Fixing mechanism, actuator, actuator for opening/closing vehicle door, and fixing method

{
  "publication_number": "US12104421B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Fixing mechanism, actuator, actuator for opening/closing vehicle door, and fixing method",
  "abstract": "A first joint portion (9) includes a swage groove (9 c) which is formed throughout a whole circumference of an outer circumferential surface, and at least one inclined portion (96) which is formed in a part at a side edge of the swage groove (9 c) and is inclined outward in an axial direction from the side edge of the swage groove (9 c). In a first housing (6), a swage portion (89) is formed at a place corresponding to the swage groove (9 c), where at least the inclined portion (96) is formed.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A fixing mechanism comprising: a tubular housing; and an attachment body that is fitted to an inner circumferential surface of the housing, wherein in the fixing mechanism, a swage portion is formed in the housing, and the housing and the attachment body are fixed to each other, wherein the attachment body has one swage groove which is formed throughout a whole circumference of an outer circumferential surface, and at least one inclined portion which is formed in a part at a side edge of the swage groove and is inclined outward in an axial direction of the housing from the side edge of the swage groove, wherein in the housing, the swage portion is formed at a place corresponding to the swage groove, where at least the inclined portion is formed, and wherein at least the inclined portion is configured to serve as a deformation allowing portion having a mechanical strength weaker than mechanical strengths at places other than the inclined portion of the attachment body, wherein the attachment body has a small width groove which is formed adjacent to the swage groove in the axial direction of the housing and is smaller than a width of the swage groove in the axial direction of the housing, wherein the small width groove is formed throughout a whole circumference of the attachment body, wherein a part between the swage groove and the small width groove is configured to serve as the deformation allowing portion, wherein the swage portion opposes the swage groove in a radial direction of the housing through a gap, and wherein an outer edge of the inclined portion is in contact with the attachment body in the axial direction with a gap between the inclined portion and the attachment body.",
    "2. The fixing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the swage groove includes two swage grooves, wherein the attachment body has the deformation allowing portion provided between the two swage grooves, and wherein the inclined portion includes at least two inclined portions, and inclination directions of the inclined portions alternate in a circumferential direction.",
    "3. The fixing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the swage groove includes two swage grooves, wherein the attachment body has a small width groove which is provided between the two swage grooves and is smaller than widths of the swage grooves in the axial direction of the housing, and wherein a part between each of the swage grooves and the small width groove is configured to serve as the deformation allowing portion.",
    "4. An actuator having the fixing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the attachment body is configured to serve as a joint portion which is provided at a first end of the housing and is attached to an attachment target portion.",
    "5. The actuator according to claim 4 comprising: an armature that is rotatably provided inside the housing; a speed reduction mechanism that is provided inside the housing, is configured to reduce a speed of rotation of the armature, and is configured to output a reduced rotation; a drive shaft that is joined to the speed reduction mechanism and extends in the axial direction of the housing; a driven portion that is screwed onto the drive shaft and is configured to move along the drive shaft in a sliding manner in accordance with rotation of the drive shaft; and two of the attachment bodies, wherein the attachment bodies serve as the joint portion which is provided at a first end of the housing and bearing holders which are provided at a second end on a side opposite to the first end of the housing and rotatably support the drive shaft.",
    "6. An actuator for opening/closing a vehicle door, wherein the actuator according to claim 5 is used for driving of opening/closing a door which is provided to be able to open and close an opening portion.",
    "7. An actuator for opening/closing a vehicle door, wherein the actuator according to claim 4 is used for driving of opening/closing a door which is provided to be able to open and close an opening portion."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a fixing mechanism, an actuator, an actuator for opening/closing a vehicle door, and a fixing method.\n\nPriority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-149557, filed Aug. 8, 2018, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.\n\nIn the related art, regarding a vehicle door opening/closing device, a configuration provided with an actuator is known. An actuator is driven in a telescopic manner in an axial direction between a part near an opening portion on a vehicle body side and a tailgate provided in this opening portion to be able to be opened and closed and performs an opening/closing operation of the tailgate (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).\n\nThe actuator in Patent Document 1 includes a first housing that has a tubular shape, and a second housing that is fitted to an inner circumferential surface of the first housing on a first end side and is provided in the first housing in a retractable manner. In addition, the actuator includes a motor that is provided inside the first housing on a second end side, and a drive shaft (screw shaft) that is rotatively driven upon reception of a rotation force of the motor. The drive shaft is disposed inside the first housing and the second housing in the axial direction.\n\nIn addition, an end part of the drive shaft on the motor side is rotatably supported via a bearing. The bearing is supported by a bearing holder fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the first housing on a first end side. A driven portion (nut member) is screwed onto the drive shaft.",
  "cpc": [
    "E05F 15/622",
    "B60J 5/10",
    "E05F 1/1058",
    "E05Y 2201/41",
    "E05Y 2201/422",
    "E05Y 2201/70",
    "E05Y 2201/702",
    "E05Y 2201/72",
    "E05Y 2600/506",
    "E05Y 2900/546",
    "F16B 4/00",
    "F16B 7/04",
    "F16F 9/32",
    "F16H 25/20",
    "H02K 7/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E05F 15/622",
    "F16F 9/32"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Mitsuba Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Takahiro Sakiyama",
    "Takashi Takizawa",
    "Toshinari Takahashi",
    "Yasuo Otani"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-07-03",
  "publication_date": "2024-10-01",
  "grant_date": "2024-10-01",
  "priority_date": "2018-08-08",
  "application_number": "US-201917257659-A",
  "family_id": "69415489",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "JPH10274216A",
    "US20030190215A1",
    "US20090000201A1",
    "WO2010119613A1",
    "US20120031294A1",
    "US20120205910A1",
    "US20160281887A1",
    "JP2017031634A",
    "US20180216390A1",
    "JP2017048817A",
    "JP6583805B2",
    "US20200024883A1"
  ]
}