drive device

Abstract

A drive device includes: a housing (2); a drive unit (3); a slider (4); a helical spring (5); and a cable (6) having a cable end (6a). The slider (4) includes: a locking part (41) for mounting the cable end (6a); and a spring receiving part (42) for receiving a portion of the helical spring (5). When the slider (4) moves in one direction of movement D1 by the driving force of the drive unit (3), it moves in conjunction with the cable (6). When the slider (4) moves in the other direction of movement D1 by the force of the helical spring (5), it moves relative to the cable. When the slider (4) moves in the other direction of movement D1 by the force of the helical spring (5), the helical spring (5) extends in a state in which the cable end (6a) of the cable (6) is received in the internal cavity of the helical spring (5). By configuring the drive device in this way, the slider can be miniaturized, and the overall device can be miniaturized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a drive device. Background Technology

[0002] An actuator is known that moves a sliding member housed in a housing by a driving force from a drive unit, thereby driving a cable connected to the sliding member (for example, see Patent Document 1). The actuator in Patent Document 1 includes a housing and a rack plate (sliding member) slidably disposed within the housing for engaging the ends of a pair of cables. In this actuator, the rotational force of an output gear, which transmits the driving force of an electric motor, is transmitted to the rack portion of the rack plate. The rack plate reciprocates within the housing, applying an operating force to each pair of cables according to the direction of its movement.

[0003] The rack plate moves under the driving force of an electric motor, pulling one cable into the housing. After the cable is manipulated, the rack plate returns to its initial position under the force of a helical spring. If the cable moves in conjunction with the rack plate during this return, it may bend when the cable is pressed axially by the rack plate. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the rack plate does not move in conjunction with the cable during its return to the initial position, and a locking groove extending in the direction of movement of the rack plate is provided to allow relative movement of the rack plate relative to the end of the cable. If the rack plate moves in one direction under the driving force of the electric motor, the end of one cable engages with the end of the locking groove, and the end of the cable moves in one direction together with the rack plate, pulling the cable into the housing. At the point when the electric motor stops and the rack plate returns to its initial position under the force of the helical spring, the end of the cable hardly moves. At this time, the end of the cable moves relative to the rack plate within the locking groove formed in the rack plate due to the movement of the rack plate. It should be noted that the cable is configured to return to its initial position by means of a force-applying member such as a spring provided at the end of the cable on the side of the cable being operated (the end opposite to the end that engages with the rack plate).

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-187159 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Summary of the invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] As described above, in the actuator of Patent Document 1, in addition to the recess for housing the helical spring, a locking groove for locking the end of the cable is also required in the rack plate (slider), thus making the rack plate larger. Therefore, the housing and device housing the rack plate are enlarged as a whole.

[0010] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a drive device having a slider that moves in one direction in conjunction with a cable by the driving force of a drive unit and moves in another direction by the force of a helical spring, and moves relative to the cable during the movement in the other direction, thereby enabling miniaturization of the slider and miniaturization of the entire device.

[0011] Solution for solving the problem

[0012] The driving device of the present invention includes: a housing; a driving unit; a slider that moves within the housing in a predetermined moving direction by the driving force of the driving unit; a helical spring that applies force to the slider in one direction; and a cable having a cable end that is directly or indirectly mounted to the slider, wherein the slider includes: a locking portion for directly or indirectly mounting the cable end; and a spring receiving portion that receives a portion of the helical spring and extends along the moving direction. When the slider moves in one direction of the moving direction by the driving force of the driving unit, the slider moves in conjunction with the cable. When the slider moves in the other direction of the moving direction by the force of the helical spring, the slider moves relative to the cable. The helical spring received in the spring receiving portion and the cable are arranged coaxially along the moving direction of the slider. When the slider moves in the other direction of the moving direction by the force of the helical spring, the helical spring is configured to extend in a state where the cable end of the cable is received in an internal cavity that is inside the inner circumference of the helical spring.

[0013] Invention Effects

[0014] According to the driving device of the present invention, in a driving device having a slider, the slider moves in one direction in conjunction with the cable by the driving force of the driving part, and moves in another direction by the force of the helical spring. When moving in the other direction, the slider moves relative to the cable, which enables miniaturization of the slider and miniaturization of the overall device. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a top view showing the initial state of the drive device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A schematic side view of a part of the drive unit.

[0017] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 The section view of the drive unit after the slider is cut along line III-III.

[0018] Figure 4 Viewed from the bottom side Figure 1 A schematic diagram obtained from the sliding component of the drive device.

[0019] Figure 5 It means from Figure 2 The shown is a schematic side view of the state in which the drive unit begins to drive and the slider moves in the first moving direction.

[0020] Figure 6 It means from Figure 5 The shown is a schematic side view of the state in which the slider moves in the second direction of movement under the force of the helical spring.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a top view showing the initial state of the drive device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 8 It is to remove Figure 7 The diagram shows the rack portion of the sliding member of the drive unit, but a schematic top view of the drive unit is omitted.

[0023] Figure 9 It means from Figure 8 The diagram shows a schematic top view of the state in which the drive unit begins to drive and the slider moves in the first direction of movement.

[0024] Figure 10 It means from Figure 9 The diagram shows a schematic top view of the state in which the slider moves in the second direction of movement under the force of the helical spring.

[0025] Figure 11 It means from Figure 8 The diagram shows a schematic top view of the state in which the second cable begins to operate and the auxiliary slider moves in the first direction of movement.

[0026] Figure 12 It is a three-dimensional view showing the auxiliary sliding member protruding from the through hole of the spring box. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Hereinafter, a driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment shown below is merely an example, and the driving device of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

[0028] <First Implementation Method>

[0029] like Figure 1As shown, the drive device 1 of this embodiment includes a housing 2, a drive unit 3, a slider 4 that moves within the housing 2 along a predetermined moving direction D1 by the driving force of the drive unit 3, a helical spring 5 that applies force to the slider 4 in one direction, and a cable 6 having a cable end 6a that is directly or indirectly mounted on the slider 4.

[0030] The drive unit 1 moves the slider 4 along the movement direction D1 by the driving force of the drive unit 3, thereby moving the cable 6 which is directly or indirectly connected to the slider 4. In this embodiment, the drive unit 1 is configured to operate the work object OP connected to the cable 6. More specifically, as described later, the slider 4 moves in a first movement direction D11 in the movement direction D1 by the driving force of the drive unit 3, and the cable 6 is pulled in the first movement direction D11 (see reference). Figure 5 The working object OP is operated via cable 6. On the other hand, when the driving force of the drive unit 3 is released, the slider 4 moves in a second moving direction D12, which is opposite to the first moving direction D11, due to the force of the coil spring 5, and the slider 4 returns to its original position. Figure 1 The initial position is shown. It should be noted that in this embodiment, only one helical spring 5 and one cable 6 are each provided in the drive device 1, but the number of helical springs and cables provided in the drive device 1 is not particularly limited. For example, as in the embodiment described later, two cables, one for manual operation and one for electric operation, can be provided in the drive device 1.

[0031] The purpose of the drive unit 1 is simply to move the sliding member 4 and thus the cable 6 connected to the sliding member 4 by the driving force of the drive unit 3; there is no particular limitation. Specifically, for example, when the object OP is a locking device of the tilting mechanism of a vehicle seat or a locking device of a fuel filler cap, the drive unit 1 can be set as a drive unit for unlocking the locking device.

[0032] It should be noted that in this specification, the direction in which the slider 4 moves is referred to as the moving direction D1, and the direction perpendicular to the moving direction D1, especially the bottom surface (sliding surface) 21a of the slider 4 (refer to...) Figure 2 The direction perpendicular to the direction of movement D1 is called the height direction D2, and the direction perpendicular to both the movement direction D1 and the height direction D2 is called the width direction D3.

[0033] Cable 6 is connected to slider 4, and operation is achieved by moving slider 4. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1As shown, cable 6 has a cable end 6a at one end, a cable end 6b at the other end, and a cable body 6c. In this embodiment, cable end 6a is connected to the slider 4, and cable end 6b at the other end is connected to the work object OP. In this embodiment, cable 6 is the inner cable of the control cable, and cable 6 is inserted into the outer shell OC of the control cable. Cable 6 is wired through the outer shell OC in the installation object such as the vehicle body according to a predetermined wiring path. It should be noted that in this embodiment, cable 6 consists of only one cable, but two cables can also be provided as in the embodiment described later. Moreover, unlike the embodiment described later, other cables operated by the movement of the slider 4 can be provided in addition to cable 6 by changing the number and configuration of the helical springs.

[0034] The housing 2 houses a component of the drive unit 1. Specifically, as... Figure 1 As shown, the housing 2 houses the drive unit 3, the sliding member 4, and the helical spring 5. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, the housing 2 includes a slider housing portion 21 that houses the slider 4 so that it can slide, and a drive portion housing portion 22 that houses the drive portion 3. Furthermore, in the movement direction D1, the housing 2 has a cable guide portion 23 on one side of the slider housing portion 21 (the second movement direction D12 side) for guiding the cable 6 into the interior of the housing 2. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the housing 2 has a first housing member 2A and a second housing member 2B that can be opened and closed relative to each other (see reference 2A). Figure 2 The shell 2 is configured such that each component is housed inside by enclosing the second shell member 2B relative to the first shell member 2A. However, the overall shape and structure of the shell 2 are not particularly limited.

[0035] The housing 2 has a sliding surface 21a for the sliding member 4 to slide. More specifically, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the housing 2 (slider receiving portion 21) has a sliding surface 21a and a pair of guide walls 21c, 21d that are substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface 21a and extend along the moving direction D1 of the slider 4 (see reference). Figure 1 and Figure 3 In this embodiment, a sliding surface 21a and a pair of guide walls 21c and 21d are provided in the slider receiving portion 21. The slider receiving portion 21 has an internal space in which the slider 4 can slide along the moving direction D1 with a predetermined stroke. In this embodiment, the internal space of the slider receiving portion 21 is a generally cuboid space, consisting of a bottom surface (hereinafter also referred to as bottom surface 21a) that forms the sliding surface 21a of the slider 4, and an upper surface 21b opposite to the bottom surface 21a (see reference 21b). Figure 2The side walls 21c and 21d, which are provided on both sides in the width direction D3 of the slider 4, form a pair of guide walls (refer to...). Figure 3 Hereinafter also referred to as sidewalls 21c, 21d), and endwalls 21e, 21f provided on both sides in the moving direction D1 of the slider 4 (refer to...). Figure 1 The bottom surface 21a is defined as a flat surface in this embodiment. However, the bottom surface 21a only needs to allow the slider 4 to slide and does not need to be flat. Furthermore, the side walls 21c and 21d are separated in the width direction D3 by a width corresponding to the width of the slider 4. Thus, the side walls 21c and 21d function as guides that stably guide the slider 4 along the movement direction D1. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the sliding surface is shown as the bottom surface 21a of the housing 2, but the sliding surface can also be a surface other than the bottom surface 21a.

[0036] The cable guide portion 23 is a portion that guides the cable 6 from the outside of the housing 2 into the inside of the housing 2 in a manner that allows the cable end 6a of the cable 6 to be connected to the slider 4. Specifically, the cable guide portion 23 is provided on one side of the slider receiving portion 21 in the movement direction D1 (the side in the second movement direction D12). The cable guide portion 23 has a guide opening 23a that communicates the outside of the housing 2 with the internal space of the slider receiving portion 21. The cable 6 is guided into the slider receiving portion 21 through the guide opening 23a of the cable guide portion 23. In this embodiment, the cable guide portion 23 is configured to engage with one end of the housing OC so that the housing OC (see reference OC) can be installed. Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, the drive unit receiving portion 22 houses the drive unit 3. Specifically, the drive unit receiving portion 22 is located adjacent to the slider receiving portion 21 in the width direction D3 and communicates with the slider receiving portion 21. In this embodiment, as described later, the drive unit receiving portion 22 is configured to house the electric motor 31 of the drive unit 3 and a plurality of transmission members 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d.

[0038] The drive unit 3 generates a driving force that moves the slider 4. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, the drive unit 3 includes a motor 31 and one or more transmission members 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d. The motor 31, through its rotational force, moves the slider 4 in the moving direction D1 via the transmission members 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d. In this embodiment, the transmission members 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d are gears configured to transmit the rotational force generated by the motor 31 toward the slider 4. Specifically, as... Figure 1As shown, the drive unit 3 has a pinion P that engages with the slider 4, which has a rack portion (power transmission portion) 44 as described later, transmitting the driving force of the drive unit 3 to the slider 4. More specifically, the output shaft of the motor 31 and each transmission member 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d are configured to rotate around a rotation axis extending along the width direction D3. The pinion P of the transmission member 32d engages with the rack portion 44 of the slider 4, causing the slider 4 to move. It should be noted that the drive unit 3 is only required to generate a driving force that moves the slider 4, and is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure. For example, in this embodiment, the drive unit 3 is configured to transmit a rotational driving force to the slider 4, but the drive unit 3 may also be configured to transmit a linear driving force to the slider 4.

[0039] The slider 4 can move along the moving direction D1 (first moving direction D11) by the driving force of the drive unit 3, thereby operating the cable 6 connected to the slider 4. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the slider 4 includes a locking portion 41 for direct or indirect mounting of the cable end 6a and a spring receiving portion 42 that accommodates a portion of the helical spring 6 and extends along the moving direction D1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the slider 4 has a sliding portion 43 that slides along the sliding surface 21a of the housing 2 (see reference). Figure 2 and Figure 3 ) and the power transmission unit 44 (see reference) connected to the drive unit 3 and transmitting the driving force of the drive unit 3. Figure 2 More specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the slider 4 has a pair of plate-shaped guided surfaces 45a and 45b extending opposite to a pair of guide walls 21c and 21d, and a rack portion 44 connecting the pair of guided surfaces 45a and 45b and engaging with the pinion P.

[0040] The shape and structure of the slider 4 are not particularly limited, as long as the slider 4 can move along the moving direction D1 by the driving force of the driving part 3 and can operate the cable 6 connected to the slider 4. In this embodiment, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the slider 4 has a specified length along the moving direction D1 and has a cross-section perpendicular to the moving direction D1, forming an approximately U-shape (see reference). Figure 3 The shape of ). More specifically, such as Figure 3As shown, the slider 4 has: a pair of sidewalls W1 and W2 separated along the width direction D3 and having guided surfaces 45a and 45b; and an upper wall W3 connecting the pair of sidewalls W1 and W2 along the width direction D3 and having a rack portion 44. The slider 4 has a bottom wall W4 on the opposite side of the upper wall W3 in the height direction D2 of the sidewalls W1 and W2, where a sliding portion 43 is provided. The pair of sidewalls W1 and W2 are parallel to each other and extend approximately perpendicular to the sliding surface 21a along the movement direction D1. Figure 1 As shown, a locking portion 41 is provided on one end side (second movement direction D12 side) of the slider 4 in the movement direction D1, and the slider 4 has a cable insertion portion 46 through which the cable body 6c of the cable 6 installed in the locking portion 41 passes. Moreover, the other end side (first movement direction D11 side) of the slider 4 in the movement direction D1 is opened in such a way that the helical spring 5 can be inserted into the spring receiving portion 42 of the slider 4 in the movement direction D1.

[0041] The engaging portion 41 is the part for directly or indirectly mounting the cable end 6a of the cable 6. The location of the engaging portion 41 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the engaging portion 41 is located at the end of the sliding member 4 in the moving direction D1. Specifically, as... Figure 1 As shown, the engaging portion 41 is configured to allow the cable end 6a to be mounted from the upper wall W3 side of the slider 4. In this embodiment, the cable end 6a is directly mounted to the slider 4 by engaging the engaging portion 41. However, the cable end 6a can be configured to operate the cable 6 as the slider 4 moves, or it can be indirectly mounted to the slider 4 via other components.

[0042] In this embodiment, the engaging portion 41 is configured such that the cable end 6a of the cable 6 can engage in the movement direction D1. In this embodiment, the cable end 6a engages with the engaging portion 41 in one direction of movement D1, but not in the other. Specifically, the rear end (cable body 6c side) of the cable end 6a engages with the wall portion 411 of the engaging portion 41 in the movement direction D1, while the front end of the cable 6a does not engage with the engaging portion 41 in the movement direction D1. Therefore, for example, when the slider 4 moves in the first movement direction D11, the cable end 6a of the cable 6 is pulled in the first movement direction D11 while engaged with the engaging portion 41 (see reference). Figure 5 On the other hand, after cable 6 has moved in the first moving direction D11, when slider 4 moves in the second moving direction D12 under the force of helical spring 6, cable end 6a of cable 6 does not move with slider 4 but remains in place. Slider 4 first moves in the second moving direction D12 (see reference). Figure 6 It should be noted that cable 6 is from... Figure 6Starting from the state shown, the force-applying component (not shown) is set on the OP side of the work object, towards... Figure 2 From the initial position shown, move in the second moving direction D12.

[0043] The power transmission section 44 is configured to transmit the driving force of the drive section 3 to the slider 4. In this embodiment, the rotational motion of the drive section 3 is transmitted to the power transmission section (rack section) 44 of the slider 4 and converted into linear motion of the slider 4. However, it is also possible that the drive section 3 performs linear motion, the linear motion of the drive section 3 is transmitted to the power transmission section, and the slider 4 performs linear motion. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the power transmission part 44 is a rack part (hereinafter referred to as rack part 44) that engages with the pinion P of the transmission member 32d of the drive part 3. Specifically, the rack part 44 is provided on the side opposite to the sliding part 43 in the sliding member 4, which is opposite to the sliding surface 21a in the height direction D2. The rack part 44 has a tooth row with teeth and grooves that are alternately formed along the height direction D2 and along the movement direction D1. When the pinion P of the transmission member 32d rotates, the teeth of the pinion P mesh with the tooth row of the rack part 44, and the sliding member 4 moves in the movement direction D1. It should be noted that the power transmission part does not have to be a rack part, and can be changed according to the structure of the drive part 3.

[0044] like Figure 3 As shown, the guided surfaces 45a and 45b extend opposite to a pair of guide walls 21c and 21d. The guided surfaces 45a and 45b are guided within the housing 2 by the pair of guide walls 21c and 21d, allowing the slider 4 to move stably within the housing 2. The shape and structure of the pair of guided surfaces 45a and 45b and the pair of guide walls 21c and 21d are not particularly limited, as long as they enable the slider 4 to move stably in the moving direction D1 within the housing 2. In this embodiment, the guided surfaces 45a and 45b are arranged parallel to each other and opposite to each other along the width direction D3 of the slider 4. In this embodiment, the pair of guided surfaces 45a and 45b are formed as flat surfaces that respectively make surface contact with the guide walls 21c and 21d, which are formed as flat surfaces. However, for example, if the pair of guide walls are curved surfaces, the pair of guided surfaces may also be curved surfaces that can be guided along the curved surface in the moving direction D1. Furthermore, the guided surface can be guided in a stable manner by moving the slider 4 in the moving direction D1, or it can have a guide groove or guide protrusion that engages with the guide protrusion or guide groove provided on the guide walls 21c and 21d.

[0045] When the slider 4 moves in the moving direction D1, the sliding part 43 slides relative to the sliding surface 21a of the housing 2. The sliding part 43 only needs to allow the slider 4 to move smoothly in the moving direction D1; it can be a flat surface, or it can engage with a guide protrusion or guide groove provided on the sliding surface 21a and be guided in the moving direction D1. In this embodiment, as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the spring receiving portion 42 of the slider 4 has an opening A extending along the moving direction D1 of the slider 4 at a position opposite to the sliding surface 21a. The sliding portion 43 is a portion of the slider 4 that extends along the moving direction D1 towards both sides of the opening A, sandwiched between the opening A in the width direction D3. In this case, the contact area between the sliding portion 43 and the sliding surface 21a of the housing 2 is reduced, thereby reducing the sliding resistance of the slider 4. Moreover, by providing the opening A, the slider 4 can be made compact, as detailed later. Furthermore, by providing the opening A, the state within the internal space of the slider 4, such as the connection state between the slider 4 and the coil spring 5, can be easily confirmed.

[0046] The spring receiving portion 42 is a part of the slider 4 having an internal space capable of accommodating a portion of the coil spring 5. The spring receiving portion 42 extends in the slider 4 along the movement direction D1. The shape of the spring receiving portion 42 is not particularly limited, as long as it extends along the movement direction D1 and can accommodate a portion of the coil spring 5. In this embodiment, the internal space of the spring receiving portion 42 is defined by side walls W1, W2, and upper wall W3. The spring receiving portion 42 extends in the movement direction D1 from the end opposite to the end where the engaging portion 41 of the slider 4 is located to the portion where the engaging portion 41 is located.

[0047] In this embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the spring receiving portion 42 has an inner surface IS that curves along the shape of the outer periphery of the coil spring 5. The inner surface IS partially contacts the outer periphery of the coil spring 5 in the circumferential direction, guiding the coil spring 5. Thus, the inner surface IS of the spring receiving portion 42 guides the outer periphery of the coil spring 5, thereby enabling the coil spring 5 to extend and retract stably.

[0048] In this embodiment, the helical spring 5, partially housed in the spring housing 42, is a compression helical spring having a telescopic shaft along the movement direction D1. Figure 1 In the initial state shown, a portion of the moving direction D1 of the helical spring 5 is housed in the spring housing portion 42, while the remaining portion protrudes from the slider 4. One end of the helical spring 5 is supported by a spring seat SS (see reference) provided at the end of the spring housing portion 42 on the engaging portion 41 side. Figure 2The other end of the helical spring 5 is supported on the end wall 21e of the housing 2. When the slider 4 moves in the first moving direction D11, the helical spring 5 contracts (refer to...). Figure 5 When the slider 4 moves in the second moving direction D12, the coil spring 5 extends (refer to...). Figure 1 It should be noted that the helical spring 5 can also be housed in a cylindrical spring box SC as described in the embodiments described later (see [reference]). Figure 7 and Figure 12 ).

[0049] In this embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, when the slider 4 moves in the direction of movement D1 (first movement direction D11) due to the driving force of the drive unit 3, the slider 4 moves in conjunction with the cable 6. Furthermore, as... Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, when the slider 4 moves in the opposite direction of the movement direction D1 (second movement direction D12) due to the force of the helical spring 5, the slider 4 moves relative to the cable 6. More specifically, when the drive unit 3 is driven, the slider 4 moves from... Figure 1 and Figure 2 Starting from the initial state shown, it overcomes the force of the helical spring 5 that exerts a force on the slider 4 in the second moving direction D12, and moves in the first moving direction D11 (refer to...). Figure 5 When the slider 4 moves in the first moving direction D11, the cable 6, with its end 6a engaged in the engaging part 41, moves together with the slider 4 in the first moving direction D11. When the driving force of the driving part 3 is released, the slider 4 moves from... Figure 5 The state shown moves in the second direction D12 by the force of the helical spring 5 (refer to...). Figure 6 It should be noted that at this time, transmission components 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d, under the force applied by the sliding member 4 which moves in the second moving direction D12 due to the force of the helical spring 5, rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the sliding member 4 when it moves in the first moving direction D11. When the sliding member 4 moves from... Figure 5 When the state shown begins to move in the second moving direction D12, the cable end 6a of cable 6 moves in the second moving direction D12 without engaging due to the movement of the slider 4. Therefore, the slider 4 moves relative to the cable end 6a, and the cable end 6a remains in place (see reference). Figure 6 It should be noted that, in this embodiment, as described above, the cable end 6a moves later than the slider 4 in the second moving direction D12 by means of a force-applying member provided on the working object OP side in the second moving direction D12.

[0050] Here, as Figures 1-3As shown, the helical spring 5 housed in the spring housing 42 and the cable 6 are arranged coaxially along the moving direction D1 of the slider 4. Therefore, when the slider 4 moves in the other direction of the moving direction D1 (second moving direction D12) by the force of the helical spring 5, the helical spring 5 is configured to extend in a state where the cable end 6a of the cable 6 is housed in the inner cavity that forms the inner circumference of the helical spring 5 (see reference). Figure 6 In other words, the cable end 6a of the cable 6 can move relative to the helical spring 5 in the moving direction D1 within the internal cavity of the helical spring 5. Therefore, in the drive device 1 where the helical spring 5 and the cable end 6a operate overlapping in the moving direction D1, the cable end 6a can move relative to the helical spring 5 within the internal cavity of the helical spring 5. Thus, the drive device 1 of this embodiment differs from the structure in Patent Document 1 where the moving space for the helical spring and the moving space for the cable end are respectively provided in the slider along the thickness direction, allowing for miniaturization of the slider 4. Consequently, the entire drive device 1 can be miniaturized. Furthermore, since the extension axis of the helical spring 5 and the axis of the cable 6 are coaxial, when the slider 4 operates by the force of the helical spring 5 or against the force of the helical spring 5, it is difficult to apply a force tilted relative to the moving direction D1 to the slider 4, enabling stable movement of the slider 4.

[0051] Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the spring receiving portion 42 of the slider 4 has an opening A extending along the moving direction D1 of the slider 4 at a position opposite to the sliding surface 21a. The opening A is formed in the moving direction D1 within the range where the helical spring 5 is located. By providing this opening A, not only is the sliding resistance of the slider 4 reduced, but the radial dimension of the slider 4 relative to the helical spring 5 can also be reduced. Specifically, as... Figure 3 As shown, a portion of the circumferential direction of the helical spring 5 ( Figure 3 The lower end portion of the helical spring 5 enters the space of the bottom wall W4 forming the opening A without contacting the sliding surface 21a. Thus, a portion of the helical spring 5 in the circumferential direction ( Figure 3 The lower end portion of the helical spring 5 does not require a wall portion of the slider 4 in the radially opposite direction, which reduces the size of the slider 4 in the radial direction of the helical spring 5 by the amount of thickness of the omnipresent wall portion (bottom wall W4 in this embodiment). It should be noted that in this embodiment, the sliding surface is the bottom surface 21a of the housing 2, which allows the size of the slider 4 in the height direction D2 of the housing 2 to be miniaturized. However, for example, if the sliding surface is one of the side walls W1 and W2 (or the other), forming an opening in the side walls W1 and W2 can also reduce the size of the slider 4 in the width direction D3.

[0052] In this embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the spring receiving portion 42 is defined by the rack portion 44 (upper wall W3) and a pair of guided surfaces 45a, 45b (side walls W1, W2). The opening A is formed on the opposite side of the rack portion 44 in the direction (height direction D2) where the pinion P is opposite to the rack portion 44. In this case, the pinion P engages with the rack portion 44, thereby allowing the slider 4 to slide in the height direction D2 while being pressed against the sliding surface (bottom surface) 21a side of the slider receiving portion 21. In this embodiment, the slider 4 is pressed against the sliding surface (bottom surface) 21a, but by providing the opening A on the bottom wall W4 with the sliding portion 43 opposite to the sliding surface (bottom surface) 21a, the sliding resistance of the slider 4 can be reduced. Therefore, the movement of the slider 4 in the moving direction D1 becomes smooth.

[0053] <Second Implementation Method>

[0054] Next, use Figures 7-12 The following describes the driving device 1 according to the second embodiment. It should be noted that in the following description, explanations of matters common to the embodiments described above are omitted, and the description focuses on the differences. It should also be noted that the structure of this embodiment can be used in combination with the content described in the first embodiment.

[0055] In this embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the drive device 1 includes a second cable 7 in addition to the cable 6. This second cable 7 has a second cable end 7a (hereinafter simply referred to as cable end 7a) that is directly or indirectly mounted to the slider 4. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the slider 4 includes: a slider body 4A, which moves in the moving direction D1 by the driving force of the drive unit 3 and has a spring receiving part 42; and an auxiliary slider 4B, which is configured to move relative to the slider body 4A in the moving direction D1.

[0056] The drive device 1 of this embodiment has two cables (cable 6 and second cable 7). The respective uses of the two cables 6 and 7 are not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, cable 6 (hereinafter referred to as the first cable 6) is an electrically operated cable that is operated by the driving force of the drive unit 3, and the second cable 7 is a manually operated cable. Specifically, the drive device 1 of this embodiment can operate the first cable 6 by the driving force of the drive unit 3, and can also operate the first cable 6 manually by the second cable 7. In this case, for example, if the drive unit 3 is not operating due to a malfunction, or if manual operation is selectively desired, the operation of the workpiece can be initiated by operating the second cable 7. Thus, the drive device 1 of this embodiment can operate the first cable 6 by either electrically operated operation based on the drive unit 3 or manually operated operation based on the second cable 7.

[0057] The first cable 6 is connected to the slider 4 and is operated by the movement of the slider 4. In this embodiment, the cable end 6a of the first cable 6 is connected to the slider 4. More specifically, as... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, cable end 6a is connected to a first engaging portion 41a provided at one end of the auxiliary slider 4B in the moving direction D1 (the end on the second moving direction D12 side). Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the other end of the first cable 6, cable end 6b, is connected to the working object OP. The first cable 6 is plugged into the housing OC and wired through the housing OC to the mounting object such as the vehicle body according to the specified wiring path.

[0058] The second cable 7 is connected to the auxiliary slider 4B of the slider 4. By operating the second cable 7, the auxiliary slider 4B, to which the second cable 7 is connected, moves along the moving direction D1. The movement of the auxiliary slider 4B along the moving direction D1 via the second cable 7 pulls the first cable 6 connected to the auxiliary slider 4B. Figure 7 As shown, the second cable 7 has a cable end 7a disposed at one end of the second cable 7, a cable end 7b disposed at the other end of the second cable 7, and a cable body 7c. In this embodiment, as... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the cable end 7a of the second cable 7 is connected to the second engaging portion 41b provided at the other end (the end on the first moving direction D11 side) of the auxiliary slider 4B in the moving direction D1 of the slider 4. Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the cable end 7b at the other end of the second cable 7 is connected to the operating part 8 for operating the second cable 7. The second cable 7 is inserted into the housing OC and wired along a predetermined wiring path at the mounting object such as the vehicle body through the housing OC. It should be noted that the operating part 8 can be a manually operable lever or an electrically operable part.

[0059] In this embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the housing 2 has: a slider housing portion 21 that houses the slider 4 so that it can slide; a drive portion housing portion 22 that houses the drive portion 3; a first cable guide portion 231 that is provided on one side of the slider housing portion 21 in the movement direction D1 (the side in the second movement direction D12) and guides the first cable 6 into the interior of the housing 2; and a second cable guide portion 232 that is provided on the other side of the slider housing portion 21 in the movement direction D1 (the side in the first movement direction D11) and guides the second cable 7 into the interior of the housing 2.

[0060] In this embodiment, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the slider housing 21 is provided with a slider 4 having a slider body 4A and an auxiliary slider 4B, and a coil spring 5. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the coil spring 5 is housed in a spring box SC. With the spring box SC provided, the coil spring 5 stably extends and retracts along its extension axis within the spring box SC, thus allowing for easy assembly of the coil spring 5 into the slider housing 21. The outer periphery of the coil spring 5, except for the portion with opening A described above, is covered by the spring box SC and the slider (slider body 4A). It should be noted that in this embodiment, as... Figure 12 As shown, the spring box SC has a through hole H at one end in the movement direction D1 (the first movement direction D11 side), sized to allow the auxiliary slider 4B to pass through. With the through hole H at the end of the spring box SC, when the auxiliary slider 4B moves in the first movement direction D11, it passes through the through hole H and can move along the movement direction D1. Furthermore, after the spring box SC or the slider 4B is installed in the slider receiving part 21, when the cable end 7a is assembled to the auxiliary slider 4B, the auxiliary slider 4B moves through the through hole H to... Figure 12 As shown, the second engaging portion 41b of the auxiliary slider 4B is positioned outside the spring box SC. Therefore, the cable end 7a can be easily assembled to the auxiliary slider 4B. Furthermore, with the through hole H provided, the auxiliary slider 4B is not restricted in its movement range in the movement direction D1 by the spring box SC, the slider body 4A, etc. Therefore, the degree of freedom in setting the stroke of the auxiliary slider 4B in the movement direction D1 is increased.

[0061] The slider body 4A moves along the moving direction D1 by the driving force of the driving unit 3. In this embodiment, when the slider body 4A moves in the first moving direction D11 by the driving force of the driving unit 3, as... Figure 9 As shown, the sliding body 4A engages with the auxiliary sliding member 4B, causing the auxiliary sliding member 4B to move in the first moving direction D11. This allows operation of the first cable 6 connected to the auxiliary sliding member 4B.

[0062] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the slider body 4A has a spring receiving portion 42, which houses a helical spring 5. One end of the helical spring 5 (the end on the second movement direction D12 side) is supported on the spring seat SS of the slider body 4A, and the other end of the helical spring 5 (the end on the first movement direction D11 side) is supported on the end of the spring box SC on the first movement direction D11 side. Furthermore, the slider body 4A houses the auxiliary slider 4B so that it can move relative to the auxiliary slider 4B in the movement direction D1. Specifically, the slider body 4A is configured to engage with the auxiliary slider 4B and move together with it when moving in the first movement direction D11 (see reference). Figure 9 Furthermore, the sliding body 4A is configured to... Figure 9 The state shown Figure 10 When the slider body 4A moves in the second moving direction D12 as shown, it does not engage with the auxiliary slider 4B and moves relative to the auxiliary slider 4B. The end of the slider body 4A on the second moving direction D12 side has a locking wall portion W5 that can engage with the end of the auxiliary slider 4B in the moving direction D1. Therefore, when the slider body 4A moves in the first moving direction D11, the locking wall portion W5 of the slider body 4A engages with the end of the auxiliary slider 4B (the end on the second moving direction D12 side), and the slider body 4A and the auxiliary slider 4B move together in the first moving direction D11. On the other hand, when the slider body 4A is not provided, when the slider body 4A moves relative to the auxiliary slider 4B in the second moving direction D12 (when the slider body 4A moves in the second moving direction D12 via the coil spring 5 (see reference...) Figure 10 When the auxiliary slider 4B moves relative to the slider body 4A in the first moving direction D11 (refer to...) Figure 11 The part that engages with the auxiliary slider 4B. This allows for relative movement between the slider body 4A and the auxiliary slider 4B.

[0063] The auxiliary slider 4B connects the first cable 6 and the second cable 7, and is configured to move relative to the slider body 4A along the moving direction D1. The auxiliary slider 4B extends along the moving direction D1, as shown... Figure 8As shown, a first engaging portion 41a is provided at one end of the auxiliary slider 4B (the end on the second moving direction D12 side) for direct or indirect mounting of the cable end 6a of the first cable 6, and a second engaging portion 41b is provided at the other end of the auxiliary slider 4B (the end on the first moving direction D11 side) for direct or indirect mounting of the cable end 7a of the second cable 7. In this embodiment, as... Figures 8-11 As shown, the auxiliary slider 4B has a movable space in which the cable end 6a of the first cable 6 and the cable end 7a of the second cable 7 can move along the moving direction D1 according to the operating state of the drive device 1. In this embodiment, the movable space of the auxiliary slider 4B is formed as a groove extending along the moving direction D1 in which the cable ends 6a and 7a can move.

[0064] In this embodiment, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the auxiliary slider 4B is configured to move within the spring receiving portion 42 of the slider body 4A, within the internal cavity of the helical spring 5. More specifically, the auxiliary slider 4B is configured to be sized to enter the internal cavity of the helical spring 5, and is movable within the internal cavity of the helical spring 5 in the moving direction D1. In this embodiment, the auxiliary slider 4B is formed into a generally cylindrical shape with grooves capable of receiving cable ends 6a and 7a.

[0065] In this embodiment, the helical spring 5 is also configured such that an internal cavity, which forms the inner side of the inner circumference of the helical spring 5, extends via an auxiliary slider 4B to accommodate the cable end 6a of the first cable 6 and the cable end 7a of the second cable 7. In other words, the cable ends 6a and 7a are movable relative to the helical spring 5 in the moving direction D1 within the auxiliary slider 4B disposed within the internal cavity of the helical spring 5. Thus, in the drive device 1 in which the helical spring 5 and the cable ends 6a and 7a overlap in the moving direction D1, the cable ends 6a and 7a are movable relative to the helical spring 5 within the internal cavity of the helical spring 5. Therefore, the drive device 1 of this embodiment differs from the structure in Patent Document 1, where the moving space for the helical spring and the moving space for the cable ends are staggered along the thickness direction and respectively disposed in the slider, allowing for miniaturization of the slider 4. As a result, the entire drive device 1 can be miniaturized. Furthermore, since the extension axis of the helical spring 5 is coaxial with the axes of the first cable 6 and the second cable 7, when the slider 4 moves under the force of the helical spring 5 or moves against the force of the helical spring 5, it is difficult to apply a force that tilts relative to the direction of movement D1 to the slider 4, thus enabling the slider 4 to move stably. Moreover, in this embodiment, an auxiliary slider 4B is disposed inside the helical spring 5, thereby acting as the core of the helical spring 5, suppressing deformation such as radial skew of the helical spring 5 relative to its extension axis, making the movement of the slider 4 in the direction of movement D1 more stable.

[0066] In this embodiment, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the helical spring 5 applies force only to the sliding body 4A and the auxiliary sliding member 4B. Specifically, one end of the helical spring 5 (the end on the second movement direction D12 side) is supported by a spring seat SS provided on the sliding body 4A, thereby applying force to the sliding body 4A in the second movement direction D12. On the other hand, the auxiliary sliding member 4B is not engaged with the helical spring 5, as... Figure 11 As shown, when the auxiliary slider 4B moves in the first moving direction D11, it is not affected by the force of the helical spring 5. Therefore, when the second cable 7 is pulled to move the auxiliary slider 4B in the moving direction D1 (first moving direction D11), unlike the operation based on the drive unit 3, no force of the helical spring 5 is applied. Therefore, when operating the second cable 7, it is not necessary to overcome the force of the helical spring 5, and thus the second cable 7 can be operated with a lighter force.

[0067] Next, the operation of the drive device 1 in this embodiment will be described in more detail. It should be noted that the following description is merely an example and is not intended to limit the drive device of the present invention.

[0068] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in the initial state where the driving force of the driving unit 3 is not applied, one end of the auxiliary slider 4B, which is on the other side (the second moving direction D12 side) in the moving direction D1, is (in Figure 8 The end on the right side (in the middle) is located on the other side (second movement direction D12 side) in the movement direction D1 of the slider body 4A. Figure 8 (The middle part is the right end). In this embodiment, the first cable 6 is pulled in the second moving direction D12 by a force-applying member (not shown) provided on the working object OP side, thereby assisting the slider 4B to move in the second moving direction D12, thereby realizing the initial state of the drive device 1.

[0069] from Figure 7 and Figure 8 Starting from the initial state shown, when the drive unit 3 is driven, the driving force of the drive unit 3 is transmitted to the rack portion 44 of the slider body 4A via the transmission members 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d, causing the pinion P to rotate. As a result, the slider body 4A overcomes the force of the helical spring 5 that exerts a force on the slider 4 in the second moving direction D12 and moves in the first moving direction D11 (see reference). Figure 9 When the slider body 4A moves in the first moving direction D11, the auxiliary slider 4B, which engages with the slider body 4A, also moves in the first moving direction D11. As a result, the first cable 6, whose cable end 6a engages with the first engaging portion 41a of the auxiliary slider 4B, is pulled in the first moving direction D11, moving together with the slider body 4A and the auxiliary slider 4B. Thus, the working object OP connected to the first cable 6 begins operation.

[0070] When the driving force of the drive unit 3 is released, the sliding body 4A moves in the second moving direction D12 by the force of the helical spring 5 (refer to...). Figure 10 At this time, transmission components 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d, under the force applied by the sliding body 4A which moves in the second moving direction D12 via the force of the helical spring 5, rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation direction in which the sliding body 4A moves in the first moving direction D11. When the sliding body 4A moves in the second moving direction D12, the auxiliary sliding member 4B, because it is not engaged as described above in moving in the second moving direction D12 together with the sliding body 4A, therefore... Figure 10As shown, the sliding body 4A moves relative to the auxiliary sliding member 4B and cable ends 6a and 7a, while the auxiliary sliding member 4B and cable ends 6a and 7a remain in place. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the auxiliary sliding member 4B and cable ends 6a move in the second moving direction D12 later than the sliding member 4, by means of a force-applying member provided on the working object OP side.

[0071] On the other hand, in the event of a malfunction in drive unit 3, or in the event that the work object OP is to be operated manually without regard to drive unit 3, such as Figure 11 As shown, the second cable 7 is operated. When the second cable 7 is operated to one side (first movement direction D11) in the movement direction D1, as... Figure 9 and Figure 11 As shown, the auxiliary slider 4B moves relative to the slider body 4A in the movement direction D1 to one side (first movement direction D11), and the first cable 6 is operated via the auxiliary slider 4B. More specifically, when the second cable 7 is pulled in the first movement direction D11, as... Figure 11 As shown, a force is applied to the auxiliary slider 4B, which is connected to the cable end 7a of the second cable 7, in the first moving direction D11, causing the auxiliary slider 4B to move in the first moving direction D11. When the auxiliary slider 4B moves in the first moving direction D11, the first cable 6 connected to the auxiliary slider 4B is pulled in the first moving direction D11, and the working object OP operates. At this time, when the auxiliary slider 4B moves in the first moving direction D11, the slider body 4A is not engaged with the auxiliary slider 4B, and a force is applied in the second moving direction D12 by the helical spring 5. Therefore, the slider body 4A does not move in the first moving direction D11 with the auxiliary slider 4B, and remains stationary. At this time, as described above, when the auxiliary slider 4B moves in the first moving direction D11, the auxiliary slider 4B is not affected by the force of the helical spring 5 in the second moving direction D12. Therefore, when the auxiliary slider 4B is moved in the moving direction D1 (first moving direction D11) by pulling the second cable 7, unlike when operating based on the drive unit 3, no force from the helical spring 5 is applied. Therefore, when operating the second cable 7, it is not necessary to overcome the force of the helical spring 5, allowing the second cable 7 to be operated with less force. After the auxiliary slider 4B is operated via the second cable 7, the auxiliary slider 4B moves in the second moving direction D12 via the force-applying member provided on the workpiece OP side, returning... Figure 7 and Figure 8 The initial position is shown.

[0072] Label Explanation

[0073] 1. Drive unit

[0074] 2. Shell

[0075] 2A First Shell Component

[0076] 2B Second shell component

[0077] 21 Sliding component housing

[0078] 21a Sliding surface (bottom surface)

[0079] 21b Upper surface

[0080] 21c, 21d Guide walls (side walls)

[0081] 21e, 21f end walls

[0082] 22 Drive Unit Containment Department

[0083] 23 Cable entry section

[0084] 23a Inlet opening

[0085] 231 First Cable Inlet Section

[0086] 232 Second cable entry section

[0087] 3 Drive Unit

[0088] 31 Electric motor

[0089] Transmission components 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d

[0090] 4. Sliding component

[0091] 4A Slider Body

[0092] 4B Auxiliary Slider

[0093] 41. Card-connecting section

[0094] 41a First Card Section

[0095] 41b Second Card Section

[0096] 411 Wall section

[0097] 42 Spring housing section

[0098] 43 Sliding part

[0099] 44 Power Transmission Unit (Rack and Pinion)

[0100] Guided surfaces 45a and 45b

[0101] 46 Cable insertion section

[0102] 5. Coil springs

[0103] 6. Cable (First Cable)

[0104] Cable ends of cables 6a and 6b (first cable)

[0105] 6c cable body

[0106] 7 Second cable

[0107] 7a, 7b Cable ends of the second cable

[0108] 7c cable body

[0109] 8. Operations Department

[0110] A Opening

[0111] D1 Movement direction

[0112] D11 First Movement Direction

[0113] D12 Second movement direction

[0114] D2 Height Direction

[0115] D3 Width Direction

[0116] H through hole

[0117] IS inner surface

[0118] OC outer casing

[0119] OP working object

[0120] P pinion

[0121] SC Spring Box

[0122] SS spring seat

[0123] The side walls of sliding parts W1 and W2

[0124] The upper wall of the W3 slider

[0125] The bottom wall of the W4 slider

[0126] W5 The locking wall of the sliding body.

Claims

1. A driving device comprising: case; Drive unit; The sliding member moves within the housing along a predetermined direction of movement by the driving force of the drive unit. A helical spring applies a force to the sliding member in one direction; and The cable has a cable end that is directly or indirectly mounted on the sliding member. in, The slider has: A locking part for direct or indirect installation of the cable end; and A spring receiving portion that houses a portion of the helical spring and extends along the direction of movement. When the slider moves in one direction of movement due to the driving force of the drive unit, the slider moves in conjunction with the cable. When the slider moves in the other direction of movement due to the force of the helical spring, the slider moves relative to the cable. The helical spring housed in the spring housing and the cable are arranged coaxially along the moving direction of the slider. When the slider moves in the opposite direction of the moving direction due to the force of the helical spring, the helical spring is configured to extend in such a state that the cable end of the cable is housed in an internal cavity that forms the inner circumference of the helical spring. The housing has a sliding surface for the sliding member to slide on. The spring receiving portion of the slider has an opening extending along the moving direction of the slider at a position opposite to the sliding surface. The housing includes: the sliding surface; and a pair of guide walls that are substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface and extend along the direction of movement of the slider. The drive unit has a small gear that engages with the sliding member. The slider has: A pair of plate-shaped guided surfaces extend opposite to the pair of guide walls; and The rack section connects the pair of guided surfaces and engages with the pinion. The spring receiving portion is defined by the rack portion and the pair of guided surfaces. The opening is formed on the opposite side of the rack in the direction opposite to the pinion and the rack.

2. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein, The spring receiving portion of the slider has an inner surface that curves along the shape of the outer periphery of the helical spring, the inner surface being in partial contact with the outer periphery of the helical spring in the circumferential direction, thereby guiding the helical spring.

3. The driving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The drive device further includes a second cable, which has a second cable end that is directly or indirectly mounted to the slider. The slider comprises: a slider body that moves along the moving direction by transmitting the driving force of the driving unit, and having the spring receiving portion; and an auxiliary slider configured to move relative to the slider body along the moving direction. A locking part is provided at one end of the auxiliary slider, which allows the cable end of the cable to be directly or indirectly installed. A second locking part is provided at the other end of the auxiliary slider, which allows the second cable end of the second cable to be directly or indirectly installed. The helical spring applies force only to the main body of the sliding member and the main body of the auxiliary sliding member.

4. The driving device according to claim 3, wherein, The auxiliary slider is configured to move within the internal cavity of the helical spring in the spring receiving portion of the slider body. Regarding the auxiliary slider, in the initial state where no driving force is applied to the driving part, one end of the auxiliary slider that is on the opposite side in the direction of movement is the end of the slider body located on the opposite side in the direction of movement. When the second cable is operated to one side in the direction of movement, the auxiliary slider moves relative to the slider body to one side in the direction of movement, thereby operating the cable via the auxiliary slider.

5. The driving device according to claim 4, wherein, The cable is an electrically operated cable that is driven by the driving force of the drive unit. The second cable is for manual operation.

Images