Actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077584-B2
Application number	US-201314400183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2013
Priority date	May 11, 2012
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

An actuator includes an electric motor, a power transmission mechanism having a worm provided in a motor rotating shaft of the electric motor and a worm wheel engaging the worm, a drive member connected to the motor rotating shaft through the power transmission mechanism and displaced according to a rotation of the motor rotating shaft, a control device determining a rotational range of the motor rotating shaft between an initial position and a driven position, and an urging device provided in the motor rotating shaft and urging the motor rotating shaft to the initial position. In case electricity is supplied to the electric motor, the motor rotating shaft rotates to the driven position against an urging force of the urging device, and in case the electricity is not supplied to the electric motor, the motor rotating shaft is urged by the urging device to rotate to the initial position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A glove box, comprising:
an actuator including:
an electric motor including a motor rotating shaft extending outwardly, and rotating the motor rotating shaft in one rotation direction,
a power transmission mechanism including a worm formed on the motor rotating shaft of the electric motor, and a worm wheel engaging with the worm and having a pinion member coaxially formed therewith and a convex wall protruding outwardly therefrom,
a drive member including a rack portion engaging the pinion member to be connected to the motor rotating shaft through the power transmission mechanism, and moved according to a rotation of the motor rotating shaft,
a control device including a first stopper arranged at one side of the drive member and a second stopper arranged on a movement path of the convex wall, and stopping the rotation of the motor rotating shaft in cooperation with the drive member and the convex wall, and
an urging device connected to the motor rotating shaft, and urging the motor rotating shaft to rotate the motor rotating shaft in another rotation direction opposite to the one rotation direction;

a lock mechanism including:
a first lock member contacting the drive member to be moved by the drive member of the actuator,
a second lock member spaced from the first lock member, and
a link mechanism arranged between the first lock member and the second lock member to link the first lock member and the second lock member, and moving the second lock member in a direction opposite to a movement of the first lock member, the link mechanism including a support base, a link member rotatably supported in the support base, and a torsion coil spring interposed between the support base and the link member and urging the link member in one direction;

a box body having an opening at one portion thereof and fit holes formed at side portions thereof; and
a lid body rotatably connected to the box body to open and close the opening of the box body,
wherein in a case in which electricity is supplied to the electric motor, and the electric motor is driven, the motor rotating shaft is rotated against an urging force of the urging device and drives the worm wheel in a direction to approach the convex wall to the second stopper until the convex wall contacts the second stopper, and when the convex wall contacts the second stopper, the drive member protrudes outwardly to press the first lock member, and the first lock member and the second lock member move in directions approaching to each other through the link mechanism against an urging force of the torsion coil spring, and
in a case in which the electricity is not supplied to the electric motor, the motor rotating shaft is reversely rotated by the urging force of the urging device to move the drive member through the worm wheel until the drive member contacts the first stopper, and when the drive member contacts the first stopper, the first lock member and the second lock member move in directions apart from each other through the link mechanism with the urging force of the torsion coil spring, and the first lock member presses the drive member to contact the first stopper;
the first lock member includes a first lock claw portion at one end thereof to be engaged into one of the fit holes, and the second lock member includes a second lock claw portion at one end thereof to be engaged into the other of the fit holes;
when the convex wall contacts the second stopper and the drive member protrudes outwardly to press the first lock member, the first lock claw portion and the second lock claw portion are disengaged from the fit holes, and
when the drive member contacts the first stopper and the first lock member presses the drive member to contact the first stopper with the urging force of the torsion coil spring, the first lock claw portion and the second lock claw portion are engaged into the fit holes;
the support base includes an upper wall, a pair of side walls extending downwardly from the upper wall, a columnar support shaft extending downwardly from the upper wall inside the pair of side walls, and locking claws protruding inwardly from lower ends of the pair of side walls;
the link member includes a bottom plate, an inner cylinder portion to fit the columnar support shaft thereinside, an outer cylinder portion outside the inner cylinder portion, the inner cylinder portion and the outer cylinder portion being disposed coaxially on the bottom plate and extending upwardly from the bottom plate, locking concave portions concaved from a lower surface of the bottom plate to engage the locking claws, and a pair of protruding pieces protruding outwardly from the bottom plate to engage the first lock member and the second lock member; and
the torsion coil spring is arranged between the outer cylinder portion and the inner cylinder portion, and one end of the torsion coil engages the support base and the other end of the torsion coil engages the link member.

2. A glove box according to claim 1 , wherein the urging device includes a first gear connected to the motor rotating shaft;
a second gear engaging with the first gear; and
a spring rotationally urging the second gear.

3. A glove box according to claim 2 , wherein the motor rotating shaft has a first end connected to the electric motor and a second end connected to the first gear, and the worm is formed between the first end and the second end, and
the second gear is provided on a side opposite to the worm wheel relative to a shaft line of the motor rotating shaft.

4. A glove box according to claim 2 , wherein the spring is a flat spiral spring.

5. A glove box according to claim 1 , wherein the urging device is a spring connected to the motor rotating shaft, and rotating and urging the rotating shaft.

6. A glove box according to claim 1 ,
wherein the actuator and the lock mechanism are attached to the lid body; and
the fit holes are formed in the box body to fit the first lock member and the second lock member.

7. A glove box according to claim 6 , wherein the first lock member has a crank portion to form a space in which the actuator is arranged, and the drive member contacts the crank portion when the actuator is driven.

8. A glove box according to claim 1 , further comprising a casing to which the first stopper and the second stopper are fixed,
wherein the worm wheel is engaged with the worm and the drive member such that the drive member is moved to protrude one end portion thereof from a side portion of the casing when the worm wheel is rotated in the direction to approach the convex wall to the second stopper, and the drive member is moved to contact the first stopper in the casing when the worm wheel is rotated in a direction to separate the convex wall from the second stopper.

Assignees

• Nifco Inc

Inventors

• Hattori Kenji

Classifications

• F16H1/16

  comprising worm and worm-wheel · CPC title

• Y10T74/18792

  including worm · CPC title

• F16H2025/2068

  Means for returning linear actuator to zero position, e.g. upon occurrence of failure by using a spring · CPC title

• E05B81/34

  of geared transmissions · CPC title

• E05B83/30 Primary

  for glove compartments · CPC title