JP3887243B2 - Operation assistance device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an auxiliary device for manual operation when opening an operating member such as a refrigerator door or a drawer. Specifically, the magnetic force of the magnet used for the door or the inertial mass of the door is used to ensure the closure. The present invention relates to a power unit that assists in reducing the manpower required to overcome doors and drawers.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional motion assisting device includes a motor, a speed reduction mechanism that reduces the rotation of the motor, a rod that includes a final output pinion and a rack that meshes with the rack, and a case that accommodates these. Drives linearly and acts on the door, and an operating position detection means is provided on the rod or speed reduction mechanism, and the motor is rotated forward so that the rod protrudes from the case to assist in opening the door, and the door opens. After confirming that it was free, the motor was stopped, and the motor was reversed to retract the rod into the case.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this device, the rod is linearly moved by the rotational force of the motor, so the rotational speed becomes the door opening speed as it is, and after the opening signal is input, the motor starts up and the rod starts operating. Does not work. In addition, when a general DC motor is used as the drive source, the time required for effective operation is delayed depending on the mechanical backlash and the load, so that it follows the speed sensation of a human trying to open the door. Is difficult and uncomfortable. Furthermore, since it is necessary to provide a switching operation position detecting means for forward, stop and reverse rotation of the motor and an operation circuit for controlling the motor based on the signal, the unit structure becomes complicated and the reliability is reduced accordingly. Conversely, the cost increases.
[0004]
Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to realize a higher-speed operation than that by motor rotation by using a spring force that is not affected by the rise time. A second object is to realize a mechanism that always obtains a constant opening force by using a spring force that does not depend on an electromagnetic force that is affected by a change in operating time due to a high load or an ambient temperature. Furthermore, the third purpose is that a mechanism provided on the rod releases the meshing with the pinion immediately after the rod acts on the driven part, so that the rod can easily return to the origin, and the motor rotational force is It is to be used only for the livestock and to make the configuration that does not reverse the motor rotation. A fourth object is to use a stepping motor capable of detecting the position by the number of steps, omit the position sensor, simplify the unit configuration, reduce costs, and improve reliability.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention , in a motion assisting device that assists the motion of the motion member, a rod that engages the motion member to actuate the motion member, a gear that operates the rod, The biasing means for operating the gear, the driving means for storing the biasing force of the biasing means, the holding means for holding the biasing means in the biased state, and the biasing state by the holding means are released. The gear is connected to an accumulating gear driven by the driving means via a coil spring as the urging means, and the gear is driven by one locking means as the holding means. When the coil spring is biased until the energy storing gear is driven and locked by the other locking means as the holding means in the state of being locked in the direction, the coil spring is Locked by means Are, together with the coil spring is retained, said biasing force and to release the urging state releasing means is released, the operation member by the rod, characterized in that it is actuated.
[0006]
In the present invention, the one locking means includes a sliding portion that slides on a cam surface formed on the energy storage gear, and the locking by the one locking means is released by the sliding portion. Preferably, the release means is configured.
[0007]
In the present invention, it is preferable that a stepping motor is used as the drive source, and the number of steps of the drive signal is counted to control a series of operations.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of a motion assisting apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a motion assisting apparatus according to the present invention. A mechanism in a live state before operation of the motion assisting apparatus 10 is schematically shown by removing a cover 11a of a unit case (hereinafter abbreviated as a case) 11. This is shown in a schematic plan view. FIG. 2 is a plan view similar to that of FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of the switch portion.
[0009]
Reference numeral 12 denotes a stepping motor as a drive source. A drive pinion 14 fixed to the case 11 and attached to the output shaft meshes with a large gear 16 a of the intermediate first reduction gear 16. A small gear 16 b that rotates coaxially and integrally with the large gear 16 a of the intermediate first reduction gear 16 meshes with the large gear 17 a of the intermediate second reduction gear 17. A small gear 17 b that rotates coaxially and integrally with the large gear 17 a of the intermediate second reduction gear 17 meshes with a cam gear 20 that is rotatably supported by a main shaft 18 that is fixed to the case 11. The cam gear 20 functions as a stock raising gear and rotates in one direction together with a start cam 22 integrally formed with a cam surface serving as a release means.
[0010]
A cam follower 24 that constitutes a releasing means in cooperation with the start cam 22 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 24a standing outside the outer periphery of the cam gear 20, and the front end 24c is pushed by the bias of the torsion coil spring 24b. It slides in pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface of 22. The outer peripheral surface 22a of the starting cam 22 is smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of the cam gear 20, and a protrusion 22b is formed in part. Projection 22b is precedent face up to the protruding apex 22c positioned at substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the cam gear 20 in accordance with rotation of the small-diameter outer circumferential surface 22a is formed on the gently inclined surface 2 2 d, ahead relatively steep from the top 22c It returns to the small-diameter outer peripheral surface 22a again through the arc surface 22e.
[0011]
Further, the cam gear 20 is integrally provided with a locking cam 23, and the outer periphery of the cam gear 20 is complementarily engaged with the distal end portion 25c of the locking lever 25 at a corresponding position almost opposite to the protrusion 22b across the main shaft 18. A notch 23b having a shape to be recessed is provided. The notch 23b constitutes the other locking means of the biased state holding means in cooperation with the locking lever 25. The locking lever 25 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 25a erected outward from the outer periphery of the cam gear 20, and the tip 25c is pushed by the torsion coil spring 25b until it engages with the notch 23b. The locking cam 23 slides in pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface 23a. The relative positional relationship between the protrusion 22b and the notch 23b is such that when the notch 23b is engaged with the locking lever tip 25c, the protrusion 22b is always in a position where the leading end of the gentle slope 22d is in contact with the cam follower tip 24c.
[0012]
Reference numeral 26 denotes an output wheel constituting drive means, which is rotatably supported by the main shaft 18 in parallel with the cam gear 20, and is connected to the cam gear 20 via a torsion coil spring (hereinafter referred to as drive spring) 28 as urging means. . Hooks 28 a and 28 b are formed at both ends of the drive spring 28, one hook 28 a is locked to a column 20 a protruding from the side surface of the cam gear 20, and the other hook 28 b is a column protruding from the side surface of the output wheel 26. 26a. Accordingly, the output wheel 26 is interlocked with the rotation of the cam gear 20 via the torsion coil spring 28 in a state where the output wheel 26 is not restrained.
[0013]
Further, the outer diameter of the output wheel 26 is approximately halfway between the outer diameter of the cam gear 20 and the outer peripheral surface 22a of the starting cam, and the outer peripheral surface 26b is coaxially and integrally rotated in conjunction with the cam follower 24 as a release means. A notch 26c having a shape that meshes complementarily with the distal end portion 29a of the starting arm 29 that moves is recessed. The notch 26c constitutes one locking means of the holding means in cooperation with the activation arm 29. Further, the output wheel 26 is integrally formed with a sector gear 34 that meshes with a rack 32 carved in a rod 30 that operates an operating member (not shown).
[0014]
The sector gear 34 does not restrain the rod 30 with the tooth-missing portion 34 b facing the rod 30 except that the gear portion 34 a meshes with the rack 32 when the rod 30 operates an operating member (not shown). That is, the sector gear 34 is a gear for operating the rod. One locking means as the holding means is constituted by a notch 26c and an activation arm 29, and the other locking means is constituted by a notch 23b and a locking lever 25. The release means for releasing the urging state by the holding means is such that the cam follower 24 integrated with the starting arm 29 cooperates with the start cam 22.
[0015]
The rod 30 set at the initial position of the innermost part of the case 11 is driven by the gear portion 34a of the rotating sector gear 34 meshing with the rack 32 provided continuously. That is, as the sector gear 34 rotates, the rod 30 moves along a guide 30a (shaded portion) provided on the case cover 11a. By the movement of the rod 30, the push lever 30b at the tip protrudes linearly from the through hole 11b having the same shape as the cross section of the rod 30 drilled on the side surface of the case 11, and pushes the operating member (for example, a refrigerator door). It assists the opening operation against the attractive force of the closing holding magnet. At the maximum stroke position of the rod 30, the rack 32 is disengaged from the meshing with the gear portion 34a of the sector gear 34.
[0016]
The compression coil spring 30c at the rear end of the rod 30 functions to buffer the contact with the rear surface of the guide 30a that restricts the protrusion of the rod 30 and to pull the push lever 30b after the door is operated into the case. When the rod 30 is retracted by the compression coil spring 30c, the gear portion 34a rotates to a position where it does not mesh with the rack 32, and the rack 32 can freely move along the missing tooth portion 34b. Further, the rod 30 is reliably set to the initial position in conjunction with the return of the operation member due to closing of the door or the like.
[0017]
Next, the switch mechanism interlocked with the locking cam 23 will be described with reference to FIG. An L-shaped return lever 35 that rotates coaxially and integrally with the locking lever 25 includes a short lever 35a and a long lever 35b that lock one end of the torsion coil spring 25b. In addition, a swing lever 38 that operates the switch 36 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 38 a erected on the case 11 at a position away from the support shaft 25 a of the locking lever 25. In the swing lever 38, substantially equal length levers 38b, 38c, 38d protrude in three directions, and the third lever 38d pushes the actuator 36a of the switch 36 by a tension coil spring 40 stretched on the second lever 38c. It is elastically biased in the counterclockwise direction (arrow L1).
[0018]
On the other hand, in the return lever 35, the long lever 35b elastically urged counterclockwise (arrow L2) in the drawing by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 25b comes into contact with the first lever 38b of the swing lever, and the third lever 38d is elastically urged in the clockwise direction (arrow R1) in the figure away from the actuator 36a to suppress the rotation of the swing lever 38 by the tension coil spring 40. Further, the rotation of the swing lever 38 by the urging force of the long lever 35b is regulated by the second lever 38c coming into contact with the end face of the switch 36, and the third lever 38 is held at the separated position from the actuator 36a.
[0019]
Below, the operation | movement description of the operation assistance apparatus 10 concerning this invention is described about the Example applied as an auxiliary apparatus which opens a refrigerator door. First, the movement assisting device 10 is in the initial state of feeding, the rod 30 that causes the push lever 30b accommodated in the case 11 to protrude from the side surface of the case 11 is at the initial position at the end of the stroke operation range, and the output vehicle 26, the notch 26c is engaged with the distal end portion 29a of the activation arm 29 to prevent the rotation. The cam gear 20 is driven by the stepping motor 12 and stops at a position where the notch 23b of the locking cam 23 provided integrally engages the tip 25c of the locking lever 25. This position is the starting point of the cam gear 20. And the end point.
[0020]
At this time, the relative position of the column 20a of the cam gear 20 and the column 26a of the output wheel 26 is in a state where the drive spring 28 is torsionally deformed by the hooks 28a and 28b of the drive spring 28 to which the cam wheel 20 is locked, respectively, This position is held by the locking lever 25 and the activation arm 29 and is on standby.
[0021]
A push-on panel switch (not shown) provided separately in the refrigerator is operated to energize the stepping motor 12, and the rotation is transmitted from the drive pinion 14 to the cam gear 20 through the reduction gear trains 16 and 17. When the cam gear 20 starts rotating, the start cam 22 rotates integrally, and the tip 24c of the cam follower 24 that slides in pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface 22a moves along the gentle slope 22d of the protrusion 22b to the protrusion top 22c. Therefore, the cam follower 24 rotates in a direction away from the start cam 22.
[0022]
Start cam 22 integral with the activation arm 2 9 together rotated with the tip portion 28a releases the engagement of the notch 26c of the output wheel 26. The output wheel 26 immediately rotates rapidly due to the restoring force of the torsion coil spring 28 which has been fed, and the gear portion 34a of the integrally formed sector gear 34 meshes with the rack 32, and the rod 30 connected to the rack 32 is connected. Push. In the case 11, the rod 30 that was in a standby state at the initial position at the end of the moving range has the push lever 30 c projecting from the through hole 11 b on the side surface of the case 11, and the refrigerator door is rotated from the close contact state to the release direction. Assist the operation. Thereafter, the operation member can be manually operated even by the weak force of the elderly, children, and the disabled.
[0023]
As the rod 30 moves in the protruding direction, the rod 32 with which the rack 32 is disengaged from the sector gear portion 34a becomes free and is urged into the case 11 by the compression coil spring 30c in the retracting direction. Therefore, when the door is manually returned to the closed position, the push lever 30c is pushed by the door and pushed into the case 11, and the rod 30 can be returned to the initial position at any time without being interfered by the sector gear portion 34a.
[0024]
The rotation of the cam gear 20 driven by energization of the stepping motor 12 by the first push-on panel switch (not shown) rotates the locking cam 23 together with the start cam 22, so that the inclined surface 23 c of the notch 23 b is the locking lever 25. The front end portion 25c is pushed up against the urging force of the torsion coil spring 25b, and the return lever 35 is interlocked to rotate clockwise in the figure (arrow R2). The swing lever 38 is released from the long lever 35 b of the return lever 35, and the third lever 38 d closes the circuit of the switch 36 by the urging force of the tension coil spring 40. The energization from the push-on panel switch to the stepping motor 12 is switched to the circuit from the switch 36 to rotate the cam gear 20.
[0025]
The output wheel 26 rotates in conjunction with the cam gear 20 via a free-form drive spring 28 that releases the animal power, but is biased by the torsion coil spring 24c of the cam follower 24 and slides on the outer periphery of the starting arm. The rotation is prevented at the position where the notch 26c is engaged with the portion 29a. That is, the output wheel 26 fixes the position of one hook 28b of the drive spring 28 with the support 26a. At this time, the fan-shaped gear 34 that rotates together with the output wheel 26 rotates and waits until just before the meshing of the starting position near the front end of the rack 30 where the leading end of the gear portion 34a is manually returned to the initial position. The cam gear 20 continues to rotate while twisting the driving spring 28, and the notch 23b of the locking cam 23 again engages with the locking lever tip 25c that is urged by the torsion coil spring 25b and slides on the outer periphery.
[0026]
By this occlusion operation, the locking lever 25 rotates the return lever 35 in the counterclockwise direction (arrow L2) in the figure to release the operation of the switch 36 by the third lever 38d of the swing lever 38, and the stepping motor 12 The stepping motor 12 is stopped by disconnecting the switch circuit for driving. Since the stopped stepping motor 12 does not have a force to maintain the stagnation force, the cam gear 20 is placed at the position where the notch 23b of the locking cam 23 is engaged with the locking lever tip 25c, and the other side of the drive spring 28 by the column 20a. The position of the hook 28a is fixed, and the drive spring 28 is held in the stagnation state. The position where the notch 23b of the locking cam 23 meshes with the locking lever tip 25c is the end point at which the cam gear 20 completes one rotation, and at the same time the next auxiliary operation is started, the first state of livestock is reproduced. The The above operation is repeated every time the refrigerator door is opened.
[0027]
The origin of the stepping motor 12 is made to correspond to the starting point of the cam gear 20, and several pulses are counted from the number of pulses for one rotation of the cam gear 20 and input to the stepping motor 12. For this reason, in the cam gear 20, the energization of the stepping motor 12 is stopped at a position slightly beyond the starting point at which the notch 23b of the locking cam 23 accurately meshes with the locking lever tip 25c. Since the stepping motor 12 has no holding force at the stop position, the cam gear 20 is pulled back by the action of the restoring force of the driven drive spring 28, and the leading surface 23d of the notch 23b engages with the locking lever tip 25c. The exact position can always be set as the starting point by contacting the surface 25d. When a DC motor is used as a feeding means, a delay timer is inserted in the switch circuit, and a similar purpose is achieved by providing a time lag between the time when the switch 36 is activated and the energization stop of the DC motor. be able to.
[0028]
As mentioned above, although the Example of the operation assistance apparatus concerning this invention was described based on drawing, this invention is not limited to the Example of illustration, It does not deviate from the structural requirements of this invention about the shape and structure. It is anticipated that various modifications may be made in scope, such as various changes in detail, reconfiguration of parts, and replacement of combinations in the embodiments. For example, a DC motor or a solenoid can be used for the stock of the spring, and a tension coil spring or a compression coil spring can be used as the spring. In addition, even if the start cam 22 or the start arm 29 is mechanically and directly operated manually, it is easily estimated by those skilled in the art that the same effect can be obtained by performing the spring action of the spring with the motor. I can do it.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As apparent from the above description, the operation assisting device according to the present invention, according to the description of claim 1, in operation assisting device for assisting the operation of the operation member, the operation engaged with the operation member a rod for actuating the member, a gear for operating the rod, biasing means and, energized urging force driving means for 蓄 energized, the biasing means prescribed for the urging means for operating the gear Holding means and release means for releasing the urging state by the holding means. When the urging state is released by the releasing means, the urging force is released, and the operating member is operated by the rod. since the, opening speed of the rod is imparted by the elastic force of the co Irubane, it can be operated at several times faster than the conventional motor. Moreover, by applying the motion assisting device according to the present invention, for example, a starting force to open a heavy door such as a refrigerator in a strong contact state becomes unnecessary, and manual operation is possible even with the power of weak people such as elderly people, children, and disabled people. It becomes possible.
[0030]
Further, the gear is connected to an accumulator gear driven by the driving means via a coil spring as the urging means, and the gear is driven by one locking means as the holding means. When the coil spring is energized until the energy storing gear is driven and locked by the other locking means as the holding means in a state where the coil spring is locked to the other locking means. It locked by, than the coil spring is retained, the rotation force of the motor is only used 蓄 force of co Irubane, because action assistance is configuration using a mechanical force of the torsion coil spring, the operation Unlike a change in operating time due to a high load found in a mechanism that performs assistance with a motor, or an electromagnetic force that is influenced by the ambient temperature, a constant opening force can be always obtained.
[0031]
The operation assisting device according to the present invention, according to the description of claim 2, wherein the one of the locking means includes a sliding portion which slides on a cam surface formed on the 蓄 urging gear, this Since the release means for releasing the locking by the one locking means is configured by the sliding portion, the motor control circuit including the timing detection for rotating the motor in the normal direction can be omitted, and the mechanism is simple. Can be
[0032]
The operation assisting device according to the present invention, according to the description of claim 3, using the stepping motor to the driving source, since the control of the operation of a series by counting the number of steps of the driving signals, the position The sensor can be omitted, the unit configuration can be simplified, the cost can be reduced, and the reliability can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a state of feeding in an embodiment of a motion assisting device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an operating state of the motion assisting device shown in FIG. 1;
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of the motion assisting device shown in FIG.
4 is a partial plan view for explaining the operation of the switch of the motion assisting device shown in FIG. 1; FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Operation | movement assistance apparatus 11 Case 12 Stepping motor 18 Main shaft 20 Cam gear 22 Starting cam 23 Locking cam 24 Cam follower 25 Locking lever 26 Output wheel 28 Drive torsion coil spring 29 Starting arm 30 Rod 32 Rack 34 Fan-shaped gear

Claims (3)

  In the motion assisting device for assisting the motion of the motion member, a rod that engages with the motion member to operate the motion member, a gear that operates the rod, a biasing means that operates the gear, and a bias Drive means for accumulating the urging force of the means, holding means for holding the urging means in the urged state, and release means for releasing the urging state by the holding means, wherein the gear is the drive The accumulating gear driven by the means is connected to the energizing gear via a coil spring as the urging means, and the energizing gear is engaged in the driving direction by one locking means as the holding means. When the coil spring is biased until it is driven and locked by the other locking means as the holding means, the coil spring is locked by the other locking means, and the coil spring is held. Wherein said urging force and releases the urging state releasing means is released, the operation assisting device, wherein the operation member is actuated by the rod.   The one locking means includes a sliding portion that slides on a cam surface formed on the energy storing gear, and the releasing means that releases the locking by the one locking means by the sliding portion. The motion assisting device according to claim 1, which is configured. Wherein using the stepping motor as a driving source, the operation assisting device according to claim 1 or 2 counts the number of steps of the driving signal and performs control of the operation of a series.

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