Vehicle door interference prevention device

Abstract

The objective is to provide a vehicle door interference prevention device that prevents passengers' fingers from interfering with a sliding door as it closes. [Solution] The door interference prevention device 100 is characterized by comprising: a sliding door 104 that slides to form an opening 106 for boarding and alighting between itself and the vehicle's center pillar 102; a deployable member 108 that is stored inside the vehicle and deploys to protrude outside the vehicle through the opening 106 to cover the center pillar 102; and an interlocking mechanism 110 that deploys the deployable member 108 in conjunction with the opening operation of the sliding door 104.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle door interference prevention device.

Background Art

[0002] When a person gets on or off a vehicle, a passenger other than the driver may get on or off while gripping, for example, the vicinity of the center pillar. In this case, if another person closes the door before the passenger releases their hand, the passenger's hand or finger may be injured. In particular, when an infant or an elderly person gets on or off, other people need to pay due attention and assist.

[0003] As a technology for preventing fingers from being caught by a vehicle door, Patent Document 1 discloses a finger pinch prevention device for an automobile door. In the technology of Patent Document 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, when a passenger grips the peripheral edge of the door, it is detected by the touch sensor 1, and the lock hinge 18 protrudes, so that the door cannot be completely closed. Thereby, while protecting the fingers of the passenger, a notification is made to the driver because the door is in a half-closed state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, it cannot be denied that a passenger may grip a location outside the range of the touch sensor 1. In addition, there may be a case where it is desired to prevent a passenger's finger from being caught when closing the door in a vehicle with a sliding door, and further improvement is desired.

[0006] In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle door interference prevention device that prevents a passenger's fingers from interfering with a sliding door as it is being closed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the vehicle door interference prevention device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a sliding door that slides to form an opening for boarding and alighting between itself and the center pillar of the vehicle; a deployable member that is stored inside the vehicle and unfolds to protrude outside the vehicle through the opening to cover the center pillar; and an interlocking mechanism that deploys the deployable member in conjunction with the opening operation of the sliding door. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle door interference prevention device that prevents a passenger's fingers from interfering with a sliding door as it is being closed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows an overview of a vehicle door interference prevention device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows an overview of the unfolding member in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This diagram shows an overview of the interlocking mechanism shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This diagram shows an overview of each gear unit in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This figure shows an overview of a vehicle door interference prevention device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the control flow by the control unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] A vehicle door interference prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a sliding door that slides to form an opening for boarding and alighting between itself and the center pillar of the vehicle; a deployable member that is stored inside the vehicle and unfolds to protrude outside the vehicle through the opening to cover the center pillar; and an interlocking mechanism that deploys the deployable member in conjunction with the opening operation of the sliding door.

[0011] With the above configuration, when the sliding door is opened, the deploying member extends outwards to cover the center pillar. This prevents passengers from placing their hands on the center pillar or reaching beyond it when getting in or out of the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to prevent passengers' fingers from getting caught when the sliding door is closing. In particular, because the deploying member covers the center pillar in conjunction with the sliding door due to the interlocking mechanism, the deploying member does not require any operation. Therefore, with the above configuration, it is possible to prevent passengers' fingers from interfering with the closing sliding door and to provide passengers with safe entry and exit.

[0012] The above-described interlocking mechanism may include a first gear unit provided around the sliding door that converts the opening motion of the sliding door into rotational force, a second gear unit provided around the unfolding member that converts the rotational force into the unfolding motion of the unfolding member, and a belt member that is stretched between the first gear unit and the second gear unit to transmit rotational force.

[0013] According to the above configuration, a mechanical interlocking mechanism using gears makes it possible to link the opening of the sliding door with the deployment of the deployment member. Therefore, for example, an interlocking mechanism with a simple configuration can be implemented by omitting electronic components.

[0014] The above-described deployable member may include a base portion that protrudes from the vehicle interior through an opening to the outside of the vehicle, an expandable / contractable member that is stretched between a predetermined location inside the vehicle interior and the base portion and extends along with the protrusion of the base portion, and a shielding member that is stretched over the expandable / contractable member and deploys along with the extension of the expandable / contractable member to cover the center pillar.

[0015] According to the deployment member with the above configuration, it becomes possible to cover the center pillar using the shielding member.

[0016] The above shielding member may be a bellows shape that can be folded in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] According to the shielding member with the above configuration, it becomes possible to efficiently cover the center pillar.

[0018] The above interlocking mechanism may start to deploy the deployment member when the sliding door slides a predetermined distance from the closed state.

[0019] According to the above configuration, since the deployment member starts to deploy when the sliding door is opened to a certain extent, it is possible to avoid the deployment member from contacting a person holding the sliding door.

[0020] The above interlocking mechanism may include a detection unit that detects the opening operation of the sliding door, and a motor that drives to deploy the deployment member when the detection unit detects the opening operation.

[0021] According to the above configuration, it becomes possible to preferably interlock the opening operation of the sliding door and the deployment operation of the deployment member by an electric interlocking mechanism using the detection unit and the motor.

Embodiment

[0022] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in such embodiments are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals to omit redundant explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0023] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a vehicle door interference prevention device (hereinafter referred to as the door interference prevention device 100) according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) is a diagram showing the state of the door interference prevention device 100 before operation.

[0024] In the following, in Figure 1 and all other drawings of this application, the front-rear direction of the vehicle is illustrated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Backward), the left-right direction in the vehicle width direction is illustrated by arrows L (Leftward) and R (Rightward), and the up-down direction of the vehicle is illustrated by arrows U (Upward) and D (Downward).

[0025] The door interference prevention device 100 is a device that prevents a passenger's fingers from getting caught between the vehicle's center pillar 102 and the sliding door 104. The door interference prevention device 100 is designed so that when the sliding door 104 is opened, the deployment member 108 deploys in conjunction with it, covering the center pillar 102.

[0026] Figure 1(b) shows the state after the door interference prevention device 100 in Figure 1(a) has been activated.

[0027] The sliding door 104 can be opened and closed by sliding in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The sliding door 104 can be opened, for example, by sliding it towards the rear of the vehicle, thereby forming an opening 106 for entry and exit between it and the center pillar 102.

[0028] The interlocking mechanism 110 is composed of multiple gears, belts, and other components, and enables the deployment member 108 to be deployed in conjunction with the opening operation of the sliding door 104. In other words, the interlocking mechanism 110 allows the deployment member 108 to be deployed without any manual operation.

[0029] The deployable member 108 is designed to cover the center pillar 102 when the sliding door 104 is open. When the sliding door 104 is closed, the deployable member 108 is stored inside the vehicle, and when it is open, it deploys to protrude outside the vehicle through the opening 106.

[0030] Figure 2 is a diagram showing an overview of the deployment member 108 in Figure 1. Figure 2(a) is a diagram showing the state of the deployment member 108 before operation, as viewed from the front of the vehicle.

[0031] The deployable member 108 has a base 114 that serves as the foundation, and is equipped with retractable members 116 and 118 that form the framework, and a curtain-like shielding member 130 (see Figure 2(b)). The deployable member 108 is operated by a second gear unit 134 included in the interlocking mechanism 110 (see Figure 1(b)) to deploy and cover the center pillar 102.

[0032] The storage section 112 is a part that stores the expandable members 116, 118 and the shielding member 130 when the sliding door 104 (see Figure 1(a)) is closed. The storage section 112 can be provided, for example, adjacent to the rear side of the center pillar 102 in the vehicle interior, i.e., on the sliding door 104 side. The storage section 112 is open on the outside in the vehicle width direction, allowing the shielding member 130 to be deployed outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0033] Figure 2(b) shows the state after the deployment member 108 has been activated.

[0034] The deployable member 108 has a base 114 as a foundational structure. The base 114 is formed, for example, from a long aluminum member and supports the expandable members 116, 118 and the shielding member 130. The base 114 can move from the storage compartment 112 inside the vehicle interior to protrude outside the vehicle through the opening 106 (see Figure 1(b)).

[0035] The expandable members 116 and 118 are frameworks that support the shielding member 130, and they extend with the protrusion of the base 114 and contract with the retraction of the base 114. The expandable members 116 and 118 are, for example, designed so that their upper ends can be extended and retracted inward from their lower ends, thereby enabling them to expand and contract.

[0036] The expandable members 116 and 118 are combined in an intersecting manner and are rotatably connected at the intersection by the connecting part 120.

[0037] The telescopic member 116 has its upper end connected to the shielding member 130 by a connecting part 122, and its lower end connected to the inside of the storage compartment 112 inside the vehicle by a connecting part 124. Both connecting parts 122 and 124 are rotatable. As a result, when the base part 114 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction, the telescopic member 116 extends as if being pulled by the shielding member 130.

[0038] The telescopic member 118 has its upper end connected to the inside of the storage compartment 112 inside the vehicle interior by a connecting part 126, and its lower end connected to the tip side of the base 114 by a connecting part 128. Both connecting parts 126 and 128 are rotatable. As a result, the telescopic member 118 extends by being pulled by the base 114 when the base 114 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0039] As described above, the expandable members 116 and 118 are positioned to span between the inside of the storage compartment 112 inside the vehicle interior and the base 114 or the shielding member 130, and are able to expand and contract as the base 114 moves.

[0040] The shielding member 130 is a curtain-like member stretched over the expandable member 116. The shielding member 130 unfolds as the expandable members 116 and 118 extend, protruding from the opening 106 to the outside of the vehicle to the extent that it covers the center pillar 102 (see Figure 1(b)). The shielding member 130 can be made of various materials. For example, the shielding member 130 can be made using a cloth-like flame-retardant material.

[0041] The shielding member 130 is formed in a bellows-like shape that can be folded in the vehicle width direction. The bellows-like shielding member 130 can be unfolded in accordance with the outward projection of the base portion 114 in the vehicle width direction and the extension of the expandable members 116 and 118, and can efficiently cover the center pillar 102 (see Figure 1(b)).

[0042] Furthermore, the shielding member 130 can be realized not only as a bellows-shaped fabric material, but also as a shutter-like configuration in which multiple vertically elongated thin plates are arranged in the vehicle width direction. In this configuration as well, by making it foldable in the vehicle width direction, it becomes possible to cover the center pillar 102 (see Figure 1(b)).

[0043] Figure 3 is a diagram showing an overview of the interlocking mechanism 110 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3(a) is a view of the interlocking mechanism 110 from above.

[0044] The interlocking mechanism 110 includes a first gear unit 132 provided around the sliding door 104, a second gear unit 134 provided around the deployment member 108, and a belt member 136 that transmits rotational force from the first gear unit 132 to the second gear unit 134.

[0045] The first gear unit 132 is located around the sliding door 104 and has the function of converting the opening motion of the sliding door 104 into rotational force.

[0046] Figure 3(b) is a view of a part of the interlocking mechanism in Figure 3(a) from the left side in the vehicle width direction. The first gear unit 132 includes a rack gear 138 and a pinion gear 140.

[0047] The rack gear 138 is installed on the sliding door 104 and moves with the sliding door 104. The pinion gear 140 is installed on the vehicle side and is meshed with the rack gear 138. The pinion gear 140 rotates as the rack gear 138 moves together with the sliding door 104.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3(a), the first gear unit 132 also includes a pulley 142. The pulley 142 is connected to the pinion gear 140 by a shaft 154. Therefore, the pulley 142 rotates as the pinion gear 140 rotates due to the sliding of the sliding door 104.

[0049] The belt member 136 is stretched between the pulley 142 of the first gear unit 132 and the pulley 144 of the second gear unit 134, transmitting rotational force from pulley 142 to pulley 144. The belt member 136 can be implemented, for example, by a rubber belt.

[0050] The second gear unit 134 is located around the deployment member 108 and converts rotational force into the deployment motion of the deployment member 108.

[0051] The second gear unit 134 includes a pulley 144, ring gears 146 and 148, and a pinion gear 150. The pulley 144 is connected to the ring gear 146 by a shaft 156. The ring gear 146 meshes with the ring gear 148, and the ring gear 148 is connected to the pinion gear 150 by a shaft. Therefore, the rotational force of the pulley 144 is transmitted to the pinion gear 150.

[0052] Figure 4 is a diagram showing an overview of each gear unit in Figure 1. Figure 4(a) is a view of the first gear unit 132 in Figure 1 from the front of the vehicle.

[0053] As described above, the sliding door 104 is equipped with a rack gear 138, and the opening operation of the sliding door 104 causes the pinion gear 140 to rotate. The rotational force of the pinion gear 140 is transmitted to the pulley 142 via the shaft 154, and the rotational force of the pulley 142 moves the belt member 136.

[0054] Figure 4(b) is a view of the second gear unit 134 of Figure 1 from the front of the vehicle.

[0055] The force winding around the belt member 136 causes the pulley 144 to rotate. The rotational force of the pulley 144 is transmitted to the ring gear 146 via the shaft 156, and further transmitted to the ring gear 148 and the pinion gear 150.

[0056] The pinion gear 150 meshes with the rack gear 152 provided on the base 114 of the deployable member 108 (see Figure 2(b)), and rotates to extend the base 114. As a result, the base 114 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the opening 106 (see Figure 1(b)), and the shielding member 130 (see Figure 2(b)) deploys to cover the center pillar 102.

[0057] As described above, with the door interference prevention device 100 of this embodiment, when the sliding door 104 is opened, the unfolding member 108 protrudes outwards from the vehicle to the extent that it covers the center pillar 102. Therefore, passengers are unable to place their hands on the center pillar 102 or reach their hands forward beyond the center pillar 102 when getting in or out of the vehicle. Thus, it is possible to prevent passengers from getting their fingers caught when closing the sliding door 104.

[0058] In particular, with the door interference prevention device 100, the interlocking mechanism 110 causes the unfolding member 108 to cover the center pillar 102 in conjunction with the sliding door 104, so the unfolding member 108 does not require any operation. Therefore, with the door interference prevention device 100, it is possible to prevent the passenger's fingers from interfering with the closing sliding door 104, and to provide passengers with safe boarding and alighting.

[0059] In the door interference prevention device 100 of this embodiment, the opening operation of the sliding door 104 is linked to the deployment operation of the deployment member 108 by a mechanical interlocking mechanism 110 (see Figure 3(a)) using various gears. Therefore, it is possible to implement an interlocking mechanism 110 with a simple configuration, for example, by omitting electronic components.

[0060] The interlocking mechanism 110 in Figure 3(b) can also be configured to start deploying the deployment member 108 when the sliding door 104 slides a predetermined distance from the closed position. For example, the rack gear 132 can have a range in which the pinion gear 140 does not rotate, for example, by providing a gap without teeth in the area behind the sliding door 104. This allows the pinion gear 140 to rotate and the deployment member 108 to be deployed when the sliding door 104 is opened to a certain extent. This makes it possible to avoid the deployment member 108 coming into contact with a person holding the sliding door 104.

[0061] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an overview of a vehicle door interference prevention device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The door interference prevention device 200 differs in configuration from the door interference prevention device 100 in Figure 1(b) in that it employs a motor 208 in the interlocking mechanism 202.

[0062] In the following description, components that have already been explained will be denoted by the same reference numeral, and their explanation will be omitted. Furthermore, components with the same name as those already explained will be considered to have the same configuration and function, even if they are denoted by different reference numerals.

[0063] The interlocking mechanism 202 is comprised of a detection unit 204, a motor 208, and a control unit 206 that controls them.

[0064] The detection unit 204 is the part that detects the opening operation of the sliding door 104. The detection unit 204 can be realized by providing various sensors around the sliding door 104.

[0065] When the detection unit 204 detects the opening of the sliding door 104, the motor 208 receives a command from the control unit 206 and is driven to deploy the deployment member 108.

[0066] The control unit 206 is electrically connected to the detection unit 204 and the motor 208, and controls the movement and stopping of the motor 208 based on the signal received from the detection unit 204.

[0067] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the control flow by the control unit 206 in Figure 5. The following explanation will describe the processes performed by the door interference prevention device 200 in Figure 5, following the flowchart in Figure 6.

[0068] The control by the control unit 206 can be configured to execute only when the vehicle is stationary. In this case, in step 220, the control unit 206 first determines whether the vehicle is stationary or not. If it is stationary, step 220 is YES, and the process proceeds to step 222. If the vehicle is moving, step 220 is NO, and the process ends.

[0069] In step 222, the control unit 206 determines whether or not it has received an open signal for the sliding door 104 from the detection unit 204. If an open signal is received, step 222 becomes YES and the process proceeds to step 224. If an open signal is not received, step 222 becomes NO and the process proceeds to step 230.

[0070] In step 224, the control unit 206 sends a movement signal to the motor 208, causing the unfolding member 108 to unfold.

[0071] In step 226, the control unit 206 determines whether the motor rotation speed R1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold α1. The threshold α1 is the motor rotation speed when the base 114 of the unfolding member 108 in Figure 2(b) completes its outward protrusion in the vehicle width direction. If the motor rotation speed R1 is less than the threshold α1, the determination in step 226 is NO, and the process in step 226 is repeated.

[0072] If the motor rotation speed R1 becomes greater than or equal to the threshold α1, the determination in step 226 is YES, and the process proceeds to step 228. In step 228, the control unit 206 stops the motor 208. After step 228, the process returns to step 220, and the series of operations is repeated.

[0073] The process returns to step 222. If the open signal for the sliding door 104 is not received in step 222, step 222 becomes NO, and the process moves to step 230. In step 230, the control unit 206 determines whether or not it has received a closed signal for the sliding door 104 from the detection unit 204. If a closed signal is received, step 230 becomes YES, and the process moves to step 232. If a closed signal is not received, step 230 becomes NO, and the process moves to step 222, and the process is repeated.

[0074] In step 232, the control unit 206 sends a signal to the motor 208 to rotate in the opposite direction to when it was deployed, causing the deployed member 108 to be stored in the storage unit 112.

[0075] In step 234, the control unit 206 determines whether the motor rotation speed R2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold α2. The threshold α2 is the motor rotation speed when the base 114 is fully stored in the storage section 112 of the unfolding member 108 in Figure 2(b). If the motor rotation speed R2 is less than the threshold α2, the determination in step 234 is NO, and the process in step 234 is repeated.

[0076] If the motor rotation speed R2 becomes greater than or equal to the threshold α2, the determination in step 234 is YES, and the process proceeds to step 228. In step 228, the control unit 206 stops the motor 208. After step 228, the process returns to step 220, and the series of operations is repeated.

[0077] With the door interference prevention device 200 of this embodiment, when the sliding door 104 is opened, the deploying member 108 can cover the center pillar 102 in conjunction with it. As a result, passengers will not be able to place their hands on the center pillar 102 or reach their hands forward beyond the center pillar 102 when getting in or out of the vehicle. Thus, it is possible to prevent passengers' fingers from getting caught when closing the sliding door 104.

[0078] In particular, the door interference prevention device 200 uses an electrically operated interlocking mechanism 202, which utilizes the detection unit 204 and motor 208 shown in Figure 5, to suitably interlock the opening and closing operations of the sliding door 104 with the deployment and retraction operations of the deployment member 108. Specifically, the interlocking mechanism 202 causes the deployment member 108 to cover the center pillar 102 and then retract in conjunction with the sliding door 104, so the deployment member 108 does not require any operation. Therefore, the door interference prevention device 200 also prevents passengers' fingers from interfering with the opening sliding door 104, providing passengers with safe boarding and alighting.

[0079] In the interlocking mechanism 202, the control unit 206 can control the drive of the motor 208 so that the deployment of the deployment member 108 begins when the sliding door 104 slides a predetermined distance from the closed state. By controlling the deployment of the deployment member 108 from the moment the sliding door 104 is opened to a certain extent, it is possible to avoid the deployment member 108 coming into contact with a person holding the sliding door 104.

[0080] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0081] This invention can be used in a vehicle door interference prevention device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 100...Door interference prevention device, 102...Center pillar, 104...Sliding door, 106...Opening, 108...Deployment member, 110...Interlocking mechanism, 112...Storage section, 114...Base, 116...Extendable member, 120...Connection section, 122, 124...Connection section, 126, 128...Connection section, 130...Shielding member, 132...First gear unit, 134...Second gear unit, 136...Belt member, 138...Rack gear, 140...Pinion gear, 142...Pulley, 144...Pulley, 146...Ring gear, 148...Ring gear, 150...Pinion gear, 152...Rack gear, 154...Shaft, 156...Shaft, 200...Door interference prevention device, 202...Interlocking mechanism, 204...Detection section, 206...Control section, 208...Motor

Claims

1. A sliding door that slides to form an opening for entry and exit between itself and the vehicle's center pillar, A deployable member that is stored inside the vehicle interior and extends outwards through the opening to cover the center pillar, An interlocking mechanism that extends the unfolding member in conjunction with the opening of the sliding door, A vehicle door interference prevention device characterized by comprising the following features.

2. The aforementioned interlocking mechanism is A first gear unit is provided around the sliding door and converts the opening motion of the sliding door into rotational force, A second gear unit is provided around the aforementioned unfolding member and converts rotational force into an unfolding motion of the unfolding member, A belt member that is stretched between the first gear unit and the second gear unit to transmit rotational force, The vehicle door interference prevention device according to claim 1, characterized by having the following features.

3. The aforementioned unfolding member is A base portion that protrudes from the interior of the vehicle through the opening to the outside of the vehicle, An extendable member that spans a predetermined location inside the vehicle interior and the base and extends along with the protrusion of the base, A shielding member stretched over the aforementioned expandable member and unfolding as the expandable member extends to cover the center pillar, The vehicle door interference prevention device according to claim 1, characterized by having the following features.

4. The vehicle door interference prevention device according to claim 3, characterized in that the shielding member is bellows-shaped and foldable in the vehicle width direction.

5. The interlocking mechanism is characterized in that it initiates the deployment of the deployment member when the sliding door slides a predetermined distance from the closed state, as described in claim 1.

6. The aforementioned interlocking mechanism is A detection unit for detecting the opening operation of the sliding door, A motor that is driven when the detection unit detects the opening operation to unfold the unfolding member, The vehicle door interference prevention device according to claim 1, characterized by having the following features.

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