Automatic door closure device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic door closer device, comprising: a lead screw having one side hinged to a vehicle body and the other side hinged to a door; an opening / closing operation assembly that enables the lead screw to open and close the door; and a brake assembly that is provided in the opening / closing operation assembly and provides a predetermined pressure to the lead screw to provide a holding force.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic door closer device, and more specifically, to an automatic door closer device capable of maintaining a holding force of a door.[Background Art]

[0002] Generally, in a vehicle, a door is required to be stably maintained in an open state while passengers entering or exiting the vehicle or while goods are being loaded or unloaded through the door, thereby facilitating such operations.

[0003] However, a door hinge merely maintains the mounted state of the door and allows the door to be pivotally opened and closed and cannot serve to maintain the open state of the door at a predetermined angle during the opening or closing of the door.

[0004] The opening or closing of the vehicle door is performed manually. Recently, devices for automatically opening or closing doors using the power of a driving motor have been invented.

[0005] A mechanical device for automatically opening and closing a vehicle door is referred to as a power door module (PDM), and key design elements of the PDM include holding the door in an open state as well as opening and closing the door.

[0006] That is, the door needs to maintain its current position even in a sloped or windy environment.

[0007] Conventionally, permanent magnets between a motor and a reducer are used to maintain a holding force, but the holding force generated by the permanent magnets continuously applies a load to the motor, and thus not only higher motor performance is required, but also the power required to move the door is increased.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a need to solve these problems.

[0009] The background technology of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1793261 (registered on October 27, 2017, entitled: Automatic door opening / closing device for vehicle).[Detailed Description of Invention][Technical Problem]

[0010] The present invention is for solving the above problems and directed to providing an automatic door closer device capable of maintaining a holding force by applying a preload to a lead screw moved during an opening and closing operation of a door, thereby simplifying its structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0011] In addition, the present invention is directed to providing an automatic door closer device capable of maintaining a holding force and reducing a load on a driving assembly by appropriately distributing a preload through a brake assembly that applies a preload to a lead screw and a sub-brake assembly operated by a centrifugal force.[Technical Solution]

[0012] An automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lead screw having one side hinged to a vehicle body and the other side hinged to a door, an opening / closing operation assembly configured to allow the lead screw to open or close the door, and a brake assembly which is provided on the opening / closing operation assembly and provides a predetermined pressure to the lead screw to provide a holding force.

[0013] The opening / closing operation assembly may include a housing coupled to a hinge bracket of the door, a driving assembly which is provided in the housing and provides power required for opening or closing the door, and a switching gear configured to convert rotation of the driving assembly into linear motion of the lead screw.

[0014] The switching gear may include a worm wheel whose inner diameter meshes with the lead screw and outer diameter meshes with a driving shaft of the driving assembly.

[0015] The brake assembly may include a pressing nut member which is provided in the housing and whose inner diameter meshes with the lead screw, and a pressing member which is provided between the pressing nut member and the switching gear and applies a preload to the lead screw and the pressing nut member by an elastic force.

[0016] The pressing member may include a spring.

[0017] The driving assembly may include a sub-brake assembly configured to press the driving shaft to provide a holding force.

[0018] The brake operation assembly may include a fixed case fixed to the driving assembly, a rotating case which is provided inside the fixed case and rotates together with the driving shaft, and a brake operation assembly which is provided in the rotating case and selectively provides a load to the driving assembly according to operation of the driving assembly.

[0019] The brake operation assembly may include a brake pad which is divided inside the rotating case and is disposed to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from an inner surface of the rotating case, and an elastic member which is provided between the brake pad and the inner surface of the rotating case and brings the brake pad into close contact toward the driving shaft.[Advantageous Effects]

[0020] As described above, an automatic door closer device according to the present invention can maintain a holding force by applying a preload to a lead screw moved during the opening and closing operation of a door, thereby simplifying its structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0021] In addition, according to the present invention, by additionally including a sub-brake assembly for selectively applying a load to a driving assembly according to the operation of the driving assembly, it is possible to prevent an overload of the driving assembly, thereby reducing damage to the driving assembly and power loss and reducing manufacturing costs by employing a low-performance driving assembly.

[0022] In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to maintain a holding force and reducing a load on the driving assembly by appropriately distributing a preload through a brake assembly that applies a preload to the lead screw and the sub-brake assembly operated by a centrifugal force.

[0023] In addition, according to the present invention, assemblability can be improved by modularizing all components in a housing.[Description of Drawings]

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for describing the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view illustrating main parts of the brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of a sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a plan cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the operation of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes of the Invention]

[0025] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this description, thicknesses of lines, sizes of components, etc., illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of the description.

[0026] In addition, terms to be described below are the terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may be changed according to a user or operator's intention or custom. Accordingly, the definition of these terms should be made based on the description throughout the present specification.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for describing the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is an enlarged view illustrating main parts of the brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of a sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a plan cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the operation of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9, an automatic door closer device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lead screw 110, an opening / closing operation assembly 120, and a brake assembly 130.

[0029] The lead screw 110 has one side hinged to a vehicle body and the other side hinged to a door. More specifically, one end of the lead screw 110 is coupled to a body hinge bracket 112 and coupled to the vehicle body, and the other end is movably coupled to a door hinge bracket 114 and coupled to the door.

[0030] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the lead screw 110 may be linearly moved by the operation of the opening / closing operation assembly 120, which will be described below, and the linear movement of the lead screw 110 enables the door to be opened and closed.

[0031] The opening / closing operation assembly 120 allows the lead screw 110 to open and close the door and includes a housing 122 coupled to the door hinge bracket 114, a driving assembly 125 that is provided in the housing 122 and provides power required for opening or closing the door, and a switching gear 127 for converting the rotation of the driving assembly 125 into linear motion of the lead screw 110.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing 122 is divided into two parts that are coupled by a fastening member, and a sealing member 123 is provided to seal the interior. In addition, the housing 122 includes an accommodating portion 124 for accommodating the driving assembly 125 and a sub-brake assembly 140 to be described below.

[0033] The accommodating portion 124 is formed to extend from a lower portion of the housing 122 and accommodates the driving assembly 125 and the sub-brake assembly 140, thereby modularizing the opening / closing operation assembly 120, the driving assembly 125, and the sub-brake assembly 140. Furthermore, the housing 122 is provided with a controller 150 for controlling the operation of the driving assembly 125. In this way, all components may be formed as a single module by the housing 122.

[0034] In addition, a corrugated tube 116 for protecting a circumferential surface of the lead screw 110 is formed at one side of the housing 122, and the movable accommodating portion 124 for accommodating the other side of the lead screw 110 is formed at the other side of the housing 122.

[0035] The movable accommodating portion 124 is formed in a tubular shape and has a space in which a portion of the lead screw 110 may be accommodated while the lead screw 110 moves.

[0036] The driving assembly 125 provides power required for opening or closing the door and is formed as a motor, and a driving shaft 126 of the motor meshes with the switching gear 127 in the housing 122.

[0037] The driving assembly 125 may use various types of driving devices in the technical spirit of generating rotational power. In one embodiment, the driving assembly 125 uses an electric motor, and a servo motor may also be used as needed.

[0038] The driving assembly 125 is provided on a lower end of the housing 122. That is, when the driving shaft 126 disposed in a vertical direction of the lead screw 110 is rotated by the operation of the driving assembly 125, the rotation of the driving shaft 126 may cause the lead screw 110 to move linearly by the switching gear 127, and the door may be opened and closed by such an operation.

[0039] The switching gear 127 is formed as a worm wheel, an inner diameter portion of the worm wheel meshes with the lead screw 110, and an outer diameter portion of the worm wheel meshes with the driving shaft 126.

[0040] In this case, a worm gear is formed on the driving shaft 126 to mesh with the switching gear 127.

[0041] The switching gear 127 formed as the worm wheel may serve as a reducer for controlling a rotational speed and torque of the driving shaft 126 of the driving assembly 125. This may be controlled according to the diameter and gear teeth of the worm wheel.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the brake assembly 130 is provided on the opening / closing operation assembly 120, provides a predetermined pressure to the lead screw 110 to provide a holding force and is composed of a pressing nut member 132 and a pressing member 134.

[0043] The brake assembly 130 may provide the holding force such that the door maintains its current position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent safety-related incidents caused by unintended opening or closing of the door.

[0044] The pressing nut member 132 is provided in the housing 122 and has an inner diameter that meshes with the lead screw 110. That is, the pressing nut member 132 is provided adjacent to the switching gear 127 in a state of being meshed with the lead screw 110.

[0045] In addition, the pressing member 134 is provided between the pressing nut member 132 and the switching gear 127 to apply a preload to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132 by an elastic force.

[0046] The pressing member 134 may be formed as a spring and may be evenly in contact with facing surfaces of the switching gear 127 and the pressing nut member 132.

[0047] That is, the pressing member 134 presses the pressing nut member 132 using the elastic force to increase a frictional force between gear teeth of the pressing nut member 132 and gear teeth of the lead screw 110, thereby providing a holding force.

[0048] Meanwhile, the driving assembly 125 further includes the sub-brake assembly 140 configured to press the driving shaft 126 to provide a holding force.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 5, 7, and 9, the sub-brake assembly 140 is provided on the driving shaft 126 of the driving assembly 125 to selectively provide a holding force when the door is opened or closed. The sub-brake assembly 140 is composed of a fixed case 142, a rotating case 144, and a brake operation assembly 145.

[0050] The fixed case 142 is fixed to an upper end of the driving assembly 125. In this case, the driving shaft 126 passes through a central portion of the fixed case 142. The rotating case 144 is provided inside the fixed case 142 and coupled to the driving shaft 126 so as to rotate together with the driving shaft 126.

[0051] The brake operation assembly 145 is provided inside the rotating case 144 and selectively provides a load to the driving assembly 125 according to the operation of the driving assembly 125, and more specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the fixed case 142 includes a friction inner diameter portion 143 through which the driving shaft 126 passes, and the brake operation assembly 145 includes a brake pad 146 which splits inside the rotating case 144 and is disposed to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from an inner surface of the rotating case 144, and an elastic member 148 which is provided between the brake pad 146 and the inner surface of the rotating case 144 and brings the brake pad 146 into close contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143.

[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the rotating case 144 has a central portion coupled to the driving shaft 126 and divided into left and right spaces to form separate spaces, the brake pad 146 and the elastic member 148 are provided in the spaces, respectively, and the brake pad 146 is brought into close contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143 by the elastic member 148.

[0053] An outer surface of the brake pad 146 is formed flat to be in contact with the elastic member 148, and an inner surface thereof is formed in a semi-circular shape to correspond to the friction inner diameter portion 143.

[0054] The elastic member 148 is preferably formed as a spring so as to be evenly in contact with the inner surface of the rotating case 144 and the outer surface of the brake pad 146. In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the elastic member 148 is formed in a ring shape and curved in a front-rear direction to provide elasticity so as to be evenly brought into contact with the contact surfaces.

[0055] Hereinafter, the operation and effects of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described as follows.

[0056] First, describing structural features with reference to FIG. 2, the opening / closing operation assembly 120, the brake assembly 130, and the sub-brake assembly 140 are provided and modularized in the housing 122.

[0057] That is, the housing 122 may be formed as a case that may be separated into front and rear spaces, the opening / closing operation assembly 120 may be provided on an upper portion of the housing 122, and the accommodating portion 124 may be formed on a lower portion thereof such that the sub-brake assembly 140 and the driving assembly 125 are integrated into a single module. In addition, the controller 150 for controlling the driving assembly 125 is also provided in the housing 122.

[0058] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the lead screw 110, the body hinge bracket 112, the door hinge bracket 114, and all components that apply holding forces to the door based on the housing 122 may be modularized into the housing 122 and provided as a single module, thereby improving assemblability.

[0059] Thereafter, describing the holding operation performed by the brake assembly 130, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the pressing member 134 may be supported by the switching gear 127 to press the pressing nut member 132 and apply a preload to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132, thereby providing a holding force.

[0060] In this way, the current position of the door can be maintained by a simple structure in which the pressing nut member 132 adjacent to the switching gear 127 provided in the housing 122 provides a preload to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132 using the elastic force of the pressing member 134.

[0061] Meanwhile, according to the present embodiment, the sub-brake assembly 140 is provided to double the holding force. Describing the holding operation performed by the sub-brake assembly 140, as illustrated in FIG. 9A, the brake pad 146 is initially brought into contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143 of the fixed case 142 by the elastic member 148 and is pressed with a predetermined force to fix the rotating case 144, thereby applying the holding force to the driving shaft 126. Accordingly, the door can maintain its current position.

[0062] When the controller 150 operates the driving assembly 125 using an external operating signal, rotational power generated by the driving assembly 125 is transmitted to the lead screw 110 through the sub-brake assembly 140 and the opening / closing operation assembly 120. In this case, the holding force of the sub-brake assembly 140 is released by a centrifugal force due to the operation of the driving assembly 125, thereby enabling smooth opening / closing operation of the door.

[0063] More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 9B, when the driving shaft 126 is rotated by the operation of the driving assembly 125, the brake pad 146 may overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 148 and moves radially due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the driving shaft 126 to eliminate the contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143, and thus the load on the driving assembly 125 can be reduced, thereby enabling rotational power to be transmitted.

[0064] Due to the rotation of the driving shaft 126, the switching gear 127 formed as the worm wheel may be rotated by the worm gear, and the lead screw 110 meshed with the switching gear 127 may be moved, thereby opening or closing the door.

[0065] Accordingly, when the driving assembly 125 rotates above a predetermined rotational speed, the friction force of the brake pad 146 is released, thereby reducing the load on the driving assembly 125 and significantly reducing the power required by the driving assembly 125.

[0066] In addition, when the driving assembly 125 rotates above the predetermined rotational speed, the holding force may be removed such that the low-performance driving assembly 125 may be applied, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0067] By appropriately distributing the preload applied by the brake assembly 130 to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132 and the preload of the sub-brake assembly 140 using the centrifugal force, it is possible to achieve the structure in which the preload of the sub-brake assembly 140 is released during the operation of the driving assembly 125 while maintaining the desired holding force, thereby reducing the load on the driving assembly 125.

[0068] Although the present invention has been described with reference to various embodiments illustrated in the drawings, these are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom.

[0069] Accordingly, the true technical scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0025]Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this description, thicknesses of lines, sizes of components, etc., illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of the description.

[0026]In addition, terms to be described below are the terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may be changed according to a user or operator's intention or custom. Accordingly, the definition of these terms should be made based on the description throughout the present specification.

[0027]FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for describing the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective v...

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic door closer device, and more specifically, to an automatic door closer device capable of maintaining a holding force of a door.[Background Art]

[0002] Generally, in a vehicle, a door is required to be stably maintained in an open state while passengers entering or exiting the vehicle or while goods are being loaded or unloaded through the door, thereby facilitating such operations.

[0003] However, a door hinge merely maintains the mounted state of the door and allows the door to be pivotally opened and closed and cannot serve to maintain the open state of the door at a predetermined angle during the opening or closing of the door.

[0004] The opening or closing of the vehicle door is performed manually. Recently, devices for automatically opening or closing doors using the power of a driving motor have been invented.

[0005] A mechanical device for automatically opening and closing a vehicle door is referred to as a power door module (PDM), and key design elements of the PDM include holding the door in an open state as well as opening and closing the door.

[0006] That is, the door needs to maintain its current position even in a sloped or windy environment.

[0007] Conventionally, permanent magnets between a motor and a reducer are used to maintain a holding force, but the holding force generated by the permanent magnets continuously applies a load to the motor, and thus not only higher motor performance is required, but also the power required to move the door is increased.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a need to solve these problems.

[0009] The background technology of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1793261 (registered on October 27, 2017, entitled: Automatic door opening / closing device for vehicle).[Detailed Description of Invention][Technical Problem]

[0010] The present invention is for solving the above problems and directed to providing an automatic door closer device capable of maintaining a holding force by applying a preload to a lead screw moved during an opening and closing operation of a door, thereby simplifying its structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0011] In addition, the present invention is directed to providing an automatic door closer device capable of maintaining a holding force and reducing a load on a driving assembly by appropriately distributing a preload through a brake assembly that applies a preload to a lead screw and a sub-brake assembly operated by a centrifugal force.[Technical Solution]

[0012] An automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lead screw having one side hinged to a vehicle body and the other side hinged to a door, an opening / closing operation assembly configured to allow the lead screw to open or close the door, and a brake assembly which is provided on the opening / closing operation assembly and provides a predetermined pressure to the lead screw to provide a holding force.

[0013] The opening / closing operation assembly may include a housing coupled to a hinge bracket of the door, a driving assembly which is provided in the housing and provides power required for opening or closing the door, and a switching gear configured to convert rotation of the driving assembly into linear motion of the lead screw.

[0014] The switching gear may include a worm wheel whose inner diameter meshes with the lead screw and outer diameter meshes with a driving shaft of the driving assembly.

[0015] The brake assembly may include a pressing nut member which is provided in the housing and whose inner diameter meshes with the lead screw, and a pressing member which is provided between the pressing nut member and the switching gear and applies a preload to the lead screw and the pressing nut member by an elastic force.

[0016] The pressing member may include a spring.

[0017] The driving assembly may include a sub-brake assembly configured to press the driving shaft to provide a holding force.

[0018] The brake operation assembly may include a fixed case fixed to the driving assembly, a rotating case which is provided inside the fixed case and rotates together with the driving shaft, and a brake operation assembly which is provided in the rotating case and selectively provides a load to the driving assembly according to operation of the driving assembly.

[0019] The brake operation assembly may include a brake pad which is divided inside the rotating case and is disposed to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from an inner surface of the rotating case, and an elastic member which is provided between the brake pad and the inner surface of the rotating case and brings the brake pad into close contact toward the driving shaft.[Advantageous Effects]

[0020] As described above, an automatic door closer device according to the present invention can maintain a holding force by applying a preload to a lead screw moved during the opening and closing operation of a door, thereby simplifying its structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0021] In addition, according to the present invention, by additionally including a sub-brake assembly for selectively applying a load to a driving assembly according to the operation of the driving assembly, it is possible to prevent an overload of the driving assembly, thereby reducing damage to the driving assembly and power loss and reducing manufacturing costs by employing a low-performance driving assembly.

[0022] In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to maintain a holding force and reducing a load on the driving assembly by appropriately distributing a preload through a brake assembly that applies a preload to the lead screw and the sub-brake assembly operated by a centrifugal force.

[0023] In addition, according to the present invention, assemblability can be improved by modularizing all components in a housing.[Description of Drawings]

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for describing the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view illustrating main parts of the brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of a sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a plan cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the operation of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes of the Invention]

[0025] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this description, thicknesses of lines, sizes of components, etc., illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of the description.

[0026] In addition, terms to be described below are the terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may be changed according to a user or operator's intention or custom. Accordingly, the definition of these terms should be made based on the description throughout the present specification.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for describing the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is an enlarged view illustrating main parts of the brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of a sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a plan cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the operation of the sub-brake assembly of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9, an automatic door closer device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lead screw 110, an opening / closing operation assembly 120, and a brake assembly 130.

[0029] The lead screw 110 has one side hinged to a vehicle body and the other side hinged to a door. More specifically, one end of the lead screw 110 is coupled to a body hinge bracket 112 and coupled to the vehicle body, and the other end is movably coupled to a door hinge bracket 114 and coupled to the door.

[0030] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the lead screw 110 may be linearly moved by the operation of the opening / closing operation assembly 120, which will be described below, and the linear movement of the lead screw 110 enables the door to be opened and closed.

[0031] The opening / closing operation assembly 120 allows the lead screw 110 to open and close the door and includes a housing 122 coupled to the door hinge bracket 114, a driving assembly 125 that is provided in the housing 122 and provides power required for opening or closing the door, and a switching gear 127 for converting the rotation of the driving assembly 125 into linear motion of the lead screw 110.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing 122 is divided into two parts that are coupled by a fastening member, and a sealing member 123 is provided to seal the interior. In addition, the housing 122 includes an accommodating portion 124 for accommodating the driving assembly 125 and a sub-brake assembly 140 to be described below.

[0033] The accommodating portion 124 is formed to extend from a lower portion of the housing 122 and accommodates the driving assembly 125 and the sub-brake assembly 140, thereby modularizing the opening / closing operation assembly 120, the driving assembly 125, and the sub-brake assembly 140. Furthermore, the housing 122 is provided with a controller 150 for controlling the operation of the driving assembly 125. In this way, all components may be formed as a single module by the housing 122.

[0034] In addition, a corrugated tube 116 for protecting a circumferential surface of the lead screw 110 is formed at one side of the housing 122, and the movable accommodating portion 124 for accommodating the other side of the lead screw 110 is formed at the other side of the housing 122.

[0035] The movable accommodating portion 124 is formed in a tubular shape and has a space in which a portion of the lead screw 110 may be accommodated while the lead screw 110 moves.

[0036] The driving assembly 125 provides power required for opening or closing the door and is formed as a motor, and a driving shaft 126 of the motor meshes with the switching gear 127 in the housing 122.

[0037] The driving assembly 125 may use various types of driving devices in the technical spirit of generating rotational power. In one embodiment, the driving assembly 125 uses an electric motor, and a servo motor may also be used as needed.

[0038] The driving assembly 125 is provided on a lower end of the housing 122. That is, when the driving shaft 126 disposed in a vertical direction of the lead screw 110 is rotated by the operation of the driving assembly 125, the rotation of the driving shaft 126 may cause the lead screw 110 to move linearly by the switching gear 127, and the door may be opened and closed by such an operation.

[0039] The switching gear 127 is formed as a worm wheel, an inner diameter portion of the worm wheel meshes with the lead screw 110, and an outer diameter portion of the worm wheel meshes with the driving shaft 126.

[0040] In this case, a worm gear is formed on the driving shaft 126 to mesh with the switching gear 127.

[0041] The switching gear 127 formed as the worm wheel may serve as a reducer for controlling a rotational speed and torque of the driving shaft 126 of the driving assembly 125. This may be controlled according to the diameter and gear teeth of the worm wheel.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the brake assembly 130 is provided on the opening / closing operation assembly 120, provides a predetermined pressure to the lead screw 110 to provide a holding force and is composed of a pressing nut member 132 and a pressing member 134.

[0043] The brake assembly 130 may provide the holding force such that the door maintains its current position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent safety-related incidents caused by unintended opening or closing of the door.

[0044] The pressing nut member 132 is provided in the housing 122 and has an inner diameter that meshes with the lead screw 110. That is, the pressing nut member 132 is provided adjacent to the switching gear 127 in a state of being meshed with the lead screw 110.

[0045] In addition, the pressing member 134 is provided between the pressing nut member 132 and the switching gear 127 to apply a preload to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132 by an elastic force.

[0046] The pressing member 134 may be formed as a spring and may be evenly in contact with facing surfaces of the switching gear 127 and the pressing nut member 132.

[0047] That is, the pressing member 134 presses the pressing nut member 132 using the elastic force to increase a frictional force between gear teeth of the pressing nut member 132 and gear teeth of the lead screw 110, thereby providing a holding force.

[0048] Meanwhile, the driving assembly 125 further includes the sub-brake assembly 140 configured to press the driving shaft 126 to provide a holding force.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 5, 7, and 9, the sub-brake assembly 140 is provided on the driving shaft 126 of the driving assembly 125 to selectively provide a holding force when the door is opened or closed. The sub-brake assembly 140 is composed of a fixed case 142, a rotating case 144, and a brake operation assembly 145.

[0050] The fixed case 142 is fixed to an upper end of the driving assembly 125. In this case, the driving shaft 126 passes through a central portion of the fixed case 142. The rotating case 144 is provided inside the fixed case 142 and coupled to the driving shaft 126 so as to rotate together with the driving shaft 126.

[0051] The brake operation assembly 145 is provided inside the rotating case 144 and selectively provides a load to the driving assembly 125 according to the operation of the driving assembly 125, and more specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the fixed case 142 includes a friction inner diameter portion 143 through which the driving shaft 126 passes, and the brake operation assembly 145 includes a brake pad 146 which splits inside the rotating case 144 and is disposed to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from an inner surface of the rotating case 144, and an elastic member 148 which is provided between the brake pad 146 and the inner surface of the rotating case 144 and brings the brake pad 146 into close contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143.

[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the rotating case 144 has a central portion coupled to the driving shaft 126 and divided into left and right spaces to form separate spaces, the brake pad 146 and the elastic member 148 are provided in the spaces, respectively, and the brake pad 146 is brought into close contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143 by the elastic member 148.

[0053] An outer surface of the brake pad 146 is formed flat to be in contact with the elastic member 148, and an inner surface thereof is formed in a semi-circular shape to correspond to the friction inner diameter portion 143.

[0054] The elastic member 148 is preferably formed as a spring so as to be evenly in contact with the inner surface of the rotating case 144 and the outer surface of the brake pad 146. In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the elastic member 148 is formed in a ring shape and curved in a front-rear direction to provide elasticity so as to be evenly brought into contact with the contact surfaces.

[0055] Hereinafter, the operation and effects of the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described as follows.

[0056] First, describing structural features with reference to FIG. 2, the opening / closing operation assembly 120, the brake assembly 130, and the sub-brake assembly 140 are provided and modularized in the housing 122.

[0057] That is, the housing 122 may be formed as a case that may be separated into front and rear spaces, the opening / closing operation assembly 120 may be provided on an upper portion of the housing 122, and the accommodating portion 124 may be formed on a lower portion thereof such that the sub-brake assembly 140 and the driving assembly 125 are integrated into a single module. In addition, the controller 150 for controlling the driving assembly 125 is also provided in the housing 122.

[0058] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the lead screw 110, the body hinge bracket 112, the door hinge bracket 114, and all components that apply holding forces to the door based on the housing 122 may be modularized into the housing 122 and provided as a single module, thereby improving assemblability.

[0059] Thereafter, describing the holding operation performed by the brake assembly 130, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the pressing member 134 may be supported by the switching gear 127 to press the pressing nut member 132 and apply a preload to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132, thereby providing a holding force.

[0060] In this way, the current position of the door can be maintained by a simple structure in which the pressing nut member 132 adjacent to the switching gear 127 provided in the housing 122 provides a preload to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132 using the elastic force of the pressing member 134.

[0061] Meanwhile, according to the present embodiment, the sub-brake assembly 140 is provided to double the holding force. Describing the holding operation performed by the sub-brake assembly 140, as illustrated in FIG. 9A, the brake pad 146 is initially brought into contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143 of the fixed case 142 by the elastic member 148 and is pressed with a predetermined force to fix the rotating case 144, thereby applying the holding force to the driving shaft 126. Accordingly, the door can maintain its current position.

[0062] When the controller 150 operates the driving assembly 125 using an external operating signal, rotational power generated by the driving assembly 125 is transmitted to the lead screw 110 through the sub-brake assembly 140 and the opening / closing operation assembly 120. In this case, the holding force of the sub-brake assembly 140 is released by a centrifugal force due to the operation of the driving assembly 125, thereby enabling smooth opening / closing operation of the door.

[0063] More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 9B, when the driving shaft 126 is rotated by the operation of the driving assembly 125, the brake pad 146 may overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 148 and moves radially due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the driving shaft 126 to eliminate the contact with the friction inner diameter portion 143, and thus the load on the driving assembly 125 can be reduced, thereby enabling rotational power to be transmitted.

[0064] Due to the rotation of the driving shaft 126, the switching gear 127 formed as the worm wheel may be rotated by the worm gear, and the lead screw 110 meshed with the switching gear 127 may be moved, thereby opening or closing the door.

[0065] Accordingly, when the driving assembly 125 rotates above a predetermined rotational speed, the friction force of the brake pad 146 is released, thereby reducing the load on the driving assembly 125 and significantly reducing the power required by the driving assembly 125.

[0066] In addition, when the driving assembly 125 rotates above the predetermined rotational speed, the holding force may be removed such that the low-performance driving assembly 125 may be applied, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0067] By appropriately distributing the preload applied by the brake assembly 130 to the lead screw 110 and the pressing nut member 132 and the preload of the sub-brake assembly 140 using the centrifugal force, it is possible to achieve the structure in which the preload of the sub-brake assembly 140 is released during the operation of the driving assembly 125 while maintaining the desired holding force, thereby reducing the load on the driving assembly 125.

[0068] Although the present invention has been described with reference to various embodiments illustrated in the drawings, these are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom.

[0069] Accordingly, the true technical scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0025]Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this description, thicknesses of lines, sizes of components, etc., illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of the description.

[0026]In addition, terms to be described below are the terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may be changed according to a user or operator's intention or custom. Accordingly, the definition of these terms should be made based on the description throughout the present specification.

[0027]FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing an automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for describing the automatic door closer device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective v...

Claims

1. An automatic door closer device comprising: a lead screw having one side hinged to a vehicle body and the other side hinged to a door; an opening / closing operation assembly configured to allow the lead screw to open or close the door; and a brake assembly which is provided on the opening / closing operation assembly and provides a predetermined pressure to the lead screw to provide a holding force.

2. The automatic door closer device of claim 1, wherein the opening / closing operation assembly includes: a housing coupled to a hinge bracket of the door; a driving assembly which is provided in the housing and provides power required for opening or closing the door; and a switching gear configured to convert rotation of the driving assembly into linear motion of the lead screw.

3. The automatic door closer device of claim 2, wherein the switching gear includes a worm wheel whose inner diameter meshes with the lead screw and outer diameter meshes with a driving shaft of the driving assembly.

4. The automatic door closer device of claim 2, wherein the brake assembly includes: a pressing nut member which is provided in the housing and whose inner diameter meshes with the lead screw; and a pressing member which is provided between the pressing nut member and the switching gear and applies a preload to the lead screw and the pressing nut member by an elastic force.

5. The automatic door closer device of claim 4, wherein the pressing member includes a spring.

6. The automatic door closer device of claim 2, wherein the driving assembly includes a sub-brake assembly configured to press the driving shaft to provide a holding force.

7. The automatic door closer device of claim 2, wherein the brake operation assembly includes: a fixed case fixed to the driving assembly; a rotating case which is provided inside the fixed case and rotates together with the driving shaft; and a brake operation assembly which is provided in the rotating case and selectively provides a load to the driving assembly according to operation of the driving assembly.

8. The automatic door closer device of claim 7, wherein the brake operation assembly includes: a brake pad which is divided inside the rotating case and is disposed to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from an inner surface of the rotating case; and an elastic member which is provided between the brake pad and the inner surface of the rotating case and brings the brake pad into close contact toward the driving shaft.

Images