An opening/closing direction restriction mechanism for a manual shutter device and an opening/closing direction restriction mechanism for a suspended sliding door device. This opening/closing direction restriction mechanism is provided with: a flange fixedly mounted on a fixed shaft; a bracket which is loosely fitted to the fixed shaft and can be integrally rotated with a winding member; and a two-way clutch which can be switched between a reverse rotation inhibited state in which the revolution of a planetary external gear along a winding direction of the winding member is allowed and the revolution of the planetary external gear along an unwinding direction is inhibited, and a forward rotation inhibited state in which the revolution of the planetary external gear along the winding direction of the winding member is inhibited and the revolution of the planetary external gear along the unwinding direction is allowed.

An operator for a vehicle side door includes: a drive unit; a pinion gear fixed to an output shaft of the drive unit; a rack including a rack gear, the rack gear being configured to engage with the pinion gear; 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; and a contact stopper fixed to a rear end of the rack, wherein the side door moves in a direction of opening the door when the rack moves forward by the 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, and the contact stopper is configured to come into contact with the drive unit when the rack moves forward by a specified amount.

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.

A hinge device includes: a first and a second hinge components having a common reference axis; and a power generating device. The first and the second hinge components are engaged with each other, so as to be rotatable about the reference axis relative to each other, and so that one of the first and the second hinge components supports the other. The power generating device includes a housing and an input shaft, and generates electric power by rotation of the input shaft. The housing of the power generating device is fixed to the first hinge component, so that the input shaft of the power generating device is positioned on the reference axis. The input shaft of the power generating device is restrained to the second hinge component with respect to the direction of rotation about the reference axis, so that the input shaft of the power generating device rotates by as much as rotation of the second hinge component when the second hinge component rotates about the reference axis.

In an aspect, a door control system is provided for a vehicle door and includes a pushrod and a locking device. The pushrod has a first end connected to one of the vehicle body and the vehicle door. At least a portion of the locking device is mounted to the other of the vehicle body and the vehicle door. The locking device includes a leadscrew, a leadscrew nut mounted on the leadscrew, a housing including a guide path, and a brake. The pushrod has a second end connected to the leadscrew nut. The leadscrew nut is constrained against rotation but is slideable along the guide path by movement of the pushrod, which causes rotation of the leadscrew. The brake is positionable in a braking position in which the brake prevents rotation of the leadscrew, and a release position in which the brake permits rotation of the leadscrew.

A motor-less counterbalance strut for selectively braking pivotal movement of a closure member includes a housing connected to one of closure member and a motor vehicle body and an extensible member slideably moveable relative to housing connected to the other of closure member and motor vehicle body. The extensible member has a rotary drive member configured to drive a driven member and cause movement of extensible member between retracted and extended positions. A gearbox unit has an input operably driven by a rotary output of the rotary drive member and an output operably driven in response to the movement of the input. The output is fixed to a friction plate configured for operable communication with a brake rotor. An electro-mechanical actuator is operable to move brake rotor into and out of braking engagement with friction plate to establish a braking and non-braking condition of extensible member.

The present invention is provided with: a first housing; a second housing; a guide tube; a third housing; a motor part that is incorporated in the first housing; a screw shaft that is driven to rotate upon reception of the rotational force of a shaft of the motor part and applies power to the third housing; a bearing holder that is provided in the first housing; an inner flange that is provided in the second housing; an outer flange that is provided in the guide tube and that is arranged at a position where the outer flange overlaps the inner flange in an axial direction; a seal that is sandwiched between the inner and the outer flanges; and a coil spring (47) that is provided between the second housing (7) and the guide tube (48) and presses the inner flange (46) toward the outer flange (49) side.

A device for manually and/or electromotively adjusting or securing a first vehicle part and a second vehicle part relative to each other is provided. The device comprising an adjustment part which has a joint for pivotable arrangement on the first vehicle part, wherein the adjustment part is to be arranged on the first vehicle part in such a manner that, when the vehicle parts are adjusted relative to each other, the adjustment part moves relative to the second vehicle part, a traction cable which is fastened at a first end and at a second end to the adjustment part, and a cable drum which is to be arranged on the second adjustment part, is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and on which the traction cable is arranged.

A door power drive module includes a housing and a motor arranged in the housing. First and second gearboxes are arranged in the housing and are coupled in series with one another by a shaft member. The first gearbox connects the motor to the second gearbox. An output shaft is coupled to the second gearbox. A brake assembly is selectively connected to the shaft member. The brake assembly has a normally closed position in which the shaft member is grounded to the housing. The brake assembly includes an open position corresponding to one of a door closing mode and a door opening mode. The shaft member is configured to be rotatable relative to the housing in the brake open position in response to the motor driving the first gearbox. The brake assembly includes a holding torque in the normally closed position. A torque is applied to the brake assembly above the holding torque that permits the shaft member to rotate in any direction of rotation. A position sensor is configured to detect rotation of the output shaft.

A method of actuating a door includes the steps of manually pivoting a door in a direction about a hinge to provide a manual input, detecting the manual input and energizing a motor to drive the door in the direction in response to the manual input. The manual door pivoting step includes exceeding a holding torque of a brake assembly that holds the door. The direction can be any direction for opening or closing the door.