discharged out of the first connecting portion. Therefore, since the water level in the space gradually decreases, even if water is applied again to the lower end portion of the cover after a while, there is very little risk that the water will enter the bracket.

In the above structure, it is preferable that the space formed in the second connecting portion has a tapered cross-sectional shape that extends upward from below. According to this structure, when water pressure from the outside stops being applied, the water entering the space of the second connecting portion gradually moves toward the fitting portion between the groove and the projection due to surface tension. In addition, drainage is further improved. Therefore, the risk of water entering the bracket is reduced.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS.
The waterproof structure of the drive mechanism for the electric storage door mirror according to the embodiment will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a drive unit of an electric storage door mirror to which the waterproof structure is applied, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the waterproof structure. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a stand attached to a stay (not shown) fixed to a door of an automobile, and a fulcrum shaft 2 is formed integrally with the stand 1. The fulcrum shaft 2 has a bracket 3
Are supported rotatably, and the bracket 3 holds a visor (not shown) that is a casing of the mirror body. The bracket 3 is formed with a cylindrical peripheral wall 10 having a rectangular cross section or the like in order to house the visor driving mechanism 7 between the bracket 3 and the fulcrum shaft 2.

A motor 4 is disposed above the fulcrum shaft 2, and the motor 4 is connected to a bracket 3 via a motor base 5.
It is fixed to. A gear 6 to which the output rotation of the motor 4 is transmitted via a reduction gear mechanism (not shown) is non-rotatably attached to the fulcrum shaft 2. Therefore, when the motor 4 is activated, its output rotation is transmitted to the gear 6, but the gear 6 does not rotate, so that the motor 4 turns around the fulcrum shaft 2 and the bracket 3 and the visor move accordingly. Will be. Since the configuration of the driving mechanism itself is not related to the gist of the present invention, illustration and description of a specific structure are omitted.

On the other hand, a cover 11 that covers the drive mechanism 7 is attached to the peripheral wall 10 of the bracket 3, and the cover 11 has an outer cylindrical portion 12 fitted to the peripheral wall 10. As shown in FIG. 2, a projection 13 that is continuous in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer surface 10 a of the peripheral wall 10, and the projection 13 fits tightly on the inner surface 12 a of the outer cylinder 12 of the cover 11. A groove 14 is formed. Also, the cover 11
The outer cylindrical portion 12 has a groove 15 having a contact surface 12b that is in close contact with the upper end 10b of the peripheral wall 10.

The peripheral wall 10 of the bracket 3 and the outer cylindrical portion 12 of the cover 11 are dimensioned such that the first connecting portion 16 extending downward from the fitting portion between the projection 13 and the groove 14 has a loose fit. . Further, the peripheral wall 10 and the outer cylindrical portion 12 are connected to the second connecting portion 1 extending upward from the fitting portion of the projection 13 and the groove 14.
7, the dimension is set such that a space 18 having a larger clearance dimension than the first connecting portion 16 is formed.

In the present embodiment, if water is applied to the lower end of the cover 11 when the car is washed with high-pressure water or the like, the water flows into the lower end of the cover 11 and the peripheral wall 10 of the bracket 3.
And enters the first connecting portion 16 from the gap 18 between them.
When the water is continuously applied at a high pressure to this portion, the water gradually rises through the first connecting portion 16 to the fitting portion between the groove 14 and the projection 13. When water is further discharged, the grooves 14 and the projections 13 are tightly fitted but not completely sealed.
The water further advances little by little from this fitting portion to the second connecting portion 17 side, and accumulates in a space 18 formed at that position. If the space 18 is not provided in the second connecting portion 17, there is a possibility that the water will rise immediately and enter the bracket 3. However, since the space 18 is provided in the second connecting portion 17, the water level Rise slowly. For this reason,
The risk of water entering the bracket 3 is reduced.
Even if the water reaches the upper end 10b of the peripheral wall 10 of the bracket 3, the water easily enters the drive mechanism 7 because the upper end 10b is in close contact with the contact surface 12b on the cover 11 side. Absent.

On the other hand, when the car washing is completed or when the water discharge to the door mirror is interrupted and the lower end of the cover 11 is no longer watered, the water enters the space between the outer cylinder 12 of the cover 11 and the peripheral wall 10 of the bracket 3. Due to its own weight and the capillary phenomenon generated in the first connecting portion 16, the water moves continuously from the second connecting portion 17 to the first connecting portion 16, and as a result, gradually moves out of the first connecting portion 16. Is discharged to Therefore, space 1
Since the water level in 8 gradually decreases, even if water is applied again to the lower end of the cover 11 after a while, there is very little risk that water will enter the bracket 3.

Next, a second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the shape of the space 19 formed in the second connecting portion 17, and has a tapered cross section that extends upward from below. The other parts are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

In this embodiment, if the water pressure from the outside is not applied, the water entering the space 19 of the second connecting portion 17 is changed from the wide width to the narrow width by the surface tension, that is, the groove 1
Since the water gradually moves from the top to the bottom toward the fitting portion between the projection 4 and the projection 13, the drainage property is further improved. Therefore, the risk of water entering the bracket 3 is further reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented in other various modes. For example, in the above embodiment, the shape of the fitting portion between the projection 13 and the groove 14 is a semicircular cross section, but may be a square. Further, the shape of the space 18 may be appropriately set.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic structure of a drive unit of an electric storage door mirror to which a waterproof structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the waterproof structure of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a waterproof structure according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 stand 2 fulcrum shaft 3 bracket 4 motor 5 motor base 6 gear 7 drive mechanism 10 peripheral wall 10a outer surface 10b upper end 11 cover 12 outer cylinder portion 12a inner surface 12b contact surface 13 projection 14, 15 groove 16 first connecting portion 17 second connecting portion 18,19 space

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electric storage door mirror for an automobile,
A visor drive mechanism (7) configured between a fulcrum shaft (2) of a stay fixed to the vehicle body and a bracket (3) rotatably supported by the fulcrum shaft (2) and holding a visor In order to protect the peripheral wall (10), it is configured between a cylindrical peripheral wall (10) of the bracket (3) and a cover (11) having an outer cylindrical portion (12) that fits over the peripheral wall (10) from above. A protrusion (13) that is circumferentially continuous with the outer surface (10a) of the peripheral wall (10).
A groove (14) is formed on the inner surface (12a) of the outer cylindrical portion (12) so that the protrusion (13) fits tightly, and the groove (14) is tightly connected to the upper end (10b) of the peripheral wall (10). An abutting surface (12b) is formed on the outer cylindrical portion (12), and the peripheral wall (10) and the outer cylindrical portion (12) are downward from a fitting portion between the protrusion (13) and the groove (14). The dimension of the extending first connecting portion (16) is set to be a clearance fit, and the clearance of the second connecting portion (17) extending upward from the fitting portion is larger than that of the first connecting portion (16). A waterproof structure for a visor drive mechanism for an electric storage door mirror, characterized in that dimensions are set so as to form large spaces (18, 19). 2. The electric storage door mirror according to claim 1, wherein the space (19) formed in the second connecting portion (17) has a tapered cross-sectional shape extending upward from below. Visor drive mechanism waterproof structure.