JP4504797B2 - Mounting structure of drive motor unit in sunroof device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sunroof device for a vehicle.

  As a general sunroof device for a vehicle, there is one having a structure in which a roof panel is opened and closed by a push-pull operation of a cable (for example, see Patent Document 1). FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show examples of conventional mounting structures for the drive motor unit that push-pulls the cable in this structure. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the mounting structure of the drive motor unit 59 (the drive motor unit 59 is separately shown in the upper right of the figure as viewed from the side where the pinion gear 60 is located), and FIG. 9 is a center bracket for holding the cable. FIG. In FIG. 8, the code | symbol 51 shows the front part flame | frame arrange | positioned under the opening part front edge of a sunroof apparatus (equivalent to the "front frame member 5" in patent document 1). A support bracket 52 made of a substantially rectangular plate is fastened and fixed to the front frame 51 at two locations by screws 53 and nuts 54.

  A roof panel (not shown) is configured to open and close while maintaining a stable posture by connecting both side edges to a pair of cables C1 and C2 that perform a push-pull operation synchronously. The cables C1 and C2 are positioned parallel to each other on the surface of the support bracket 52, and teeth that mesh with the pinion gear 60 of the drive motor unit 59 are formed on the respective outer peripheral surfaces. In one cable C1, a guide pipe P1 that guides the cable C1 is externally fitted to a path (drive path) that is connected to one side edge of the roof panel with the meshing portion with the pinion gear 60 as a boundary, and the opposite path A guide pipe P2 that guides the extra length when the cable C1 is pulled (that is, when the roof panel is closed) is fitted on the (idling path). Similarly, in the other cable C2, a guide pipe P3 that guides the cable C2 is fitted on a path (drive path) that is connected to the other side edge of the roof panel with the meshing part with the pinion gear 60 as a boundary. A guide pipe P4 that guides the extra length of the cable C2 is fitted on the opposite path (idling path). As a result, the guide pipe P1 and the guide pipe P4 are adjacent to each other in parallel, and the guide pipe P2 and the guide pipe P3 are adjacent to each other in parallel. And the annular flange part Pa is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the end vicinity of each guide pipe P1-P4 which faces a meshing part with the pinion gear 60. As shown in FIG.

  The guide pipes P1 to P4 are attached to the support bracket 52 by using the center bracket 55. First, as shown in FIG. 9, a part of each flange portion Pa is formed vertically from the bottom surface of the center bracket 55. It is set as the state fitted to each groove 55a. At this time, the cables C1 and C2 shown in FIG. 8 are not inserted. For the guide pipes P1 and P4, a fixing block 56 having a pair of grooves 56a corresponding to each flange portion Pa is placed so as to straddle both from above between the guide pipes P1 and P4, and fastened and fixed by screws 57. To do. As a result, the guide pipes P1 and P4 are positioned in the axial direction by fitting the flange portions Pa into the grooves 55a and 56a, and the outer peripheral surface is sandwiched between the bottom portion of the center bracket 55 and the fixed block 56. In this way, positioning in the axial direction is performed. The remaining guide pipes P2 and P3 are similarly attached using the fixing block 56.

Next, the center bracket 55 is fastened and fixed to the support bracket 52 with the screws 58 to obtain the state shown in FIG. The drive motor unit 59 is fastened and fixed to the center bracket 55 with bolts 61 after the pinion gear 60 pivotally attached to the output shaft 59 a meshes with the cables C 1 and C 2 exposed in the center bracket 55. As described above, the drive motor unit 59 is attached to the support bracket 52 via the center bracket 55. When the pinion gear 60 rotates forward and backward, the cables C1 and C2 are synchronously push-pull driven, and a roof panel (not shown) Is opened and closed.
JP 2001-63371 A (paragraph 0013, FIG. 2)

The process of attaching the drive motor unit 59 to the front frame 51 is subdivided and summarized as follows.
(1) The support bracket 52 is fastened and fixed to the front frame 51 with screws 53 and nuts 54.
(2) The guide pipes P1 to P4 are fastened and fixed to the center bracket 55 by the fixing block 56 and the screw 57.
(3) The center bracket 55 is fastened and fixed to the support bracket 52 with screws 58 (FIG. 9).
(4) The drive motor unit 59 is fastened and fixed to the center bracket 55 with bolts 61.

  As can be seen from the above, the conventional mounting structure of the drive motor unit 59 is a structure that requires a large number of screw fastening operations, and the efficiency of the mounting operation tends to be reduced accordingly. The present invention was created in order to solve this problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drive motor unit mounting structure in a sunroof device that excels in mounting workability of the drive motor unit.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a roof panel that is attached to an opening of a fixed roof and that opens and closes by a push-pull operation of a cable, a drive motor unit that push-pull drives the cable, and supports the drive motor unit In addition, in a sunroof device comprising a frame that supports the guide pipe of the cable via a bracket, drive motor unit fixing means for fixing the drive motor unit to the frame fixes the bracket to the frame Bracket fixing means, and positioning means for positioning the relative position between the output shaft of the drive motor unit and the cable by sandwiching the guide pipe placed on the frame between the frame and the bracket. Saint Lou And the mounting structure of the drive motor unit in the apparatus.

  According to this structure, the work for fixing the drive motor unit to the frame serves as both the work for fixing the bracket to the frame and the work for positioning the relative position of the output shaft of the drive motor unit and the cable. The unit can be quickly installed.

The driving motor unit fixing means comprises a tightening of the screw, the bracket securing means was mounting structure of the drive motor unit in a sunroof device comprising a benzalkonium such a fastened by the screws.

  According to this structure, it becomes a mounting structure of the drive motor unit which has a small number of parts and is simple and excellent in assembling.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes the attachment structure of the drive motor unit in the sunroof apparatus excellent in the attachment workability | operativity of a drive motor unit.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view of the sunroof device 1. The sunroof device 1 includes a roof panel 4 that closes the opening 3 of the fixed roof 2 when closed and slides backward when opened. A pair of left and right symmetrical side frames 5 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and a front portion extending in the width direction of the vehicle and connecting the front end portions of the side frames 5 are provided at the lower peripheral edge of the opening 3. A frame 6 is disposed. Although description of the specific cross-sectional shape of the side frame 5 is omitted, the side frame 5 includes a guide rail portion that guides a slide of a link mechanism portion (not shown) connected to the roof panel 4, A cable insertion part for guiding the cables C1 and C2 connected to the link mechanism part, and the push mechanism of the cables C1 and C2 causes the link mechanism part to slide on the guide rail part in the front-rear direction. 4 opens and closes in a state of being tilted up and down in response to the link action at that time.

  A support plate 7 (corresponding to the frame described in the claims) is projected from the center of the front edge of the front frame 6 toward the front. In the present embodiment, the front frame 6 is made of resin, and the support plate portion 7 is formed integrally with the front frame 6. The support plate portion 7 is a portion that supports the drive motor unit 41 and the end portions of the guide pipes P1 to P4, and corresponds to the support bracket 52 (FIG. 8) described as the prior art. 8, the support bracket 52 is formed separately from the front frame 51, whereas in this embodiment, the support plate portion 7 is integrated with the front frame 6 as shown in FIG. 1. It differs from conventional ones in the point of formation. This makes it possible to omit the mounting step (1) among the drive motor unit mounting steps (1) to (4) described in the section “Problems to be solved by the invention”.

  The cable C1 is guided by the guide pipe P1 in the path (drive path) from the front end of the one side frame 5 to the drive motor unit 41, and is guided by the guide pipe P2 in the path (idling path) for the extra length. The Similarly, the cable C2 is guided by the guide pipe P3 in the path (drive path) from the front end of the other side frame 5 to the drive motor unit 41, and the guide pipe P4 in the extra length path (idling path). Guided by. The configuration in this respect is the same as the conventional one.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a mounting structure of the drive motor unit 41 to the support plate portion 7. On one surface side (cable attachment surface side) of the support plate portion 7, four semi-circular fitting grooves 8 that fit around the end ports of the guide pipes P1 to P4 are formed. An annular flange portion Pa is formed on the outer peripheral surface in the vicinity of the end opening of each guide pipe P1 to P4, and each fitting groove 8 is formed with a groove 9 into which the flange portion Pa is fitted. A through hole 10 penetrating the plate surface is formed in a substantially central portion of the support plate portion 7, and each fitting groove 8 faces the periphery of the through hole 10. When the guide pipes P1 to P4 are fitted into the fitting groove 8, the guide pipes P1 and P4 are adjacent to each other in parallel, and the guide pipes P2 and P3 are adjacent to each other in parallel. The guide pipes P1 and P2 are positioned coaxially with the through hole 10 interposed therebetween, and the guide pipes P3 and P4 are positioned coaxially with the through hole 10 interposed therebetween.

  Since the support plate portion 7 is made of resin, the fitting groove 8 and the groove 9 can be easily formed. As can be seen from FIG. Can be easily molded. It is also possible to integrally form a pair of locking hooks 11a and 11b that are locked to the guide pipes P1 to P4 by elastic deformation and have a positioning function around the axial direction.

  At the stage where the guide pipes P1 to P4 are fitted in the fitting groove 8, the guide pipes P1 to P4 are merely placed in the fitting groove 8 via the half outer peripheral surface, Even if the locking hooks 11a and 11b are present, the positioning around the end opening is in an unstable state. Reference numeral 12 denotes a center bracket (corresponding to a bracket described in claims) that has a function of firmly positioning around the end openings of the guide pipes P1 to P4. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the center bracket 12, wherein (a) to (e) are respectively a plan view, a view from the arrow A in (a), a back view, a view from the arrow B in (a), and a view from (a). It is CC sectional drawing. 4 is an external perspective view of the center bracket 12. FIG. 4A shows a case when viewed from the front side, and FIG. 4B shows a case when viewed from the back side.

  Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the center bracket 12 has a substrate portion 13 that is long along the axial direction of the guide pipes P1 to P4 (FIG. 2), and the center in the longitudinal direction on the back side thereof. The periphery is formed as a concave space with respect to both ends. This concave space constitutes a gear engagement chamber 14 for engaging the pinion gear 45 (FIG. 2) with the exposed cables C1 and C2 (FIG. 1). Legs 15 are erected on both edge portions of the gear meshing chamber 14. On the back side of the center bracket 12, there are four fitting grooves 16 with a semicircular cross section that fit around the end openings of the guide pipes P <b> 1 to P <b> 4 (FIG. 2). A groove 17 into which the flange portion Pa (FIG. 2) is fitted is formed in the groove 16. The substrate portion 13 is formed with a pair of positioning holes 18 and a pair of screw holes 19 that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction and penetrate the front and back surfaces. The material of the center bracket 12 is not particularly limited, but aluminum is suitable from the viewpoint of strength, lightness, and rust prevention, and aluminum die casting is advantageous in terms of design flexibility and manufacturing cost.

  With respect to the center bracket 12 described above, as shown in FIG. 2, the support plate portion 7 is provided with a pair of positioning pin portions 20 that are fitted into the positioning holes 18 on the cable attachment surface side, and protrudes. Screw insertion holes 21 are formed so as to be concentric with the respective screw holes 19 and penetrate the front and back surfaces. And the drive motor unit 41 is attached to the other surface side (drive motor unit attachment surface side) of the support plate part 7. The drive motor unit 41 includes a motor 42, a speed reducer 43, and a pinion gear 45 that is attached to the output shaft 44. The casing has a pair of screw insertion holes 46 corresponding to the positions of the screw insertion holes 21. Is formed.

  An example of the mounting procedure of the drive motor unit 41 will be described mainly with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view showing the mounting structure of the drive motor unit 41 (the center bracket 12 is shown in phantom), and FIGS. 6 and 7 are a DD sectional view and an EE sectional view, respectively, in FIG. In FIG. 2, first, guide pipes P <b> 1 to P <b> 4 are fitted into the respective fitting grooves 8, and then the center bracket 12 is set on the support plate portion 7. At this time, since the positioning pin portion 20 of the support plate portion 7 is inserted into the positioning hole 18, the center bracket 12 can be easily set.

  Then, the drive motor unit 41 is applied to the drive motor unit mounting surface side of the support plate portion 7 so that the pinion gear 45 meshes with the cables C1 and C2 through the through hole 10 (see FIG. 5), and the pair of bolts 22 are screwed. It is screwed into the screw hole 19 of the center bracket 12 through the insertion hole 46 and the screw insertion hole 21 (see FIG. 6). That is, when the drive motor unit 41 is fixed to the support plate portion 7, the center bracket 12 is fastened together, so that the end portions of the guide pipes P 1 to P 4 are sandwiched between the center bracket 12 and the support plate portion 7. Thus, the relative position between the pinion gear 45 and the cables C1 and C2 is determined. As shown in FIG. 5, the casing of the drive motor unit 41 is provided with a guide piece portion 47 that guides the exposed cables C <b> 1 and C <b> 2, and a fitting pin portion is provided at the upper end of the guide piece portion 47. 48 is formed. As shown in FIG. 2, a fitting hole 23 is formed in the center bracket 12, and the fitting property of the drive motor unit 41 is improved by fitting the fitting pin portion 48 into the fitting hole 23. .

  In the above mounting structure, the center bracket 12 is fixed to the support plate 7 by fixing the drive motor unit 41 to the support plate 7, and the pinion gear 45 (output shaft 44) of the drive motor unit 41 and the cable C1. In other words, the drive motor unit fixing means for fixing the drive motor unit 41 to the support plate portion 7 is the bracket fixing means for fixing the center bracket 12 to the support plate portion 7. In addition, the structure serves as a positioning means for positioning the relative positions of the pinion gear 45 (output shaft 44) of the drive motor unit 41 and the cables C1 and C2. According to this structure, the mounting operation of the drive motor unit 41 can be performed quickly, and the efficiency of the mounting operation is improved.

  Further, as in this embodiment, the drive motor unit fixing means consists of fastening screws (bolts 22), the bracket fixing means consists of joint fastenings with the bolts 22, and the positioning means are guide pipes P1 to P4. By adopting a structure that includes a structure that is sandwiched between the support plate portion 7 and the center bracket 12, the number of components is small, and a simple and excellent mounting structure can be obtained. Specifically, among the mounting steps (1) to (4) of the drive motor unit described in the section “Problems to be solved by the invention”, the mounting steps (2) and (3) are omitted. Thus, since the number of screw fastening operations is reduced, a quick attachment operation is possible.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. In the description, the center bracket 12 is disposed on one side of the support plate 7 and the drive motor unit 41 is disposed on the other side of the support plate 7, but both may be disposed on one side of the support plate 7. is there. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the layout, shape, number, and the like relating to each component, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit thereof.

It is a plane explanatory view of a sunroof device. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the attachment structure of the drive motor unit with respect to a support plate part. It is explanatory drawing of a center bracket, (a)-(e) is respectively a top view, A arrow directional view in (a), back view, B arrow directional view in (a), CC cross section in (a) FIG. It is an external appearance perspective view of a center bracket, (a) shows the case where it sees from the surface side, (b) shows the case where it sees from the back side. It is a plane explanatory view showing the attachment structure of a drive motor unit. It is DD sectional drawing in FIG. It is EE sectional drawing in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the attachment structure of the conventional drive motor unit. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view around a center bracket that holds a cable in the mounting structure of FIG. 8.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sunroof apparatus 2 Fixed roof 3 Opening part 4 Roof panel 7 Supporting plate part (frame)
12 Center bracket (bracket)
41 Drive motor unit 44 Output shaft C1, C2 Cable P1-P4 Guide pipe

Claims (2)

A roof panel that is attached to the opening of the fixed roof and opens and closes by a push-pull operation of the cable, a drive motor unit that push-pulls the cable, supports the drive motor unit, and guides the cable via a bracket In a sunroof device comprising a frame that supports a pipe,
Drive motor unit fixing means for fixing the drive motor unit to the frame holds bracket guide means for fixing the bracket to the frame and the guide pipe placed on the frame between the frame and the bracket. Thus, the drive motor unit mounting structure in the sunroof device also serves as positioning means for positioning a relative position between the output shaft of the drive motor unit and the cable. The drive motor unit fixing means consists of screw fastening,
Mounting structure of the drive motor unit in a sunroof apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bracket fixing means, wherein the benzalkonium such a fastened by the screws.

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