Patent ID: 12241301

It may be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the present disclosure. The predetermined design features of the present disclosure as included herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particularly intended application and use environment.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent portions of the present disclosure throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the present disclosure(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the present disclosure(s) to those exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. On the other hand, the present disclosure(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

Furthermore, with embodiments of the present disclosure, detailed description is made of as to the constituent elements in various exemplary embodiments with reference to the relevant drawings by use of the same reference numerals for the same constituent elements, while only the constituent elements different from those related to the various exemplary embodiments are described in other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

The drawings are schematic, and are not illustrated in accordance with a scale. Relative dimensions and ratios of portions in the drawings are illustrated to be exaggerated or reduced in size for clarity and convenience, and the dimensions are just examples and are not limiting. Furthermore, like structures, elements, or components illustrated in two or more drawings use same reference numerals for showing similar features. It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being “on” another element, it may be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present.

The exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure shows various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure in detail. As a result, various modifications of the drawings will be expected. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to a specific shape of an illustrated region, but, for example, include a change in the shape in accordance with manufacturing.

Hereinafter, a door opening and closing device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG.2schematically illustrates a door closed state of a door opening and closing device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.3schematically illustrates a door opened state of a door opening and closing device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.4is an enlarged view of a portion C inFIG.2.

Referring toFIG.2andFIG.3, a door opening and closing device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment 100 includes a door10, a spindle20, and a door arm30.

The door10is configured to open or close a door opening formed in a vehicle body5of the vehicle, and the door arm30is connected to the door10and the vehicle body5.

The spindle20may be formed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body5and configured to rotate. An end portion of the spindle20is connected to a center shaft of an actuator such as a motor80provided in the vehicle body5, and may be rotated according to driving of the motor80. Adjustment of rotation speed and rotation amount of the spindle20may be achieved by adjusting the rotation speed and rotation amount of the motor80.

A first end portion of the door arm30may be rotatably connected to a first end portion of the door10, and a second end portion thereof may be connected to the spindle20. The first end portion of the door10may be fixedly provided with a door bracket40, and the first end portion of the door arm30may be rotatably connected to the door bracket40. Furthermore, the first end portion of the door arm30may be hinge-rotatably connected to the door bracket40by a door pin46.

A nut bracket50is coupled to the spindle20to the surround an external circumference of the spindle20, and configured to move in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body5according to a rotation of the spindle20. A second end portion of the door arm30may be rotatably connected to the nut bracket50. Furthermore, the second end portion of the door arm30may be hinge-rotatably connected to the nut bracket50by a nut pin56.

Meanwhile, the door arm30may include a first door arm32and a second door arm34that are disposed apart from and in parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body5. Furthermore, corresponding to the first door arm32and the second door arm34, respectively, a first door bracket42and a second door bracket44may be provided on a first end side of the door10connected to the first end portion of the door arm30. Furthermore, a first nut bracket52and a second nut bracket54may be provided on a side of the spindle20connected to the second end portion of the door arm30.

The first nut bracket52, a worm gear60, and a worm wheel gear70may be provided to a second end portion of the first door arm32. The first nut bracket52may move in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body5according to the rotation of the spindle20. The first nut bracket52may include a planar portion53where a lower portion of the second end portion of the door arm30is accommodated and a gripping portion56surrounding the external circumference of the spindle20and configured to move along the spindle20. Furthermore, a gripping portion56of the first nut bracket52may be formed with an opening58through which the worm gear60passes so that the worm gear60may be in contact with the spindle20.

The worm gear60is provided on a planar portion53of the first nut bracket52, and a surface of the worm gear60passes through the opening58formed in a gripping portion56of first nut bracket52to be in contact with the external circumference of the spindle20. Therefore, when the spindle20is rotated, the worm gear60also rotates.

The worm wheel gear70is provided to the planar portion53of the first nut bracket52, and simultaneously, fixedly connected to the second end portion of the first door arm32, and may be in contact with a surface of the worm gear60to rotate according to a rotation of the worm gear60. As the worm wheel gear70rotates, the second end portion of the first door arm32fixed thereto is rotated to rotate a first end portion of the first door arm32, rotating the door10connected to the first end portion of the first door arm32.

Meanwhile, the second nut bracket54may be provided on a second end portion of the second door arm34. The second nut bracket54may move in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body5according to the rotation of the spindle20. The same way as in the first nut bracket52, the second nut bracket54may include a planar portion59where a lower portion of the second end portion of the door arm30is accommodated and a gripping portion surrounding the external circumference of the spindle20and configured to move along the spindle20. However, in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second nut bracket54is not provided with the configuration of the worm gear60and the worm wheel gear70, differently from the first nut bracket52. Furthermore, the gripping portion of the second nut bracket54is not provided with an opening.

The second end portion of the second door arm34maintains a predetermined interval with respect to the second end portion of the first door arm32and may move in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body5, together with the second end portion of the first door arm32. Furthermore, the second door arm34may be rotated with the first door arm32at the same rotation radius according to a rotation of the first door arm32.

Referring toFIG.3andFIG.4, when the spindle20is rotated by driving of the motor80, the first nut bracket52and the second nut bracket54coupled to the external circumference of the spindle20linearly move in a longitudinal direction of the spindle20. Furthermore, the worm gear60in contact with the worm wheel gear70through the opening58of the first nut bracket52rotates, and the worm wheel gear70in contact with the worm gear60is rotated. The second end portion of the first door arm32is rotated by a rotation of the worm wheel gear70, and the door10connected to the first end portion of the first door arm32and the first end portion of the second door arm34rotate by turning of the second end portion of the first door arm32.

That is, while the spindle20rotates, the first nut bracket52and the second nut bracket54linearly move, and at the same time, and the first door arm32and the second door arm34rotate by the rotation of the worm gear60and the worm wheel gear70. Accordingly, the door10linearly moves and rotates to open the door opening. By the linear movement of the nut bracket50, rotation radius of the door10is decreased, and a protrusion amount toward an external side of the vehicle body5may be minimized.

When a driveshaft of the motor80is driven in an opposite direction, the spindle20rotates in the opposite direction, the first nut bracket52and the second nut bracket54linearly move in the opposite direction, and at the same time, the worm gear60and the worm wheel gear70rotate in the opposite direction, closing the door opening.

FIG.5A,FIG.5B,FIG.5CandFIG.5Dare respectively cross-sectional views according to lines D-D, E-E, F-F, and G-G ofFIG.2.

As shown inFIG.5A, the second end portion of the second door arm34may be rotatably hinged to a planar portion59of the second nut bracket54by the nut pin56. Furthermore, as shown inFIG.5B, the second end portion of the first door arm32and the worm wheel gear70may be coaxially rotatably hinged to the planar portion of the first nut bracket52by the nut pin56. Furthermore, the worm gear60may be located between a surface of the spindle20and a surface of the worm wheel gear70, to transfer the torque of the spindle20to the worm wheel gear70.

As shown inFIG.5C, a first end portion of the second door arm34may be rotatably hinged to the second door bracket44by the door pin46, and as shown inFIG.5D, the first end portion of the first door arm32may be rotatably hinged to the first door bracket42by the door pin46.

FIG.6illustrates closed and opened states of a bidirectional swing door of a vehicle applied with the door opening and closing device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when viewed in front of the vehicle.FIG.7illustrates closed and opened states of a bidirectional swing door of a vehicle applied with the door opening and closing device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when viewed from above of the vehicle.

As shown inFIG.6andFIG.7, the door opening and closing device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment 100 may be provided to each of a front door10and a rear door15provided in the front and the rear of the vehicle along the vehicle length direction, and alternatively, may be provided to only one of the front door10and the rear door15. Furthermore, it may be applied to an upper side or a lower side of the door10, and may be widely applied to a structure of opening and closing the door10by sliding movement along the vehicle length direction as well as in the vehicle width direction.

As described above, for changing the closed state of the door10to the opened state, when the spindle20rotates by the driving of the motor80, the nut bracket50linearly moves forward and rearward in the vehicle length direction, and simultaneously, the worm gear60and the worm wheel gear70rotate to turn the door arm30. Therefore, the door10simultaneously performs linear and rotational movements to open the door opening. For changing the closed state of the door10to the opened state, the driveshaft of the motor80may be operated in the opposite direction thereof.

Accordingly, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, by employing a door structure opening and closing the door opening by simultaneously performing sliding and rotation, a protrusion amount of the vehicle door toward the outside of the vehicle body may be minimized while maximizing the door opening width, when the door is opened by minimizing a door rotation radius.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “up”, “down”, “upwards”, “downwards”, “front”, “rear”, “back”, “inside”, “outside”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “interior”, “exterior”, “internal”, “external”, “forwards”, and “backwards” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. It will be further understood that the term “connect” or its derivatives refer both to direct and indirect connection.

The term “and/or” may include a combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items. For example, “A and/or B” includes all three cases such as “A”, “B”, and “A and B”.

In the present specification, unless stated otherwise, a singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, “at least one of A and B” may refer to “at least one of A or B” or “at least one of combinations of at least one of A and B”. Furthermore, “one or more of A and B” may refer to “one or more of A or B” or “one or more of combinations of one or more of A and B”.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be understood that a term such as “include” or “have” is directed to designate that the features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification are present, and does not preclude the possibility of addition or presence of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.