Abstract:
A door lock actuator device comprises a casing having a common mount for securing the casing to either one of right-handed door and left-handed door of an automotive vehicle. A cover element closes a side opening of the casing, and a motor is accommodated within the casing. A motion conversion means has input shaft connected to the motor, and serves to convert a rotary output motion of the motor into a rocking motion. The output shaft of the device has opposite end regions extending through, and protruding outwardly from the casing and the cover element, respectively, and a swing arm is connected to either one of the end regions of the output shaft. Standardized components are used to realize actuator device for right-handed doors and left-handed doors, to lower the manufacturing cost of the device and simplify the parts stock control.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an actuator device; more particularly, it pertains to an actuator device used, for example, to perform a remote control of a door lock device for automotive vehicles. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     One typical example of conventional actuator devices used to actuate a door lock device for automotive vehicles will be explained below with reference to FIG. 1. The illustrated actuator device is denoted generally by reference numeral 1, and includes a casing 2 with a side opening which is closed by a cover element 3. The casing 2 has an inside space accommodating therein a reversible motor 4, a reduction gear train 5 connected to the output shaft of the motor 4, and a sector gear 6 which is in mesh with an intermediate pinion 7 of the reduction gear train 5. The sector gear 6 is carried by a shaft 8 having one end region 8a which extends through, and projects outwardly from the casing 2. A swing arm 9 is fixedly secured to the end region 8a of the shaft 8, for example by caulking, and is adapted to be connected to a rod, not shown, with which the output force of the motor 4 is transmitted to the door lock device. 
     This type of actuator device has to be generally mounted within a narrow inner space of a side door of the vehicle, and it is thus necessary to realize a compact and space-saving arrangement of the device as a whole. Therefore, a known actuator device of this type typically includes as its output member a swing arm which undergoes a rocking motion on the outer surface of the casing on its rear side. 
     The above-mentioned known arrangement of the actuator device has conventionally been classified into two types, one for right-handed doors and another for left-handed doors. That is to say, due to the provision of the swing arm on the rear side of the casing, which is to be adopted to either a right-handed door or a left-handed door, it has been conventionally considered necessary to prepare the two types of the actuator device which are mirror-symmetrical to each other. 
     Generally, the two types of the actuator device have to be separately assembled at least partly with exclusive components which are not interchangeable and which thus cannot be used for a different type of the actuator device. This results in difficulties in standardizing the components for minimizing the types of the components, thereby to lower the manufacturing cost of the individual components and the total device, and also to simplify the parts stock control. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved actuator device which is of a compact and space-saving arrangement, and which yet makes it readily possible to standardize the components such that a single type of component can be commonly used for both right-handed doors and left-handed doors of automotive vehicles. 
     Briefly stated, the present invention provides an actuator device which comprises a casing to be secured to a door of an automotive vehicle, for example, a cover element for closing a side opening of the casing, and a reversible motor accommodated within an inside space of the casing. A motion conversion means has an input shaft connected to the motor, and serves to convert a rotary output motion of the motor into a rocking motion. A swing arm is connected to an output shaft of the motion conversion means so that the rotary output motion of the motor causes the swing arm to undergo a rocking motion. The swing arm can be connected to an element which is to be actuated by the actuator device and associated with the door, for example, an input member of a door lock device. 
     According to the present invention, the casing has a common mount with which the casing can be secured to a selected one of right-handed door and left-handed door. The output shaft of the conversion means has opposite end regions which extend through, and protrude outwardly from the casing and the cover element, respectively. The swing arm is connected to selected one of the both end regions of the output shaft of the motion conversion means. 
     Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, when the actuator device is to be used for a right-handed door of automotive vehicles, for example, the swing arm is connected to one of the end regions of the output shaft of the conversion means, which is situated on one side of the casing. Conversely, when the actuator device is to be used for a left-handed door of automotive vehicles, the swing arm is connected to another one of the end regions of the output shaft of the conversion means, which is situated on another side of the casing. 
     This means that a single type of standardized component has an interchangeability for both right- and left-handed doors, and thereby allows the two types of actuator device to be readily manufactured with significantly improved productivity and minimized cost, and without complicated parts stock control. 
     Advantageously, the output shaft of the conversion means has an end region which is free from the swing arm and which is covered by a cap element. The cap element serves to positively prevent entry of foreign matters, such as dust or water, into the inside space of the casing to provide improved operational reliability and durability of the actuator device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a longitudinal-sectional view showing the above-mentioned conventional actuator device; 
     FIG. 2 is sectional view showing a door lock actuator device in accordance with one specific embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the bottom side; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view showing the actuator device of FIG. 2, with the cover element removed from the casing; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view showing the actuator device of FIG. 2, with the cover element secured to the casing; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing the actuator device of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 6 is a front view showing the actuator device of FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention will be explained in further detail hereinafter, with reference to one specific embodiment which is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. 
     The door lock actuator device in accordance with the present invention is generally denoted in FIGS. 2 to 6 by reference numeral 10. As in the conventional arrangement explained above with reference to FIG. 1, the actuator device 10 according to the present invention includes a casing 11 with a side opening which is closed by a cover element 12. The casing 11 has an inside space for accommodating therein a reversible electric motor 13, and a reduction gear train 14 connected to the shaft 13a of the motor 13. The motor 13 is fitted within a motor mount 11b formed inside of the casing 11. The gear train 14 is connected to the output shaft 15 of the actuator device 10, which serves to transmit the output motion of the motor 13 to an external device to be actuated by the actuator device 10. For this purpose, a swing arm 16 is arranged outside of the casing 11 and connected to the output shaft 15 of the actuator device 10. 
     As particularly shown in FIG. 4, the casing 11 is secured to a structural member of a door of an automotive vehicle, through a bracket B which forms part of the door and which is illustrated in FIG. 3 by imaginary line. Thus, the casing 11 has a pair of slits 11a which are arranged opposite to each other. These slits 11a are of substantially crank- or hook-like section, and are engageable with the bracket B irrespectively of whether the door is a right-handed door or a left-handed door. The slits 11a thus afford a common mount of the actuator device 10, which cooperates with the bracket B to secure the casing 11 to both types of the door. 
     The reduction gear train 14 includes a worm 17 which is carried by the motor shaft 13a, a worm wheel 18 which is in mesh with the worm 17, and a pinion 19 which is rotatable jointly with the worm wheel 18. The worm wheel 18 and the pinion 19 are carried by a common support shaft 20 which is journalled by, and extends between the casing 11 and the cover 12. The pinion 19 has a flange 19a in its axial end region, and this flange 19a is provided with a projection 19b which protrudes radially outwardly and extends locally circumferentially of the pinion 19. A similar projection 18b is formed on the inner surface of the worm wheel 18 at its annular outer peripheral region, which protrudes radially inwardly and extends locally circumferentially of the worm wheel 18. With reference to FIG. 2, the projection 19b is provided for the flange 19a on the end region of the pinion 19 on its lower side, and the projection 18b is provided on the upper surface of the worm wheel 18 in its central region. The pinion 19 is caused to rotate jointly with the worm wheel 18, when the projections 18b, 19b are brought into abutment with each other. 
     The output shaft 15 of the actuator device 10 is integrally provided with a sector gear 21 which is in mesh with the pinion 19 of the gear train 14. The output shaft 15 is rotatably journalled by bearing through-bores 11c, 12c formed in the walls of the casing 11 and the cover element 12, respectively. The output shaft 15 has both axial end regions 15a which extend outwardly beyond the casing 11 and the cover element 12 through the bores 11c, 12c, respectively. The end regions 15a of the output shaft 15 are formed with centering bores in the form of axial blind bores 15b, such that selected one of the two end regions 15a serves to connect the swing arm 16 in a practical use condition, as will be explained hereinafter. The end regions 15a of the output shaft 15 are further formed with circumferential recesses 15c on their outer peripheral surfaces. 
     The sector gear 21 has a radially inner region which is situated close to the output shaft 15, and which is provided with a pin 21a as shown by imaginary line in FIG. 2. The pin 21a projects in a direction which is in parallel with the axial direction of the output shaft 15, i.e. downwardly in FIG. 2. A substantially cylindrical contact holder 22 is arranged below the worm wheel 18 as seen in FIG. 2, and is caused to follow the movement of the sector gear 21 through the pin 21a. An annular wall 11e is formed on the inside bottom surface of the casing 11 coaxially to the support shaft 20. The contact holder 22 is fitted around the annular wall 11e with an insulating cylinder 23 therebetween. The contact holder 22 has a flange 22a in its lower end as seen in FIG. 2, having a lower surface which is provided with a contactor 24 constituted by a pair of arcuate contact pieces 24a, 24b which are aligned with each other. The flange 22a of the contact holder 22 has a local cutout 22b in which the pin 21a of the sector gear 21 is engaged. Three terminals 25a, 25b, 25c are arranged on the inside bottom surface of the casing 11 along the annular wall 11e . Thus, during the rotation of the output shaft 15, the contactor 24 together with the holder 22 is caused to sequentially move on the adjacent terminals 25a, 25b, 25c, thereby establishing contact or discontact between the contact pieces 24a, 24b and the terminals 25a, 25b, 25c so as to either activate or deactivate the motor 13. 
     The insulating cylinder 23 has an insulating piece 23a partly around its lower region as seen in FIG. 2, which is to be inserted between the contact piece 24a of the contactor 24 on the inner side, and a projection 23b protruding upwardly as shown by imaginary line in FIG. 2, which is arranged at a location substantially opposite to the insulating piece 23a. The flange 22a of the contact holder 22 has an elongate arcuate opening 22c which extends in the circumferential direction and in which the projection 23b of the insulating cylinder 23 is engaged. By this, the angular stroke range of the insulating cylinder 23 is made smaller than that of the contact holder 22. Thus, due to an angular stroke range of the insulating piece 23a which is smaller than that of the contact pieces 24a, 24b of the contactor 24, it is possible to shift the timing with which the contact pieces 24a, 24b are brought into contact with the terminals 25a, 25b, 25c, and out of contact therefrom so as to positively avoid occurence of undesirable chattering of the actuator device 10. 
     The swing arm 16 has a recess 16a in its boss 16b, which is fitted with the end region 15a of the output shaft 15, and an annular ridge 16c on the inner peripheral surface of the recess 16a, which corresponds to the circumferential recess 15c on the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 15 at its end region 15a. Thus, the swing arm can be detachably secured to the output shaft 15 by engaging the end region 15a of the output shaft 15 with the recess 16a in the swing arm 16 while fitting the annular ridge 16c of the swing arm 16 into the circumferential recess 15c of the output shaft 15. In this connection, the recess 16a in the swing arm 16 is provided with an axial projection 16d of substantially frustoconical shape, which is fitted within and urged against the centering bore 15b of the end region 15a so as to prevent a free rotation of the swing arm 16 relative to the output shaft 15. The swing arm 16 has a free end 16e which can be connected to a rod (not shown), i.e. an input member of the door lock device. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the swing arm 16 is secured to the end region 15a of the output shaft 15 which is situated on the upper side in FIG. 2 and on the right side in FIG. 6. Another end region 15a of the shaft 15, which is situated on the lower side in FIG. 2 and on the left side in FIG. 6, is covered by a cap element 26. The cap element 26 is similar to the boss 16b of the swing arm 16 in that it includes a recess 26a which is fitted with the end region 15a of the output shaft 15, an annular ridge 26c on the inner peripheral surface of the recess 26a, which corresponds to the circumferential recess 15c on the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 15 at its end region 15a, and an axial projection 26d of substantially frustoconical shape, which is fitted within and urged against the centering bore 15b of the end region 15a. The cap element 26 serves to positively prevent entry of foreign matters, such as dust or water, into the inside space of the casing 11 to provide improved operational reliability and durability of the actuator device 10. 
     The illustrated embodiment of the actuator device 10 further includes a return mechanism formed of a coil spring 27 provided inside of the annular wall 11e of the casing 11. One hook-like end 27a of the coil spring 27 is engaged with and retained by a retainer 11f formed in the bottom surface of the casing 11 inside of the annular wall 11e, and another end of the coil spring 27 is engaged with and retained by a retainer (not shown) which is provided for the worm wheel 18 in its lower surface as seen in FIG. 2. Thus, whenever the worm wheel 18 is caused to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise in FIG. 3, the worm wheel 18 is returned to its initial position by the restoring force of the coil spring 27 as soon as the motor 13 is stopped. 
     The illustrated embodiment of the actuator device 10 further includes, as particularly shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, an anti-theft cover element 28. The cover element 28 includes a cover portion 28a which covers an upper side of the swing arm 16 such that wires or the like, which may be inserted into a space between the door panel and associated window pane, can be prevented from reaching the swing arm 16. A support portion 28b is provided on the edge of the cover portion 28a, and an insertion portion 28c is projected from the support portion 28b in a direction opposite to the cover portion 28a and provided with a free end in the form of a catch 28d. The cover element 28 can be secured to the casing 11 by inserting the insertion portion 28c from one side, i.e. from right side in FIG. 6, into a groove 11g formed in a thin walled portion 11h at the upper end of the casing 11, and further engaging the catch 28d with the surface of the thin walled portion 11h on another side, i.e. on the left side in FIG. 6. 
     In this connection, the upper extension of the support portion 28b of the cover element 28 is preferably bent so that the thin walled portion 11h of the casing 11 can be situated substantially at the longitudinal center of the upper extension of the support portion 28b. This makes it possible to secure the cover element 28 to the casing 11 with a symmetrical orientation, when the swing arm 16 is to be secured to another end region 15a of the output shaft 15 as shown by imaginary line in FIGS. 4 to 6. 
     The actuator device 10 in accordance with the present invention can be secured to the bracket B of a door irrespectively of whether the door is a right-handed door or a left-handed door, and the swing arm 16 can be secured to either one of the two end regions 15a of the output shaft 15. It is therefore unnecessary to classify the actuator device into two types, one for right-handed doors and another for left-handed doors. Since the components can be standardized and the type of the components can be minimized, it is readily possible to lower the manufacturing cost of the individual components and the total device, and to simplify the parts stock control. 
     In operation of the door lock actuator device 10, when the door lock is in a lock-off state corresponding to the state of the actuator device 10 as shown by imaginary line in FIG. 3, the motor 13 is supplied with electric power from an external power source and is caused to rotate in the normal direction. This rotation is transmitted to the worm wheel 18 via the worm 17, so that the worm wheel 18 is caused to rotate clockwise. 
     Subsequently, when the projection 18b of the worm wheel 18 comes into abutment with the projection 19b of the pinion 19, the pinion 19 begins to rotate clockwise, jointly with the worm wheel 18. By this, the pinion 19 in mesh with the sector gear 21 causes the output shaft 15 to rotate counterclockwise so that the swing arm 16 secured to the end region 15a of the output shaft 15 begins to rotate also counterclockwise. 
     In response to the rotation of the output shaft 15, the contact holder 22 is caused to rotate clockwise and the supply of electric power to the motor 13 is stopped as soon as the contactor 24 is disconnected from the terminal 25a, and is connected to the terminals 25b, 25c. On this instance, the swing arm 16 assumes a position as shown by solid line in FIG. 3, wherein the door lock device has been switched into a lock-on state via the input rod, not shown. 
     During this operation of the actuator device 10, the insulating cylinder 23 is caused to rotate over an angular range which is smaller than that for the contact holder 22, and the insulating piece 23a of the insulating cylinder 23 is caused to move with a slight lag with reference to the contact piece 24a on the inner side. Thus, it becomes possible to shift the timing with which the contact pieces 24a, 24b are brought into contact with the terminals 25a, 25b, 25c, and out of contact therefrom so as to positively avoid occurence of undesirable chattering of the actuator device 10. 
     Moreover, since the retainer for the coil spring 27 which is provided for the worm wheel 18 is spaced from the retainer 11f provided for the casing 11 to generate a restoring force of the coil spring 27, so that only the worm wheel 18 is caused to return to the initial position as soon as the motor 13 is stopped. 
     In this condition, by supplying the electric power to the motor 13 to cause the motor 13 to rotate in the reverse direction, the worm wheel 18 and the pinion 19 are caused to rotate in the opposite direction so that the output shaft 15 and the swing arm 16 are cased to rotate in the opposite direction to reach the position illustrated in FIG. 3 by imaginary line, wherein the door lock device assumes a lock-off state. 
     It will be readily appreciated from the foregoing detailed description that the present invention provides an improved actuator device which is of a compact and space-saving arrangement, and which yet makes it readily possible to standardize the components such that a single type of components can be used for both right-handed doors and left-handed doors of vehicles. 
     While the present invention has been explained with reference to a specific embodiment, such explanation has been presented by way of example only. It is of course possible that various modifications and/or alterations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is as defined in the appended claims. For example, the sector gear 21 may be prepared separately from the output shaft 15 and then integrally connected therewith.