Operator for vehicle side door
An operator for a vehicle side door including a metallic outer panel, a metallic inner panel, and a door glass partitioning a storage space between a downward movement locus line of the door glass and the metallic inner panel, the operator including: a drive unit provided in the storage space such that the drive unit overlaps with the downward movement locus line of the door in a width direction of the door; a pinion gear fixed to an output shaft of the drive unit; a rack including a rack gear configured to engage with the pinion gear; and a connecting arm pivotally supported on a vehicle body side bracket fixed to the vehicle body, the connecting arm being connected to a front end of the rack, wherein the side door moves in a direction of opening the door and closing the door in accordance with the movement of the rack.
1. An operator for a vehicle side door, the operator comprising:
a drive unit provided in a storage space between a downward movement locus line of a door glass that is movable in a vertical direction and a metallic inner panel of the side door, such that the drive unit overlaps with the downward movement locus line of the door glass in a width direction of the side door;
a pinion gear fixed to an output shaft of the drive unit;
a rack including a rack gear, the rack extending in a fore-and aft direction of the side door and the rack gear being configured to engage with the pinion gear; and
a connecting arm pivotally supported on a vehicle body side bracket fixed to a vehicle body, the connecting arm being connected to a front end of the rack, wherein
the side door moves in a direction of opening the side door when the rack moves forward by rotation of the pinion gear and the side door moves in a direction of closing the door when the rack moves backward by rotation of the pinion gear.
2. The operator for a vehicle side door according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle body side bracket is disposed between a pair of upper and lower door hinges configured to rotatably attach the side door to the vehicle body.
3. The operator for a vehicle side door according to claim 1 , wherein the rack is horizontally disposed.
4. The operator for a vehicle side door according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a brake part configured to generate weak brakes and strong brakes.
5. The operator for a vehicle side door according to claim 4 , wherein, when a door latch device is unlatched by operation of an inside handle and the side door is temporarily opened, the brake part generates the weak brakes for a predetermined time.
6. The operator for a vehicle side door according to claim 5 , wherein, when the side door moves from a door opening position to a door closing direction and the side door is temporarily opened, the brake part does not generate the weak brakes.
7. The operator for a vehicle side door according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a motor, a deceleration part, and a brake part that are aligned vertically.
8. The operator for a vehicle side door according to claim 7 , wherein a first shaft core of the output shaft is aligned with a second shaft core of a motor shaft of the motor.