Fastening device for vehicle

Abstract

A securing device for a vehicle configured to connect a cabin unit of the vehicle and a loading unit for loading cargo at a rear portion of the cabin unit, the securing device including: a coil transmitting an electromagnetic force to a driving pulley; an assembly module including a driving pulley and mechanically fixing the cabin unit and the loading unit together by a driving force of the driving pulley caused by the coil when the loading unit is moved and aligned with the cabin unit; and a magnetic module surrounding the assembly module on an outer side of the assembly module, and magnetically fixing the cabin unit and the loading unit together by changing a magnetic circuit via a rotational force of a magnet while the cabin unit and the loading unit are mechanically connected to each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fixing device for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a fixing device for a vehicle provided with a cabin unit and a loading unit to be fixed to the cabin unit, and the fixing device is configured to enhance a coupling force between the cabin unit and the loading unit through a mechanical connection and a magnetic connection. Background Art

[0002] As people are increasingly concerned about the environment, the number of electric vehicles using electric motors as a power source has recently increased.

[0003] Electric vehicles utilize their unique flat floor to form a spacious interior similar to a living room. For example, various concepts of bed-type seats for resting and sleeping during driving have been proposed for autonomous vehicles, purpose-built vehicles (PBVs), and vehicles with three rows of seats. Due to the growing personalized leisure activities, the demand for sleeping in vehicles while camping or traveling has risen.

[0004] Figure 1 2 is a view exemplarily showing a cabin unit and a loading unit at the rear of the cabin unit.

[0005] Figure 1 The coupling of the vehicle's cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 is shown to provide additional interior space. At this point, a secure attachment between the cabin unit and the loading unit is important for passenger safety.

[0006] Conventionally, two methods are commonly used to connect the cabin unit and the loading unit of a vehicle: mechanical fixing and magnetic fixing. However, one problem with these two methods is that mechanical fixing requires additional labor and time to assemble and disassemble the cabin unit and the loading unit, and frequent assembly and disassembly reduce their durability. Another problem is that the fixing force between the cabin unit and the loading unit achieved by magnetic fixing is not strong compared to mechanical fixing.

[0007] Therefore, a solution is needed that increases the coupling force by mechanically and magnetically securing the loading unit to the cabin unit.

[0008] The information included in this background of the disclosure is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the disclosure and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0009] Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a fixing device for a vehicle, the fixing device being configured to enhance a coupling force between a cabin unit and a loading unit of the vehicle through a mechanical connection and a magnetic connection.

[0010] The technical objectives that the present disclosure is intended to achieve are not limited to the above-mentioned technical objectives, and other technical objectives not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art through the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure described below.

[0011] The present disclosure for solving the above-mentioned problems relates to a fixing device for a vehicle, which connects a cabin unit of the vehicle and a loading unit for loading cargo at the rear of the cabin unit. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the fixing device for a vehicle includes: a coil that transmits electromagnetic force to a drive pulley; an assembly module that includes a drive pulley and mechanically fixes the cabin unit and the loading unit together by a driving force of the drive pulley caused by the coil when the loading unit moves and aligns with the cabin unit; and a magnetic module that surrounds the assembly module on the outside of the assembly module and magnetically fixes the cabin unit and the loading unit together by changing the magnetic circuit through the rotational force of the magnet while the cabin unit and the loading unit are mechanically connected to each other.

[0012] For example, the driving pulley may include: a first pulley connected to the coil to directly receive the driving force; and a second pulley connected to the first pulley through a transmission belt to receive the driving force from the first pulley.

[0013] For example, the magnet of the magnetic module is mechanically connected to the first pulley and rotated by the driving force of the first pulley, and the cabin unit and the loading unit are magnetically fixed together by the rotational force generated during the rotation of the magnet.

[0014] For example, the assembling module may include: a locking portion rotated by the driving force received from the second pulley; and a coupling portion selectively coupled to the locking portion. The locking portion may be provided in the cabin unit, and the coupling portion may be provided in the loading unit.

[0015] For example, a coupling groove which is recessed upward may be formed on the lower surface of the coupling part, and as the loading unit moves downward, the locking part slides into the coupling groove, and once the locking part is placed at the top of the coupling groove after sliding into the coupling groove, the locking part is rotated by the driving force of the second pulley to be connected to the coupling part.

[0016] For example, the locking portion may be formed to have a semicircular shape protruding on one side thereof.

[0017] For example, the coupling groove may be formed in a concave shape along a sliding path of the locking portion, and a top of the coupling groove may be formed in a semicircular shape so that the locking portion may be arranged and rotated at the top to be coupled to the coupling portion.

[0018] For example, the fixing device may further include: a controller configured to control the coil, the assembly module, and the magnetic module to connect or separate the cabin unit and the loading unit.

[0019] For example, when connecting the cabin unit and the loading unit together, the controller may magnetically fix the cabin unit and the loading unit together by changing the magnetic circuit through the rotational force of the magnet while mechanically fixing the cabin unit and the loading unit together.

[0020] For example, when separating the cabin unit and the loading unit, the controller may mechanically stop the cabin unit and the loading unit while they are no longer magnetically fixed by changing the magnetic circuit via the rotational force of the magnet.

[0021] For example, the controller may separate the cabin unit and the loading unit by controlling the coil to generate an electromagnetic force in a direction opposite to the direction of the electromagnetic force generated by the coil when the cabin unit and the loading unit are connected.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fixing device for a vehicle enhances a coupling force between a cabin unit and a loading unit through a mechanical connection and a magnetic connection.

[0023] The methods and apparatus of the present disclosure have other features and advantages that will be apparent from or set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description incorporated herein, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 2 is a view exemplarily showing a cabin unit of a vehicle and a loading unit loading cargo at the rear of the cabin unit.

[0025] Figure 2 is a view exemplarily illustrating a fixing device for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 2 is a view exemplarily illustrating a locking portion and a coupling portion coupled to each other according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather present somewhat simplified representations of various features illustrating the basic principles of the present disclosure. The intended design features of the present disclosure as included herein (including, for example, specific size, orientation, location, and shape) will be determined in part by the specific intended application and use environment.

[0028] In the drawings, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that this specification is not intended to limit the present disclosure to those exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. On the other hand, the present disclosure is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but also various replacements, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included in the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0030] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments included in the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the same reference numerals will be used for similar or identical components regardless of the drawings, and repeated description will be omitted.

[0031] The suffixes “module” and “unit” of components used in the following description may be used interchangeably, which is merely for convenience of writing of the specification and does not necessarily indicate that they themselves have different meanings or roles.

[0032] When it is determined that the detailed description of related and known technologies may obscure the essence of the exemplary embodiments included herein, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, it should be understood that the drawings are intended only to facilitate the understanding of the exemplary embodiments included herein, are not intended to limit the technical concepts included herein, and include all modifications, equivalents or replacements within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. can be used to describe various components, but components are not limited by the terms. These terms can only be used to distinguish one component from another component.

[0033] It should be understood that when a component is described as being “connected” or “coupled” to another component, the component may be directly connected or coupled to the other component, but other components may be interposed therebetween. Conversely, it should be understood that when a component is described as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another component, there are no other components interposed therebetween.

[0034] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, a singular expression includes a plural expression.

[0035] In this specification, terms such as "include" or "have" are intended to indicate the presence of implementation features, quantities, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof described in this specification, and should not be understood as excluding the presence or additional possibilities of one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof.

[0036] In addition, the unit or control unit included in the names such as motor control unit (MCU), hybrid control unit (HCU), etc. is a term widely used in the naming of controllers that control specific functions of a vehicle and does not mean a general functional unit.

[0037] The controller may include: a communication device that communicates with other controllers or sensors to control the functions for which the controller is responsible; a memory that stores operating system or logic instructions and input and output information; and one or more processors that perform the determinations, calculations, decisions, etc. necessary to control the functions for which the controller is responsible.

[0038] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a fixing device for a vehicle is provided, wherein a coupling force between a cabin unit and a loading unit of the vehicle is further enhanced through a mechanical connection and a magnetic connection generated by the fixing device.

[0039] Figure 2 is a view exemplarily illustrating a fixing device for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 Components relevant to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are mainly shown. It should be understood that actual implementations of the fixing device for a vehicle may include fewer or more components.

[0040] Figure 2 It is shown that the fixing device for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may include a coil 116, an assembly module 200, and a magnetic module 300. The fixing device 100 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be disposed between an upper cover 101 and a lower cover 103, and the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 may be fixed together by mechanical connection and magnetic connection between the right connection module 111 and the left connection module 113.

[0041] When the loading unit 20 is connected to the cabin unit 10, the coil 116 can receive electricity and transmit the electromagnetic force directly to the drive pulley. The use of the coil 116 in the fixation performed by the fixing device 100 for the vehicle can reduce power consumption and reduce the generation of electromagnetic waves. In addition, a plurality of drive pulleys are provided, and each drive pulley includes a first pulley 133 and a second pulley 135. The first pulley 133 can directly receive the electromagnetic force of the coil 116, and the second pulley 135 can be connected to the first pulley 133 through a transmission belt 134 and receive a driving force from the first pulley 133. At this time, the magnet 117 (described below) of the magnetic module is mechanically connected to the first pulley 133 so that a magnetic force is generated by rotating the magnet 117. This will be described below.

[0042] In addition, the assembly module can mechanically fix the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 together. The assembly module may include a locking portion 123 and a coupling portion 120. The locking portion 123 is installed in the cabin unit 10 and rotated by a driving force received from a second pulley 135 connected to the locking portion 123. The coupling portion 120 is provided in the loading unit 20 and selectively coupled to the locking portion 123 to provide a mechanical fixing force and thus increase the axial force of the fixing device 100. The following will refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 Describe in detail.

[0043] Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 1 is a view exemplarily showing the locking portion 123 and the coupling portion 120 coupled to each other.

[0044] Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 It is shown that a coupling groove concave upward is formed on the lower surface of the coupling part 120. This configuration is intended to ensure that the locking part 123 is coupled to the coupling part 120 as the loading unit 20 moves downward when the loading unit 20 moves and is aligned with the cabin unit 10. As the loading unit 20 moves downward, the locking part 123 slides into the coupling groove 121. At this time, once the locking part 123 is placed on the top of the coupling groove 121 after sliding into the coupling groove 121, the locking part 123 is rotated by the driving force of the second pulley 135 and coupled to the coupling part 120.

[0045] To this end, the structure is designed so that the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 of the vehicle can be connected by the locking portion 123 and the coupling groove 121. First, the structure is designed so that the locking portion 123 can be coupled to the coupling portion 120 while rotating. For example, the locking portion 123 is formed in a semicircular shape having a rotatable protrusion on one side thereof. The rotation of the semicircular locking portion 123 at the top of the coupling groove 121 can connect the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 of the vehicle.

[0046] Next, the coupling groove 121 may be formed into a concave shape along the sliding path of the locking portion 123 , and the top of the coupling groove 121 may be formed into the same semicircular shape as the locking portion 123 , so that the locking portion 123 may be placed on the top, rotated, and coupled to the coupling portion 120 .

[0047] In addition, the magnetic module can surround the assembly module outside the assembly module and magnetically fix the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 together. While the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 are mechanically connected to each other, a magnetic force is generated in the magnetic module by changing the magnetic circuit through the rotation force of the magnet 117.

[0048] In this case, the magnet 117 of the magnetic module rotates by the driving force of the first pulley 133 caused by the electromagnetic force of the coil 116. The cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 are magnetically fixed together by the rotational force generated during the rotation of the magnet 117 together with the linear magnet 115. Figure 5 It is shown that when the locking portion 123 and the coupling portion 120 are coupled to each other, the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 are mechanically and magnetically fixed together, and a magnetic circuit is also formed in the upper portion.

[0049] In other words, when power is supplied to the coil 116, the magnet 117 rotates, and thus the first pulley 133 connected to the magnet 117 rotates. A magnetic circuit is formed between the magnet 117 and the linear magnet 115 and between the magnet 117 and the lower cover 103, thereby generating a magnetic force between the magnet 117 and the lower cover 103. When power supply to the coil 116 is interrupted, a magnetic circuit is formed only between the magnet 117 and the linear magnet 115, the magnet 117 does not rotate, and thus the first pulley 133 and the second pulley 135 do not rotate, thereby maintaining the coupling state between the lower cover 103 and the assembly module.

[0050] In order to separate the cabin unit 10 from the loading unit 20, the direction of the power supply to the coil 116 is changed so that the magnet 117 can rotate in the opposite direction, and no magnetic circuit is formed between the magnet 117 and the linear magnet 115. Accordingly, when the magnet 117 rotates in the opposite direction, the first pulley 133 connected to the magnet 117 and the locking portion 123 connected to the second pulley 135 also rotate in the opposite direction, thereby releasing the coupling state between the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20.

[0051] On the other hand, the mechanical connection and the magnetic connection between the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 may be controlled by a controller.

[0052] The controller may be configured to control the coil 116, the assembly module, and the magnetic module to connect or separate the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20. For example, when connecting the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20, the controller may magnetically fix the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 together by changing the magnetic circuit through the rotational force of the magnet 117 while the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 are mechanically fixed together. Similarly, when separating the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20, the controller may no longer mechanically fix the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 while no longer magnetically fixing the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 by changing the magnetic circuit through the rotational force of the magnet 117. The controller may selectively fix or no longer fix the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 of the vehicle in this manner.

[0053] When the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 of the vehicle are no longer fixed, the controller is configured to control the coil 116 to rotate the magnet 117 in a direction opposite to the direction of the electromagnetic force generated by the coil 116 when the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 are connected, so that the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 can no longer be fixed. Therefore, the connection and separation of the cabin unit 10 and the loading unit 20 are facilitated.

[0054] According to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure described so far, the coupling force between the cabin unit and the loading unit of the vehicle may be enhanced through the mechanical connection and the magnetic connection.

[0055] In addition, terms related to control devices such as "controller", "control device", "control unit", "control device", "control module" or "server" refer to hardware devices including a memory and a processor configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithm structure. The memory stores the algorithm steps, and the processor executes the algorithm steps to perform one or more processes of the method according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The control device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented by a non-volatile memory and a processor, the non-volatile memory is configured to store an algorithm for controlling the operation of various components of the vehicle or data about software commands for executing the algorithm, and the processor is configured to perform the above operations using data stored in the memory. The memory and the processor may be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor may be integrated in a single chip. The processor may be implemented as one or more processors. The processor may include various logic circuits and operating circuits, may be configured to process data according to a program provided from the memory, and may be configured to generate a control signal according to the processing results.

[0056] The control device may be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program, and the predetermined program may include a series of commands for executing the methods disclosed in the above-described various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0057] The foregoing invention may also be embodied as a computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device capable of storing data that can be subsequently read by a computer system and storing and executing program instructions that can subsequently be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state disks (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and the like, as well as implementations as carrier waves (e.g., transmissions over the Internet). Examples of program instructions include machine language codes (such as machine language codes generated by a compiler) and high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0058] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the operations described above may be performed by a control device, and the control device may be configured by a plurality of control devices or an integrated single control device.

[0059] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the memory and the processor may be provided as one chip, or provided as separate chips.

[0060] In different exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure includes software or machine-executable commands (e.g., operating systems, applications, firmware, programs, etc.) for enabling operations of methods according to various embodiments to be executed on a device or computer, and non-transitory computer-readable media including such software or commands stored thereon and executable on a device or computer.

[0061] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the control device may be implemented in the form of hardware or software, or may be implemented in a combination of hardware and software.

[0062] In addition, terms such as “unit”, “module”, etc. disclosed in the specification mean a unit for processing at least one function or operation, which can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0063] For ease of explanation and accurate definition of the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "above", "below", "upwardly", "downwardly", "front", "back", "rear", "inside", "outside", "inwardly", "outwardly", "inner", "external", "inner", "outer", "forward", and "rearward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the locations of such features shown in the drawings. It should be further understood that the term "connected" or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

[0064] The term "and / or" may include any combination of the multiple related listed items or the multiple related listed items. For example, "A and / or B" includes all three cases, such as "A", "B" and "A and B".

[0065] In this specification, unless otherwise stated, a singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, “at least one of A and B” may refer to “at least one of A or B” or “at least one of a combination of at least one of A and B”. Furthermore, “one or more of A and B” may refer to “one or more of A or B” or “one or more of a combination of one or more of A and B”.

[0067] In the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that terms such as “including” or “having” are intended to specify the presence of features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, parts, or a combination thereof described in the specification, and do not exclude the possibility of adding or existing one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, parts, or a combination thereof.

[0068] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and it is apparent that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. Exemplary embodiments are selected and described to explain the intended principles of the present invention and its practical application, thereby enabling other persons skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and various substitutions and modifications thereof. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A fixing device selectively connects a cabin unit of a vehicle and a loading unit for loading cargo at the rear of the cabin unit, the fixing device comprising: Coil, which generates electromagnetic force; an assembly module including a driving pulley and mechanically fixing the cabin unit and the loading unit together by a driving force of the driving pulley induced via the coil for coupling the loading unit and the cabin unit; as well as a magnetic module surrounding the assembly module on the outside of the assembly module and comprising a magnet rotatably mounted to the assembly module, The magnetic module is configured to magnetically fix the cabin unit and the loading unit together by changing the magnetic circuit through the rotational force of the magnet while the cabin unit and the loading unit are mechanically connected to each other.

2. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein: The driving pulley includes a first pulley connected to the magnet to directly receive a rotational force, and a second pulley connected to the first pulley through a transmission belt to receive a driving force from the first pulley.

3. The fixing device according to claim 2, wherein: The magnet of the magnetic module is rotated by the magnetic flux of the coil, and the cabin unit and the loading unit are magnetically fixed by a rotational force of the magnet generated during the rotation of the magnet.

4. The fixing device according to claim 2, wherein: The assembly module also includes: a locking portion connected to the second pulley and rotated by a driving force received from the second pulley; and a coupling portion selectively coupled to the locking portion, Wherein, the locking portion is provided in the cabin unit, and the coupling portion is provided in the loading unit.

5. The fixing device according to claim 4, in, The coupling portion includes a coupling groove recessed upward on a lower surface of the coupling portion.

6. The fixing device according to claim 5, in, As the loading unit moves downward, the locking portion slides into the coupling groove, and once the locking portion is placed at the top of the coupling groove after sliding into the coupling groove, the locking portion is rotated by the driving force of the second pulley to be coupled to the coupling portion. 7 . The fixing device according to claim 6 , wherein the locking portion is formed to have a semicircular shape rotatably protruded on one side of the locking portion.

8. The fixing device according to claim 7, wherein: The coupling groove is formed to be recessed along a sliding path of the locking portion, and a top of the coupling groove is formed in a semicircular shape, so that the locking portion is placed at the top of the coupling groove and rotated and coupled to the coupling portion.

9. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein: The assembling module further includes a connecting module, the magnet is rotatably coupled to the connecting module and the coil is wound around the connecting module.

10. The fixing device according to claim 4, in, The connection module includes a first connection module and a second connection module, a predetermined distance exists between the first connection module and the second connection module, and Wherein, the magnet further includes a magnet connecting the middle part of the first connection module and the middle part of the second connection module.

11. The fixing device according to claim 1, further comprising: A controller is operably connected to the coil, and the controller is configured to control the coil to connect or disconnect the cabin unit and the loading unit.

12. The fixing device according to claim 11, wherein: To connect the cabin unit and the loading unit, the controller is configured to magnetically fix the cabin unit and the loading unit together by changing the magnetic circuit through rotation of the magnet while the cabin unit and the loading unit are mechanically fixed.

13. The fixing device according to claim 11, wherein: To separate the cabin unit and the loading unit, the controller is configured to mechanically unfix the cabin unit and the loading unit while simultaneously unfixing the cabin unit and the loading unit magnetically by changing the magnetic circuit through rotation of the magnet.

14. The fixing device according to claim 11, wherein: The controller is configured to separate the cabin unit and the loading unit by controlling the coil so that the coil generates an electromagnetic force in a direction opposite to a direction of the electromagnetic force generated by the coil when the cabin unit and the loading unit are connected to each other.

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