Abstract: A drive unit for driving an open-and-close body and a method for attaching the drive unit to the open-and-close body. The drive unit includes a cable, a drum, a pulley, a fix member, an elastic member, and a limiting member. The cable has a portion connected to the open-and-close body and another portion wound on the drum. The pulley is movable between a first position, where the pulley does not tension the cable, and a second position, where the pulley engages the cable and applies tension to the cable. The fix member is capable of fixing the pulley in the first position. The elastic member urges the pulley towards the second position. The limiting member is provided between the drum and the fix member, and the limiting member allows or limits rotation of the drum in accordance with the position of the pulley.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive unit and a method for attaching the same with which it is possible to improve the ease of attaching the drive unit to an attachment object. A limiting member is configured so as to limit the rotation of a drum when a lock member has fixed a pulley in a first position, and to allow rotation of the drum when a coil spring has caused the pulley to move to a second position. This makes it possible to prevent rotation of the drum in the state (vehicle mounting preparation state) before attaching the drive unit to a vehicle body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a pair of cables from loosening inside a drum housing and catching on other constituent components. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the ease of attaching the drive unit to a vehicle body.

Abstract: A large diameter portion is provided on one side of a closing side drum in an axial direction, a small diameter portion having a diameter gradually decreasing from the large diameter portion to the other side of the closing side drum is provided on the other side of the closing side drum, a partition wall disposed between adjacent small diameter cable grooves in the axial direction of the closing side drum to prevent a closing side cable from slipping out of the small diameter cable grooves is provided in the small diameter portion. Accordingly, the thick partition wall provided in the small diameter portion can reliably prevent the closing side cable from slipping out (derailing) from the small diameter cable grooves even when a winding position of the closing side cable on the closing side drum is changed and transferred from the large diameter portion to the small diameter portion.

Abstract: Provided is an opening/closing apparatus for vehicles which reduces the size and weight by reducing the number of components and suppresses rattling of an opening/closing body through sliding resistance of cables. A guide plate is provided between a drum and a pulley to direct orientation of a closing-side cable and an opening-side cable drawn out from the drum to the pulley. The guide plate has a sliding contact curved surface with which the cables and are brought into sliding contact, and the guide plate is provided on a swing arm of a pulley case in which the pulley is rotatably housed.

Abstract: A cross-sectional shape of an open-side cable 22a is formed into a round shape, and a cross-sectional shape of respective connecting units 52 between a pulley groove 50 of a pulley 46 and flange portions 51 is formed into a circular arc shape. Thus, it is possible to surely suppress damage of the open-side cable 22a caused by being strongly pressed to a corner as a conventional manner. Therefore, it is possible to improve durability of the open-side cable 22a, whereby it is possible to extend a maintenance cycle of a driving unit and obtain high reliability thereof.

Abstract: Provided is an opening/closing apparatus for a vehicle capable of protecting a cable configured to open and close an opening/closing body even when a large external force is applied to the opening/closing body. A cross-sectional shape of a cable holding groove in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of a cable guide is an arc shape configured to be in surface contact with a closing-side cable and an opening-side cable. Accordingly, a pressing force applied to the closing-side cable and the opening-side cable can be dispersed in a wide range of the closing-side cable and the opening-side cable rather than only in one part.

Abstract: A large diameter portion is provided on one side of a closing side drum in an axial direction, a small diameter portion having a diameter gradually decreasing from the large diameter portion to the other side of the closing side drum is provided on the other side of the closing side drum, a partition wall disposed between adjacent small diameter cable grooves in the axial direction of the closing side drum to prevent a closing side cable from slipping out of the small diameter cable grooves is provided in the small diameter portion. Accordingly, the thick partition wall provided in the small diameter portion can reliably prevent the closing side cable from slipping out (derailing) from the small diameter cable grooves even when a winding position of the closing side cable on the closing side drum is changed and transferred from the large diameter portion to the small diameter portion.

Abstract: A drive unit is configured such that a closing side drum and an opening side drum are provided parallel to each other. In a state in which a closing side cable is wound around a small diameter portion of the closing side drum and an opening side cable is wound around a small diameter portion of the opening side drum, the sliding door moves from a predetermined position relative to an opening portion to a position where the opening portion is fully closed, and, in the state in which the closing side cable is wound around a large diameter portion of the closing side drum and the opening side cable is wound around a large diameter portion of the opening side drum, the sliding door moves from the predetermined position relative to the opening portion to a position where the opening portion is fully open.

Abstract: A cross-sectional shape of an open-side cable 22a is formed into a round shape, and a cross-sectional shape of respective connecting units 52 between a pulley groove 50 of a pulley 46 and flange portions 51 is formed into a circular arc shape. Thus, it is possible to surely suppress damage of the open-side cable 22a caused by being strongly pressed to a corner as a conventional manner. Therefore, it is possible to improve durability of the open-side cable 22a, whereby it is possible to extend a maintenance cycle of a driving unit and obtain high reliability thereof.

Abstract: When a main switch (82) is in an on-state, a controller (80) allows an electric motor (41) to drive a sliding door to open and close an opening, and when the main switch (82) is in an off-state and a half latch switch (66) is in an on-state, the controller (80) performs a braking control to allow the electric motor (41) to generate a braking force. When the main switch (82) is in the on-state, the sliding door can be opened and closed automatically. When the main switch (82) is in the off-state and the sliding door is closed manually, the improperly-closed state detecting switch is switched on before a full-latch state, the controller performs a braking control of the driving source. In this manner, damage to components caused by the inertial force of the driving source which results from an abrupt stop of the opening and closing unit can be certainly prevented without enhancing the rigidity of a casing, etc.

Abstract: Provided is an opening/closing apparatus for a vehicle capable of protecting a cable configured to open and close an opening/closing body even when a large external force is applied to the opening/closing body. A cross-sectional shape of a cable holding groove in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of a cable guide is an arc shape configured to be in surface contact with a closing-side cable and an opening-side cable. Accordingly, a pressing force applied to the closing-side cable and the opening-side cable can be dispersed in a wide range of the closing-side cable and the opening-side cable rather than only in one part.

Abstract: Provided is an opening/closing apparatus for vehicles which reduces the size and weight by reducing the number of components and suppresses rattling of an opening/closing body through sliding resistance of cables. A guide plate is provided between a drum and a pulley to direct orientation of a closing-side cable and an opening-side cable drawn out from the drum to the pulley. The guide plate has a sliding contact curved surface with which the cables and are brought into sliding contact, and the guide plate is provided on a swing arm of a pulley case in which the pulley is rotatably housed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enhance stiffness of a cable end without increasing the size of the cable end. A first retaining protrusion (35b) is provided on the tip side of a second roller pin (35) so as to protrude from the second roller pin (35) in a radially outward direction of the second roller pin (35), a cable end (40) is formed with an insertion hole (43) including an arc-shaped second inner wall (43b), the first retaining protrusion (35b) being allowed to pass through the insertion hole (43). A bush (50) is provided with: a notch (51a) which exposes the second inner wall (43b) to the outside, the first retaining protrusion (35b) being allowed to pass through the notch (51a); and a cylindrical main body (51) which covers a first inner wall (43a), the first retaining protrusion (35b) abutting on the main body (51) in a radial direction of the second roller pin (35).

Abstract: A pulley apparatus has: a pulley case (CA) disposed on one side of a vehicle body panel (11a) forming part of the vehicle; a pulley (80) disposed rotatable in the pulley case (CA); and a cable guide disposed in the pulley case (CA), wherein the cable guide is in sliding contact with a cable (18) which is led into an interior of the vehicle through the vehicle body panel (11a), and guides the cable (18) along vehicle body panel (11a) to direct the cable (18) to the pulley (80). As a result, when a load is applied to the cable (18), a case body of the pulley case (40) is pressed against the vehicle body panel (11a), thereby suppressing rattling noise and vibration of the pulley case (CA).

Abstract: A ring gear (82) of a planetary gear speed reducer (80) is fixed to a casing (31) provided with a core metal (31) fixed to a vehicle panel via a rubber damper (92). Therefore, the driving unit can be reduced in size through adoption of a speed reducer (80) formed of gears (82) made of spur gears, and the rubber dumper (92) can suppress low frequency vibrations which are transmitted from the speed reducer (80) to the vehicle panel. Therefore, the vehicle body of the vehicle having a low characteristic frequency is prevented from resonating with the incoming low frequency vibrations to generate noises which are transmitted to the vehicle interior, and which give an occupant an unpleasant feeling.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enhance stiffness of a cable end without increasing the size of the cable end. A first retaining protrusion (35b) is provided on the tip side of a second roller pin (35) so as to protrude from the second roller pin (35) in a radially outward direction of the second roller pin (35), a cable end (40) is formed with an insertion hole (43) including an arc-shaped second inner wall (43b), the first retaining protrusion (35b) being allowed to pass through the insertion hole (43). A bush (50) is provided with: a notch (51a) which exposes the second inner wall (43b) to the outside, the first retaining protrusion (35b) being allowed to pass through the notch (51a); and a cylindrical main body (51) which covers a first inner wall (43a), the first retaining protrusion (35b) abutting on the main body (51) in a radial direction of the second roller pin (35).

Abstract: A ring gear (82) of a planetary gear speed reducer (80) is fixed to a casing (31) provided with a core metal (31) fixed to a vehicle panel via a rubber damper (92). Therefore, the driving unit can be reduced in size through adoption of a speed reducer (80) formed of gears (82) made of spur gears, and the rubber dumper (92) can suppress low frequency vibrations which are transmitted from the speed reducer (80) to the vehicle panel. Therefore, the vehicle body of the vehicle having a low characteristic frequency is prevented from resonating with the incoming low frequency vibrations to generate noises which are transmitted to the vehicle interior, and which give an occupant an unpleasant feeling.

Abstract: When a main switch (82) is in an on-state, a controller (80) allows an electric motor (41) to drive a sliding door to open and close an opening, and when the main switch (82) is in an off-state and a half latch switch (66) is in an on-state, the controller (80) performs a braking control to allow the electric motor (41) to generate a braking force. When the main switch (82) is in the on-state, the sliding door can be opened and closed automatically. When the main switch (82) is in the off-state and the sliding door is closed manually, the improperly-closed state detecting switch is switched on before a full-latch state, the controller performs a braking control of the driving source. In this manner, damage to components caused by the inertial force of the driving source which results from an abrupt stop of the opening and closing unit can be certainly prevented without enhancing the rigidity of a casing, etc.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic opening and closing apparatus for vehicle, which is improved so that the amount of lengthwise movement of an opening and closing element in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is increased as much as possible.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pulley apparatus which can be suppressed in shakiness without being deteriorated in workability in fitting the pulley apparatus to a vehicle body. The pulley apparatus has: a pulley case CA disposed on one side of a vehicle body panel 11a making up the vehicle; a pulley 80 disposed rotatable in the pulley case CA; and a cable guide disposed in the pulley case CA, wherein the cable guide comes in slide contact with a cable 18 led from the same side as the guide rail 11a in the vehicle body panel 11a, and curves the cable 18 along vehicle body panel 11a to direct the cable 18 to the pulley 80. As a result, when a load “F” is applied to the cable 18, the case body 40 can be pressed against the vehicle body panel 11a, thereby suppressing the shakiness of the pulley case CA.