Door closers: they were invented for the elite

How it works

All regular door closers are based on a regular door lock.

, which, in addition to the electric drive for unlocking and locking, uses another one that is in charge of fine-tuning the door. The lock has a built-in Hall sensor, which determines that the door is closed “at the first click.” The electronic unit issues a command to the electric drive to tighten the door.

Locks with closers, installed on many VW Group vehicles, have the same structural diagram: a lock and an electric drive module connected to it by a cable.

BMW closer operation diagram: when the door is closed, the rotating latch (2) engages the bracket (1). In this position, the Hall sensor (3) sends a signal to the control unit that the door is not closed tightly. An electric drive (6), consisting of a motor and a two-stage gearbox, tensions the cable (5) and moves the lever (4). The lever presses the rotating latch, which pulls the door “on the second click.” The latch is fixed, the electric drive is turned off.

To close the trunk lid, in some cases, closers with a “reverse” circuit are used. The lid is tightened due to the fact that the bracket to which the lock clings crawls “deeper” into the threshold of the luggage compartment.

Luggage compartment lid closer.

Advantages of using the design

It becomes clear that installing a door closer in a car has many advantages, including:

tight fit of the doors to the car body without any effort;
extending the service life of door mechanisms;
increased comfort;
better heat and noise insulation;
protection from dust and moisture.

Another advantage is the compact size of the device: the installation of a door closer will not be noticeable in the cabin.

How does it work

In appearance, the electric drive resembles a gas-filled tailgate stop - only thicker and longer (according to the laws of mechanics, greater movement requires less force). In addition, numerous devices must fit inside. The main element is a screw-nut pair that passes through almost the entire drive. An electric motor is installed at the end, which rotates the lead screw through a reduction planetary two-stage gearbox. A coil spring that works in compression helps lift a heavy door.

Luggage compartment door drive: 1 — Hall sensor; 2 - electric motor; 3 - gearbox; 4 — lead screw nut; 5 - spring; 6 - lead screw.

A device with feedback is required

, indicating that the device has reached one of two extreme positions.
This role is played by the Hall sensor, which controls the rotation of the motor armature. The operation of the two drives is controlled by an electronic unit. The tailgate can be opened by command from the remote control, or by pressing the button on the door when the car is disarmed, or, finally, in the most effective way - by running your foot under the bumper.
You can close the opening from the remote control by pressing a button on the door trim or a button from the interior.

The importance of adjustment

Obviously, no matter what type of door closers are, adjusting their operating parameters is most important.

If everything is clear with standard units - installation and adjustment are carried out by highly qualified specialists in a factory environment, then certain problems may arise with replacing the device or installing a universal closer.

It is best to entrust such work to qualified specialists who are not only capable of professionally installing a rather expensive device, but also know how to adjust the car door closer in the most optimal way.

Safety

The working stroke of the side door closers is so small (6–7 mm) that only a finger can be pinched. On the interior side, the manufacturer does not leave any places where, for example, a child could find a gap in which a finger would be pinched. But the outer edges of the door still form gaps. However, you can only put a pencil in there.

This is how the Audi Q8 door closer bites through a pencil.

Children should not operate the tailgate drives. Well, for an adult, the maximum force developed by the drive and not exceeding 10 kg at the edge of the door is not dangerous. If this force is exceeded, the door stops and even - on some cars - begins to open.

Door closer manufacturers

During production at the manufacturing plant, standard electric door closers are installed in cars. This is an expensive process. Devices from well-known manufacturers are considered more cost-effective. The advantage of such products is their low cost. You can select them yourself and easily install them in the car body. The leading manufacturer of universal electric closers is SlamStop. The competitors are lesser-known companies: Dorma, Ryobi, Abloy. Their products have similar characteristics to SlamStop products, but the quality is inferior to the original.

Rear doorman

For ease of use of the trunk, we came up with a hands-free access system

. We have already discussed the principle of its operation. And here is how the power drive of the luggage compartment lid works.

An electric motor with a gear reducer that turns the lid by its hinges.

Moreover, such devices are used both on heavy fifth doors of station wagons and on the lids of sedans.

There are also cars with a hydraulically driven trunk lid.

, but
the drive in the form of a sliding rod with a built-in electric drive
.

Hydraulic drive of the trunk lid of the Volkswagen Phaeton sedan: 1 - hydraulic cylinder; 2 - hydraulic unit; 3 - electric motor; 4 — trunk loop.

Specifications

Car door closers have the following technical characteristics:

ensure uninterrupted operation in the temperature range -40 °C ... - +85 °C;
MTBF (failure-free operation time) is 30,000 operating cycles;
the noise level does not exceed 50 dB;
adjusting the time for tightly closing the door in the range of 1 - 2.5 seconds;
have an operating voltage of 12 V;
allow installation with a door thickness of 50 mm.

The device is installed on average in 3 - 4 hours. Its installation does not require any adjustments to the factory design or technical documentation of the vehicle.

The delivery system is mounted and secured into the inside of the car door mechanism. The device has the necessary dimensions and is adapted for tight mounting. During the assembly and installation of individual system components, the interaction of the main structural elements with each other should be carefully monitored. The intersection of parts and assemblies, as well as their friction against each other, are not allowed.

Did you know that...

Some actuators begin to close the door when a person pulls the tailgate down slightly, indicating a desire to close it. Remember a computer CD-ROM: give it a little push and the tray slides away on its own.

The device allows you to implement an interesting function - the door is raised not to its full height, but by an amount programmed by the driver. This may be required in a garage with a low ceiling. The Hall sensor allows the “electronic intelligence” to count the number of revolutions of the electric motor that are necessary to lift the door to a given height. You can set the door lift height by pressing a button on the remote control or on the door itself.

Ways to control the door drive: 1 - button on the instrument panel; 2 — button on the door outside; 3 — button on the end of the door; 4 — button on the key fob.

Installing the mechanism on the side door

So, in the case of side projections, when installing a car door closer with your own hands, in the vast majority of cases it is necessary to take the following series of actions and measures:

Complete removal of the interior trim. Although this operation is labor-intensive, it is quite simple. Moreover, experienced car owners have probably done it more than once. To succeed, you will need two screwdrivers (slotted and Phillips).
If the car is equipped with electrically controlled mirrors or side windows, you will need to read the technical documentation provided by the manufacturer of the specific car model. The problem is that the terminals will have to be disconnected. And if you subsequently mix them up, then not only the car door closer will not work, but also all the servo systems. Moreover, in case of an error, the auxiliary electrical circuit of the machine can be completely damaged.
The next step is to install an electronic drive with a pull-up cable. As a rule, detailed instructions are included with the device. If it is not there, then you must remember that the block is installed in such a way that the pulling element faces the door lock.
An electronic sensor is installed above the door lock, which, in interaction with a special magnet, ensures the operation of the entire system as a whole. To install these elements, you will have to use a drill to drill holes that will allow them to be secured using the specially supplied screws. It is important that the sensor and the response magnet are strictly below each other.
Next, all that remains is to connect the sensor with the electronic operating control unit, which, in turn, must be connected to the general 12-volt electrical network of the machine.