Door opening / closing device

Abstract

To provide a door opening / closing device utilizing a motor for generating a driving force against a door in the opening / closing direction thereof to allow the door to be held at a specified opening / closing position.SOLUTION: A control device 120 of a door opening / closing device 100, when the opening / closing position of a side door D is within a specified range, conducts door holding control of causing an electric motor 11 to generate a holding force, as a driving force, for holding the opening / closing position, and in the door holding control, energizes at least two or more phases of the electric motor 11 to brake the rotation of a rotor RT of the electric motor 11 for generation of the holding force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a door opening and closing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In the past, for example, there has been a door check device that has an arm that is rotatably attached at one end to the body side and has a locking recess formed by changing the thickness in the direction of the central axis of rotation over the longitudinal direction, and a check mechanism that is provided on the door side and can be engaged and disengaged with the locking recess of the arm (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] In addition, there has been a conventional door opening and closing device for opening and closing a side door supported on the side of a vehicle body via a hinge, which includes a drive unit arranged in the internal space of the side door and a link mechanism that connects the output shaft of the drive unit to the vehicle body, and the link mechanism includes a drive arm extending radially from the output shaft of the drive unit and a driven arm rotatably connected to the vehicle body, and when the drive unit is driven, the side door is opened and closed relative to the vehicle body via the drive arm and driven arm (see, for example, Patent Document 2 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6681202 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6583685 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, sufficient consideration has not been given to the use of a motor that generates a driving force in the opening and closing direction of the door to hold the door in a predetermined opening or closing position, and there is room for improvement in this regard.

[0006] The present invention provides a door opening and closing device that makes it possible to hold a door in a predetermined open / close position by utilizing a motor that generates a driving force for the door in the opening / closing direction of the door. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a motor that generates a driving force for the door in a direction in which the door opens and closes; a door position sensor for detecting an open / closed position of the door; a control device that controls the motor based on the open / closed position detected by the door position sensor; A door opening and closing device comprising: The motor is a stator having at least three-phase coils and a rotor rotatably provided with respect to the stator, the rotor rotating with respect to the stator to generate the driving force; The control device includes: When the opening / closing position is within a predetermined range, a door holding control is performed to generate a holding force for holding the opening / closing position as the driving force. In the door holding control, at least two phases of the motor are energized to brake the rotation of the rotor, thereby generating the holding force. A door opening and closing device. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a door opening and closing device that makes it possible to hold a door in a predetermined open / close position by utilizing a motor that generates a driving force on the door in the opening / closing direction of the door. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a main part of a vehicle to which a door opening and closing device according to the present embodiment is applied. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view conceptually showing a connection portion between the side door of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 and the vehicle body. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the door opening and closing device applied to the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, as viewed obliquely from below and outside the vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the door opening and closing device applied to the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, as viewed obliquely from below on the inside of the vehicle. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the door opening and closing device applied to the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, as viewed obliquely from above. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the exterior of an output shaft and a link mechanism of the door opening and closing device applied to the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the side. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of the link mechanism of the door opening and closing device applied to the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, as viewed obliquely from above. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 conceptually shows the connection portion between the side door of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 and the vehicle body, where (a) is an enlarged plan view of the side door when it is closed, (b) is an enlarged plan view of the side door when it is half-open, and (c) is an enlarged plan view of the side door when it is open. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the door opening and closing device 100. As shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a two-phase current carrying state. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the phases energized by the door holding control and the rotational position of the rotor RT. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the control device 120 of the door opening and closing device 100. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first example of the holding force by the door holding control. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a second example of the holding force by the door holding control. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a third example of the holding force by the door holding control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the door opening and closing device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, an example in which the door opening and closing device of the present invention is applied to a vehicle such as an automobile will be described. The drawings should be viewed in the direction of the reference symbols. In addition, the following embodiments do not limit the invention described in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more features of the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, in the following, the same or similar elements are given the same or similar reference symbols, and their descriptions may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0011] <An example of a vehicle in which the door opening and closing device is used> 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the main parts of a vehicle to which the door opening and closing device of this embodiment is applied. The vehicle to which the door opening and closing device of this embodiment is applied (hereinafter, simply referred to as "vehicle") is, for example, a four-door type four-wheeled automobile having a front side door D and a rear side door D on both sides of a vehicle body B.

[0012] The front side door D and the rear side door D each comprise a hollow door body DM and a frame-shaped sash DS attached to the upper part of the door body DM. Each side door D is connected to the vehicle body B by an upper hinge H and a lower hinge H (hereinafter collectively referred to as "hinge H") attached to the front face DMF of the door body DM, and can rotate around a hinge axis HS aligned in the vertical direction to open and close the entrance opening BO of the vehicle body B.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, a window glass WG is provided in the sash DS of the side door D. The window glass WG is arranged so as to be movable vertically along a lifting guide GG by a lifting mechanism (not shown) arranged inside the door body DM, and when it moves upward, it is able to close the opening of the sash DS. When the window glass WG moves downward, it is housed inside the door body DM, and is able to open the opening of the sash DS.

[0014] Further, each side door D is provided with a drive unit 10 inside the door body DM. The drive unit 10 is for assisting the opening and closing of the side door D relative to the vehicle body B. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the drive unit 10 is configured with an electric motor 11 as a drive source, a reduction gear 12, and an output shaft 13. Although not shown in the figures, the reduction gear 12 may be configured with a plurality of gears such as a planetary gear mechanism. Furthermore, a clutch mechanism may be interposed between the electric motor 11 and the output shaft 13 so as to cut off the power transmission from the electric motor 11 when the side door D is manually operated.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, the drive unit 10 is attached to the inside of each side door D of the vehicle with the electric motor 11 located at the top and the output shaft 13 extending almost vertically downward. The drive unit 10 is attached to an internal space A between the front face DMF to which the hinge H is attached and the lift guide GG inside the door body DM. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, the drive unit 10 is attached to the inside of the side door D with the output shaft 13 located at a position on the vehicle inner side and rearward side of the hinge shaft HS of the side door D when the side door D is closed. The output shaft 13 of the drive unit 10 is connected to the vehicle body B via a link mechanism 20.

[0016] The link mechanism 20 is for opening and closing the side door D relative to the entry / exit opening BO of the vehicle body B when the output shaft 13 is rotated by the drive of the electric motor 11. In this embodiment, the link mechanism 20 is configured to include a drive arm 21 fixed to the output shaft 13, and a driven arm 22 that connects a portion of the vehicle body B facing the front surface DMF of the side door D, for example, a pillar BP, and the drive arm 21.

[0017] As shown in Figs. 3 to 7, the drive arm 21 is configured to include a first arm element 21A and a second arm element 21B that are connected to be relatively slidable along the longitudinal direction. Specifically, guide projections 21B1 are provided on both sides of the base end of the second arm element 21B, and the first arm element 21A is disposed between these guide projections 21B1 in a state in which it can slide along the longitudinal direction but cannot rotate relatively. A groove 21B2 is formed in the tip end of the second arm element 21B along the longitudinal direction. In this drive arm 21, an output shaft 13 is fixed to the base end of the first arm element 21A via the groove 21B2 of the second arm element 21B. Although not shown in the figures, the first arm element 21A and the output shaft 13 are spline-coupled, and there is no relative rotation around the axis 13C of the output shaft 13. The second arm element 21B is sandwiched between the first arm element 21A and a washer 14 fixed to the output shaft 13. Therefore, the first arm element 21A and the second arm element 21B move relatively to the output shaft 13 only along the radial direction, and do not move relatively along the axis 13C of the output shaft 13.

[0018] In this embodiment, the drive arm 21 is in a standby state with its tip inclined rearward at approximately 40° toward the inside of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 2. When the electric motor 11 is driven from this state, the tip of the drive arm 21 passes further inward than the output shaft 13 and can rotate to a position where the tip faces the inside of the vehicle and is tilted forward at approximately 25°.

[0019] The base end of the driven arm 22 is rotatably connected to the pillar BP of the vehicle body B via a link bracket LB. The tip end of the driven arm 22 enters the internal space A of the side door D via a notch LF provided in the front surface DMF of the side door D, and is rotatably connected to the base end of the second arm element 21B of the drive arm 21. A rotation axis C1 between the driven arm 22 and the link bracket LB and a rotation axis C2 between the driven arm 22 and the second arm element 21B are set to be approximately parallel to the axis 13C of the output shaft 13. As is clear from the figure, when the drive arm 21 is in a standby state with the side door D closed, the length of the driven arm 22 is set to extend along the front and rear of the vehicle.

[0020] As shown in Figs. 2 to 7, the second arm element 21B of the drive arm 21 has a positioning pin 21C protruding from its upper surface on the tip side. The positioning pin 21C is a columnar member extending from the second arm element 21B almost vertically upward, and the extended end is inserted into the slide groove 15a of the guide plate 15. The guide plate 15 is a thick plate-like member fixed to the lower part of the drive unit 10, and extends almost perpendicular to the output shaft 13. As shown in Fig. 2, the slide groove 15a is provided along the front and rear of the vehicle at a position that is closer to the inside of the vehicle than the output shaft 13, and is formed in a curved shape that is slightly convex toward the outside of the vehicle. That is, the slide groove 15a provided in the guide plate 15 guides the positioning pin 21C so that it gradually approaches the output shaft 13 of the drive unit 10 during the period when the drive arm 21 rotates forward from the standby state to a position that is almost perpendicular to the output shaft 13 toward the inside of the vehicle. Thereafter, while rotating forward from a position approximately perpendicular to the front and rear of the vehicle, the slide groove 15a is formed to guide the position determination pin 21C so as to gradually move away from the output shaft 13 of the drive unit 10.

[0021] In the door opening and closing device of this embodiment configured as described above, when the electric motor 11 of the drive unit 10 in the standby state with the side door D closed is driven as shown in Fig. 8(a), the rotation of the output shaft 13 is transmitted to the driven arm 22 via the drive arm 21, and the driven arm 22 is pushed forward. Therefore, for example, if the drive unit 10 is operated in a state where the engagement between a striker (not shown) provided on the vehicle body B and a latch device provided on the side door D is released, the driven arm 22 protrudes forward from the front surface DMF of the side door D in sequence, and the side door D is opened about the hinge shaft HS with respect to the vehicle body B, as shown in Fig. 8(b) and Fig. 8(c).

[0022] On the other hand, when the electric motor 11 of the drive unit 10 is rotated in the reverse direction while the side door D is in an open state, the driven arm 22 moves rearward from the state shown in FIG. 8(c) to be accommodated in the internal space A of the side door D as shown in FIG. 8(b), and the side door D can be closed against the vehicle body B as shown in FIG. 8(a).

[0023] <Functional configuration of door opening / closing device> Next, a functional configuration of the door opening and closing device of this embodiment (hereinafter, also referred to as "door opening and closing device 100") will be described. FIG.

[0024] 9, the door opening and closing device 100 includes an electric motor 11 that generates a driving force for a side door D in the opening and closing direction of the side door D, a door sensor 110 that detects the state of the side door D, and a control device 120 that controls the electric motor 11. In this embodiment, the electric motor 11 is a three-phase brushless motor, which will be described in detail later.

[0025] The door sensor 110 includes a door position sensor 111 that detects the position of the side door D in the opening and closing direction (hereinafter also referred to as the "opening and closing position"). In this embodiment, the opening and closing position when the side door D is in a fully closed state (i.e., completely closed state) is set to 0 (zero), and the opening and closing position value increases as the side door D approaches a fully open state (i.e., completely open state). That is, in this embodiment, the opening and closing position can also be referred to as the opening degree of the side door D (hereinafter also referred to as the "door opening degree").

[0026] The door position sensor 111 detects, for example, the current open / close position (i.e., the door opening degree) and outputs a detection signal indicating the detection result to the control device 120. Moreover, the door position sensor 111 may output, for example, a pulse signal corresponding to the opening / closing movement of the side door D to the control device 120, instead of the detection signal indicating the current open / close position. The door position sensor 111 can be realized by, for example, a rotary encoder or the like.

[0027] The door sensor 110 may further include a door acceleration sensor 112 that detects acceleration in the opening / closing direction of the side door D (hereinafter also referred to as "door acceleration"). The door acceleration sensor 112 detects, for example, the current acceleration in the opening / closing direction at the tip of the side door D (specifically, the other end opposite to the one end where the hinge H is provided) as the door acceleration, and outputs a detection signal indicating the detection result to the control device 120. The door acceleration sensor 112 can be realized by, for example, a gyro sensor or the like.

[0028] The control device 120 controls the electric motor 11 based on the state of the side door D detected by the door sensor 110. For example, the control device 120 is realized by a motor drive circuit having half-bridge circuits corresponding to each phase of the electric motor 11, and a microcontroller that controls the opening and closing of switching elements (e.g., MOSFETs) provided in these half-bridge circuits. The control device 120 includes a determination unit 121 and a motor control unit 122 as functional units realized, for example, by the microcontroller executing a program stored in advance or by the motor drive circuit.

[0029] When the motor control unit 122 is not performing door holding control described below, the determination unit 121 determines whether or not the execution condition for the door holding control is satisfied, and passes the determination result to the motor control unit 122. More specifically, the determination unit 121 determines whether or not the opening / closing position (i.e., the door opening degree) of the side door D detected by the door position sensor 111 is within a predetermined range. Then, the determination unit 121 determines that the execution condition for the door holding control is satisfied based on the determination that the opening / closing position is within the predetermined range. In other words, when the determination unit 121 determines that the opening / closing position is not within the predetermined range, it determines that the execution condition for the door holding control is not satisfied.

[0030] In this embodiment, a first range and a second range are provided as the predetermined range, and the determination unit 121 determines whether the opening / closing position is within the first range or the second range. Here, the first range is a range from "a-α" as an example of the first position to "a+α" as an example of the second position, and includes "a" as an example of the predetermined position. Moreover, the second range is a range from "b-α" as another example of the first position to "b+α" as another example of the second position, and includes "b" as another example of the predetermined position. Here, α can be any value greater than 0 (zero), a can be any value greater than α, and b can be any value greater than a.

[0031] When the determination unit 121 determines that the execution condition for the door holding control is satisfied, the motor control unit 122 performs door holding control in which the electric motor 11 generates a holding force for holding the open / closed position of the side door D as the driving force. As described above, in this embodiment, it can be determined that the execution condition for the door holding control is satisfied when the open / closed position is within a predetermined range (more specifically, within a first range or a second range). Therefore, the motor control unit 122 can perform the door holding control when the open / closed position is within the predetermined range. Also, in this embodiment, in the door holding control, the motor control unit 122 generates a holding force by putting the electric motor 11 into a predetermined two-phase energized state.

[0032] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a two-phase energized state. As shown in Fig. 10, in this embodiment, the electric motor 11 is a three-phase, two-pole, three-slot brushless motor, and includes a stator ST having three coils L1, L2, and L3 (i.e., three-phase coils) that are independent of each other, and a two-pole rotor RT rotatably provided with respect to the stator ST.

[0033] The two-phase energized state is a state in which the rotation of the rotor RT relative to the stator ST is braked, and is, for example, a state in which currents of equal magnitude but opposite directions are passed through two of the three coils (i.e., two phases) of the stator ST so that a rotating magnetic field is not generated. Fig. 10 illustrates the two-phase energized state in which currents of equal magnitude but opposite directions are passed through coils L1 and L3. When the electric motor 11 is placed in such a two-phase energized state, the rotor RT tries to maintain a stopped state at a predetermined rotational position relative to the stator ST, which generates the above-mentioned holding force.

[0034] However, even if the electric motor 11 is in a two-phase current-carrying state, if a user of the door opening / closing device 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "user") inputs an operating force to the side door D that exceeds the holding force due to the two-phase current-carrying state, this operating force will cause the side door D to move open or closed, and the rotor RT may rotate relative to the stator ST.

[0035] If the phase to which current is applied during door holding control (i.e., when the electric motor 11 is in a two-phase energized state) is constant, when the rotor RT rotates due to an input of an operating force exceeding the holding force due to the two-phase energized state, the next time the holding force reaches its maximum value is after the rotor RT has rotated 360° in electrical angle. Therefore, if the phase to which current is applied during door holding control is constant, even if the user operates the side door D with a constant operating force during door holding control, the movement of the side door D will be intermittent, and the operability of the side door D during door holding control may be reduced.

[0036] Therefore, when the motor control unit 122 places the electric motor 11 in a two-phase energized state by the door holding control, it is preferable that the motor control unit 122 energizes two phases according to the rotational position of the rotor RT relative to the stator ST at that time.

[0037] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the phases energized by the door holding control and the rotational position of the rotor RT. As shown in Fig. 11, during the door holding control, the motor control unit 122 energizes two phases according to the rotational position of the rotor RT to put the electric motor 11 in a two-phase energization state, so that it is possible to make the holding force reach a maximum value every time the rotor RT rotates 120° in electrical angle. This reduces the sense of discontinuity in the movement of the side door D during the door holding control, and improves the operability of the side door D during the door holding control.

[0038] In this case, for example, the control device 120 stores in advance information indicating which phase is to be energized depending on the rotational position of the rotor RT. When the motor control unit 122 places the electric motor 11 in a two-phase energized state by door holding control, the motor control unit 122 refers to this information and energizes the two phases depending on the rotational position of the rotor RT. In addition, for example, the electric motor 11 is provided with a position detector (for example, a hall sensor or an optical encoder) that detects the rotational position of the rotor RT, and the control device 120 (for example, the motor control unit 122) is configured to be able to acquire the rotational position of the rotor RT based on a detection signal from this position detector.

[0039] However, when a user tries to open or close the door D quickly, the user's operating force on the side door D increases, and the door acceleration may exceed a predetermined value. In other words, when the door acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is highly likely that the user is trying to open or close the side door D quickly. If a holding force is generated in such a case, the holding force may hinder the opening and closing of the side door D.

[0040] Therefore, the determination unit 121 may further determine whether or not the door acceleration is less than a predetermined value based on, for example, the door acceleration detected by the door acceleration sensor 112. The determination unit 121 may determine that the execution condition for the door holding control is satisfied based on the determination that the door acceleration is less than the predetermined value and the opening / closing position is within a predetermined range (for example, within a first range or a second range). In other words, when the determination unit 121 determines that the door acceleration is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the determination unit 121 may determine that the execution condition for the door holding control is not satisfied regardless of whether the opening / closing position is within the predetermined range. That is, the motor control unit 122 may perform the door holding control when the door acceleration is less than the predetermined value and the opening / closing position is within the predetermined range, while not performing the door holding control when the door acceleration is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, regardless of the opening / closing position. In this way, it is possible to suppress the generation of a holding force that may hinder the opening / closing of the side door D against the intention of the user who wants to open and close the side door D quickly.

[0041] In addition, the control device 120 may use, instead of the door acceleration detected by the door acceleration sensor 112, a door acceleration obtained by further differentiating with respect to time the speed in the opening / closing direction of the side door D obtained by differentiating with respect to time the opening / closing position of the side door D detected by the door position sensor 111.

[0042] Furthermore, when the door holding control is being performed by the motor control unit 122, the determination unit 121 determines whether or not an end condition for the door holding control is established, and passes the determination result to the motor control unit 122. More specifically, the determination unit 121 determines whether or not the open / closed position of the side door D detected by the door position sensor 111 has changed from within a predetermined range to outside the predetermined range. Then, based on the determination that the open / closed position has changed from within the predetermined range to outside the predetermined range, the determination unit 121 determines that the end condition for the door holding control is established.

[0043] In this embodiment, as described above, a first range and a second range are provided as the predetermined range. Therefore, the determination unit 121 determines whether or not the opening / closing position has changed from within the first range to outside the first range or from the second range to outside the second range during the door holding control. Then, the determination unit 121 determines that the end condition of the door holding control is established based on the determination that the opening / closing position has changed from within the first range to outside the first range or from the second range to outside the second range.

[0044] The motor control unit 122 ends the door holding control when the determination unit 121 determines that the end condition of the door holding control is satisfied. That is, the motor control unit 122 ends the door holding control when the open / close position changes from within a predetermined range to outside the predetermined range during the door holding control. More specifically, in this embodiment, the motor control unit 122 ends the door holding control when the open / close position changes from within a first range to outside the first range, or from within a second range to outside the second range during the door holding control.

[0045] Furthermore, for example, when the determination unit 121 determines that the opening / closing position is not within a predetermined range (for example, within a first range or a second range), the motor control unit 122 may generate an assisting force as a driving force from the electric motor 11 to assist (i.e., assist) the opening / closing of the side door D. In this way, the user can open and close the side door D with less operating force, improving user convenience.

[0046] <Example of processing executed by the control device> Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device 120 of the door opening and closing device 100. The control device 120 executes a series of processing shown in Fig. 12, for example, when power is being supplied from a battery or the like of the vehicle.

[0047] 12, the control device 120 first determines whether or not the door holding control is in progress (step S1). If it is determined that the door holding control is not in progress (step S1: NO), the control device 120 determines whether or not the open / closed position of the side door D detected by the door position sensor 111 is within a first range (i.e., the range of a±α) (step S2).

[0048] When it is determined that the opening / closing position is within the first range (step S2: YES), the control device 120 proceeds to the process of step S4. On the other hand, when it is determined that the opening / closing position is not within the first range (step S2: NO), the control device 120 determines whether or not the opening / closing position is within a second range (i.e., the range of b±α) based on the opening / closing position of the side door D detected by the door position sensor 111 (step S3).

[0049] When it is determined that the open / closed position is within the second range (step S3: YES), the control device 120 starts the door holding control (step S4) and returns to the process of step S1. On the other hand, when it is determined that the open / closed position is not within the second range (step S3: NO), the control device 120 does not start the door holding control and returns to the process of step S1.

[0050] Furthermore, if it is determined by the processing of step S1 that door holding control is in progress (step S1: YES), the control device 120 determines whether the open / closed position of the side door D detected by the door position sensor 111 has moved from within the first range to outside the first range (step S5).

[0051] When it is determined that the opening / closing position has changed from within the first range to outside the first range (step S5: YES), the control device 120 proceeds to the process of step S7. On the other hand, when it is not determined that the opening / closing position has changed from within the first range to outside the first range (step S5: NO), the control device 120 determines whether or not the opening / closing position has changed from within the second range to outside the second range based on the opening / closing position of the side door D detected by the door position sensor 111 (step S6).

[0052] When it is determined that the opening / closing position has gone from within the second range to outside the second range (step S6: YES), the control device 120 ends the door holding control (step S7) and returns to the processing of step S1. On the other hand, when it is not determined that the opening / closing position has gone from within the second range to outside the second range (step S6: NO), the control device 120 does not end the door holding control and returns to the processing of step S1.

[0053] As described above, according to the door opening / closing device 100, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within a predetermined range, a holding force is generated from the electric motor 11, and the side door D is held by the holding force. This makes it possible to hold the side door D at a predetermined opening / closing position (for example, a half-open position between a fully closed position and a fully open position) by utilizing the electric motor 11. Therefore, for example, even if a conventional check link (also called a door checker) is not provided in addition to the electric motor 11 in the vehicle, it is possible to hold the side door D at a predetermined opening / closing position and prevent the side door D from moving to open or close against the user's will. In other words, even if a conventional check link is not provided in the vehicle, it is possible to provide the user with the same (or similar) operational feeling when opening or closing the side door D as when a conventional check link is provided in the vehicle. Therefore, while improving the convenience of the user, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts of the vehicle compared to a case in which a conventional check link is provided in addition to the electric motor 11.

[0054] Moreover, according to the door opening and closing device 100, when the opening / closing position of the side door D goes out of a predetermined range during the door holding control, the door holding control is terminated. As a result, the side door D can be held by the holding force of the electric motor 11 only when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the predetermined range, and when opening or closing the side door D, it is possible to provide the user with the same (or similar) operational feeling as when a conventional check link is provided.

[0055] <First example of holding force by door holding control> A specific example of the holding force by the door holding control will be described below. Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a first example of the holding force by the door holding control. In Fig. 13, the vertical axis represents the magnitude of the holding force, and the horizontal axis represents the opening / closing position of the side door D (in other words, the door opening degree).

[0056] As shown in FIG. 13, the control device 120 (e.g., the motor control unit 122) generates a holding force of a substantially constant magnitude (f1 in the example shown in FIG. 13) when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within a first range or a second range (i.e., within a predetermined range), for example. In this way, it is possible to hold the side door D within the first range or the second range by the holding force while reducing the processing load on the control device 120, as compared to the case where the holding force is changed as in the second example shown in FIG. 14 or the third example shown in FIG. 15. The magnitude of the holding force can be determined arbitrarily by the manufacturer of the door opening / closing device 100, etc.

[0057] <Second example of holding force by door holding control> In the first example shown in Fig. 13, the holding force is constant when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the first range or the second range, but this is not limited to this. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing a second example of the holding force by the door holding control. Here, the explanation will be centered on the points different from the first example shown in Fig. 13, and the explanation of the points common to the first example shown in Fig. 13 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0058] 14, the control device 120 (e.g., the motor control unit 122) may change the magnitude of the holding force depending on the opening / closing position of the side door D when the opening / closing position is within a first range or a second range (i.e., within a predetermined range). In other words, in the door holding control, the control device 120 may change the magnitude of the holding force depending on the opening / closing position of the side door D.

[0059] More specifically, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within a first range, the control device 120 may increase the holding force as the opening / closing position approaches "a", which is a predetermined position within the first range, and decrease the holding force as the opening / closing position moves away from "a". Similarly, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within a second range, the control device 120 may increase the holding force as the opening / closing position approaches "b", which is a predetermined position within the second range, and decrease the holding force as the opening / closing position moves away from "b".

[0060] In this way, when the opening / closing position of the side door D changes from outside the predetermined range to within the predetermined range, or from within the predetermined range to outside the predetermined range, it is possible to prevent a sudden change in the holding force, which would result in a large impact being applied to the hand of the user operating the side door D. Therefore, for example, when opening or closing the side door D, it is possible to provide the user with a natural operating feel similar to that in the case where a conventional check link is provided in a vehicle, enabling the user to open and close the side door D without feeling uncomfortable.

[0061] <Third example of holding force by door holding control> Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a third example of the holding force by the door holding control. Here, the differences from the first example shown in Fig. 13 or the second example shown in Fig. 14 will be mainly described, and the description of the common parts with the first example shown in Fig. 13 or the second example shown in Fig. 14 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 15, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the first range and is around "a", which is a predetermined position within the first range, the control device 120 (for example, the motor control unit 122) may temporarily weaken the holding force.

[0063] More specifically, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the first range, the control device 120 may gradually increase the holding force toward f1 in the range from "a - α" to "a - β (where β < α)", and gradually decrease the holding force toward f2 (where f2 < f1) in the range from "a - β" to "a". Then, the control device 120 may gradually increase the holding force toward f1 again in the range from "a" to "a + β", and gradually decrease the holding force toward 0 (zero) in the range from "a + β" to "a + α".

[0064] That is, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the first range, the control device 120 may make the holding force (f2 in the example shown in FIG. 15) when the opening / closing position is at the predetermined position "a" within the first range smaller than the maximum value of the holding force (f1 in the example shown in FIG. 15) when the opening / closing position is within the range from "a - α" to "a" and the maximum value of the holding force (f1 in the example shown in FIG. 15) when the opening / closing position is within the range from "a" to "a + α".

[0065] In this way, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the first range and is around "a", which is a predetermined position within the first range, the control device 120 can temporarily weaken the holding force, thereby making it possible to suggest to the user by the holding force that the opening / closing position is around "a".

[0066] Similarly, the control device 120 may temporarily weaken the holding force when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the second range and is in the vicinity of "b", which is a predetermined position within the second range. More specifically, when the opening / closing position of the side door D is within the second range, the control device 120 may make the holding force when the opening / closing position is the predetermined position "b" within the second range smaller than the maximum holding force when the opening / closing position is in the range from "b-α" to "b" and the maximum holding force when the opening / closing position is in the range from "b" to "b+α". This enables the control device 120 to suggest to the user that the opening / closing position is in the vicinity of "b" by the holding force.

[0067] Although one embodiment of the door opening and closing device of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can think of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0068] For example, the configurations of the drive unit 10 and the electric motor 11 described in the above embodiment are merely examples, and these may have other configurations.

[0069] In the example described in the above embodiment, the door held by the holding force from the electric motor 11 is the side door D, but this is not limited to this. For example, a motor that generates a driving force in the opening and closing direction of the rear gate of the vehicle may be provided so that the rear gate is held by the holding force from this motor.

[0070] In addition, in the example described in the above embodiment, in the door holding control, a holding force is generated by passing electricity through two phases of the electric motor 11, but this is not limited to this, and for example, a holding force may be generated by passing electricity through three phases of the electric motor 11.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the range of "a±α" is defined as the first range, but this is not limiting, and the range from "a-α" to "a+β" may be defined as the first range. Furthermore, the first range and the second range do not necessarily have to be ranges having the same size, and for example, the range of "a±α" may be defined as the first range and the range of "b±β" may be defined as the second range.

[0072] In addition, in the above embodiment, two predetermined ranges, a first range and a second range, are set as the predetermined range, but the predetermined range may be only the first range, or three or more ranges may be set.

[0073] As described above, according to the present invention, a door opening and closing device can be provided that makes it possible to hold a door in a predetermined open / close position by utilizing a motor that generates a driving force on the door in the opening and closing direction of the door.

[0074] This specification etc. describes at least the following items. In parentheses, components etc. corresponding to the above-mentioned embodiment are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0075] (1) a motor (electric motor 11) that generates a driving force for a door (side door D) in a direction in which the door is opened or closed; A door position sensor (door position sensor 111) for detecting the open / closed position of the door; A control device (control device 120) that controls the motor based on the open / closed position detected by the door position sensor; A door opening and closing device (door opening and closing device 100) comprising: The motor is a stator (stator ST) having at least three-phase coils (coils L1, L2, L3) and a rotor (rotor RT) rotatably provided relative to the stator, the rotor rotating relative to the stator to generate the driving force; The control device includes: When the opening / closing position is within a predetermined range (a first range or a second range), a door holding control is performed to generate a holding force for holding the opening / closing position as the driving force; In the door holding control, at least two phases of the motor are energized to brake the rotation of the rotor, thereby generating the holding force. Door opening and closing device.

[0076] According to (1), when the door opening / closing position is within a predetermined range, a holding force is generated from the motor, and the door can be held by the holding force. This allows the motor to be used to hold the door at a predetermined opening / closing position. Therefore, for example, even without providing a conventional check link (also called a door checker) in addition to the motor, it is possible to hold the door at a predetermined opening / closing position and prevent the door from moving to open or close against the user's will. In other words, even without providing a conventional check link, it is possible to provide the user with the same (or similar) operational feeling when opening or closing the door as when a conventional check link is provided. Therefore, while improving user convenience, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts compared to when a conventional check link is provided in addition to a motor.

[0077] (2) The door opening and closing device according to (1), The control device includes: When the opening / closing position is outside the predetermined range during the door holding control, the door holding control is terminated. Door opening and closing device.

[0078] According to (2), the door can be held in place by the motor's holding force only when the door's opening / closing position is within a specified range, providing the user with the same (or similar) operational feel when opening or closing the door as when a conventional check link is installed.

[0079] (3) A door opening and closing device according to (1) or (2), The control device includes: When the acceleration in the opening / closing direction of the door is less than a predetermined value and the opening / closing position is within the predetermined range, the door holding control is performed; When the acceleration is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the door holding control is not performed regardless of the open / closed position. Door opening and closing device.

[0080] According to (3), it is possible to prevent the generation of a holding force that may hinder the opening and closing of the door, contrary to the user's intention to open and close the door quickly.

[0081] (4) A door opening and closing device according to any one of (1) to (3), The control device includes: When a two-phase energization state is established by the door holding control, energization is performed to two phases according to a rotational position of the rotor relative to the stator. Door opening and closing device.

[0082] According to (4), the sense of discontinuity in the movement of the door during door holding control can be reduced, and the operability of the door during door holding control can be improved.

[0083] (5) A door opening and closing device according to any one of (1) to (4), The control device includes: In the door holding control, a magnitude of the holding force is changed depending on the opening / closing position. Door opening and closing device.

[0084] According to (5), when opening and closing the door, it is possible to provide the user with a natural operating feel similar to that achieved when a conventional check link is installed, enabling the user to open and close the door without any sense of discomfort.

[0085] (6) The door opening and closing device according to (5), The predetermined range is a range from a first position to a second position, including a predetermined position between the first position and the second position; The control device includes: The holding force is increased as the opening / closing position approaches the predetermined position, and the holding force is decreased as the opening / closing position moves away from the predetermined position. Door opening and closing device.

[0086] According to (6), when the door position changes from outside the predetermined range to within the predetermined range, or from within the predetermined range to outside the predetermined range, the holding force changes suddenly, and it is possible to prevent a large shock from being applied to the hand of the user operating the door. Therefore, when opening and closing the door, it is possible to provide the user with a natural operating feel similar to that when a conventional check link is provided, and the user can open and close the door without feeling uncomfortable.

[0087] (7) A door opening and closing device according to (5), The predetermined range is a range from a first position to a second position, including a predetermined position between the first position and the second position; The control device includes: the holding force when the opening / closing position is the predetermined position is smaller than a maximum value of the holding force when the opening / closing position is included in a range from the first position to the predetermined position and a maximum value of the holding force when the opening / closing position is included in a range from the predetermined position to the second position; Door opening and closing device.

[0088] According to (7), it is possible to indicate to the user, by the holding force, that the opening / closing position has reached a predetermined position within a predetermined range. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 11 Electric motor (motor) 100 Door Opener 111 Door Position Sensor 120 Control device D Side door (door) L1, L2, L3 coils RT Rotor ST Stator

Claims

1. a motor that generates a driving force for the door in a direction in which the door opens and closes; a door position sensor for detecting an open / closed position of the door; a control device that controls the motor based on the open / closed position detected by the door position sensor; A door opening and closing device comprising: The motor is a stator having at least three-phase coils and a rotor rotatably provided with respect to the stator, the rotor rotating with respect to the stator to generate the driving force; The control device includes: When the opening / closing position is within a predetermined range, a door holding control is performed to generate a holding force for holding the opening / closing position as the driving force. In the door holding control, current is applied to at least two phases of the motor to brake the rotation of the rotor, thereby generating the holding force. Door opening and closing device.

2. The door opening and closing device according to claim 1, The control device includes: When the opening / closing position is outside the predetermined range during the door holding control, the door holding control is terminated. Door opening and closing device.

3. The door opening and closing device according to claim 1, The control device includes: When the acceleration in the opening / closing direction of the door is less than a predetermined value and the opening / closing position is within the predetermined range, the door holding control is performed; When the acceleration is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the door holding control is not performed regardless of the open / closed position. Door opening and closing device.

4. The door opening and closing device according to claim 1, The control device includes: When a two-phase energization state is established by the door holding control, energization is performed to two phases according to a rotational position of the rotor relative to the stator. Door opening and closing device.

5. The door opening and closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The control device includes: In the door holding control, a magnitude of the holding force is changed depending on the opening / closing position. Door opening and closing device.

6. The door opening and closing device according to claim 5, The predetermined range is a range from a first position to a second position, including a predetermined position between the first position and the second position; The control device includes: The holding force is increased as the opening / closing position approaches the predetermined position, and the holding force is decreased as the opening / closing position moves away from the predetermined position. Door opening and closing device.

7. The door opening and closing device according to claim 5, The predetermined range is a range from a first position to a second position, including a predetermined position between the first position and the second position; The control device includes: the holding force when the opening / closing position is the predetermined position is smaller than a maximum value of the holding force when the opening / closing position is included in a range from the first position to the predetermined position and a maximum value of the holding force when the opening / closing position is included in a range from the predetermined position to the second position; Door opening and closing device.

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