Vehicle door control device and vehicle door opening and closing device

Abstract

To provide a vehicular door control unit and a vehicular door opening / closing device which are capable of increasing the opening / closing speed of a vehicular door.SOLUTION: A door control device 200 is applied to a door drive unit 100 including: a planetary gear mechanism 170 having a sun gear, a ring gear, and a carrier; a first electric motor 111 for driving the sun gear; a second electric motor 112 for driving the ring gear; and an opening / closing mechanism for opening / closing a slide door on the basis of a power transmitted from the carrier. The door control device 200 opens / closes the slide door in a first mode in which the opening / closing speed is set to a first speed or in a second mode in which the opening / closing speed is set to a second speed that is higher than the first speed. In the first mode, only the first electric motor 111 is driven. In the second mode, both the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 are driven, and the rotation speed of the second electric motor 112 is increased more than that in the first mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle door control device and a vehicle door opening and closing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle including a vehicle body having a door opening, a sliding door that opens and closes the door opening, and an opening / closing device that opens and closes the sliding door. The opening / closing device opens and closes the sliding door between a fully closed position that fully closes the door opening and a fully open position that fully opens the door opening. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-220795 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such vehicles, it is desirable to increase the opening and closing speed of the sliding door to a degree that does not cause a sense of danger to the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The means for solving the above problems and their effects will be described below. A vehicle door control device that solves the above problem is a door control device that is applied to a door drive unit that includes a planetary gear mechanism having three rotating elements: a sun gear, a ring gear, and a carrier; a first electric motor that drives one of the three rotating elements; a second electric motor that drives one of the remaining two rotating elements; and an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the vehicle door based on the power transmitted from the last rotating element.The door control unit controls the first electric motor and the second electric motor to open and close the vehicle door in a first mode in which the opening / closing speed of the vehicle door is a first speed, or in a second mode in which the opening / closing speed of the vehicle door is a second speed that is faster than the first speed.In the first mode, at least the first electric motor of the first electric motor and the second electric motor is driven, and in the second mode, both the first electric motor and the second electric motor are driven, and the rotational speed of the second electric motor is increased compared to the first mode.

[0006] In a first mode, the vehicle door control device can open and close the vehicle door at a low first speed by driving at least one of the three rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanism with a first electric motor. In a second mode, the vehicle door control device can open and close the vehicle door at a high second speed by driving two rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanism with the first electric motor and the second electric motor, respectively. The vehicle door control device can select the first mode when it is desired to open and close the vehicle door at a low speed, and can select the second mode when it is desired to open and close the vehicle door at a high speed. In this way, the vehicle door control device can increase the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door as needed.

[0007] In the vehicle door control device, in the first mode, it is preferable that the first electric motor is driven with the second electric motor stopped. In the first mode, when the first electric motor and the second electric motor are driven, the total current flowing through the first electric motor and the second electric motor tends to increase if the load on the door drive unit increases. In this regard, the vehicle door control device does not drive the second electric motor in the first mode. Therefore, in the first mode, the vehicle door control device can prevent the total current flowing through the first electric motor and the second electric motor from increasing.

[0008] In the above vehicle door control device, it is preferable that the door control unit switches to the second mode after starting the opening / closing operation of the vehicle door in the first mode, and switches from the second mode to the first mode before completing the opening / closing operation of the vehicle door.

[0009] The vehicle door control device sets the vehicle door operation mode to the first mode when starting the opening / closing operation of the vehicle door, in other words, when the load on the door drive unit is large. Furthermore, when terminating the opening / closing operation of the vehicle door, the vehicle door control device sets the vehicle door operation mode to the first mode so as to prevent the vehicle door from suddenly stopping. On the other hand, the vehicle door control device sets the vehicle door operation mode to the second mode in other cases. In this way, the vehicle door control device can appropriately select the opening / closing speed of the vehicle door.

[0010] In the vehicle door control device, it is preferable that the door control unit restricts switching from the first mode to the second mode when the opening / closing speed of the vehicle door is less than a determination speed.

[0011] In situations such as when the vehicle is parked on a slope, the load on the door drive unit may not decrease even after a certain amount of time has passed since the vehicle door was opened or closed. In such a case, when the first mode is switched to the second mode, the total current flowing through the first electric motor and the second electric motor may increase. In this regard, the vehicle door control device configured as described above restricts switching from the first mode to the second mode when the vehicle door opening / closing speed is less than the threshold speed, in other words, when the load on the door drive unit does not decrease. Therefore, the vehicle door control device can prevent the total current flowing through the first electric motor and the second electric motor from increasing after switching to the second mode.

[0012] In the vehicle door control device, it is preferable that the door control unit gradually changes the rotation speed of the second electric motor when switching from one of the first mode and the second mode to the other.

[0013] The vehicle door control device can suppress a sudden change in the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door when switching the operation mode of the vehicle door. In the above vehicle door control device, it is preferable that the door drive unit has a first sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the first electric motor and a second sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the second electric motor, and is equipped with a position acquisition unit that acquires the position of the vehicle door based on the detection signals of the first sensor and the second sensor, and the door control unit switches between the first mode and the second mode based on the position of the vehicle door.

[0014] The vehicle door control device can acquire the position of the vehicle door based on the detection signals of the first sensor and the second sensor, and can appropriately determine the timing to switch the operation mode of the vehicle door based on the position of the vehicle door.

[0015] A vehicle door opening and closing device that solves the above problem includes a door drive unit having a planetary gear mechanism having three rotating elements, namely a sun gear, a ring gear, and a carrier, a first electric motor that drives one of the three rotating elements, a second electric motor that drives one of the remaining two rotating elements, and an opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the vehicle door based on power transmitted from the last one of the rotating elements, and a door drive unit that controls the first electric motor and the second electric motor to set the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door to a first speed or a second speed that is faster than the first speed. and a door control unit that opens and closes the vehicle door in two modes, wherein the second electric motor is driven by the ring gear, the door drive unit has a worm that transmits the power of the second electric motor to the ring gear, and the ring gear includes internal teeth that mesh with a planetary gear rotatably supported on the carrier and external teeth that mesh with the worm, and in the first mode, the door control unit drives the first electric motor while stopping the second electric motor, and in the second mode, drives both the first electric motor and the second electric motor.

[0016] The vehicle door opening / closing device can achieve the same operational effects as the above-described vehicle door control device. Furthermore, when the vehicle door opening / closing device operates to open or close the vehicle door in the first mode, it is necessary to stop the ring gear. In this regard, the vehicle door opening / closing device makes it easy to stop the rotation of the ring gear without adding a new mechanism due to the self-locking property of the worm gear, which is formed by the worm and the external teeth of the ring gear. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The vehicle door control device can increase the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the door locking device when the latch is in the unlatched position. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the door locking device when the latch is in the fully latched position. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a door opening and closing device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a transmission mechanism of the door opening and closing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an end view of the transmission mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the planetary gear mechanism of the transmission mechanism. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a collinear diagram of the planetary gear mechanism. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a map showing the relationship between the position of the sliding door and the opening / closing speed of the sliding door. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing carried out by the door control device to open and close the sliding door. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle door control device and a vehicle door opening and closing device (hereinafter referred to as a "door control device" and a "door opening and closing device") will be described with reference to the drawings. In some of the drawings, for ease of understanding, hatching is used to indicate metal materials for resin parts, and hatching that should be applied to cross sections is omitted.

[0020] <Configuration of this embodiment> As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 20, a sliding door 30, and a door opening and closing device 50.

[0021] <Body 20> As shown in FIG. 1 , the vehicle body 20 has a door opening 21 that opens to a side, an upper rail 22 disposed above the door opening 21, a center rail 23 disposed behind the door opening 21, and a lower rail 24 disposed below the door opening 21. The vehicle body 20 also has a striker 25 disposed at the front end of the door opening 21. The upper rail 22, the center rail 23, and the lower rail 24 are elongated members whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction. The upper rail 22 is positioned above the center rail 23 and the lower rail 24. The center rail 23 is positioned between the upper rail 22 and the lower rail 24 in the up-down direction. The striker 25 is located at the front end of the door opening 21, in a middle portion in the up-down direction. The striker 25 is, for example, U-shaped. The striker 25 is a connecting portion with the sliding door 30.

[0022] <Sliding Door 30> The sliding door 30 has a door body 31, an upper hinge unit 32 arranged above the front of the door body 31, a center hinge unit 33 arranged at the rear of the door body 31, and a lower hinge unit 34 arranged below the front of the door body 31. The sliding door 30 also has a door lock device 40 that engages with the striker 25. The sliding door 30 corresponds to a "vehicle door."

[0023] The upper hinge unit 32 is engaged with the upper rail 22 so as to be movable along the upper rail 22. The center hinge unit 33 is engaged with the center rail 23 so as to be movable along the center rail 23. The lower hinge unit 34 is engaged with the lower rail 24 so as to be movable along the lower rail 24. The upper hinge unit 32, the center hinge unit 33, and the lower hinge unit 34 move relative to the upper rail 22, the center rail 23, and the lower rail 24, respectively, causing the sliding door 30 to move relative to the vehicle body 20. In other words, the sliding door 30 slides between a fully closed position where the door opening 21 is fully closed and a fully open position where the door opening 21 is fully opened.

[0024] 1, the door lock device 40 is disposed at the front end portion of the door body 31, in the vertical middle portion. In other words, as shown in FIG. 1, when the sliding door 30 is positioned rearward of the fully closed position, the door lock device 40 faces the striker 25 in the front-rear direction.

[0025] 2, the door lock device 40 has a latch 41 that engages with the striker 25, a latch support shaft 42 that rotatably supports the latch 41, and a latch spring 43 that biases the latch 41. The door lock device 40 also has a pole 44 that engages with the latch 41, a pole support shaft 45 that rotatably supports the pole 44, and a pole spring 46 that biases the pole 44.

[0026] The latch 41 has an engagement groove 41a extending in a direction intersecting the axis of the latch support shaft 42. The latch 41 is rotatable between a fully latched position where it engages with the striker 25 and an unlatched position where it is not engaged with the striker 25. A latch spring 43 biases the latch 41 from the fully latched position toward the unlatched position. The pawl 44 is rotatable between a latching position where it engages with the latch 41 located at the fully latched position and a retracted position where it retracts from the latch 41 located at the fully latched position. A pawl spring 46 biases the pawl 44 from the retracted position toward the latching position.

[0027] When the sliding door 30 is closed toward the fully closed position, the door locking device 40 approaches the striker 25 as shown by the outline arrow in FIG. 2 . When the door locking device 40 approaches the striker 25, the engagement groove 41a of the latch 41 opens toward the striker 25. When the sliding door 30 is subsequently closed near the fully closed position, the striker 25 begins to enter the engagement groove 41a of the latch 41. As the sliding door 30 is closed toward the fully closed position, the striker 25 advances toward the bottom of the engagement groove 41a of the latch 41. At this time, the latch 41 rotates toward the fully latched position against the biasing force of the latch spring 43. In this way, by pressing the latch 41 against the striker 25 in the direction shown by the outline arrow in FIG. 2 , the latch 41 rotates from the unlatched position toward the fully latched position.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, when the striker 25 advances to the bottom of the engagement groove 41a of the latch 41, the latch 41 rotates to the fully latched position. When the latch 41 rotates to the fully latched position, the pawl 44 is positioned at an engagement position where it engages with the latch 41. As a result, the latch 41 cannot rotate from the fully latched position to the unlatched position. In this way, the striker 25 of the vehicle body 20 and the door lock device 40 of the sliding door 30 are connected. In other words, the sliding door 30 is restrained by the vehicle body 20 in the fully closed position.

[0029] When the sliding door 30 is opened from the fully closed position, the pole 44 is rotated to the retracted position by an actuator (not shown). That is, the pole 44 is rotated to a position where it is no longer engaged with the latch 41. Then, the latch 41 rotates toward the unlatched position due to the biasing force of the latch spring 43. As a result, the connection between the striker 25 of the vehicle body 20 and the door lock device 40 of the sliding door 30 is released. That is, the restraint of the sliding door 30 on the vehicle body 20 is released.

[0030] <Door opening / closing device 50> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the door opening and closing device 50 includes a door driving unit 100 that drives the sliding door 30, and a door control device 200 that controls the door driving unit 100.

[0031] <Door driving unit 100> The door driving unit 100 has a first electric motor 111 and a second electric motor 112 which correspond to the power sources of the door driving unit 100, an opening / closing mechanism 120 which opens and closes the sliding door 30, and a transmission mechanism 130 which transmits power from the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 to the opening / closing mechanism 120.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 4, the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 transmit power to the transmission mechanism 130. The first electric motor 111 includes a first sensor SE1 that detects the amount of rotation of the first electric motor 111. The second electric motor 112 includes a second sensor SE2 that detects the amount of rotation of the second electric motor 112. The first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2 are, for example, Hall ICs. The first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2 output detection signals corresponding to the amount of rotation to the door control device 200.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, the opening / closing mechanism 120 includes a first cable 121 and a second cable 122, a drum 123 that winds up the first cable 121 and the second cable 122, and a relay section 124 and a branch section 125 that guide the first cable 121 and the second cable 122.

[0034] The drum 123 has a cylindrical shape. The first cable 121 and the second cable 122 are wound around the drum 123, and therefore the first cable 121 and the second cable 122 extend from the drum 123. The drum 123 is connected to a transmission mechanism 130. The drum 123 rotates based on the power of the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 transmitted via the transmission mechanism 130.

[0035] The relay portion 124 is fixed to a door panel or the like of the door main body 31. The relay portion 124 guides the first cable 121 and the second cable 122 extending from the drum 123 toward the branch portion 125. The branch portion 125 is fixed to the center hinge unit 33. The branch portion 125 branches the first cable 121 and the second cable 122 extending together from the relay portion 124. More specifically, the branch portion 125 guides the first cable 121 extending from the relay portion 124 toward the rear end of the center rail 23, and guides the second cable 122 extending from the relay portion 124 toward the front end of the center rail 23. An end of the first cable 121 extending from the relay portion 124 is fixed to the rear end of the center rail 23. On the other hand, an end of the second cable 122 extending from the relay portion 124 is fixed to the front end of the center rail 23.

[0036] When the drum 123 rotates in the first rotation direction, the drum 123 winds up the first cable 121 and unwinds the second cable 122. In this case, the drum 123 pulls the first cable 121, causing the center hinge unit 33 and the branching portion 125 to move toward the rear end of the center rail 23. In other words, the sliding door 30 moves rearward toward the fully open position. On the other hand, when the drum 123 rotates in the second rotation direction, the drum 123 winds up the second cable 122 and unwinds the first cable 121. In this case, the drum 123 pulls the second cable 122, causing the center hinge unit 33 and the branching portion 125 to move toward the front end of the center rail 23. In other words, the sliding door 30 moves forward toward the fully closed position.

[0037] 5 to 7, the transmission mechanism 130 includes a housing 140, a cover 150, a worm 160, a planetary gear mechanism 170, and a plurality of bearings 181 to 186. In the following description, the direction in which the axis of the rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism 170 in the transmission mechanism 130 extends is referred to as the axial direction.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the housing 140 has a bottom wall 141, a peripheral wall 142, a fixed wall 143, and two support walls 144 and 145. The bottom wall 141 is plate-shaped with its thickness oriented in the axial direction. The bottom wall 141 is annular when viewed in the axial direction. The peripheral wall 142 is cylindrical. The peripheral wall 142 extends in the axial direction from the outer periphery of the bottom wall 141. The peripheral wall 142 has a notch 146 extending tangentially to the peripheral wall 142. The peripheral wall 142 supports a bearing 181 at a position close to the bottom wall 141. The two support walls 144 and 145 extend from the peripheral wall 142 on both sides of the notch 146 in the peripheral wall 142. The extension direction of the two support walls 144, 145 is perpendicular to both the extension direction of the notch 146 and the axial direction. The two support walls 144, 145 are plate-shaped with their thickness direction aligned with the extension direction of the notch 146. The two support walls 144, 145 support bearings 182, 183, respectively. The fixed wall 143 extends from the end of the peripheral wall 142 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Like the bottom wall 141, the fixed wall 143 is plate-shaped with its thickness direction aligned with the axial direction. The fixed wall 143 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the axial direction. The housing 140 accommodates the components of the planetary gear mechanism 170 in a space surrounded by the bottom wall 141 and the peripheral wall 142.

[0039] The cover 150 has a bottom wall 151 and a fixed wall 152. The bottom wall 151 is plate-shaped with its thickness direction extending in the axial direction. The bottom wall 151 is annular when viewed in the axial direction. The bottom wall 151 supports a bearing 184. The fixed wall 152, like the bottom wall 151, is plate-shaped with its thickness direction extending in the axial direction. The fixed wall 152 is rectangular when viewed in the axial direction.

[0040] The worm 160 is disposed between two support walls 144, 145 of the housing 140. More specifically, a first axial end of the worm 160 is supported by a bearing 182 of the support wall 144, and a second axial end of the worm 160 is supported by a bearing 183 of the support wall 145. In this manner, the worm 160 is rotatably supported by the housing 140. The axial direction of the worm 160 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the transmission mechanism 130.

[0041] 5 to 7, planetary gear mechanism 170 has a sun gear 171, a ring gear 172, a carrier 173, a plurality of planetary gears 174, and a support shaft 175. Sun gear 171, ring gear 172, and carrier 173 correspond to three rotating elements of planetary gear mechanism 170.

[0042] The sun gear 171 is an external gear. The sun gear 171 is fixed to a support shaft 175. Therefore, when the input shaft rotates, the sun gear 171 rotates integrally with the input shaft. The ring gear 172 has external teeth 172a and internal teeth 172b. In other words, the ring gear 172 is both an external gear and an internal gear. The carrier 173 is connected to the drum 123 of the opening / closing mechanism 120. The carrier 173 rotatably supports multiple planetary gears 174. The three planetary gears 174 are external gears. In this embodiment, the sun gear 171 has eight teeth, the internal teeth 172b of the ring gear 172 has 70 teeth, and the planetary gears 174 have 31 teeth.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 6 , the ring gear 172 is supported by the housing 140 via a bearing 181. Thus, the ring gear 172 is rotatable relative to the housing 140. Furthermore, the external teeth 172a of the ring gear 172 mesh with the worm 160. In this embodiment, the worm 160 and the external teeth 172a of the ring gear 172 form a worm gear mechanism. The worm gear mechanism has a self-locking property. That is, the worm gear mechanism is configured so that even if the worm 160 can drive the ring gear 172, the ring gear 172 cannot drive the worm 160. The carrier 173 is supported by the ring gear 172 via a bearing 185. Thus, the carrier 173 is rotatable relative to the ring gear 172. Furthermore, a plurality of planetary gears 174 supported by the carrier 173 mesh with the internal teeth 172b of the ring gear 172. The support shaft 175 is supported by the carrier 173 and the cover 150 via bearings 184 and 186. In this way, the support shaft 175 is rotatable relative to the carrier 173 and the cover 150. In addition, the sun gear 171 supported by the support shaft 175 is engaged with a plurality of planetary gears 174.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 4, the sun gear 171 is connected to the first electric motor 111 via a support shaft 175, and therefore the sun gear 171 rotates when the second electric motor 112 is driven. The worm 160 is connected to the second electric motor 112, and therefore the worm 160 rotates when the second electric motor 112 is driven. When the worm 160 rotates, the ring gear 172 that meshes with the worm 160 rotates. Furthermore, when at least the sun gear 171 of the sun gear 171 and the ring gear 172 rotates, the plurality of planetary gears 174 rotate, and thus the carrier 173 rotates.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 8, in planetary gear mechanism 170, the rotational speed of sun gear 171, the rotational speed of ring gear 172, and the rotational speed of carrier 173 are correlated with one another. In the collinear diagram shown in FIG. 8, the rotational speed of sun gear 171, the rotational speed of ring gear 172, and the rotational speed of carrier 173 are related by a straight line. The faster the rotational speed of sun gear 171, the faster the rotational speed of carrier 173, and vice versa. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 8, when the rotational speed of sun gear 171 is speed Vs and the rotational speed of ring gear 172 is speed Vr1, the rotational speed of carrier 173 becomes speed Vc1. Here, speed Vr1 of ring gear 172 is "0." 8, when the rotational speed of the ring gear 172 is Vr2, the rotational speed of the carrier 173 becomes Vc2, which is faster than Vc1. Thus, in the planetary gear mechanism 170, when the rotational speed of the ring gear 172 is varied while the rotational speed of the sun gear 171 is maintained constant, the rotational speed of the carrier 173 changes. In other words, the rotational speed of the drum 123 of the opening / closing mechanism 120 changes, and further, the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 changes.

[0046] <Door control device 200> As shown in FIG. 4, the door control device 200 includes a position acquisition unit 201 that acquires the current position of the sliding door 30 and a door control unit 202 that controls the door driving unit 100.

[0047] The position acquisition unit 201 acquires the current position of the sliding door 30 based on the detection signals of the first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2. Here, the amount of movement of the sliding door 30 correlates with the amount of rotation of the drum 123, which correlates with the amount of rotation of the carrier 173, which correlates with the amount of rotation of the sun gear 171 and the amount of rotation of the ring gear 172. Furthermore, the amount of rotation of the sun gear 171 is equal to the amount of rotation of the first electric motor 111, and the amount of rotation of the ring gear 172 correlates with the amount of rotation of the worm 160, i.e., the amount of rotation of the second electric motor 112. Therefore, the position acquisition unit 201 can calculate the amount of movement of the sliding door 30 based on the amount of rotation of the first electric motor 111, the amount of rotation of the second electric motor 112, and the reduction ratio of the transmission mechanism 130. Furthermore, when the sliding door 30 is opened from the fully closed position, the position acquisition unit 201 acquires the current position of the sliding door 30 by adding the amount of operation of the sliding door 30 in the opening direction to the fully closed position. On the other hand, when the sliding door 30 is closed from the fully open position, the position acquisition unit 201 acquires the current position of the sliding door 30 by adding the amount of operation of the sliding door 30 in the closing direction to the fully open position.

[0048] The door control unit 202 opens and closes the sliding door 30 by driving the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112. When opening and closing the sliding door 30, the door control unit 202 selects a first mode in which the opening and closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 is set to a first speed Vd1 or a second mode in which the opening and closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 is set to a second speed Vd2 that is faster than the first speed Vd1.

[0049] The first mode is a mode in which only the first electric motor 111 is driven out of the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112. In the first mode, the second electric motor 112 is not driven, and the ring gear 172 is locked by the worm 160 so that it cannot rotate. That is, in the first mode, the rotational speeds of the sun gear 171, the ring gear 172, and the carrier 173 are as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 8. On the other hand, the second mode is a mode in which both the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 are driven. That is, the rotational speed of the second electric motor 112 in the second mode is increased compared to the rotational speed of the second electric motor 112 in the first mode. In the second mode, unlike the first mode, the ring gear 172 is rotated. That is, in the second mode, the rotational speed of the sun gear 171, the rotational speed of the ring gear 172, and the rotational speed of the carrier 173 are as shown by the dashed dotted lines in Fig. 8. In this embodiment, the rotational speed of the first electric motor 111 is not changed in the first mode and the second mode.

[0050] When the sliding door 30 is opened or closed, the load on the door drive unit 100 changes depending on the position of the sliding door 30. For example, when a stopped sliding door 30 is started to operate, the load on the door drive unit 100 is likely to be greater than when a sliding door 30 that is currently being opened or closed continues to operate. In other words, when a stopped sliding door 30 is started to move, the load on the door drive unit 100 is likely to be greater than when a sliding door 30 that is already moving is started to move. Furthermore, when the sliding door 30 is closed, the latch 41 needs to be rotated from the unlatched position to the fully latched position near the fully closed position. In this regard, the load on the door drive unit 100 is likely to be greater when the sliding door 30 is closed near the fully closed position. Furthermore, when the load on the door drive unit 100 is large, if the operation mode of the sliding door 30 is set to the second mode, the load torque of both the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 increases. In this regard, the total value of the current flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 increases. As a result, for example, the charging rate of the vehicle battery that supplies power to the door driving unit 100 may decrease significantly in a short period of time.

[0051] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the load on the door drive unit 100 is large, the door control unit 202 sets the operation mode of the sliding door 30 to the first mode, thereby preventing the total value of the current flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 from increasing. On the other hand, when the load on the door drive unit 100 is not large, the door control unit 202 sets the operation mode of the sliding door 30 to the second mode, thereby increasing the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30. Furthermore, when stopping the sliding door 30, the door control unit 202 sets the operation mode of the sliding door 30 to the first mode so as to prevent the sliding door 30 from stopping suddenly. This will be described in detail below.

[0052] 9, when the sliding door 30 is closed from the fully open position P4, the door control unit 202 starts the closing operation of the sliding door 30 in the first mode. That is, the sliding door 30 is closed at a first speed Vd1. When starting the closing operation of the sliding door 30, it is preferable to gradually increase the rotation speed of the first electric motor 111 so that the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 gradually increases.

[0053] Subsequently, when the sliding door 30 reaches the open-side reference position P3, which is set to a position closer to the fully open position P4 than the fully closed position P1, the door control unit 202 switches the operation mode of the sliding door 30 from the first mode to the second mode. When switching to the second mode, the door control unit 202 gradually increases the rotation speed of the second electric motor 112 while maintaining the rotation speed of the first electric motor 111. After the switching to the second mode is completed, the sliding door 30 is closed at the second speed Vd2.

[0054] Thereafter, when the sliding door 30 reaches a closing reference position P2, which is set to a position closer to the fully closed position P1 than the fully open position P4, the door control unit 202 switches the operation mode of the sliding door 30 from the second mode to the first mode. When switching to the first mode, the door control unit 202 gradually reduces the rotation speed of the second electric motor 112 without changing the rotation speed of the first electric motor 111. Here, it is preferable that the door control unit 202 starts switching to the first mode before the sliding door 30 reaches the closing reference position P2 so that the switching to the first mode is completed at the timing when the sliding door 30 reaches the closing reference position P2. After the switching to the first mode is completed, the sliding door 30 is closed at a first speed Vd1.

[0055] Finally, when the sliding door 30 reaches the fully closed position P1, the door control unit 202 ends the closing operation of the sliding door 30. When ending the closing operation of the sliding door 30, it is preferable to gradually reduce the rotation speed of the first electric motor 111 so that the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 gradually decreases.

[0056] 9 is generally the same whether the opening operation of the sliding door 30 is started from the fully closed position or from an intermediate position between the fully open position and the fully closed position. The closing-side reference position and the opening-side reference position are preferably set to appropriate positions when the vehicle 10 is designed.

[0057] Incidentally, when the vehicle 10 is parked on an inclined road surface, a force corresponding to the weight of the sliding door 30 and the inclination of the road surface acts on the sliding door 30. Therefore, when the vehicle 10 is parked on an inclined road surface, the load on the door drive unit 100 during the opening and closing operation of the sliding door 30 may be greater than when the vehicle 10 is parked on a level road surface. Therefore, in this case, when the sliding door 30 is closed, it is preferable not to change the operation mode of the sliding door 30 from the first mode to the second mode even when the sliding door 30 reaches the open-side reference position. Similarly, when the sliding door 30 is opened, it is preferable not to change the operation mode of the sliding door 30 from the first mode to the second mode even when the sliding door 30 reaches the closed-side reference position.

[0058] Therefore, when the opening / closing operation of the sliding door 30 is started in the first mode, the door control unit 202 restricts switching from the first mode to the second mode if the load on the first electric motor 111 is large. In other words, when the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 does not increase normally, the door control unit 202 restricts switching from the first mode to the second mode. On the other hand, when the load on the first electric motor 111 is not large under the same circumstances, in other words, when the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 increases normally, the door control unit 202 allows switching from the first mode to the second mode.

[0059] Next, referring to Fig. 10, a process flow performed by the door control device 200 to close the sliding door 30 will be described. This process is performed when a user requests the sliding door 30 to close. The user requests the sliding door 30 to close by, for example, operating the door handle of the sliding door 30 or a switch provided on a portable device. The process flow for opening the sliding door 30 is the same as the process flow for closing the sliding door 30, and therefore will not be described here.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 10, when a user requests the closing operation of the sliding door 30, the door control device 200 drives the first electric motor 111 (S11). That is, the door control device 200 starts the closing operation of the sliding door 30 in the first mode. Next, the door control device 200 determines whether or not the sliding door 30 has reached the opening-side reference position (S12). If the sliding door 30 has not reached the opening-side reference position (S12: NO), the door control device 200 proceeds to step S12. On the other hand, if the sliding door 30 has reached the opening-side reference position (S12: YES), the door control device 200 determines whether or not the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 is equal to or greater than a determination speed Vdth (S13). In step S13, the determination speed Vdth is a value for determining whether or not the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 has increased to the expected opening / closing speed Vd. In other words, when the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 is less than the determination speed Vdth, it indicates that the sliding door 30 is not able to increase its speed properly due to a large load on the door drive unit 100. The determination speed Vdth is set to be less than the first speed Vd1.

[0061] If the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 is equal to or greater than the determination speed Vdth (S13: YES), in other words, if the load torque of the first electric motor 111 is not large, the door control device 200 drives the second electric motor 112 (S14). That is, the door control device 200 switches from the first mode to the second mode. Next, the door control device 200 determines whether the sliding door 30 has reached the closing reference position (S15). If the sliding door 30 has not reached the closing reference position (S15: NO), the door control device 200 proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the sliding door 30 has reached the closing reference position (S15: YES), the door control device 200 stops the second electric motor 112 (S16). That is, the door control device 200 switches from the second mode to the first mode.

[0062] Next, the door control device 200 determines whether the sliding door 30 has reached the fully closed position (S17). Here, the door control device 200 may determine whether the sliding door 30 has reached the fully closed position based on the detection signals of the first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2. Alternatively, the door control device 200 may determine whether the sliding door 30 has reached the fully closed position based on whether the latch 41 of the door lock device 40 has rotated to the fully latched position. In the latter case, it is preferable that the door lock device 40 has a switch that outputs different signals to the door lock device 40 depending on whether the latch 41 is at the fully latched position. If the sliding door 30 has not reached the fully closed position (S17: NO), the door control device 200 proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, if the sliding door 30 has reached the fully closed position (S17: YES), the door control device 200 stops the first electric motor 111 (S18). Thereafter, the door control device 200 ends this process.

[0063] On the other hand, in step S13, if the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 is less than the determination speed Vdth (S13: NO), in other words, if the load torque of the first electric motor 111 is large, the door control device 200 proceeds to step S17. That is, in this case, the sliding door 30 is closed without switching from the first mode to the second mode.

[0064] In the above-described process, the door control unit 202 preferably performs a process to prevent the user and foreign objects from getting caught. Specifically, when the load torque of the first electric motor 111 suddenly increases, in other words, when the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 suddenly decreases, the door control unit 202 preferably stops the opening / closing operation of the sliding door 30.

[0065] <Actions and Effects of This Embodiment> (1) In the first mode, the door control device 200 can open and close the sliding door 30 at a low first speed Vd1 by driving the sun gear 171 of the planetary gear mechanism 170 with the first electric motor 111 while keeping the ring gear 172 of the planetary gear mechanism 170 stopped. In the second mode, the door control device 200 can open and close the sliding door 30 at a high second speed Vd2 by driving the sun gear 171 and the ring gear 172 of the planetary gear mechanism 170 with the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112, respectively. In other words, the door control device 200 can select the first mode when it is desired to open and close the sliding door 30 at a low speed, and can select the second mode when it is desired to open and close the sliding door 30 at a high speed. In this way, the door control device 200 can increase the opening and closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 as needed.

[0066] (2) For example, consider a comparative example in which the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 are driven in the first mode, and the second electric motor 112 is driven at a lower rotational speed than in the second mode. In this comparative example, if the load on the door drive unit 100 increases when the sliding door 30 is opened or closed in the first mode, the total current flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 may increase. In this regard, the door control device 200 does not drive the second electric motor 112 in the first mode. Therefore, even if the load on the door drive unit 100 increases when the sliding door 30 is opened or closed in the first mode, the door control device 200 does not allow current to flow through the second electric motor 112. Therefore, the door control device 200 can prevent the total current flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 from increasing in the first mode.

[0067] (3) In situations such as when the vehicle 10 is parked on a slope, the load on the door drive unit 100 may not decrease even after a certain amount of time has passed since the opening or closing operation of the sliding door 30 was initiated. In such a case, when the first mode is switched to the second mode, the load torque of both the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 increases, which may increase the total value of the currents flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112. In this regard, the door control device 200 restricts switching from the first mode to the second mode when the opening or closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 is less than the determination speed Vdth, in other words, when the load on the door drive unit 100 does not decrease. Therefore, the door control device 200 can prevent the total value of the currents flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 from increasing after switching to the second mode.

[0068] (4) When the load on the door drive unit 100 increases, the door control device 200 opens and closes the sliding door 30 in the first mode. On the other hand, when the load on the door drive unit 100 does not increase, the door control device 200 opens and closes the sliding door 30 in the second mode. This allows the door control device 200 to appropriately select the opening and closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30. This reduces the time required to open and close the sliding door 30 compared to a comparative example in which the sliding door 30 is opened and closed only in the first mode. Furthermore, when the load on the door drive unit 100 increases, the total value of the current flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 is less likely to increase compared to a comparative example in which the sliding door 30 is opened and closed only in the second mode.

[0069] (5) When switching from one of the first mode and the second mode to the other, the door control device 200 gradually changes the rotation speed of the second electric motor 112. Therefore, the door control device 200 can prevent a sudden change in the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 when switching modes.

[0070] (6) The door control device 200 can acquire the position of the sliding door 30 based on the detection signals of the first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2. Based on the position of the sliding door 30, the door control device 200 can appropriately determine the timing to switch the operation mode of the sliding door 30.

[0071] (7) In the first mode, the door opening / closing device 50 needs to lock the ring gear 172 of the planetary gear mechanism 170. In this regard, the external teeth 172a of the ring gear 172 and the worm 160 form a worm gear mechanism with self-locking properties. Therefore, the door opening / closing device 50 can lock the ring gear 172 of the planetary gear mechanism 170 in the first mode without providing any additional configuration.

[0072] (8) When the sliding door 30 is closed near the fully closed position, the door opening and closing device 50 switches the operation mode of the sliding door 30 to the first mode. Therefore, the door opening and closing device 50 can rotate the latch 41 from the unlatched position to the fully latched position while suppressing an increase in the current flowing through the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 of the door drive unit 100. In other words, the door opening and closing device 50 does not need to be provided with a separate close actuator for rotating the latch 41 from the unlatched position to the fully latched position.

[0073] (9) For example, consider a comparative example in which the drum 123 is driven by one electric motor and a general transmission. In this case, an impact may be applied to the drum 123 when the gear is changed, which may prevent the sliding door 30 from opening and closing smoothly. In this regard, the door opening and closing device 50 of the present embodiment changes gears by adjusting the rotational speed of the ring gear 172 of the planetary gear mechanism 170, thereby preventing an impact from being applied to the drum 123 when the gear is changed.

[0074] <Example of change> This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0075] When the load on the door drive unit 100 becomes large while the sliding door 30 is being opened or closed in the second mode, the door control device 200 may switch the operation mode of the sliding door 30 from the second mode to the first mode.

[0076] During the closing operation of the sliding door 30, even if the opening / closing speed Vd when the sliding door 30 reaches the open-side reference position is less than the determination speed Vdth (S13: NO), the door control device 200 does not need to maintain the operation mode of the sliding door 30 in the first mode. For example, even in the above case, if the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 becomes equal to or greater than the determination speed Vdth before the sliding door 30 reaches the close-side reference position, the operation mode of the sliding door 30 may be switched to the second mode.

[0077] The timing of switching between the first mode and the second mode can be changed as appropriate in the door control device 200. For example, if the vehicle 10 is equipped with a sensor that outputs a signal when the sliding door 30 passes a predetermined position, the door control device 200 may switch the operation mode of the sliding door 30 based on the signal output by the sensor.

[0078] In the first mode, the door control device 200 may drive the second electric motor 112. However, the rotation speed of the second electric motor 112 in the first mode is set to be lower than the rotation speed of the second electric motor 112 in the second mode.

[0079] When switching from the first mode to the second mode, the door control device 200 may increase the rotation speed of the first electric motor 111. Similarly, when switching from the second mode to the first mode, the door control device 200 may decrease the rotation speed of the first electric motor 111.

[0080] The door control device 200 does not have to determine whether to switch from the first mode to the second mode by comparing the opening / closing speed Vd of the sliding door 30 with the determination speed Vdth. For example, the door control device 200 may determine whether to switch from the first mode to the second mode based on the magnitude of the current flowing through the first electric motor 111.

[0081] In FIG. 9, the opening / closing speed Vd when the sliding door 30 is opened / closed near the fully open position P4 does not have to be the same as the opening / closing speed Vd when the sliding door 30 is opened / closed near the fully closed position P1.

[0082] 9, the opening / closing speed Vd when the sliding door 30 is opened or closed near the fully open position P4 does not have to be the same when the sliding door 30 is opened and when the sliding door 30 is closed. Similarly, the opening / closing speed Vd when the sliding door 30 is opened or closed near the fully closed position P1 does not have to be the same when the sliding door 30 is opened and when the sliding door 30 is closed.

[0083] The door driving unit 100 may have a reducer between the first electric motor 111 and the support shaft 175 , or may have a reducer between the carrier 173 and the drum 123 . The opening / closing mechanism 120 may be a belt-driven mechanism instead of a cable-driven mechanism. In this case, the opening / closing mechanism 120 preferably has a drive pulley, a driven pulley, and a belt wound around the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The carrier 173 of the transmission mechanism 130 is preferably connected to the drive pulley.

[0084] In the planetary gear mechanism 170, of the three rotating elements, the sun gear 171, the ring gear 172, and the carrier 173, the rotating element that is the target of drive by the first electric motor 111 may be the ring gear 172 or the carrier 173. Similarly, the rotating element that is the target of drive by the second electric motor 112 may be the sun gear 171 or the carrier 173. Similarly, the rotating element that transmits power to the drum 123 of the opening / closing mechanism 120 may be the sun gear 171 or the ring gear 172.

[0085] The planetary gear mechanism 170 in the above embodiment is a so-called 2K-H type. In other embodiments, the planetary gear mechanism 170 may be a 3K type or a KHV type. The sliding door 30 may be a swing door or a back door, which are examples of a “vehicle door.” In other words, the vehicle door to be driven by the door drive unit 100 does not have to be the sliding door 30.

[0086] The phrase "at least one" as used herein means "one or more" of the desired options. As an example, the phrase "at least one" as used herein means "only one option" or "both of two options" when the number of options is two. As another example, the phrase "at least one" as used herein means "only one option" or "any combination of two or more options" when the number of options is three or more. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 10...Vehicle 20...Body 21...Door opening 25...Strika 30...Sliding door 40...Door lock device 50...Door opening and closing device 100...Door drive unit 111...First electric motor 112...Second electric motor 120...Opening and closing mechanism 130...Transmission mechanism 160...Warm 170...Planetary gear mechanism 171...Sun gear (rotating element) 172...Ring gear (rotating element) 173...Carrier (rotating element) 174...Planetary gear 200...Door control device 201...Position acquisition unit 202...Door control unit SE1: First sensor SE2: Second sensor

Claims

1. A door control device applied to a door drive unit including a planetary gear mechanism having three rotating elements, namely, a sun gear, a ring gear, and a carrier; a first electric motor that drives one of the three rotating elements; a second electric motor that drives one of the remaining two rotating elements; and an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes a vehicle door based on power transmitted from the last one of the rotating elements, a door control unit that controls the first electric motor and the second electric motor to open and close the vehicle door in a first mode in which the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door is a first speed or in a second mode in which the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door is a second speed that is faster than the first speed; In the first mode, at least the first electric motor of the first electric motor and the second electric motor is driven; In the second mode, both the first electric motor and the second electric motor are driven, and the rotation speed of the second electric motor is increased compared to the first mode. Vehicle door control device.

2. In the first mode, the first electric motor is driven while the second electric motor is stopped. The vehicle door control device according to claim 1 .

3. The door control unit switches the vehicle door opening / closing operation to the second mode after starting the vehicle door opening / closing operation in the first mode, and switches the vehicle door opening / closing operation from the second mode to the first mode before completing the vehicle door opening / closing operation. The vehicle door control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The door control unit restricts switching from the first mode to the second mode when the opening / closing speed of the vehicle door is less than a determination speed. The vehicle door control device according to claim 3 .

5. The door control unit gradually changes the rotation speed of the second electric motor when switching from one of the first mode and the second mode to the other. The vehicle door control device according to claim 3 .

6. the door driving unit includes a first sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the first electric motor and a second sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the second electric motor, a position acquisition unit that acquires a position of the vehicle door based on detection signals from the first sensor and the second sensor; The door control unit switches between the first mode and the second mode based on a position of the vehicle door. The vehicle door control device according to claim 3 .

7. a door drive unit including a planetary gear mechanism having three rotating elements, i.e., a sun gear, a ring gear, and a carrier; a first electric motor that drives one of the three rotating elements; a second electric motor that drives one of the remaining two rotating elements; and an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes a vehicle door based on power transmitted from the last one of the rotating elements; a door control unit that controls the first electric motor and the second electric motor to open and close the vehicle door in a first mode in which the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door is a first speed or in a second mode in which the opening and closing speed of the vehicle door is a second speed that is faster than the first speed, a drive target of the second electric motor is the ring gear, the door drive unit has a worm that transmits power of the second electric motor to the ring gear, the ring gear includes internal teeth that mesh with the planetary gears rotatably supported by the carrier, and external teeth that mesh with the worm, The door control unit drives the first electric motor while stopping the second electric motor in the first mode, and drives both the first electric motor and the second electric motor in the second mode. Vehicle door opening and closing device.

Images