Slide Assist Device

Abstract

To provide a slide assist apparatus that is easy to use by reducing an impact sound when a slide member collides with a frame body.SOLUTION: A slide assist apparatus includes a frame body 31, a pulling spring 32, a slide member 34, and a receiving member, and a slide assist force is applied to a sliding door by engaging or disengaging the slide member 34 and the receiving member with an opening and closing operation of the sliding door, and causing the sliding spring 32 to store or release the applied force. The frame body 31 includes a rectangular cylindrical frame main body 41 to which the slide member 34 is slid, and an edge block 42 that is fitted in each end portion of the frame main body 41 in a state where a fitting block 60 is in close contact with the inner surface of the frame main body 41 and in which the fitting block 60 is composed of an elastic body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a slide assist device for a sliding door that applies a slide assist force in at least one of the opening and closing directions to a sliding door that slides within a door frame or the like to open and close an opening of a structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a door closer as described in Patent Document 1. This door closer assists the sliding of a sliding door in the closing direction by the biasing force of a pull spring.

[0003] Specifically, the door closer comprises a main body attached to the upper end side of the sliding door, a pull spring whose one end is freely accommodated in the main body, an air damper whose one end is freely accommodated in the main body, a sliding block with a catch body attached to the free ends of the pull spring and the air damper, and a hook body provided on the door frame in a manner protruding downward. When the pull spring is extended by a predetermined amount by engaging the catch body with the hook body in response to the sliding door opening operation, the catch body rotates, releasing the engagement between the hook body and the catch body, and the catch body is stopped and held on the main body. On the other hand, when the door closer is closed, the catch body re-engages with the hook body, releasing the stopped and held state of the catch body. Then, the sliding block including the catch body engaged with the hook body slides, and the sliding door is decelerated by the air damper, and the force of the pull spring assists the sliding of the sliding door in the closing direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-156851 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The main body is formed as a hollow box-shaped body long in the opening and closing direction of the sliding door from a hard material such as a steel plate such as stainless steel or a hard synthetic resin. Therefore, when the engagement between the catch body and the hook body is released or re-engaged with the opening or closing operation of the sliding door, the catch body rotates and hits the main body, generating an impact sound. In particular, when the sliding door is closed forcefully, the hook body engages with the engagement bar of the catch body and the catch body rotates and stands up, causing the engagement bar to rise once and hit the hard main body with force. This collision of the engagement bar can cause the main body to vibrate and generate a relatively loud impact sound, and there has been a demand for suppressing such impact sound and improving usability.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional art, and aims to provide a slide assist device that is easy to use by reducing the impact noise generated when a slide member such as a catch body collides with a frame body such as a main body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, a slide assist device according to the present invention includes a frame body provided on a sliding door that opens and closes an opening of a structure, an elastic member having one end freely accommodated within the frame body, a slide member attached to the free end of the elastic member and sliding in the opening and closing direction of the sliding door, and a receiving member attached to the structure and engaging with and disengaging from the slide member within a predetermined range, and when the sliding door slides in one direction, the slide member and the receiving member engage with each other to stretch the elastic member, thereby accumulating the biasing force of the elastic member in the slide member, and when the slide member reaches a predetermined holding position, When the sliding door is slid in the opposite direction, the sliding member is swung to release the engagement between the sliding member and the receiving member, so that the sliding member is held in the holding position, and when the sliding door slides in the opposite direction, the sliding member is re-engaged with the receiving member, so that the biasing force of the elastic member is released and applied as a slide assist force. The frame body includes a hollow frame body with which the sliding member slides, and edge blocks each having at least a part fitted into both ends of the frame body with the edge blocks being in close contact with the inner surface of the frame body, and at least the fitted parts are made of an elastic body. The slide member has a slide main body and an engaging body which is attached to the slide main body in a state in which it can be switched between an engagement posture in which it engages with the receiving member and a release posture in which it releases the engaged state by swinging relative to the slide main body, and which can slide against the frame main body in the engagement posture, and the edge block is provided with a groove portion into which the swinging tip of the engaging body in the release posture is inserted to impart swing resistance to the swinging tip.

[0008] According to this invention, the sliding door includes the frame body, the elastic member, the slide member, and the receiving member, and the slide member swings to engage with the slide member and the receiving member, or release the engagement state, and the biasing force of the elastic member is accumulated or released, thereby applying a slide assist force to the sliding door. The slide member swings and the frame body collide with each other, causing the frame body to vibrate and generating an impact sound. According to this invention, the frame body includes a square cylindrical frame body with which the slide member slides, and edge blocks that are fitted into both ends of the frame body with at least a part of them in close contact with the inner surface of the frame body, and at least the fitted parts are made of an elastic body. Therefore, even if the impact sound occurs, the edge blocks can suppress the vibration of the frame body and reduce the impact sound. This can improve the quietness of the slide assist device and improve usability.

[0009] In this invention, the specific configuration of the frame body is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the frame body further comprises a guide roller attached to the edge block and rolls within a guide rail attached to the structure along the opening and closing direction of the sliding door, and in this case, it is preferable that the embedded portion of the edge block is made of an engineering plastic exhibiting rubber elasticity.

[0010] When the sliding door is slid along a guide rail attached to the structure, a slide block having a smooth contact surface may be used to move the sliding door relative to the guide rail, but the guide roller allows the sliding door to slide along the guide rail more smoothly. By attaching this guide roller to the edge block, the edge block can be effectively used to support the guide roller, and the structure can be formed more compactly than when a separate member for attaching the guide roller is provided. On the other hand, since the fitted portion of the edge block is configured as an elastic body, there is a risk that the relative positional relationship between the guide roller and the edge block becomes unstable when the sliding door is opened or closed.

[0011] However, with the above-mentioned configuration, the fitted portion of the edge block is made of an engineering plastic exhibiting rubber elasticity, so that the improved quietness of the slide assist device is maintained while the operational stability is ensured. That is, based on the rubber elasticity characteristics of the edge block, the vibration of the frame body can be suppressed and the impact noise can be effectively reduced. On the other hand, based on the engineering plastic characteristics of the edge block, the relative positional relationship between the guide roller and the edge block can be stabilized, and thus the operational stability of the slide assist device can be ensured.

[0012] The specific configuration of the slide member is not particularly limited, and the entire slide member may slide and swing, but it is preferable that the slide member has a slide main body and an engaging body that is attached to the slide main body in a state in which it can switch between an engaging position in which it engages with the receiving member and a releasing position in which it releases the engaged state by swinging relative to the slide main body, and that can slide against the frame main body in the engaging position. In this case, it is preferable that the edge block is provided with a groove portion into which the swing tip of the engaging body in the releasing position is inserted to provide swing resistance to the swing tip.

[0013] In this configuration, the sliding member that slides relative to the frame body is divided into at least the slide body and the engaging body, so that the engaging body can be switched in position more stably than when the entire sliding member is switched in position. Also, by configuring the swinging member in a compact manner, the impact noise can be reduced. Moreover, the edge block is provided with a groove that applies swing resistance to the swing tip of the engaging body in the released position by inserting the swing tip of the engaging body. Therefore, when the engaging body switches between the engaged position and the released position, the groove applies resistance to the swing of the engaging body, thereby reducing the moving speed, and thereby reducing the impact noise more effectively.

[0014] In this case, the engaging body may be biased to the engaging position by the elastic member, but it is preferable that the engaging body is biased to the releasing position by the elastic member.

[0015] With this configuration, the engaging body can be appropriately changed from the engaged position to the released position. On the other hand, even if the engaging body is changed forcefully to the released position, the sound deadening effect of the edge block can be appropriately exhibited as described above, so that the influence of the impact sound caused by the biasing force of the engaging body by the elastic member can be suppressed as much as possible.

[0016] The frame body is not particularly limited as long as it can guide the sliding of the slide member, and may be a square tube with a U-shaped cross section opening upward, but it is preferable that the frame body includes a top wall having a guide slit for guiding the slide member and a position change opening connected to one end of the guide slit for allowing the swinging of the slide member, and a retaining tongue that hangs down in a tongue-like manner from the top wall between the guide slit and the position change opening and engages with the slide member. In this case, the tip of the retaining tongue may be configured as a free end, but is preferably supported by the edge block.

[0017] With this configuration, the engaging body in the released position can be engaged with the retaining tongue to stabilize the position, and the operation of the slide assist device can be stabilized. Moreover, since the edge block supports the tip of the retaining tongue, even if an impact sound is generated due to the swinging of the slide member, the vibration of the retaining tongue can be suppressed, and the impact sound can be appropriately reduced while stabilizing the operation of the slide assist device. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the slide assist device of the present invention, even if the sliding member collides with the frame body as the sliding member oscillates, generating an impact noise, the vibration of the frame body can be suppressed to reduce the impact noise, thereby improving the quietness of the slide assist device and improving usability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a slide assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention, partially in cross section; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the device in an enlarged scale. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view showing a frame body and a first edge block of the device in an exploded state. FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a front view showing a first edge block. [Diagram 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a front view showing a second edge block. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a slide member, a tension spring, and a damper member. [Figure 8] 11 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of the slide member, illustrating a state in which the engagement block is in an engagement position. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of the slide member, illustrating a state in which the engagement block is in a release position. FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is a conceptual diagram showing the other slide member of the ambidextrous slide assist device. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the slide assist device of this embodiment is applied to a suspended sliding door used in an opening in a building, etc., but the slide assist device of the present invention can also be applied to a non-suspended sliding door used in an opening in a building, etc., and a sliding door used in other furniture, etc.

[0021] Fig. 1 is a front view showing a part of the slide assist device according to this embodiment in cross section, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the device in an enlarged scale. For convenience of explanation, the +X direction in each figure is described as the right direction, the +Y direction is the rear direction, and the +Z direction is the upward direction, but the expressions of these directions are not particularly limited and simply represent the relative positional relationship within the device of this embodiment.

[0022] First, a brief description will be given of the structure of the sliding door D to which the slide assist device 1 of this embodiment is attached. The sliding door D opens and closes an opening inside a building (corresponding to a structure) and slides within a door frame (not shown). The door frame includes a guide rail L that is provided along the left-right direction on the underside of the lintel and guides the sliding direction of the sliding door D. A cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of this guide rail L is formed into a C-shape that opens downward. A pair of front and rear lower flanges L1 of this guide rail L engage with first and second guide units 10, 11 (to be described later) that are provided at the top of the sliding door D, thereby guiding the sliding door D in a suspended state.

[0023] The first guide unit 10 includes a sliding door fixed body 2 fixed to the sliding door D, and an assist device main body 3 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "device main body") attached to the sliding door fixed body 2 via a connecting part 23 and having a slide assist function for the sliding door D. The second guide unit 11 includes a second sliding door fixed body 12 fixed to the sliding door D, and a guide roller unit 13 attached to the second sliding door fixed body 12 via a connecting part 24. The sliding door fixed body 2 and the second sliding door fixed body 12 are each configured to be able to adjust the protruding height of the connecting parts 23, 24 from each sliding door fixed body 2, 12 and the front-rear protruding position (protruding position in the sliding door width direction) of the connecting parts 23, 24 from each sliding door fixed body 2, 12 by a connecting part adjustment mechanism 14. With this connecting part adjustment mechanism 14, even if a gap occurs between the sliding door D and the door frame (especially the inner side of the side part) due to aging, the sliding door D can be tilted up and down or front and rear to eliminate the remaining closure.

[0024] The slide assist device 1 of this embodiment includes a first guide unit 10 disposed on the top of the sliding door D and a receiving member 5 fixed to the top surface of the guide rail L, and is configured so that the device body 3 of the first guide unit 10 and the receiving member 5 can cooperate to accumulate or release a biasing force, and the released biasing force is applied to the sliding door D as a slide assist force. A specific description will be given below.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device main body 3 comprises a frame body 31 attached to the sliding door fixed body 2, a pull spring 32 (corresponding to an elastic member) whose one end (the right end in the figure) is freely accommodated within the frame body 31, a damper member 33 whose one end (the right end in the figure) is freely accommodated within the frame body 31 in parallel above and below the pull spring 32, and a slide member 34 attached to the free ends of the pull spring 32 and the damper member 33, and is configured to be able to accumulate or release the elastic force of the pull spring 32 as the biasing force.

[0026] The frame body 31 includes a rectangular cylindrical frame body 41 elongated in the left-right direction (opening / closing direction of the sliding door D), a first edge block 42 partially fitted into one longitudinal end (right end) of the frame body 41, a second edge block 43 partially fitted into the other longitudinal end (left end) of the frame body 41, a first guide roller unit 44 attached to the first edge block 42, and a second guide roller unit 45 attached to the second edge block 43, and is connected to the connecting portion 23 of the sliding door fixed body 2 at the first guide roller unit 44. The first guide roller unit 44 and the second guide roller unit 45 each have a front-rear pair or multiple front-rear pairs of guide rollers 44a, 45a, and the guide rollers 44a, 45a roll on the lower flange L1 of the guide rail L to smoothly slide the sliding door D.

[0027] 3 and 5, the frame main body 41 has upper and lower frame bodies 46, 47 each made of a hard material such as a steel plate such as stainless steel or iron, or an engineering plastic, and is configured in a rectangular cylindrical shape with both left and right ends open. In this embodiment, the upper and lower frame bodies 46, 47 are formed by bending a stainless steel plate, and are joined at multiple points in the longitudinal direction with the lower end of the upper frame body 46 fitted onto the upper end of the lower frame body 47, thereby forming an integrated cylindrical shape.

[0028] The upper frame 46 comprises a top wall 461 having an elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, a pair of retaining tongues 462 hanging downward like tongues from symmetric positions in the front-to-back width direction of the top wall 461, and upper side walls 463 hanging downward from both the front and rear side edges of the top wall 461.

[0029] The top wall 461 is a plate-like body extending in the left-right direction. The top wall 461 has a guide slit 461a extending in the left-right direction and a posture switching opening 461b connected to one end of the guide slit 461a. The guide slit 461a guides the slide member 34 and is a long and narrow slit extending rightward from a middle part in the left-right direction of the top wall 461 of the frame body 41 (a position shifted to the right from the center in this embodiment). The front-rear width of the guide slit 461a is set narrower than the front-rear width of a receiving engagement part 821 of the slide member 34, which will be described later. As a result, the receiving engagement part 821 engages with the top wall 461 on both the front and rear sides of the slit 461a and slides on the top wall 461 when the slide member 34 slides.

[0030] Furthermore, the posture switching opening 461b is connected to the right end of the guide slit 461a. The posture switching opening 461b is wider in the front-rear direction than the front-rear width dimension of the guide slit 461a and is wider than the receiving engagement portion 821. Therefore, the posture switching opening 461b allows the slide member 34 to swing. That is, when the slide member 34 reaches the posture switching opening 461b, the receiving engagement portion 821 passes through the posture switching opening 461b, causing the slide member 34 to swing.

[0031] 2 and 3, a pair of holding tongue pieces 462 are provided between the guide slit 461a and the posture changing opening 461b, one at the front and one at the back, with the guide slit 461a in between. Specifically, the holding tongue piece 462 is connected to the top wall 461, and hangs down in a tongue shape by protruding from the top wall 461 into the posture changing opening 461b at a position corresponding to one end of the guide slit 461a in the longitudinal direction (the right end in the illustrated example) and curving downward. The receiving engagement portion 821 engages with the holding tongue piece 462 in the released posture, thereby holding the receiving engagement portion 821 (engagement block 82) in the released posture.

[0032] On the other hand, the lower frame 47 includes a bottom wall 471 that extends in the left-right direction and faces the top wall 461 in the up-down direction, and lower side walls 472 that stand upward from both front and rear edges of the bottom wall 471, and the dimensions of each part are set so that the upper frame 46 can be fitted thereon. In addition, the dimension of the bottom wall 471 in the front-to-rear width direction of the lower frame 47 is set to be narrower than the lower opening width of the guide rail L, and the lower end part protrudes slightly downward from the guide rail L. This expands the internal volume of the frame main body 41. Furthermore, the outer surface of the lower frame 47 is colored in an inconspicuous color such as black, and a design is made so that the downward protruding part is not noticeable. In addition, screw holes 471a for screws 35 for fixing the first edge block 42 and the second edge block 43 to the lower frame 47 are provided at both ends of the bottom wall 471 (see FIG. 2).

[0033] Next, the first edge block 42 will be described. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the frame body and the first edge block in an exploded state, Fig. 4 is a front view showing the first edge block, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in Fig. 2.

[0034] 2 and 3, one end of the first edge block 42 is fitted into the right end of the frame body 41, and the first guide roller unit 44 is attached to the other end. The first edge block 42 has a vibration-proof function as it is made of an elastic body, and by abutting against the frame body 41, it suppresses and attenuates vibrations of the frame body 41, thereby reducing the sound pressure (volume) of the impact sound. By using an engineering plastic (engineering elastomer) having rubber elasticity among the elastic bodies, the relative positional relationship of the first guide roller 44a with respect to the first edge block 42 is stabilized, and the operational stability of the slide assist device 1 can be improved.

[0035] Specifically, the first edge block 42 is integrally molded from an elastomer such as rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer. The thermoplastic elastomer is a block copolymer consisting of a soft segment exhibiting rubber elasticity and a hard segment acting as a cross-linking point of the cross-linked rubber that prevents plastic deformation, and the material is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include polyester-based elastomers, polystyrene-based elastomers, polyurethane-based elastomers, polyamide-based elastomers, polyvinyl chloride-based elastomers, and olefin-based elastomers. It is preferable to use a polyester-based elastomer. More specifically, examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include engineering elastomers such as "Pelprene (registered trademark)" thermoplastic polyester elastomer manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd. and "Hytrel (registered trademark)" thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer manufactured by DuPont-Toray Co., Ltd.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, this first edge block 42 comprises an engaging block 60 that is fitted into one end of the frame main body 41, and an exposed block 61 that is connected to the engaging block 60 and exposed from the frame main body 41, and in this embodiment is integrally molded from an engineering elastomer.

[0037] The fitting block 60 is a block-shaped body configured to be fitted inside the frame body 41 so that at least a part of the outer circumferential surface is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the frame body 41. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the fitting block 60 includes a reduced width portion 63 connected to the exposed block 61, a fitting body 64 connected to the reduced width portion 63, and a swing receiving portion 65 connected to the fitting body 64. The fitting block 60 has a lower front-rear width dimension formed to be equal to the front-rear inside dimension of the lower frame body 47, and an upper front-rear width dimension formed to be equal to the front-rear inside dimension (dimension between the inner surfaces) of the upper frame body 46. As a result, when the fitting block 60 is attached to the frame body 41, the front and rear side surfaces of the lower part are in close contact with the inner surface of the lower frame body 47 as the lower abutting surface 60a, and the front and rear side surfaces of the upper part are in close contact with the inner surface of the upper frame body 46 as the upper abutting surface 60b. The fitting block 60 is configured so that the left-right length is greater than the length from the right end of the frame body 41 to the position change opening 461b, and the swing receiving portion 65 is disposed below the position change opening 461b. Note that the fitting block 60 (particularly the fitting body 64) may be appropriately provided with recesses to suppress sink marks on the lower contact surface 60a and the upper contact surface 60b.

[0038] The narrowed portion 63 connects the fitting body 64 and the exposure block 61 , and is set to a dimension smaller than the front-to-rear width dimension of the fitting body 64 and the front-to-rear width dimension of the exposure block 61 .

[0039] The fitting body 64 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the frame body 41 and suppresses vibration of the frame body 41. As shown in FIG. 5, the fitting body 64 includes a lower body 641 having a front-to-rear width equal to the front-to-rear inner dimension of the lower frame body 47 and an upper body 642 having a front-to-rear width equal to the front-to-rear inner dimension of the upper frame body 46, and is attached to the lower frame body 47 with its bottom surface in close contact with the bottom wall 471 of the lower frame body 47. The front and rear side surfaces of the lower body 641 form a part of the lower abutting surface 60a. The front and rear side surfaces of the upper body 642 form a part of the upper abutting surface 60b. The fitting body 64 is also formed with a screw hole 64a that opens downward. The first edge block 42 is attached to the frame body 41 by screwing the screw 35 into the screw hole 64a.

[0040] The lower body 641 is set to be larger than the height dimensions of the front and rear side walls of the lower frame 47 , and the upper body 642 is set not to interfere with the lower frame 47 .

[0041] The upper body 642 is configured to be wider in the front-rear direction than the lower body 641. The upper surface of the upper body 642 is formed flush (hereinafter, also including approximately flush) with the upper surface of the width-reducing portion 63 and has a horizontal upper surface 642a facing the top wall 461 of the upper frame 46, and an inclined upper surface 642b inclined downward as it goes leftward from the left end of the horizontal upper surface 642a, and the dimensions are set so that the inclined upper surface 642b is exposed from the position switching opening 461b of the upper frame 46. The horizontal upper surface 642a may abut against the lower surface of the top wall 461 of the upper frame 46, but in this embodiment, it is disposed slightly spaced from the top wall 461.

[0042] Next, the swing receiving part 65 will be described. The swing receiving part 65 is a block-shaped body extending in the left-right direction from the lower left end of the fitting body 64. The swing receiving part 65 has a front-to-rear width formed to be equal to the front-to-rear interior dimension of the lower frame body 47, so that the side surface of the swing receiving part 65 constitutes a part of the lower abutting surface 60a, and the upper end part protrudes forward and backward, and the protruding tip surface of this protruding part constitutes a part of the upper abutting surface 60b. The swing receiving part 65 is disposed below the position switching opening 461b of the frame body 41, and holds a neck part 822 (described later) of the engagement block 82 and supports the tip part of the holding tongue piece 462.

[0043] Specifically, the swing receiving portion 65 is a block-shaped body set lower than the height of the fitting body 64. The swing receiving portion 65 includes a through hole 651 penetrating in the vertical direction, a groove portion 652 that communicates with the through hole 651 and opens to the left and upward to slidably hold the neck portion 822 of the engagement block 82, and support grooves 653 that are provided on both the front and rear sides of the groove portion 652 and into which the tip portion of the holding tongue piece 462 is inserted and supported.

[0044] The through hole 651 is a hole having a generally horizontally elongated rectangular shape in a plan view, and serves as a recess for removing material. In addition, the tip portion (neck portion 822) of the engagement block 82 in the release position is disposed in the through hole 651.

[0045] Groove 652 is a groove whose width is narrower than the front-to-rear width of through-hole 651, and by inserting neck 822 (swing tip) of engagement block 82 into groove 652, resistance is applied to the swinging motion of engagement block 82. Specifically, groove 652 has a front-to-rear width equivalent to the front-to-rear thickness dimension of neck 82 of engagement block 82, so that groove 652 is configured to be able to slide against engagement block 82 and applies resistance to the swinging of engagement block 82.

[0046] Each support groove 653 opens upward and also opens outward in the front-rear width direction, and the holding tongue 462 is inserted from above. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the upper part of each support groove 653 opens out like a funnel when viewed from the front (rear), making it easy to insert the holding tongue 462. Also, the lower part of the support groove 653 has a left-right groove width corresponding to the thickness of the holding tongue 462, and is configured to be able to clamp the tip of the holding tongue 462.

[0047] On the other hand, the exposed block 61 is exposed from the frame main body 41, and the first guide roller unit 44 is attached to the exposed block 61. The exposed block 61 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped block-like body whose lower end is narrowed in width to correspond to the lower frame body 47.

[0048] Specifically, the exposure block 61 includes an exposure main body 70 and a suppression portion 71 provided on an upper portion of the exposure main body 70 so as to protrude toward the fitting block 60 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the exposure block 61 is attached to the frame main body 41 with the exposure main body 70 abutting against the right end surface of the frame main body 41.

[0049] The exposed body 70 is a block-shaped body whose cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction is equal to or larger than the cross section of the frame body 41. Specifically, the exposed body 70 is formed so that its upper and lower surfaces are flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the frame body 41, and its front and rear side surfaces are disposed at positions that are offset forward or rearward from the front and rear side surfaces of the frame body 41. The left side surface of the exposed body 70 is formed to be slightly enlarged compared to the cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction of the fitting block 60, and this enlarged left side surface abuts against the right end surface of the frame body 41. As shown in FIG. 2, the exposed body 70 has an attachment hole 70a into which one end of the first guide roller unit 44 is inserted, and a screw hole 70b that communicates with the attachment hole 70a and into which a screw 36 for fixing the first guide roller unit 44 is inserted. The attachment hole 70a extends from the left end surface of the exposed body 70 toward the right. The screw hole 70b extends upward from the lower surface of the exposed main body 70 and communicates with the mounting hole 70a.

[0050] In this embodiment, a pair of front and rear suppression parts 71 are provided on the upper surface of the exposed main body 70. Each suppression part 71 is a rectangular parallelepiped block that protrudes leftward from the exposed main body 70, and abuts against the upper surface of the top wall 461 of the upper frame body 46 when the first edge block 42 is attached to the frame main body 41. As a result, the pair of front and rear suppression parts 71 presses down on the top wall 461 of the frame main body 41 from above, effectively suppressing its vibration.

[0051] Next, the second edge block 43 will be described. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the second edge block. The second edge block 43 includes a fitting block 66 and an exposed block 61, and in this embodiment, is integrally molded from an engineering elastomer. The second edge block 43 has a configuration that is inverted from left to right with respect to the first edge block 42, and is configured similarly to the first edge block 42 except that a mounting block 67 is provided instead of the swing receiving portion 65. That is, the exposed block 61 of the second edge block 43, the contracted width portion 63 of the fitting block 66, and the fitting body 64 are formed similarly to the exposed block 61 of the first edge block 42, the contracted width portion 63 of the fitting block 66, and the fitting body 64. Regarding the second edge block 43, the parts that are configured similarly to the first edge block 42 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences.

[0052] The fitting block 66 of the second edge block 43 includes a reduced width portion 63, a fitting body 64, and an attachment block 67 connected to the fitting body 64. In this embodiment, the fitting body 64 of the second edge block 43 is formed to be longer in the left-right direction than the fitting body 64 of the first edge block 42, and has a horizontal upper surface 642a over its entire length with the inclined upper surface 642b omitted.

[0053] The mounting block 67 includes a connecting portion 75 that is connected to the fitting body 64 and has a lower height than the fitting body 64, and a mounting base portion 76 that is connected to the connecting portion 75, with the front and rear side surfaces of the lower portion constituting a part of the lower abutting surface 60a and the front and rear side surfaces of the upper portion constituting a part of the upper abutting surface 60b. Note that the mounting block 67 may be configured to have appropriate recesses to suppress sink marks on the lower abutting surface 60a and the upper abutting surface 60b.

[0054] The connecting portion 75 connects the fitting body 64 and the mounting base portion 76 , and its front and rear side surfaces are formed flush with the front and rear side surfaces of the fitting body 64 and is formed lower than the lower body 641 of the fitting body 64 .

[0055] The mounting base portion 76 has one end of the tension spring 32 and one end of the damper member 33 attached thereto, and is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the frame body 41, similar to the fitting body 64. The mounting base portion 76 includes a lower base portion 761 having a front-to-rear width formed to be equivalent to the front-to-rear inner measurement of the lower frame body 47, and an upper base portion 762 having a front-to-rear width formed to be equivalent to the front-to-rear inner measurement of the upper frame body 46, and has a bottom surface disposed on the bottom wall 471 of the lower frame body 47. That is, in the mounting base portion 76, the front and rear side surfaces of the lower base portion 761 form part of the lower portion abutting surface 60a, and the front and rear side surfaces of the upper base portion 762 form part of the upper portion abutting surface 60b.

[0056] The lower base portion 761 is set to be larger than the height dimensions of the front and rear side walls of the lower frame 47, and the upper base portion 762 is set not to interfere with the lower frame 47. The lower base portion 761 is formed in a U-shape with a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction opening downward, and a spring locking portion 761a for locking one end of the pull spring 32 is provided in the center in the left-right direction so as to protrude into the internal U-shaped space. This spring locking portion 761a is provided with a locking notch 761b that opens downward, and one end of the pull spring 32 is inserted into the locking notch 761b from below to be locked.

[0057] The upper base portion 762 is configured to be wider in the front-rear direction than the lower base portion 761. The upper base portion 762 is provided with a damper locking portion 762a that opens in a T-shape when viewed from above, and one end of the damper member 33 is locked to the damper locking portion 762a.

[0058] The pull spring 32 is interposed between the second edge block 43 and the slide member 34, and serves to apply a biasing force to the slide member 34. Specifically, one end of the pull spring 32 is engaged with the right end of the second edge block 43 (specifically, the spring engaging portion 761a) and thereby fixed to the frame body 31, and the other end, which is the free end, is engaged with the lower end of the engagement block 82 of the slide member 34, whereby the pull spring 32 is stretched between the members 43, 34. Note that instead of this pull spring 32, an elastic member (e.g., a rubber band) made of natural rubber, synthetic resin, or the like may be used.

[0059] The damper member 33 is a linear damper equipped with a cylinder and a piston rod fitted into the cylinder, and provides a cushioning effect against the biasing force of the pull spring 32 or the sliding force of the sliding door D. The damper member 33 is installed between the second edge block 43 and the slide member 34, and is disposed above the pull spring 32 in parallel with the pull spring 32. Specifically, one end of the damper member 33 is inserted and locked into a damper locking portion 762a at the right end of the second edge block 43, thereby being fixed to the frame body 31, and the other end, which is a free end, is locked into the left end of a slide block 80 of the slide member 34, which will be described later, and thus the damper member 33 is installed between the members 43 and 34.

[0060] Next, the slide member 34 will be described. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the slide member, the tension spring, and the damper member. Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are conceptual diagrams showing the operation of the slide member, with Fig. 8 showing the state where the engagement block is in the engagement position, and Fig. 9 showing the state where the engagement block is in the release position.

[0061] Specifically, the slide member 34 includes a slide block 80 (corresponding to the slide main body) to which the free end of the damper member 33 is locked, and an engagement block 82 (corresponding to the engagement body) to which the free end of the pull spring 32 is locked and which is attached so as to be swingable relative to the slide block 80. The slide member 34 slides relative to the frame body 31 between an initial position corresponding to the left end of the guide slit 461a and a predetermined holding position corresponding to the posture switching opening 461b of the frame body 31 in accordance with the opening and closing operation of the sliding door D. When the slide member 34 is in the initial position, the sliding door D is in the closed position.

[0062] The slide block 80 is a block-like body formed in a stepped shape, and is configured to be able to slide within the frame main body 41. Specifically, the slide block 80 includes a support portion 801 that extends along the opening / closing direction (left-right direction) and supports the engagement block 82, and an abutment portion 802 that protrudes upward from one end portion (the left end portion in the illustrated example) of the support portion 801 and abuts against a second engagement abutment surface 823d (described later) of the engagement block 82 in the engaged posture.

[0063] The support portion 801 supports the engagement block 82 in a release position described later from below on the upper wall, and is configured as a frame body with a U-shaped cross section that opens downward. That is, the support portion 801 includes an upper wall 801a extending in the left-right direction, and a pair of front and rear side walls 801b extending downward from the front and rear edges of the upper wall 801a. The upper surface of the upper wall 801a on the right side of the abutment portion 802 is a smooth surface that is rectangular in plan view, and has an insertion hole 801c that penetrates vertically at one end (the left end in the figure) adjacent to the abutment portion 802. The insertion hole 801c has a rectangular shape in plan view, and has a play so that a spring locking protrusion 825 described later of the engagement block 82 can move in the left-right direction (the sliding door opening and closing direction). This allows the engagement block 82 to swing relative to the slide block 80, and can effectively suppress damage to the engagement block 82 when the engagement block 82 is re-engaged (described later) with the receiving member 5. In addition, one or more reinforcing ribs may be provided between the front and rear side walls 801b of the support portion 801 so as not to interfere with the spring locking projection 825 of the engagement block 82.

[0064] The abutment portion 802 is a block-shaped body protruding upward from the left end of the support portion 801, against which a second engagement abutment surface 823d of the engagement block 82 in the engaged position is abutted, and to which the free end of the damper member 33 is attached. Specifically, the abutment portion 802 includes an abutment base 802a protruding upward from the left end of the upper wall 801a of the support portion 801, and a reinforcing protrusion 802b protruding further upward from the protruding tip surface of the abutment base 802a. The abutment base 802a has an upright abutment surface 802c that stands perpendicular to the upper surface of the upper wall 801a of the support portion 801, and the second engagement abutment surface 823d in the engaged position abuts against this upright abutment surface 802c. The contact base 802a is provided at its left end with a damper locking groove 802d that is open upward and to the left, and is configured so that the damper member 33 (here, a rod) can be inserted from above. The damper locking groove 802d is configured so that the inner part in the left-right direction is widened in the front-rear direction to be able to lock the damper member 33.

[0065] The engagement block 82 engages with the receiving member 5 (engagement posture) while the slide member 34 moves from the initial position to the holding position in accordance with the opening operation of the sliding door D, and when the slide member 34 reaches the holding position, it swings and sinks into the frame body 31 through the posture switching port 461b, thereby releasing the engagement state with the receiving member 5 (release posture). In this release posture, the engagement block 82 engages with the holding tongue piece 462 of the frame main body 41 to stop and hold the slide member 34 at the holding position. In other words, the engagement block 82 is configured to be switchable between an engagement posture in which it engages with the receiving member 5 and a release posture in which it releases the engagement state.

[0066] In addition, the engagement block 82 re-engages with the receiving member 5 as the sliding door D closes, releasing the stopped state of the slide member 34 and, in conjunction with this release, functions to apply the elastic force of the pull spring 32 to the sliding door D as a slide assist force in cooperation with the receiving member 5.

[0067] This engagement block 82 extends in the opening / closing direction, has a generally triangular shape tapered toward the right when viewed from the front (see FIG. 8), and is supported to be swingable relative to the support portion 801 of the slide block 80.

[0068] Specifically, the engagement block 82 includes a receiving engagement portion 821 that engages with the receiving member 5, a neck portion 822 arranged below the receiving engagement portion 821, a mounting base 823 arranged on the left end of the neck portion 822, a cushioning protrusion 824 protruding from the upper left surface of the neck portion 822, and a spring locking protrusion 825 that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the left end of the mounting base 823 and engages the pull spring 32, and these are molded integrally.

[0069] The receiver engagement portion 821 is a member that engages with and disengages from the receiver member 5, and is configured such that its right end portion inclines downward toward the tip. The receiver engagement portion 821 is set such that its front-to-rear width is larger than the front-to-rear width of the guide slit 461a and smaller than the front-to-rear width of the position switching opening 461b, and its left-to-right dimension is set shorter than the left-to-right dimension of the position switching opening 461b. This allows the receiver engagement portion 821 to swing back and forth relative to the frame main body 41 through the position switching opening 461b.

[0070] In the engagement posture of the engagement block 82, the receiver engagement portion 821 is in a state of protruding upward from the guide slit 461a, and in this state engages with the receiver member 5. In addition, when the engagement block 82 slides on the top wall 461 of the frame main body 41 and reaches the posture switching opening 461b, the receiver engagement portion 821 sinks into the frame main body 41 through the posture switching opening 461b, and as a result of this sinking, the engagement state with the receiver member 5 is released, and the receiver engagement portion 821 engages with the retaining tongue piece 462 of the frame main body 41 in the released posture.

[0071] The neck portion 822 is a plate-like body that supports the receiving engagement portion 821 above the upper edge of the mounting base 823 when the engagement block 82 is in the engaged position. The neck portion 822 is configured to have a narrow width relative to the receiving engagement portion 821, and the dimensions are set so that the front-to-rear width is smaller than the guide slit 461a.

[0072] The mounting base 823 is for stabilizing the posture of the engagement block 82 relative to the slide block 80. Specifically, the mounting base 823 is formed in a block shape with a width increased in the front and rear directions with respect to the neck portion 822. In this embodiment, the mounting base 823 is provided with a pair of recesses 823a recessed in the front and rear directions. The mounting base 823 includes, as its outer circumferential surface, a release abutment surface 823b that abuts against the support portion 801 of the slide block 80 in the release posture, a first engagement abutment surface 823c connected to the left end of the release abutment surface 823b, a second engagement abutment surface 823d connected to the left end of the first engagement abutment surface 823c, and a peripheral surface 823e that connects between the upper end of the second engagement abutment surface 823d and the right end of the release abutment surface 823b. The release abutment surface 823b is inclined upward toward the right end so as to abut against the support portion 801 when the engagement block 82 is in the release posture, and is therefore inclined with respect to the bottom surface of the receiving engagement portion 821. The first engagement abutment surface 823c is inclined with respect to the release abutment surface 823b by an amount corresponding to the swing angle of the engagement block 82 when the posture is switched. That is, the first engagement abutment surface 823c is disposed parallel to the bottom surface of the receiving engagement portion 821, and abuts against the support portion 801 in the engagement posture. The second engagement abutment surface 823d extends perpendicular to the first engagement abutment surface 823c in a front view, and abuts against the abutment portion 802 of the slide block 80 in the engagement posture.

[0073] The buffer protrusion 824 engages with the receiving member 5 when the sliding door D in the open state is closed to change the posture of the engagement block 82, and also counteracts the moving speed of the sliding door D by the buffer effect of the damper member 33 when the sliding door D moves quickly. The buffer protrusion 824 has a trapezoidal plate shape in a front view with a front-to-rear width smaller than the guide slit 461a, and when the engagement block 82 is in the released posture, its right end face extends vertically and protrudes upward from the frame body 41.

[0074] The spring locking protrusion 825, to which the pull spring 32 is locked, is configured as a rectangular column-like body that protrudes downward from the first engagement abutment surface 823c. The protruding direction of this spring locking protrusion 825 coincides with the normal direction of the release abutment surface 823b. As a result, when the engagement block 82 is in the release position, the spring locking protrusion 825 is disposed vertically. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the spring locking protrusion 825 is provided with a spring locking groove 825a that penetrates in the left-right direction at its lower end. When the pull spring 32 is locked in this spring locking groove 825a, the engagement block 82 is biased to the release position.

[0075] The device main body 3 configured as above is assembled, for example, as follows.

[0076] First, one end of the pull spring 32 and the damper member 33 are attached to the second edge block 43, and then the free ends of these members 32 and 33 are attached to the slide member 34. Specifically, one end of the pull spring 32 is engaged with the spring locking portion 761a of the second edge block 43, and one end of the damper member 33 is engaged with the damper locking portion 762a. Then, the free end of the damper member 33 is engaged with the damper locking groove 802d of the slide block 80. Then, the spring locking protrusion 825 of the engagement block 82 is inserted into the insertion hole 801c of the slide block 80, and the free end of the pull spring 32 is engaged with the spring locking groove 825a of the spring locking protrusion 825.

[0077] Next, the upper frame 46 is provisionally assembled to the slide member 34 and the second edge block 43. Specifically, the receiving engagement portion 821 of the engagement block 82 is inserted from below the upper frame 46 through the posture switching opening 461b, and the receiving engagement portion 821 is moved along the guide slit 461a and set to the initial position. At this time, one end of the upper frame 46 is disposed in a state of abutting against the right end face of the exposure block 61 of the second edge block 43, and is disposed in a tight state between the fitting block 66 and the suppression portion 71.

[0078] Then, the upper frame 46 is assembled to the lower frame 47, and the second edge block 43 is attached to the lower frame 47. That is, while the extension spring 32, the damper member 33, the slide block 80 of the slide member 34, and the fitting block 66 of the second edge block 43 are stored in the lower frame 47, the upper frame 46 is fitted onto the lower frame 47, and the two are connected at predetermined locations in the longitudinal direction. Next, the screw holes 70b of the second edge block 43 are aligned with the screw holes 471a of the lower frame 47, and the two are fixed together with the screws 35.

[0079] Next, the device body 3 is assembled by fitting the first edge block 42 into the other end of the frame body 41 and fixing them together with the screws 35. During this fitting, the retaining tongue 462 of the upper frame 46 is elastically deformed and guided into the support groove 653, where it elastically recovers and the tip of the retaining tongue 462 is supported by the support groove 653.

[0080] Finally, the first and second guide roller units 44, 45 are attached to the first and second edge blocks 42, 43. Specifically, one end of each guide roller unit is fitted into the attachment hole 70a of each edge block 42, 43, and both are fixed by the screw 36.

[0081] On the other hand, the receiving member 5 engages with the device body 3, more specifically, with the receiving engagement portion 821 or the buffer protrusion 824 of the device body 3, to apply a braking force or a slide assist force to the device body 3. This receiving member 5 has a shape formed by bending a thin plate-like body elongated in the left-right direction as shown in Fig. 1, and is configured with a receiving protrusion 51 that protrudes downward. The left-right width of this receiving protrusion 51 is formed to be smaller than the distance between the receiving engagement portion 821 and the buffer protrusion 824 of the slide member 34.

[0082] The operation of the slide assist device 1 configured as above will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Regarding the slide assist device 1, the operation of the slide assist force of the sliding door D will be described, and the sound deadening effect of the impact sound with the frame body 31 caused by the swinging of the slide member 34, specifically the engagement block 82, will also be described.

[0083] First, the function when the sliding door D is opened from the closed state will be described.

[0084] The slide member 34 is in an initial position when the sliding door D is in a closed state, and is located at the left end of the guide slit 461a. When the sliding door D is in this closed state, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the engagement block 82 of the slide member 34 is set to an engagement posture in which the receiving engagement portion 821 protrudes upward from the frame body 31 through the guide slit 461a (Fig. 8). In this engagement posture, the bottom surface of the receiving engagement portion 821 is in contact with the top wall 461 of the frame body 31, and the left end surface is in engagement with the right side surface of the receiving protrusion 51 of the receiving member 5.

[0085] When the sliding door D is moved leftward from this closed state to open it, the device body 3 also moves leftward as it opens, but the movement of the slide member 34 is prevented because the receiving engagement portion 821 is engaged with the receiving protrusion 51. Therefore, the slide member 34 moves rightward relative to the frame body 31 along the guide slit 461a. The movement of the slide member 34 causes the tension spring 32 to expand, and the urging force of the tension spring 32 is accumulated in the slide member 34.

[0086] As the sliding door D continues to open, it reaches a predetermined intermediate position, at which point the receiving engagement portion 821 of the slide member 34 reaches the position change opening 461b. When the sliding door D is further opened from this state, the receiving engagement portion 821 is pressed rightward by the receiving protrusion 51, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, and swings relative to the slide block 80, and sinks into the frame body 41 through the position change opening 461b. When the receiving engagement portion 821 sinks, the engagement block 82 changes its position to a release position in which the engagement state with the receiving protrusion 51 is released, as shown in FIG. 9, and is engaged with the retaining tongue 462. As a result, the slide member 34 is stopped and held at the holding position corresponding to the position change opening 461b.

[0087] At this time, coupled with the fact that the engagement block 82 is biased toward the release position by the tension spring 32, the engagement block 82 swings forcefully and collides with the retaining tongue 462, causing the frame body 41 including the retaining tongue 462 to vibrate and generate an impact noise.

[0088] In the slide assist device 1 of this embodiment, the first and second edge blocks 42, 43 are integrally molded from an elastic material, particularly an engineering plastic exhibiting rubber elasticity in this embodiment, and each edge block 42, 43 is in close contact with the inner surface of the frame body 41 at the bottom surface and each abutment surface 60a, 60b of the lower and upper portions, as shown in FIG. 5. Therefore, even if an impact noise occurs, these edge blocks 42, 43 can suppress vibration of the frame body 41, including the retaining tongue piece 462, and dampen the vibration, thereby reducing the impact noise.

[0089] Moreover, since the slide member 34 is divided into the slide block 80 and the engagement block 82, the posture of the engagement block 82 can be switched stably, and the swinging engagement block 82 can be made compact to effectively reduce impact noise. In addition, the neck portion 822 of the engagement block 82 is inserted into the groove portion 652 of the swing receiving portion 65 of the first edge block 42 while sliding against the inner surface of the groove portion 652, so that the moving speed of the engagement block 82 can be decelerated at the end of the swinging, which also reduces impact noise more effectively. Furthermore, since the retaining tongue 462 is inserted and supported in the support groove 653 of the first edge block, the vibration of the retaining tongue 462 can be suppressed as much as possible, and the impact noise can be reduced even more effectively.

[0090] Next, the function when the sliding door D is closed in the open state will be described.

[0091] When the sliding door D in the fully open state is moved to the right and closed, the sliding door D reaches the mid-open position. At this time, the right side surface of the buffer protrusion 824 of the engagement block 82 engages with the receiving protrusion 51, which causes the engagement block 82 to swing upward, forcibly releasing the state in which the left end of the receiving engagement part 821 was engaged with the retaining tongue piece 462. That is, the engagement block 82 changes its position from the release position to the engagement position shown in Fig. 8. Also, when the sliding door D is moving with force, the damping effect of the damper member 33 is exerted by the engagement of the buffer protrusion 824 with the receiving protrusion 51.

[0092] At this time, as the engagement block 82 is switched to the engagement posture, the engagement block 82 swings and moves higher than the top wall 461 of the frame body 41, then turns around and strikes the top wall 461, causing the frame body 41 to vibrate and generate an impact sound. When the sliding door D is forcefully closed, the engagement block 82 swings forcefully and the receiving engagement portion 821 rises high, so that the impact sound becomes relatively loud.

[0093] Even in this case, in the slide assist device 1 of this embodiment, the impact noise can be effectively reduced by the action of the first and second edge blocks 42, 43, similar to when the engagement block 82 is switched from the engagement posture to the release posture.

[0094] Furthermore, since the neck portion 822 of the engagement block 82 is pulled out into the groove portion 652 of the swing support portion 65 of the first edge block 42 while sliding against the inner surface of the groove portion 652, the acceleration can be suppressed at the beginning of the swing of the engagement block 82, which also makes it possible to more effectively reduce the impact noise.

[0095] In addition, since the first and second guide roller units 44, 45 are attached to the first and second edge blocks 42, 43, the edge blocks 42, 43 can be effectively used to support the guide roller units 44, 45, thereby realizing space saving. In addition, since the first and second edge blocks 42, 43 are formed of engineering plastics having rubber elasticity, the operation stability can be ensured while maintaining the improvement of the quietness of the slide assist device 1. That is, based on the rubber elasticity characteristics of the edge blocks 42, 43, the vibration of the frame body 41 can be suppressed and the impact sound can be effectively reduced, while based on the engineering plastic characteristics of the edge blocks 42, 43, the relative positional relationship between the guide roller units 44, 45 and the edge blocks 42, 43 can be stabilized, thereby ensuring the operation stability of the slide assist device 1.

[0096] In this way, the slide assist device 1 of this embodiment can effectively improve usability by improving noise reduction during operation while ensuring the operational stability of the device.

[0097] As the position of the engaging block 82 changes, the biasing force of the pull spring 32 is released and acts on the slide member 34, and the slide member 34 moves from the retained position toward the initial position along the guide slit 461a relative to the frame body 31 while a certain resistance is applied by the damper member 33. At this time, since the slide member 34 is engaged with the receiving protrusion 51 of the receiving member 5, the biasing force of the pull spring 32 acts as a slide assist force in the closing direction of the sliding door D.

[0098] The slide assist device 1 described above is one embodiment, and its specific configuration etc. can be modified as appropriate. Modifications of this embodiment will be described below.

[0099] (1) In the above embodiment, a single slide member 34 is provided for the device main body 3, and the slide assist device 1 is described as assisting in the closing direction of the sliding door D. However, for example, the device main body 3 may be provided with one that assists in the opening direction of the sliding door D, or may be provided with two slide members 34 that operate in opposite directions, and may be a slide assist device (ambidextrous) that assists in either the opening or closing direction of the sliding door.

[0100] In this way, when making a slide assist device for ambidextrous users, a receiving member 5 is provided for each of the opening and closing, and a pull spring (elastic member) and a damper member (cushioning member) may be provided separately for each slide member, or a pull spring and a damper member may be combined for each slide member.

[0101] At this time, as shown in Fig. 10, one end of the pull spring 32 is engaged with the engagement block 82 of the other slide member 34 instead of the second edge block 43, and one end of the damper member 33 is also engaged with the slide block 80 of the other slide member 34 instead of the second edge block 43. This other slide member 34 is attached to one end of the cylinder of the damper member 33, and in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10, one end of the cylinder is engaged with the slide block 80 via an attachment 133.

[0102] In this case, instead of the second edge block 43, another first edge block 42 is flipped left and right and fitted to the other end of the frame body 41, and when the engagement block 82 is in the released position, the neck portion 822 of the engagement block 82 is inserted into the groove portion of the swinging receiving portion 65 of the first edge block 42.

[0103] (2) In the above embodiment, the slide member 34 is divided into the slide block 80 and the engagement block 82, and the engagement block 82 is attached to the slide block 80 so as to be oscillated. However, the entire slide member may be oscillated. In this case, for example, the slide member may be provided with an oscillating shaft portion protruding forward and backward, and an operating shaft portion protruding forward and backward, and a first guide slit for guiding the oscillating shaft portion and a second guide slit for guiding the operating shaft portion may be provided on the front and rear side walls of the frame body 41, and these guide slits may be configured to oscillate the slide member at the holding position of the slide member. Even in this case, impact noise is generated when, for example, the operating shaft portion collides with the frame body around the second guide slit as the posture of the slide member changes, so that a sound-deadening effect can be obtained by configuring the edge blocks fitted to both ends of the frame body as in the above embodiment.

[0104] (3) In the above embodiment, the first and second edge blocks 42, 43 are integrally molded from engineering plastic having rubber elasticity, but the fitting block and the exposed block may be separately configured, the fitting block being made of an elastic body, and the exposed block 61 being made of a hard material such as engineering plastic with a separate attachment portion to the frame body 41. Also, the fitting block of the edge block only needs to be made of an elastic body at least for the outer periphery that abuts against the inner periphery of the frame body 41, and may be configured by two-color molding, such as molding an elastic material around a core portion connected to the exposed block made of a hard material.

[0105] (4) In the above embodiment, the frame body 41 is configured as a square tube having the top wall 461, the bottom wall 471, and the side walls 463, 472, but the frame body 41 may be, for example, a square tube with a U-shaped cross section that is open upward and perpendicular to the left and right directions. Even in this case, if a guide slit is provided in the side wall, impact noise will be generated in response to changes in the position of the sliding member. For this reason, by adopting the edge block of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the impact noise associated with operation.

[0106] (5) In the above embodiment, the tension spring 32 is configured to urge the engagement block 82 to the release position. However, the tension spring 32 may urge the engagement block 82 to the engagement position.

[0107] (6) In the above embodiment, the tip of the retaining tongue 462 is supported by being inserted into the support groove 653 of the oscillating receiving portion 65, but the manner of support is not particularly limited, and for example, the tip may be supported by a support hole instead of the support groove 653.

[0108] (7) In the above embodiment, the first and second guide units 10, 11 are described as being provided with guide rollers. However, instead of the guide rollers, sliding members that slide within the guide rails L may be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1: Slide assist device 3: Assist device body 5: Support material 31:Frame body 32: Extension spring (corresponding to elastic material) 34: Slide member 41: Frame body 42: First edge block 43: 2nd edge block 461: Ceiling wall 461a: Guide slit 461b: Posture switching port 462: Holding tongue piece 652: Groove 653: Support groove 80: Slide block 82: Engagement block D: Sliding door

Claims

1. a frame body provided on a sliding door that opens and closes an opening of a structure, an elastic member one end of which is freely accommodated within the frame body, a sliding member attached to the free end of the elastic member and sliding in the opening and closing direction of the sliding door, and a receiving member attached to the structure and engaging with and disengaging from the sliding member within a predetermined range, wherein when the sliding door slides in one direction, the sliding member and the receiving member engage with each other to stretch the elastic member, thereby accumulating the biasing force of the elastic member in the sliding member, and when the sliding member reaches a predetermined holding position, the sliding member swings to release the engagement between the sliding member and the receiving member and hold the sliding member in that holding position, and when the sliding door slides in the opposite direction, the sliding member and the receiving member re-engage, thereby releasing the biasing force of the elastic member and applying it as a slide assist force, The frame body includes a hollow frame body with which the slide member slides, and edge blocks each fitted into both ends of the frame body with at least a portion of the edge block being in close contact with the inner surface of the frame body, and at least the fitted portion being made of an elastic material; the slide member has a slide main body, and an engaging body attached to the slide main body in a state in which it can be switched between an engagement posture in which it engages with the receiving member and a release posture in which it releases the engagement state by swinging relative to the slide main body, and which can be in sliding contact with the frame main body in the engagement posture; The edge block is provided with a groove portion into which the swing tip portion of the engagement body in the released position is inserted to apply swing resistance to the swing tip portion.

2. The frame further includes a guide roller that rolls in a guide rail attached to the structure along the opening and closing direction of the sliding door and is attached to the edge block, 2. The slide assist device according to claim 1, wherein the fitted portion of the edge block is made of an engineering plastic exhibiting rubber elasticity.

3. 3. The slide assist device according to claim 1, wherein the engagement body is biased to the release position by the elastic member.

4. the frame body includes a top wall having a guide slit for guiding the slide member and a position change opening connected to one end of the guide slit and allowing the slide member to swing, and a retaining tongue piece that hangs down in a tongue-like manner from the top wall between the guide slit and the position change opening and engages with the slide member, 4. The slide assist device according to claim 1, wherein the edge block supports a tip end of the holding tongue.

Images