Vehicle opening / closing body driving device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MITSUI KINZOKU ACT
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-10
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a drive device for an opening / closing body for a vehicle, and more particularly to a drive device for an opening / closing body for a vehicle having a relatively simple structure and high transmission efficiency of the driving force of a driving means. [Background technology]
[0002] Conventionally, a vehicle side door opening and closing device has been designed to open and close a side door, which is swingably supported on the vehicle body, using the power of a motor.When the door latch device is unlatched, the side door is opened to the fully open position by the power of the motor of a drive unit, and when the door close switch is operated in the open state, the motor of the drive unit closes the side door, and a side door equipped with a side door opening and closing device is sometimes called a "power hinge door."
[0003] US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0223583 (Patent Document 1) describes an electric door operating mechanism having a housing fixed in a door of a vehicle, an electric motor accommodated in the housing, a drive spindle driven by the electric motor, a pinion gear attached to the drive spindle, a drive nut having a drive nut and driven by the electric motor via the pinion gear, and a lead screw connected to a vehicle body and meshed with the drive nut, in which the drive nut assembly is driven by the electric motor and the lead screw is moved relative to the drive nut, thereby opening and closing the door. In the operating mechanism of Patent Document 1, the position of the spindle shaft relative to the door is fixed, and the drive nut assembly is rotatably connected to the drive spindle and rotates around the rotation center of the drive nut assembly due to the swinging of the lead screw accompanying the opening and closing operation of the door.
[0004] In the actuation mechanism described in Patent Document 1, the lead screw is supported by a drive nut assembly that is separate from the housing that contains the electric motor, and the drive nut assembly rotates due to the swinging of the lead screw, which causes the device to become large in size. In addition, the drive nut assembly requires a spur gear or the like to drive the drive nut, making the structure complex, which is also a factor in the device becoming large in size.
[0005] JP 2021-17746 A (Patent Document 2) describes a side door opening and closing device for a vehicle that includes a drive unit arranged in a storage space in the side door of the vehicle and a connecting mechanism that connects the vehicle body and the drive unit. The drive unit includes a motor arranged so that its rotation axis faces in the vertical direction, a gear case to which the motor is connected and fixed to the side door, a reduction mechanism built into the gear case, an output gear provided at the output part of the reduction mechanism, and a meshing holding unit rotatably connected to the gear case. The connecting mechanism is composed of a rack whose one end is rotatably supported on the vehicle body and whose other end meshes with the output gear. The device describes a side door opening and closing device for a vehicle that opens and closes the door by moving the rack by rotating the output gear.
[0006] In the device described in Patent Document 2, the output direction of the drive unit and the operating direction of the connecting mechanism are perpendicular to each other, so there is a problem that the device becomes large in size in order to obtain good transmission efficiency. There is also a problem that the area between the rack and the output gear is easily subjected to vibrations from the vehicle body and doors. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0007] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0223583 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-17746 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0008] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a drive device for an opening / closing body for a vehicle, which has a relatively simple structure and has high transmission efficiency of the driving force of the drive means. [Means for solving the problem]
[0009] As a result of intensive research in light of the above-mentioned objective, the inventors have discovered that in a vehicle opening / closing body drive device comprising a drive unit having a drive means, a housing which houses the drive unit and is fixed inside either the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and a connecting mechanism which connects the drive unit to the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and in which the output shaft of the drive means and the connecting mechanism are arranged so as to be parallel on a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, by supporting the connecting mechanism rotatably within the housing by a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, and by configuring the connecting mechanism to rotate relative to the housing as the opening / closing body is opened and closed, it is possible to obtain a vehicle opening / closing body drive device having a relatively simple structure and high transmission efficiency of the driving force of the drive means, and have conceived the present invention.
[0010] That is, the vehicle opening / closing body drive device of the present invention drives an opening / closing body rotatably supported on a vehicle body, a drive unit disposed inside either the opening / closing body or the vehicle body and having a drive means; a housing that houses the drive unit, the housing being fixed to the inside of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body in which the drive unit is disposed; a coupling mechanism that couples the drive unit to the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, the coupling mechanism having one end that protrudes from the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed and is rotatably supported by the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and the other end that is inserted into the housing in a direction parallel to a rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body so as to be inserted inside the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed, and thus the coupling mechanism is pushed toward the one end side relative to the housing by a driving force of the drive means and is pulled toward the other end side relative to the housing, thereby driving the opening / closing body to be opened and closed, and an output shaft of the drive means and the coupling mechanism are arranged so as to be parallel to a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane, The connecting mechanism is rotatably supported within the housing by a pivot perpendicular to the rotation locus plane, and rotates relative to the housing in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the opening / closing body.
[0011] In a preferred example of the present invention, the drive mechanism further includes a transmission means disposed within the housing, engaged with an output shaft of the drive means and rotated by the drive means, for transmitting the drive force of the drive means to the connecting mechanism, and the output shaft and the transmission means are connected by a joint structure that allows the engagement angle to be changed, which provides excellent layout design and enables the drive force of the drive means to be reliably transmitted to the connecting mechanism.
[0012] In a further preferred example of the present invention, a peripheral surface of the tip end of the output shaft of the drive means is provided with a plurality of protrusions that protrude in the radial direction of the output shaft and extend along the axis of the output shaft, and the transmission means is provided with an engagement hole having a plurality of engagement grooves with a U-shaped cross section that engage with each of the protrusions of the output shaft, and when the output shaft is inserted into the engagement hole, the side surface of each of the protrusions in the rotational progression direction comes into contact with the opposing side wall of the engagement groove, thereby rotating the transmission means, The outer edge of each of the protrusions is formed into a curved surface in a side view such that the protruding height gradually decreases from the most protruding portion on the tip side of the output shaft toward the rear, and the inner circumferential wall of the engagement hole facing the outer edge extends along the axial direction of the transmission means, so that the transmission means can rotate relative to the output shaft so that the engagement angle with respect to the output shaft changes, and even during this rotation, at least a part of the side surface of the protrusion in the rotational progression direction comes into contact with the opposing side wall of the engagement groove, thereby rotating the transmission means, Thus, the output shaft and the transmission means are connected by a joint structure whose engagement angle is changeable, and the transmission means transmits the driving force of the driving means to the connecting mechanism in both forward and reverse rotation directions of the output shaft while rotating relative to the output shaft.
[0013] In another preferred example of the present invention, the connecting mechanism is a lead screw that is inserted into the housing in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, has one end that protrudes from the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed and is rotatably supported by the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and has the other end that is inserted inside the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed, and is pushed toward the one end side relative to the housing by the driving force of the drive means to move the opening / closing body in the opening direction, and is pulled toward the other end side relative to the housing to move the opening / closing body in the closing direction, the transmission means includes a first transmission means that engages with an output shaft of the drive means and is rotated by the drive means, and a second transmission means that is attached to the lead screw and transmits the rotation of the first transmission means to the lead screw, the first transmission means and the output shaft are connected by the joint structure, and thus the transmission means constitutes a conversion mechanism that converts the direction of the drive force in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body when transmitting the drive force to the connecting mechanism, The first and second transmission means constituting the conversion mechanism are arranged in a straight line along a pivot perpendicular to the rotation locus plane, so that the housing can be disposed close to the mounting surface of the door, and a vehicle opening / closing body drive device with excellent layout properties can be provided.
[0014] In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conversion mechanism is rotatably supported by a pivot perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, and rotates together with the connecting mechanism relative to the housing as the connecting mechanism rotates. Therefore, it is possible to provide an opening / closing body drive device for a vehicle that is not restricted in its installation location and that can operate reliably.
[0015] In yet another preferred example of the present invention, the first and second transmission means are accommodated in a support that is rotatably supported within the housing by a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, and each is arranged in a straight line along the pivot axis in the perpendicular direction and supported rotatably in the support, and the lead screw is inserted into the support in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane and supported by the support via the attached second transmission means.
[0016] In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an opening through which the connecting mechanism is inserted and which allows the connecting mechanism to rotate is provided on each surface of the housing at one end side and the other end side, in a direction perpendicular to a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body. Since the conversion mechanism is supported inside the housing so as to be rotatable along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, the size of the opening can be minimized, and the device can be made compact. In addition, the intrusion of water through the opening can be minimized.
[0017] In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lead screw is covered with a cylindrical tube from a connecting member that connects the connecting mechanism to the other of the opening / closing body and the vehicle body to an opening in the surface of the housing at one end side of the lead screw, so that water can be reliably prevented from entering regardless of the position of the door, and the performance of the device can be maintained for a long period of time. Effect of the Invention
[0018] According to the present invention, a vehicle opening / closing body drive device comprises a drive unit having a drive means, a housing that houses the drive unit and is fixed inside either the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and a connecting mechanism that connects the drive unit to the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and the output shaft of the drive means and the connecting mechanism are arranged so that they are parallel on a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body.The connecting mechanism is rotatably supported within the housing by a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, and the connecting mechanism is rotated relative to the housing in conjunction with the opening and closing movement of the opening / closing body, so that a vehicle opening / closing body drive device having a relatively simple structure and high transmission efficiency of the driving force of the drive means can be obtained. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing a vehicle to which a vehicle opening / closing body drive device according to the present invention is applied as a side door opening / closing device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the side door with the inner panel removed. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a partial plan view showing the internal structure of the side door when the side door is in a closed state. [Figure 4] 4 is a partial plan view showing the internal structure of the side door when the side door is in a fully open state. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the side door opening and closing device as viewed from the connecting mechanism side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the side door opening and closing device as viewed from the drive unit side. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a side view showing the side door opening and closing device. [Figure 8] 1 is a side view showing an outline of the internal structure of a side door opening and closing device; [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a conversion mechanism of the side door opening and closing device. [Figure 10] 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 7. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a speed reduction mechanism of the side door opening and closing device. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a conversion mechanism and its support body of the side door opening and closing device. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the side door opening and closing device with the front housing removed. [Figure 14] FIG. 4A is a side view showing the first transmission gear with the rotating shaft of the motor inserted therein, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing the rotating shaft of the motor from the tip side, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing a state in which the rotating shaft of the motor is fitted into a first transmission gear. [Figure 16] (a) is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first transmission gear rotates clockwise in a plan view while maintaining engagement with the motor output shaft, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first transmission gear engages perpendicularly with the motor output shaft, and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first transmission gear rotates counterclockwise in a plan view while maintaining engagement with the motor output shaft. [Figure 17] FIG. 2A is a plan view showing the side door opening and closing device when the side door is in a closed state, and FIG. 2B is a plan view showing the side door opening and closing device when the side door is in a fully open state. [Figure 18] 1A is a side view showing the back door opening and closing device when the back door is in a closed state, and FIG. 1B is a side view showing the back door opening and closing device when the back door is in a fully open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle opening / closing body drive device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which the device is applied as a device for opening and closing a side door of a vehicle. However, the following description is not limiting, and various modifications may be made within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a side door opening and closing device 1 includes a drive unit 2 arranged in a storage space 62 in an opening and closing body (side door) 6 of a vehicle 4, and a connecting mechanism 3 that connects a vehicle body 5 and the drive unit 2.
[0022] The side door 6 has a metallic outer panel 6a that forms the vehicle exterior side and a metallic inner panel 6b that forms the vehicle interior side. A trim panel 6c is preferably attached to the side surface of the inner panel 6b that faces the vehicle interior side.
[0023] The side door 6 includes a door glass 7a that is raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism 7 disposed therein, a door latch device 8 that holds the side door 6 in a closed position, an outside handle 6A disposed on the outer panel 6a side, and an inside handle (not shown) disposed on the inner panel 6b side. A capacitance sensor (not shown) capable of detecting contact or approach of a user's hand is provided on the outside handle 6A or in its vicinity. In addition, the side door 6 is provided with an angular velocity sensor 6B that detects the opening angle of the side door 6. The angular velocity sensor 6B is preferably disposed on a rotation end (rear end) of the side door 6. Detection signals of the capacitance sensor and the angular velocity sensor 6B are transmitted to a control unit (not shown) disposed at an appropriate position of the vehicle 4. The control unit controls a motor 2a (described later) of the drive unit 2 based on each detection signal received.
[0024] The door glass 7a has its front and rear edges supported by a front guide rail 60 and a rear guide rail 61 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and moves up and down between the outer panel 6a and the inner panel 6b, and moves down to substantially divide the internal space between the outer panel 6a and the inner panel 6b in half. A storage space 62 in which the side door opening and closing device 1 is disposed is formed in the space partitioned by the door glass 7a and the inner panel 6b.
[0025] The side door 6 is supported by the vehicle body 5 so as to be freely rotatable in the left-right direction by a pair of upper and lower door hinges 50. The door hinge 50 is composed of a fixed member 50a fixed to the vehicle body 5 and a movable member 50b fixed to the front end surface of the side door 6 and rotatably connected to the fixed member 50a by a hinge shaft 50c facing in the vertical direction of the vehicle.
[0026] A vehicle body side bracket 31 of the connecting mechanism 3 of the side door opening and closing device 1 is fixed between a pair of upper and lower door hinges 50, 50 in the vehicle body 5. The vehicle body side bracket 31 is connected to the drive unit 2 via a lead screw 30 constituting the connecting mechanism 3.
[0027] As shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the lead screw 30 extends in the side door 6 in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane of the side door 6 (a plane including the rotation locus, which is a plane parallel to the paper plane in Figs. 3 and 4, and a plane perpendicular to the paper plane and extending in a horizontal direction, indicated by the symbol P in Figs. 7 and 8; the same applies below) (in the horizontal direction of the vehicle in the illustrated example). The front end portion of the lead screw 30 projects forward through an opening 6e provided in a front panel 6d of the side door 6, and is rotatably connected to the vehicle body side bracket 31 by a connecting shaft 32 facing in the vertical direction of the vehicle along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane P of the side door 6 (in the illustrated example, the horizontal plane of the vehicle). A stopper portion 34 formed of an elastic member such as rubber is fixed to the rear end portion of the lead screw 30. The lead screw 30 meshes with a second transmission gear 21c of a conversion mechanism 2c in the drive unit 2, which will be described later.
[0028] As shown in Figures 5 to 13, the drive unit 2 has a motor 2a as a drive means arranged so that the output shaft 21a faces in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane P of the side door 6 (the horizontal direction of the vehicle in the illustrated example), a reduction mechanism 2b that reduces the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a of the motor 2a, a conversion mechanism 2c that transmits the driving force of the motor 2a to the connecting mechanism 3, a conversion mechanism support 2d that forms a support body that supports the conversion mechanism 2c, and a housing 2e that is fixed to the side door 6 and supports the conversion mechanism support 2d so that it can rotate freely therein.
[0029] The rotation of the rotary shaft 20a of the motor 2a is reduced and transmitted to the output shaft 21a via the reduction mechanism 2b. A planetary gear mechanism is preferably used as the reduction mechanism 2b. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a front-stage sun gear 20b fixed to the rotary shaft 20a of the motor 2a, a plurality of front-stage planetary gears 21b meshing with the front-stage sun gear 20b, the front-stage planetary gears 21b being supported on a front-stage planetary carrier plate 22b so as to be rotatable about an axis in the horizontal direction of the vehicle, and an inner gear 23b with which each front-stage planetary gear 21b meshes, are preferably used. A rear stage planetary gear mechanism 2b'' is provided, which has a rear stage sun gear 20b' protruding forward from the bottom surface of the front stage planetary carrier plate 22b, a plurality of rear stage planetary gears 21b' rotatably supported on the rear stage planetary carrier plate 22b' about an axis in the horizontal direction of the vehicle and meshing with the rear stage sun gear 20b', and an inner gear 23b with which each of the rear stage planetary gears 21b' meshes. Furthermore, preferably, the rotational axes of the front and rear stage sun gears 20b, 20b' are aligned with the rotational axis of the rotational shaft 20a of the motor 2a.
[0030] The output shaft 21a of the motor 2a is connected to the rear-stage planetary carrier plate 22b', which outputs the reduced rotation of the reduction mechanism 2b, via a connecting member 24b so as to rotate integrally with the rear-stage planetary carrier plate 22b'. The output shaft 21a of the motor 2a is also rotatably supported by a lid portion 26b via a ball bearing 25b. The output shaft 21a of the motor 2a is disposed coaxially with the rotating shaft 20a of the motor 2a.
[0031] The motor 2a and the reduction gear mechanism 2b are connected in series in the horizontal direction of the vehicle, so that they have a long, thin cylindrical shape that extends in the horizontal direction of the vehicle, which makes it easy to store them in the storage space 62 that has a narrow width.
[0032] More preferably, the power transmission path from the rotating shaft 20a of the motor 2a to the output shaft 21a is disposed on the axis L1 (see FIG. 7) in the horizontal direction of the vehicle that passes through the center of the rotating shaft 20a. For example, when a planetary gear is used for the reduction mechanism 2b, the rotation center of the rotating shaft 20a, the rotation centers of the sun gears 20b, 20b' in the planetary gear, and the rotation center of the output shaft 21a are disposed so as to be aligned in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the vehicle. This configuration can further reduce the radial size about the rotating shaft 20a.
[0033] It is preferable to use a brushless motor as the motor 2a. When a brushless motor is used, two-phase current (current is passed only through two-phase armature coils) is used to fix the phase to be current-carried, thereby reducing the motor torque and providing a brake resistance to the opening and closing operation of the side door 6. This makes it possible to hold the side door 6 with a predetermined holding force without providing a separate electromagnetic brake or the like.
[0034] As shown in Figs. 7 to 10 and 12, the conversion mechanism 2c includes first to third transmission gears 20c, 21c and 22c as first to third transmission means, respectively, and includes a first transmission gear 20c into which the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a is inserted, a second transmission gear 21c attached to the lead screw 30, and a third transmission gear 22c connecting the first and second transmission gears 20c and 21c. As shown in Figs. 8, 12 and 13, the first to third transmission gears 20c, 21c and 22c are arranged in a straight line along the axis L3 of the pivot in a direction perpendicular to the rotation locus plane P of the side door 6 (in the vehicle vertical direction in the illustrated example) and are each rotatably housed in a conversion mechanism support 2d in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having holes 200d, 201d and 202d for respectively accommodating them. However, the third transmission gear 22c is not essential, and the first and second transmission gears 20c, 21c may be directly connected to each other.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 12, the conversion mechanism support 2d includes a support body 20d having holes 200d, 201d, and 202d for accommodating the first to third transmission gears 20c, 21c, and 22c, a gear joint 21d for holding the tip of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a inserted into the first transmission gear 20c, a bush 22d and a ball bearing 23d for rotatably supporting the first transmission gear 20c, ball bearings 23d' and 23d" for rotatably supporting the second transmission gear 21c, a shaft 24d for pivotally supporting the third transmission gear 22c, a pair of cylindrical projections 203d and 203d protruding from the upper and lower surfaces of the support body 20d, respectively, a bush 22d' for covering the cylindrical projections 203d and 203d, respectively, to support the support body 20d rotatably relative to the housing 2e, and a cover portion 25d for covering the front surface of the support body 20d.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 10, the lead screw 30 penetrates the conversion mechanism support 2d and is supported by the conversion mechanism support 2d via the second transmission gear 21c. The second transmission gear 21c has internal teeth 21c' that mesh with the lead screw 30 and external teeth 21c" that mesh with the third transmission gear 22c (see FIG. 12).
[0037] The lead screw 30 is covered by a cylindrical tube 35 from the connecting member 33 into which the connecting shaft 32 is inserted together with the vehicle body side bracket 31 to the opening 200e of the housing 2e. In this embodiment, the tube 35 is formed in a bellows shape. The tube 35 may be formed in a cylindrical telescopic structure. The end of the tube 35 on the housing 2e side is provided with a flange portion 350 that can cover the opening 200e of the housing 2e by clamping the periphery of the opening 200e of the housing 2e from the outside and inside of the housing 2e. By providing such a tube 35, it is possible to reliably prevent water from entering regardless of the position of the door 6, and it is possible to maintain performance for a long period of time. The tube 35 is preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber or a thermoplastic resin, and more preferably made of rubber or a thermoplastic resin that is water resistant. When the tube 35 is formed in a bellows shape as in this embodiment, rubber is suitable, and when the tube 35 is formed in a cylindrical telescopic structure, a thermoplastic resin is suitable. Examples of thermoplastic resins include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyacetal, polyacetal copolymers (e.g., copolymers having oxymethylene monomer units and oxyethylene monomer units), polycarbonate, polyether ether ketone, polyester, and the like.
[0038] As shown in Fig. 5, the conversion mechanism support 2d is housed in a housing 2e fixed to the door 6 and is pivotally supported within the housing 2e (see Figs. 10 and 13). As shown in Figs. 5 to 7 and 10, the housing 2e is made up of a front housing 20e that covers the conversion mechanism support 2d from the front and a rear housing 21e that covers it from the rear. The front housing 20e and the rear housing 21e are integrated with an annular packing 22e sandwiched between the flanges of the front housing 20e and the rear housing 21e (see Fig. 10).
[0039] 12 and 13, the conversion mechanism support 2d is provided with a pair of cylindrical projections 203d, 203d projecting from the upper and lower surfaces thereof, respectively. The cylindrical projections 203d, 203d are supported via bushes 22d' by a pair of support parts 211e, 211e provided on the upper and lower parts of the front surface of the rear housing 21e, so that the conversion mechanism support 2d is supported rotatably with respect to the housing 2e.
[0040] As described later, the conversion mechanism 2c can rotate with respect to the housing 2e together with the conversion mechanism support 2d. Therefore, the connecting mechanism 3 can rotate with respect to the housing 2e along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane P of the side door 6 (the vehicle horizontal plane in the illustrated example). As shown in FIG. 6, the lead screw 30 is inserted into the front side of the upper part of the front housing 20e and the rear side of the upper part of the rear housing 21e, and openings 200e, 210e that allow the lead screw 30 to rotate are provided in a direction perpendicular to the axis L3 of the pivot shaft in the vehicle vertical direction that supports the conversion mechanism support 2d. Since the conversion mechanism support 2d is supported inside the housing 2e, the openings 200e, 210e provided in the housing 2e can be reduced to the minimum necessary, and the device can be made compact. In addition, the intrusion of water from the opening 200e provided in the front housing 20e can be minimized.
[0041] 5, 7, and 10, the motor 2a and the reduction mechanism 2b are housed in a motor cover 2f that is provided at the rear of the lower part of the rear housing 21e and is integral with the rear housing 21e. A hole into which the front end of the reduction mechanism 2b is inserted is provided at the rear side of the lower part of the rear housing 21e.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 7, the axis L1 of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a and the axis L2 of the connecting mechanism 3 are parallel (in the illustrated example, parallel when viewed from the side of the vehicle) in a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane P of the side door 6 (a plane parallel to the paper surface in FIG. 7). In other words, the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a and the connecting mechanism 3 are arranged so as to be parallel (parallel when viewed from the side of the vehicle) in a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane P of the side door 6, thereby achieving high transmission efficiency of the driving force of the motor 2a.
[0043] As shown in Figs. 14(a), (b), 15(a), (b), and 16(a)-(c), a plurality of protrusions 210a are provided at equal intervals on the peripheral surface of the tip of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a inserted into the first transmission gear 20c, protruding in the radial direction of the output shaft 21a and extending along the axis of the output shaft 21a. In the illustrated example, four protrusions 210a are arranged in a cross shape in a front view. The first transmission gear 20c is provided with a cross-shaped engagement hole 200c that can accommodate the tip of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a provided with these protrusions 210a and can engage with the tip of the output shaft 21a in both the forward and reverse rotation directions of the output shaft 21a.
[0044] The engagement hole 200c is provided with engagement grooves 200c' having a U-shaped cross section that engage with each protrusion 210a, the same number as the protrusions 210a. Each protrusion 210a is inserted into each engagement groove 200c' extending along the axial direction of the first transmission gear 20c with play in both rotational directions. When the output shaft 21a rotates in either the forward or reverse direction, at least a portion of the side surface portion 211a' in the rotational direction of each protrusion 210a comes into contact with the side wall 201c'' of the opposing engagement groove 200c', thereby rotating the first transmission gear 20c.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 16(b), in a side view, an outer edge 210a' of the approximately fan-shaped projection 210a protrudes most toward the tip side of the output shaft 21a, and an inner wall 200c" of the engagement hole 200c facing the outer edge 210a' extends along the axial direction of the first transmission gear 20c. When the output shaft 21a is inserted perpendicularly into the engagement hole 200c, the most protruding portion of the outer edge 210a' of each projection 210a comes into contact with the inner wall 200c" of the engagement hole 200c.
[0046] In side view, the outer edge 210a' of the approximately sector-shaped projection 210a is a curved surface (a curved surface relative to the axial direction of the output shaft 21a) whose protruding height gradually decreases from the most protruding portion on the tip side of the output shaft 21a toward the rear, and the inner circumferential wall 200c" of the engagement hole 200c facing the outer edge 210a' extends along the axial direction of the first transmission gear 20c. In plan view, the approximately sector-shaped projection 210a is formed widest at the most protruding portion, and both side portions 211a', 211a' are inclined so as to gradually become thinner from the widest portion toward the rear, and side walls 201c", 201c" of the engagement hole 200c facing both side portions 211a', 211a' respectively extend along the axial direction of the first transmission gear 20c.
[0047] Therefore, as shown in Figures 16(a) to (c), the first transmission gear 20c can rotate relative to the output shaft 21a so that the engagement angle of the first transmission gear 20c relative to the output shaft 21a changes, and even during this rotation, the outer edge 210a' of each protrusion 210a comes into contact with the inner circumferential wall 200c" of the engagement hole 200c. The outer edge 210a' of each protrusion 210a comes into contact with the inner circumferential wall 200c" of the engagement hole 200c, thereby preventing rattling during driving.
[0048] Furthermore, as described above, when the first transmission gear 20c rotates relative to the output shaft 21a, at least a portion of the side surface portion 211a' in the rotational direction of each protrusion 210a, mainly the corner portion of the side surface portion 211a' at the widest portion, comes into contact with the side wall 201c" of the opposing engagement groove 200c', so that the first transmission gear 20c can be rotated. The engagement groove 200c' of the engagement hole 200c is formed to have a width and length capable of engaging with each protrusion 210a.
[0049] Therefore, as shown in Figures 13, 17(a) and (b), the conversion mechanism support 2d, which is supported on the housing 2e by a pivot in the vertical direction of the vehicle, can be rotated along the horizontal plane of the vehicle relative to the housing 2e together with the conversion mechanism 2c and the connecting mechanism 3, and the driving force of the motor 2a can be transmitted to the connecting mechanism 3 via the conversion mechanism 2c.
[0050] As long as the driving force of the motor 2a can be transmitted to the connecting mechanism 3 even when the conversion mechanism support 2d rotates relative to the housing 2e, the number and shape of the protrusions 210a provided on the peripheral surface of the tip end of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a and the shape of the corresponding engagement hole 200c of the first transmission gear 20c are not limited to those shown in the figure.
[0051] The opening and closing of the door 6 by the vehicle opening / closing body drive device (side door opening / closing device) 1 of the present invention will be described. As described below, the lead screw 30 swings around the connecting shaft 32 as the side door 6 opens and closes, but the rotation center of the side door 6 (the rotation center of the hinge shaft 50c of the door hinge 50) and the rotation center of the lead screw 30 (the rotation center of the connecting shaft 32) are eccentric to each other in the vehicle interior / exterior direction (see Figs. 3 and 4). Therefore, as shown in Figs. 16(a) to 16(c), the engagement angle of the first transmission gear 20c with respect to the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a changes, and the connecting mechanism 3 rotates with respect to the housing 2e along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane P of the side door 6 (the horizontal plane of the vehicle in the illustrated example). For example, in the closed state of the side door 6 shown in FIG. 3, the lead screw 30 is retracted into the drive unit 2 up to its front end (see FIG. 17(a)), the axis L2 of the lead screw 30 is inclined clockwise by an angle of several degrees in a plan view with respect to the axis L1 of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a, and the connecting mechanism 3 is in a state of being slightly rotated clockwise in a plan view with respect to the housing 2e. From this state, the lead screw 30 is pushed out from the drive unit 2 toward its front end side (door opening direction) by the forward rotation of the first transmission gear 20c driven by the motor 2a, and when it moves relative to the drive unit 2, the side door 6 swings in the opening direction around the hinge shaft 50c of the door hinge 50, and finally opens to the fully open position shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly, the lead screw 30 swings clockwise in a plan view around the connecting shaft 32 and rotates counterclockwise in a plan view with respect to the housing 2e.
[0052] When the side door 6 reaches the fully open position, the movable member 50b of the door hinge 50 abuts against the stopper portion of the fixed member 50a and / or the stopper portion 34 fixed to the lead screw 30 abuts against the rear surface of the rear housing 21e, thereby preventing the side door 6 from moving further in the opening direction.
[0053] In the fully open state of the side door 6 shown in FIG. 4, the lead screw 30 is pushed out from the drive unit 2 until the stopper portion 34 almost abuts against the rear surface of the rear housing 21e, the axis L2 of the lead screw 30 is inclined counterclockwise by an angle of a dozen degrees in a plan view with respect to the axis L1 of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a (see FIG. 17(b)), and the connecting mechanism 3 is in a state of rotating counterclockwise in a plan view with respect to the housing 2e. From this state, the lead screw 30 is drawn toward the drive unit 2 side (door closing direction) by the reverse rotation of the first transmission gear 20c by the drive of the motor 2a, and when it moves relative to the drive unit 2, the side door 6 swings in the closing direction around the hinge shaft 50c of the door hinge 50 and finally closes to the closed position shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, the lead screw 30 swings counterclockwise in a plan view around the connecting shaft 32 and rotates clockwise in a plan view with respect to the housing 2e.
[0054] When the side door 6 reaches the closed position, the door latch device 8 engages with a striker on the vehicle body 5, thereby holding the side door 6 in the closed position. When a brushless motor is used as the motor 2a, two-phase energization (energization of only two-phase armature coils) is performed with the energized phase fixed, thereby reducing the motor torque and generating a holding force for the side door 6, so that the function of the conventional door check link can be supplemented by the brushless motor and the door check link can be omitted.
[0055] When the side door 6 moves from the closed position to the open position, the side door 6 may suddenly open unexpectedly due to the inclination of the vehicle 4 from the front to the rear, the influence of a strong wind, etc. As a countermeasure against this, when the side door 6 moves to a predetermined half-open position, it is preferable to apply a brake resistance to the side door 6 by performing two-phase current supply with a fixed phase to the motor 2a consisting of a brushless motor as described above, thereby suppressing the side door 6 from suddenly opening beyond the predetermined half-open position. The predetermined half-open position of the side door 6 is preferably an opening angle of about 10 degrees, and is detected by an angular velocity sensor 6B provided on the side door 6.
[0056] Hereinafter, an example in which the vehicle opening / closing body drive device of the present invention is applied to a device for opening and closing a back door of a vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components as those in the side door opening / closing device, and differences from the side door opening / closing device will be mainly described, and detailed descriptions of commonalities between the two will be omitted.
[0057] 18(a) and (b), the back door opening / closing device 1' differs from the side door opening / closing device 1 mainly in that the drive unit 2 is disposed inside the roof panel 51, which is a part of the vehicle body 5, and a connecting mechanism 3 connects the back door 6', which is an opening / closing body, and the drive unit 2. The back door 6' is supported by a hinge shaft 50' of a door hinge (not shown) facing in the lateral direction of the vehicle so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The back door opening / closing device 1' is supported by the roof panel 51 via a support bracket (not shown).
[0058] The connecting mechanism 3 has a connecting link 31' with a front end portion rotatably connected to the lead screw 30 instead of the vehicle body side bracket 31, and a rear end portion of the connecting link 31' is fixed to the back door 6'. The lead screw 30 extends inside the roof panel 51 in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane of the back door 6' (a plane including the rotation locus, which is parallel to the paper surface in Figs. 18(a) and (b)), and the rear end portion passes through an opening (not shown) provided in the vehicle body 5 and protrudes rearward, and is connected to the connecting link 31' by a connecting shaft 32 facing in the vehicle lateral direction so as to be rotatable along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane of the back door 6'.
[0059] The drive unit 2 of the tailgate opening / closing device 1' differs from that of the side door opening / closing device 1 in that the housing 2e is fixed to the roof panel 51, which is part of the vehicle body 5, and the conversion mechanism support 2d is supported within the housing 2e by a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the tailgate 6' (in the illustrated example, the vehicle lateral direction), thereby allowing the connecting mechanism 3 to rotate relative to the housing 2e along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane of the tailgate 6' (in the illustrated example, the vehicle vertical plane).
[0060] As described above, since the conversion mechanism support 2d is supported by a pivot in the vehicle lateral direction, the first to third transmission gears 20c, 21c, 22c are arranged in a straight line along the axis L3 of the pivot in the vehicle lateral direction.
[0061] The axis L1 of the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a and the axis L2 of the connecting mechanism 3 are parallel (in the illustrated example, parallel when viewed from above the vehicle) on a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the tailgate 6' (a plane perpendicular to the paper and extending horizontally in Figures 18(a) and (b)). In other words, the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a and the connecting mechanism 3 are arranged so as to be parallel on a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the tailgate 6' (parallel when viewed from above the vehicle).
[0062] The back door 6' is provided with an outside handle (not shown), and it is preferable to provide a capacitance sensor capable of detecting contact or approach of a user's hand on or near the outside handle. The back door 6' is also preferably provided with an angular velocity sensor that detects the opening angle of the back door. The angular velocity sensor is preferably disposed at the rotation end (lower end) of the back door 6'. Detection signals from the capacitance sensor and the angular velocity sensor 6B are transmitted to the control unit (not shown). The control unit controls the motor 2a of the drive unit 2 based on the received detection signals.
[0063] The opening and closing of the back door 6' by the back door opening and closing device 1' will be described below. As described below, the lead screw 30 swings around the pivot supporting the conversion mechanism support 2d as the back door 6' opens and closes, but the rotation center of the back door 6' (rotation center of the hinge shaft 50') and the rotation center of the lead screw 30 (rotation center of the pivot supporting the conversion mechanism support 2d) are eccentric to each other in the vehicle interior and exterior directions (see Figs. 18(a) and (b)). Therefore, the engagement angle of the first transmission gear 20c with respect to the output shaft 21a of the motor 2a changes (see Figs. 16(a) to (c)), and the connecting mechanism 3 rotates with respect to the housing 2e along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane of the back door 6' (the vehicle vertical plane in the illustrated example). For example, in the closed state of the back door 6' shown in Fig. 18(a), the lead screw 30 is retracted into the drive unit 2 up to the rear end, and the connecting mechanism 3 is in a state of being slightly rotated clockwise with respect to the housing 2e in a side view. From this state, when the lead screw 30 is pushed out from the drive unit 2 toward the rear end side (door opening direction) by the forward rotation of the first transmission gear 20c driven by the motor 2a and moves relative to the drive unit 2, the back door 6' swings in the opening direction around the hinge shaft 50' and finally opens to the fully open position shown in Fig. 18(b). Accordingly, the lead screw 30 rotates clockwise relative to the housing 2e in a side view.
[0064] When the tailgate 6' reaches the fully open position, the movable member of the door hinge (not shown) abuts against the stopper portion of the fixed member and / or the stopper portion 34 fixed to the lead screw 30 abuts against the front surface of the housing 2e, thereby preventing the tailgate 6' from moving further in the opening direction.
[0065] In the fully open state of the back door 6' shown in Fig. 18(b), the lead screw 30 is pushed out from the drive unit 2 until the stopper portion 34 almost abuts against the front surface of the housing 2e, and the connecting mechanism 3 is in a state of rotating in the clockwise direction relative to the housing 2e in a side view. From this state, the lead screw 30 is pulled toward the drive unit 2 side (door closing direction) by the reverse rotation of the first transmission gear 20c by the drive of the motor 2a, and when it moves relative to the drive unit 2, the back door 6' swings in the closing direction around the hinge shaft 50' and finally closes to the closed position shown in Fig. 18(a). Accordingly, the lead screw 30 rotates counterclockwise relative to the housing 2e in a side view.
[0066] When the back door 6' reaches the closed position, a door latch device (not shown) provided on the back door 6' engages with a striker on the vehicle body 5, thereby holding the back door 6' in the closed position. As described above, when the motor 2a is a brushless motor, a holding force against the side door 6 is generated by performing two-phase energization with a fixed phase to be energized, so that the function of the conventional door check link can be supplemented by the brushless motor, and the door check link can be omitted. Also, as described above, when the back door 6' moves to a predetermined half-open position, it is preferable to perform two-phase energization with a fixed phase to be energized to the motor 2a consisting of a brushless motor, and apply a brake resistance to the side door 6, thereby suppressing the back door 6' from suddenly opening beyond the predetermined half-open position.
[0067] As described above, the vehicle opening / closing body drive device (side door opening / closing device 1, back door opening / closing device 1') of the present invention has the following advantages (1) to (7). (1) The output shaft 21a of the driving means (motor) 2a and the connecting mechanism (lead screw) 3 are always arranged parallel to the plane perpendicular to the rotation trajectory plane of the opening / closing body (door) 6, 6' (see FIG. 7), so that the transmission efficiency of the driving force of the driving means 2a is high. (2) The connecting mechanism 3 is supported inside the housing 2e by a pivot perpendicular to the rotation trajectory plane of the opening / closing body (door) 6, 6' (see Figure 13), and only the connecting mechanism 3 is configured to be rotatable relative to the housing 2e. This simplifies the structure and provides a vehicle opening / closing body drive device with excellent layout properties. (3) The transmission means (first transmission gear 20c), which rotates by engaging with the output shaft 21a of the drive means 2a and transmits the driving force of the drive means 2a to the connecting mechanism 3, and the output shaft 21a of the drive means 2a are connected by a joint structure whose engagement angle is changeable. Even when the connecting mechanism 3 rotates relative to the housing 2e, the driving force of the drive means 2a can be transmitted to the connecting mechanism 3. This results in excellent layout design and the driving force of the drive means 2a can be reliably transmitted to the connecting mechanism 3. (4) The connecting mechanism 3 is composed of a lead screw, and the above-mentioned transmission means constitutes a conversion mechanism 2c which converts the direction of the driving force in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body (door) 6, 6' when transmitting the driving force to the connecting mechanism 3. The first and second transmission means 20c, 21c constituting the conversion mechanism 2c are arranged in a straight line along a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body (door) 6, 6'. Therefore, the housing 2e can be positioned close to the mounting surface of the door 6, and a vehicle opening / closing body drive device with excellent layout properties can be provided. (5) The conversion mechanism 2c is rotatably supported inside the housing 2e by a pivot perpendicular to the rotation trajectory plane of the opening / closing body (door) 6, 6' (see Figure 13), so that a vehicle opening / closing body drive device that is not restricted in its installation location and that operates reliably can be provided. (6) Since the conversion mechanism 2c is supported inside the housing 2e so as to be rotatable along a plane parallel to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body (door) 6, 6', the size of the opening 200e provided in the housing 2e for allowing the linking mechanism 3 to rotate in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body (door) 6, 6' can be minimized, thereby making it possible to miniaturize the device. Also, the intrusion of water through the opening 200e provided in the housing 2e can be minimized. (7) The lead screw 30 is covered with a cylindrical tube 35 from the connecting member 33 that connects it to the vehicle body 5 to the opening 200e of the housing 2e. Therefore, water can be reliably prevented from entering regardless of the positions of the opening / closing bodies (doors) 6, 6', and the performance of the device can be maintained for a long period of time.
[0068] Although the vehicle opening / closing body drive device of the present invention has been described above as an example of application as a vehicle side door opening / closing device and a back door opening / closing device, the vehicle opening / closing body drive device of the present invention can also be applied as a device for opening and closing a hood (bonnet). In that case, it is preferable to arrange the drive unit 2 on the vehicle body side, similar to the back door opening / closing device 1'. [Explanation of symbols]
[0069] 1. Side door opening and closing device (vehicle opening and closing body drive device) 1' Back door opening and closing device (vehicle opening and closing body drive device) 2. Drive unit 2a: Driving means (motor) 20a Rotating shaft 21a Output shaft 210a...Protrusion 210a'...Outer edge 211a'...Side part 2b...Deceleration mechanism 2b', 2b” Planetary gear mechanism 20b, 20b' Sun gear 21b, 21b' Planetary gear 22b, 22b' Planetary carrier plate 23b Inner gear 24b Connecting member 25b...Ball bearing 26b...Lid part 2c...Conversion mechanism 20c... First transmission means (first transmission gear) 200c...Engagement hole 201c...Engagement groove 201c'...Inner peripheral wall 201c”...Side wall 21c Second transmission means (second transmission gear) 21c'...Internal teeth 21c”...external teeth 22c Third transmission means (third transmission gear) 2d... Conversion mechanism support 20d...Support body 200d, 201d, 202d...housing hole 203d: Cylindrical protrusion 21d Gear joint 22d,22d'···Bush 23d, 23d', 23d”...Ball bearings 24d···shaft 25d···Cover part 2e... Enclosure 20e Front housing 200e...Opening 21e Rear housing 210e...Opening 211e...Support part 22e Annular packing 2f Motor cover 3...Connection mechanism 30···Lead screw 31···Vehicle side bracket 31'···Connecting link 32...Connection shaft 33...Connecting member 34 Stopper part 35...tube 350···Flange section 4. Vehicle 5. Body 50 Door hinge 50a Fixing member 50b Movable member 50c···Hinge axis 50'···Hinge shaft 51 Roof panel 6. Side door (opening and closing body) 6a Outer panel 6b Inner panel 6c...Trim panel 6d...Front Panel 6e Opening 6A: Outside handle 6B...Angular rate sensor 60···Front guide rail 61 Rear guide rail 62 Storage space 6' Back door (opening and closing body) 7. Lifting mechanism 7a Door glass 8. Door latch device P...Rotation trajectory surface L1: Axis of the driving means (motor) L2: Axis of the connecting mechanism (lead screw) L3: Axis of the pivot of the conversion mechanism support
Claims
1. A vehicle opening / closing body drive device that drives an opening / closing body rotatably supported on a vehicle body, a drive unit disposed inside either the opening / closing body or the vehicle body and having a drive means; a housing that houses the drive unit, the housing being fixed to the inside of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body in which the drive unit is disposed; a coupling mechanism that couples the drive unit to the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, the coupling mechanism having one end that protrudes from the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed and is rotatably supported by the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and the other end that is inserted into the housing in a direction parallel to a rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body so as to be inserted inside the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed, and thus the coupling mechanism is pushed toward the one end side relative to the housing by a driving force of the drive means and is pulled toward the other end side relative to the housing, thereby driving the opening / closing body to be opened and closed, and an output shaft of the drive means and the coupling mechanism are arranged so as to be parallel to a plane perpendicular to the rotation locus plane, The connecting mechanism is rotatably supported within the housing by a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane, and rotates relative to the housing in response to the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing body.
2. The vehicle opening / closing body drive device according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission means arranged within the housing, engaging with an output shaft of the drive means and rotated by the drive means, which transmits the driving force of the drive means to the connecting mechanism, and the output shaft and the transmission means are connected by a joint structure in which the engagement angle is changeable.
3. a plurality of protrusions are provided on the peripheral surface of the tip end of the output shaft of the drive means, protruding in the radial direction of the output shaft and extending along the axis of the output shaft; and the transmission means is provided with an engagement hole having a plurality of engagement grooves with a U-shaped cross section which engage with each of the protrusions of the output shaft; and when the output shaft is inserted into the engagement hole, the side surface of each of the protrusions in the direction of rotation comes into contact with the opposing side wall of the engagement groove, thereby rotating the transmission means; The outer edge of each protrusion is formed into a curved surface whose protruding height gradually decreases from the most protruding portion on the tip side of the output shaft toward the rear in a side view, and the inner circumferential wall of the engagement hole facing the outer edge extends along the axial direction of the transmission means, so that the transmission means can rotate with respect to the output shaft so that the engagement angle with respect to the output shaft changes, and even during this rotation, at least a part of the side surface of the protrusion in the rotational progression direction comes into contact with the opposing side wall of the engagement groove, thereby rotating the transmission means, Thus, the output shaft and the transmission means are connected by a joint structure in which the engagement angle is changeable, and the transmission means transmits the driving force of the drive means to the connecting mechanism in both forward and reverse rotation directions of the output shaft while rotating relative to the output shaft.
4. the connecting mechanism is a lead screw that is inserted into the housing in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, has one end that protrudes from the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed and is rotatably supported by the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body, and has the other end that is inserted inside the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed, and is pushed toward the one end side relative to the housing by the driving force of the drive means to move the opening / closing body in an opening direction, and is pulled toward the other end side relative to the housing to move the opening / closing body in a closing direction, the transmission means includes a first transmission means that engages with an output shaft of the drive means and is rotated by the drive means, and a second transmission means that is attached to the lead screw and transmits the rotation of the first transmission means to the lead screw, the first transmission means and the output shaft are connected by the joint structure, and thus the transmission means constitutes a conversion mechanism that converts the direction of the drive force in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body when transmitting the drive force to the connecting mechanism, 4. The vehicle opening / closing body drive device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second transmission means constituting the conversion mechanism are arranged in a straight line along a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane.
5. The vehicle opening / closing body drive device according to claim 4, characterized in that the conversion mechanism is rotatably supported by a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation trajectory plane of the opening / closing body, and rotates together with the connecting mechanism relative to the housing as the connecting mechanism rotates.
6. The vehicle opening / closing body drive device described in claim 5, characterized in that the first and second transmission means are housed in a support that is rotatably supported within the housing by a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body, each of which is arranged in a straight line along the pivot axis in the perpendicular direction and is supported rotatably on the support, and the lead screw is inserted into the support in a direction parallel to the rotation locus plane and supported by the support via the attached second transmission means.
7. The vehicle opening / closing body drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an opening through which the connecting mechanism passes and which allows it to rotate is provided on each surface of the housing at one end side and the other end side of the connecting mechanism, in a direction perpendicular to a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation locus plane of the opening / closing body.
8. The connecting mechanism is a lead screw having one end protruding from the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed and rotatably supported by the other of the opening / closing body and the vehicle body, and the other end inserted into the housing in a direction parallel to the rotation trajectory plane of the opening / closing body so as to be inserted inside the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to which the housing is fixed, and the lead screw is pushed toward the one end side relative to the housing by the driving force of the drive means, thereby moving the opening / closing body in an opening direction, and is pulled toward the other end side relative to the housing, thereby moving the opening / closing body in a closing direction, and the lead screw is covered by a cylindrical tube from a connecting member connecting the connecting mechanism to the other of the opening / closing body or the vehicle body to an opening in the surface of the housing at the one end side of the lead screw.