WO2009081940A1

WO2009081940A1 - Support device for vehicle door

Info

Publication number: WO2009081940A1
Application number: PCT/JP2008/073446
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seiichi Sumiya; Ryoichi Fukumoto
Original assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2007-12-25
Filing date: 2008-12-24
Publication date: 2009-07-02

Abstract

A vehicle door (12) can move to a totally closed state, a halfway opened state, and a totally opened state. In the halfway opened and totally opened states, a pivoting connection section (17) between an upper door (15) and a lower door (16) protrudes outward from a vehicle body (11). A support device for the vehicle door (12) has a rod mechanism (19, 30) for connecting the lower door (16) to the vehicle body (11). The rod mechanism (19, 30) has a first support point (20, 31a) provided to the vehicle body (11) and a second support point (21, 32b) provided to the lower door (16). The distance between the first support point (20, 31a) and the second support point (21, 32b) can be reduced or increased. The distance between the support points decreases when the vehicle door moves from the halfway opened state to the totally opened state. The rod mechanism (19, 30) generates urging force for separating the second support point (21, 32b) away from the first support point (20, 31a).

Description

Vehicle door support device

The present invention relates to a vehicle door support device. Specifically, the vehicle door is operated so as to move between a fully closed state in which a vehicle opening formed in the vehicle body is closed, a half open state in which the vehicle opening is opened, and a fully open state. The upper end of the upper door is adapted to be pivotally connected to the vehicle body. The upper end of the lower door is rotatably connected to the lower end of the upper door by a rotation connecting portion. As the lower door rotates with respect to the upper door, the upper door rotates with respect to the vehicle body, so that the rotation connecting portion moves so as to protrude outward of the vehicle body.

There may be a back door for the loading platform on the rear of the passenger car. For example, wagon type, van type, and hatchback type vehicles. There is a case where a single back door is supported at the rear end of the vehicle roof so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction. The user holds the handle provided on the back door and opens the back door by flipping up the entire back door upward. In this case, in order to open the back door, a large space is required behind the back door. This is because the height of the entire back door is the turning radius of the back door. Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a folding back door.

A pair of left and right rolling wheels is provided at the lower end of the lower door of Patent Document 1. A pair of left and right guide rails are provided at the rear of the vehicle body. When the back door is opened, the rolling door is lifted along the guide rail, so that the back door is broken.

However, when the guide rail is provided on the vehicle body, there are many changes in the vehicle body. That is, it takes time to mount the back door on the vehicle. Further, even when the back door is fully opened, the folded back door is in a state of extending substantially horizontally from the upper end of the guide rail. That is, compared with the case where the back door of one plate is flipped upward, the opening area is small, and loading and unloading work is difficult.
JP 2006-56433 A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle door support device that can be easily mounted on a vehicle and facilitates loading and unloading operations.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a support device for a vehicle door is provided. The vehicle door is movable to a fully closed state, a half open state, and a fully open state. The fully closed vehicle door closes the vehicle opening formed in the vehicle body. The fully open vehicle door opens the vehicle opening. The half-open state is between the fully closed state and the fully open state. The vehicle door has an upper door and a lower door. The upper end of the upper door is adapted to be pivotally connected to the vehicle body. The upper end of the lower door is rotatably connected to the lower end of the upper door by a rotation connecting portion. When the vehicle door is opened from the fully closed state, the upper door rotates with respect to the vehicle body while the lower door rotates with respect to the upper door. As a result, the rotation connecting portion moves so as to protrude outward of the vehicle body. The support device includes a rod mechanism that couples the lower door to the vehicle body. The rod mechanism has a first fulcrum provided on the vehicle body and a second fulcrum provided on the lower door. The distance between the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum is the distance between the fulcrums. The rod mechanism is configured such that the distance between the fulcrums can be expanded and contracted. The rod mechanism can reduce the distance between the fulcrums when shifting from the half-open state to the full-open state. The rod mechanism is configured to generate an urging force so as to move the second fulcrum away from the first fulcrum.

FIG. 1A is a side view of a back door support device according to the first embodiment. FIG.1 (b) is a fragmentary sectional view of the rod mechanism shown to Fig.1 (a). FIG.1 (c) is an enlarged view of the cam mechanism of Fig.1 (a). 2A is a side view showing a half-open state (solid line) and a fully-open state (two-dot chain line) of the back door of FIG. FIG.2 (b) is an enlarged view of the hinge part of Fig.2 (a). FIG. 3A is a side view of the back door support device of the second embodiment. FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the rod mechanism shown in FIG. FIG. 4A is a side view showing a half-open state (solid line) and a fully-open state (two-dot chain line) of the back door of FIG. FIG.4 (b) is an enlarged view of the hinge part of Fig.4 (a). Fig.5 (a) is the front view which looked at the back door of 3rd Embodiment from the vehicle inside. FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the drive unit shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the drive unit in FIG. The side view which looked at the drive unit of FIG. 6 from the arrow A direction. The front view which looked at the back door of another example with respect to Fig.5 (a) from the vehicle inside.

1 (a) to 2 (b) illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown to Fig.1 (a), 1st Embodiment is actualized as a door support apparatus which supports the back door 12 of a vehicle. A vehicle opening 11c is formed in the rear part of the vehicle body 11 of the automobile as a vehicle. The back door 12 as a vehicle door opens and closes the vehicle opening 11c. The back door 12 is a folding door having an upper door 15 and a lower door 16. That is, the back door 12 is divided into an upper door 15 and a lower door 16.

The solid line in FIG. 1A indicates the fully closed state of the back door 12. A two-dot chain line in FIG. 1A and a solid line in FIG. 2A indicate the half-open state of the back door 12, respectively. A two-dot chain line in FIG. 2A indicates the fully open state of the back door 12. The upper end of the upper door 15 is rotatably supported by the rear portion of the vehicle roof 13 via a pair of left and right upper hinges 14. The upper portion of the lower door 16 is connected to the lower portion of the upper door 15 so as to be relatively rotatable by a center hinge 17 serving as a pair of left and right rotation connecting portions. The upper and lower ends of the upper door 15 and the upper and lower ends of the lower door 16 are named based on the vertical relationship when the back door 12 is fully closed. An angle between the upper door 15 and the lower door 16 is referred to as a connection angle α.

As shown by the solid line in FIG. 1A, when the back door 12 is fully closed, the upper door 15 and the lower door 16 extend along the vehicle rear surface 11a. The upper door 15 and the lower door 16 are held in a posture extending along the vehicle rear surface 11a, thereby closing the vehicle opening 11c. In the fully closed state, the outer surfaces of the upper door 15 and the lower door 16 are substantially coplanar. That is, the connection angle α is approximately 180 degrees.

As shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1A and a solid line in FIG. 2A, when the back door 12 is in a half-open state, the lower door 16 hangs down from the upper door 15. That is, the upper door 15 is held in a posture rotated to the maximum with respect to the vehicle body 11 in the opening direction. When the back door 12 is in the half open state, only the upper door 15 is in the fully open state, and the lower door 16 blocks the upper part of the vehicle opening 11c. When the back door 12 is in the half open state, the angle of the lower door 16 with respect to the upper door 15 is smaller than that in the fully closed state. That is, when shifting from the fully closed state to the half open state, the lower door 16 relatively rotates by a predetermined amount so as to hang down with respect to the upper door 15 as the upper door 15 rotates in the opening direction. As a result, the half-open back door 12 is bent halfway so that the center hinge 17 protrudes outward from the vehicle body.

As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2A, when the back door 12 is fully opened, the back door 12 is in a folded state. That is, the lower door 16 is folded under the upper door 15. As a result, the angle of the lower door 16 with respect to the upper door 15 is smaller than that in the half-open state. In other words, the lower door 16 relatively rotates so as to approach the upper door 15 during the transition from the half-open state to the full-open state. The lower end of the lower door 16 in the fully open state is closer to the vehicle body 11 than in the half open state. As a result, the back door 12 in the fully open state is bent more than in the half open state. In this embodiment, the vertical dimension of the upper door 15 is set larger than the vertical dimension of the lower door 16. The vertical dimension of each of the upper door 15 and the lower door 16 means the vertical dimension in the fully closed state of the back door 12.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the upper end of the upper door 15 is connected to the inside of the vehicle opening 11c by a damper stay 18. The damper stay 18 has a gas piston filled with compressed gas. The damper stay 18 is an assisting device that urges the back door 12 in the opening direction when the user opens the back door 12 by manual operation. In other words, the gas piston of the damper stay 18 urges the upper door 15 in the upward direction. The damper stay 18 is shown only in FIG.

A known door lock device (not shown) is provided between the lower end of the lower door 16 and the vehicle body 11. A handle 16 a for unlocking the door lock device is provided on the outer surface of the lower door 16.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the lower door 16 is connected to the rear upper portion of the vehicle side frame 11b by a pair of left and right rod mechanisms 19. The rod mechanism 19 can be expanded and contracted. When the back door 12 is in a fully closed state and a half open state, the rod mechanism 19 is in an extended state. When the back door 12 is in the fully open state from the half open state, the rod mechanism 19 is in the contracted state. The rod mechanism 19 is disposed so as to allow the back door 12 to be bent. The rod mechanism 19 supports the lower door 16 in each of the half-open state and the fully-open state.

The rod mechanism 19 has a first fulcrum 20 and a second fulcrum 21. The first fulcrum 20 is rotatably attached to the vehicle side frame 11b. The 2nd fulcrum 21 is attached to the side part 16b of the lower door 16 so that rotation is possible.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the rod mechanism 19 includes a first rod 19a, a second rod 22, and a spring 24. The first rod 19a has a first end at which the first fulcrum 20 is provided and a second end at which the cylindrical housing 23 is provided. The second rod 22 has a first end where the retaining flange 22a is provided and a second end where the second fulcrum 21 is provided. The retaining flange 22 a is accommodated in the cylindrical housing 23. The cylindrical tubular housing 23 is located between the first fulcrum 20 and the second fulcrum 21.

The cylindrical housing 23 accommodates the spring 24 and the retaining flange 22a. That is, a part of the second rod 22 is inserted into the cylindrical housing 23. The spring 24 is a biasing member that biases the retaining flange 22 a toward the outside of the cylindrical housing 23. The spring 24 of this embodiment is a coil spring. The retaining flange 22 a cannot be removed from the lid of the cylindrical housing 23. That is, the spring 24 urges the second rod 22 so as to protrude from the cylindrical housing 23 when the second rod 22 is immersed in the cylindrical housing 23. That is, the spring 24 biases the second fulcrum 21 away from the first fulcrum 20. Therefore, unless an external force is applied to the second rod 22, the spring 24 holds the rod mechanism 19 in the extended state.

As shown in FIG. 1 (c), a roller 25 is attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical housing 23. The roller 25 is located closer to the second fulcrum 21. A cam member 26 is fixed to the lower door 16. The cam member 26 is fixed to the lower door 16 by, for example, a bolt (not shown). The cam member 26 is positioned around the second fulcrum 21 on the side portion 16 b of the lower door 16. The cam member 26 has a cam surface 26a as an arcuate rolling surface. When the back door 12 is fully closed, the roller 25 contacts the cam surface 26a. The roller 25 and the cam member 26 constitute a restriction mechanism that restricts the contraction of the rod mechanism 19. The cam surface 26 a is an arc surface centered on the second fulcrum 21. That is, the distance between each position of the cam surface 26a and the second fulcrum 21 is a constant value. That is, when the roller 25 is in contact with the cam surface 26 a, the second rod 22 cannot be immersed in the cylindrical housing 23.

One state in which the roller 25 abuts against the cam surface 26a between the fully closed state and the half open state is referred to as a small open state of the back door 12. Between the fully closed state and the small open state of the back door 12, the roller 25 rolls on the cam surface 26a. That is, when the back door 12 is in the fully closed state and the half open state, the cam surface 26 a regulates the contraction of the rod mechanism 19. In the half-open state of the back door 12, the roller 25 is separated from the cam member 26, and the second rod 22 slightly enters the cylindrical housing 23. In the fully opened state of the back door 12, the second rod 22 is further immersed in the cylindrical housing 23.

The distance between the first fulcrum 20 and the second fulcrum 21 is referred to as a fulcrum distance. The distance between fulcrums when the back door 12 is fully closed is referred to as a first fulcrum distance L1. The distance between fulcrums when the back door 12 is fully open is referred to as a second fulcrum distance L2. The first fulcrum distance L1 is greater than the second fulcrum distance L2 (L1> L2).

The operation of the door support device shown in FIGS. 1 (a) to 2 (b) will be described.
When opening the fully closed back door 12, for example, the user first operates the handle 16a in order to release the door lock of the back door 12 by a door lock device (not shown). Thereafter, when the user pulls up the back door 12 while holding the handle 16a, the upper door 15 rotates around the upper hinge 14, and as a result, the back door 12 is in a half-open state. In the present embodiment, the rod mechanism 19 is in the extended state in the half-open state, and the distance between the fulcrums is the first distance between the fulcrums L1.

The rod mechanism 19 maintains the posture of the lower door 16 in the half-open state in substantially the same manner as the posture in the fully-closed state. That is, between the fully closed state and the half open state, the rotation locus R1 of the lower end of the lower door 16 has an arc shape as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. Therefore, the protrusion amount of the back door 12 from the rear end of the vehicle is compact. In the half-open state of the back door 12, the lower door 16 is in a posture to hang down along the vehicle rear surface 11a. Therefore, the lower end of the lower door 16 from the ground is lower than, for example, a case where the lower door 16 is inclined obliquely. Therefore, even a short person or a person who cannot easily raise his / her hand, such as an elderly person, can easily grasp the handle 16a.

When the user pushes the lower door 16 in the half-open state obliquely upward so as to approach the vehicle body 11, the second rod 22 enters the cylindrical housing 23. That is, the second fulcrum 21 approaches the first fulcrum 20. Therefore, the lower door 16 rotates around the center hinge 17 and the back door 12 is fully opened. The fulcrum distance is the second fulcrum distance L2.

2 (a) and 2 (b) show an urging force switching line Q1 as a two-dot chain phantom line passing through the first fulcrum 20 and the center hinge 17, respectively. The fully opened second fulcrum 21 is located closer to the upper hinge 14 with respect to the urging force switching line Q1. That is, the spring 24 urges the fully opened second fulcrum 21 to approach the upper door 15. Therefore, the spring 24 holds the fully opened lower door 16 in a state adjacent to the upper door 15.

On the other hand, the second fulcrum 21 in the half-open state is located on the opposite side to the upper hinge 14 with respect to the urging force switching line Q1. That is, the spring 24 urges the half-opened lower door 16 in a direction away from the upper door 15. That is, the user urges the lower door 16 from the half-open state to the fully-closed state against the urging force of the spring 24.

When closing the back door 12 from the fully open state, when the user lowers the lower door 16 against the urging force of the spring 24, the second fulcrum 21 passes through the urging force switching line Q1, and the lower door 16 is in a half-open state. Further, when the user depresses the lower door 16 against the urging force of the damper stay 18, the upper door 15 moves along the rotation locus R1, and the back door 12 is fully closed.

Between the small open state and the fully closed state of the back door 12, the roller 25 contacts the cam surface 26a. Therefore, the distance L1 between the first fulcrums is maintained. Therefore, for example, even if the user pushes the lower door 16 in the half-open state excessively vigorously, the back door 12 is prevented from being folded, and the back door 12 moves smoothly to the fully closed state. A door lock device (not shown) locks the back door 12 in the fully closed state.

The first embodiment has the following advantages.
(1) The extendable rod mechanism 19 supports the lower door 16 with respect to the vehicle body 11. When the rod mechanism 19 contracts from the first fulcrum distance L1 to the second fulcrum distance L2, the back door 12 is allowed to bend from the half-open state to the fully-open state. The rod mechanism 19 has fewer changes in the vehicle body 11 than a configuration in which the guide rail and the rolling wheels support the lower door, for example, and is easy to mount on the vehicle.

(2) The rod mechanism 19 is contracted by folding the lower door 16 in the half-open state so as to approach the upper door 15 so as to be in the fully open state. The lower end of the fully opened lower door 16 is positioned higher than the upper edge of the vehicle opening 11c. Therefore, when the back door 12 is fully opened, loading and unloading work is easy.

(3) The rod mechanism 19 substantially holds the posture of the fully closed lower door 16 until the lower door 16 is half open. Therefore, even if the vehicle is parked in a place where the space behind the vehicle is small, the opening / closing operation of the back door 12 is easy. That is, the back door 12 can be prevented from interfering with surrounding objects.

(4) When the back door 12 is fully opened, the second fulcrum 21 is located closer to the upper hinge 14 with respect to the urging force switching line Q1. Therefore, the spring 24 holds the fully opened lower door 16 in a posture facing the upper door 15. The spring 24 is accommodated in the cylindrical housing 23 and biases the retaining flange 22a. Therefore, the urging mechanism for keeping the back door 12 in the fully closed state does not require parts such as a lock and a check. Therefore, the urging mechanism can be configured with light weight and low cost. Furthermore, since a separate mounting space for the urging mechanism is not required, the design restrictions on the back door 12 are small.

(5) The roller 25 continues to contact the cam member 26 between the small open state and the fully closed state of the back door 12. Therefore, the back door 12 is prevented from being bent halfway between the small open state and the fully open state. Therefore, the fully closed back door 12 can be easily locked without distortion.

(6) The roller 25 is automatically separated from the cam member 26 while the back door 12 is being opened from the fully closed state to the half open state. That is, by opening the back door 12, the rod mechanism 19 is automatically switched to a state in which the length can be reduced. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform the unlocking operation of the rod mechanism 19 separately from the operation of the back door 12.

(7) The roller 25 and the cam member 26 constitute a regulation mechanism that regulates a decrease in the distance between fulcrums between the small open state and the fully closed state. The roller 25 rolls on the cam surface 26a. Therefore, the frictional force in the regulation mechanism can be reduced. Moreover, the smooth rotation of the back door 12 can be guaranteed while restricting the decrease in the distance between the fulcrums.

3 (a) to 4 (b) show a second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 3A, the rod mechanism 30 of the second embodiment has a first arm 31 and a second arm 32. The first arm 31 has a rod shape, and the second arm 32 has a plate shape. The total length of the first arm 31 is longer than the total length of the second arm 32. The 1st arm 31 has the 1st end in which the 1st fulcrum 31a is provided, and the 2nd end 31b in which a connection part is provided. The second arm 32 has a first end 32a rotatably connected to the second end 31b of the first arm 31, and a second end provided with a second fulcrum 32b. The first fulcrum 31a is rotatably attached to the vehicle side frame 11b. The 2nd fulcrum 32b is attached to the side part 16b of the lower door 16 so that rotation is possible. The distance between the first fulcrum 31a and the second fulcrum 32b is the inter-fulcrum distance. A solid line in FIG. 3A indicates the fully closed state of the back door 12. A two-dot chain line in FIG. 3A and a solid line in FIG. 4A indicate the half-open state of the back door 12. A two-dot chain line in FIG. 4B indicates the fully closed state of the back door 12. The angle of the second arm 32 with respect to the lower door 16 is referred to as an arm angle θ.

As shown in FIG. 3B, a torsion spring 33 is attached to the second fulcrum 32b. The torsion spring 33 is interposed between the lower door 16 and the second fulcrum 32b. That is, the torsion spring 33 has a first end attached to the second fulcrum 32 b and a second end attached to the lower door 16. The torsion spring 33 tries to maintain the arm angle θ at the neutral angle θ1. For example, when the back door 12 is in a half-open state, the arm angle θ is the neutral angle θ1. In the present embodiment, the neutral angle θ1 is set to less than 90 degrees. In the half-open state, the neutral angle θ1 and the first fulcrum distance L1. In the fully open state, the arm angle θ is the fully closed angle θ2, and is the second fulcrum distance L2. In the present embodiment, the fully closed angle θ2 is smaller than the neutral angle θ1 (θ2 <θ1).

The torsion spring 33 exerts an urging force to return the second arm 32 to the neutral angle θ1 when the arm angle θ deviates from the neutral angle θ1. When the partially opened lower door 16 moves slightly toward the fully opened state, the arm angle θ decreases from the neutral angle θ1. In this case, the torsion spring 33 tries to return the arm angle θ to the neutral angle θ1. Therefore, the torsion spring 33 maintains the half-opened state even when a slight external force is applied to the half-opened lower door 16. That is, the torsion spring 33 tries to maintain the first fulcrum distance L1 in the lower door 16 in the half-open state. The torsion spring 33 biases the second fulcrum 32b away from the first fulcrum 31a.

On the other hand, when the fully closed lower door 16 moves slightly toward the half-open state, the arm angle θ decreases from the fully closed angle θ2. Also in this case, the torsion spring 33 tries to return the arm angle θ to the fully closed angle θ2. Therefore, the torsion spring 33 maintains the fully closed state even when a slight external force is applied to the fully closed lower door 16. That is, the torsion spring 33 tries to maintain the distance L2 between the second fulcrums in the fully closed lower door 16. The torsion spring 33 biases the second fulcrum 32b away from the first fulcrum 31a. When moving the lower door 16 from one of the half-open state and the fully-closed state to the other, the user needs to operate the lower door 16 against the urging force of the torsion spring 33.

The operation of the door support device of FIGS. 3A to 4B will be described.
When the user pulls up the back door 12 in the fully closed state, the lower door 16 is brought into the half-opened state while being held in the fully closed state, that is, the neutral posture by the torsion spring 33. Further, when the user pushes the lower door 16 diagonally upward toward the fully closed state against the urging force of the torsion spring 33, the lower door 16 is fully closed. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the second fulcrum 32 b passes through the biasing force switching line Q <b> 1 and approaches the upper door 15, the torsion spring 33 biases the lower door 16 so as to approach the upper door 15. Accordingly, the back door 12 is fully opened.

When closing the back door 12 from the fully open state, the user lowers the lower door 16 to the half open state against the urging force of the torsion spring 33. Further, the user pushes down the lower door 16 in the half-opened state against the urging force of the damper stay 18 so that the back door 12 is fully closed.

The second embodiment further has the following advantages.
(8) When the back door 12 is fully opened, the second fulcrum 32b is located closer to the upper hinge 14 than the biasing force switching line Q1. As a result, the torsion spring 33 biases the lower door 16 so as to approach the upper door 15. As a result, the lower door 16 in the fully closed state is held in a posture facing the upper door 15.

FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 show a third embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 5A, the third embodiment has a drive unit 40 as a drive device that rotates the lower door 16 with respect to the upper door 15.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the drive unit 40 is located at the overlap portion of the upper door 15 and the lower door 16 on the interior surface of the back door 12. The drive unit 40 is located in the center of the back door 12 in the width direction. The pair of center hinges 17 are located apart from each other on the left and right sides of the back door 12 so as to sandwich the drive unit 40 therebetween.

As shown in FIGS. 5B and 6, the drive unit 40 includes a drive motor 47, a speed reduction unit 41, a housing 44, and an arm 50. The drive motor 47 and the speed reduction unit 41 are attached to the lower door 16 via the housing 44. The arm 50 is attached to the upper door 15. The driving force of the drive motor 47 is transmitted to the arm 50 through the speed reduction unit 41. As a result, the drive motor 47 can rotate the lower door 16 relative to the upper door 15.

The drive motor 47 can rotate forward and reverse. When the drive motor 47 rotates forward, the connection angle α between the upper door 15 and the lower door 16 decreases. That is, when the drive motor 47 rotates forward, the back door 12 is changed from the fully closed state to the half open state, and further to the fully open state. On the other hand, when the drive motor 47 rotates in the reverse direction, the connection angle α increases. That is, when the drive motor 47 rotates in the reverse direction, the back door 12 changes from the fully open state to the half open state, and further to the fully closed state.

The housing 44 is fixed to the inner panel 43 of the lower door 16 by

bolts

42a and 42b. The housing 44 constitutes the outer shape of the speed reduction unit 41.
The drive motor 47 incorporates a clutch device 61. The energized clutch device 61 transmits the rotation of the drive motor 47 to the drive shaft 55. The non-energized clutch device 61 disconnects the drive shaft 55 from the drive motor 47.

The deceleration unit 41 has a first gear 56 and a second gear 57. The first gear 56 is fixed to the projecting end 55a of the drive shaft 55 so as to be integrally rotatable. The second gear 57 meshes with the first gear 56. The second gear 57, the support shaft 52, and the arm 50 rotate integrally. The housing 44 includes a first housing portion 45 that houses the first gear 56 and a second housing portion 46 that houses the second gear 57. The 1st accommodating part 45 and the 2nd accommodating part 46 are bottomed cylindrical shapes, respectively. The first housing portion 45 and the second housing portion 46 are partially overlapped with each other and communicate with each other inside. The drive motor 47 is attached to the side end 45 b of the first housing part 45. The arm 50 has a pair of clamping pieces 51 that sandwich the second housing portion 46 therebetween. The support shaft 52 inserts and supports the sandwiching piece 51 with respect to the second housing portion 46. The arm tip 50 a of the arm 50 is in surface contact with the inner panel 53 of the upper door 15. The arm tip 50 a is attached to the upper door 15 by a bolt 54.

The diameter of the second gear 57 is larger than the diameter of the first gear 56. When the drive motor 47 rotates forward, the arm 50 rotates so as to decrease the connection angle α. When the drive motor 47 rotates in the reverse direction, the arm 50 rotates so as to increase the connection angle α.

Between the lower end of the lower door 16 and the vehicle body 11, a door lock device, that is, a back door closer, on which another motor (not shown) is mounted is provided. The door lock device automatically and completely closes the back door 12 near the fully closed state so as to be in the fully closed state. An operation switch 60 as an operation unit can operate the door lock device and the drive motor 47. The operation switch 60 is disposed, for example, at the rear of the vehicle.

As shown by a broken line in FIG. 2A, when the vehicle body 11 is provided with a stopper member 62 that contacts the upper door 15 so as to define a half-open state, the back door 12 moves smoothly.
The operation of the door support device shown in FIGS. 5A to 7 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the user operates the operation switch 60 in the fully closed state of the back door 12, the door lock device releases the door lock of the back door 12. Further, the drive unit 40 rotates forward, and as a result, as shown by the solid line arrow in FIG. 7, the connection angle α between the lower door 16 and the upper door 15 decreases, and the back door 12 enters a half-open state. The rod mechanism 19 remains in the extended state.

When the operation switch 60 is further operated in the half-open state of the back door 12, the drive motor 47 rotates in the forward direction, the rod mechanism 19 contracts, and the back door 12 is fully closed. The stopper member 62 contacts the fully opened upper door 15 and prevents the upper door 15 from excessively rotating upward.

When the operation switch 60 is operated in the fully open state of the back door 12, the drive motor 47 rotates in the reverse direction and the rod mechanism 19 extends, and as a result, the back door 12 is in a half-open state.
When the operation switch 60 is further operated in the half-open state of the back door 12, the back door 12 is fully closed. When the back door 12 shifts to the vicinity of the fully closed state, the door lock device automatically operates to completely close the back door 12 and keep the fully closed state.

The user can open and close the back door 12 manually. When the drive motor 47 is in a non-energized state, the clutch device 61 is also in a non-energized state. Therefore, the deceleration unit 41 does not hinder manual operation of the back door 12.

The third embodiment further has the following advantages.
(9) The drive motor 47 of the drive unit 40 rotates the lower door 16 relative to the upper door 15. Therefore, the user can open and close the back door 12 only by operating the operation switch 60.

(10) The drive unit 40 is disposed in the overlapping portion of the upper door 15 and the lower door 16. Therefore, compared with the case where the drive unit 40 is arrange | positioned, for example to a vehicle pillar or a vehicle roof, this embodiment does not become a hindrance to the back view of the user who boarded.

(11) Furthermore, this embodiment has few design restrictions of a vehicle interior.
(12) The housing 44 of the drive unit 40 is fixed to the inner panel 43 of the lower door 16. The arm tip 50 a is fixed to the inner panel 53 of the upper door 15. As a result, the drive unit 40 is attached to the back door 12. Therefore, even if the drive unit 40 is mounted on the vehicle body 11, the changes in the vehicle body 11 are small.

(13) The center hinge 17 and the drive unit 40 are arranged separately. Therefore, the drive unit 40 does not change the specification of the center hinge 17. Therefore, it is not necessary to distinguish the specifications of the center hinge 17 when the center hinge 17 is assembled.

(14) The drive unit 40 is attached to the folding back door 12 having an arbitrary shape. That is, it is not necessary to change the design of the drive unit 40 for each vehicle type. Therefore, the versatility of the drive unit 40 can be improved and the cost can be reduced.

(15) The drive motor 47 incorporates the clutch device 61. When the user manually operates the back door 12, both the drive motor 47 and the clutch device 61 are in a non-energized state. Therefore, the back door 12 can be manually operated without any trouble.

(16) One drive motor 47, the speed reduction unit 41, and the arm 50 constitute the drive unit 40. Therefore, the drive unit 40 is compact, lightweight and inexpensive.

The above embodiment may be modified as follows.
1 (a) to 2 (b), the first rod 19a is attached to the vehicle body 11 and the second rod 22 is not necessarily attached to the lower door 16. Conversely, the first rod 19 a may be attached to the lower door 16 and the second rod 22 may be attached to the vehicle body 11. That is, when one of the vehicle body 11 and the lower door 16 is referred to as a first body and the other is referred to as a second body, the first rod 19a is rotatably attached to the first body, and the second rod 22 is attached to the second body. It only has to be attached to be rotatable.

In FIGS. 1 (a) to 2 (b), the shape of the cam member 26 may be changed. For example, the cam member 26 may be a cam plate having a cam groove.
In FIGS. 1A to 2B, if the spring coefficient of the spring 24 is increased, the roller 25 and the cam member 26, that is, the regulating mechanism may be omitted.

In FIGS. 1A to 2B, the spring 24 may be changed from a coil spring to a gas spring. For example, compressed gas is sealed in the cylindrical housing 23.
In FIGS. 3A to 4B, a stopper member that restricts the unintended rotation of the second arm 32 may be provided. For example, a stopper member is provided so that the second arm 32 in the fully closed state does not rotate counterclockwise from the state of FIG.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A to 4B, a restricting mechanism including a cam member 26 and a roller 25 may be provided as in FIGS. 1A to 2B. For example, the cam member 26 is fixed to the second arm 32, and the roller 25 is provided on the first arm 31.

3A to 4B, the positions of the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 may be interchanged. That is, the first arm 31 may be attached to the lower door 16 and the second arm 32 may be attached to the vehicle body 11. The torsion spring 33 is disposed between the second arm 32 and the vehicle body 11.

5 to 7, the speed reduction unit 41 may be fixed to the inner panel 53 of the upper door 15 and the arm 50 may be fixed to the inner panel 43 of the lower door 16.
As shown in FIG. 8, an extension shaft 59 extending from the drive motor 58 may be connected to the center hinge 17. That is, a driving force for opening and closing the back door 12 may be transmitted from the driving motor 58 to the upper door 15 and the lower door 16 via the center hinge 17.

The drive motor 58 constitutes a drive device fixed to the inner panel 43 of the lower door 16. The extension shaft 59 is extended from the drive motor 58 to each center hinge 17. The ends of the extension shaft 59 are connected to the hinge shaft of the center hinge 17 via a connection mechanism (not shown). The hinge shaft is formed so as to be integrally rotatable with a hinge bracket attached to the upper door 15 of the center hinge 17. When the drive motor 58 rotates forward, the back door 12 is closed, and when the drive motor 58 rotates reversely, the back door 12 opens.

Therefore, the driving force of the drive motor 58 is transmitted to the back door 12 from the pair of center hinges 17 located at the left and right portions of the back door 12. That is, the driving force of the drive motor 58 is transmitted to the upper door 15 equally in the left and right directions. Therefore, even if the back door 12 has a large width, it is easy to prevent the back door 12 from being distorted.

Conversely, the drive motor 58 may be fixed to the upper door 15 and the extension shaft 59 may be connected to a hinge bracket attached to the lower door 16 so as to be integrally rotatable.
The drive unit 40 and the drive motor 58 are not limited to being arranged at the center in the width direction of the back door 12. Depending on the design of the back door 12, the drive unit 40 and the drive motor 58 may be disposed on the left or right side of the back door 12.

In FIG. 8, the extension shaft 59 may be coupled to the hinge shaft of the center hinge 17 via a universal joint. That is, the extension shaft 59 and the hinge shaft may not be parallel. In this case, the degree of freedom of the location of the drive motor 58 increases. That is, it is easy to set the location of the drive motor 58 for better appearance and design of the back door 12.

Claims

A vehicle door support device, wherein the vehicle door is movable in a fully closed state, a half open state, and a fully open state, and the vehicle door in the fully closed state closes a vehicle opening formed in a vehicle body, The vehicle door in the fully open state opens the vehicle opening, the half open state is between the fully closed state and the fully open state, the vehicle door includes an upper door and a lower door, and an upper end of the upper door is The lower door is adapted to be pivotally connected to a vehicle body, and the upper end of the lower door is pivotally connected to the lower end of the upper door by a rotary connecting portion, and the lower door is opened when the vehicle door is opened from the fully closed state. When the upper door rotates with respect to the vehicle body while rotating with respect to the upper door, the rotation connecting portion moves so as to protrude outward of the vehicle body,
The support device includes a rod mechanism that connects the lower door to the vehicle body,
The rod mechanism has a first fulcrum provided on the vehicle body and a second fulcrum provided on the lower door, and a distance between the fulcrums, which is a distance between the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum, can be expanded and contracted. The rod mechanism is configured as follows:
The rod mechanism is configured to generate an urging force so that the distance between the fulcrums can be reduced when the half-open state is shifted to the full-open state, and the second fulcrum is moved away from the first fulcrum. A vehicle door support device.
When the state where the vehicle door is transitioning from the half-open state to the fully closed state is referred to as a small open state,
The support device further includes a regulation mechanism,
The support device according to claim 1, wherein the restriction mechanism restricts a decrease in the distance between the fulcrums between the small open state and the fully closed state.
One of the vehicle body and the lower door is referred to as a first body, and the other is referred to as a second body.
The rod mechanism is
A cylindrical housing rotatably attached to the first body;
A rod rotatably attached to the second body, the rod being inserted into the cylindrical housing;
An urging member housed in the cylindrical housing, wherein the urging member urges the second fulcrum in a direction away from the first fulcrum when the rod is immersed in the cylindrical housing. The supporting device according to claim 1, further comprising:
The support device further includes a regulation mechanism, and the regulation mechanism includes:
A roller provided in the cylindrical housing;
A cam member provided on the second body,
When the state where the vehicle door is transitioning from the half-open state to the fully closed state is referred to as a small open state,
The support device according to claim 3, wherein the roller abuts against the cam member between the small open state and the fully closed state, and as a result, a decrease in the distance between the fulcrums is restricted.
One of the vehicle body and the lower door is referred to as a first body, and the other is referred to as a second body.
The rod mechanism is
A first arm pivotably coupled to the first body;
A second arm rotatably connected to the second body, wherein the first arm is rotatably connected to the second arm;
A torsion spring disposed between the second arm and the second body;
The support device according to claim 1, wherein the torsion spring biases the second fulcrum away from the first fulcrum when the distance between the fulcrums decreases due to the rotation of the second arm.
The support device further includes a regulation mechanism, and the regulation mechanism includes:
A roller provided on the first arm;
A cam member provided on the second body,
When the state where the vehicle door is transitioning from the half-open state to the fully closed state is referred to as a small open state,
The support device according to claim 5, wherein the roller abuts against the cam member between the small open state and the fully closed state, and as a result, a decrease in the distance between the fulcrums is restricted.
The support device further includes a drive device provided on the vehicle door,
The support device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the driving device rotates the other of the upper door and the lower door with the rotation connecting portion as a rotation center.