Lower gate stopper structure

Abstract

To provide a lower gate stopper structure capable of selectively making a stopper unit pop up based on an open or closed state of a gate.SOLUTION: A lower gate stopper structure includes: a stopper unit configured to pop up from an upper end of a groove positioned at an inner surface of a gate; a rack unit connected to the stopper unit and configured to move longitudinally to cause the stopper unit to pop up; and a controller configured to selectively control pop-up of the stopper unit based on an open or closed state of the gate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lower gate stopper structure, and more particularly, to a lower gate stopper structure that can minimize passenger injuries and vehicle damage during a side collision in a closed state of the gate and can support the load when a passenger gets on and off the vehicle in an open state of the gate.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a tail gate is an opening and closing door attached to the rear of a wagon-type automobile, a bus, and a recreational automobile. The tail gate is opened and closed to load and unload cargo from the rear of the vehicle body. Such a tail gate is installed to allow a driver to easily access a cargo compartment formed inside the passenger compartment. By mounting a tail gate on the rear of an automobile, cargo can be easily loaded or unloaded into the cargo compartment, and passengers can also get on and off the vehicle at the rear of the vehicle.

[0003] In future automobiles, not only at the rear of the vehicle but also on the side, a tail gate is mounted, so that passengers can get on and off the vehicle from the side of the vehicle as well as load and unload cargo. Among such types of tail gates, a 'clamshell' gate in which the middle part is divided vertically and opened requires less force than opening and closing a single large tail gate and does not occupy the rear space, so it has been in the spotlight. In addition, the clamshell gate has a space where a person can sit on the lower gate. There is also an advantage that cargo can be placed closer to the bumper. On the other hand, in a situation such as a side collision, a side collision reinforcement structure of a vehicle that minimizes the deformation of the vehicle body using the floor of the vehicle body and improves the safety of passengers is known. However, a structure that effectively prevents the intrusion of the gate is required.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lower gate stopper structure in which a stopper unit can be selectively popped up by a control unit according to the open / closed state of the gate. Another object of the present invention is to provide a lower gate stopper structure configured such that the stopper unit pops up in a state where the gate is closed and can absorb an impact during a side collision of a vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The lower gate stopper structure according to the present invention includes a stopper unit that pops up from the upper end of a groove portion located inside the gate, a rack unit that is connected to the stopper unit and performs the popping up of the stopper unit by moving in the longitudinal direction, and a control unit that selectively controls the popping up of the stopper unit according to the open / closed state of the gate.

[0007] The stopper unit includes a stopper gear formed to mesh with the rack unit and at least one stopper formed to rotate about the stopper gear.

[0008] The rack unit includes a drive unit that receives open / closed state information of the gate from the control unit and applies a driving force, a rack that is connected to the stopper gear and moves in the longitudinal direction by the drive unit, a pin guide formed at at least one end of the rack, and a rack position regulating pin inserted into the pin guide.

[0009] The length of the first surface of the stopper is configured to correspond to the length of the open surface of the groove portion.

[0010] The length of the stopper protruding from the upper end of the groove portion is configured to correspond to the length of the groove portion.

[0011] When the control unit detects the closing signal of the gate, the control unit controls the driving unit to apply a driving force to pop up the stopper.

[0012] When the control unit detects the opening signal of the gate, the control unit controls the driving unit to apply a driving force to insert the stopper.

[0013] When one end of the pin guide is located at the rack position regulating pin, the stopper pops up completely, and when the other end of the pin guide is located at the rack position regulating pin, the stopper is configured to be inserted.

[0014] The rotation amount of the stopper gear corresponds to the length of the pin guide.

[0015] The stopper further includes a stopper pin formed on the axis of the stopper gear, and the stopper rotates about the stopper pin.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] The present invention can obtain the following effects. The stopper unit can be selectively popped up by the control unit. By lowering the stopper unit, it does not interfere with getting on and off in the gate open state, and getting on and off is possible. In the gate closed state, the stopper unit is popped up, and when a side collision accident occurs, the stopper can effectively prevent the gate from being invaded, and the safety of the passengers can be guaranteed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail based on the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention can be deformed into various forms and are not limited to the following embodiments. A "part" or "unit" is a unit that processes one function or operation. A "gate" includes not only a gate that opens in the front-rear direction of the vehicle but also a gate that opens in both directions in the width direction of the vehicle. In this specification, the gate that opens in the width direction of the vehicle is described. A "closed state" is a state in which both the upper gate and the lower gate are closed, and an "open state" is a state in which both the upper gate and the lower gate are open. "Above" or "upper part" includes not only the case where another part is "right above" but also the case where there is still another part in the middle. Also, "below" or "lower part" includes not only the case where another part is "right below" but also the case where there is still another part in the middle.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a gate open state of a lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the gate is a clam shell gate including an upper gate and a lower gate 10, and the upper gate is omitted. One end of the gate adjacent to the roof rotates in the height direction to open, and the lower gate 10 is formed adjacent to the other end of the opening upper gate. The lower gate 10 rotates and opens with reference to the lower surface of the vehicle body.

[0021] A lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a stopper unit 200, a rack unit 300, and a control unit 400. The stopper unit 200 is located on the inner surface of the gate and is configured to pop up. Preferably, at least one or more groove portions 100 are formed in the floor 20 of the vehicle, and the stopper unit 200 is configured to pop up from the upper end of the groove portion 100. The stopper unit 200 can pop up adjacent to the inner surface of the gate.

[0022] The groove portion 100 is formed with one side adjacent to the hinge axis of the gate. The groove portion 100 is adjacent to the inner surface of the gate and formed at the outer end of the vehicle body floor 20 so that the stopper unit 200 can pop up. The stopper unit 200 includes a stopper gear 210 and a stopper 220. At least one stopper 220 is formed to rotate about the stopper gear 210. The control unit 400 selectively controls the pop-up of the stopper unit 200 according to the open / closed state of the gate. More preferably, when the control unit 400 detects an open signal of the gate, it controls the stopper unit 200 to be inserted into the groove portion 100. After the stopper unit 200 is inserted into the groove portion 100, the gate is opened. As another embodiment, the gate can also be opened while the stopper unit 200 is being inserted into the groove portion 100.

[0023] When the gate is fully opened, passengers can get on and off through the gate. More preferably, when the passengers get on and off, the stopper unit 200 located inside the gate is in a state of being inserted into the interior of the vehicle body. Here, the stopper unit 200 forms the vehicle floor 20 and is configured not to interfere with the getting on and off of passengers.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a state where the stopper 220 is inserted into the groove portion 100 in the gate open state of the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the length of the first surface of the stopper 220 is configured to correspond to the length of the open surface of the groove portion 100. The first surface of the stopper 220 is the surface that opens to the outside when the stopper 220 is inserted into the groove portion 100. The first surface of the stopper 220 closes the open surface of the groove portion 100 and forms a part of the vehicle floor 20. Also, the stopper 220 is inserted into the groove portion 100 so that the first surface is parallel to the floor 20. Thereby, when the passengers get on and off, it is prevented that they step on the stopper 220 or fall into the groove portion 100.

[0025] Figure 3 shows the case where the control unit 400 of the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention detects a gate closing signal. Referring to Figure 3, the rack unit 300 is configured to be connected to the stopper unit 200. The stopper unit 200 is configured to pop up by the movement of the rack unit 300 in the longitudinal direction. The stopper unit 200 includes a stopper gear 210 that meshes with the rack unit 300. The rack unit 300 consists of a drive unit 310, a rack 320, a pin guide 330, and a rack position regulating pin 340. The drive unit 310 can receive the opening and closing state information of the gate from the control unit 400 and apply a driving force. The drive unit 310 is configured to apply a driving force such as an actuator or a motor. In an embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit 310 is an actuator that rotates so that the rack 320 moves in the longitudinal direction. The drive unit 310 is configured to contact the upper end of the rack 320 and move the rack 320 in the longitudinal direction.

[0026] The rack 320 is connected to the stopper gear 210 and moves in the longitudinal direction by the drive unit 310. The rack 320 meshes with at least one or more stopper gears 210. The rack 320 extends along the side surface of the vehicle below the floor 20 of the vehicle body. The stopper gears 210 are formed to mesh with the upper part of the rack 320 at a predetermined interval. The stoppers 220 are formed at a predetermined interval so as to rotate around the stopper gear 210. A groove portion 100 is formed in the floor 20 of the vehicle body corresponding to the spaced interval between the stoppers 220.

[0027] The pin guide 330 is formed at at least one end of the rack 320. A pair of pin guides 330 are respectively located at both ends of the rack 320. The rack position regulating pin 340 is inserted into the pin guide 330. When one end of the pin guide 330 is located at the rack position regulating pin 340, the stopper 220 is configured to completely pop up. Also, when the other end of the pin guide 330 is located at the rack position regulating pin 340, the stopper 220 is configured to be inserted into the groove portion 100.

[0028] The pin guide 330 is formed to have a length corresponding to the amount of rotation of the stopper gear 210. When the stopper 220 pops up, the longitudinal movement amount of the pin guide 330 is restricted by the rack position regulating pin 340. Thereby, the amount of rotation when the stopper 220 pops up is restricted. When the stopper 220 is inserted, the longitudinal movement amount of the pin guide 330 is restricted by the rack position regulating pin 340. Thereby, the amount of rotation when the stopper 220 is inserted is restricted. When the control unit 400 detects the gate closing signal, it controls the drive unit 310 to apply a driving force to pop up the stopper 220. The control unit 400 can rotate the drive unit 310 by detecting the gate closing signal. The drive unit 310 can receive the gate closed state information from the control unit 400 and apply a driving force to the rack 320. The drive unit 310 rotates to move the rack 320 in the longitudinal direction. When the control unit 400 detects the gate closed state information, it controls the drive unit 310 to move the rack 320 forward of the vehicle.

[0029] When the rack 320 moves forward of the vehicle in FIG. 3, the stopper gear 210 rotates counterclockwise. The stopper 220 rotates counterclockwise about the stopper gear 210 and pops up. The amount of rotation of the stopper gear 210 corresponds to the length of the pin guide 330. Thereby, the stopper 220 rotates at a predetermined angle and pops up.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the gate open state of the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a stopper pin 211 formed on the axis of the stopper gear 210. The stopper pin 211 penetrates the stopper 220 and the stopper gear 210 and is fixed to the vehicle body. The stopper 220 is configured to rotate at a predetermined angle about the stopper pin 211.

[0031] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is a hybrid vehicle such as a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) or an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or an electric vehicle. Modules of the battery 30 are arranged on the lower surface of the vehicle body. The battery 30 of the vehicle is arranged inside the stopper 220. The width of the stopper 220 is set so as not to restrict the space where the battery 30 is mounted. The hinge point of the lower gate 10 is located outside the stopper 220. An under cover 50 is provided below the battery 30 and the stopper 220. A side sill 40 is formed outside the stopper 220, and the stopper pin 211 penetrates and is fixed to the side sill 40.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows the gate closed state of the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 400 is configured to receive the opening and closing signal of the gate. When the control unit 400 detects the closing signal of the gate, it controls the driving unit 310 to apply a driving force so that the stopper 220 pops up from the groove portion 100. The control unit 400 detects the closing signal of the gate and rotates the driving unit 310. When the gate is completely closed, the control unit 400 maintains the stopper 220 in a state of popping up from the groove portion 100. The inner surface of the stopper 220 that pops up in the closed state is adjacent to the inner surface of the lower gate 10 to improve the safety against collisions.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows a state in which the stopper 220 pops up from the groove portion 100 in the gate closed state of the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the length of the stopper 220 protruding from the upper end of the groove portion 100 is configured to correspond to the length of the groove portion 100. The protruding length of the stopper 220 is the length in a direction parallel to the floor 20 of the vehicle in a state where the stopper 220 pops up. The stopper 220 pops up to block the open surface of the groove portion 100 and restricts the movement of the stopper 220 during a side collision. Thereby, the collision energy transmitted to the floor 20 of the vehicle body can be efficiently absorbed.

[0034] FIG. 7 shows the stopper unit 200 and the rack unit 300 in the gate closed state of the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the gate closed state of the lower gate stopper structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the closed state, the stopper 220 maintains a popped-up state. The stopper 220 is only partially exposed above the floor 20 of the vehicle in the popped-up state. Here, the first surface of the stopper 220 is located below the floor 20 adjacent to the rack 320. When the control unit 400 detects an open signal of the gate, it controls the drive unit 310 to apply a driving force so that the stopper 220 is inserted. The control unit 400 detects an open signal of the gate and rotates the drive unit 310. The drive unit 310 receives open state information of the gate from the control unit 400 and applies a driving force to the rack 320. The drive unit 310 rotates to move the rack 320 in the longitudinal direction. When the control unit 400 detects an open state signal of the gate, it controls the drive unit 310 to move the rack 320 to the rear of the vehicle.

[0035] When the rack 320 moves to the rear of the vehicle in FIG. 7, the stopper gear 210 rotates clockwise. The stopper 220 rotates clockwise around the stopper gear 210 and is inserted into the groove portion 100. The amount of rotation of the stopper gear 210 corresponds to the length of the pin guide 330. Thereby, the stopper 220 rotates at a predetermined angle and is inserted into the groove portion 100. On the other hand, the stopper 220 pops up at a predetermined angle around the stopper pin 211. As shown in FIG. 8, the stopper 220 absorbs side collision energy through the surface adjacent to the inner surface of the gate in the closed state. In summary, the present invention provides a lower gate stopper structure, and the control unit 400 selectively pops up the stopper unit 200 according to the open / closed state of the gate, so that the stopper unit 200 pops up in the gate closed state and can absorb the impact during a side collision of the vehicle.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0036] 100 Groove portion 200 Stopper unit 210 Stopper Gear 211 Stopper Pin 220 Stopper 300 Rack Unit 310 Driving Section 320 Rack 330 Pin Guide 340 Rack Position Regulation Pin 400 Control Section 10 Lower Gate 20 Floor 30 Battery 40 Side Sill 50 Under Cover

Claims

1. A stopper unit that pops up from the upper end of a groove located inside the gate, A rack unit that is connected to the stopper unit and performs the popping up of the stopper unit by longitudinal movement, A control unit that selectively controls the popping up of the stopper unit according to the open / closed state of the gate, and includes: The stopper unit includes a stopper gear formed to mesh with the rack unit, and at least one stopper formed to rotate around the stopper gear. The lower gate stopper structure is characterized by this.

2. The rack unit is A drive unit that receives the open / closed state information of the gate from the control unit and applies a driving force, A rack that is connected to the stopper gear and moves longitudinally by the drive unit, A pin guide formed at at least one end of the rack, A rack position regulating pin inserted into the pin guide. The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 1 is characterized by this.

3. The length of the first surface of the stopper is configured to correspond to the length of the open surface of the groove. The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 1 is characterized by this.

4. The length of the stopper protruding from the upper end of the groove is configured to correspond to the length of the groove. The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 1 is characterized by this.

5. When the control unit detects a closing signal of the gate, the control unit controls the drive unit to apply a driving force to pop up the stopper. The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 2 is characterized by this.

6. When the control unit detects an opening signal of the gate, the control unit controls the drive unit to apply a driving force to insert the stopper. The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 2 is characterized by this.

7. When one end of the pin guide is located at the rack position regulating pin, the stopper pops up completely. When the other end of the pin guide is located at the rack position regulating pin, the stopper is configured to be inserted. The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 2 is characterized by this.

8. The amount of rotation of the stopper gear corresponds to the length of the pin guide. The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 2 is characterized by this.

9. further comprising a stopper pin formed on the shaft of the stopper gear, The lower gate stopper structure according to claim 1, wherein the stopper rotates about the stopper pin.

Images