The present invention relates to the field of automotive industry, particularly to a device for closing incompletely closed car doors.

Background of the invention

A large number of vehicle door closers closing ajar doors of a vehicle have been disclosed. However, their operation is mostly based on modification of the lock part wherein an actuator responds to incomplete closing and operates the lock from a half- closed state to a fully closed state by pulling the door.

Particularly, US 7770946 discloses a door lock device for a vehicle comprising a latch mechanism having a latch which can be rotated to pass, due to retraction, a half- latch state where the door is half closed and reach a full-latch state where the door is fully closed while the door is operated from an opened state to a closed state; a closer mechanism capable of forcedly turning the latch from the half-latch state to the full-latch state; and an actuator having an electric motor and a drive of the closer mechanism connected to the electric motor.

US 6422617 disclose a door lock device for motor vehicles capable of automatically operating a door from an incompletely closed (half-closed) state to a fully closed (closed) state.

Summary of the invention

The disclosed arrangements have exhibited drawbacks, such as their relative complexity and thus high cost, large size and integration into a vehicle lock which, in its turn, imposes certain restrictions on their installation in already manufactured vehicles, or requires serious changes in design documentation of vehicles that are being launched.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an unsophisticated and cost-effective vehicle door closer, namely a device for closing ajar car doors, which would not require any modifications in the arrangement of a door lock, and which would be suitable for installation both in new cars with standard door operation and in earlier released cars, or which might be offered as an option for production vehicles.

The said object is achieved by the proposed universal vehicle door closer comprising

- a door closer housing placed in a door of a vehicle, including a movable rack with a lock plate placed within the door closer housing where it moves, a state detector, an actuator connected with one end to the movable rack with the lock plate and connected to an electric actuator with the other end, which, in its turn, is connected to the door closer housing through a control unit, and

- a bracket placed on the car body.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a door closer housing may have at least one row of bearings along which the movable rack with a lock plate moves.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the door closer housing has two rows of bearings between which the movable rack with a lock plate moves.

The door closer housing may also have no pilot bearings. In this case, the movable rack with a lock plate moves due to sliding in the housing, which may be facilitated by lubrication of the rack, or due to the use of a sliding train of gears.

According to yet another embodiment, the bracket has a bearing at its end.

In another embodiment, the state detector includes a stage, a microswitch, a sealed contact, a light-sensitive detector or a volume sensor.

According to another preferred embodiment, the state detector consists of a stage or a sealed contact.

The state detector is responsible for the activation of the closing mechanism pulling the door to the fully closed state in case where the door is not fully closed. The state detector may be placed both within the door closer housing, and outside the housing. For example, when a stage is used as the state detector, it is placed within the door closer housing and responds to the placing of the bracket in the working groove of the door closer. In case where, for example, a sealed contact or a light-sensitive detector is used as a state detector, they may be placed within any part of the door or the car body as long as such a state detector is capable of detecting insufficient closing of the door.

According to yet another embodiment, the electric actuator consists either of an electric motor having a worm reduction unit with or without a string, connected thereto, or an electric motor with a rack or an electromagnetic pulling device linked to a lever connected to the actuator.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, the electric actuator consists of an electric motor having a worm reduction unit with a spring, linked to a lever connected to the actuator.

In yet another embodiment, the actuator is made in the form of a rigid hinged arm which may consist of at least two sections, a rod, a steel cable or wire.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the actuator is a steel cable or wire enclosed in a housing, while the direction of movement of the steel cable or wire is defined by at least one tension roller.

According to another embodiment the lever has a movement restraint device.

In yet another embodiment, the movable rack with the lock plate optionally has a return mechanism.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, a return mechanism consists of at least one spring. The key characterizing feature of the proposed vehicle door closer is its autonomy from the door lock and hinges, namely it is installed separately from the lock and is in no way linked to the same.

The proposed arrangement ensures the stroke of the retraction mechanism from 1 to 20 mm, which is sufficient to reach the closed state of vehicle doors.

At the same time, retraction force may vary between 10 to 200 kg and depends on the capacity of the used electric actuator, which, in its turn, depends on the weight of the vehicle doors that require closing.

The control unit sets the actuation time at 2 seconds, which is determined upon installation to avoid the need to activate the door closer without actual need and to make sure that the same is activated only when the door has taken a fixed position, namely is not completely closed. The control unit may function as an automatic reversing unit for reversing polarity, it may control the processes of switching on and switching off, which secures a delay in switching on and automatic switching off, etc.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 - general view (schematic) of the vehicle door closer

Fig. 2 - view along the line A-A

Fig. 3 - view along the line B-B

Below is provided a description of one of the embodiments, which shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. This practical embodiment is used as an illustration for carrying out the invention.

As is seen on Fig. 1 , the vehicle door closer comprises

- a door closer housing 1 placed in a door of a vehicle, including a movable rack with a lock plate 2 placed between two rows of bearings 3 along which it moves, a contact plate 4, an actuator 5 connected with one end to the movable rack with the lock plate 2 and connected to an electric actuator 6 with the other end, which, in its turn, is connected to the door closer housing 1 through a control unit 7, and

- a bracket 8 placed on the car body.

According to one embodiment, the actuator 5 is enclosed within the housing 9. Fig. 2 shows a view of the vehicle door closer along the line A-A with the bracket

8 placed in the working groove of the door closer and the contact plate 4.

Fig. 3 shows a view of the vehicle door closer along the line B-B with a row of bearings 3.

The door closer operates as follows. When a vehicle door is fully closed (tight), the door closer mechanism is not activated since the contact plate 4 does not enter in contact with the bracket 8 in the closed door position and thus the electric circuit is open (Fig. 2).

When a door is not closed tight (Fig. 1 ), the contact plate 4 contacts with the bracket 8, and the electric circuit closes. The control unit with reaction delay is sent a charge (impulse), and if the bracket 8 is still on the contact plate 4, the control unit 7 switches on the power of the electric actuator 6; the electric motor rotates the reduction unit which sets the actuator 5 in motion and sets the rack with the lock plate 2 in translational motion downwards along the bearings 3 inside the door closer housing 1 towards the bracket 8, contacting which results in transformation of the translational motion of the lock plate 2 in the translational motion of the door with the door closer placed therein, and in the direction perpendicular to the movement of the lock plate 2, which results in closing the door, namely in passing the door from a non-closed state into a fully closed state. When the door is fully closed, the electric circuit created by the contact plate 4 and the bracket 8 opens.

The control unit 7 is made with reaction delay in order to avoid activation of the door closer without actual need and to make sure that it is activated only when a door is not fully closed. The contact plate 4 on the door closer housing 1 is isolated and sets in operation only when the bearing at the end of the bracket enters into the groove and stops in the position where there is a constant contact with the plate, the door closer activates.

The bracket is universal, while the height of the bearing therein may change depending on the distance between the door and a car body. Such setting is very simple and is used to provide exact contact of the bracket with the contact plate.

When the electric circuit closes, then electric motor rotates the reduction unit with the lever; the lever moves radially and the radius depends on the required force and operational stroke. The radius of the stroke is set upon installation. The lever makes one turn which ensures lifting and lowering the lock plate.

Since power interruption does not guarantee stopping of the mechanism at the final stage of the working cycle, the lever movement is restricted by movement restraint device, which ensures that the lever makes one turn.

During the next cycle the control unit changes power polarity in the electric motor, and the lever moves in the opposite direction, which does not change the mode of functioning.

To ensure that the rack with the lock plate returns in its initial positions, it may be optionally connected to a return mechanism which may be made, for example, with the use of at least one spring.

A rigid hinged arm which may consist of at least two sections, a rod, a steel wire or a steel cable may be used as an actuator. As mentioned above, as an actuator use is preferably made of a steel cable or steel wire enclosed within a housing 9, which is necessary to control movement. Such a steel cable or wire ensures lifting and lowering of the rack with the lock plate, which enhances durability of the mechanism and its silent operation. At the same time, the steel cable or wire enclosed within a housing may be fixed on the door with guide rods. In an alternative embodiment, when a steel cable or wire is used as the actuator, at least one tension roller may be used to control movement. In this case, there is no need to use a protective housing.

The time of activation and return to the previous position of the lock plate is from one to several seconds.

The developed vehicle door closer is very compact and simple. It may be installed at any place in the inner part of a vehicle door having the width from 25 mm. At the same time, an electric actuator may be installed separately and may be connected to the housing of a door closer through an actuator, which allows installing the door closer at any angle without changing the length movement of gripping device, which makes this arrangement universal.

It will be apparent that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments discussed herein and that the specification illustrates the present invention. It will also be apparent to a person skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to this invention without departing from the scope of the claims.