Sliding door power supply device

Abstract

To provide a slide door power supply device which can prevent an excessive load from being applied to a harness when a slide door slides in the front-rear direction.SOLUTION: A slide door power supply device 1 comprises: a harness 2 which is laid between a vehicle body 100 and a slide door 200; a vehicle body side holding part 3 which is fixed to the vehicle body 100 and holds one end side portion of the harness 2; and a slide door side holding part 4 which is fixed to the slide door 200 and holds the other end side portion of the harness 2. The slide door side holding part 4 comprises: a link case 42 which is supported in a pivotally-movable manner; a top roller 43 which is arranged on the pivot tip side in the link case 42; and a base roller 44 which is arranged with a gap through which at least the harness 2 passes with respect to the top roller 43. The harness 2 is wound in the S shape around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device for a sliding door that supplies power from a vehicle body to electrical components incorporated in a sliding door. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, electrical components such as power window motors and audio speakers have been incorporated into the sliding doors of automobiles. For this reason, there exists a sliding door power supply device that supplies power from the vehicle body to these electrical components (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Such a sliding door power supply device has a harness that is stretched between the vehicle body and the sliding door, a vehicle body side holding portion that is fixed to the vehicle body and holds one end portion of the harness, and a sliding door side holding portion that is fixed to the sliding door and holds the other end portion of the harness.

[0004] However, when the sliding door slides forward or backward, the harness stretched between the vehicle body and the sliding door is deformed. In other words, when the sliding door slides forward or backward, the relative positions of the vehicle body-side holder fixed to the vehicle body and the sliding door-side holder fixed to the sliding door change, causing the harness stretched between them to deform. This causes localized bending of the harness (bending with a large curvature, i.e., a sharp and sudden bend), which may result in excessive load being applied to the harness. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-260770 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a power supply device for a sliding door that can prevent an excessive load from being applied to a harness when the sliding door slides forward and backward. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a sliding door power supply device that supplies power from a vehicle body to electrical components incorporated in a sliding door, and includes a harness that is stretched between the vehicle body and the sliding door, a vehicle body side holding part that is fixed to the vehicle body and holds one end portion of the harness, and a sliding door side holding part that is fixed to the sliding door and holds the other end portion of the harness, and the vehicle body side holding part or the sliding door side holding part is provided with a pivot part that is pivotally supported, a first winding part that is arranged on the pivot tip side of the pivot part, and a second winding part that is arranged with respect to the first winding part separated by a gap through which at least the harness passes, and the harness is wound around the first winding part and the second winding part in an S-shape. The second winding portion is provided on the pivot base end side of the pivot portion. It is characterized by the fact that

[0008] In the present invention, the term "pivot tip side" refers to the radially outward side, which is the direction away from the pivot center of the pivot part. Furthermore, the term "pivot base side" (described later) refers to the radially inward side, which is the direction approaching the pivot center of the pivot part. These definitions will remain unchanged hereinafter.

[0009] The present invention also provides a vehicle body side holding portion that holds one end of a harness that is stretched between a vehicle body and a sliding door, the holding portion including a pivot part that is pivotally supported, a first winding part that is arranged on the pivot tip side of the pivot part, and a second winding part that is arranged apart from the first winding part by a gap through which at least the harness passes, and the harness is wound around the first winding part and the second winding part in an S-shape. The second winding portion is provided on the pivot base end side of the pivot portion. This includes a vehicle body side holding portion.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention provides a sliding door side holding portion that holds the other end of a harness that is stretched between a vehicle body and a sliding door, the holding portion including a pivot portion that is pivotally supported, a first winding portion that is disposed on the pivot tip side of the pivot portion, and a second winding portion that is disposed apart from the first winding portion by a gap through which at least the harness passes, and the harness is wound around the first winding portion and the second winding portion in an S-shape. The second winding portion is provided on the pivot base end side of the pivot portion. This includes the sliding door side holding portion.

[0011] According to these inventions, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the harness when the sliding door slides forward and backward. More specifically, the sliding door power supply device, vehicle body-side retaining portion, and sliding door-side retaining portion of the present invention include a pivotally supported pivot portion, a first winding portion disposed at the pivot tip of the pivot portion, and a second winding portion disposed across a gap through which at least the harness passes from the first winding portion. The harness is wound around the first winding portion and the second winding portion in an S-shape. Therefore, when the pivot portion pivots, the harness deforms in response to the pivoting movement, changing the harness path. Therefore, the pivoting of the pivot portion in conjunction with the sliding movement of the sliding door eliminates slack or relieves tension in the harness, preventing localized bending of the harness. Furthermore, even if a tensile load acts on the harness, the harness bends back along the first winding portion and the second winding portion, preventing localized bending of the harness. Consequently, excessive load on the harness can be prevented when the sliding door slides forward or backward.

[0012] The second winding portion is provided on the pivot base end side of the pivot portion. With this configuration, not only the first winding portion but also the second winding portion is provided on the pivot portion, which allows for compactness. Furthermore, after the first winding portion and the second winding portion are attached to the pivot portion, they can be attached as a unit to the attachment location, which also improves assembly efficiency.

[0013] In one aspect of the present invention, a biasing member is provided that biases the pivoting portion toward one side in the pivoting direction, and when the pivoting portion pivots toward one side due to the biasing force of the biasing member, the harness held by the vehicle body side holding portion and the sliding door side holding portion is pulled toward the sliding door side holding portion, and when the pivoting portion pivots toward the other side against the biasing force of the biasing member, the harness held by the vehicle body side holding portion and the sliding door side holding portion is pulled toward the vehicle body side holding portion.

[0014] According to this invention, when the tensile load acting on the harness decreases due to a change in the relative position between the vehicle body-side retaining portion and the sliding door-side retaining portion as the sliding door slides, the pivoting portion pivots to one side, allowing the harness to be retracted. Furthermore, when the tensile load acting on the harness increases due to a change in the relative position between the vehicle body-side retaining portion and the sliding door-side retaining portion, the pivoting portion pivots to the other side, allowing the harness to be retracted. Therefore, by pivoting the pivoting portion in response to an increase or decrease in the tensile load acting on the harness, slack in the harness is eliminated or tension is relieved, preventing localized bending of the harness. Consequently, excessive load on the harness when the sliding door slides forward or backward can be prevented. In addition, because the pivoting portion is not pivoted using a driving source such as a motor, weight and cost can be reduced.

[0015] In another aspect of the present invention, when the sliding door is changed from a fully open state to a fully closed state or from a fully closed state to a fully open state, the vehicle body side holding portion and the sliding door side holding portion may be closest to each other in an intermediate state between the fully open state and the fully closed state.

[0016] According to this invention, when the sliding door starts to slide and reaches a midway point, the pivot part pivots to one side due to a decrease in the tensile load acting on the harness, allowing the harness to be retracted. Then, from the midway point, the pivot part pivots to the other side due to an increase in the tensile load acting on the harness, allowing the harness to be retracted. Therefore, the pivot part pivots in response to an increase or decrease in the tensile load accompanying the sliding door's sliding movement, eliminating slack or relaxing tension in the harness, preventing localized bending of the harness. Consequently, excessive load on the harness when the sliding door slides forward or backward can be prevented. Additionally, the overall length of the harness can be shortened, enabling weight and cost reductions to be achieved.

[0017] In another aspect of the present invention, the harness may be wound in an S-shaped direction such that the length of the harness wound around the first winding portion is longer when the sliding door is in a fully closed state than when the sliding door is in a fully open state. According to this invention, when the sliding door is fully closed, the harness is routed by bending back along the first winding portion. This allows an appropriate tensile load to be applied to the harness when the sliding door is fully closed and the vehicle is traveling, and the winding length of the harness is secured, improving stability. This prevents the harness from swinging due to traveling vibrations and hitting the first winding portion or other surrounding structures, causing abnormal noise.

[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, the first winding portion may be supported so as to be rotatable in the winding direction of the harness. According to this invention, the first winding portion rotates in response to the retraction or extraction of the harness, thereby reducing friction between the harness and the first winding portion, thereby enabling smooth retraction or extraction of the harness and preventing damage to the harness sheath due to friction.

[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, the second winding portion may be supported so as to be rotatable in the winding direction of the harness. According to this invention, the second winding portion rotates in response to the retraction or extraction of the harness, thereby reducing friction between the harness and the second winding portion, thereby enabling smooth retraction or extraction of the harness and preventing damage to the harness sheath due to friction.

[0020] In another aspect of the present invention, the pivot portion may have a pair of pivot plates facing each other, and the first winding portion and the second winding portion may be disposed between the pair of pivot plates. According to this invention, the harness path between the first and second winding portions can also be restrained by the pair of pivot plates, so that even if the harness swings due to vibrations during driving, the harness wound around the first or second winding portion can be prevented from falling off the winding portions.

[0021] In another aspect of the present invention, a guide plate may be provided on the pivot tip side of the pivot portion, and the guide plate may be disposed along the harness that is guided to the first winding portion. According to this invention, the guide plate can restrain the harness path of the harness leading from the vehicle body-side holding portion or the sliding door-side holding portion to the first winding portion. Therefore, even if the harness sways due to vibrations during driving, the harness wound around the first winding portion or the second winding portion can be prevented from falling off at least the first winding portion. In addition, the harness can be prevented from getting caught on the outer edge of the pivot portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the harness when the sliding door slides forward and backward. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the sliding door power supply device. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the holding portion on the sliding door when the sliding door is slid from a fully open state to a halfway open state. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the holding portion on the sliding door when the sliding door slides from a halfway position to a fully closed position. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the holding portion on the sliding door when the sliding door slides from a fully closed state to a halfway closed state. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the holding portion on the sliding door when the sliding door is slid from a halfway position to a fully open position. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a slide door-side holding portion according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a slide door-side holding portion according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a slide door-side holding portion according to another embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a side view of a slide door-side holding portion according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this application, all drawings indicate the direction of the vehicle body 100. Specifically, arrow F indicates the front side, arrow B indicates the rear side, arrow R indicates the right side, and arrow L indicates the left side. Furthermore, arrow U indicates the upper side, and arrow D indicates the lower side.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sliding door power supply device 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the sliding door side holding part 4. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the sliding door side holding part 4. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the sliding door side power supply device 1. FIGS. 5 to 8 are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the sliding door side holding part 4. In FIGS. 5 to 8, the cover plate 424 has been removed so that a top roller 43 and a base roller 44, which will be described later, can be seen.

[0026] 5 to 8, Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the slide door holding part 4 when the slide door 200 slides from the halfway state to the fully closed state, Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the slide door holding part 4 when the slide door 200 slides from the halfway state to the fully closed state, Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the slide door holding part 4 when the slide door 200 slides from the fully closed state to the halfway state, and Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the slide door holding part 4 when the slide door 200 slides from the halfway state to the fully open state.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 1, the sliding door power supply device 1 according to the present invention supplies power from a vehicle body 100 to electrical components incorporated in a sliding door 200. The sliding door power supply device 1 mainly includes a harness 2, a vehicle body side holding part 3, and a sliding door side holding part 4. Below, these structures will be explained, and then the operation of the sliding door side holding part 4 will be explained.

[0028] The harness 2 is laid between the vehicle body 100 and the sliding door 200. The harness 2 is formed by bundling a plurality of insulated electric wires 21 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). A connector 22 is attached to the base end of the harness 2, and the connector 22 accommodates terminal fittings crimped onto each of the insulated electric wires 21. The harness 2 also has a connector 23 attached to the tip end of the harness 2, and the connector 23 accommodates terminal fittings crimped onto each of the insulated electric wires 21. The harness 2 is covered with a flexible exterior member 24.

[0029] The vehicle body side holding portion 3 is fixed to the vehicle body 100 and holds one end portion of the harness 2. The vehicle body side holding portion 3 has a base block 31 fixed to a floor panel 101 of the vehicle body 100. A connector 103 for the harness 102 routed in the vehicle body 100 is attached to the base block 31, and the connector 22 described above is connected to the connector 103. This electrically connects the harness 102 routed in the vehicle body 100 and the harness 2 constituting the sliding door power supply device 1. Note that the connector 103 does not necessarily have to be attached to the base block 31. Also, the connector 103 and the connector 22 may not be provided, and the harness 102 and the harness 2 may be continuous.

[0030] The sliding door side holding portion 4 is fixed to the sliding door 200 and holds the other end portion of the harness 2. The sliding door side holding portion 4 has a base plate 41 fixed to the inner panel 201 of the sliding door 200. A connector 203 of the harness 202 routed in the sliding door 200 is attached to the base plate 41, and the connector 23 described above is connected to the connector 203. This electrically connects the harness 202 routed in the sliding door 200 and the harness 2 constituting the sliding door power supply device 1. Note that the connector 203 does not necessarily have to be attached to the base plate 41. Also, the connectors 203 and 23 may not be provided, and the harness 202 and harness 2 may be continuous.

[0031] 2 and 3, the sliding door side holding portion 4 is provided with, in addition to the aforementioned base plate 41, a link case 42 which is a pivot portion, a top roller 43 which is a first winding portion, a base roller 44 which is a second winding portion, and a coil spring 45 which is a biasing member. The harness 2 which extends from the aforementioned connector 103 which constitutes the vehicle body side holding portion 3 to the aforementioned connector 203 which constitutes the sliding door side holding portion 4 is wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 in an S-shape.

[0032] The base plate 41 is fixed to the inner panel 201 of the sliding door 200. The base plate 41 is a plate-like component formed in a substantially square shape, with bolt holes 41h formed at each corner. Therefore, the base plate 41 can be fixed to the inner panel 201 by tightening bolts 41B inserted into the bolt holes 41h. A center shaft 411 extending perpendicularly to the base plate 41 is formed in the center of the base plate 41. Furthermore, a stopper shaft 412 (described later) is formed on the diagonally upper front side of the center shaft 411.

[0033] The link case 42 is pivotally supported relative to the center shaft 411 of the base plate 41. The main plate 421 constituting the link case 42 is a plate-like component formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and has a top shaft 422 formed at a position offset from the center toward one end in the longitudinal direction. Also, a base shaft 423 is formed at a position offset from the center toward the other end in the longitudinal direction. A shaft hole 42h is formed in the center of the base shaft 423, and the center shaft 411 is inserted into this shaft hole 42h, thereby being pivotally supported relative to the center shaft 411.

[0034] The link case 42 also has a cover plate 424 facing the main plate 421. The cover plate 424 is also a plate-like component formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and has a locking shaft 425 formed at a position offset toward one end in the longitudinal direction from its center. Also, a locking shaft 426 is formed at a position offset toward the other end in the longitudinal direction from its center. Therefore, the top shaft 422 can be locked to the locking shaft 425 by inserting the locking shaft 425 into a locking hole 42a formed in the center of the top shaft 422. Similarly, the center shaft 411 can be locked to the locking shaft 425 by inserting the locking shaft 426 into a locking hole 41a formed in the center of the center shaft 411.

[0035] The top roller 43 is disposed on the pivot tip side of the link case 42. Specifically, the top roller 43 is disposed in a state fitted onto a top shaft 422 formed on the pivot tip side, which is one end side in the longitudinal direction of the main plate 421 that pivots around the center shaft 411. Therefore, the top roller 43 is pivotable together with the main plate 421 (see arrow P in FIGS. 5 to 8), and is rotatable around the top shaft 422 (see arrow R in FIGS. 5 to 8). The length from the central axis of the top roller 43 (the central axis of the top shaft 422) to the outer circumferential surface (roller radius) is set to be larger than the allowable bending radius of the harness 2.

[0036] The top roller 43 is disposed between the main plate 421 and the cover plate 424 that constitute the link case 42. In other words, the top roller 43 is disposed between the main plate 421 that is disposed on the base end side of the top shaft 422 and the cover plate 424 that is disposed on the tip end side of the top shaft 422. Therefore, the top roller 43 will not fall off the top shaft 422. Furthermore, the harness 2 wound around the top roller 43 is also disposed between the main plate 421 and the cover plate 424. Therefore, even if the harness 2 swings due to vibrations during driving, for example, the harness 2 will not fall off the top roller 43.

[0037] The base roller 44 is disposed relative to the top roller 43 across a gap that allows at least the harness 2 to pass through. Specifically, the base roller 44 is disposed in a state of being fitted onto a base shaft 423 that is formed on the pivot base end side, which is the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the main plate 421, across a gap that is larger than the diameter of the harness 2. Therefore, the base roller 44 is fixed in position regardless of the pivoting movement of the main plate 421, and is rotatable around the base shaft 423 (see arrow R in FIGS. 5 to 8). Note that the length (roller radius) from the central axis (central axis of the base shaft 423) of the base roller 44 to the outer circumferential surface is set to be larger than the allowable bending radius of the harness 2.

[0038] Furthermore, the base roller 44 is disposed between the main plate 421 and the cover plate 424 that constitute the link case 42. In other words, the base roller 44 is disposed between the main plate 421 disposed on the base end side of the base shaft 423 and the cover plate 424 disposed on the tip side of the base shaft 423. Therefore, the base roller 44 will not fall off the base shaft 423. Furthermore, the harness 2 wound around the base roller 44 is also disposed between the main plate 421 and the cover plate 424. Therefore, even if the harness 2 vibrates due to vibrations during driving, for example, the harness 2 will not fall off the base roller 44.

[0039] Coil spring 45 biases main plate 421, which constitutes link case 42, toward one side in the pivot direction. Specifically, a spirally wound body portion 451 of coil spring 45 is fitted onto center shaft 411, and one end 45e extending from body portion 451 is hooked onto base plate 41, while the other end 45t extending from body portion 451 is hooked onto main plate 421, thereby biasing main plate 421 counterclockwise around center shaft 411 as viewed from the right side (inside the vehicle). Coil spring 45 is housed inside shaft hole 42h formed in the center portion of base shaft 423.

[0040] Furthermore, the coil spring 45 is disposed between the base plate 41 and the cover plate 424 that constitutes the link case 42. In other words, it is disposed between the base plate 41, which is disposed on the base end side of the center shaft 411, and the cover plate 424, which is disposed on the tip end side of the center shaft 411. Therefore, the coil spring 45 will not fall off the center shaft 411. Furthermore, since the coil spring 45 is housed inside the shaft hole 42h formed in the central portion of the base shaft 423, a compact design can be achieved. Furthermore, since the coil spring 45 can be attached to the base plate 41 and the like, and then these can be fixed to the inner panel 201 as a unit, the ease of assembly is also improved.

[0041] With this structure, as shown in Fig. 4, the link case 42 constituting the sliding door side holding portion 4 pivots in accordance with the sliding movement of the sliding door 200. When the link case 42 pivots, the harness 2 is deformed and the harness path changes. Below, the reason why the link case 42 pivots in accordance with the sliding movement of the sliding door 200 and the effect of changing the harness path of the harness 2 will be explained using Figs. 5 to 8.

[0042] First, a case where the sliding door 200 is changed from a fully open state to a fully closed state will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Specifically, the reason why the link case 42 pivots when the sliding door 200 is changed from a fully open state to an intermediate state (half-open state) and the effect of changing the harness route of the harness 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Furthermore, the reason why the link case 42 pivots when the sliding door 200 is changed from an intermediate state (half-open state) to a fully closed state and the effect of changing the harness route of the harness 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 6.

[0043] When the sliding door 200 is in a fully open state, the vehicle body-side holding portion 3 and the sliding door-side holding portion 4 are spaced apart from each other (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 5(a), the harness 2 extending from the connector 103 constituting the vehicle body-side holding portion 3 contacts the top roller 43, passes between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, is wound around about a quarter of the circumference of the base roller 44, and reaches the connector 203 constituting the sliding door-side holding portion 4. At this time, a relatively large tensile load acts on the harness 2, and the link case 42 is maintained in a state where it pivots clockwise as viewed from the right side (inside the vehicle) against the biasing force of the coil spring 45.

[0044] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5(b), when the sliding door 200 is slid in the closing direction, the relative positions of the vehicle body-side holder 3 and the sliding door-side holder 4 become closer to each other, reducing the tensile load acting on the harness 2. Therefore, the link case 42 pivots counterclockwise due to the biasing force of the coil spring 45 (see arrow P). This operation causes the harness 2, which runs from the connector 103 to the connector 203, to be pushed up and pulled upward by the top roller 43, which pivots together with the link case 42. This eliminates slack in the harness 2. At this time, the harness 2 is wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, preventing local bending of the harness 2. The top roller 43 and the base roller 44 rotate appropriately in response to the pulling of the harness 2 (see arrow R).

[0045] 6(a), when the sliding door 200 is in an intermediate position (half-open position), the harness 2 extending from the connector 103 constituting the vehicle body-side holding portion 3 is wound around the top roller 43 by about half a turn, passes between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, and is wound around the base roller 44 by about half a turn to reach the connector 203 constituting the sliding door-side holding portion 4. At this time, the stopper shaft 412 formed on the base plate 41 prevents the link case 42 from further pivoting counterclockwise. Note that the position of the stopper shaft 412 has been carefully considered so that a tensile load, although relatively small, continues to act on the harness 2.

[0046] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the sliding door 200 is further slid in the closing direction, the relative positions of the vehicle body-side holder 3 and the sliding door-side holder 4 again move apart, increasing the tensile load acting on the harness 2. As a result, the link case 42 pivots clockwise against the biasing force of the coil spring 45 (see arrow P). This operation causes the harness 2, which extends from the connector 103 to the connector 203, to push down the top roller 43, which pivots together with the link case 42, and is pulled downward. This relieves tension on the harness 2. At this time, the harness 2 is wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, preventing local bending of the harness 2. The top roller 43 and the base roller 44 rotate appropriately in response to the retraction of the harness 2 (see arrow R).

[0047] Next, a case where the sliding door 200 is changed from a fully closed state to a fully open state will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Specifically, the reason why the link case 42 pivots when the sliding door 200 is changed from a fully closed state to an intermediate state (half-open state) and the effect of changing the harness route of the harness 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In addition, the reason why the link case 42 pivots when the sliding door 200 is changed from an intermediate state (half-open state) to a fully open state and the effect of changing the harness route of the harness 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 8.

[0048] When the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state, the vehicle body-side holding portion 3 and the sliding door-side holding portion 4 are spaced apart from each other (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 7(a), when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state, the harness 2 extending from the connector 103 constituting the vehicle body-side holding portion 3 is wound around the top roller 43 by about a half turn, passes between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, and is wound around the base roller 44 by about a quarter turn to reach the connector 203 constituting the sliding door-side holding portion 4. At this time, a relatively large tensile load acts on the harness 2, and therefore the link case 42 is maintained in a state where it pivots clockwise when viewed from the right side (the vehicle interior side) against the biasing force of the coil spring 45.

[0049] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7(b), when the sliding door 200 is slid in the opening direction, the relative positions of the vehicle body-side holder 3 and the sliding door-side holder 4 become closer to each other, reducing the tensile load acting on the harness 2. As a result, the link case 42 pivots counterclockwise due to the biasing force of the coil spring 45 (see arrow P). This operation causes the harness 2, which runs from the connector 103 to the connector 203, to be pushed up and pulled upward by the top roller 43, which pivots together with the link case 42. This eliminates slack in the harness 2. At this time, the harness 2 is wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, preventing local bending of the harness 2. The top roller 43 and the base roller 44 rotate appropriately in response to the pulling of the harness 2 (see arrow R).

[0050] 8(a), when the sliding door 200 is in an intermediate position (half-open position), the harness 2 extending from the connector 103 constituting the vehicle body-side holding portion 3 is wound around the top roller 43 by about half a turn, passes between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, and is wound around the base roller 44 by about half a turn to reach the connector 203 constituting the sliding door-side holding portion 4. At this time, the stopper shaft 412 formed on the base plate 41 prevents the link case 42 from further pivoting counterclockwise. Note that the position of the stopper shaft 412 has been carefully considered so that a tensile load, although relatively small, continues to act on the harness 2.

[0051] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8(b), when the sliding door 200 is further slid in the opening direction, the relative positions of the vehicle body-side holder 3 and the sliding door-side holder 4 again move apart, increasing the tensile load acting on the harness 2. As a result, the link case 42 pivots clockwise against the biasing force of the coil spring 45 (see arrow P). This operation causes the harness 2, which extends from the connector 103 to the connector 203, to push down the top roller 43, which pivots together with the link case 42, and is pulled downward. This relieves tension on the harness 2. At this time, the harness 2 is wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, preventing local bending of the harness 2. The top roller 43 and the base roller 44 rotate appropriately in response to the retraction of the harness 2 (see arrow R).

[0052] In the sliding door power supply device 1 according to the present embodiment, when the sliding door 200 is in a fully open state, as shown in FIGS. 5( a) and 8(b), the harness 2 comes into contact with the top roller 43, passes between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, and is wound around about a quarter of the circumference of the base roller 44. On the other hand, when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state, as shown in FIGS. 6(b) and 7(a), the harness 2 is wound around about a half circumference of the top roller 43, passes between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, and is wound around about a quarter of the circumference of the base roller 44. In this way, when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state, the harness 2 is bent back along the top roller 43 rather than when the sliding door 200 is in a fully open state. This is because, when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state and the vehicle is traveling, an appropriate tensile load can be applied to the harness 2, and the winding length of the harness 2 can be secured, thereby improving stability.

[0053] In this regard, as long as an appropriate tensile load can be applied to the harness 2 and the stability of the harness 2 can be ensured when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state and the vehicle is traveling, the S-shaped direction of the harness 2 wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 may be reversed. That is, when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state, the harness 2 may come into contact with the top roller 43, then pass between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, and be wound around about one-quarter of the circumference of the base roller 44 (see FIGS. 5(a) and 8(b)), and when the sliding door 200 is in a fully open state, the harness 2 may be wound around about one-half of the circumference of the top roller 43, then pass between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, and be wound around about one-quarter of the circumference of the base roller 44 (see FIGS. 6(b) and 7(a)). In this way, even if the harness 2 is bent back and routed along the top roller 43 when the sliding door 200 is in the fully open state rather than when the sliding door 200 is in the fully closed state, it is still possible for the sliding door power supply device 1 to function.

[0054] As described above, the sliding door power supply device 1 supplies power from the vehicle body 100 to electrical components incorporated in the sliding door 200. The sliding door power supply device 1 includes the harness 2 stretched between the vehicle body 100 and the sliding door 200, a vehicle body-side holder 3 fixed to the vehicle body 100 to hold one end of the harness 2, and a sliding door-side holder 4 fixed to the sliding door 200 to hold the other end of the harness 2. The sliding door-side holder 4 is provided with a pivotally supported link case 42, a top roller 43 disposed on the pivot tip side of the link case 42, and a base roller 44 disposed relative to the top roller 43 with a gap therebetween that allows at least the harness 2 to pass through. The harness 2 is wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 in an S-shape.

[0055] According to the power supply device for sliding door 1, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the harness 2 when the sliding door 200 slides in the front-rear direction. More specifically, the sliding door power supply device 1 according to the present invention includes a pivotally supported link case 42, a top roller 43 disposed at the pivot tip of the link case 42, and a base roller 44 disposed across a gap through which at least the harness 2 passes from the top roller 43. The harness is wound around the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 in an S-shape. Therefore, when the link case 42 pivots, the harness 2 deforms in response to the pivoting movement, changing the harness path. Therefore, the pivoting of the link case 42 in conjunction with the sliding movement of the sliding door 200 eliminates slack or relieves tension in the harness 2, thereby preventing local bending of the harness 2. Furthermore, even if a tensile load acts on the harness 2, the harness 2 is bent back along the top roller 43 and the base roller 44, preventing local bending of the harness 2. Consequently, excessive load on the harness 2 can be prevented when the sliding door 200 slides forward or backward.

[0056] In addition, the sliding door power supply device 1 is provided with a coil spring 45 that biases the link case 42 to one side in the pivot direction, and when the link case 42 pivots to one side due to the biasing force of the coil spring 45, the harness 2 held by the vehicle body side holding portion 3 and the sliding door side holding portion 4 is pulled toward the sliding door side holding portion 4, and the harness 2 held by the vehicle body side holding portion 3 and the sliding door side holding portion 4 is pulled out toward the vehicle body side holding portion 3.

[0057] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, when the tensile load acting on the harness 2 decreases due to a change in the relative position between the vehicle body-side holder 3 and the sliding door-side holder 4 as the sliding door 200 slides, the link case 42 pivots to one side, allowing the harness 2 to be pulled in. Furthermore, when the tensile load acting on the harness 2 increases due to a change in the relative position between the vehicle body-side holder 3 and the sliding door-side holder 4, the link case 42 pivots to the other side, allowing the harness 2 to be pulled out. Therefore, by pivoting the link case 42 in response to an increase or decrease in the tensile load acting on the harness 2, slack in the harness 2 is eliminated or tension is relieved, preventing local bending of the harness 2. Consequently, excessive load on the harness 2 when the sliding door 200 slides forward or backward can be prevented. Additionally, because the link case 42 is not pivoted using a drive source such as a motor, weight and cost can be reduced.

[0058] Furthermore, in the sliding door power supply device 1, when the sliding door 200 is changed from a fully open state to a fully closed state or from a fully closed state to a fully open state, the vehicle body side holding portion 3 and the sliding door side holding portion 4 are closest to each other in an intermediate state (half-open state) between the fully open state and the fully closed state.

[0059] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, the link case 42 pivots to one side due to a decrease in the tensile load acting on the harness 2 from when the sliding door 200 starts sliding until it reaches a half-open state (a partially open state), allowing the harness 2 to be retracted. Then, from the half-open state, the link case 42 pivots to the other side due to an increase in the tensile load acting on the harness 2, allowing the harness 2 to be retracted. Therefore, the link case 42 pivots in response to an increase or decrease in the tensile load accompanying the sliding movement of the sliding door 200, eliminating slack or relaxing tension in the harness 2, thereby preventing local bending of the harness 2. Consequently, excessive load on the harness 2 when the sliding door 200 slides forward or backward can be prevented. Additionally, the overall length of the harness 2 can be shortened, thereby achieving weight reduction and cost reduction.

[0060] In the power supply device for sliding door 1, the harness 2 is wound in an S-shaped direction such that the length of the harness wound around the top roller 43 is longer when the sliding door 200 is in the fully closed state than when the sliding door 200 is in the fully open state.

[0061] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state, the harness 2 is routed while being bent back along the top roller 43. This allows an appropriate tensile load to be applied to the harness 2 when the sliding door 200 is in a fully closed state and the winding length of the harness 2 can be secured to improve stability when the vehicle is traveling. This prevents the harness 2 from swinging due to traveling vibrations and hitting the top roller 43 or other surrounding structures, resulting in the generation of abnormal noise.

[0062] In the sliding door power supply device 1, the top roller 43 is supported so as to be rotatable in the winding direction of the harness 2.

[0063] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, the top roller 43 rotates in accordance with the retraction or pull-out of the harness 2, thereby reducing friction between the harness 2 and the top roller 43. This allows the harness 2 to be smoothly retracted or pulled out, while preventing damage to the sheath of the harness 2 due to friction.

[0064] In the sliding door power supply device 1, the base roller 44 is supported so as to be rotatable in the winding direction of the harness 2.

[0065] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, the base roller 44 rotates in response to the retraction or pull-out of the harness 2, thereby reducing friction between the harness 2 and the base roller 44. This allows the harness 2 to be smoothly retracted or pulled out, while preventing damage to the sheath of the harness 2 due to rubbing.

[0066] In the sliding door power supply device 1, the base roller 44 is provided on the pivot base end side of the link case 42.

[0067] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, not only the top roller 43 but also the base roller 44 are provided in the link case 42, thereby realizing a compact design. Furthermore, after the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 are attached to the link case 42, they can be attached to the base plate 41 as a unit, which also improves the ease of assembly.

[0068] In the sliding door power supply device 1, the link case 42 has a pair of plates 421 and 424 facing each other, and the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 are disposed between the pair of plates 421 and 424.

[0069] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, the harness path of the harness 2 passing between the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 can also be constrained by the main plate 421 and the cover plate 424. Therefore, even if the harness 2 swings due to vibrations during travel, the harness 2 wound around the top roller 43 or the base roller 44 can be prevented from falling off the rollers 43, 44.

[0070] In the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the above-mentioned embodiment, the sliding door power supply device corresponds to the sliding door power supply device 1, Similarly, The harness is compatible with Harness 2. The vehicle body side holding portion corresponds to the vehicle body side holding portion 3, The sliding door side holding portion corresponds to the sliding door side holding portion 4, The pivot corresponds to the link case 42, The first winding portion corresponds to the top roller 43, The second winding portion corresponds to the base roller 44, The biasing member corresponds to a coil spring 45; The car body corresponds to the car body 100, The sliding door is compatible with the sliding door 200, The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and many other embodiments can be obtained.

[0071] For example, in the sliding door power supply device 1 disclosed in the present application, the link case 42 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. However, as shown in Fig. 9, the link case 42 may be provided with guide plates 427, 428. The guide plate 427 is an extension formed on the pivot tip side of the main plate 421, and the guide plate 428 is an extension formed on the pivot tip side of the cover plate 424. These guide plates 427, 428 are arc-shaped when viewed from the right side (the vehicle interior side).

[0072] As described above, in the sliding door power supply device 1 according to this embodiment, the guide plates 427 and 428 are provided on the pivot tip side of the link case 42, and the guide plates 427 and 428 are arranged along the harness 2 guided to the top roller 43.

[0073] According to the sliding door power supply device 1, the harness path of the harness 2 leading from the vehicle body side holder 3 to the top roller 43 can be restrained by the guide plates 427, 428. Therefore, even if the harness 2 swings due to vibrations during driving, the harness 2 wound around the top roller 43 or the base roller 44 can be prevented from at least dropping off the top roller 43. In addition, the harness 2 can be prevented from getting caught on the outer edge of the link case 42.

[0074] In the sliding door power supply device 1 disclosed in the present application, the harness 2 is formed by bundling a plurality of coated electric wires 21. However, as shown in FIG. 10, the harness 2 may be formed by overlapping a plurality of flexible flat cables.

[0075] According to such a sliding door power supply device 1, the allowable bending radius of the harness 2 is smaller, which allows further compactness to be realized and is thought to provide the same effect. In other words, it is possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the harness 2 when the sliding door 200 slides forward and backward. In addition, similar effects can be obtained according to each embodiment.

[0076] Furthermore, in the sliding door power supply device 1 disclosed in the present application, the base roller 44 is provided on the pivot base end side of the link case 42. However, as shown in Fig. 11, it may be provided on the base plate 41, or on another member.

[0077] According to the power supply device for sliding door 1, since the base roller 44 is disposed outside the link case 42, a slight increase in size is unavoidable, but it is considered that the same effects can be achieved in other respects. In other words, it is possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the harness 2 when the sliding door 200 slides in the front-rear direction. In addition, similar effects can be achieved according to each embodiment.

[0078] Additionally, in the sliding door power supply device 1 disclosed herein, the top roller 43 and the base roller 44 are each circular when viewed from the right side (inside the vehicle). However, as shown in Fig. 12, they may be one large circle, with the harness passage 4P formed from a predetermined position on the outer periphery to a predetermined position on the opposite side. In this way, a semicircular portion 46 on one side of the harness passage 4P corresponds to the top roller 43, and a semicircular portion 47 on the other side corresponds to the base roller 44.

[0079] According to this sliding door power supply device 1, the semicircular portion 46 on one side and the semicircular portion 47 on the other side do not rotate in response to the retraction or extraction of the harness 2, so it is not possible to reduce friction between the harness 2 and each semicircular portion 46, 47, but it is thought that similar effects can be achieved in other respects. In other words, it is possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the harness 2 when the sliding door 200 slides forward or backward. In addition, similar effects can be achieved depending on each embodiment.

[0080] Finally, the sliding door power supply device 1 disclosed in the present application is configured such that the pivot part (link case 42) and the like are provided on the sliding door side holding part 4. However, the pivot part (link case 42) and the like may be provided on the vehicle body side holding part 3. Specifically, the vehicle body side holding part 3 may be provided with a pivot part (link case 42) that is pivotally supported, a first winding part (top roller 43) that is arranged on the pivot tip side of the pivot part (link case 42), and a second winding part (base roller 44) that is arranged with a gap that allows at least the harness 2 to pass through from the first winding part (top roller 43), and the harness 2 may be wound around the first winding part (top roller 43) and the second winding part (base roller 44) in an S-shape.

[0081] The present invention also includes a vehicle body side holding portion 3 that holds one end portion of the harness 2 that is stretched between the vehicle body 100 and the sliding door 200, and is provided with a pivot part (link case 42) that is pivotally supported, a first winding part (top roller 43) that is arranged on the pivot tip side of the pivot part (link case 42), and a second winding part (base roller 44) that is arranged away from the first winding part (top roller 43) by a gap that allows at least the harness 2 to pass through, and the vehicle body side holding portion 3 in which the harness 2 is wound in an S-shape around the first winding part (top roller 43) and the second winding part (base roller 44).

[0082] Furthermore, the present invention includes a sliding door side holding portion 4 that holds one end portion of the harness 2 that is stretched between the vehicle body 100 and the sliding door 200, and is provided with a pivot part (link case 42) that is pivotally supported, a first winding part (top roller 43) that is arranged on the pivot tip side of the pivot part (link case 42), and a second winding part (base roller 44) that is arranged away from the first winding part (top roller 43) by a gap that allows at least the harness 2 to pass through, and the sliding door side holding portion 4 in which the harness 2 is wound in an S-shape around the first winding part (top roller 43) and the second winding part (base roller 44).

[0083] These also achieve the same effects as the sliding door power supply device 1 disclosed in the present application. That is, when the sliding door 200 slides forward and backward, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the harness 2. In addition, similar effects can be achieved according to each embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1...Sliding door power supply device 2...Harness 3...Vehicle body side holding part 4...Sliding door side holding part 42...Link Case 43...Top roller 44...Base roller 45...coil spring 100...Body 200...sliding door

Claims

1. A sliding door power supply device that supplies power from a vehicle body to electrical components built into a sliding door, a harness that is stretched between the vehicle body and the sliding door; a vehicle body side holding portion fixed to the vehicle body to hold one end side portion of the harness; a slide door side holding portion fixed to the slide door to hold the other end side portion of the harness, the vehicle body-side holding portion or the sliding door-side holding portion is provided with a pivot portion that is pivotally supported, a first winding portion that is arranged on a pivot tip side of the pivot portion, and a second winding portion that is arranged with respect to the first winding portion across a gap through which at least the harness passes, The harness is wound around the first winding portion and the second winding portion in an S-shape, The second winding portion is provided on the pivot base end side of the pivot portion. Sliding door power supply device.

2. a biasing member that biases the pivot portion toward one side in the pivot direction; When the pivot portion pivots to one side due to the biasing force of the biasing member, the harness held by the vehicle body side holding portion and the sliding door side holding portion is pulled toward the sliding door side holding portion, When the pivot portion pivots to the other side against the biasing force of the biasing member, the harness held by the vehicle body side holding portion and the sliding door side holding portion is pulled out toward the vehicle body side holding portion. The power supply device for a sliding door according to claim 1.

3. When the sliding door is changed from a fully open state to a fully closed state or from a fully closed state to a fully open state, the vehicle body side holding portion and the sliding door side holding portion are closest to each other in an intermediate state between the fully open state and the fully closed state. The power supply device for a sliding door according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the sliding door is in a fully closed state, the harness is wound in an S-shaped direction such that the length of the harness wound around the first winding portion is longer than when the sliding door is in a fully open state. The power supply device for a sliding door according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The first winding portion is supported so as to be rotatable in the winding direction of the harness. The power supply device for a sliding door according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The second winding portion is supported so as to be rotatable in the winding direction of the harness. The power supply device for a sliding door according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The pivot portion has a pair of pivot plates facing each other, The first winding portion and the second winding portion are disposed between the pair of pivot plates. The power supply device for a sliding door according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. a guide plate is provided on the pivot tip side of the pivot part, The guide plate is disposed along the harness that is guided to the first winding portion. The power supply device for a sliding door according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A vehicle body side holding portion that holds one end side portion of a harness that is stretched between a vehicle body and a sliding door, a pivot part that is pivotally supported, a first winding part that is disposed on the pivot tip side of the pivot part, and a second winding part that is disposed apart from the first winding part by a gap through which at least the harness passes, The harness is wound around the first winding portion and the second winding portion in an S-shape, The second winding portion is provided on the pivot base end side of the pivot portion. Vehicle body side holding part.

10. A sliding door side holding portion that holds the other end side portion of the harness that is stretched between the vehicle body and the sliding door, a pivot part that is pivotally supported, a first winding part that is disposed on the pivot tip side of the pivot part, and a second winding part that is disposed apart from the first winding part by a gap through which at least the harness passes, The harness is wound around the first winding portion and the second winding portion in an S-shape, The second winding portion is provided on the pivot base end side of the pivot portion. Sliding door side retaining part.

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