Sliding door device

Abstract

To provide a sliding door device that can increase an effective opening width and reduce a gap with a wall surface along which a sliding door panel is placed in a fully open position, while providing a detection part that detects a detection target in a pull position.SOLUTION: A sliding door device 1 includes: a sliding door panel 30; a driving mechanism 50 that causes the sliding door panel to slide in a door width direction; a receiving section 35 that is coupled to a control section 55 for controlling the driving mechanism; a first surface side detection section 16 and a second surface side detection section 26 that detect a detection target at sides of a first surface 31 and a second surface 32, respectively, of the sliding panel in a door thickness direction; and a transmission section 19 that wirelessly transmits detection signals of the first and second surface side detection sections to the receiving section, wherein the first surface side detection section and the transmission section are provided in a first sensor case 11 provided so as to project in the door thickness direction at the first surface side of a pull position of the sliding door panel, and the second surface side detection section is provided in a second sensor case 21 provided so that a surface 21a is substantially coplanar with the second surface at the second surface side of the pull position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sliding door device provided with a sliding door panel.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a sliding door device that constitutes a so-called automatic door having a drive mechanism for sliding a sliding door panel in the door width direction is known. Such an automatic door is provided with various sensors and the like for detecting a detection target such as a human body and driving and controlling the drive mechanism. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses an automatic door in which door operation force sensors that output detection results are attached one each to both sides of the door to a drive unit that drives the door. Each door operation force sensor of this automatic door is provided with a plate-shaped handle portion suitable for hooking an operator's hand or the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the automatic door described in Patent Document 1 above, the door operation force sensors including the handle portions protrude significantly on both sides of the door. Therefore, when storing the door along the wall surface in the fully open position, it is necessary to provide a clearance or increase the gap with the wall surface so that the door operation force sensor does not interfere with the wall surface (middle upright).

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a sliding door device that can increase the effective opening width while providing a detection unit for detecting a detection target at the pull position, and can reduce the gap with the wall surface along which the sliding door panel is arranged in the fully open position.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the sliding door device according to the present invention includes a sliding door panel, a drive mechanism for sliding the sliding door panel in the door width direction, a control unit for controlling the drive mechanism, a receiving unit provided so as to be located above the sliding door panel, a first surface side detection unit and a second surface side detection unit for detecting a detection target on each of the first surface side and the second surface side in the door thickness direction of the sliding door panel, and a transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting detection signals of the first surface side detection unit and the second surface side detection unit to the receiving unit. The first surface side detection unit and the transmission unit are provided in a first sensor case portion provided so as to protrude in the door thickness direction on the first surface side of the handle position of the sliding door panel, and the second surface side detection unit is provided in a second sensor case portion provided so that the surface is substantially flush with the second surface on the second surface side of the handle position. The first sensor case part and the second sensor case part are separate bodies, and their insertion parts are inserted into mounting holes provided to penetrate in the door thickness direction at the handle position of the sliding door panel for attachment. The first sensor case portion is provided with a transmission portion for transmitting the signal of the transmission unit so as to constitute an upper end surface of a portion protruding in the door thickness direction on the first surface side. A part that uniformly protrudes from the first surface over the entire height and width directions of the door of the first sensor case part constitutes a handle protrusion, and a handle recess that opens on the surface is provided in the second sensor case part. It is characterized by being like this.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] By having the configuration as described above, the sliding door device according to the present invention can increase the effective opening width while providing a detection unit for detecting a detection target at the handle position, and can also reduce the gap between the sliding door panel and the wall surface along which the sliding door panel is placed at the fully open position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In some of the figures, some of the detailed reference numerals attached to other figures are omitted. In the following embodiments, directions such as the vertical direction will be described based on the state where the sliding door device according to this embodiment is installed.

[0010] Figs. 1 to 11 are diagrams schematically showing an example of the sliding door device according to this embodiment and an example of the basic operation executed in the sliding door device. As shown in Figs. 8(a) to 8(c), the sliding door device 1 according to this embodiment includes a sliding door panel 30 and a drive mechanism 50 that slides the sliding door panel 30 in the door width direction. With such a configuration, by driving the drive mechanism 50, the sliding door panel 30 can be moved in the opening / closing (opening and closing) direction. That is, the sliding door panel 30 can function as an automatic door.

[0011] The installation location of this sliding door device 1 may be a general residence such as a detached house or an apartment house, a public facility such as a lodging facility, a medical facility, or a welfare facility, a commercial facility such as an office, various stores, etc., and it can be installed in various locations. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1(a), 1(b), 2(a), and 2(b), an example is shown in which a single sliding door panel 30 is installed in a single-slide manner. In the illustrated example, an installation structure is exemplified in which a sleeve wall 4 along which the sliding door panel 30 in the open position (fully open position) is provided. That is, an example is shown in which the sliding door panel 30 is installed in a manner that can be stored in the sleeve wall. Hereinafter, the side different from the side provided with the sleeve wall 4 on one side in the door thickness direction will be described as the indoor side, and the side provided with the sleeve wall 4 on the other side in the door thickness direction will be described as the outdoor side, but the reverse may also be possible.

[0012] As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the sliding door device 1 includes an upper rail 40 that guides the upper end side of the sliding door panel 30 in the door width direction. The upper rail 40 and the drive mechanism 50 may constitute a door opening / closing device 2 that opens and closes the sliding door panel 30. The upper rail 40 is fixed to the upper frame 5 as a fixing target. The door frame including this upper frame 5 may be included in the sliding door device 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a) and (b), the door frame is installed in an opening provided in the wall 3 of the building. The door frame includes an upper frame 5 (upper rail 40) that partitions the upper side of the entrance / exit 9 that is opened and closed by the sliding door panel 30, a leading-edge side vertical frame 6 arranged on the leading-edge side of the sliding door panel 30, a trailing-edge side vertical frame 7 arranged on the trailing-edge side of the sliding door panel 30, and a middle upright (intermediate vertical frame) 8. The middle upright 8 is arranged along the entrance / exit 9 side end of the sleeve wall 4, and partitions both sides in the opening width direction of the entrance / exit 9 together with the leading-edge side vertical frame 6. The upper frame 5 is not limited to the configuration provided along the lower end of the hanging wall as in the illustrated example, and may be provided attached to or embedded in the ceiling. The lower side of the entrance / exit 9 may be partitioned by a floor or an appropriate lower frame.

[0013] The upper frame 5 is elongated in the door width direction. The length dimension of this upper frame 5 is approximately twice the door width of the sliding door panel 30. As shown in FIG. 8, this upper frame 5 is provided with a receiving groove 5b for receiving the upper part of the fixing portion 47 provided on the upper rail 40 described later. This upper frame 5 may be fixed to an appropriate upper frame base such as a lintel by fixing tools such as screws or nails. The leading-edge side vertical frame 6, the trailing-edge side vertical frame 7, and the middle upright 8 are elongated in the door height direction (vertical direction). The length dimensions of these leading-edge side vertical frame 6, trailing-edge side vertical frame 7, and middle upright 8 are approximately the same as the dimension obtained by adding the vertical dimension along the upper rail 40 and the upper frame 5 including the drive mechanism 50 to the door height dimension of the sliding door panel 30. The leading-edge side vertical frame 6 and the trailing-edge side vertical frame 7 may be fixed to an appropriate vertical frame base such as a column by fixing tools. These leading-edge side vertical frame 6 and trailing-edge side vertical frame 7 and the upper frame 5 may be fixed to the vertical frame base and the upper frame base in a state of being assembled in a three-sided frame shape. In the illustrated example, an example is shown in which the facing surfaces of the upper ends of these leading-edge side vertical frame 6 and trailing-edge side vertical frame 7 are butted against the respective end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the upper frame 5, and these leading-edge side vertical frame 6 and trailing-edge side vertical frame 7 and the upper frame 5 are assembled in a vertical overlapping manner.

[0014] In the illustrated example, door jamb grooves for receiving the end portions (leading-edge side end portion and trailing-edge side end portion) in the door width direction of the sliding door panel 30 are provided on the facing surfaces of these leading-edge side vertical frame 6 and trailing-edge side vertical frame 7 that face each other. The middle vertical member 8 may have its upper end fixed to the upper frame 5 and its lower end fixed to the floor. At the end of the middle vertical member 8 on the side of the sliding door panel 30, in the illustrated example, a gap shielding member such as mohair that contacts and rubs against one side (the second surface) 32 in the thickness direction of the sliding door panel 30 is provided. The door frame is not limited to the configuration described above, and may be configured in various other ways according to the storage mode of the sliding door panel 30.

[0015] The sliding door panel 30 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular flat plate that is long in one direction (the vertical direction). The door height dimension (length dimension) of the sliding door panel 30 may be any dimension corresponding to the opening height of the entrance / exit 9 opened and closed by the sliding door panel 30, and may be a standard door height dimension, for example, about 1800 mm to 2100 mm. The sliding door panel 30 may form a high door with the door height dimension being substantially the same as the ceiling height, for example, about 2300 mm to 3000 mm. The door thickness dimension of the sliding door panel 30 may be about 20 mm to 40 mm. The door width dimension of the sliding door panel 30 may be, for example, about 500 mm to 1800 mm. When the sliding door panel 30 is installed indoors, it may be a relatively lightweight panel such as a so-called flush panel having a configuration in which a surface material is adhered to a panel core material including a frame-shaped core material formed from a wood-based material, a metal-based material, etc., which is applied as a general indoor sliding door. The sliding door panel 30 is not limited to such a flush panel, and may be configured appropriately according to the installation location, etc.

[0016] At the upper ends on both sides in the door width direction of the sliding door panel 30, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, guided members 43, 43 that are slidably suspended and held by the upper rail 40 are connected. That is, in the present embodiment, the sliding door device 1 is configured to open and close the sliding door panel 30 in a hanging type. At the upper ends on both sides in the door width direction of the sliding door panel 30, mounting portions are provided to which the mounted portions of the guided members 43, 43 are mounted. The mounting portion of the sliding door panel 30 may be a recessed cup portion provided so as to open outward and upward in the door width direction at each of the upper ends on both sides in the door width direction of the sliding door panel 30, into which the mounted portion is fitted. The guided members 43, 43 are inserted into the guide grooves 41 provided in the upper rail 40 and include rolling elements 44, 44 that travel on the guide piece portions of the upper rail 40. In the illustrated example, an example is shown in which rolling elements 44 that rotate about an axis along the door thickness direction are provided on each of both sides in the door thickness direction of the guide body of the guided member 43. These rolling elements 44, 44 on both sides in the door thickness direction may be provided at a plurality of locations with a space therebetween in the door width direction of the guide body of the guided member 43.

[0017] A drive mechanism 50 is connected to one of the guided members 43, 43 on both sides in the door width direction (for example, the door leading end side). That is, this one guided member 43 is slid in the door width direction by the drive mechanism 50, and the other guided member 43 not connected to the drive mechanism 50 may be slid in the door width direction in a driven manner. The guided members 43, 43 are not limited to the configuration described above and may be appropriately configured according to the upper rail 40. A guide groove or the like into which a lower end guide member such as a guide pin provided on the floor side is inserted may be provided at the lower end portion of the sliding door panel 30.

[0018] The upper rail 40 is elongated in the door width direction of the sliding door panel 30 and has a length approximately twice the door width of the sliding door panel 30. The drive mechanism 50 may be fixed to the first half portion on one side (in the illustrated example, the door leading end side) in the longitudinal direction (rail longitudinal direction) of the upper rail 40. The length of the upper rail 40 is set to a dimension smaller than twice the door width. The length of the upper rail 40 may be appropriately set according to the overlapping dimension between the end portion on the door butt side of the sliding door panel 30 in the closed position and the middle vertical 8 (sleeve wall 4) or the remaining drawn dimension of the sliding door panel 30 in the fully opened position. FIG. 2(b) shows an example in which no remaining drawn portion is formed when the sliding door panel 30 is in the fully opened position. That is, the sliding door panel 30 is configured such that in the fully opened position, its door leading end side end surface and the side surface (prospective surface) facing the entrance 9 side of the middle vertical 8 (sleeve wall 4) are substantially flush.

[0019] On the upper rail 40, a guide groove 41 for receiving the guide body of the guided member 43 is provided so as to open downward. The guide groove 41 is provided so as to extend over the entire length of the upper rail 40. The guide body of the guided member 43 is inserted into and guided by this guide groove 41. The upper rail 40 includes a groove bottom plate-shaped portion that partitions the bottom of the guide groove 41, side plate-shaped portions on both sides in the groove width direction of the guide groove 41, and guide piece portions that extend from the lower end portions of these side plate-shaped portions in directions facing each other. This upper rail 40 includes both side protruding pieces 42, 42 provided so as to protrude upward from both side edge portions in the groove width direction (door thickness direction) on the upper surface side of the groove bottom plate-shaped portion. On the tip ends in the extending direction of the guide piece portions on both sides, ridges protruding upward are provided so as to extend over the entire length of the upper rail 40. Annular grooves provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the rolling elements 44, 44 of the guided member 43 engage with the ridges of these guide piece portions, and the rolling elements 44, 44 travel along the ridges of these guide piece portions.

[0020] The upper rail 40 is not limited to a configuration having guide piece portions on which the respective rolling elements 44, 44 that are provided at intervals on both sides in the door thickness direction travel. The upper rail 40 may, for example, have a configuration including one guide piece portion that holds the rolling element 44 provided only on one side in the door thickness direction of the guided member 43 so as to be hooked, or may have various other configurations. On this upper rail 40, a fixing portion 47 for fixing the upper rail 40 to the upper frame 5 is provided. This fixing portion 47 is provided so as to protrude upward from the groove bottom plate-shaped portion of the upper rail 40. In the illustrated example, a plurality of fixing portions 47 are provided on the upper rail 40 at intervals in the longitudinal direction. These plurality of fixing portions 47 are provided in a free space where the constituent members of the drive mechanism 50 provided on the upper rail 40 are not provided. These fixing portions 47 may be configured to be fixed to the upper frame 5 by a fixing tool such as a screw as described later, or may be configured to be hooked and held or temporarily held by a hooking portion provided on the upper frame 5.

[0021] The drive mechanism 50 is fixed to the upper rail 40 described above. With such a configuration, the upper rail 40 can be fixed to a fixing target such as the upper frame 5 of the door frame to which the sliding door panel 30 is installed, with the drive mechanism 50 integrated with the upper rail 40. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, this drive mechanism 50 includes driven rotating wheels 53, 53 provided at positions spaced apart in the door width direction. The drive mechanism 50 includes a string-shaped transmission body 52 wound around each of these driven rotating wheels 53, 53 and connected to the guided member 43, and a drive unit 51 that transmits drive to the string-shaped transmission body 52. With such a configuration, when the drive unit 51 is driven, the guided member 43 connected to the string-shaped transmission body 52 is moved in the door width direction, and the sliding door panel 30 can be moved in the opening and closing direction.

[0022] The drive unit 51 is provided so as to be located between the driven rotating wheels 53, 53 on both sides. The drive unit 51 may be a motor that rotates a drive rotating wheel around which the string-shaped transmission body 52 is wound. The drive rotating wheel and the driven rotating wheels 53, 53 on both sides may each be a pulley provided with an annular groove on its outer peripheral surface for engaging the string-shaped transmission body 52 formed as a rope-shaped member. These drive rotating wheel, the driven rotating wheels 53, 53 on both sides, and the drive unit 51 may be fixed to the upper rail 40 via appropriate fixing members. The motor constituting the drive unit 51 may be a servo motor or the like that can rotate forward and backward and whose rotation speed can be controlled. As the string-shaped transmission body 52, the connecting portion of the guided member 43 may be fixed to a part formed in an annular shape, or the longitudinal ends on both sides may be connected to both sides in the door width direction of the connecting portion to form a substantially annular shape. The string-shaped transmission body 52 only needs to have a configuration that is difficult to stretch. For example, it may be a metal wire, a twisted string obtained by twisting appropriate fibers, or a combined string obtained by combining fibers.

[0023] The drive rotating wheel of the drive mechanism 50 and the driven rotating wheels 53, 53 on both sides are not limited to pulleys, and may be gears (sprocket wheels) or the like. The string-shaped transmission body 52 is also not limited to a configuration in which it is a rope-shaped member according to these drive rotating wheel and the driven rotating wheels 53, 53 on both sides, and may be a belt, a ball chain, a chain, or the like. In the above example, an example in which the drive rotating wheel and the drive unit 51 are provided between the driven rotating wheels 53, 53 on both sides is shown, but it is not limited to such a mode. One of the driven rotating wheels 53, 53 on both sides may be a drive rotating wheel around which the string-shaped transmission body 52 is wound, and the other may be a driven rotating wheel. In this case, it may be configured such that an appropriate drive unit 51 is provided so that rotation can be transmitted to this drive rotating wheel. The drive mechanism 50 is not limited to a configuration including the string-shaped transmission body 52 displaced by such a drive rotating wheel. For example, a configuration in which a connecting portion displaced in the door width direction by a screw rotated by the drive unit 51 is connected to the guided member 43 may be used, and the drive mechanism 50 may have various other configurations.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 9, the sliding door device 1 includes a drive side control unit 55 as a control unit for controlling this drive mechanism 50. The drive side control unit 55 selectively executes a first mode and a second mode, which will be described in detail later. This drive side control unit 55 is connected to the drive unit 51 via an appropriate signal line or the like, and controls the rotation of the motor constituting the drive unit 51. The drive unit 51 is controlled by this drive side control unit 55 to rotate forward or reverse, and the sliding door panel 30 is moved to the fully open position or the closed position. This drive side control unit 55 may be a microcomputer (MCU) or the like including a control circuit such as a CPU, and various memories (storage units) such as a ROM and a RAM that store a program including an example of the basic operation to be described later. As shown in FIG. 7, this drive side control unit 55 is provided in a control block 54 provided on the upper rail 40 so as to be located on one side in the door width direction of the drive unit 51. A power supply unit or the like for supplying drive power to the drive unit 51 is provided in this control block 54. In the illustrated example, the control block 54 has a substantially quadrangular prism shape that is long in the door width direction.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 9, the sliding door device 1 includes a position detection unit 56 that detects the position of the sliding door panel 30. The position detection unit 56 may be configured to be able to detect at least the closed position and the fully open position of the sliding door panel 30, or may be configured to be able to detect the absolute position of the sliding door panel 30. For example, the position detection unit 56 may be configured to have a detection rotating wheel that is rotated by a string-shaped transmission body 52 to rotate a variable resistor. With such a configuration, the absolute position of the sliding door panel 30 can be detected based on the resistance value (voltage) of the variable resistor. The position detection unit 56 is connected to the drive-side control unit 55 via a signal line or the like. The drive unit 51 is controlled according to the position information and the moving direction (closing side or opening side) information of the sliding door panel 30 by the position detection unit 56, and the sliding door panel 30 is moved in the opening and closing directions.

[0026] The sliding door device 1 includes a receiving unit 35 connected to the drive-side control unit 55, an operation unit that receives an operation for sliding the sliding door panel 30, and detection units 16 and 26 that detect a detection target. The sliding door device 1 includes a transmission unit 19 that wirelessly transmits the detection signals (operation signals) of the detection units 16 and 26 to the receiving unit 35. With such a configuration, the detection signals of the detection units 16 and 26 can be wirelessly transmitted to the receiving unit 35 connected to the drive-side control unit 55, and wiring or the like for connecting the detection units 16 and 26 to the drive mechanism 50 becomes unnecessary. By bringing a detection target such as a hand close to the detection units 16 and 26 that constitute the operation unit, the drive mechanism 50 is controlled, and the sliding door panel 30 can be moved in the opening and closing directions. That is, the sliding door panel 30 can be moved in the opening and closing directions in a non-contact manner without operating an opening / closing button or the like, which can improve convenience and is also good in terms of hygiene. The transmission unit 19 is provided so as to be located on one side in the door thickness direction. An example of the specific configuration of the detection units 16 and 26 and the transmission unit 19 will be described later.

[0027] The receiving unit 35 is connected to the driving - side control unit 55 via a signal line or the like. This receiving unit 35 is provided in the receiving unit 34 attached to the upper rail 40. With such a configuration, for example, compared with a configuration in which the receiving unit 34 is provided at an appropriate position on the wall body 3, wiring for connecting various devices such as the driving - side control unit 55 and the power supply unit provided on the upper rail 40 and the receiving unit 34 can be easily performed. As shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), on the above - mentioned upper rail 40, a receiving unit 34 that selectively constitutes a receiving part can be attached to either side in the door - thickness direction of both sides of the upper rail 40, and a holding part 45 for holding the receiving unit 34 is provided. With such a configuration, it is possible to cope with whether the transmitting unit 19 described later is provided on either side in the door - thickness direction. That is, in the door - thickness direction of the upper rail 40, the receiving unit 34 can be attached to the side where the transmitting unit 19 is provided. Thereby, it is not necessary to prepare the upper rail 40 with the receiving unit 34 provided on one side in the door - thickness direction and the upper rail 40 with the receiving unit 34 provided on the other side in the door - thickness direction as separate parts, and the upper rail 40 and the receiving unit 34 can be common parts.

[0028] One of the receiving unit 34 and the holding part 45 is provided with a locking recess 46 for receiving a locking protrusion 38 provided on the other. With such a configuration, the receiving unit 34 can be attached to the holding part 45 by inserting and locking the locking protrusion 38 of the other into the locking recess 46 of one. Thereby, for example, compared with a configuration in which it is necessary to attach the receiving unit 34 to the holding part 45 with screws or the like, the assemblability can be improved. The locking projection 38 and the locking recess 46 are configured to lock with each other so as to suppress downward and horizontal movement of the receiving unit 34 attached to the holding portion 45 from above. With such a configuration, the receiving unit 34 can be easily attached by hooking it from above to the holding portion 45 of the upper rail 40. Further, by locking the locking projection 38 to the locking recess 46, downward and horizontal movement of the receiving unit 34 with respect to the holding portion 45 is suppressed, so that the upper rail 40 can be fixed to the upper frame 5 as a fixing target with the receiving unit 34 attached.

[0029] The locking projection 38 is provided on the receiving unit 34, and the locking recess 46 is provided on both sides in the door thickness direction of the holding portion 45. For example, if the locking projections 38 are provided on both sides in the door thickness direction of the holding portion 45, there is a concern that the locking projections 38 may be in the way on the side where the receiving unit 34 is not attached, but with the above configuration, there is no such concern. As shown in FIG. 8(c), the receiving unit 34 is attached to the holding portion 45, and in a state where the upper rail 40 is fixed to the upper frame 5 as a fixing target, its upper surface 34a abuts or is in close proximity to the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5. With such a configuration, in a state where the receiving unit 34 is attached to the holding portion 45 by locking the locking projections 38 and the locking recesses 46 to each other as described above, if the upper rail 40 is fixed to the upper frame 5, the upper surface 34a of the receiving unit 34 abuts or is in close proximity to the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5. Thereby, the movement of the receiving unit 34 is suppressed by the mutual locking of the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5, the locking recess 46, and the locking projection 38, and unintentional detachment of the receiving unit 34 can be suppressed. The dimension between the lower surface 5a and the upper surface 34a when the upper surface 34a of the receiving unit 34 is brought close to the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5 may be an appropriate dimension so that the locking between the locking recess 46 and the locking projection 38 is not released.

[0030] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the holding portion 45 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail 40. This holding portion 45 is provided so as to protrude upward from the groove bottom plate portion of the upper rail 40. The holding portion 45 may be integrally provided on the upper rail 40, or may be separately provided and fixed to the upper rail 40 by an appropriate fixing tool or the like. In the illustrated example, the holding portion 45 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is fixed to the upper rail 40 so as to be fitted between the projecting pieces 42, 42 on both sides of the upper rail 40. This holding portion 45 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail 40 such that one side surface in the rail longitudinal direction is substantially flush with one end surface in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail 40. The dimension along the vertical direction of this holding portion 45 may be set to an appropriate dimension so as not to interfere with the upper frame 5 when the upper rail 40 is fixed to the upper frame 5. In the illustrated example, the dimension along the vertical direction of the holding portion 45 is smaller than the dimension along the vertical direction of the fixing portion 47 whose upper end portion is received in the receiving groove 5b of the upper frame 5.

[0031] The holding portion 45 is provided with a first locking recess 46A on one side in the door thickness direction and a second locking recess 46B on the other side in the door thickness direction as the locking recess 46. That is, the holding portion 45 is provided with a first locking recess 46A into which the locking protrusion 38 is locked when the receiving unit 34 is attached to one side in the door thickness direction, and a second locking recess 46B into which the locking protrusion 38 is locked when the receiving unit 34 is attached to the other side in the door thickness direction. The first locking recess 46A and the second locking recess 46B are provided so as to be in positions that coincide with each other when viewed in the rail width direction (door thickness direction). In the present embodiment, a plurality (two in the illustrated example) of the first locking recesses 46A and the second locking recesses 46B are provided at intervals in the rail longitudinal direction on each of both sides in the door thickness direction of the holding portion 45. Since the first locking recess 46A and the second locking recess 46B have the same configuration, one of them will be taken as an example of the locking recess 46 and described below.

[0032] This locking recess 46 is provided so as to open upward and outward in the door thickness direction at the outer part of the holding part 45 in the door thickness direction. This locking recess 46 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction. On both opening edge parts in the width direction (rail longitudinal direction) on the outer side in the door thickness direction of this locking recess 46, a retaining wall part that prevents the large-diameter part of the locking projection 38 described later from coming out is formed so as to reduce the opening width. The dimension along the vertical direction of this locking recess 46, the depth dimension along the door thickness direction, the width dimension between the retaining wall parts on both sides, etc. are appropriately sized so that the locking projection 38 can be received and the movement of the received locking projection 38 downward and in the horizontal direction with respect to the holding part 45 can be suppressed.

[0033] The receiving unit 34 is attached to the holding part 45 so as to be along one side surface of one of the one side and the other side in the door thickness direction of the upper rail 40. This receiving unit 34 is generally in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. In the illustrated example, this receiving unit 34 is attached to the holding part 45 such that one side surface in the rail longitudinal direction is substantially flush with one end surface in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail 40 and the lower surface thereof is substantially flush with the lower surface of the upper rail 40. On the upper rail 40 side of this receiving unit 34, a locking projection 38 is provided so as to project along the door thickness direction. In the present embodiment, a plurality (two in the illustrated example) of locking projections 38, 38 that lock to the respective locking recesses 46, 46 provided at a plurality of locations in the rail longitudinal direction are provided at intervals in the rail longitudinal direction on the receiving unit 34. These locking projections 38, 38 are provided so as to be located at the center part in the rail longitudinal direction and one end part in the rail longitudinal direction of the receiving unit 34 whose dimension along the rail longitudinal direction is larger than that of the holding part 45. At the tip end part in the protruding direction of these locking projections 38, 38, a large-diameter part having a larger diameter than the base end side part is provided.

[0034] In the illustrated example, these locking projections 38, 38 are male threads that are screwed into the female thread portion 39 provided in the receiving unit 34, and the head of the screw is a large-diameter portion. In the illustrated example, three female thread portions 39 are provided in the receiving unit 34 at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the rail, and locking projections 38, 38 that are selectively screwed into two of these are provided according to the mounting side with respect to the holding portion 45. That is, when the receiving unit 34 is attached to the holding portion 45 on the side opposite to the illustrated example, the locking projection 38 screwed into the female thread portion 39 on one side in the longitudinal direction of the rail may be removed and screwed into the female thread portion 39 on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the rail.

[0035] An insertion port into which a connection terminal provided on the other of the receiving unit 34 and the holding portion 45 is inserted may be provided. For example, the holding portion 45 may be provided with a connection terminal via a cord that is electrically connected to the drive-side control unit 55, the power supply unit, etc. and can be led out to either side in the door thickness direction, and the receiving unit 34 may be provided with an insertion port into which this connection terminal is inserted. A configuration in which electrical connection between the drive-side control unit 55, the power supply unit, etc. and various devices including the receiving unit 35 is made by inserting the connection terminal into this insertion port may be adopted. The surplus cord of the connection terminal may be pushed into the empty space in the receiving unit 34 or the holding portion 45 and be made capable of being accommodated. The locking projection 38 of the receiving unit 34 and the locking recess 46 of the holding portion 45 to which it is locked are not limited to the examples described above, and may be configured in various other ways. In the above example, an example in which the locking projection 38 is provided in the receiving unit 34 and the locking recess 46 is provided in the holding portion 45 is shown, but these may be provided on the opposite side. That is, the locking projection 38 may be provided in the holding portion 45 and the locking recess 46 may be provided in the receiving unit 34.

[0036] The receiving unit 35 provided in the receiving unit 34 is provided so as to be able to receive the signal transmitted from the transmitting unit 19. The transmitting unit 19 and the receiving unit 35 may be configured to be capable of transmitting and receiving infrared communication. In this case, the transmitting unit 19 may be provided with an appropriate light-emitting unit that irradiates infrared rays such as an infrared LED, and the receiving unit 35 may be provided with an appropriate light-receiving unit that receives infrared rays. In this case, an appropriate transmission unit such as an optical filter that transmits infrared rays from the transmitting unit 19 may be provided on the lower surface side of the receiving unit 34. As the transmitting unit 19 and the receiving unit 35, various other configurations using wireless communication methods may be used.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 2(d) and 9, a mode switching operation unit 36 for switching between a first mode and a second mode described later is provided in the receiving unit 34. With such a configuration, the mode switching operation unit 36 can be made less conspicuous, and it is possible to suppress an unintentional switching operation. In the illustrated example, the mode switching operation unit 36 is a slide switch that is slid on the lower surface side of the receiving unit 34, but the configuration is not limited to this. A setting time change operation unit 37 for changing a predetermined setting time for maintaining the sliding door panel 30 in the open position (fully open position) in the first mode described later is provided in the receiving unit 34. With such a configuration, it is possible to change the time for which it is desired to maintain the open position in the first mode. In the illustrated example, one of a plurality of dip switches provided on the lower surface side of the receiving unit 34 is the setting time change operation unit 37, but the configuration is not limited to this.

[0038] A speed change operation unit for changing the opening and closing speed of the sliding door panel 30, a channel change operation unit for switching channels to suppress communication interference with the transmitting unit 19 of the other sliding door device 1, etc. may be provided in the receiving unit 34. A light-emitting unit such as an LED may be provided in the receiving unit 34 as a display unit for displaying the operating state. A sounding unit such as a buzzer may be provided in the receiving unit 34 as a notification unit for notifying the operation. In the above example, an example is shown in which a reception unit 34 attached to the upper rail 40 is provided with a mode switching operation unit 36, a set time change operation unit 37, etc. However, all or any of these may be provided at appropriate positions on the wall body 3 or the sensor unit 10 described later.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the sliding door device 1 includes covers 48, 48 provided on both sides in the door thickness direction of the upper rail 40 so as to cover the space between the upper frame 5 and the upper rail 40. With such a configuration, it is possible to make the drive mechanism 50 and the like provided above the upper rail 40 less conspicuous. These covers 48, 48 are provided so as to cover the outer surface of the upper rail 40 in the door thickness direction in addition to the space between the upper frame 5 and the upper rail 40. These covers 48, 48 are formed in a curtain plate shape that is long in the rail longitudinal direction. The cover 48 provided on the side (indoor side) different from the sleeve wall 4 on one side in the door thickness direction has a length corresponding to the dimension along the rail longitudinal direction between the door end side vertical frame 7 and the reception unit 34 as shown in FIG. 1(a). The cover 48 provided on the side of the sleeve wall 4 (outdoor side) on the other side in the door thickness direction has a length corresponding to the dimension along the rail longitudinal direction between the door tip side vertical frame 6 and the middle upright 8 as shown in FIG. 1(b).

[0040] These covers 48, 48 are provided with locking portions 49, 49 that lock to the protruding piece portions 42, 42 as the locked portions of the upper rail 40, as shown in FIG. 8. The locking portions 49, 49 and the protruding piece portions 42, 42 of the upper rail 40 are configured to lock to each other so as to suppress the downward movement and the movement in the door thickness direction of the covers 48, 48 attached to the upper rail 40. These locking portions 49, 49 are provided so as to protrude from the middle portion in the vertical direction of the surface facing the upper rail 40 side of each cover 48, 48 toward the center in the door thickness direction (upper rail 40) side, and are configured to have a protruding portion that protrudes downward at the tip of the protruding direction. These covers 48, 48 are attached to the upper rail 40, and in a state where the upper rail 40 is fixed to the upper frame 5, the upper end surfaces 48a, 48a thereof are in contact with or in proximity to the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5. With such a configuration, when the upper rail 40 is fixed to the upper frame 5 with the locking portions 49, 49 locked to the protruding piece portions 42, 42 and each cover 48, 48 attached to the upper rail 40, the upper end surfaces 48a, 48a of the covers 48, 48 are in contact with or in proximity to the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5. Thereby, the movement of the covers 48, 48 is suppressed by the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5 and the mutual locking between the locking portions 49, 49 and the protruding piece portions 42, 42, and the unintended detachment of the covers 48, 48 can be suppressed. The dimension between the lower surface 5a and the upper end surfaces 48a, 48a when bringing the upper end surfaces 48a, 48a of the covers 48, 48 close to the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5 may be an appropriate dimension so that the locking between the locking portions 49, 49 and the protruding piece portions 42, 42 is not released.

[0041] At the lower ends of these covers 48, 48, engaging protrusions 48b, 48b are provided which engage with the lower ends of the side plate-like portions on both sides of the upper rail 40. These engaging protrusions 48b, 48b are provided so as to protrude from the lower ends of the respective covers 48, 48 toward the center in the door thickness direction (upper rail 40). These engaging protrusions 48b, 48b are close to the lower ends of the respective side plate-like portions in a state where the respective covers 48, 48 are attached to the upper rail 40. Thereby, the release of the locking of the locking portions 49, 49 with respect to the projecting pieces 42, 42 is suppressed. These covers 48, 48 may be attached to the upper rail 40 with elastic deformation. These covers 48, 48 may be, for example, synthetic resin molded products. The covers 48, 48 covering between the upper frame 5 and the upper rail 40 are not limited to the above-described configuration, and may also be configured to be fixed to the upper rail 40 by an appropriate adhesive, fixing tool, etc., or may have various other configurations.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 7, the above-described upper rail 40 may be fixed to the upper frame 5 of the door frame installed in the opening in a state where the drive mechanism 50 is assembled and the receiving unit 34 is attached to one side in the door thickness direction of the holding portion 45. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and (b), the fixing portion 47 is hooked by a fixing tool such as a screw or a hooking portion provided on the upper frame 5 side, and the upper rail 40 is temporarily held with respect to the upper frame 5, and then the covers 48, 48 on both sides in the door thickness direction may be attached to the upper rail 40. That is, in a temporarily held state of the upper rail 40 in which a gap is formed between the upper surface of the fixing portion 47 and the groove bottom of the receiving groove 5b, the respective covers 48, 48 may be attached to the upper rail 40. Then, as shown in FIG. 8(c), the fixing tool for fixing the fixing portion 47 to the upper frame 5 may be tightened for final fixing. Thereby, the upper surface 34a of the receiving unit 34 and the upper end surfaces 48a, 48a of the respective covers 48, 48 are in contact with or in close proximity to the lower surface 5a of the upper frame 5, and the detachment of these receiving unit 34 and the respective covers 48, 48 from the upper rail 40 is suppressed.

[0043] The detection units 16 and 26 are provided at the handle positions of the sliding door panel 30. With such a configuration, when it is desired to move the sliding door panel 30 in the opening and closing direction, it is easy to hold a hand over the detection units 16 and 26. Also, when incorporating the detection units 16 and 26 into sliding door panels 30 with different door height dimensions, there is no need to incorporate separate parts, and commonization of parts can be achieved. Further, for example, compared with a configuration in which the detection units 16 and 26 constituting the operation unit are provided on the wall body 3 or the like around the entrance / exit 9, workability can also be improved. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the detection units 16 and 26 include a first sensor 17 and 27, and a second sensor 18 and 28 having a detection range narrower than that of the first sensor 17 and 27 and outputting a detection signal. The second sensor 18 and 28 is configured to operate in a state where the first sensor 17 and 27 detects the detection target. With such a configuration, when the first sensor 17 and 27 having a relatively wide detection range detects the detection target and the second sensor 18 and 28 detects the detection target, a detection signal is output, so that false detection and unintended opening and closing can be made less likely to occur. That is, although details will be described later, when a finger or the like is brought close to the detection unit 16 and 26 in a state where the first sensor 17 and 27 detects the detection target, the second sensor 18 and 28 detects and the sliding door panel 30 is moved in the opening and closing direction. On the other hand, if a finger or the like is not brought close to the detection unit 16 and 26 even when the first sensor 17 and 27 detects the detection target, the second sensor 18 and 28 does not detect and the sliding door panel 30 is not opened or closed. Also, since the second sensor 18 and 28 is operated in a state where the first sensor 17 and 27 detects the detection target, power saving can be achieved while suppressing false detection and the like as described above.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 4(b), at the handle position of the sliding door panel 30, a battery housing portion 13 for removably housing a battery 29 that serves as a power source for the detection units 16 and 26 and the transmission unit 19 is provided. With such a configuration, for example, compared with a configuration in which power is supplied from outside the sliding door panel 30 or the battery housing portion 13 is provided at a position away from the handle position, wiring and the like are facilitated, and maintenance such as battery replacement can be easily performed. The detection units 16 and 26 are provided on both sides in the door thickness direction. With such a configuration, by bringing a detection target such as a hand close to the detection units 16 and 26 provided at the respective handle positions on both sides in the door thickness direction, the sliding door panel 30 can be slid in the door width direction. The detection units 16 and 26 include an indoor side detection unit 16 as a first surface side detection unit that detects a detection target on one first surface 31 side of both surfaces of the sliding door panel 30 in the door thickness direction, and an outdoor side detection unit 26 as a second surface side detection unit that detects a detection target on the other second surface 32 side.

[0045] The indoor side detection unit 16 and the transmission unit 19 are provided in a first sensor case portion 11 provided so as to protrude in the door thickness direction on the first surface 31 side of the handle position. The outdoor side detection unit 26 is provided in a second sensor case portion 21 provided so that the surface 21a is substantially flush with the second surface 32 on the second surface 32 side of the handle position. With such a configuration, the effective opening width can be increased, and the gap with the wall surface (in this embodiment, the sleeve wall 4) can be reduced. That is, by installing the sliding door panel 30 so that the second surface 32 on the second sensor case portion 21 side faces the wall surface, there is no need to provide a remainder or increase the gap between the sliding door panel 30 and the wall surface. Further, since the transmission unit 19 is provided in the first sensor case portion 11 that protrudes in the door thickness direction, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of communication failures with the receiving unit 35.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 4(b) and 5(b), the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 are separate bodies and can be attached to either side of both sides of the sliding door panel 30 in the door thickness direction. With such a configuration, the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 can be attached to the sliding door panel 30 so that the second sensor case portion 21, which becomes the non-protruding side, faces the wall surface side according to whether the sliding door panel 30 is installed as a right-slide or left-slide (left / right slide specification). That is, the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 can be common parts regardless of the left / right slide specification of the sliding door panel 30. On the side of the first surface 31 in the first sensor case portion 11, a portion protruding in the door thickness direction constitutes a handle projection 12, and a handle recess 23 opening on the surface 21a is provided in the second sensor case portion 21. With such a configuration, when manually opening and closing the sliding door panel 30, the sliding door panel 30 can be opened and closed by gripping the handle projection 12 of the first sensor case portion 11 or the handle recess 23 of the second sensor case portion 21.

[0047] One of the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 is provided with a battery housing portion 13 and a lid body 14 for opening and closing the battery housing portion 13. With such a configuration, by opening the lid body 14, maintenance such as battery replacement can be easily performed. Compared with a configuration in which the battery housing portion 13 is provided at a handle position different from the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21, wiring and the like become easier. In the present embodiment, the battery housing portion 13 and the lid body 14 are provided on the side of the first sensor case portion 11. With such a configuration, from the viewpoints of preventing malfunction and maintenance, the battery housing portion 13 and the lid body 14 are provided on the side of the first sensor case portion 11 where the receiving portion 35 is provided (the indoor side). As a result, maintenance such as battery replacement can be easily performed on the indoor side, and it is possible to suppress the unintended removal of the battery and the like on the outdoor side.

[0048] The first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 are elongated in the door height direction. On the surfaces 11a, 21a sides of the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21, there are provided mark portions 11d, 21d serving as marks for bringing a detection target close. On the surfaces 11a, 21a sides of the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21, detection windows (second detection windows) 11c, 21c of the second sensors 18, 28 are provided adjacent to one side in the door height direction of the mark portions 11d, 21d. On the surfaces 11a, 21a sides of the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21, detection windows (first detection windows) 11b, 21b of the first sensors 17, 27 are provided adjacent to one side in the door height direction of the second detection windows 11c, 21c. With such a configuration, it becomes easier for the user to recognize a location where a hand or the like is brought close, and the hand or the like brought close can be effectively detected by the second sensors 18, 28 provided adjacent to the mark portions 11d, 21d. Further, since the first detection windows 11b, 21b of the first sensors 17, 27 are provided at positions adjacent to one side in the door height direction of the second detection windows 11c, 21c of the second sensors 18, 28, it is possible to achieve integration of functional components while providing the mark portions 11d, 21d as described above.

[0049] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 constitute a unitized sensor unit 10. With such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the need for wiring or the like for supplying power from outside the sensor unit 10. The first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 are assembled and integrated by inserting their insertion portions into mounting holes 33 penetrating in the door thickness direction at the handle position of the sliding door panel 30 and using fixing tools such as screws. As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor unit 10 is generally in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 assembled to each other. The length dimension along the door height direction (vertical direction) and the width dimension along the door width direction of the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 are substantially the same as each other.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 2(c) and 3(c) to (f), the hanging projection portion 12 of the first sensor case portion 11 is larger than the dimension along the door height direction and the dimension along the door width direction of the mounting hole 33, and includes a flange portion formed to cover the entire peripheral edge of the opening of the mounting hole 33. This hanging projection portion 12 may be provided in a part of the first sensor case portion 11 in the door height direction or a part of the door width direction. However, in the illustrated example, it is constituted by a portion uniformly protruding from the first surface 31 over the entire door height direction and the entire door width direction of the first sensor case portion 11. The protruding dimension of the hanging projection portion 12 from the first surface 31 may be an appropriate dimension from the viewpoints of handleability and appearance. The protruding dimension of the hanging projection portion 12 from the first surface 31 may be, for example, about 5 mm to 20 mm, and preferably 10 mm or less.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4(b), the battery housing portion 13 of the first sensor case portion 11 is provided so as to open outward in the door thickness direction on the surface 11a of the first sensor case portion 11. In the illustrated example, the battery housing portion 13 is configured to house a plurality of (four in the illustrated example) cylindrical batteries (primary batteries) 29. The battery 29 housed in the battery housing portion 13 is not limited to a cylindrical one, and may be a flat six-layer battery or a so-called button-type battery. An insertion hole through which a fixing tool such as a screw screwed into the female screw portion provided on the second sensor case portion 21 is inserted is provided at the bottom of the battery housing portion 13. The first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 may be attached to the sliding door panel 30 by screwing a fixing tool into the female screw portion of the second sensor case portion 21 through the insertion hole at the bottom of the battery housing portion 13 in a state where their insertion portions are inserted into the mounting hole 33 and butted against each other. The lid body 14 is configured to be detachably attached to the first sensor case portion 11 so as to be fitted into the opening of the battery housing portion 13. In a state where the lid body 14 is attached to the first sensor case portion 11, its surface is configured to be substantially flush with the surface 11a of the first sensor case portion 11 so as to form the surface 11a.

[0052] This lid body 14 is configured to be attached to the first sensor case portion 11 by a fixing tool such as a screw screwed in from the second sensor case portion 21 side. With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the unintentional removal of the battery 29 as compared with a configuration in which both the removal of the lid body 14 and the removal of the battery 29 are possible on the first sensor case portion 11 side. An engaging protrusion as an engaging portion that engages (fits) with an engaging recess as an engaged portion provided on the inner wall of the battery housing portion 13 is provided at the first end portion (the upper end portion in the illustrated example) in the longitudinal direction of the lid body 14. On the back surface side (the second sensor case portion 21 side) of the second end portion (the lower end portion in the illustrated example) of the lid body 14, a female screw portion to which a fixing tool screwed in from the second sensor case portion 21 side is screwed is provided as shown in FIG. 5(b). The lid body 14 is attached to the first sensor case portion 11 by fitting the engaging protrusion at the upper end portion into the engaging recess of the battery housing portion 13 and screwing a fixing tool from the second sensor case portion 21 side into the female screw portion at the lower end portion. The lid body 14 can be removed from the first sensor case portion 11 by removing the fixing tool screwed into the female screw portion at the lower end portion of the lid body 14 from the second sensor case portion 21 side and detaching the engaging protrusion at the upper end portion from the engaging recess of the battery housing portion 13.

[0053] The mounting mode of the lid body 14 is not limited to the above-described configuration, and may be various other configurations. Further, the lid body 14 only needs to be configured to be able to open and close the opening of the battery housing portion 13 so that the battery 29 can be replaced, and is not limited to a configuration that is detachable from the first sensor case portion 11, and may be connected to the first sensor case portion 11 rotatably with one end portion as a fulcrum. As shown in FIG. 4, the mark portion 11d on the surface 11a side of the first sensor case portion 11 is provided on the surface side of the lid body 14. The mark portion 11d may be characters such as "hold your hand above", a picture of a finger, or a pictogram. The second detection window 11c on the surface 11a side of the first sensor case portion 11 is provided so as to be located above the mark portion 11d on the upper side as one side in the door height direction. A second sensor (indoor second sensor) 18 of the first sensor case portion 11 is provided so as to be located on the back side (second sensor case portion 21 side) of the second detection window 11c.

[0054] The first detection window 11b on the surface 11a side of the first sensor case portion 11 is provided so as to be located above the second detection window 11c on the upper side as one side in the door height direction. A first sensor (indoor first sensor) 17 of the first sensor case portion 11 is provided so as to be located on the back side (second sensor case portion 21 side) of the first detection window 11b. The first detection window 11b and the second detection window 11c are provided at intervals in the door height direction at the upper end side portion of the first sensor case portion 11. The first detection window 11b and the second detection window 11c may be provided in a through hole shape so as to at least expose the transmitting portion (light emitting portion) and the receiving portion (light receiving portion) of the indoor first sensor 17 and the indoor second sensor 18, or may be a transmissive portion having permeability. On the surface 11a side of the first sensor case portion 11, a lighting window 11e that transmits the lighting of a lamp or the like as a battery replacement notification portion indicating a guide for the battery 29 life (replacement of the battery 29) is provided. In the illustrated example, the lighting window 11e is provided at a position adjacent to one side in the door width direction of the second detection window 11c.

[0055] The first sensor case portion 11 is provided with an appropriate transmission portion 15 such as an optical filter that transmits the signal (infrared ray) of the transmission portion 19. In the illustrated example, the transmission portion 15 is provided so as to form the upper end surface of the hanging projection portion 12 of the first sensor case portion 11. On the back surface side (lower side) of the transmission portion 15, a light emitting portion such as an infrared LED constituting the transmission portion 19 is provided. The transmission portion 19 may be appropriately configured so as to be able to transmit a detection signal toward the receiving portion 35 of the receiving unit 34 that is generally directly above in the closed position of the sliding door panel 30 and is located obliquely upward in the fully open position.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 2(c) and 5(a), in the present embodiment, the second sensor case portion 21 is configured such that its surface 21a is located slightly outside the door thickness direction from the second surface 32 of the sliding door panel 30. The fact that the surface 21a of the second sensor case portion 21 and the second surface 32 of the sliding door panel 30 are substantially in the same plane includes not only a configuration where they are completely in the same plane but also a configuration where there is a step of about 3 mm or less between them. The step between the surface 21a of the second sensor case portion 21 and the second surface 32 may preferably be 2 mm or less from the viewpoint of suppressing interference with the sleeve wall 4 (medium vertical 8). In the illustrated example, the second sensor case portion 21 is provided with a flange portion 22 formed so as to cover the entire periphery of the opening edge of the mounting hole 33, and an example is shown in which the thickness dimension of this flange portion 22 constitutes the step between the surface 21a of the second sensor case portion 21 and the second surface 32. Instead of such an aspect, a concave step portion for receiving the flange portion 22 may be provided over the entire periphery of the opening edge of the mounting hole 33.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, the hanging recess 23 of the second sensor case portion 21 is provided so as to open outward in the door thickness direction on the surface 21a of the second sensor case portion 21. The hanging recess 23 is provided so as to be located at the lower end portion of the second sensor case portion 21. An insertion hole is provided through which a fixing tool screwed to the female screw portion at the lower end portion of the lid body 14 is inserted so as to open at the bottom side of the hanging recess 23. With such a configuration, it is possible to make the fixing tool for fixing the lid body 14 less conspicuous. The depth dimension of the handle recess 23 along the door thickness direction, and the dimensions along the door height direction and the door width direction may be appropriate dimensions so that the handle can be used. The dimensions of the handle recess 23 along the door height direction and the door width direction may be dimensions that allow one or several fingers to be inserted. The depth dimension of the handle recess 23 may be about 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 5, the marking portion 21d on the surface 21a side of the second sensor case portion 21 is provided so as to be located on the upper side which is one side in the door height direction of the handle recess 23. The marking portion 21d may have the same configuration as the above-described marking portion 11d. These marking portions 11d and 21d may be provided so as to be located at substantially the same height. The second detection window 21c on the surface 21a side of the second sensor case portion 21 is provided so as to be located on the upper side which is one side in the door height direction of the marking portion 21d. A second sensor (outdoor second sensor) 28 of the second sensor case portion 21 is provided so as to be located on the back side (the first sensor case portion 11 side) of the second detection window 21c.

[0059] The first detection window 21b on the surface 21a side of the second sensor case portion 21 is provided so as to be located on the upper side which is one side in the door height direction of the second detection window 21c. A first sensor (outdoor first sensor) 27 of the second sensor case portion 21 is provided so as to be located on the back side (the first sensor case portion 11 side) of the first detection window 21b. These first detection window 21b and second detection window 21c are provided at intervals in the door height direction at the upper end side portion of the second sensor case portion 21. These first detection window 21b and second detection window 21c may be provided in a through-hole shape so as to at least expose the transmitting portion (light emitting portion) and the receiving portion (light receiving portion) of the outdoor first sensor 27 and the outdoor second sensor 28, or may be a transmissive portion having permeability. These first detection window 21b and second detection window 21c may be provided so as to be located at substantially the same height as each of the first detection window 11b and the second detection window 11c of the first sensor case portion 11 as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and (b).

[0060] The first sensors 17 and 27 of the first sensor case part 11 and the second sensor case part 21 have the same configuration as each other and are configured to have a relatively wide detection range. Such first sensors 17 and 27 may be human presence sensors such as pyroelectric infrared sensors that detect changes in heat (far-infrared rays). The detection range of the first sensors 17 and 27 may be a region with a spread angle of 30 degrees or more in each of the horizontal and vertical directions, and the detection distance may be about 1 m or more and 10 m or less, preferably about 5 m or less. The second sensors 18 and 28 of the first sensor case part 11 and the second sensor case part 21 are configured to have a relatively narrow detection range. Such second sensors 18 and 28 may be distance measurement sensors such as reflective infrared distance measurement sensors in which a light emitting part and a light receiving part are integrated. The detection range of the second sensors 18 and 28 may be a generally linear region along the door thickness direction, and the detection distance may be about 10 mm or more and 500 mm or less, preferably about 300 mm or less, and more preferably 80 mm or less. With such a configuration, it is possible to detect a detection target such as a hand within a relatively close range, and it is possible to make it difficult for an unintended opening and closing to occur. The first sensors 17 and 27 and the second sensors 18 and 28 are not limited to the configurations described above, and may have various other configurations.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 9, the sensor unit 10 is provided with a sensor side control unit 20 connected to the above-described transmission unit 19, indoor side detection unit 16, outdoor side detection unit 26, battery replacement notification unit, etc. via signal lines or the like. The sensor side control unit 20 may be configured by the same microcomputer (MCU) or the like as described above. The sensor side control unit 20 may be provided on the first sensor case part 11 side. In this case, when assembling the first sensor case part 11 and the second sensor case part 21, the connection between the outdoor side detection unit 26 provided on the second sensor case part 21 side and the sensor side control unit 20 may be made possible by appropriate connection terminals or the like. In the above example, an example is shown in which the battery housing portion 13 and the lid 14 are provided in the first sensor case portion 11. However, it may be configured to be provided in the second sensor case portion 21, or further, it may be configured to be provided at the handle position outside the sensor unit 10. The sensor unit 10 is not limited to the configuration including the first sensor case portion 11 and the second sensor case portion 21 which are separated as described above, and may be configured such that these are integrally provided. In this case, the sensor unit 10 itself may be detachable with respect to the sliding door panel 30, and may be configured to be battery-exchangeable or the like.

[0062] In the above example, an example is shown in which the sensor unit 10 is provided with the hanging protrusion 12 and the hanging recess 23 that constitute the handle portion. However, the handle portion may be provided at other portions of the sliding door panel 30. In the above example, an example is shown in which the upper rail 40 suspends and holds the sliding door panel 30. However, a configuration that guides the upper end side of the load-bearing sliding door panel 30 may also be used. At an appropriate position of the sliding door device 1, a passage detection unit for detecting a detection target passing through the entrance / exit 9 or a main power switch may be provided. At an appropriate position of the sliding door device 1, an appropriate locking / unlocking portion such as a cylinder lock or an electric lock that can suppress the movement of the sliding door panel 30 at the closed position to the open side in a releasable manner may be provided. In the above example, an example is shown in which the sliding door panel 30 is installed with the sleeve wall storage so that no residue is formed at the fully open position. However, it can be installed in an appropriate storage mode such as pocket storage or inset storage. In the case of pocket storage, at the fully open position, a configuration may be adopted in which the end portion on the door leading side is arranged as a residue portion on the entrance / exit 9 side so that the sensor unit 10 is exposed.

[0063] Next, an example of the basic operation executed in the sliding door device 1 configured as described above will be described. FIG. 10 shows an example of the basic operation on the sensor unit 10 side, and FIG. 11 shows an example of the basic operation on the drive mechanism 50 side. The following basic operations are executed by controlling each of the above-described devices according to a control program stored in advance in the storage units of the sensor-side control unit 20 and the drive-side control unit 55, respectively.

[0064] The sensor-side control unit 20 activates the second sensors 18 and 28 based on the detections of the first sensors 17 and 27. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, when the first sensors 17 and 27 detect a detection target such as a human body (step 100), the second sensors 18 and 28 are set to an ON state where they can be detected (step 101). In this state, if the second sensors 18 and 28 detect a detection target such as a finger (step 102), a detection signal is transmitted via the transmitter 19 (step 103). If the first sensors 17 and 27 do not detect the detection target (step 100), the second sensors 18 and 28 are set to an OFF state where they cannot be detected (step 104). That is, during normal operation of the sensor unit 10 (when the power is on (the remaining battery level of the battery 29 is available)), the first sensors 17 and 27 are always set to an operating state where they can be detected, while the second sensors 18 and 28 are set to an operating state where they can be detected only when the first sensors 17 and 27 are in a detection state. Thereby, the operation time of the second sensors 18 and 28, which relatively consumes a large amount of power, can be shortened, and power saving can be achieved.

[0065] In the first mode, the drive-side control unit 55 opens the sliding door panel 30 at the closed position based on the operations (detections) of the operation units (detection units) 16 and 26, and closes the sliding door panel 30 after a predetermined set time has elapsed. In the first mode, if the user operates the operation unit (in this embodiment, the detection units 16 and 26 detect the detection target), after the sliding door panel 30 is opened, it will be closed without the need for an operation (detection). On the other hand, in the second mode, when sliding the sliding door panel 30 from the closed position to the open position and from the open position to the closed position, operations (detections) of the operation unit (detection unit) 16 and 26 are required. Therefore, for example, when it is desired to temporarily open it for regular ventilation or the like, by setting it to the second mode, the opening of the sliding door panel 30 can be maintained, and it can also be closed if the operation unit (detection unit) 16 and 26 are operated when closing. This can improve the usability compared to a situation where it is necessary to switch the mode itself when closing.

[0066] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11(a), in the first mode, if the receiving unit 35 receives the detection signal from the transmitting unit 19, it refers to the position information of the sliding door panel 30 by the position detection unit 56. If it is at the closed position, it opens the sliding door panel 30 (steps 200 to 202). Then, when a predetermined set time (for example, about 1 second to 10 seconds) has elapsed (step 203), it closes the sliding door panel 30 (step 204). In this first mode, when the above-described passage detection unit is provided, if the passage detection unit detects the detection target, the sliding door panel 30 may not be closed, and if it becomes non-detected, it may be closed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11(b), in the second mode, if the receiving unit 35 receives the detection signal from the transmitting unit 19 (step 300), it refers to the position information of the sliding door panel 30 by the position detection unit 56, and opens or closes the sliding door panel 30 (steps 300 to 304). That is, if the sliding door panel 30 is at the closed position (step 301), it opens the sliding door panel 30 (step 302), and if the sliding door panel 30 is at the open position (step 303), it closes the sliding door panel 30 (step 304).

[0067] In the sliding door device 1 according to the present embodiment, the basic operations to be executed are not limited to the above-described modes, and various other operations can be executed. In addition to the first mode and the second mode, the above-described mode switching operation unit 36 may be further configured to be able to switch to a one-way mode that allows passage only from one side, a closed mode that prohibits passage, or the like. Alternatively, instead of a configuration that selectively executes the first mode and the second mode, it may be configured to be able to execute only one of the modes. In the above example, an example is shown in which the indoor side detection unit 16 and the outdoor side detection unit 26 are provided with the first sensors 17 and 27 and the second sensors 18 and 28. However, as an alternative to such a mode, the indoor side detection unit 16 and the outdoor side detection unit 26 may be provided with one sensor. In the above example, an example is shown in which the receiving unit 34 is attached to one side in the door thickness direction of the upper rail 40. However, it may be configured to be provided at an appropriate position such as the wall body 3 or the upper frame 5. Each of the above-described devices, members, and components of the sliding door device 1 according to the present embodiment is merely an example, and various other modifications are possible.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0068] 1 Sliding door device 11 First sensor case part 12 Hanging projection 13 Battery housing part 14 Cover body 16 Indoor side detection unit (first surface side detection unit) 19 Transmitting unit 21 Second sensor case part 21a Surface 23 Hanging recess 26 Outdoor side detection unit (second surface side detection unit) 29 Battery 30 Sliding door panel 31 First surface 32 Second surface 35 Receiving unit 50 Driving mechanism 55 Driving side control unit (control unit)

Claims

1. A sliding door panel, a drive mechanism for sliding the sliding door panel in the door width direction, a receiving unit connected to a control unit for controlling the drive mechanism and provided so as to be located above the sliding door panel, a first surface side detection unit and a second surface side detection unit for detecting a detection target on each of the first surface side and the second surface side in the door thickness direction of the sliding door panel, and a transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting detection signals of the first surface side detection unit and the second surface side detection unit to the receiving unit. The first surface side detection unit and the transmission unit are provided in a first sensor case portion provided so as to protrude in the door thickness direction on the first surface side of the handle position of the sliding door panel, and the second surface side detection unit is provided in a second sensor case portion provided so that the surface is substantially flush with the second surface on the second surface side of the handle position. The first sensor case portion and the second sensor case portion are separate bodies, and their insertion portions are inserted into a mounting hole provided to penetrate in the door thickness direction at the handle position of the sliding door panel and are attached. The first sensor case portion is provided with a transmission portion for transmitting the signal of the transmission unit so as to form the upper end surface of the portion protruding in the door thickness direction on the first surface side, and a portion protruding uniformly from the first surface over the entire door height direction and door width direction of the first sensor case portion constitutes a hand grip protrusion. The second sensor case portion is provided with a hand grip recess opening on the surface. A sliding door device characterized by this.

2. In Claim 1, The first sensor case portion and the second sensor case portion are characterized in that they can be attached to either side in the door thickness direction of the sliding door panel.

3. In Claim 1 or 2, One of the first sensor case portion and the second sensor case portion is provided with a battery housing portion for removably housing a battery that powers the first surface side detection unit, the second surface side detection unit, and the transmission unit, and a lid body for opening and closing the battery housing portion. A sliding door device characterized by this.

4. In Claim 3, The battery housing portion and the lid body are provided on the first sensor case portion side. A sliding door device characterized by this.

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