# US 12,760,580 B2 · Door closing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,580 B2 - Document ID: US12760580B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/475,748 - Filed: 2023-09-27 - Published: 2024-05-09 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-09 - Assignees: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takahiro Shiroma; Atsushi Kitabata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760580B2 ## CPC - E05F 15/635: operated by push-pull mechanisms, e.g. flexible or rigid rack-and-pinion arrangements (E05F15/652 takes precedence) - B61D 19/005: {sliding (B61D19/008, B61D19/009 take precedence)} - E05B 65/0888: {Locking bars} - E05F 15/662: Motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - B61D: BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES (vehicles in general B60; adaptation of vehicles to special systems B61B; underframes B61F) - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS ## Abstract A door closing apparatus includes a first rotary electric motor that is configured to rotate a first pinion to open and close a first door body; and a second rotary electric motor that is provided separately from the first rotary electric motor and configured to rotate a second pinion to open and close a second door body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A door closing apparatus comprising: first and second door bodies that are configured to slide in opening/closing directions in which one of the first and second door bodies moves away from or toward another of the first and second door bodies; a first rack that is mounted on the first door body and extends in the opening/closing directions; a second rack that is mounted on the second door body and extends in the opening/closing directions; a first pinion that rotatably meshes with the first rack; a second pinion that rotatably meshes with the second rack; a first rotary electric motor that is configured to rotate the first pinion to open and close the first door body; and a second rotary electric motor that is provided separately from the first rotary electric motor and configured to rotate the second pinion to open and close the second door body, wherein when the first and the second door bodies are in a closed state, a maximum amount that an end of the first rack protrudes in the opening direction of the second door body from an outer edge of the second door body in the opening direction of the second door body is equal to or less than half a width of the second door body in the opening/closing directions, and a maximum amount that an end of the second rack protrudes in the opening direction of the first door body from an outer edge of the first door body in the opening direction of the first door body is equal to or less than half a width of the first door body in the opening/closing directions, and wherein the first rack and the second rack face each other and extend in the opening/closing directions; the first rotary electric motor is arranged above the first door body in a position closer, in the opening/closing directions, to an outer edge of the first door body in the closing direction of the first door body than a center of the first door body when the first and second door bodies are in the closed state; and the second rotary electric motor is arranged above the second door body in a position closer, in the opening/closing directions, to an outer edge of the second door body in a closing direction of the second door body than a center of the second door body when the first and second door bodies are in the closed state; and the first pinion and the second pinion are interposed between the first rack and the second rack and offset from each other in upward/downward directions or forward/backward directions orthogonal to the opening/closing directions and the upward/downward directions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The door closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first rack is arranged to partially overlap the second rack along the opening/closing directions as viewed in the upward/downward directions which are orthogonal to the opening/closing directions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The door closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first rack is arranged on an upper side of both the first door body and the second door body, and extends in the closing direction of the first door body from the first door body toward the second door body; and the second rack is arranged on the upper side of both the first door body and the second door body, and extends in the closing direction of the second door body from the second door body toward the first door body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The door closing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first controller that is configured to control a function of driving the first rotary electric motor; and a second controller that is provided separately from the first controller and configured to control a function of driving the second rotary electric motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The door closing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a first door body detector that is configured to detect a position of the first rack so as to detect a position of the first door body and to provide a signal indicating the position of the first door body to the first controller; and a second door body detector that is provided separately from the first door body detector and configured to detect a position of the second rack so as to detect position of the second door body and to provide a signal indicating the position of the second door body to the second controller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The door closing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first lock that is configured to limit movement of the first rack so as to limit movement of the first door body in the opening direction of the first door body; and a second lock that is provided separately from the first lock and configured to limit movement of the second rack so as to limit movement of the second door body in the opening direction of the second door body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The door closing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a first lock detector that is configured to detect when the first lock limits the movement of the first rack; and a second lock detector that is configured to detect when the second lock limits the movement of the second rack. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The door closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first rack is coupled to the first door body installed on a rail car; and the second rack is coupled to the second door body installed on the rail car. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The door closing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first rack is distanced from the second rack in the upward/downward directions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The door closing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein both the first pinion and the second pinion are arranged between the first rack and the second rack. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The door closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first pinion is mounted on a rotational shaft of the first rotary electric motor and the second pinion is mounted on a rotational shaft of the second rotary electric motor. ### Claim 12 A door closing apparatus comprising: first and second door bodies that are configured to slide in opening/closing directions in which one of the first and second door bodies moves away from or toward another of the first and second door bodies; a first rack that is mounted on the first door body and extends in the opening/closing directions; a second rack that is mounted on the second door body and extends in the opening/closing directions; a first pinion that rotatably meshes with the first rack; a second pinion that rotatably meshes with the second rack; a first rotary electric motor that is configured to rotate the first pinion to open and close the first door body; and a second rotary electric motor that is provided separately from the first rotary electric motor and configured to rotate the second pinion to open and close the second door body, wherein the first rack and the second rack face each other and extend in the opening/closing directions; the first rotary electric motor is arranged above the first door body in a position closer, in the opening/closing directions, to an outer edge of the first door body in the closing direction of the first door body than a center of the first door body when the first and second door bodies are in a closed state; and the second rotary electric motor is arranged above the second door body in a position closer, in the opening/closing directions, to an outer edge of the second door body in a closing direction of the second door body than a center of the second door body when the first and second door bodies are in the closed state; the first pinion mounted on a rotational shaft of the first rotary electric motor and the second pinion mounted on a rotational shaft of the second rotary electric motor are interposed between the first rack and the second rack and offset from each other in upward/downward directions or forward/backward directions orthogonal to the opening/closing directions and the upward/downward directions; the first rack is arranged to partially overlap the second rack along the opening/closing directions as viewed in the upward/downward directions which are orthogonal to the opening/closing directions, a whole of the first rotary electric motor is arranged, as viewed from the forward/backward directions, between a center of an aperture that is closed by the first and second door bodies and a first connection portion that connects the first rack and the first door body, and a whole of the second rotary electric motor is arranged, as viewed from the forward/backward directions, between the center of the aperture and a second connection portion that connects the second rack and the second door body.