WO2018066500A1

WO2018066500A1 - Actuator, and actuator for vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2018066500A1
Application number: PCT/JP2017/035795
Authority: WO
Inventors: 貴史瀧澤; 池田　隆之
Original assignee: 株式会社ミツバ
Priority date: 2016-10-03
Filing date: 2017-10-02
Publication date: 2018-04-12
Also published as: JP6676512B2; JP2018058417A

Abstract

This actuator (100) is provided with: a motor section (30) for rotating a drive shaft; a screw shaft provided parallel to the drive shaft and rotationally driven by the rotation of the drive shaft which is transmitted to the screw shaft; a nut member rectilinearly moving in the axial direction of the screw shaft as the screw shaft rotates; a motor housing (112) for containing the motor section (30); and a rod-side stationary housing (111) for containing the screw shaft. The motor housing (112) and the rod-side stationary housing (111) are provided integrally.

Description

Actuator and vehicle actuator

The present invention relates to an actuator and a vehicle actuator that are used to open and close, for example, a tailgate of an automobile.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-195562 filed in Japan on October 3, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Conventionally, as a door opening and closing device for a vehicle, the tail is driven by extending and contracting in the axial direction between the periphery of the opening on the vehicle body side and a tailgate (back door) that can be opened and closed in the opening. A configuration is known in which an actuator (supporting member) that opens and closes a gate is provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Such an actuator includes a cylindrical first housing, a second housing having a diameter larger than that of the first housing and having the first housing inserted therein, a motor portion (motor) provided in the first housing, a motor A screw spindle which is connected to the part via a speed reducer and is arranged coaxially with the motor part, a spindle nut which is fixed to the second housing and screwed into the screw spindle, and is accommodated in the second housing and is received in the first housing. A compression coil spring that biases the housing and the second housing in the extending direction.

With this configuration, when the actuator rotates the motor unit, the rotation of the output shaft of the motor unit is transmitted to the screw spindle via the speed reducer, and the screw spindle rotates. Due to the rotation of the screw spindle, the spindle nut screwed to the screw spindle moves in the axial direction of the screw spindle. As a result, the second housing moves in and out of the first housing, and the actuator expands and contracts.

In such an actuator, a motor unit, a speed reducer, a screw spindle and a compression coil spring are arranged in series in the first housing and the second housing. In order to secure the operating stroke of the actuator, the screw spindle and the compression coil cannot be shortened. As a result, the overall length of the actuator becomes large, and the layout of the actuator with respect to the vehicle body is limited.

In contrast, an actuator having a configuration in which a screw spindle, a compression coil spring, and a speed reducer are arranged in series in the first housing and the second housing, and a motor is arranged in parallel with the first housing and the second housing is proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-100566 U.S. Pat. No. 9,404,576

However, in the configuration of the actuator disclosed in Patent Document 2, the second housing and the motor housing are attached to a case that houses a gear that connects the screw spindle and the motor shaft. For this reason, compared with an actuator in which a motor unit, a speed reducer, a screw spindle, and a compression coil spring are arranged in series, the number of parts is increased, and it takes time to assemble the actuator.

The present invention is to provide an actuator and a vehicle actuator that can reduce the number of parts and improve the assemblability while shortening the actuator.

The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems.
That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the actuator is provided in parallel with the motor that rotates the drive shaft and the drive shaft, and is driven to rotate by transmitting the rotation of the drive shaft. A shaft, a driven member that linearly moves along the axial direction of the driven shaft as the driven shaft rotates, a motor housing that houses the motor, and an actuator housing that houses the driven shaft; The motor housing and the actuator housing are integrally provided.

According to such a configuration, since the motor and the driven shaft are provided in parallel, the actuator can be shortened. Moreover, since the motor housing and the actuator are provided integrally, the number of parts can be reduced. As a result, the assemblability can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the actuator according to the first aspect of the present invention, the actuator housing has a cylindrical shape, and is smaller than the inner diameter of the actuator housing inside the actuator housing. It is preferable to have a movable housing having an outer diameter and capable of protruding and retracting from the actuator housing as the driven member moves.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to shorten the actuator, reduce the number of parts, and improve the assembling property in an actuator whose overall length expands and contracts when the movable housing moves in and out of the actuator housing.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the actuator according to the first aspect or the second aspect of the present invention is a connection that connects the base end portion of the motor housing and the base end portion of the actuator housing. A plate may be provided.

According to such a configuration, the motor housing and the actuator housing can be integrally connected via the connecting plate.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the actuator according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention includes an outer peripheral surface of the motor housing and an outer peripheral surface of the actuator housing. May be further provided with a housing connecting portion for continuously connecting them in the direction of the central axis of the drive shaft.

According to such a configuration, the motor housing and the actuator housing can be firmly connected by connecting the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing and the outer peripheral surface of the actuator housing via the housing connecting portion.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the vehicle actuator according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle and has an opening formed in the vehicle. An actuator as described above is provided for opening and closing an opening and closing member provided to be openable and closable with respect to the portion.

According to such a configuration, the degree of freedom of the layout of the vehicle actuator relative to the vehicle body can be increased by shortening the vehicle actuator. Moreover, in such a vehicle actuator, the number of parts can be reduced and the assemblability can be improved.

According to the actuator and the vehicle actuator described above, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and improve the assembling property while shortening the actuator.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vehicle body of the motor vehicle provided with the actuator in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the actuator in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of the actuator in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the case in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the motor, reduction gear part, and torque limiter in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the reduction gear part in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the torque limiter in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which looked at the torque limiter in the embodiment of the present invention from the central axis direction of the inner shaft. It is a perspective view which shows the gear case in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which mounted | wore the gear case in embodiment of this invention with the sensor board | substrate.

Next, actuators and vehicle actuators according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicle body 1 of an automobile provided with an actuator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 1 is simply referred to as the front-rear direction, the front side in the direction of travel is simply referred to as the front side, the rear side in the direction of travel is simply referred to as the rear side, and the upper side in the gravity direction is simply referred to as the upper side. The lower side of the direction will be simply referred to as the lower side, and the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 1 will be referred to as the left-right direction. In FIG. 1, the left direction is the forward direction and the right direction is the rear direction.

(Actuator)
As shown in the figure, an actuator (vehicle actuator) 100 is for opening and closing a tailgate (opening / closing member) 2 provided at the rear portion of the vehicle body 1. The actuator 100 is disposed on both sides of the opening 3 formed in the rear portion of the vehicle body 1.
The actuator 100 is provided between the roof outer panel 4a and the roof inner panel 4b that constitute the ceiling of the vehicle body 1. The tailgate 2 is provided so as to be openable and closable via an hinge mechanism 5 at an upper portion 3a of the opening 3 with respect to the opening 3 formed at the rear portion of the vehicle body 1.
One end of the actuator 100 is connected to a bracket 6 provided between the roof outer panel 4a and the roof inner panel 4b, and the other end is connected to the hinge mechanism 5 via a pin 7 provided on the tailgate 2. Has been.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the actuator 100. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the actuator 100.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the actuator 100 is capable of appearing and retracting in a rod-side fixed housing 111 and a case 110 having a rod-side fixed housing (actuator housing) 111 and a motor housing 112 arranged in parallel to each other. The provided rod-side movable housing (movable housing) 20, the rod-side fixed housing 111, the screw shaft (driven shaft) 60 housed in the rod-side movable housing 20, the coil spring 70, and the motor housing 112 A housed motor unit (motor) 30, a reduction gear unit 50 that outputs power transmitted from the motor unit 30, a torque limiter 120 provided between the motor unit 30 and the reduction gear unit 50, and a reduction gear A gear case 130 for housing the portion 50.

(Case)
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the case in the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, the case 110 is made of a metal material such as iron, and is provided on the rod side fixed housing 111, the motor housing 112, and one end side of the rod side fixed housing 111 and the motor housing 112. A base plate (connection plate) 113 is integrally provided.

The rod side fixed housing 111 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and extends in a direction orthogonal to the surface 113 f of the base plate 113.

The motor housing 112 is also formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The motor housing 112 extends in a direction orthogonal to the surface 113 f of the base plate 113 in parallel with the rod side fixed housing 11. More specifically, the motor housing 112 is arranged in parallel to the rod side fixed housing 111 with a gap in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of the rod side fixed housing 111 and the motor housing 112.
The outer peripheral surface of the rod side fixed housing 111 and the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing 112 are integrally connected by a housing connecting portion 114 formed therebetween. The housing connecting portion 114 continuously connects the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing 112 and the outer peripheral surface of the rod-side fixed housing 111 in the direction of the central axis of the drive shaft 58.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base plate 113 has a torque limiter accommodating recess 115 and a rod side recess 116 formed on the mating surface 113g opposite to the surface 113f. The torque limiter accommodating recess 115 and the rod-side recess 116 are formed to be recessed from the mating surface 113g side to the surface 113f side.
Further, a shaft insertion hole 115h that communicates with the surface 113f side and the mating surface 113g side is formed on the bottom surface of the torque limiter accommodating recess 115. A shaft insertion hole 116h communicating with the surface 113f side and the mating surface 113g side is formed on the bottom surface of the rod side recess 116.

(Rod side movable housing)
The rod side movable housing 20 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the rod side fixed housing 111. The rod side movable housing 20 is made of a material softer than the rod side fixed housing 111, such as aluminum alloy or resin.
The rod-side movable housing 20 has one end 20 a side inserted into the rod-side fixed housing 111 from the distal end portion 111 b side of the rod-side fixed housing 111. The rod-side movable housing 20 is movable relative to the rod-side fixed housing 111 in the direction in which it protrudes from and protrudes from the tip end portion 111b.

The other end 20b of the rod side movable housing 20 has a bottom 20c formed by deep drawing or the like. A through hole 20d through which a joint portion 21c of a joint member 21 described later can be inserted is formed at the center in the radial direction of the bottom portion 20c.
A joint member 21 and an inner tube 22 are provided on the other end 20 b side of the rod side movable housing 20.

The joint member 21 is made of, for example, a metal made of iron or aluminum alloy, and is disposed outside the rod side movable housing 20. The joint member 21 integrally includes a plate portion 21a, a boss portion 21b, and a joint portion 21c.
The plate portion 21 a is formed in a substantially disc shape, and is provided along the bottom portion 20 c of the rod side movable housing 20. The boss portion 21b is cylindrical and protrudes inward of the rod-side movable housing 20 from the plate portion 21a through a through hole 20d formed in the bottom portion 20c. The joint portion 21c protrudes from the plate portion 21a toward the side opposite to the boss portion 21b. A joint member 23 connected to the hinge mechanism 5 via a pin 7 (see FIG. 1) is screwed to the joint portion 21c.

The inner tube 22 is made of, for example, metal such as iron or aluminum alloy, and is disposed inside the rod side movable housing 20. One end 22a of the inner tube 22 abuts against the bottom 20c of the rod-side movable housing 20 on the outer side in the radial direction of the through-hole 20d, and a boss portion 21b that protrudes from the through-hole 20d to the contents of the rod-side movable housing 20 It is screwed.

A nut member (driven member) 25 is inserted inside the other end 22 b of the inner tube 22 and fixed integrally with the inner tube 22.
The nut member 25 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a female screw groove 25n is formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof. At one end of the nut member 25, a flange portion 25f is formed to project to the outer peripheral side. The flange portion 25f abuts against a step portion 22d formed on the inner peripheral surface of the other end 22b of the inner tube 22, thereby restricting the nut member 25 from moving toward the one end 22a side of the inner tube 22. .

(Screw shaft and coil spring)
The screw shaft 60 is disposed in the rod side fixed housing 111. One end 60 a side of the screw shaft 60 is rotatably held via a bearing 61 in a shaft insertion hole 116 h formed in the bottom surface of the rod-side recess 116. One end 60a of the screw shaft 60 protrudes into the rod-side recess 116 through the shaft insertion hole 116h.

A driven gear 64 is provided at one end 60 a of the screw shaft 60.
In addition, a male thread groove 60 n that is continuous in a spiral shape is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the screw shaft 60. The other end 60b side of the screw shaft 60 is inserted into a nut member 25 provided in the other end 22b of the inner tube 22 of the rod side movable housing 20, and the male screw groove 60n is screwed into the female screw groove 25n. ing.

A stopper 65 is provided at the other end 60 b of the screw shaft 60 so as to project outward. The stopper 65 prevents the nut member 25 from coming off from the screw shaft 60.

A guide tube 28 is disposed in the rod side fixed housing 111.
The guide tube 28 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and its inner diameter is set larger than the outer diameter of the inner tube 22. On the one end 28a side of the guide tube 28, a flange portion 28c projecting outward is formed integrally. The guide tube 28 is disposed such that the flange portion 28 c abuts against the surface 113 f of the base plate 113 of the case 110.
The guide tube 28 has an inner tube 22 inserted and disposed on the inner side of the other end 28b.

The coil spring 70 is housed inside the rod side fixed housing 111 and the rod side movable housing 20. The coil spring 70 is made of metal such as spring steel. The coil spring 70 has an inner tube 22 and a guide tube 28 arranged inside thereof. By means of the inner tube 22 and the guide tube 28, the coil spring 70 prevents the coil spring 70 from being bent or buckled laterally in the expansion / contraction direction during expansion / contraction.

The coil spring 70 is provided in a compressed state between the bottom portion 20 c of the rod side movable housing 20 and the flange portion 28 c of the guide tube 28. As a result, the coil spring 70 is biased in the direction in which the rod-side fixed housing 111 and the rod-side movable housing 20 are separated from each other and extend the entire length of the actuator 100.

(Motor part)
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing configurations of the motor unit 30, the reduction gear unit 50, and the torque limiter 120.
As shown in FIG. 3, the motor unit 30 is housed inside the motor housing 112. As shown in FIG. 5, the motor unit 30 includes a yoke 31 (see FIG. 3), a magnet 32 that is fixed to the inside of the yoke 31, an armature 33 that is rotatably provided inside the yoke 31 in the radial direction, A power supply unit 35 that supplies current to the armature 33.

As shown in FIG. 3, the yoke 31 is made of metal and has a cylindrical shape, and its outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the motor housing 112 by a predetermined dimension. The yoke 31 is disposed in the motor housing 112.

As shown in FIG. 5, the magnet 32 is long in the central axis direction of the yoke 31, and a plurality of magnets 32 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction.
The armature 33 includes a motor shaft 34, a core 33a fixed to the motor shaft 34, and a coil (not shown) wound around the core 33a.
The motor shaft 34 is rotatably provided around the central axis via a bearing (not shown) so as to extend along the central axis direction of the yoke 31 (motor housing 112).

The power supply unit 35 supplies current to the armature 33. The power feeding unit 35 is held by a brush holder 37 disposed on one end side 31 a of the yoke 31. The power supply unit 35 includes a brush held by a brush holder 37 and a commutator that is provided on the motor shaft 34 and is in sliding contact with the brush (both not shown). A wiring 36 for supplying power from an external power source is connected to the brush. The commutator is electrically connected to a coil (not shown) of the armature 33.

As shown in FIG. 3, a cap 38 that closes the opening of the tip 112 b is provided at the tip 112 b of the motor housing 112. A cylindrical packing member 39 that seals the gap between the brush holder 37 and the cap 38 is provided inside the front end portion 112 b of the motor housing 112. The packing member 39 is integrally formed with a protruding portion 39t that protrudes to the outside through an opening 38h formed in the central portion of the cap 38.
The wiring 36 penetrates the packing member 39 and is led out of the motor housing 112 and the cap 38 through the protrusion 39t. And the wiring 36 is connected to electric power feeding parts, such as a battery and a generator at the vehicle body side.

Such a motor unit 30 includes a sensor (not shown) for detecting the rotational position of the armature 33 in the brush holder 37. The detection unit includes a sensor magnet provided integrally with the motor shaft 34 and a sensor such as a Hall IC (none of which is shown). When the sensor magnet rotates with the motor shaft 34, the rotation is detected by the sensor. To detect.

When such a motor unit 30 energizes a coil (not shown) through the power supply unit 35, a magnetic attractive force generated between the magnetic force generated by the coil and the magnetic force generated by the magnet 32 fixed to the yoke 31. The motor shaft 34 is rotationally driven around its central axis by the repulsive force.

(Reduction gear)
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the reduction gear unit 50.
As shown in FIG. 3, the reduction gear unit 50 is provided in the motor housing 112 in series with the motor unit 30. The reduction gear unit 50 is disposed on the opposite side of the motor unit 30 from the power supply unit 35.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the reduction gear unit 50 includes an internal gear 51, a first sun gear 52, a first stage planetary gear 53, a first carrier 54, a second sun gear 55, and a second sun gear 52. A stage planetary gear 56 and a second carrier 57 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the internal gear 51 is provided inside the other end 31 b of the yoke 31 so as not to rotate. The internal gear 51 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and gear teeth 51g (see FIG. 5) are formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof.
As shown in FIG. 6, the first sun gear 52 is fitted into the motor shaft 34, and gear teeth 52g are formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof.

For example, three first stage planetary gears 53 are provided on the outer periphery of the first sun gear 52.
Each first stage planetary gear 53 has gear teeth 53g that mesh with the gear teeth 52g of the first sun gear 52 and the gear teeth 51g of the internal gear 51 on the outer peripheral surface thereof.
The first carrier 54 is formed in a substantially disc shape, and is disposed on the opposite side to the motor shaft 34 with respect to the plurality of first stage planetary gears 53. Further, a support shaft (not shown) is assembled to the first carrier 54. The support shaft is formed in a substantially disc shape, and supports the first stage planetary gear 53 in a rotatable manner.

The second sun gear 55 is integrally provided at the center of the first carrier 54 on the side opposite to the motor shaft 34. The second sun gear 55 has gear teeth 55g formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof.

For example, three second stage planetary gears 56 are provided on the outer periphery of the second sun gear 55. Each second stage planetary gear 56 is formed with gear teeth 56g meshing with the gear teeth 55g of the second sun gear 55 and the gear teeth 51g of the internal gear 51 on the outer peripheral surface thereof.
The second carrier 57 is disposed on the opposite side of the motor unit 30 with respect to the plurality of second stage planetary gears 56. The second carrier 57 is formed in a disk shape, and a support shaft (not shown) that rotatably supports the second stage planetary gear 56 is assembled.

The first sun gear 52 and the second sun gear 55 are each made of metal such as a sintered material, and the first carrier 54 and the second carrier 57 are also made of metal. The internal gear 51, the first stage planetary gear 53, and the second stage planetary gear 56 are each made of resin.
Further, the gear teeth 51g of the internal gear 51, the gear teeth 52g of the first sun gear 52, the gear teeth 53g of the first stage planetary gear 53, the gear teeth 55g of the second sun gear 55, and the gear teeth of the second stage planetary gear 56. Each of 56g is a helical gear. Thereby, the meshing allowance between each gear of the reduction gear part 50 can be increased, and an operating noise can be reduced.

In such a reduction gear unit 50, when the motor shaft 34 is rotated by the motor unit 30, the first sun gear 52 rotates integrally with the motor shaft 34. The rotation of the first sun gear 52 is transmitted to the first stage planetary gear 53 on the outer peripheral side thereof. Each first stage planetary gear 53 revolves around the outer periphery of the first sun gear 52 while meshing with the gear teeth 52g of the first sun gear 52 and the gear teeth 51g of the internal gear 51 on the outer peripheral side, and simultaneously with the first carrier A so-called planetary motion that rotates around a support shaft assembled to 54.
Due to the planetary motion of the plurality of first stage planetary gears 53, the first carrier 54 is decelerated about the same axis as the motor shaft 34 and rotates.

When the first carrier 54 rotates, the second sun gear 55 rotates integrally and is transmitted to the second stage planetary gear 56 on the outer peripheral side. Each second stage planetary gear 56 revolves around the outer periphery of the second sun gear 55 while meshing with the gear teeth 55g of the second sun gear 55 and the gear teeth 51g of the internal gear 51 on the outer peripheral side, and simultaneously with the second carrier A so-called planetary motion that rotates around a support shaft assembled to 57.
Due to the planetary motion of the plurality of second stage planetary gears 56, the second carrier 57 is decelerated about the same axis as the motor shaft 34 and rotates.

The drive shaft 58 is gear-coupled to the second carrier 57 of the reduction gear unit 50. The drive shaft 58 is provided so as to extend on the opposite side of the motor shaft 34 with respect to the second carrier 57. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive shaft 58 protrudes into the torque limiter housing recess 115 through a shaft insertion hole 115 h formed in the base plate 113.

(Torque limiter)
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the torque limiter 120 in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a view of the torque limiter 120 according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the central axis direction of the inner shaft 121.
The torque limiter 120 is disposed inside the torque limiter accommodating recess 115 formed in the base plate 113.
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the torque limiter 120 is disposed on the inner shaft 121 provided on the drive shaft 58, the outer member 122 provided on the radially outer side of the drive shaft 58, and one end of the outer member 122. Drive gear 123 and a coil spring 124 disposed in the outer member 122.

The inner shaft 121 is formed in the torque limiter accommodating recess 115 of the drive shaft 58. The inner shaft 121 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape so as to be continuous along the central axis of the drive shaft 58, and the outer diameter thereof is larger than the outer diameter of the drive shaft 58.
On the other hand, the outer member 122 integrally includes a plate portion 122a and a cylindrical portion 122b.

The plate portion 122 a is formed in a substantially disc shape and is located in a plane orthogonal to the central axis of the drive shaft 58. The cylindrical portion 122b is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and extends from the outer peripheral portion of the plate portion 122a toward the reduction gear portion 50 side. Further, the cylindrical portion 122b is formed so that its inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the inner shaft 121 by a predetermined dimension. A substantially annular gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 122 b and the outer peripheral surface of the inner shaft 121. In addition, slits 125 and 125 that are continuous in the central axis direction of the drive shaft 58 are formed in the cylindrical portion 122b at two locations spaced in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the drive gear 123 is integrally formed on the surface opposite to the cylindrical portion 122b in the plate portion 122a of the outer member 122. The drive gear 123 has gear teeth 123g formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the outer member 122 in which the drive gear 123 is integrally formed has a shaft insertion hole 126 at the center between the plate portion 122 a and the drive gear 123. The drive shaft 58 is inserted through the shaft insertion hole 126. The outer member 122 and the drive gear 123 are rotatable relative to the drive shaft 58 around the central axis.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the coil spring 124 is formed of a wire rod 124s such as spring steel. The coil spring 124 includes a coil portion 124a around which a wire rod 124s is spirally wound, and both end

portions

124b and 124b of the wire rod 124s that protrude from the coil portion 124a continuously in the radial direction.
Such a coil spring 124 is accommodated in a gap between the inner shaft 121 and the outer member 122. The coil spring 124 is provided by engaging both

end portions

124 b and 124 b with

slits

125 and 125 formed in the cylindrical portion 122 b of the outer member 122.

In such a torque limiter 120, the inner peripheral surface 124 f of the coil portion 124 a of the coil spring 124 is normally in close contact with the outer peripheral surface 121 f of the inner shaft 121.
Further, the outer peripheral surface 124g of the coil portion 124a has a clearance with the inner peripheral surface 122f of the outer member 122. Thereby, when the rotation of the motor shaft 34 of the motor unit 30 is transmitted to the drive shaft 58 via the reduction gear unit 50, the coil spring 124 is driven by the frictional force generated between the coil spring 124 and the inner shaft 121. It rotates integrally with the shaft 58.

The rotation of the coil spring 124 is transmitted to the outer member 122 via both

end portions

124 b and 124 b of the coil spring 124 and the locking portions of the

slits

125 and 125. As a result, the drive gear 123 formed integrally with the outer member 122 rotates.
The coil portion 124a and the outer peripheral surface 121f of the inner shaft 121 are in close contact with each other as long as the actuator 100 is operating normally. The motor portion 30 moves the drive shaft 58 in either direction (the direction in which the tailgate 2 is opened). The elastic coefficient or the like of the coil spring 124 is set so that the coil spring 124 is maintained even if it is rotated in the closing direction.

On the other hand, when the drive gear 123 is rotated by the drive of the motor unit 30, a force in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the drive gear 123 (the rotation direction by the drive of the motor unit 30) from the drive gear 123 side, that is, When a force in a direction to stop the rotation of the drive gear 123 is applied, this force is transmitted to both

end portions

124b and 124b of the coil spring 124 through

slits

125 and 125 formed in the cylindrical portion 122b of the outer member 122. .
When the torque due to the reverse force input from the outer member 122 exceeds a predetermined torque determined by the elastic coefficient of the coil spring 124 or the like, the coil portion 124a of the coil spring 124 is loosened and its outer diameter is expanded.

Then, the inner peripheral surface 124f of the coil portion 124a of the coil spring 124 is spaced radially outward from the outer peripheral surface 121f of the inner shaft 121, and the frictional force between the inner shaft 121 and the outer member 122 is eliminated. As a result, the rotational force is not transmitted between the drive shaft 58 and the coil spring 124. As a result, slip occurs between the drive shaft 58 that is rotationally driven by the motor unit 30 and the drive gear 123.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, on the mating surface 113 g side of the base plate 113 of the case 110, the drive gear 123, the driven gear 64 provided at one end 60 a of the screw shaft 60, the drive gear 123 and the driven gear 64 And an intermediate gear 150 provided between the two are engaged with each other.
A sensor magnet 151 is integrally attached to the intermediate gear 150.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the gear case 130. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state where the sensor substrate 153 is mounted on the gear case 130, and a portion corresponding to the sensor element 152 is cut away.
As shown in FIG. 3, the gear case 130 is attached to the mating surface 113 g of the base plate 113 of the case 110.
As shown in FIG. 9, the gear case 130 includes a gear housing recess 131 that is recessed in a direction away from the mating surface 113g on the facing surface 130f facing the mating surface 113g of the base plate 113. The gear housing recess 131 houses the drive gear 123, the driven gear 64, and the intermediate gear 150 inside the facing surface 130 f of the gear case 130 and the mating surface 113 g of the base plate 113 facing each other.

A sensor housing recess 132 is formed on the inner peripheral surface 131 s of the gear housing recess 131 of the gear case 130.
As shown in FIG. 10, the sensor housing recess 132 holds a sensor substrate 153 provided with a sensor element 152 such as a Hall IC. The sensor housing recess 132 includes a guide groove 132a that guides the insertion direction of the sensor substrate 153, fixing

pins

132b and 132b that are inserted into a holder portion 154 provided on the sensor substrate 153, a drive gear 123, a driven gear 64, and an intermediate There is a wall portion 132c for preventing the grease applied to the gear 150 from scattering to the sensor housing recess 132 side.

The sensor housing recess 132 is formed continuously in the same direction as the gear housing recess 131. The sensor substrate 153 is attached to the sensor housing recess 132 so as to be inserted along the direction away from the mating surface 113g from the facing surface 130f side.
Further, the gear case 130 is provided with a joint member 135 connected to the bracket 6 side provided on the vehicle body 1 via a pin (not shown) on the opposite side to the case 110.

As shown in FIG. 5, the sensor substrate 153 held in the sensor housing recess 132 is arranged such that the sensor element 152 faces the sensor magnet 151 provided on the intermediate gear 150 from the outside in the radial direction. The The sensor element 152 detects a change in the magnetic flux of the sensor magnet 151 when the sensor magnet 151 rotates together with the intermediate gear 150.

(Operation of the actuator for opening and closing the vehicle door)
Next, the operation of the actuator 100 will be described.
When the motor shaft 34 of the motor unit 30 is rotationally driven to open and close the tailgate 2, the rotation of the motor shaft 34 is transmitted to the drive shaft 58 via the reduction gear unit 50. The rotation of the drive shaft 58 is transmitted to the drive gear 123 via the torque limiter 120.

In this case, as described above, unless there is an excessive input from the tailgate 2 side, the frictional force generated between the coil portion 124a of the coil spring 124 of the torque limiter 120 and the inner shaft 121 provided on the drive shaft 58 is used. No slipping occurs. As a result, the rotation of the drive shaft 58 is transmitted without loss to the drive gear 123 provided integrally with the outer member 122 via the coil spring 124.

The rotation of the drive gear 123 is transmitted to the driven gear 64 via the intermediate gear 150. When the driven gear 64 rotates, the screw shaft 60 rotates integrally. Thereby, the nut member 25 moves along the axial direction of the screw shaft 60. Since the nut member 25 is fixed to the inner tube 22 integrated with the rod side movable housing 20, the rod side movable housing 20 protrudes and retracts from the rod side fixed housing 111, and the actuator 100 expands and contracts.

When the motor unit 30 is driven to move the rod side movable housing 20 in the direction in which the rod side movable housing 20 is immersed with respect to the rod side fixed housing 111, the tailgate 2 provided in the opening 3 of the vehicle body 1 is closed. In addition, when the motor unit 30 is driven to move the rod side movable housing 20 in a direction in which the rod side movable housing 20 protrudes with respect to the rod side fixed housing 111, the tailgate 2 provided in the opening 3 of the vehicle body 1 is opened. At this time, even if the operation of the motor unit 30 is stopped with the actuator 100 extended, the state in which the rod-side movable housing 20 protrudes from the rod-side fixed housing 111 is maintained by the biasing force of the coil spring 70.

When the tailgate 2 is opened and closed with an external force more than expected with the tailgate 2 open, the nut member 25 provided on the rod side movable housing 20 side forcibly rotates the screw shaft 60. . The rotation of the screw shaft 60 is transmitted to the drive gear 123 via the driven gear 64 and the intermediate gear 150.
Thus, when an excessive force is input from the drive gear 123 side, this force is applied to both end portions 124b of the coil spring 124 through the

slits

125, 125 formed in the cylindrical portion 122b of the outer member 122. , 124b.

When the torque due to the input force is greater than a predetermined value determined by the elastic coefficient of the coil spring 124, the coil spring 124 is deformed in a direction in which the coil portion 124a is loosened and its outer diameter is increased. Then, the inner peripheral surface 124f of the coil portion 124a of the coil spring 124 is separated from the outer peripheral surface 121f of the inner shaft 121 radially outward. As a result, the rotational force is not transmitted between the inner shaft 121 and the outer member 122 via the coil spring 124.

Thus, a so-called slip occurs between the drive shaft 58 rotated by the motor unit 30 and the drive gear 123. Then, excessive force applied to the tailgate 2 side is not input to the reduction gear unit 50 or the motor unit 30. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an excessive force from being input to the meshing portion of the reduction gear unit 50, the motor unit 30, the drive gear 123, the intermediate gear 150, and the driven gear 64. Further, it is possible to prevent an excessive force from being input to a connection portion between the actuator 100 and the tailgate 2 or the vehicle body 1.

As described above, the actuator 100 described above includes the motor unit 30 that rotates the drive shaft 58. The actuator 100 includes a screw shaft 60 that is provided in parallel with the drive shaft 58 and is driven to rotate when the rotation of the drive shaft 58 is transmitted. The actuator 100 also includes a nut member 25 that moves linearly along the axial direction of the screw shaft 60 as the screw shaft 60 rotates. The actuator 100 also includes a motor housing 112 that houses the motor unit 30. The actuator 100 also includes a rod side fixed housing 111 that houses the screw shaft 60. The motor housing 112 and the rod side fixed housing 111 are integrally provided.

According to such a configuration, since the motor unit 30 and the screw shaft 60 are provided in parallel, the actuator 100 can be shortened. In addition, since the motor housing 112 and the actuator 100 are integrally provided, the number of parts can be reduced. As a result, the assemblability can be improved.
Furthermore, by shortening the actuator 100, the degree of freedom of the layout of the actuator 100 with respect to the vehicle body 1 of the vehicle can be increased.

The actuator 100 includes a base plate 113 that connects the base end portion of the motor housing 112 and the base end portion of the rod-side fixed housing 111. Thereby, the motor housing 112 and the rod side fixed housing 111 can be integrally connected via the base plate 113.

The actuator 100 further includes a housing connecting portion 114 that continuously connects the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing 112 and the outer peripheral surface of the rod-side fixed housing 111 in the central axis direction of the drive shaft 58.
According to such a configuration, the motor housing 112 and the rod-side fixed housing 111 are firmly connected by connecting the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing 112 and the outer peripheral surface of the rod-side fixed housing 111 via the housing connecting portion 114. Can be linked to.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, the configuration of each part of the actuator 100 can be appropriately changed within the scope of the gist of the present invention. As an example, in the above-described embodiment, the intermediate gear 150 is provided between the drive gear 123 and the driven gear 64. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the actuator 100 may include a plurality of intermediate gears, or the intermediate gear 150 may be eliminated and the drive gear 123 and the driven gear 64 may be directly meshed.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the actuator 100 is provided between the roof outer panel 4a and the roof inner panel 4b constituting the ceiling of the vehicle body 1 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be provided on the side frame portions on both sides of the opening 3.

Furthermore, the use of the actuator 100 is not limited to the opening and closing of the tailgate 2, but various opening and closing members such as doors, bonnet hoods, fuel filler flaps, and the like that can be opened and closed at various openings formed in the vehicle. Can be used for opening and closing. Furthermore, the actuator 100 can be used not only for vehicles but also for other purposes.
In addition to this, the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed to another configuration as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

According to the above-described actuator and the vehicle actuator, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and improve the assemblability while shortening the actuator.

1 ... car body 2 ... tail gate (opening / closing member)
3. Opening 20: Rod side movable housing (movable housing)
25 ... Nut member (driven member)
30 ... Motor part (motor)
34 ... motor shaft 58 ... drive shaft 60 ... screw shaft (driven shaft)
64 ... Driven gear 70 ... Coil spring 100 ... Actuator (vehicle actuator)
110 ... Case 111 ... Rod side fixed housing (actuator housing)
112 ... Motor housing 113 ... Base plate (connection plate)
114. Housing connecting part

Claims

A motor that rotates the drive shaft;
A driven shaft that is provided in parallel with the drive shaft and is rotationally driven by transmission of rotation of the drive shaft;
A driven member that linearly moves along the axial direction of the driven shaft along with the rotation of the driven shaft;
A motor housing that houses the motor;
An actuator housing that houses the driven shaft;
With
An actuator in which the motor housing and the actuator housing are integrally provided.
The actuator housing has a cylindrical shape,
2. The movable housing according to claim 1, further comprising a movable housing having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the actuator housing and capable of protruding and retracting from the actuator housing as the driven member moves. Actuator.
The actuator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a connecting plate that connects a base end portion of the motor housing and a base end portion of the actuator housing.
The actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a housing connecting portion that continuously connects the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing and the outer peripheral surface of the actuator housing in a central axis direction of the drive shaft.
A vehicle actuator comprising the actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the actuator is mounted on a vehicle and opens and closes an opening and closing member provided to be openable and closable with respect to an opening formed in the vehicle.