Machine element or mechanism – Mechanical movements – Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-21
2004-03-02
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Mechanical movements
Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary
C074S111000, C074S422000, C074S664000, C403S348000, C049S279000, C292S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06698300
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a motorized actuator unit which is suitable to displace a lock lever of a vehicle door latch apparatus between a locked position and an unlocked position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, various actuator units which displace a change-over member between a first position and a second position by motor power. One of them which is closely related to the present invention is shown in
FIGS. 15
to
17
. This actuator unit A is provided with a cylindrical worm D attached to a motor shaft C of a motor B, and a worm wheel E engaged with the cylindrical worm D (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 08-144602 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,308). As an example of the change-over member, a lock lever of a vehicle door latch apparatus which is displaced between a locked position and an unlocked position is exemplified.
The actuator unit A of this type includes a cam groove G defined on an top surface of the worm wheel E, and a rotational lever J fixed to an output shaft F and having a contact pin H engaged with the cam groove G for transmitting a rotational force of the worm wheel E to the output shaft F. The worm wheel E is regularly held on a neutral position by a spring force of a return spring (not shown). The cam groove G and the contact pin H also function a clutch mechanism which does not transmit rotation of the rotational lever J to the worm wheel E when the worm wheel E is located on the neutral position. A lock lever K is fixed to an outer end of the output shaft F which projects outside a housing M of the unit.
The conventional actuator unit A has a disadvantage such that moving amount (rotational amount) of the rotational lever J is rather small. The moving amount of the contact pin H of the rotational lever J is subject to a width of the cam groove G which is not longer than a radius of the worm wheel E. In
FIG. 15
, when the diameter of the worm wheel E is considered to be “40”, the width of the cam groove G is about “12” and the width of the contact pin H is about “3”. Therefore, the moving amount of the contact pin H is about “9” which is merely a quarter of the diameter of the worm wheel E, and a rotational angle of the rotational lever J is considered to be about“20 degrees”. If the worm wheel E and the rotational lever J are coupled each other using a gear teeth coupling, it is possible to set the moving amount of the rotational lever J without depending on the diameter of the worm wheel E, but a function of the clutch mechanism is lost.
Further, the conventional actuator unit A involves a second disadvantage that it is troublesome for coupling the rotational lever J located inside the housing M and a lock lever (output lever) K located outside the housing M. That is, the lock lever K is coupled to the exposed outer end of the output shaft F by using a typical fixing means such as a screw, an adhesive, and a supersonic deposit means or the like.
Further, the conventional actuator unit A involves a third disadvantage that a shape of the housing M is not appropriate. The vehicle door latch apparatus and the actuator unit are mounted in a narrow space of the door or the vehicle body, so it should be formed compact. Especially, the actuator unit A to be mounted on either one of a tailgate (back door/trunk lid) and a cargo room (trunk room) should be formed more compact.
FIGS. 16 and 17
show a relation between a door latch apparatus N and a wall assembly P of the tailgate. The wall assembly P is configured by an inner metal panel Q usually facing to the cargo room, and an outer metal panel R facing to the outside of the vehicle. A thickness thereof is about 5 cm. The inner panel Q has a mounting hole T which has a size of a latch body S of the door latch apparatus N. The latch body S is provided with a bracket V to which operation levers W such as an open lever and a lock lever or the like and the actuator unit A are attached.
The door latch apparatus N with the actuator unit A is inserted into an inside space Y of the wall assembly P through a service hole X formed in the inner panel Q, and the latch body S except flanges thereof projects to the outside via the mounting hole T, and then the latch body S is fixed to the inner panel Q by screws or the like. The service hole X is covered by a trim panel Z. Most of the above assembly operation is performed blindly and it is very troublesome.
On the contrary, if the door latch apparatus N is not provided with the actuator unit A, the latch apparatus N is capable of being directly mounted on the mounting hole T by inserting the bracket V and the lever group W into the inner space Y through the mounting hole T, so that the assembly operation becomes very easy. This means that a shape and a size of the conventional actuator unit A are not suitable to pass through the mounting hole T.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an actuator unit which is capable of setting a moving amount (rotational amount) of a rotational lever without depending on a radius of a worm wheel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an actuator unit which is capable of coupling a rotational lever located inside a housing and a lock lever located outside the housing, without using a fixing means such as a screw, an adhesive and a supersonic deposit means.
Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide an actuator unit which has a shape suitable to passing through a mounting hole of a wall assembly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3335471 (1967-08-01), Seckerson et al.
patent: 4520914 (1985-06-01), Kagiyama et al.
patent: 4653708 (1987-03-01), Rich
patent: 4893426 (1990-01-01), Bixler
patent: 5516167 (1996-05-01), Hayakawa et al.
patent: 5564308 (1996-10-01), Hoshikawa et al.
patent: 5649726 (1997-07-01), Rogers, Jr. et al.
patent: 5746076 (1998-05-01), Inoue
patent: 6076868 (2000-06-01), Roger, Jr. et al.
patent: 6102453 (2000-08-01), Cetnar
patent: 6223468 (2001-05-01), Kobayashi
patent: 0 770 747 (1997-05-01), None
patent: 2 306 551 (1997-05-01), None
patent: 8-144602 (1996-06-01), None
patent: WO97/03268 (1997-01-01), None
Browdy and Neimark , P.L.L.C.
Bucci David A.
Hansen Colby
Mitsui Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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